with that type of shit. So unless you’re tellin’ me that these are the guys that killed my wife, I wouldn’t know anything about them. Why would I?'
'That’s what I asked one of them,' Richards said, referring to Bruce Stark.
'What he say?'
'He didn’t have a reason either, but right now he’s sitting behind fifteen guys-'
'Seventeen,' Kirk corrected.
'Okay, seventeen guys; waiting for you to come after him.'
'So let me get this straight,' Black said. 'Four baby ballers that I’ve never heard of, are so scared that I’m gonna kill them that they got together to protect themselves against me, but I don’t know them? But now two of them are dead, which says a lot for their security, and they think it’s me that killed them. So now, one of them is so scared of me that he is sittin’ behind a little army waitin’ on me to show up. Is that what you’re tellin’ me?'
By that time it was obvious that Black was fighting back his laughter and so was Kirk.
'I’m sorry, but would you mind tellin’ me what my motive is for doing this?'
'See, I told you he was going to ask you that,' Kirk said and dropped his head.
'I’m not out there fightin’ over corners with these kids,' Black said. 'They play it a little too hard for me. They have no honor or loyalty; shootin’ each other over bullshit. Why would I even be involved with these guys?'
After that Richards cracked a smile. 'I was kinda hoping that you could tell us,' he finally said. 'Since they think it’s all about you, I just thought I’d ask.'
'It is not about me, believe that,' Black told them that night.
The detectives left this latest murder scene to allow the evidence techs to do their job. On the way down the steps Sanchez told Kirk and Richards about the suspected alliance between Black, Stark and Angelo Collette. 'But it’s only a rumor.'
'Sometimes rumors are based on fact,' Richards said.
'Stark is a regular visitor at Cuisine. And him and Black seem very chummy,' Sanchez said.
'But, Collette, that’s the one that concerns me,' Kirk said. 'Him and Black are old friends and he’s been trying to get a foothold in this part of the Bronx for years.'
'Correct,' Sanchez said. 'Now, for the really big money, do you know who the last player he had in the game was?'
'Who?' Richards asked.
'One Cassandra Sims.'
'Black’s wife?' Richards questioned.
'The same,' Sanchez confirmed.
'You don’t think this is Black’s work?' Richards asked.
'I don’t think so,' Kirk said quickly as they walked to their cars. 'Unless there’s something you haven’t told us yet, Gene.'
Sanchez shook his head. 'Neither do I.'
'Black has been off the grid playing legit businessman for a while now,' Kirk said.
'I heard that too. And besides, these are little fish,' Sanchez added. 'Black takes out the top of the food chain.' He got in his car and drove off.
Kirk and Richards walked to their car. 'That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have a talk with Stark,' Richards said and got behind the wheel.
'No it doesn’t.'
CHAPTER TWELVE
Black and Bobby arrived at Luke’s apartment and went inside. It took a while, but a woman finally came and let them in. She asked them to sit down and told them that Luke would be out in a minute. When Luke came into the room, he was on crutches and had a bandage around his thigh. His head was bandaged from the impact with the steering wheel. His arm was in a sling from getting shot in the shoulder.
'Damn,' Bobby said when he saw him.
'What’s up, Black? What’s up, Bobby?' Luke said as he eased down in a chair.
'What happened, Luke? Who hit you?' Black asked.
'I don’t know who it was. We had just left the club,' Luke began.
'Who? Who’s we?' Black asked.
'Me, Kenny, Duck and Ed. Me and Kenny left in one car, and Duck and Ed was in the car behind us. I looked back and saw a truck hit their car. Then a Ford 350 pulled up behind me and slammed into my rear end. I tried to get away from the truck, but it kept coming. The 350 slammed into us again. That’s when I hit my head on the steering wheel.'
'That’s how you fucked up your head?' Bobby asked.
'Yeah,' Luke said. 'They ran us into a telephone pole. I got out of the car and got shot in the shoulder and caught another in my thigh. I got off a couple of shots,' Luke lied. 'But they went after Kenny.'
'What about Ed and Duck?' Bobby asked.
'They dead too.'
'But it was Kenny they wanted. They left you and went after him,' Black said.
'I may not have seen who was doin’ the shootin’, but I know who sent them,' Luke announced.
'Who?' Bobby asked.
'Cruz Villanueva.'
'Who the fuck is that?' Bobby wanted to know.
'He’s Hector’s nephew,' Black told him.
'You mean, Hector, you fucked his wife, Hector?'
'Yeah, Bobby, that Hector.' Black turned to Luke. 'What Cruz got to do with this?'
'Before we left the club, Kenny had words with Cruz. Whatever was said was said, and Kenny put his gun in Cruz’s face.'
'You know what it was about?' Black asked.
'Kenny said that Cruz was talkin’ about makin’ a move uptown and wanted Kenny to get down with him. But Kenny wasn’t tryin’ to hear that shit.'
'So Cruz had him killed,' Bobby said.
'That’s what I think,' Luke said.
'Let’s go.' Black stood up. 'Feel better. Anything you need, you let me know.'
When Black and Bobby left Luke’s apartment, they went looking for Cruz. They didn’t know where to find him, but Black knew somebody who might have an idea.
They went to a Salsa bar off of Grand Concourse looking for Eddie Domingas. Black had known Eddie since the days when Black worked for Andre. Once they were inside, Black took a look around for Eddie but didn’t see him.
'I could use a drink,' Bobby said. He went and found a table and then a waitress brought them drinks. While they were drinking, Black saw Eddie come out of the back. Once Black was able to make eye contact with him, Eddie motioned for Black to follow him.
'I’m goin’ to talk to Eddie,' Black got up and followed Eddie into the men’s room. When Black left the table three men walked up.
When Black walked in the men’s room, Eddie was standing by the sink. The two men shook hands. Black asked him if he knew anything about what happened to Kenny. Eddie said that he hadn’t heard anything about it.
'I been hearin’ that Cruz is makin’ noises about movin’ uptown. You hear anything about that?'
'That’s all it is, is talk. Cruz thinks your boy Stark is weak.'
'He ain’t my boy,' Black said.
'The word on the street is that you stand behind him.'
