Chapter 25
Patterson walked over to the car parked across the street from his home.
He nervously flipped open the snap that kept his gun secure and allowed his hand to rest there.
The closer he got, the more anxious he became.
The bruised ribs he experienced from the last encounter were still very much fresh and barely healed.
After stopping a few feet away, Patterson narrowed his eyes at the driver of the black SUV.
He only grinned, getting out at the same time.
He also wasn’t alone because an equally intimidating figure stepped out of the passenger side and rounded the front of the truck, stopping next to his partner.
Muscle and Death, as they were dubbed, stood with snide grins creasing their lips while they waited to hear what Patterson had to say.
“Someone’s gonna call the cops on you. You can’t just sit out here looking like you’re about to rob someone. This neighborhood—"
“You are the fucking cops, muthafucker. They gon’ call you?” Muscle questioned with a slick tone and grin that matched. His left brow hiked slightly because he was amused. So was Death, who snickered like a child.
“I’m a detective. Not a gotdamn cop.” Patterson was fighting for some type of respect that he knew he didn’t deserve. He had taken an oath but hadn’t upheld it. The dirty money he stole and bullied out of people was proof.
“You’re a dirty ass pig is what you are.
One who owes my boss a lot of fucking money.
Money you need to be paying up soon. How those ribs feeling today?
” Death smirked, clasping his hand in front of his waist while he reminisced about the gut punches and body blows he and Muscle hand delivered to Patterson as a reminder that their boss was losing patience with him.
“Look, I’m gonna pay up. My time is not up yet—"
“Oh, you’re definitely going to pay up, if not…
” Muscle cracked his knuckles while Death made a gun motion with his fingers which he aimed at Patterson’s head.
Patterson gritted his teeth and flexed his fingers over his gun.
But Muscle’s voice and the back window of the SUV they were standing in front of easing down caused Patterson to rethink his plan.
He noticed the barrel of a Draco positioned at the window aimed right at him.
“Be easy, muthafucker. Ford don’t miss.” Muscle and Death both smirked while Patterson’s jaw flexed. “Time’s running out. This is just a friendly reminder.” Muscle winked at Patterson before he opened the driver’s door. Death rounded the front again and eased into the passenger side.
“We’ll see you around,” was his last warning before both men were inside and pulling away.
Patterson released a breath, exhaling his frustration and fear.
“I need this fucking money,” he mumbled under his breath just as he noticed Asako coming down the street.
She whipped into his driveway and he made fast, long strides to reach the car, yanking it open before she stopped the engine.
She glared at him, pulling away just enough to shut her car off before Patterson gripped her forearm to remove her from the vehicle.
“I hope you have good news for me,” he growled with an aggressive tone and angry stare. He was frustrated and at wits’ end. If she couldn’t get close to East to get the money he needed then he was as good as dead.
Asako sensed his desperation and normally would have cowered but she used it to her advantage.
East showed no interest in her, but Patterson didn’t know that.
She had watched the odd exchange with the two men who had been parked across the street from Patterson’s house and put it all together.
They were pressuring him, which meant he was desperate.
“I do but I need assurance that you’re actually going to stick to your word. First, show me the gun. Once I know you really still have it, I’ll tell you what I know.”
Patterson frowned at her, surveying her face in an attempt to feel her out. After a few seconds passed Asako pulled away. “Fine, you don’t want to play nice then I’ll wait it out and let them kill you. Even if you have the gun, you can’t use it if they kill you first.”
Rage flooded his body in a matter of seconds, causing an over the top reaction. He pulled Asako’s toward his house with long, aggressive strides.
“I don’t know what the hell you think you saw or know but—"
“What I know is those men aren’t your friends. Especially not if they pulled a gun on you. You’re into something and it’s not good. You need me, so now things have changed. You want to know what I know or not?”
Seething, Patterson considered his next move before he gave in. “Fine, but it better be good.”
“It’s more than good. Show me the gun and I’ll make your day.
” She smiled confidently while her stomach was in knots.
She didn’t have a plan and she also knew that there wouldn’t be one.
East wasn’t biting and he wouldn’t. At this point she needed to really know what she was dealing with.
If he had the gun and showed her where it was, she could likely steal it and run.
It was the only thing he had on her. There was a possibility of Patterson sending Vega after her but admitting her role in Vega getting locked up would mean admitting his role in it as well.
Asako was sure Patterson wouldn’t take that risk. Or at least she hoped.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you but then you tell me how the hell you’re gonna get this money for me.”
Once inside, Patterson headed to his room, and when Asako followed, he stopped her at the door, slamming it in her face. He was desperate but not dumb. After removing the gun from the safe bolted to the floor in his closet, he left his room and joined her again.
“Here it is, now talk.”
“No, let me see it. You could be lying.”
Annoyed, Patterson gripped the seam of the Ziplock bag that housed the gun and unwrapped it, exposing the piece.
Asako’s chest grew tight at the sight of a gun she knew belonged to her father first then her brother.
She had seen the custom pearl handle enough times to recognize it.
Another reason she knew her brother would be screwed if Patterson decided to present the gun as evidence for what happened that night.
It was a family heirloom handed down by their father.
“Talk.”
“He has a big shipment coming in. It’s worth a lot of money.”
“How much money?” Patterson got excited but controlled his reaction.
“Half a mil,” Asako lied quickly.
“Half a million dollars?” The look of skepticism filled Patterson’s face.
“Yes, I heard him talking about it.”
“When?”
“Today. I was in the bathroom. He didn’t know I was listening, but I heard him. I know when it’s coming in. You can be there to get it. I’m sure it’s more than enough to keep those men from killing you.” She smirked and Patterson wasn’t amused by her taunting.
“This little cute act is not helping your case. I suggest you show a little more respect.”
“Respect?” Asako was a ball of nerves but refused to let it show. “You don’t deserve respect. I was at a low point in my life and you’re exploiting my bad decisions. That’s on me, but right now you need me, so I suggest that you show a little more respect.”
Patterson gritted his teeth but kept his cool. “When is the shipment coming in?”
“I’ll tell you soon. Right now, I need to make a few plans.”
“No, you’ll tell me now,” he gritted, getting anxious.
“I said soon.” Asako grinned then turned to walk away.
Patterson watched, knowing he didn’t have a choice.
She was his last resort, and if she came through with the information he needed, he was going to be a happy man and Asako was going to be on a missing person’s report.
Patterson never intended on letting her walk.
Instead he planned on putting a bullet in her head from the same gun that held her hostage to him all these years.
With everything she knew about him, she was a risk and not one he was willing to take.
“Ay, I’m looking for East. They told me next door that he was over here.” Vega flashed a charming smile to Pia whose eyelashes fluttered at the sight of the man standing before her. She didn’t know who he was, but she knew she wanted to find out.
“He’s uh, yeah, he’s here. Can I ask who you are?”
Vega’s smile stretched wider and Pia’s heart rate increased. “Vega, and you are?”
“Yours,” Pia flirted, extending her hand across the counter to him. Vega chuckled and looked down at it before he accepted and gripped her thin fingers.
“Someone already has paperwork on my heart, but if she didn’t, I would gladly take you up on that offer.” Vega kissed the back of Pia’s hand before releasing it and delivering a wink along with his charming smile.
“Well damn. I’m jealous of a woman I don’t even know.” Pia shook her head and dialed East’s office. She was no fool. As handsome as the man was, she knew better than to send anyone to East without clearance.
“Ay, boss, there’s a Vega out here asking for you. You want me to send him back?”
East frowned, wondering why Vega was here, but agreed to see him, telling Pia to send him back.
A few minutes later, Vega was walking through his door. “My bad for just pulling up on you but I wanted to holla at you about something,” Vega announced as soon as he laid eyes on East who pointed to the metal chair in the corner.
“That’s all I can offer you. This place isn’t set up for visitors.”
Vega chuckled and nodded, grabbing the chair and posting it in front of East’s tiny desk. “That’s cool. I won’t be here long. This shit makes me feel claustrophobic.”
East smirked and nodded. “I’m not here enough to do anything with it. Numbers runs this side.”
“That’s right. Shit, I haven’t seen him since I touched down. He good?”
“Yeah he straight. Still the same asshole, what’s up though?”