Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
EMERY
The Next Day
Shit was quiet.
A little too quiet for my liking.
As my family and the other four families sat around the grandiose table at our secret location, I eyed every one of these niggas suspiciously.
After killing Demarion, I had his phone scrubbed, along with Orlando’s.
What I found in Demarion’s phone made me unsettled.
The messages were encrypted, but I had Amari trying to crack the code.
He did, however, crack one of the messages and found out that somebody in this circle was the one trying to set us up. There wasn’t a name or number yet, but I was sure Amari was going to crack that shit too.
Orlando’s phone was easy to figure out, but there still wasn’t a name for the person who sent those messages. I had an idea, and I was never wrong, so I knew this shit was coming to an end soon.
I stood from my seat at the head of the table and looked each man in the eye.
“Somebody in this bitch is talking. And when I find out who you are, it’s going to take a heavy-duty magnet to remove the bullets I’m going to pump deep into you niggas. For y’all’s sake, and for me to have an ounce of remorse, it’ll be best for y’all to speak the fuck up.”
“The St. Claire family has nothing to do with this.”
“Neither does the DeVatos.”
“The Kings either.”
Torrance shook his head. “Don’t even look this way. I’ve never been a snitch.”
“Being that our family, the Kings, the Banks, and the St. Claire family has been under surveillance, it’s hard to fucking believe neither one of you flipped and using ya damn daughters or wives as bait,” I told them.
“I would never put my daughter on the line like that. The cops haven’t found anything on us, and we were acquitted last week,” Pierre said.
Sloan scoffed. “Neither would I. This shit has nothing to do with us. If someone is coming for your family, you need to find out who has a motive to do so.”
“You’re right. Both you and Pierre would have a motive to send my brother to jail for life.”
“What motive would I have, Emery?” Sloan asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know too,” Pierre countered.
“We all know that Emil is fucking on your daughters. You, Pierre, because he broke your daughter’s heart, and you, Sloan, because he got your daughter pregnant.” They both shifted uncomfortably, and I watched them closely.
“Although he has disrespected my daughter, she asked me to stay out of their marriage. I’m honoring her wishes, and as I said before, I’m not a fucking snitch.
You all supply me with what I need to keep my family afloat.
Why would I fuck that up because of some lover’s quarrel?
It wouldn’t be beneficial to me to take down our suppliers.
Your brother is a narcissistic prick, but I warned Paisley to stay away from him. ”
“Aye, old head, don’t make me get stupid in this motherfucka. Watch who you calling names before you be calling on the name of Jesus,” Emil threatened. Sloan was fuming, but he didn’t say shit else.
“I’m going to find out who it is that’s running their fucking mouths, and then I’m going to make sure you have a closed casket.
We do good business with all of you motherfuckas, and for y’all to turn informant is the ultimate deceit.
” I rubbed my temples before placing my palms on the cherrywood table.
“Now, get the fuck out.” They all moved in silence and left the house.
I looked at my brother and cousin, then poured myself a drink.
“Once you niggas are acquitted, I’m stepping down from this shit.
” I could feel Mill and Mook’s gazes fixed on me.
“I’m fucking done. Too many fucking snakes, too much disloyalty and malice in this game.
I’ve been at this shit for twenty years, and I’m not making this shit a lifetime goal.
I’m exhausted of killing motherfuckas and having people around me who don’t mean me no good.
” I took the shot to the head and poured another before I heard Mill speak.
“I knew it was coming,” he said in a low tone.
“I apologize for being reckless, bro. I knew when Poppa made you the head, it was for a reason. I probably would have already been serving time had it not been for you, E. I’m sorry I put this stress on you and Mook.
I wasn’t thinking, and now I feel like it’s going to cost me and Mook’s freedom. ”
I was more shocked than anything, hearing this nigga apologize and take accountability for his actions. I wanted to kiss his forehead and pat him on the back like my son, but all I could do was smile on the inside at his growth.
“Y’all not going down for this shit, Mill. I guarantee you that. And once Yumi clears you niggas, I want one hundred thousand from both of y’all for legal fees and pain and suffering.”
“Nigga, you fucking our attorney. You ain’t paying no damn legal fees!” Mook exclaimed as he and Mill laughed.
“Bench pressing her on this dick is more payment than you think, my nigga.” We all laughed before I became serious.
“I’m fucking with y’all. Contrary to what you believe, my baby isn’t a partner yet, so I still had to come out of pocket for you niggas.
Since I want us all to win, including my wife, I’m going to make sure she wins this case, and y’all walk away free men. ”
“And how you gon’ do that? Clearly, they took Larkin off the case.”
“No worries. I always get what I want.”
“And the bitch ass witness?” Emil asked.
“I’m going to find out who she is, too. As I said, don’t worry yourselves. I got this.”
“Appreciate you, brodie.” Emil and Mook lifted their glasses, and we tapped them, taking a shot for their impending freedom.
“It’s so good to have someone who cares about others in the community. We don’t get a lot of chivalry these days,” Olivia said as she set a piece of pumpkin pie in front of me. I gave her a soft smile when she took her seat across from me.
I stared at the pie as if it had legs growing out of it because black people didn’t eat no fucking pumpkin shit. Maybe a pumpkin spice, but never a fucking pie. If they did, I was convinced they tortured animals in their basement.
“That is true. As a civilian and upstanding citizen, I took this job so that I could bring unity to our communities and ensure everyone stays safe in their neighborhoods.”
“And I love that. I tell my husband all the time that we need more people like you to keep the crime rate down.”
I laughed at her on the inside because she was sitting across from the biggest criminal in the metro area. While she thought I was here as a detective, I only had one purpose for being in her home.
The door opening paused me from replying, and in walked who I was looking for.
Judge Samuel Cason.
“Honey, I’m home!”
“In here, Sammy.”
I set the plate down and waited for him to appear.
“Smells good in here. You must have made my famous p—” His words halted when he saw me sitting on his couch as if I were part of the family. He frowned in confusion as he looked from me to his wife, then back to me. “Who the hell are you?”
“Honey, this is Detective Liam McCoy. He’s in the neighborhood, investigating that armed robbery that happened at Norman’s store.”
I stood and held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Your Honor. I only have a few things to tell you in private before I be on my way.”
“Let me see your credentials,” he said. I smiled, pulled out my fake badge, and handed it over to him. He looked at it, then back to me, and handed it back. “Which department do you work for?”
“West Bloomfield.”
“I’ll give them a call about that later. Follow me to my office.”
I gave a curt nod and followed him through the house. I made a mental note to pay Amari extra for his spectacular skills. We walked into his office as he set his briefcase on his desk, then extended his hand for me to sit. We both took a seat with him sitting behind his desk.
“I don’t know much about that robbery, but Norman is a good man. I thought they found who did it already.”
“This is just a follow-up. But I do have some things to show you before I go.” I reached inside my suit jacket, pulling out an envelope, and handed it to him.
He used the letter opener to open it. He pulled out the contents, and I watched his face go from curious to mortified. His eyes snapped up at me as I smiled.
“Where the hell did you get these? Who are you?” he whisper-shouted.
“That’s not important. What’s important is that you let Emil and Ellis Aldana go free.
And let’s just be real here. That witness that gave you that written testimony shouldn’t hold up in court.
The prosecution could have easily fabricated that testimony.
Oh, how do I know, you ask?” I pulled a recorder from my pocket and pressed play.
“I was subpoenaed! That bitch Leyla said my name in court, and then those lawyers came by here and told me I had to testify!”
“What were you going to tell them exactly?”
“They told me to say that I saw who killed Ray and Al.”
“So, you were going to get on the stand and lie? Don’t you know that’s perjury, and you can go to jail for that?”
“I know, but they scared me and told me they were unhinged and were going to come for me since Leyla told them I was there that night.”
“Damn. They put your ass in a trick bag. Set you up on some crazy shit because they wasn’t even thinking about your ass.”
I turned off the recording and stared at him. I could see him go through an influx of emotions before he sighed deeply. “Two lives have been taken, young man. I can’t just overlook this.”
“You can, and you will. I’m sure if your wife sees those photos, you wouldn’t give so much as fuck that those two niggas were extinct. Do the right thing here, Sammy. I’m sure you don’t want to go viral.”
He frowned deeply as his face turned a bright shade of red. “I’ll make sure they walk.”
“My ni—” I caught myself before letting that word come out of my mouth. His ass wasn’t a nigga at all. “I mean, my man.” I chuckled and stood.
“I’m sure this won’t be the last time they do something else that’s wrong. There’ll always be another judge who doesn’t have any secrets who will make sure they get life in prison. Once a criminal, always a criminal.”
I shrugged. “You may be on to something.” I smiled.
“You can keep those. I have other copies just in case. Enjoy your pumpkin pie.” I winked and let myself out.
I knew once I showed him pictures of him allowing the strippers at The Pink Lady gentlemen’s club to stick shit up his ass and tie him up like a bitch, he would do whatever I said.
His wife was the daughter of the chief judge in the Supreme Court. If his father-in-law found out about the despicable shit he was doing behind his daughter’s back, I knew for sure his life would be over, not to mention his wife possibly divorcing his nasty ass.
“You’re leaving?” Olivia asked once I headed for the door.
I smiled politely. “Yes, ma’am.”
“You didn’t eat your pie.”
“I’m sure your husband will enjoy it. I hear he likes a nice cream pie.” I chuckled and got the fuck on.
My mission was accomplished.