Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate (19 page)

“
Your honor, my client is not here today on a mission of revenge,” Ray began eloquently. “He simply wants the opportunity to be a father to the daughter that he never knew existed up until two months ago,” he continued on, painting a picture of lost love, secrets and plots to deceive.

Akil listened intently, making notes for his rebuttal once his chance came.

“
We will prove your honor that Mr. Ian Bailey, the child’s father, would provide a far better environment, conducive to both parents being an equal partner in the raising of said child,” Ray finished, thanking the judge and returning to his seat.

Ian chanced a look at Kaitlyn. Her face was expressionless but her eyes were blazing. She was furious with him but trying hard not to show it. Sighing again, he steeled himself as the opposing counsel stood and began having his say. Akil told the judge that Ian was simply a bitter, vindictive, scorned lover who now had the one tool he needed to further disrupt and destroy Mrs. Taylor’s life with her husband and other daughter.

“
Giving in to what amounts to legal extortion on Mr. Bailey’s part, would be a gross injustice to the little girl, whose life hangs here in the balance,” Akil wrapped up as Volena nodded thoughtfully.

Returning her attention to Ray, she instructed him to begin his case.

“
I call to the stand Ian Bailey,” he said calmly as Ian rose and walked to witness box, sitting and raising his hand as he was sworn in.

*****

Carlita was still smiling as she packaged the DVD and put it into their mailbox. It was packaged as a free sample, addressed to Tariq’s wife.
Can’t wait till the bitch sees this,
she thought closing the box and getting back into her car. The DVD also contained a note with her number telling Kaitlyn if she was bold enough, call her. It was well past time for Carlita to take her rightful place in society.

“
Mrs. Tariq Taylor,” she murmured looking at her reflection in the rearview. “Has a wonderfully rich ring to it,” Carlita chuckled once more.

Her cell rang and she smiled seeing Sheila’s name on the ID.

“
Hey girl,” she greeted her best friend.

“
Carlita, where the hell you at and what the hell you up too,” Sheila fired off.

She knew her friend was somewhere on yet another wild goose chase. The last one almost got her killed.

“
I’m in Gary,” she told Sheila calmly.

“
As in Indiana, city of Gary,” Sheila asked.

“
Mmhmm,” Carlita replied smiling once more.

“
What are you doing there, and please don’t tell me chasing some dude,” Sheila threw out exasperated.

Sheila knew her best-friend was searching for the love she felt she didn’t get when she was little. Carlita never talked about her father, but Sheila knew the woman knew who he was. Obviously things had never worked out with him and Meredith and Carlita was busy now trying to find a man to give her all the things she felt he hadn’t.

“
I’m not chasing a dude, but I did meet one,” she told her slyly.

Shelia frowned deeply. This was exactly what she didn’t want to hear.

“
Who is he this time,” she asked tiredly.

Carlita ignored the tone and told Sheila all about Tariq and their romance.

“
OK, but he’s already married,” her best friend questioned.

“
He’s getting a divorce, Sheila,” Carlita told her impatiently.

“
That’s the oldest line in the book Carlita, damn, come on,” her friend tried once more.

“
No, this time it’s different,” she replied and Sheila heard something in her voice.

“
Why,” Sheila asked simply.

“
It just is,” was all Carlita would divulge. “Anyway,” she began, changing the subject. “What’s going on at home,” she asked as Sheila sighed softly and let the conversation go, telling her best friend all the latest gossip she’d been privy too.

When are you coming home,” Sheila asked, praying she wouldn’t have to come to Gary and get her, like she had so many other times, from so many other locations.

“
After we set a date,” Carlita told her full of confidence.

Sheila shook her head but said nothing negative as she told her friend that was cool, but to keep in touch on a more regular basis.

“
I should not have had to call you six or seven times to find out where you were,” Sheila chided.

Carlita apologized for worrying her, promising to call twice a week from here on out.

“
Carlita, be careful okay,” she admonished, the concern in her voice. “Please, don’t get yourself in anymore crazy situations,” Sheila added for good measure, hoping the words weren’t falling on deaf ears.

“
I promise Sheila,” Carlita told her honestly. “This time it’s going to be different, you just watch,” she finished as the two said their goodbyes and disconnected.

Carlita chuckled again thinking about the DVD and headed out into the afternoon, waiting for her cell to ring.

*****

Ryan was on the phone getting a report as he drove. He wasn’t as trusting as Ian. When his younger brother told him about Jalen, Ryan immediately set up a tail. He knew their brother was out of the loop and that the life would never suit him. Now, gleaning the information he did, he was headed to take care of it. Ryan found the motel with ease, parking the rental he’d picked at the airport he headed for room 2107. It was on the backside of the establishment, away from too many prying eyes. Ryan found the room with ease and casually knocked on the door. He heard Jalen’s voice on the other side as he questioned who was there. Using his best falsetto, Ryan replied he was housekeeping bringing fresh towels. He waited a few moments more, hearing the sound the chain being removed from the door and the deadbolt being disengaged. As soon as the door opened a fraction, Ryan forced it open, pushing his brother to the floor as he came inside. Jalen went for his gun, landing next to him as it fell.

“
Relax,” Ryan told him calmly, .9mm trained on him, silencer in place.

Looking up he saw the woman immediately recognizing her. She was asleep or unconscious, he surmised, going with the latter. He saw the baby lying next to her and his rage began to stir.

“
What the fuck are you doing with this woman and her kid,” Ryan asked coldly.

“
Man, who the fuck are you,” Jalen asked, vaguely recognizing his face.

“
Get up,” Ryan barked instead as Jalen slowly made his way to his feet and Ryan ordered him to the lone chair in the room.

“
Why you snatch her,” he asked once again.

Jalen frowned deeply but continued to remain mute.

“
Doesn’t matter,” Ryan told him, not really caring the reasoning behind the foible.

“
Who are you and why are you here,” Jalen asked, praying this wasn’t one of Top’s men he didn’t know.

Ryan actually smiled at the question before enlightening him. Jalen’s mouth was hanging open at the end of the explanation, the realism somehow not calming him.

“
Ice, he gives you the benefit of the doubt,” Ryan told him, continuing to regard him coldly. “I knew you were soft,” he told Jalen. “Soft and stupid,” he added as Jalen frowned slightly offended. “You got a thing for Tae huh,” Ryan asked as Jalen gave him a look wondering how he knew the woman.

Ryan effectively read his mind and told him they all went way back in the days of running armor and powder.

“
Ice and I have built this shit from the ground up,” Ryan told him calmly. “While you were playing around in the streets living with mother dear, we were hustling,” he added, no anger or jealously in his voice.

He was simply telling a story.

“
The life ain’t for you Jalen,” Ryan told him finally point blank. “Ice thought I was gone and he wanted to recapture what he and I did together,” Ryan began anew. “He knew though, in his heart he knew it would come to this one day,” he continued to speak as Jalen became more confused.

“
This,” Ryan began, waving the gun toward Tae and the baby. “This is stupid shit we don’t do,” he told him. “We don’t snatch kids and terrorize them,” he told the man sitting in front of him. “You’re a liability,” Ryan said tiredly, turning his full attention once more to his brother.

“
I don’t like liabilities,” he finished simply, shooting his brother for the first time in the chest.

Jalen gasped, not believing he’d been shot and tried to get out of the chair. His legs wouldn’t cooperate with what his brain was trying to tell them and he only managed to fall clumsily to the floor. Ryan stood over him expressionless and fired two more shots, one to the chest and another to the center of his forehead, finally extinguishing forever the light that remained in his eyes. Sighing deeply, Ryan removed the money from his wallet and the jewelry on his person. Glancing around the room, he picked up a small cup and went to the bathroom filling it with water. Returning he stood over Tae and poured it into her face. She awoke with a start, gasping from the sudden shock of the water. As she was thrashing, Ryan grabbed her from behind, holding her around the neck so she couldn’t turn around and marched her toward the bathroom. Tae managed to see Jalen’s body on the room floor, panicking slightly that whoever the man was holding her now, was about to kill her. Pushing her inside, Ryan pulled the door closed and held it from the outside.

“
Let me out, please, don’t hurt my baby,” Tae began to yell.

“
Shut up,” Ryan barked, using that same falsetto again. “You stay put for five minutes and then you leave and do whatever the hell you want, but if you come out of this room a minute earlier, I’ll put a bullet in your head,” he told her as Tae assured him she wouldn’t.

Ryan let the knob go and quickly left the room, darting down the stairwell immediately outside the door. Tae came out of the bathroom as soon as she heard the room door close, but she waited every second of those five minutes before grabbing her baby and her bag and bounding out of there.

17

Tae was trying to look inconspicuous as she rounded the corner, having descended the stairs in record time. Aidan was thankfully still asleep, slightly worrying her that Jalen had slipped him something in addition to herself. Finding a bench at the front of the hotel, Tae finally sat and gathered her wits for a moment. She checked her wallet, finding all her credit cards missing as was her license and social security card.
What the fuck was this fool going to do, erase me,
she thought angrily, searching around in the bag for her phone. Finding it she was relieved to see it still held a charge. Quickly scanning her contacts, Tae dialed Kaitlyn. The phone went straight to voicemail. Trying Tariq next, his did the same thing.
Shit,
Tae thought becoming slightly anxious. Forcing herself to remain calm, she tried Jaleesa. The phone rang, but it too eventually went to voicemail.

She didn’t have Jacoury or Ramell’s number and there was only one person left outside of Shells she could call, who would come and get her without hesitation or 100 questions. Sighing lightly, Tae called Mook and prayed he answered.

“
Yeah,” he threw out calmly.

“
Mook, this is Tae,” she told him quickly as he fired off questions at her.

She assured him she and Aidan were fine.

“
Where are you,” he asked after explaining Kaitlyn and Tariq were in Overton Park for the custody trial.

Tae became flustered at the question, realizing she had no idea.

“
Hang on,” she told him as she walked inside the hotel and up the front desk.

Tae picked up one of the check in sheets containing the address and phone number.

“
You’ve got to be shittin’ me,” she mumbled aloud at the discovery. “I’m in Ohio,” she told him as Mook told her okay.

“
Sit tight,” he told her. “Do you have money,” he fired off again.

Sighing once more Tae told him Jalen had taken all her credit cards and identification.

Thinking quickly Mook told her to go back inside the hotel and hand the phone to the clerk. The man pleasantly booked the room Mook requested, taking his credit card information over the phone and handing Tae the cell phone back.

“
Thanks Mook,” she told him gratefully as the clerk handed her the card key.

“
I’m gonna hafta drive, so it’s gonna take me a few hours,” he told her explaining since she had no ID they wouldn’t let her fly.

“
Order room service for you and Aidan, everything will stay on the card,” Mook again told her.

Tae thanked him once more, giving him the room number and telling him they would be waiting. Disconnecting she headed to the room, located on the first floor this time, coming inside. Putting Aidan down, she finally relaxed, slumping onto the floor next to the bed and sobbing deeply, all the events of the last few days overwhelming her. Finally spent, Tae rose and headed for the shower. Jalen had been good for something when he bought her the clothes. After her shower, she felt much better and ordered food from room service. Satisfied and full, knowing it would be at least eight hours or more before Mook arrived, Tae laid down and slept.