The three men turned to see Detective Bird leaning against the door, a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth.
“We’re looking for clues to a murder.” Detective Stone’s voice held resentment at the insult. He frowned at the older detective.
Detective Bird said, “I bet you think this was a normal burglary gone wrong.” His voice was grainy from years of smoking and drinking. Gray hair sprinkled all over his head and in the thick beard he sported.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” Detective Stone snapped. He was an admirer of the veteran detective, who had been on the police force for almost forty years. However, he didn’t like the way Detective Bird was trying to undermine his investigation. “Why are you here, Detective?”
Detective Bird peered at him through slanted eyes. “Watch your tone, son.” His droopy face had a hard look. “I’m taking over the investigation.”
“No, you’re not!” Detective Stone was appalled. “The lieutenant sent me over here.”
“Why don’t you give him a call? He’ll explain everything to you.”
“Explain what?”
Detective Bird sighed aloud. He walked over to the kitchen counter and rested his hip against it. “Can you give us a minute?” he said to the other two officers. “Do you know who that is outside there?” He pointed toward the door that the officers just exited through. “That’s King Kong and one of his right-hand men, Phil.”
Detective Stone looked puzzled.
“Do you know who the victim’s grandson is? Saddam.” He answered his own question. “He is King Kong’s other right-hand man.”
“And who is King Kong, and why should I care?”
Detective Bird threw his head back and laughed out loud before dissolving in a whooping cough. After composing himself, he replied, “That’s why the lieutenant reassigned the case to me. The three biggest drug dealers in Jamaica are King Kong, Suave, and Queen Bee. While their headquarters are in Kingston, they operate in all fourteen parishes. I’ve been after King Kong for years, but he’s always one step ahead of me. Yes, he owns legal businesses to justify his wealth. But trust me, most of that comes from the cocaine and marijuana that he deals. Weeks ago, my informant told me that King Kong was robbing his rival, Suave.”
Detective Bird continued. “Suave is even bigger than King Kong in the drug business. I’ve been working with some detectives in Kingston to get him too, but nothing ever sticks. Rumor has it that Suave had kidnapped King Kong’s partner, Danny, in retaliation of the robberies. Danny was badly beaten and released. Now Saddam’s grandfather is dead.”
“So, you think it’s all related?” the younger detective asked the veteran. “All of this is about drugs?”
Detective Bird pointed at him. “Now, you get it. Elder Bloom didn’t deserve to be killed, but this just might be the way for me to finally get those two criminals. Cross my heart and tell no lie, I’m going to get them one day soon.”
Stone saw the determination in Detective Bird’s eyes. It looked as if King Kong and Suave’s days as free men were numbered.
Chapter Twelve
“I’m out,” Suave barked after exiting the club. He threw a cold look at Cobra before storming off toward his Benz. It was 1:00 a.m.
“Suave. Wait.” Daddy Lizard ran up to the car as Suave slipped behind the steering wheel, slamming the car door shut. He started the car and rolled down the window.
“At least take two soldiers with you,” Daddy Lizard implored his boss, his head hanging inside the car through the opened window. “Things are going to get rough. You can’t take any chances.”
Suave replied, “I’m good. You know I don’t leave my piece. Plus, where I’m going, King Kong won’t venture.”
“Are you sure? I know you’re pissed at what went down tonight, but you have to be careful.”
Suave said through clinched teeth, “Now I’ll not only have King Kong and crazy Saddam on my behind but the police as well. I don’t need this right now.”
“I know. Let’s sleep on it, and tomorrow, we’ll come up with a plan.” Daddy Lizard pulled back from the car.
Suave peeled off without a response. He drove with one hand on the steering, the other reached for his cell phone and dialed a number. He held the phone to his ear.
“Hey,” Pat answered Suave’s call on the first ring. “My mind just ran on you.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Suave’s voice was very cold. “Get some food ready because I’m starved.”
“You know I got you, Big Daddy.” Pat’s voice held a mixture of fear and excitement. “It’ll be ready when you get here.”
Suave clicked off the phone. With a mean, hard look on his face, he pressed a little harder on the gas. He needed to get to Pat’s fast so that he could get away from all the craziness that had gone down tonight.
True to his word, twenty minutes later, Suave pulled up in front of Pat’s house in Havendale, Kingston. The garage door was up, so Suave drove in and parked beside a white convertible BMW. He exited the car, hurried over to the garage door opener mounted on the wall, and pressed it. The door made a low grinding sound as it rolled down.
“Where are you?” Suave yelled when he entered the living room through the side door from the garage. “Yo, Pat?”
“I’m right here.” Pat glided from the bedroom into the living room, wearing a short, sheer, red bathrobe with nothing under it and struck a pose in front of him. “Hey.” Pat stared at Suave’s face intently, trying to gauge his mood.
Suave swallowed loudly, his face set in stone. “Where’s my food?” The grumbling of his stomach seemed to agree.
Pat took a step back and laughed. “Someone is hungry. Come on, I heated up some chicken soup for you.” Pat walked into the kitchen with Suave a step behind.
“So, how was the club?” Pat asked with caution as they sat around the dining table. “How many hoochie mamas gave you their number?”
Suave took a sip of his soup before he looked up. “How many times I told you not to question me?”
Pat frowned. “Sorry. I was just making conversation.”
Suave drank some more of the delicious soup before saying, “Do I look like I need conversation to you? Just sit and keep your mouth shut.”
Pat’s lips pouted like a spoiled child but didn’t speak again. Except for the slurping of the soup as Suave ate, no sound was heard.
Moments later, Suave said, “So, how was your day?” He placed the spoon into the almost empty soup bowl and leaned back against the chair. Pat now had his undivided attention. It was time to converse for a while.
“Same ole, same ole. I helped Queen Bee and the girls take care of some business. Queen Bee got into it with a few workers, so I had to break up some fights...”
Suave laughed out loud.
Pat stared at him for a few seconds before joining in.
“That Queen Bee is something else. In fact, all of you are a piece of work,” Suave remarked when the laughter ceased.
Pat smiled. “That we are. What can I say?”
“So, where were you guys taking care of business and behaving like gangsters?” Suave was cunning in extracting as much information from Pat as possible. This was something he would do every time he and Pat were together. He asked questions about Queen Bee’s operation, and Pat, who was so infatuated with him, provided all the answers without even realizing