Chapter Seven
“So what do you suggest we do?” Leon broke the quiet.
“One thing comes to mind,” Lucinda told them.
“When we were children growing up, they liked to look for me, they would look all over the village and when they found me, they would make a big deal of taunting me, many times they would hunt for me to beat me up because they knew no one would dare to stop them. It was practice for them you see? To be the bullies they were meant to be. So, if you want to rattle them into making a big mistake, take a page out of their own story. Let them know you are watching them, hunting them and that you can take them out anytime you want to. Play the game they always played when we were children. That will rattle them more and make them easier to take down.”
Leon sat back in his chair and smiled. He thought about her plan then his smile grew. “Bene, that is good. Make them live in fear while we use their game against them.” He looked over at her and shook his head. “You are devious, do you know that?”
Lucinda shrugged. “It is just a suggestion and here in Boston they have no one to hide behind. They will be powerless without family to step in and stop the game. They will have to think for themselves. And they don’t know how to do that.
They are a long way from home and everyone they came here with is dead. ”
Leon reached for his phone. “Let me get Bane and his group in on this game. It should be right up their alley.” He went over to the far side of the room to make the call and when he ended it he nodded at Lucinda.
“They loved the thought of playing cat and mouse with them.” He looked around the table.
“And we were right about Orlando taking the money and running off. But Ari and Sheeba have an eye on him and they won’t let him skip town.
Bane is going to let Silva know that Orlando is planning on running rather than following through with their plans. ”
Henri shook his head. “Dios mio, that’s not going to go over good with those boys. Makes a man wonder which one will find him first?”
Leon looked over at John. “Maybe it’s time to bring the family home, John. We can protect them better under our own roof rather than leaving them outside. Make sure they are safe and bring them all home. Then please tell the housekeeper to get a room ready for Henri.”
John nodded then looked over at Henri.
The older man stood from the chair and wobbled a bit.
Lucinda rushed over and steadied him. He had been through a lot. “Ay Poppy, be careful.” She took his arm. “I saw this housekeeper earlier. I can take you.”
Storm got up and took his other arm.
Henri fussed a bit. “No, no. You do not have to...”
Lucinda kissed his cheek. “Let me take care of you now.” She gave him no choice. “I am just so happy you are still with me. You will live in America near me, Poppy.”
He paused and got teary eyed.
“You are my only family, Poppy.” She nodded and escorted him out the door.
Her and Storm got him settled into a room. They also had a full meal being prepared and the housekeeper said she would deliver it and make sure he had all he needed.
Henri looked awed at the luxury he saw everywhere.
The bed he had seemed too large for just him to sleep in.
There were beautiful paintings on the walls and plush carpeting beneath his feet.
He also had his own living room with a leather sofa and end tables.
Lamps made of crystal and brass. Just richness of every kind was in abundance in the room.
“Mios dio,” he exclaimed. The stunned look on his face at the size and elegance of the bathroom was amusing to say the least. “Ay hombre!”
Storm and Lucinda laughed.
Lucinda gave him a kiss on his weathered cheek. “You deserve it, Poppy. Eat your dinner then take a long hot bath.”
Finally, Storm led her silently to their room.
Lucinda took her sandals off, went over to the bed, lowered herself down and laid her head on the pillow.
Storm removed his boots, moved around the bed and laid down beside her. Wrapping his arms around her he told her to try and rest.
Lucinda snuggled into him then laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. After a moment she let out a heavy sigh.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?”
She was silent for a long moment then she whispered, “Do you think I was wrong for suggesting the game of cat and mouse to Leon?”
Storm stared at the ceiling then asked, “Do you think you were wrong?”
Lucinda opened her eyes but couldn’t look at him. “I don’t know but maybe.”
He turned his head and stared at her. “In what way?”
Lucinda tried to pull away but Storm wouldn’t let her go. He simply asked her again, “In what way?”
She shrugged then said, “Very often I would walk away with bruises and no respect for myself left anymore. I’ve always known who I was and who I wasn’t.
I heard it every day of my life. I was a bastard.
..my mother blamed me for something I couldn’t help, I was such a disappointment, or I should have been drowned the moment I came out of my mother.
I heard it all, every single day of my life.
My own father hid behind me when Bane came to call.
I was only ten and my father held me up to cover him then he threw me away like trash.
” She paused then swallowed hard. “Then when I grew older they had a harder time finding me and that just made the boys madder. I’m not telling you this for pity, that’s just the way it was in our village. ”
Storm nodded. “I think I understand. You think you wanted to give them a taste of their medicine, maybe?”
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
Storm smiled. “I don’t think so. Actually, what you suggested has merit of a kind.”
“Merit?” Lucinda felt confused.
Storm settled in against his pillow and explained it, “You suggested Leon play cat and mouse with them. Maybe it was a bit of payback from you but that doesn’t mean it won’t work.
Leon wants them to be rattled and to start making mistakes.
Once they realize someone bigger and badder is out to get them, that alone will shake them up.
What do you think your cousins will do?”
Lucinda thought about that for a long time before she answered him, “I think they will separate, each going his own way but they will try to lead whoever is after them astray. They will meet up again and try to turn the tables on whoever is hunting them. They will try and get the upper hand but they won’t be able to.
Especially if it is that man, Bane. I think Silva will run to the church and ask for protection, but not because he believes.
It is just somewhere to hide. Somewhere safe that he can’t be forced to leave.
He will ask for sanctuary because he is being hunted by bad men.
” Shaking her head she went on, “And the priests will believe him, just like they always do. But they will not know he is one of the bad men and there might be a reason he is being hunted.”
Storm nodded. “Smart idea. I can have my people watch out for him. What about your other cousins? Where will they go?”
“Jose might try to blend in with the homeless people. Until he can slip away quietly.”
“That might just work too,” Storm reluctantly told her.
Lucinda shook her head. “Not for too long. Jose is an arrogant piece of crap. He would never allow himself to be looked down upon. He won’t like how dirty everything is either.”
Storm’s mouth pressed into a hard line and it was a moment before he asked, “And Ortega? What would he do?”
“Ortega is just mean and nasty. To escape getting caught, he might just start causing chaos and using the upheaval to make his escape. Like shooting people in the streets,” Lucinda admitted. “They would be better off just to shoot him and call it a day.”
Storm just stared at the ceiling for a long moment then he shook his head. “I’ll get the street people to start looking for them. But with Bane and his group out there I don’t think your cousins have a chance of making too much trouble. That man is not normal. But it sure as hell helps us.”
Lucinda settled down and soon fell asleep.
Storm lay awake for a long time though. Lucinda’s cousins were fucking lowlifes at best and dangerous at best. He knew Leon wouldn’t want their kind here in his city.
They were dangerous men loose in the streets of Boston.
He hoped Bane and his group could contain them without anyone dying who didn’t need to.
Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep beside her.