My mind kept ranging back over the day before as Vince drove the car out into the city.
Natalie’s body, her questions at dinner, everything about her drove me insane. And I loved teasing her more than anything, especially since she was so easy to rile up. All it took was a little dirty talk and she was running away like it terrified her to even consider.
Vince headed deep into the city, and I knew I needed to get my mind right. I couldn’t be distracted on a job, especially not on an important job. We were out scouting the locals for any information on what happened to our shipment for the Russians.
Vince turned into a seedy neighborhood toward the very heart of the city. This was my neighborhood, my turf, and even though it was a little run down, it was still one of the best-earning areas in the city. Arturo gave it to me a long time ago, and I had turned it from a piece-of-shit patch of run-down land to a profitable business in only a few years.
I knew the place like the back of my hand, and I knew the guy we were looking for liked to spend his time at a piece-of-shit crack den at the end of a dead end street. Vince turned the car toward it and parked.
“You don’t need to be doing this, you know,” Vince said.
“I know that.”
“We got guys. We can send them.”
“I know, Vince.” I climbed out of the car and he followed me. “I like doing shit like this. People need to see my face, know that I’m for real.”
“I know, boss. Just saying.”
We walked down the block, and I watched a pack of locals quickly move inside their houses. I smiled to myself, satisfied with their reaction.
I was known. I was feared by many and loved by many. I tried to take care of my people the best I could, but there were a lot of shitty assholes living in the slums, and I did not abide by their garbage. If they crossed me, I killed them. If they injured my business, I injured their bodies. It was a pretty simple way of operating. I wasn’t going to win a ton of best friends, but I was going to run a tight operation.
We walked to the end of the block and Vince climbed up the steps. I saw his hand was on his gun as he kicked open the door.
I followed him in, making a face. The place smelled fetid, like body odor and rotten plants. The windows were blocked with blankets and the rooms were littered with detritus. I kicked aside some empty cans and followed Vince farther into the house.
“Rodney White,” Vince called out, “we know you’re in here.”
People were looking at us curiously. Some of them I recognized, but most of them were strangers, showing up with some cash to score and hang around for a while.
Rodney ran the joint. He was also part of the squad that was responsible for security on the Russian drop.
“Rodney,” Vince yelled again, “get your ass out here before we start hurting people.”
I leaned up against the door and caught sight of two people lying together on a dingy mattress in the room next to us. They were staring at me, afraid but curious. I sneered at them and they quickly looked away.
“Vince,” Rodney said, coming down the stairs. “Lucas. Hey, guys.” He looked nervous.
Of course he did. The shipment he was supposed to guard got fucking pinched, and now we were showing up at his place unannounced. Anybody could put that together.
I stormed past Vince and walked up to Rodney. “Hi, Rod. Tell us what happened.”
He held up his hands. “I don’t know, I swear. One second we was watching out, all clear, and the next the cops were swarmin’. I barely got out.”
I hit him in the nose with the palm of my hand. He fell backward onto his ass, groaning and clutching his nose.
People were watching, now more curious at the sight of violence than afraid. Vince drew his gun and people quickly disappeared back into their little holes.
I got into Rodney’s face. “Listen, Rod,” I said. “I don’t feel like wasting time. It smells like fucking shit in here.”
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“You know I don’t like hurting you, right, Rod?”
“Sure.”
“But you know someone fucking talked, and you’re on the list of suspects. So please, Rod, give me something I can use.”
“I don’t know anything, Lucas. Please believe me.”
I sighed. “I’m starting to get annoyed. Do I work well when I’m annoyed, Vince?”
“No, you don’t.”
“I really don’t,” I said, shaking my head.
“I been listening for you, but I didn’t hear anything.”
I hit Rodney again, this time in the stomach. He doubled over. I saw blood drop from his nose onto the stairs.
“I don’t believe you.”