Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (14 page)

*****

The four of them enjoyed dinner at the chicken and waffles place before heading back to their side of town.

“
I can come get you in the morning and take you to the apartment,” Devontae offered.

Lauren told him that would be good and he smiled at her. She was still thinking about his earlier statement, knowing in his mind they were something of an item now. Lauren decided as long as it didn’t cause any undue problems right now, she wouldn’t address it.
What about sex,
her mind piped up. She knew at some point Devontae would want that, but she didn’t know if she could. Her heart was still missing Blue terribly.
You said you would let that go, you’re Kaitlyn now, remember,”
her survival instinct reminded her.

“
We’re going to make a run after you get your stuff put in the new place,” he told her, pulling up to the hotel and turning the car off.

“
OK, that’s fine,” Lauren returned as he walked her to her room.

“
I got armor for you, so don’t worry about that,” he told her standing right outside number 15.

Lauren again nodded as Devontae leaned down and kissed her gently for a second time.

“
I’ll see you in the morning, KiKi,” he told her as she opened the door and stepped inside closing and locking it behind her.

Walking over to the bed she counted her money again. She was still set, not having made a dent in the half million dollars yet. Lauren decided she would get furniture and stuff of course, but not the high end things she was accustomed too. As much as she liked Jaleesa right now, she still wasn’t quite ready to trust anyone completely. Lauren packed the few things she had and thought back on the evening and of course Devontae. He was a nice guy and he was levelheaded. That was far more than she could say for Poncho. She was pretty sure he hit Jaleesa from time to time, but she wouldn’t admit it and Lauren didn’t pry. She was also excited to be getting back into the game. That was the one portion of her life with Carlo she did enjoy. The brokering and dealing to get what you wanted at your price. Money wasn’t really an issue for her at this point; it was the sport that intrigued her. She hoped Devontae was as good at his game as she suspected. The affiliation could turn out to be advantageous for both of them. Yawning widely, she closed her eyes as sleep quickly found her. Lauren’s dreams took her on an erotic journey that woke her moments later, breathing hard and drenched in satisfaction.
You’ve got to be kidding me,
she thought to herself of the dream. She hadn’t thought about Devontae like that at all, not even tonight when he kissed her, but if her dreams were any preview, she should never let him inside her or she would be hooked forever. Chuckling slightly at the thought, Lauren gathered herself and lay back down, drifting off again dreamlessly.

*****

Poncho opened the door inviting his friend inside.

“
You get KiKi all squared away,” he asked handing him a beer.

“
Yeah,” Devontae returned simply.

“
Got this dude dropping by,” Poncho began as Devontae’s instinct kicked in.

“
Who,” he asked.

“
Some dude named Ryan Bailey, out of Alabama,” Poncho told him. “Got this spot up there, need some shit run back and forth.”

Devontae nodded but withheld comment. He didn’t like dealing with people he didn’t know and hadn’t met. Poncho was far too trusting for his tastes, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it. The knock came to the door moments later as Poncho again rose and opened it, inviting the men inside. Ryan introduced himself and his brother, Ian before sitting down and getting to the business at hand. Devontae observed both the men, finding them palatable. Ryan was definitely a businessman and he handled his well. The younger one was still learning, but Devontae felt a cold calculated aura about him that let you know he didn’t mind hurting or killing you.
Like Ice,
he thought but didn’t voice.

“
So what are you trying to spend,” Devontae finally interjected.

Ryan gave him a number and they rolled it around in their head for a while before speaking.

“
OK, that sounds fair, how many runs and how often,” he asked again.

“
No limits on the runs, but no more than twice a month,” Ian answered calmly.

Devontae again made the observation of the man’s coldness and answered him that it was fine.

“
We need the first run in a week,” Ryan began again as Devontae and Ian continued to observe each other.

“
Yeah, that’s fine, we’ll be ready for it,” Poncho told him as Ryan grunted slightly.

“
We do business straight and we expect the same,” he told Devontae and Poncho.

“
So do we,” Poncho replied slightly insulted at the insinuation.

“
This is business and we are definitely all about handling ours,” Devontae assured Ryan as he nodded and told them that was good to know.

“
Here are the numbers you need to contact us,” Ian spoke once more handing them a card.

Devontae and Poncho returned the gesture as the men agreed the meeting was ended and both Bailey’s rose to leave.

“
We’ll be expecting to hear from you,” Ryan told them as Poncho nodded and let them out, locking the door behind them.

“
Them boys are something else there,” he remarked coming back into the room.

“
Mmhmm, deadly, both of them,” Devontae told him as Poncho rolled a joint and lit it.

“
Well as long as they have our money straight, we never have to show them just how deadly we can be,” he threw out boldly.

Devontae nodded his agreement but his mind was already working ahead to a new affiliation.

13

Christmas was here but there was nothing joyous about it for Cartier or Carlo. Things had gone progressively bad in the two years now they’d been at Leavenworth. True to her word, Lonette had gone and retrieved the money necessary for them to be released. They’d set up an elaborate network of payoffs to secure documentation that would free them. Unfortunately when you’re locked up and other people are pulling the strings for you, you have no control. After Lonette delivered the money to Quenton, he double-crossed them, taking the half million dollars and disappearing. He walked away from his job, his wife, and their three children without so much as goodbye. Cartier immediately put people on his trail trying to find him, sending a clear message he wasn’t playing around by removing any trace of him from the earth. He still had the newspaper article about the fire that swept through the small apartment Quenton’s family lived in and all the children and his wife perishing. Normally Cartier didn’t kill children, but Quenton had played with their lives and that couldn’t go unpunished.

They found him almost six months later, dead. His decomposing body was found in an out of the way hotel, shot to death and of course no trace of the money he’d stolen. So effectively he and Carlo were back at square one. Cartier was trying to hold it together but there was a guard here that was going out of his way to make his life hell in this pit. His name was Peter Diggs, but everybody called him Big Pete. Cartier couldn’t recall any particular incident or run-in he’d had with the man, but Big Pete went out of his way to harass him. Cartier was determined to get to the bottom of it however, as it was getting on his nerves. Lonette quit the prison system after they transferred her to a volatile facility and she was attacked. The inmate broke three ribs and her jaw before the other guards could get him off her. He also succeeded in causing her to miscarry. She still visited Cartier regularly and professed her love for him. He did care very deeply for Lonette, though he hadn’t been able to say he loved a woman since Raven. Still she was helping them both contacting people they needed found and slowly but surely raising the money they needed to get out of Leavenworth and live new lives.

“
Socrates,” Horse called out quietly, garnering Cartier’s attention.

“
Yeah,” he replied, walking over to the bars and listening intently as the man talked.

*****

“
Hey, long time, no see,” Pete greeted her as she sat sipping her coffee.

“
Hey Pete,” Lonette returned, hoping he would go away and leave her alone.

She’d never liked him and he gave her creepy vibes every time he looked at her.

“
You mind if I join you,” he asked amiably, looking right into her eyes.

As much as she wanted to say yes she minded Lonette simply shrugged slightly watching him take the seat across from her.

“
How’ve you been Lonette,” he asked, already knowing everything about her.

He saw her every time she came to visit that convict Cartier Lemmings. He couldn’t understand what she saw in a loser like that.

“
I’m okay, Pete,” she returned still uncomfortable with his presence.

“
I heard you resigned, that’s a shame, we need good officers like you,” he threw out once again looking into her eyes.

“
I needed a change,” Lonette replied simply.

“
Hmph,” he returned, asking if she wanted something to eat as he ordered.

Shaking her head no, he mumbled again and gave the waitress his order.

“
So what are you doing now,” he probed, thinking how delicious she looked in the chocolate v-cut sweater.

He could see the perfectly formed mounds of her breasts through the V, turning him on.

“
I actually got a job with the local precinct as a dispatch operator,” she told him as his food arrived and he began to eat.

“
Well good, at least you didn’t leave law enforcement all together,” he joked as Lonette smiled slightly.

They continued to make small talk as he finished his meal, and now that he was finished, Lonette was preparing her speech to leave his presence. Something about him was dangerous and it was smoldering just under the surface of the smile he was giving her now.

“
It was nice seeing you Pete,” she told him gathering her purse and rising.

“
Can I give you a ride someplace,” he asked, standing now as well.

“
No, I’m fine, but thanks,” she replied, turning to walk away.

He reached out and grabbed her arm, not forcefully, but enough to stop her forward momentum.

“
I’d really feel better if you let me give you a ride Lonette,” he pleaded softly.

Swallowing hard and against her better judgment, she accepted as Pete once again smiled and showed her to his car. Getting in she put on her seatbelt and asked him to drop her at the precinct, this was only about a mile and a half away.

As they rode, Lonette noticed Pete was taking a different route and questioned him.

“
It’s more scenic this way,” he said simply as she frowned slightly but didn’t comment.

The more they drove the tighter the knot in her stomach got.

“
Pete, where are we going,” she finally asked seeing the city get farther and farther in her side view mirror.

“
Shh, relax Lonette,” he told her sweetly glancing over at her. “We just need to talk, to spend some time with each other,” Pete continued.

Lonette was terrified. What was he thinking? What was he planning to do her? Checking the door, thinking she could possibly jump out when they stopped, she was horrified to find there was no inner handle. The door had to be opened from outside.

“
Please Pete, just let me out here, I won’t say anything,” she began to plead.

“
I’m not going to hurt you Lonette, just relax,” he told her, turning onto a snow covered road that disappeared from the highway.

Driving almost three miles in, she saw the outline of a house. Flipping down his visor, Pete pressed a button and the garage door lifted. Once inside the garage he turned to Lonette and spoke again.

“
Welcome home baby,” he told her sweetly. “Now, let’s go inside and get acquainted,” he added getting out of the car and coming to her side opening her door.

Lonette got out and meekly followed his lead going inside the house praying she would live long enough to find a way out.

*****

Cartier was furious after listening to Horse. Now he understood the why of Big Pete’s dislike.
That muthafucka better stay away from Lonette,
he fumed angrily. Cartier made a mental note to warn her about the man’s obsession when she came to see him tomorrow. He hated being handicapped behind bars unable to protect the woman in his life. He’d quickly sent word outside to Ernie about keeping an eye on Lonette until they could get her moved and safely out of harm’s way. The current situation only fueled Cartier’s fire to get out of this place. Trying to calm himself he turned his thoughts to his sons. Ryan came to visit him once a month as he mandated, keeping him up to date on what was going on in their lives. He was pleased with the progress they were making, leaving their mark on the crime underworld. Ian was about to branch out on his own and move to Atlanta. Seemed he like the cities atmosphere far better than their current location. Ryan was staying where he was to keep that operation afloat and of course to be backup if Ian’s own plans fell through.