Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (23 page)

Stefan quickly told her how highly he thought of her and how angry he was with the horrible things the media had said about her, her niece and their family. Hope smiled then, loosening up again.

“
Miss Cisneros, I hope you don’t think this is too forward,” Stefan ventured. “Would you consider having dinner with me this week,” he threw out testing the waters and praying she said yes.

Hope frowned slightly, weighing the request before sighing softly and telling him she would. Stefan smiled fully and named a day. Hope told him again it was fine and they solidified the plans. He rose then telling her he had to get back to the office, but would see her in a couple of days. Hope closed the door behind him, smiling slightly at the impending date. She was fighting for her life, but that didn’t mean she had to stop living it, she thought as she grabbed her purse and headed out, intending to buy something nice for her date with Stefan.

21

Cartier was reading with interest the letter sent by his lieutenant. The woman Ryan had been seeing was dead, just as he ordered. The final straw came for Cartier when she claimed pregnancy, trying to force his son into marrying her. Ryan had finally come clean telling his father the woman was simply release for him as he dated another younger, prettier, woman on the other side of town. Cartier issued the order that same day and the woman was mysteriously killed some three days later. Now that Ryan had finally seen the error of his ways as well as the continued reach and power of his father, their relationship had solidified to a more amiable affiliation. Cartier wasn’t stupid however. He knew his son was still deeply angry about what he perceived as Cartier abandoning them.
We’ll talk about that soon enough,
Cartier continued to think and read. He came upon the section of the letter that interested him even more than the dead woman. This was the report on Raven. He knew she was in Philly but she’d done yet another good job of hiding herself from anyone who may have been looking to find her.

The letter told him she was still single and from the two weeks of observation they’d done, she wasn’t dating anyone else. They’d enclosed photos of both her and Jalen. Cartier sighed deeply wanting very much to touch the woman again, hold her, kiss her, and make love to her. His heart just would not let go of what once was when it came to Raven. He regarded Jalen, seeing that the young man did favor both himself and Ian greatly. Ryan took a lot more of his features from his mother. The letter told Cartier the young man had dropped out of high school and was doing various odd jobs, and a little hustling to get by. Cartier sighed deeply thinking of the money he sent religiously and Raven returned just as religiously. He thought of telling his lieutenant to contact Jalen directly, but realized the young man was entirely too weak to understand the streets or the life they lived in them. He also doubted that Jalen even recalled who he was since they’d only seen each other once. Deciding that when he got out of this place he would go see her, Cartier dismissed further pondering and turned his mind to more pressing matters.

Spank told Horse all about the plans and Stefan, and Horse had dutifully relayed it all back to Cartier. He was pleased they were able to secure Stefan. He knew all about the man’s dirt, and his ruthlessness. Now maybe things would begin to move just a little faster. Cartier was curious about the man’s question concerning Hope. He’d only met her a couple of times when things were good between her and Carlo, but she seemed like a very nice woman.
She was definitely pretty, and fine,
Cartier thought and smiled inside. He wanted to have sex with her at one point, but decided against it, not wanting any friction between himself and his partner. Carlo was like a brother, which was why his behavior and health were weighing heavily on Cartier’s mind right now.
I need to have a little chat with that doctor in the infirmary
, he brooded. There was something not being told. He needed Carlo alert and ready when they prepared to make their move and get out of this hell hole.

“
Hi Socrates,” Alana greeted him.

She was one of the prostitutes the warden allowed in once a week for the privileged few. Of course he and Carlo had their pick of the litter. Alana was a pretty girl, soft green eyes, set in olive skin. Cartier liked the feel of her silky hair as he ran his fingers through it. She told him she was of Arab and African American descent the couple of times they actually talked.

“
Hi Alana,” he returned as she smiled and took his hand headed to their conjugal room.

Walking inside, Cartier pulled her to him kissing her softly. Alana didn’t balk, though normally she never allowed anyone to kiss her. Cartier Lemmings however wasn’t just anybody.

“
You must be really horny,” she returned softly as his lips found her nipple, having stripped off her bra and shirt almost simultaneously.

“
Yes, I need to feel your tight walls,” Cartier replied as she pulled his pants and underwear down, his hard manhood right in her face.

Opening her mouth Alana began sucking him sensuously as Cartier moaned softly, enjoying her skill. Allowing her to continue a while longer, he pushed her away finally.

“
I want some pussy,” he said simply as Alana smiled and climbed up onto the table inside the room, spreading her legs widely and telling him to take what he wanted.

Cartier quickly put on the condom she provided, not wanting to get another woman pregnant and knowing he wasn’t the only man she was screwing. Pulling her close, he slid his hardness deeply inside her as Alana’s eyes rolled back in her head and she moaned aloud.

“
Damn Socrates, your shit is so damned big,” she murmured as he smiled and continued to work her over.

He almost lost his concentration and laughed, thinking about the time he’d allowed one of the women he was with to measure it. “
No wonder I feel this shit in back Cartier,
”
the woman remarked. “Damn, 11 inches, fuck,” she continued as he smiled and she allowed him back inside to finish what she’d started.
Coming back to himself, Cartier felt his finish rising as Alana began gushing under his skill, moaning deeply as she came hard. He came right behind her holding her close as Raven softly escaped his lips. Alana kissed him gently, climbing down and putting her panties back on.

“
I’ll see you next week Socrates,” she told him smiling now as he smiled back and pulled his own pants up, watching her walk out of the door, his mind for now, temporarily at rest.

*****

Rait was excitedly apprehensive as he journeyed back to the prison to see Carlo again. He’d given him a week to relax without any therapy sessions. He thought he’d discovered a way to get into Carlo’s mind without awakening the Hangman persona. Carlo Cisneros was the person he wanted to talk to today. Rait grabbed his tape recorder exiting his car once again and entering the gates, headed to the main cellblock and the therapy room. He sat down and began reading over his notes, waiting for Carlos. He knew the guards had alerted the man to his presence but Carlo always showed up when he felt like it, and Rait had learned not to push or complain. As he finished making a few last minute notes Carlo made his appearance.

“
Hi Carlo,” Rait greeted him trying to gauge his mindset and mood.

“
Hello Doc,” he replied calmly and Rait could detect no underlying tension or anger.

“
I wanted to try something different tonight with your permission,” he began tentatively as Carlo continued to sit stoically without comment.

Truthfully Carlo wasn’t feeling well. He’d begun treatment earlier this week having one every other day. He’d had one earlier today and it left him nauseous and drained.

“
What,” he finally replied.

Rait cleared his throat and tried to find the right words.

“
I’d like to try a mind relaxation technique,” he replied as Carlo raised an eyebrow.

“
You want to hypnotize me,” he threw out calmly.

Cornered, Rait admitted that was his intent.

“
Why do you want to hypnotize me doc,” Carlo asked sighing deeply.

“
I just want you to be relaxed, without barriers, so we can talk and really get to the root of what made you so angry,” he tried as Carlo smiled slightly.

“
I don’t think I’d like that,” he replied effectively shooting down Rait’s idea.

“
Okay, um, let’s talk more about your childhood then,” Rait began, trying to find a way to keep Carlo in the room and Hangman out.

He shrugged and asked Rait what he wanted to know.

“
Were you ever bullied Carlo,” he asked, recalling something Hangman said the last time.

“
A lot,” Carlo replied quietly, his emotions still on auto pilot.

“
By whom,” Rait questioned.

Carlo told him about some of the neighborhood kids who teased and taunted him because his father was mixed and they were very fair complexioned.

“
They said we thought we were better,” Carlo replied tiredly.

Rait nodded, understanding how cruel children passing along their parents ignorance, could be.

“
So did they make you fight back,” he asked as Carlo again replied yes.

“
I really wasn’t that good at it,” he told Rait honestly. “Got beat up a lot,” he added as the doctor continued to nod and write.

“
My father tried to teach me, but he said I was a hopeless case,” Carlo told Rait, trying hard the doctor could see to stay awake.

What’s wrong with him,
Rait wondered. Even high Carlo was far more spirited than he was now. Looking the man over, Rait finally noticed the gauntness of his features and how listless he was. Something was very wrong with Carlo Cisneros. Rait felt a sense of urgency to finish up the interviews and get his findings published. It wouldn’t make nearly the same impact if the man were already dead when it finally saw the light of day.

“
When did all that change, Carlo,” Rait asked carefully.

He wanted to see what Carlo actually recalled bout his other persona and when it may have begun to manifest itself in his life.

“
When I was about 10 or 11 I guess,” Carlo replied, his voice barely a whisper right now; still Rait forged ahead asking another question.

“
What happened,” he asked. Carlo shrugged slightly.

“
This kid pushed me, and I pushed him back,” Carlo told him, opening his eyes slightly and regarding the doctor.

Rait waited on him to speak but he said nothing else.

“
Carlo,” Rait tried, seeing the man’s gaze still fixed on him. “Carlo, what happened next,” he continued to ask.

“
Can I have your notebook,” Carlo asked instead.

Rait frowned quizzically but acquiesced and gave him the empty spare he always carried. Carlo put his head down and began to write after asking for a pen as well. Rait didn’t interrupt, allowing him to compose his letter. Finishing Carlo ripped the pages from the notebook, calmly handing both the book and the pen back to Rait.

“
Thank you,” he said simply.

Rait nodded acknowledging he was welcome.

“
He swung at me,” Carlo told him, returning to the original question. “I ducked and tackled him, he fell with me on top of him and hit his head hard on the ground,” Carlo told the doctor. “His eyes fluttered for a moment and I sat on his chest, beating his face with my fist until they pulled me off him,” he told him, his mood still subdued and quiet. “He wasn’t dead though, just unconscious,” Carlo told Rait who murmured his understanding.

“
Honestly though Doc, I really enjoyed it,” Carlo began again, his gaze resting on Rait again. “So am I totally crazy or what,” he asked before closing his eyes and sighing slightly.

Rait realized he was asleep moments later when Carlo began snoring softly.
OK, time to wrap this up and get my accolades and promotions,
Rait thought smiling to himself as he rose and stealthily left the room.

*****

Hope was still smiling as they arrived at her apartment and she opened the door.

“
Would you like to come in,” she asked amiably.

Stefan graciously accepted her offer and came inside the apartment, sitting down on the couch as Hope took off her sweater and hung it up, returning moments later and joining him.

“
I had a really good time,” she told Stefan as he immediately returned the sentiment.

“
Does that mean you would consider going out with me again,” he asked, taking her hand and holding it.

Hope blushed slightly from the look he was giving her and told him she would be delighted to go out again.

“
Good,” Stefan told her. “Oh, I got a semi promising lead I’m following up,” he told her as Hope’s eyes lit up.

“
Really Stefan, that is wonderful,” she replied happily.

Stefan supposed he should have felt bad lying to her, but he wanted Hope and he knew her niece’s whereabouts was the key to getting inside her heart and her bed. Without thinking Hope hugged him as Stefan immediately hugged her back, holding her tightly. She pulled away moments later, apologizing.