Chapter 25
Chapter
Twenty-Five
U lysses
The heat is stifling. It’s like the old people say. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the devil walking down the street. Making matter worse, Kandie has been on edge since Nikki married Mathias and left immediately to go with him on the road to salvage his campaign.
She’s constantly texting her sister and doesn’t believe for one minute when she says she’s happy and, more importantly, that my cousin is treating her right.
This little musical event is sponsored by the Rosas.
The city volunteered to handle the safety of the event since he ensured that Lyric would be here before she started her world tour. The fact that such a superstar would perform a show on gratis shows how deeply she cares about either publicity or giving back. More likely she cares about FADE Carrington who in turn loves his wife, Delightful, another Love cousin on her mother’s side. The Carringtons are another prominent family, but have never inserted themselves in the shenanigans of the other families. They are reclusive and wealthy and gangster to their core.
“Sheriff.” Cool tones and a slow blink greet me when I enter The Camelia tent.
“Takeda,” I return with a nod.
“Kiyoshi,” comes the lightly chiding voice of his pretty little wife, Krie, as she brings over two covered plates and lemonade for Kandie and me putting everything in a sealed carrier for safekeeping.
“I only gave a greeting,” he says dryly, his gaze steady on me, saying everything but welcome.
“Umhm. Here you go, Ulysses,” she says sweetly to which he visibly stiffens.
“Thanks.” I smile down at her, taking the plates and the cup carrier. “Appreciate it.” I nod, not missing their conversation.
“What? He’s practically family.” She all but giggles.
“I see you need a correction,” comes the deadly reply.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, husband.” More giggles.
“We shall see, wife,” comes the low promise.
The humor that rides my smile quickly flips to a frown when I see Marcus Sommerland hanging around the kiddie pavilion. Kandie’s keeping an eye on Mateo while Mimi is doing free check-ups in a tent down the way. She uses events like this to see people who would otherwise fall through the cracks. Though she set up the Shelby-Love Medical Center more than two years ago, there are still people who do not come to get their health seen to. Some fear being reported and others just simply are working too hard on their small family farms, eking out a living.
Passing several of the stalls, I wave to various denizens of the town selling everything from jams to quilts. I see several of the families who we’ve reunited after they migrated to this area, making a go of it with handcrafted items and foodstuffs. Some people grunt about all the new people, but I know what they really mean — they are afraid of change. “Your daddy always believed in giving people a fair shake,” Mom told me when she revealed what my father had really got up to as sheriff. Shelby Sheriffs were always a tool of the family until he saw the dismal condition they endured as a kid growing up on the estate. Promises of doing better were soon discovered to be false. When Mom got pregnant with me, he chose the position as a temporary fix but soon discovered if he went into the family business, the people he wanted to help would have no choice but be at the mercy of the cartel and our family. His defiance got him cut from his inheritance. We managed on his living just fine, just as Mom and I did until Mathias released my portion after he dealt with his father.
Being handed that much wealth has allowed me to see the good I could do. I don’t care if none is left when I finally kick it. I’m determined to rectify the damage my family has done in the name of power and greed.
“Aright now, Sheriff.” Turning, I see LaShaun waving from one of the tents with sweets and her famous tea.
I throw a wave her way, not bothering to slow my stride as I make my way toward the laughter and wreath of smiles that should be mine only.
Bending to listen intently to something Mateo says, she turns back to go back and forth between her little cousin and the Brit.
Kandie’s smile is genuine as she throws her head back, laughing at whatever the bastard is saying. Rage eats at me as I approach the duo, watching as Sommerland lays his perfect, posh praise on her.
“You’re going to make a great mother one day,” he muses, mouth quirking in a way that lets me know he’d like nothing better than be the one putting that baby inside of her.
Holding my peace has never been harder than in that moment. I stand silent as my shadow falls on the trio.
“Who says I even want kids?” Kandie asks, but even from this vantage point I can tell she’s delighted, damn right besotted with his words. She’s looking at this motherfucker like he’s hung the moon.
I see Summer coming into the pavilion right at that moment. Stepping between them, I pluck Kandie’s little smiling ass up from the other side of the gate. “U,” she gasps.
“Shut up,” I growl, gripping her under her arm holding our food in my other hand after I set her on her feet.
“Hey.” Marcus steps forward. I flip the clasp on my holster.
“She worth you dying over, Sommerland? Because she’s worth me laying your ass down.” A chill falls between us.
“It’s okay,” I hear Summer’s soothing voice when Mateo whimpers, either not understanding his bestie is leaving or why the grown-ups all look mad.
“You’re so fucking stupid.” Kandie stomps on my foot, charging away into the crowd.
Resisting the urge to hop on one foot, I grit my teeth, following her, ignoring the dry chuckle of Marcus behind me.
Following her through the crowd, I watch her duck into the back of the kiosk she had her baked goods and Wildcat Honey stored.
“Here’s your food, with your ungrateful ass.” Plunking the food down I turn to leave not trusting myself to say shit to her right now.
“What the fuck is your problem?” comes from behind me.
Sneering at the exasperation in her voice, I whirl around so fast she stumbles a little before she catches herself. Simultaneously, we both take a step back. For different reasons, though. I don’t want to intimidate with my size but from where I stand looking down at her startled expression; I have — for all of the two seconds it takes her to remember who she is.
“The fuck is your problem? Dragging me away from Mateo. You probably scared the baby for life. You’re going to pay for his therapy. Big goofy ass,” she hisses.
“My problem? You’re the one over there skinning and grinning in that British motherfucker’s face, listening to his bullshit,” I bite out, watching as she goes over to the bag of food.
She gives a little shrug after digging into the bag. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes sweep me from head to toe. “What? You want me to have your babies, U?”
“Why the fuck would I want a kid with you when you can’t even stay sober?” Later, I would question what would make me say that. In that moment, I let rage and the pain of knowing I could never give her the family she deserved. Not me a killer. I had more blood on my hands than most men alive, not to mention the poison that seems to crop up in the blood of the Shelbys every other generation. Mathias’ father was probably a serial killer by anyone’s definition, and he’s not the only one. Our lineage is riddled with the worst type of bastards. We are not above patricide or any other type of murder. We revel in it. I would never give that legacy to anyone, especially Kandie.
I needn’t worry about it, though not with the look of pained hatred she gives me.
“Stay. The. Fuck. Away from me, Ulysses Shelby, with your mean ass.” Her face crumbles even as she says it. Hand covering her heart as if I stabbed her dead center, she backs away from me, slowly shaking her head, like she can’t believe the words she heard coming from my mouth.
Pulling the flap back, she steps out into the main area where she has cakes and the liquor. Standing for a long moment, I swipe my hand through my hair. I should be relieved it’s over. And it is over. There’s no coming back from those words.
Stifling the urge to go to her, I pivot. A bloodcurdling scream has me barreling through the flap so hard I rip it from its post.
“Kan—”
A keening muffled scream is all I hear as I watch her face masked in terror. Turning to where she’s pointing, I step in front of her to block her view.
A striped bobcat is flayed and gutted on the counter among the covered dishes of cupcakes, pies, and cakes. The liquor is tipped over to mingle with the blood of the dead animal. From the front, no one would be the wiser because Kandie hadn’t opened her stand and lifted the front of the station. Passersby would have been spared the view. The assailant would have had as much time as he needed to come back here to do whatever he wished.
“Ohmygod.” Kandie’s voice shakes with terror. Turning, I bring her stiff form into my arms. Holding herself rigid, she at least lets me turn her away from the scene.
Digging my phone out of my pocket, I call my office. “We need an animal disposal crew out at the festival. The Kandie Shoppe kiosk and keep it quiet. There are a lot of families out here.” Tugging Kandie under my arm, I try to protect her from any prying eyes, especially those of the sick fuck who did this. I know the MO. They are lying back, waiting, doing their best to try to unnerve her.
“How about we get what’s left in my truck and make do with that?” I whisper in her ear, leading her over the truck where we kept more cakes and confections in coolers in anticipation of the crowd and her selling out.
“You know what?” She stops, turning to me, her eyes ablaze with determination. “Let’s do it. I won’t give them the satisfaction of thinking they’re keeping Kandie Love down.”
I love her words, but for the first time, I have to admit at least to myself that her name doesn’t sound right to my ears — at least the last one.
A few hours later and endless lines of people she turns to me. “I just saw Joi’s trifling ass over there talking to Natalie from Mathias’s campaign. I don’t like that green eyed heffa, but I hope that she’s given her hell for almost derailing Mathias’s campaign.”
“A lot of good it’s doing. He’s brought a whole lot of people over to his side today. Look.” I nod to the stage where he’s taking the mic. As soon as he launches into his speech, I know he’s going to win. My cousin is the real deal. What originated as the ultimate revenge against his father has turned into a true calling. He has a heart for the people and truly wants to serve them. Just like Sebastian. Their hearts are in the tasks much more so than mine. The position was bequeathed to me on the death of my father and though I was too young to take the reins all those years ago, I’d be lying if I say it’s grown on me. It hasn’t. I never wanted it. I still don’t.
Kandie leans into me, listening to Mathias. I can tell despite all the opacity of what really happened between him and Nikki that he has her vote.
When he’s done, there is a roar of applause before people start going back to the different activities and food available. Our line returns with a vengeance and does not let up.
“Aye, have y’all seen Nikki?” Summer comes over with Sebastian’s twins in tow.
“Uh-uh, what’s up?” Kandie pauses after giving a little girl and her brother extra cupcakes for her parents or for later as she winks putting them in the bag.
“Kiyoshi has his men fanned out looking for her. Seems Mathias couldn’t find her after the speech,” Summer says, tugging the little girls behind her.
“Listen up. The rest of this is free. Y’all don’t be greedy. Share some with your neighbors.” Pulling off her smock, Kandie tosses it in the rear of the truck bed we’re selling from. She doesn’t even bother to wait to see if I follow. She doesn’t have to. I’m on her heels as she stomps toward my cousin.
“You lost my sister?” Kandie yells, running up to Mathias shoving him in the chest. Caught unaware, his arms pinwheel. He turns to glare at her. I step in front of her, blocking her from another assault charge.
Spinning on me full of unmasked fury, she yells at me, “I told you to keep that crazy bitch locked up. That she has some kind of weird fixation on my baby sister, but you let her go.”
“Who?” Mathias looks as if dread is latched onto him like a tick.
“Joi, that’s who,” Kandie says, hugging herself and shaking with gut-wrenching sobs. I want to hold her so bad in that moment, but I know she’ll only fight me like the wildcat that she is.
“I-I remember her getting me to drink and grilling me about Nikki’s business. I didn’t know anything about y’all, but she wanted to know all about how she grew up and who our mom was. Like she was writing a book or something. Then when all that stuff was coming out, I caught her going through my stuff and taking pictures. Then when the thing about the birth certificate happened, she came back to steal it for evidence she said, talking about how she was saving Nikki from you.” Shaking her head and looking defeated, she turns from us, heading in the opposite direction.
“We’ll take the south,” I tell my cousin before following behind Kandie’s determined steps. She knows her cousin best. She knows where she’s most likely to go.
Another half hour passes with still no sign of her. Folks are taking a break, drinking water and trying to recall the last place they saw her. Angel has his men fanned out on their bikes covering areas we can’t reach on foot and that are too wooded for trucks. I’ve called out the county ATVs and they, too, are on the search.
“I thought I saw Joi lurking around, but I can’t be sure,” Mimi says, handing little Mateo a bottle of water. “I was too busy in the medical tent. But I could have sworn I saw her.”
“She was here,” Kandie says, pulling out a flask. She takes a fortify sip before sliding it back into her jeans pocket. “I looked her dead in the eyes. If I didn’t have a double line, I would’ve walked her tail down.”
“The clubhouse?” Mimi asks and Kandie shakes her head. “Too obvious.” Her shoulders slump and she looks at me, her expression so hopeless. I feel lower than dirt on the belly of a slug for not being able to help her save another sister. I can’t help but thinking she feels the same way.
“Pire, PIRE, Mommy.” Mateo points west in the direction, but farther than I know, Angel and his men were searching. We all look at the billowing black smoke coming through the trees.
Running like hell on our heals, we all set out in the direction of the blaze. I’m on my walkie, calling all available volunteers to the fire station. Soon alarms sound. We cut through the field, coming up upon an old barn. It’s old but obviously a working barn or at least used for storage of hay, which is highly incendiary. The whole building is a loss. My heart drops because I know that’s where she is. We all seem to think Nikki is trapped inside that building, which does nothing to slow the speed of my cousin’s approach.
“Mathias, no.” Kiyoshi tries to grab him, but Mathias throws him off, continuing to barrel toward the barn.
Ignoring the screams of his name and the sweltering heat, he rushes forward. I eat the distance behind him, gaining every step, not letting the blast of heat stop me. Thoughts of my dad rushing into a similar situation do nothing to deter me. Trauma realized is sometimes the best antidote. I speed up and reach for his collar to yank him back.
We are steps away from our likely deaths just from the heat radiating from the outside doors as we are knocked off our feet by what seems like an eighteen-wheeler.
The momentum causes us to tumble head over ass, then ass over head. I’m tossed away from the grappling men. Angel has Mathias locked in his strong arms he can’t fight his way out of.
“Let me go.” I hear my cousin scream at his best friend. Veins are popping out of his neck as he strains against the protection of the man he calls his best friend.
“It’s too late,” Angel says in a tone I’ve never heard him use for anyone aside from his wife, Easy and his sister, Lourdes.
“Let me go, motherfucker.” I watch him buck, elbow, claw, swing. Catching him on the side of Angel’s face. He takes it all.
“She’s gone,” he says just as the front of the building collapses in burning timber and ash.
“No.” My heart craters at his voice, sounding so broken.
A bloodcurdling scream has us jerking around. Two figures obscured by black smoke are at the barn window.
We both scramble up, racing to that side. Nikki thrusts Joi out the window, then hurls herself out just as the back part of the barn collapses, much like the first.
Skirting around the people, making room for him, Mathias rushes to her side.
“Let me pass,” Mimi says, pushing through the people. Carefully and slowly, she assesses Nikki. “Her neck’s not broken. She’s been shot,” she tells us. “What’s the ETA on the EMTs?” No sooner than she asks do they arrive putting both women on spine boards loading them into separate ambulances.
People mill around speaking in low tones. Searching the crowd, I see Kandie. She stands on the edge of the clearing, her face ashen in shock.
I can tell she’s been thrown back to that night all those years ago.
Slowly, I jog over to her. Eyes wide, shivering, she still stares at the whole tableau like it’s a nightmare made real. It is — for both of us.
“She’s alive, wildcat. Nikki is alive,” I tell her, not sure if she was able to process everything happening when we came upon the building ablaze.
“What?” Deep brown eyes raise to meet mine.
“Nikki is alive. They are taking her to the hospital.” I don’t mention Joi.
“She is?” she pleads, hope spreading across her face for the first time.
“Yeah.” I pull her into my arms. “Let’s go make sure she’s alright.”
“O-okay.” Feeling her nodding safe in the shelter of my arms, I lead her away from the destruction and hopefully into the light.