Read Online Piece Keeper by Antwan Floyd Sr. - Free Book Online Page A

into his eyes. “You won’t go down at all if I
have anything to do with it.”
    “You speak like a man with a plan.”
    “A good plan violently executed now is better than a
perfect plan executed next week.”
    Witherspoon reclined in his seat and swiveled.
“Patton,” Witherspoon responded referring to General Patton.
    “Yes, sir. I studied just like you taught me.”
    “Studying is one thing but can you execute?”
    “Tu Mu says: Your surviving spy must be a man of
keen intellect, though in outward appearance a fool; of shabby
exterior, but with a will of iron. He must be active, robust,
endowed with physical strength and courage; thoroughly accustomed
to all sorts of dirty work, able to endure hunger and cold, and to
put up with shame and ignominy. To pull this off sir, I will be the
biggest fool my enemy has ever seen.”
    “There will be some collateral damage.”
    Waeltz picked up the bottle of cognac, poured
himself a drink, and held the glass in the air as if making a
toast. “We can’t save everybody. It is inevitable in all wars that
there will be lost on both sides.”
    ***
     
    The next morning as Black made his way downstairs
into the living room he cleared his throat loudly purposely awaking
James and Teresa who were still asleep on the couch. He didn’t know
how he should feel about the situation. It was already weird enough
with Teresa being there. Throwing James, her other man, into the
mix was another story altogether. He shook the thought making his
way to the kitchen to make coffee. “You two sleep well?” he asked
over his shoulder.
    James didn’t respond. He simply stood and
stretched.
    Teresa squinted her eyes with an annoyed, tired look
on her face. “What time is it? It’s still dark outside.”
    “A little after 6 A.M,” Black responded from the
kitchen “Anyone want coffee?”
    “I’ll take a cup,” James responded as he moved
towards the kitchen.
    “You’ve gotta be freaking kidding me. I’m going back
to bed,” Teresa mumbled as she headed towards the stairs to her
room.
    James sat at on a barstool at the kitchen island as
the coffee began to percolate. “What now?” he asked as Black placed
two coffee cups on the counter. “Where do we stand? What now? Or
the next step in Teresa’s case… what now?”
    “Depends on your level of honesty.”
    “Honesty?”
    As the room began to fill with the smell of fresh
brewed coffee Black moved towards the refrigerator. “Milk or
cream?”
    “Black,” James responded as he held his empty mug in
the air.
    Black returned with the pot of fresh coffee, filled
James’ cup, and then his own. “Be honest with me, bro… since you
helped me out with my little squabble last night do you not like me
any less?”
    James took a hefty swallow of the strong hot coffee
before for responding. “Not at all. I still don’t like you
much.”
    “Good. I would hate to think it was a one way thing.
So from here we keep this line of being civil with one another
going for the sake of Teresa. I get the sense that you care about
her but it’s something about you that’s not quite right. She may
not see it but that’s why I’m here.”
    “Is it now?”
    Black sipped his coffee. “Damn right.”
    Morena entered the kitchen surprised to see that
James was still there. Her eyebrow rose as she made eye contact
with Black with a ‘what the fuck’ look in her eye. Black returned
the look with a ‘we’ll discuss it later’ look in his. It was
something that the two often did; a form of non-verbal
communication. They’d learned to read one another well.
    “You guys want breakfast?” she asked as she opened
the refrigerator and removed a carton of eggs.
    Black didn’t respond. He sipped his coffee giving
James the evil eye as James smirked menacingly.
     
     

Chapter Seven
    Black stepped into the precinct where he was greeted
by Waeltz and immediately led down to the basement through a damp
and cool corridor. They walked until they came