Chapter 7 #4
“Minx, you’re smothering me,” he complained, trying to pull away from her as Rose rushed over to check on them.
The remaining crowd scrambled to their feet, and Luna searched for Finn.
“Finn! Where is he?” she asked, her voice quaking.
“He took off, Luna. He’s fine,” Rose assured her, kneeling to check on Mille. “You good, homie?”
“I’m good,” Mille replied. “Where’s Ma?” he asked, looking around and not seeing her.
Minx brought her eyes to Rose. She’d seen it all. They took her. She didn’t even know who they were; she just knew that her mother was gone.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Rose stood and helped him to his feet and Minx also stood.
He didn’t want to have the discussion here, and he didn’t want to talk about it with the cops about to pull up at any second.
Minx walked with Mille and Luna to the back.
Rose worked the room, checking on the remaining people as the police and ambulance arrived on the curb.
Perez was one of the first on the scene, and he approached Rose upon entering.
With a glance, it was obvious someone was sending a message.
“Rose, the hell is going on around here?” Perez asked, pausing with him at the counter.
“What you think it is, Perez? Max is gone. What did you think would start popping off around here?” Rose questioned testily.
Perez stared blankly at him. Rose was smart.
Max trained him up himself. He wasn’t a man filled with malice.
Perez knew that because he’d known the kid nearly all his life.
Rose was smart and calculated, just like Max.
DNA couldn’t make him more his son. He knew that the family was grieving.
Max hadn’t been gone long, and his absence was felt by many.
“Rose, we don’t need more attention than what’s already fixed on us. Can you do me a favor and just try to remain low key?”
“They snatched Mila,” Rose conveyed, doing his best to hold is composure.
Speechless, Perez’s mouth slipped open but no words came. He swept his hand down his chin and lowered his eyes to the ground.
“Yeah, so I don’t give a fuck what you or anybody else around this mothafucka got to say. I won’t keep quiet. It’s time to ring some fucking bells. These streets are about to be spilling with blood.”
“Rose, let me handle this,” Perez chimed in. “This shit is bigger than you even fucking know.”
“I don’t care, Perez! Save all that shit! This is fucking war!” Rose hissed, watching the forensic people sweep inside.
“We need statements, from everyone.” Perez motioned with his hands.
“Minx is in the back with Luna and Mille. They don’t need this shit right now, Perez. I don’t need this shit. I need to be out here on these streets making sure these niggas feel it.”
“Rose, you think I’m stupid?” Perez asked, his bushy brows dipping above his rounded eyes.
“I’ve known you for a long ass time. I watched you go through the bullshit with your own fucking parents.
I saw Max embrace you as his own. Not a lot of men would step in and do that, but he saw something in you.
” Perez aimed a finger at him, and spoke with the kind of conviction that made Rose pause.
“I’m standing here and giving you free warning.
Max and I had a relationship. We came from the same shit, and we were on opposite sides of the law.
We had a mutual respect and understanding for one another that a lot of people couldn’t understand.
The FEDs are here, and they got flagged because of gun trafficking.
The spotlight was aimed at Max. It’s been hot around here.
Max was meeting with city council to changes regulations.
His reach was going to extend beyond the shit in the streets.
Not everybody was happy about that. The Lynch family ain’t the only enemies out there, and that has more to do with Mila than anything. ”
“So what you saying, Perez?” Rose grilled him.
“I’m saying… walk light. They got more eyes out here than you think.”
“How long?” Rose questioned, resting his palms on the counter.
“At least the last four months,” Perez articulated.
Rose pinched the bridge of his nose, stretched his shoulders back and rolled his neck. He was doing his best to work through the tension building in his body. His cell rang. It was Finn. Briefly locking eyes with Perez, Rose answered.
“What’s good?”
“We lost ’em,” Finn said, exasperated. “But we are in the general area, so they didn’t get far. We down here at the old Fairfax District.”
“I’m wrapping up here. I’m taking them to the hideout, and I’ll ping you to see what’s going on when I’m done,” Rose replied.
“A’ight, bet.” Finn hung up, and Perez’s hard stare never wavered from Rose.
“Can we get these statements together so that we can get the fuck out of here?” Rose questioned, tucking his phone into the inner pocket of his suit jacket.
Perez knew better than to beat a dead horse. Rose was stubborn and pigheaded. He didn’t listen. He went with his gut, and he did everything off instinct. There weren’t a lot of men his age cut from the same mold. Rose was solid. That was a fact.