Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (5 page)

Raven slapped him hard and ordered him out of her house. Cartier restrained himself since Jalen was still in the room. “Fine, but I’m taking my son with me,” he threatened as Raven told him no, becoming excited. “Then talk to me,” Cartier demanded as she finally acquiesced and sent Jalen to his room, locking him in. “What do you want from me Cartier,” Raven asked. “You stayed with Maxine, you made your choice,” she told him irritably. “That was business, you know that,” he told her. “Yeah right, some nonsense about her hurting me,” Raven threw back disbelievingly. Cartier sighed slightly. She had no idea who Maxine was. Her father was the one man in Chicago who could end their lives with a single word. When Maxine found out Cartier was in love with Raven and planning to marry her, she’d pulled her trump card and threatened her life, keeping him with her and in place. In exchange her father began bankrolling him and Carlo’s enterprise. “Raven, you know I love you, have always loved you,” he told her softly, kissing her lips gently as she allowed it. “What can I do to show you,” Cartier asked, pulling her closer and kissing her deeply. “Give me my daughter back,” Raven told him, the hurt still raw even after two years. “OK,” Cartier replied, undressing her and making love to her.

Sighing deeply he shook the thoughts and returned to the present. He’d gotten word from Quenton that Lauren had been found and was now in a foster home. “Bullshit,” he mumbled angrily.

As close as he and Carlo were, Cartier was furious with the man for allowing this to happen when he could have simply signed custody over to Hope.
Still carrying old ass baggage,
he thought to himself of Carlo’s grudge against his sister. Especially for something that was absolutely not her fault. His mind again took flight without warning.
“What are you trying to tell me,” Cartier asked. “She was a tramp,” Carlo said without emotion. They were talking about his sister Hope and why she couldn’t have children. “But you said he forced her,” Cartier threw back. “She wanted it, walking around half naked in front of him, flaunting herself,” Carlo explained. He was telling Cartier about Hope becoming pregnant at 16 from their older neighbor. He’d come home early from school, before his parents normal arrival, when he heard the sounds coming from Hope’s room. Peeking through the half open door, Carlo saw them together as the man thrust into his sister again and again. Hope was crying and begging him to stop hurting her. Carlo was about to barge in and help her when the man spoke, telling her she wanted it, she asked for it, taunting him with her beautiful body knowing he was in love with her. After that, Carlo did nothing. “He raped her Carlo, she didn’t ask for that,” Cartier tried to reason. Carlo didn’t see it that way. He had his own views on what women did or didn’t bring on themselves. Either way Hope ended up pregnant, finally telling her parents. Their father immediately grew angry, slapping her and calling her a tramp. In the end they took her to a backdoor abortion doctor, since the procedure wasn’t yet legal. Hope began to hemorrhage later that night and they rushed her to the hospital. The doctors said the damage to her uterus was irreversible and she would never have children.
Cartier sighed again thinking that even after all these years Carlo still didn’t recognize that Hope was a victim not a vixen.

“
Now my goddaughter is paying the price,” he said again as his anger rose yet another time.

He and Carlo had been through a lot and done a lot together, but he would never have thought the man capable of allowing his own flesh and blood to get lost in the system. She was the same age as Ian and Cartier could not imagine his son trapped in a house with strangers susceptible to any and every abuse they wanted to heap on them. Thinking about his sons made Cartier sigh deeply once again. He needed them to leave Chicago. With him off the streets now, it was only a matter of time before some new crew rose to power and his son’s would be in danger. He immediately made up his mind to have Quenton get one of the Association’s lieutenants up here to see him. He had some orders to give. Cartier began to brood, thinking of the places he wanted to send them. Raven had already moved to Philadelphia with Jalen a couple of years ago. They never had that daughter together and she never forgave him for not keeping his promise.

“
Not meant to be,” Cartier reasoned and dismissed it from his thought, his mind going back to the original task, making sure his sons were safe and out of harm’s way.

5

Carlo had endured the last two months of watching the endless parade of people the State supplied to testify against him. Some were former associates Carlo didn’t plan to allow to breathe much longer, others were people seemingly off the street who happened to know he existed. Finally both sides had their say and his fate was in the hands of the jurors. Not that he held out any hope of escaping prison, Carlo simply wanted them take a nice long time to deliberate. No one understood why he decided to force a trial and endure all the publicity and drama that came with it, but Carlo knew exactly what he was doing. Pleading guilty would only hasten his end. Being placed in a metal cage for the rest of his life, cooped up like an animal they were trying to break and train to heed their various commands. Even being shackled in the courtroom as the trial went on, he was still outside of a cage and free. Carlo sighed deeply thinking about Lauren. All he knew was she’d been placed in a foster home. He was absolutely furious with how she’d been snatched from under his nose without his consent. He still had several loyal lieutenants looking for her but so far they hadn’t been able to crack the bureaucratic red tape involved.
It’s that bitch Kaitlyn Ross’s damned fault,
Carlo groused as he continued to sit at the defendants table.

The judge finally finished instructing the jurors as they all nodded thoughtfully and rose to leave the courtroom. A couple snuck sly glances at Carlo as they exited only to find his gaze fixed solidly on them as well. Quickly turning around they scurried out of the courtroom and away from Carlo’s dark stare.

“
Come on Cisneros,” the jailer told him calmly.

Carlo rose and allowed himself to be led as he hobbled awkwardly behind the jailer, heading to the cell at county once more. Riding in the bullet proofed car that was provided, given his notoriety, he once again pondered all the things that led to their business being raided and both he and Cartier were facing life behind bars. Carlo’s mind went back to their beginnings.
After forging a friendship at Raven’s place, Carlo and Cartier began their crime spree, robbing various small businesses, roughing up rival dealers and finally moving product of their own. It didn’t come without a price however, as they came face to face with Errol ‘Dillinger’ Freeman. He’d picked up the nickname in honor of the late mobster, John Dillinger, saying how he liked the man’s style and demeanor. Errol was every bit the persona of his namesake.

He invited them over at the urging of his only daughter, whom he loved without question and who he spoiled scandalously without apology. The meeting went well and Dillinger fronted them 100K to buy product and set up shop. The repayment was 300K and it was due in one year. Of course compared to Cartier, Carlo felt he’d gotten off easy. For Cartier, he had to give up Raven and any hopes of a life with her, once Maxine Freeman decided she wanted him exclusively. Carlo felt bad for his friend, but Cartier still found time to be with Raven, even fathering children with her, unbeknownst to Maxine. With the new capital they had, business began to pick up and new challenges to their empire began to arise.
Sighing softly, Carlo remembered their very first kill together.
Roman Leek was a big deal on the Southside. He ran all the illegal numbers betting and provided muscle for protection on the side. He of course paid his homage of fifty-five percent to Dillinger, but recouped it by shaking his clients down for twice the protection fee. Things were fine until Roman got wind that Sharaine still had a thing for Carlo and they were still screwing from time to time. He sent a hit squad after Carlo, trying to ambush him at home.

Carlo was furious that the man had sent armed goons to his home where his wife and three year old daughter were. He could see the fury etched in Cartier’s face as well when they got the call from Auriel in tears, telling him about the men barging into the house and threatening them. Going directly to Jukes, the club Roman called headquarters; they walked directly inside and began shooting, no questions asked. Cartier took out the two bodyguards, Carlo killed the bartender, the lone waitress, and a stripper who was still sliding down the pole. At this point he had no regard for anyone. When the bullets stopped flying, Roman was cowering under the table like a frightened child, pleading with the two men not to kill him. Sharaine peered from around the bar, praying she wasn’t seen when Cartier spoke. “Bring your ass out here or I’m coming back there and kill you,” he told her calmly. Quickly making herself seen, Sharaine walked into the VIP area where Roman still cowered. “You got an outdoor extension cord,” Carlo asked calmly, finally looking at her. Swallowing hard, she told him she did. “Get it,” he barked sharply as Sharaine quickly scurried away to the utility room, Cartier close behind her.

“
Get your sorry ass from under there,” Carlo growled as Cartier and Sharaine returned. Roman slowly made his way from under the table, watching the two men still holding guns on him with fear and trepidation. Glancing up, Carlo saw what he was looking for, tossing one end of the cord over the exposed pipe, tying and securing it. The other end he fashioned into a crude noose and placed around Roman’s neck. “Get up there,” he barked, holding the gun to the man’s throat. Roman obediently climbed onto the chair Cartier provided, never taking his eyes off Carlo. “You invaded my house,” Carlo told him coldly. “Threatened my wife, scared my daughter,” he went on his eyes seemingly receding farther and farther into his head. Roman began to tremble involuntarily. The man seemed to be changing shapes right in front of him. Gone was the human face he’d known as Carlo and in its place a darkened mask of pure evil. Even his voice had taken on a cold, almost reptile hiss. “All this because Sharaine and I enjoyed a friendly fuck here and there,” he questioned, coming closer to the chair. “It’s just pussy fool,” Carlo told him, kicking the chair slightly. Roman panicked almost slipping completely off the chair himself but managing to maintain his balance at the last moment. “We’re going to take over your territory and add it to our growing empire,” he continued to speak, slowly circling Roman as he stood still quaking in the small chair he was still perched precariously upon.

“
I’m not in love with Sharaine jackass, and she’s not in love with me,” Carlo told him, stopping to stare at him again. “We were fucking, Roman, pure and simple,” he told him once as Roman nodded hurriedly that he understood. The thing in front of him had him terrified. Roman wouldn’t even classify Carlo as a man right now. He was a walking conglomerate of pure evil. “Should we kill him quickly,” he asked Cartier, regarding him now. “No, he needs time to think on his evil deeds, perhaps even repent for them,” he replied calmly as Carlo chuckled. “Socrates, the philosopher,” he murmured as Cartier smiled. “Do you need time to think on your evil deeds Roman,” Carlo asked, glancing over his shoulder at him. “Why don’t you pray,” he suggested as Cartier nodded his approval. “Aloud, so we can all can share,” he added with a smirk as Roman swallowed hard and began reciting The Lord’s prayer. Sharaine watched transfixed as her lover began to cry the further he got into the prayer. Finishing finally, Cartier stepped up and spoke again. “Do you believe God heard you,” he asked. Roman sighed deeply simply replying he hoped so. “Do you believe in hell,” Cartier asked once more as Roman swallowed hard but didn’t answer. “You’re going to die Roman,” he told him matter of fact. “Yes, over a friendly piece of pussy,” Carlo said simply, kicking the chair out from under him without warning. He, more than anyone else in the room, enjoyed watching Roman’s convulsing corpse as he slowly and painfully strangled to death. After what seemed an eternity his body stopped moving, his bodily fluids let loose and the stench of his death filled the club.

“
We’re here Cisneros,” the jailer announced, breaking Carlo’s thought as he made his way back to his cell waiting for Quenton to arrive.

He needed a hit in the worst way.

*****

Cartier was settling into prison life at Leavenworth. The prison was just like any other institution meant to keep one caged and nothing special stood out. He hadn’t run into any drama or skirmishes since his arrival almost three and a half weeks ago. He’d heard through his source at the prison, the trial had wrapped and the jury was deliberating.
That won’t take long,
he thought and sighed deeply. Cartier supposed Carlo was enjoying his last final moments in the sun and he held no grudge against his friend for that. He also frowned deeply thinking about Lauren once again. She’d been shipped off to some foster home or other and no one could turn enough stones to find her. He had an idea though and only needed to wait a couple of days until his first visitation to implement it. His own sons were safely out of harm’s way in Alabama. He had distant relatives there, but they’d opened their home once Cartier sent a runner with the money filled briefcase to pay off their home and most of their debts.

He smiled slightly thinking of his last conversation with Ryan. The young man was still full of pride, almost belligerent, but Cartier knew how to handle him. He was after all, his own blood.
“You and Ian are going to Alabama,” Cartier told Ryan calmly as they sat and conversed during his visit to the jail. “You can’t tell us what to do, you’re an inmate, and we’re grown,” Ryan told him cockily. Cartier smiled slightly before leaning close to his son and speaking quietly, his eyes boring into the younger man’s. “Don’t let these bars fool you,” he told him. “You might be legal, but you’re a long way from grown, I’m still the fucking alpha male in this bitch, and you and Ian are going to Alabama,” Cartier told him as the guard came and stood behind Ryan. He felt the cold steel moments later as the guards gun found the base of his neck. “Any more fucking questions,” Cartier calmly asked as Ryan swallowed hard and told him no. Cartier assured his son if he disobeyed his orders and remained in the city he would personally issue the hit on his life. Visibly shaken Ryan quickly assured his father he and Ian would go.