Read Online Black 01 - Black Rain by Vincent Alexandria - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vincent Alexandria
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your woman over this? Has this been cleared with Commissioner Wayne, Joe?”
“Agent James is clearing it with him. I go pick up my car from the impound at FBI headquarters on Sunday.”
“What about your dad?Your pops can go any day now.
Are you willing to deal with the guilt if he passes before you get back? You know that would kill your mom.”
“Why are you bringing that up, Vernon?”
Vernon walks up to me and takes his cigar out of his mouth, standing so close that the sweet tobacco on his breath hits me in the face.
“Because these are the facts and this is real, Joe. A lot of people will be affected if something happens to you. Have you even thought of your children? Have you checked out everything? Something just ain’t right about this case, Joe. You’ve got a lot to lose, if this stuff goes wrong.” Vernon grips my shoulders and stares deep in my eyes.
70
Black Rain
“What about Chase, Vernon? Should I just sit back and do nothing and let her die?”
“Let the FBI handle it, Joe.”
I grab the back of my neck. “Vernon, you don’t understand. I already took the case. Agent James gave me fifty thousand dollars for front money. It’s upstairs in my dresser drawer. I got to do this.”
“Return the money, Joe. You don’t have any obliga-tion to her.”
“I’m a cop, Vernon. Chase needs me and I owe her.”
“We’re both cops, asshole.” Vernon says pointing his stubby finger at me. “Well, I see you’ve got your mind set, so fuck me and what I think. Right, partner?” Vernon shoves the basketball in my chest, looks at me, shakes his head and walks to his car and drives off.
Vernon has never acted like this. Will our friendship ever be repaired? I turn to go in the house and Sierra is in the doorway with tears in her eyes. She must have heard the whole thing. I sit on the steps and put my head in my hands.
I have to trust my gut feeling on this, but I’m hurting so many people I love in the process. Am I that selfish?
Why am I willing to sacrifice so much? It’s my job and I owe Chase my life and she would do it for me. This has been the hardest thing I’ve done, and yet, it will be harder explaining this to my mom and dad. My dad is dying of cancer, and I will use all the resources possible to get back to Kansas City as fast as I can.
I’ll have to call St. Louis Slim and Mo-Mo to set up a meeting. They’ll have my back even though St. Louis Slim still hasn’t gotten over our last argument, but I know he won’t hold that against me. At least, I hope not.
Chapter 4
Chase wakes up, looks around and realizes she’s in a hotel room, sore all over, with the sour taste of con-gealed blood in her mouth. She struggles to rise from the bed and wonders how they got her in there unconscious. Did they walk her through a lobby, or did one of Dread’s henchmen pay one of the hotel workers so they could sneak her up a back entrance, on some freight elevator away from any suspecting hotel guests?
By the Italian furnishings, she gathers that this place is very expensive. It must be a suite. Shadows move under the door. Television noise and conversation can be heard from the next room. Her room is dark, but the shades are pulled back enough for the moon to gaze in.
She remembers her mom calling the moon God’s night-light. It sheds enough light for her to find her way to the bathroom without tripping over her overnight bag.
72
Black Rain
Chase pulls her bag into the bathroom with some dif-ficulty, closes the door, and without thinking, switches on the light. She’s immediately blinded by the bright fluorescent lights that illuminate the oversized area.
When her equilibrium and sight adjust to the lighting, she’s surprised that her encounter with Brutus didn’t leave her as badly bruised as she’s feeling.
A slight bruise swells on her right cheek and her lip is a little swollen on the right side, as well. She’s glad her arm blocked her face. Too bad it didn’t block
“Agent James is clearing it with him. I go pick up my car from the impound at FBI headquarters on Sunday.”
“What about your dad?Your pops can go any day now.
Are you willing to deal with the guilt if he passes before you get back? You know that would kill your mom.”
“Why are you bringing that up, Vernon?”
Vernon walks up to me and takes his cigar out of his mouth, standing so close that the sweet tobacco on his breath hits me in the face.
“Because these are the facts and this is real, Joe. A lot of people will be affected if something happens to you. Have you even thought of your children? Have you checked out everything? Something just ain’t right about this case, Joe. You’ve got a lot to lose, if this stuff goes wrong.” Vernon grips my shoulders and stares deep in my eyes.
70
Black Rain
“What about Chase, Vernon? Should I just sit back and do nothing and let her die?”
“Let the FBI handle it, Joe.”
I grab the back of my neck. “Vernon, you don’t understand. I already took the case. Agent James gave me fifty thousand dollars for front money. It’s upstairs in my dresser drawer. I got to do this.”
“Return the money, Joe. You don’t have any obliga-tion to her.”
“I’m a cop, Vernon. Chase needs me and I owe her.”
“We’re both cops, asshole.” Vernon says pointing his stubby finger at me. “Well, I see you’ve got your mind set, so fuck me and what I think. Right, partner?” Vernon shoves the basketball in my chest, looks at me, shakes his head and walks to his car and drives off.
Vernon has never acted like this. Will our friendship ever be repaired? I turn to go in the house and Sierra is in the doorway with tears in her eyes. She must have heard the whole thing. I sit on the steps and put my head in my hands.
I have to trust my gut feeling on this, but I’m hurting so many people I love in the process. Am I that selfish?
Why am I willing to sacrifice so much? It’s my job and I owe Chase my life and she would do it for me. This has been the hardest thing I’ve done, and yet, it will be harder explaining this to my mom and dad. My dad is dying of cancer, and I will use all the resources possible to get back to Kansas City as fast as I can.
I’ll have to call St. Louis Slim and Mo-Mo to set up a meeting. They’ll have my back even though St. Louis Slim still hasn’t gotten over our last argument, but I know he won’t hold that against me. At least, I hope not.
Chapter 4
Chase wakes up, looks around and realizes she’s in a hotel room, sore all over, with the sour taste of con-gealed blood in her mouth. She struggles to rise from the bed and wonders how they got her in there unconscious. Did they walk her through a lobby, or did one of Dread’s henchmen pay one of the hotel workers so they could sneak her up a back entrance, on some freight elevator away from any suspecting hotel guests?
By the Italian furnishings, she gathers that this place is very expensive. It must be a suite. Shadows move under the door. Television noise and conversation can be heard from the next room. Her room is dark, but the shades are pulled back enough for the moon to gaze in.
She remembers her mom calling the moon God’s night-light. It sheds enough light for her to find her way to the bathroom without tripping over her overnight bag.
72
Black Rain
Chase pulls her bag into the bathroom with some dif-ficulty, closes the door, and without thinking, switches on the light. She’s immediately blinded by the bright fluorescent lights that illuminate the oversized area.
When her equilibrium and sight adjust to the lighting, she’s surprised that her encounter with Brutus didn’t leave her as badly bruised as she’s feeling.
A slight bruise swells on her right cheek and her lip is a little swollen on the right side, as well. She’s glad her arm blocked her face. Too bad it didn’t block
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