Cigar Bar (15 page)

She ran through the park, trying to get away from the melee. The problem was that Sherry didn’t know where she was going. She told herself to make it back to the car. The farther she walked, the more lost she became. Sherry saw a large rock and walked over to it. She needed to relax and enjoy her high. She leaned on the rocks, unaware of her surroundings, and she couldn’t care less.

In the bushes lurked a predator. It was the worst kind of predator; the one who’d leave no trace of his victim. He couldn’t believe his luck. He believed that for all the years that he had been stalking and hurting women, he was doing the master’s work, the work that he was ordained to do. He believed that the master had delivered this gift of an angel to him.

He smiled as he emerged from the bushes. He usually waited in the bushes until he caught some young crackhead or prostitute from behind, and he’d use chloroform on them. This was a present from the master; he was sure of it.

As he walked, he pulled his glasses from his face and cleaned them on his shirt. A bright smile illuminated his face. He wasn’t the kind of man anyone would expect to see in this area. He looked like a school math teacher, with his sweater and collared shirt underneath. The white stalker had on corduroy pants even though it was springtime.

As he placed his glasses back on his head, he said, “Well, well, well, what have we here?” He gently moved her hair from her face, then lifted her head to get a better look at her. Sherry was completely oblivious to what was going on; she was in a different world right now. “My, my, aren’t you a beauty?” he said as he looked at her face closely.

He placed his hand on her back and gently walked her right out of the park into a waiting sedan that was hidden up the block. Behind them, Niecy had gotten free of Big Mama and was chasing after Sherry. She wanted some more of that good hit from Sherry’s drug stash. She noticed something strange as she watched the man lift Sherry’s head and walk her out the park.

Niecy followed them and saw when Sherry dropped the car keys. She paid close attention to the car. She wrote down the license plate number. She didn’t know Sherry, but the scene just didn’t seem correct. The young girl shrugged her shoulders, looked at the keys, and took off toward her prize. She figured that she could sell the car; it was a pretty good car. She schemed that she would go by JB’s house, rent the car, and sit in the house and smoke.

Off into the breeze she went. She hadn’t counted on the police looking for that car. They had video of Sherry in the store and video of her outside, leaving alone, after she paid for her food. But Sherry was gone; she had met up with one of Satan’s protégés. All of these events directly because of one man: Tony.

Where was he? She dreamed of him as she passed out in a drug-induced haze. The car disappeared into the throngs of traffic.

• • •

Months passed by quickly as everything began to take shape. Lives had changed because of the actions of a few. Paulie’s days revolved around drinking. Don Veto was quietly waiting for Mr. Y to make a move.
Mr.
Y had found out who it was who attacked him, and he promised to strike back with the force of the weight of his country. But Mr. Y had to call in reinforcements. He had gone after the don and killed a few lieutenants, but there was a problem. He almost shot the big dog, the godfather, Don Veto’s father. Now the weight of the Italian mafia came down hard on the Ukrainian mob.

Mr. Y called back to his country to try and gain some support, but was cut off at the knees. It turned out that they had interest in some of the mafia businesses. They asked him to step aside, but he chose not to. Instead, he hired more mercenaries. It was getting ugly fast.

In the middle of this war was Dawn, still a prisoner. On a few occasions, Mr. Y was going to let her go free; however, he still needed Spazo to finish a job.

CHAPTER 10

Joe’s Cigar Bar

• • •

Tony was looking around at
his investment. Since coming into town, he had built Joe’s Cigar Bar, setting itself apart from the other establishments, offering a full menu of soul food, paired with the sounds of smooth jazz and R&B. There was no other place like it. It attracted some of the most prominent members in the community. He’d been open almost three months, and, according to Judge Matthews, Joe’s was just what the town needed.

Judge Matthews was well-known. Not only was he the highest-sitting black judge in the town, he was a jazz enthusiast and a cigar connoisseur. When Tony decided to open his spot, the judge felt like he was in heaven. He tried his best to become Tony’s number one supporter.

“Whatever you need to get this project off the ground,” he had told Tony, “I got you.”

Tony found out from Joe that Judge Matthews always ate lunch in town at Lucy’s Café. Tony decided to improve upon their concept in an attempt to woo the judge. Then,
bam!
Here he was, the proprietor of one of the most happening spots in the area.

At its grand opening, a few jazz legends had stopped by to show support by taking pictures and performing an all-star set. Since then, Tony had been asked by many people to use his establishment for an array of events, from private parties to business meetings.

His best client was Judge Matthews. He often used the Cigar Bar to hold frequent meetings. In the back of the club, Tony had the Cigar Room built, which was decorated with beautiful, long, black leather couches. A tall, glass case with various types of imported cigars was on display, as well as a bar stocked with only the best ports and cognacs; not one can of beer could be found. It was a quiet and private place, perfect for the needs of Judge Matthews.

Tony was seated at the bar early one afternoon, counting receipts from the night before. The staff was preparing for the daily soul-food buffet. There was everything from grits and fish, collard greens and black eyed peas, to chicken and waffles. The combination of good food and good music made Joe’s the place to be on any given day.

Tony was flipping through the receipts when the front door flew open. He looked at his watch. “It’s a little early for deliveries.” To his surprise, he looked up and saw Judge Matthews.

“Uh-oh,” Tony mumbled. If the judge was there at this hour, he might be looking to cash in on the IOU Tony had given him. After all, it was Judge Matthews who made Joe’s Cigar Bar happen.

They locked eyes and the judge waved him over. Tony thought,
Wait a fuckin’ minute. This is
my
place and he wants
me
to fuckin’ come over there?
Being the arrogant man that he was, Tony waved the judge over and pulled the chair out for him.

“You know, if I wanted to walk all the way back here, I would have brought my cane,” he said to Tony.

“Sorry, Judge. I got all these papers on the table, and I don’t wanna lose count.”

“It’s okay, just don’t let it happen again,” the judge said.

He was a tall, dark-skin gentleman who sported a well-trimmed gray beard. His fresh, clean bald head disguised his mature 55 years of age. He was most well-known for his conviction of a child-molestation ring back in the day. He also helped put away one of the most notorious killers in town. He rode all of those victories to success and became the youngest, and first, black judge in the state. Yet, despite all of these accolades, Judge Matthews wasn’t as clean as everyone thought.

Tony asked, “What can I do for you, Judge?”

The judge cleared his throat and looked over his shoulder, indicating that the waitress should be serving him a drink. Tony shook his head.
Wow!
What the hell have I gotten myself into with this cat?
“Justine, do me a favor and bring the judge a glass of the single malt that I have in my office.” Tony turned back to Judge Matthews and asked, “How can I help you?”

“One, make sure your people know that when I come in, I should be treated like I’m the fucking POTUS because, in this town, you might as well call me Barack! And, two, I need to use your back room maybe two or three times a week to meet up with some associates, you know, to talk some business. Why don’t you give me a tour of the back, Tony, so I can see how a real businessman can come to town and, in less than a damn year, turn nothing into something? I’d consider you an overnight success. Wouldn’t you say so?”

Tony sat across from him and considered the request. Tony scanned the room to make sure there were no cameras in the area. “Sure, Judge, come on. Let me show you what I’m working with.”

As the men walked, Tony pointed out the state-of-the-art items in the bar. The man admired Tony’s vision, but he had another opportunity in mind for him.

He asked, “Tony, does this room have any cameras in it?”

“No, not back here.” Tony replied. “This is all private.”

“That’s good to know,” the judge replied. “I want you to consider me family from here on out. Anything that we can do for each other would be greatly appreciated, if you know what I mean.” Judge Matthews nudged Tony with his elbow. “I have a lot of very powerful friends. My friends could become your friends. Know what I’m saying here, Tony?”

Tony just smiled. “I understand, Judge.”

“Now listen here, I’m gonna need one small favor from you, Tony; that is, if you don’t mind.”

Here it comes,
Tony thought. Judge Matthews turned around and one of his associates handed him an envelope with $5000 inside. He handed it to Tony, smiling. Tony thought,
If this guy only knew who my family was, he wouldn’t be wasting his time trying to bribe me.

The judge continued. “I’ll be back here tomorrow with some friends, and, like I said, this can be considered a small donation to your business. Let’s just say I’m renting out some comfortable office space from you.”

“Sure, whatever,” Tony said. He threw his hands in the air and added, “From now on, don’t hand me anything; just give all money to Becky over there.”

“No problem, Tony. Hey, nice talking with you,” the judge said as he walked outside to his waiting limousine.

“Becky, whenever any of his people give you money, I want you to take it down to Western Union,” Tony said. “Have it wired to my mother back in Queens, but make sure it’s done anonymously at the one across town. There can be no trace back to me.” Tony was emphatic.

“I got it, baby,” Becky said.

She had really turned out to be a winner. Not only was she gorgeous, but she was a great cook and excellent in bed. Tony hadn’t realized her worth until the fog was completely lifted from his drug haze.

Becky was also rider; she handled a lot of business when he was unable to. Tony knew she was good for him and the business.

“Fuckin’ dumbass Judge!” Tony said, going back to his work. Just then, his phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Tony, what up, man? You ready for me, dawg?”

“Flaco, what up, my man? How you doin’?” Tony said.

“How am I doin’? I’m fucked up ever since those motherfuckers came and destroyed my business looking for your ass! Then those Ukrainian fuckers shot at me and shit. Man, I been sleeping in cars and shit. But, Tony, I never told anyone about you,” said Flaco.

“Thanks, man,” replied Tony. “I still don’t know what fuckin’ black guys would be looking for me, but I
do
thank you for not giving them my number.”

“I do owe you,” said Flaco.

“Okay, now check this out,” Tony said. “Come on down to Seattle, but don’t tell anyone where you’re going.” Flaco listened intently. “I can use you as a bar manager; you just gotta promise me you won’t bring that Bronx shit with you.”

“No problem, Tony. I love you, brother, and I promise I won’t let you down.” Flaco said. “I’ll be there tomorrow. And, Tony, thanks again, man.”

Tony replied, “No problem. Make sure we grow this thing instead of tearing it down.”

He hung up the phone and took a look around his establishment. In less than a year, he had completely turned Joe’s into a place worth taking pride in. But now, to his great surprise, a gangster wanted a piece. It was worth noting that this was no ordinary gangster; he was also a highly respected judge.

Tony considered the benefits. “I guess it’s better to have a judge on your squad. But then again, having a killer like Flaco on my side would also come in handy,” he said to himself. He figured that Flaco would serve as that extra protection he needed.

“Hey, Tony!” one of the waitresses called out. “Have you seen this shit? It made national news.” Tony and a few employees walked over to the TV and listened to the broadcast.

“In national news, the New York City Police Department has discovered a serial killer is on the loose. He is known as The Ink-Pen Killer. It seems there are at least eight confirmed attacks at this time. Most of his victims are young, drug-addicted girls, some of whom have been working as prostitutes. He has been dubbed The Ink-Pen Killer, as his victims have been found with satanic verses written on their skin with a hot pen. Chief William has more on the findings.”

They cut to a police officer standing behind a podium. “We believe all of his victims died from the pain inflicted on them. It also appears that they were sexually assaulted. Due to the nature of their professions, most of the girls aren’t reported missing. It poses a grave challenge to find any leads until a body is found. Police have stepped up patrols in the high-crime areas, where prostitutes and addicts tend to frequent. We ask that if you have any information or should know someone close to you who has gone missing, please call Crime Stoppers at once.”

Tony turned away from the TV and said, “Okay, everybody, back to work.”

He hated seeing things like that going on. What he didn’t know was pretty Sherry was one of the killer’s victims.

He walked to the back office he had specially built. The place was immaculate, with modern mirrors everywhere and brown leather. Tony had a house jazz band that fell into his lap early on. He was able to book some major stars on Saturday nights. This Saturday he had The Whispers coming to perform.

He sat down at his desk and looked through the two-way mirror in his office. If he only knew the chaos that he’d created in New York. Because of him, young Sherry was on the streets and in death’s hands. Tony had no clue how he had destroyed her life. What he
did
know was that Paulie and the Ukrainians possibly wanted his head. They wouldn’t stop until they found him. He also knew that his cousin Frankie and the girls were dead. He didn’t know that Dawn was okay and was just being held hostage.

His phone rang again. As Tony picked it up, he looked at Becky in the lounge doing her thing. He watched her ass sway and her large breasts jiggle as she sauntered back and forth across the floor. He started getting horny.

“Hello, Tony. I am the rep for The Whispers.” Tony’s lurid thoughts of Becky quickly dissipated at the sound of the rep’s voice. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but they won’t be able to perform tonight. We’re sorry,” said the man on the phone.

Tony stood up out of his chair. “What? Wait, do you know how many fucking tickets we’ve sold?!” he yelled into the receiver.

“Like I said, we’re so sorry,” answered the rep apologetically. Then he hung up.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Tony said, hanging up the phone. “Fuck!” He screamed out, “Becky!”

Becky came running in. “What’s going on, Tony?”

“We have no act for tonight; they just canceled. I have an inkling it has something to do with that damn judge! Fuck! What am I supposed to do now?” Tony got a little fidgety and agitated.

Becky knew Tony well and that meant she knew the perfect way to calm him down. She walked over to the stereo, pushed play, and then shut the door.

Guy’s “Tease Me Tonight” began to play through the speakers. Becky slowly walked over to Tony and put her finger to his lips. “Shhhh,” she said, dancing seductively to the beat of the song. Becky pushed him back in his chair. By the time Teddy Riley sang, “Turn the lights down low,” she had swallowed him whole. She slowly moved up and down, tracing the edge of his penis with her tongue. Becky continued to tease Tony, making him feel like he never had before. He tried to stand, but she pushed him back into the chair and scratched his chest with her nails really hard.

Although it hurt, she had him right back down her throat, so he had quickly forgiven her. Tony was at Becky’s will. He moaned as she went up and down. As that sensation came over him, he exploded down her throat. Like a champ, she graciously accepted it all.

Tony fell back in the chair, spent. Becky got up and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it, baby.” She kissed him on the forehead and walked into the bathroom to gargle.

Tony couldn’t move. He smiled and said, “Damn! I’m glad I met you.”

Saturday Night

The house was packed. As usual, Tony stayed in the back, never mingling with the crowd. Lowkey was how he always played. He was content being able to observe from his office while he counted receipts.

He watched as the crowd paid close attention to Becky in her long, sequined evening gown. On the stage, in front of a packed house, she was gorgeous.

“Welcome, everyone! I have a bit of bad news. Unfortunately, the mighty Whispers will not be here tonight.”

The crowd hissed. “Boo! Ah, man!”

Like a consummate professional, Becky took control of the situation. “Settle down! Settle down, please! A friend of mine just happened to be passing by the club, and I asked him if he would stop in and do a set for us!” Suddenly, the lights went off. The audience heard the first few bars of the popular Stevie Wonder song “That Girl.” Then Becky, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, the incredible Stevie Wonder!”

Stevie walked out to a roaring crowd and was guided to the piano and microphone. He belted out the words, “That girl thinks that she’s so fine, that soon she’ll have my mind. That girl thinks that she’s so smart, that soon she’ll have my heart…”