Payback

'He was with Freeze last night. He can tell you what Freeze is dealing with.'

'You just find out what’s up with that boat, Wanda,' Mike said and hung up the phone. 'Jamaica, you have the brethren meet me at the airport with whoever gave them this information. I wanna talk to him myself.' Mike turned to Nick. 'What’s goin’ on with Freeze?'

'Huh?' Nick answered, not knowing what Mike was talking about.

'Bobby said Freeze had to go handle something, and Wanda told me that you were with him last night and that you could tell me what Freeze had to go handle.'

'There were some guys posted up, tryin’ to roll at Doc’s place last night. Freeze thinks they work for Derrick Washington, calls himself D-train. He used to be Chilly’s lieutenant.'

'Curl? That bitch nigga ain’t got the heart to take Freeze on,' Mike said, thinking that somebody must be backing D-Train up.

Jamaica sat in the front seat and talked on his cell phone while one of his men drove. Nick sat quietly behind the driver while Mike stared out the window. Naturally, his mind was on Shy, hoping that she was at least unharmed, if not safe. But there was something, a few things, actually, about this that werewas bothering him. First off, why would somebody plan a drug deal in his place? Anybody who was anybody who was connected to the game knew who he was and knew that Black’s Paradise was his place, and the one thing Mike Black didn’t tolerate was drug dealing. Then he couldn’t get past the DEA agent being in there with no backup.

Mike looked over at Nick and he leaned toward him. 'I’m sorry, Black. This is all my fault. I was too slow taking the shot.'

'Don’t worry about it. What’s done is done. Besides, I should have been there. Something I wanna ask you, Nick. This DEA agent, what was his name?'

'Roman Patterson.'

'This guy, this Roman Patterson, how well did you know him?'

'I knew him pretty well. We were in the same unit for two years when I was in the Army.'

'What kind of guy was he?' Mike asked. 'Was he a team player or a cowboy?'

'Team player, no doubt. Always about procedure, everything by the book.'

'See, Nick, that’s what’s bothering me. Cowboys go in alone, without any backup, ’cause a cowboy always thinks that he can shoot or fight his way out of anything. Like you, Nick.'

'Me?'

'Yes, you.' Mike laughed. 'I heard you rolled up in Rocky’s place by yourself,' he said, noting that Nick had rolled up in a den of drug dealers and killers by himself.

'Twice.'

'Risky business.'

'I seem to remember you fallin’ up in a bunch of places by yourself. So, if I am a cowboy, I learned that shit from you,' Nick said.

'I only did that shit when I knew I would be all right. If I thought there was a possibility that shit would get wild, either you or Freeze or Bobby was coming with me.'

'You knew that we had your back,' Nick said, now proud of the life that he ran away from for years.

'That’s what I can’t get past. What was your boy doin’ up in there without backup?'

'We’ll find her, Black,' Nick said, trying to sound reassuring.

'I hope so, Nick. I hope so,' Mike said and looked out the window. 'It’s still good to see you, Nick.'

'It’s good to see you too, Black.' Good to be home, Nick thought.

While Mike stared out the window, he recalled the argument he had with Shy the night before. Thinking back on it now, it wasn’t worth it. He knew that all that shit Shy was talking about him and other women was just a smoke screen to mask what was really bothering her. But if he really wanted to be honest with himself, Shy did have a point. If he wanted to, he could do something to discourage women from literally throwing themselves at him. In his mind, he wasn’t doing anything, so there wasn’t a problem. But apparently, Shy had a different perception of what was going on, and after all, perception is reality.

Shy felt like women openly showing their affection for her husband was disrespectful. But to Mike, it was all business, making sure his customers, especially the women, were having a good time. Happy women come back, stay longer, and make men spend more money. Strictly business. Nothing more. Mike loved Shy, and nothing any of those women had to offer was of any interest to him. He knew that, and believed that Shy should know it too. Mike felt like Shy should trust him.

Even though that wasn’t her real issue, Shy raised it so strongly that Mike let it get under his skin. So, when Shy finally got around to what was really bothering her, he was on fire from what he considered her repeated attacks on his fidelity and commitment to their relationship. The truth of the matter was that Shy hadn’t really been all that happy on the island.

'It’s not you, Michael, or anything that you’re doing. Please believe that. I just wanna go home,' Shy said to him the night before. 'And if that means that I have to go to jail, then I would rather do that than spend the rest of my life here.' That’s when he lost his mind. But he knew now that he shouldn’t have. If going back to New York would make her happy, and she believed it so strongly that she was willing to do time, then he should have been willing to hear her out. How bad could it be? With his money and contacts, he could have easily had the case heard before a sympathetic judge, and Wanda could have pled it down to something minor.

Truth is, Mike wanted Shy out of New York. He strongly believed that her life was in jeopardy every second that she was there, not only because of what she was doing, but also because of him. His enemies knew that she was his weakness, and Shy would be a way for them to get to him. And he wasn’t having it. It was safer for her if both of them were out of the city and out of the game, or so he thought.

When they arrived at the charter plane, Jamaica’s men were waiting with the man who saw Shy being abducted. Mike recognized him as soon as he saw him. His name was Harold Elgin. Mike had known Mr. Elgin during the days when he was a number runner back in New York, before circumstances forced him to return home to Freeport. The moment Mr. Elgin saw Mike coming, he rose to his feet. 'Mr. Black,' he said as Mike shook his hand.

'Thank you for taking the time to talk to me,' Mike said.

'No problem, but your friends here didn’t leave me with any choice.' Mr. Elgin turned to Jamaica. 'You should teach your men some manners, you know. Respect for their elders would help, maybe.'

Mike stepped in front of Jamaica’s men. 'You will show this man respect. The same respect you show me.'

'Yah mon, respect, no,' they echoed as Mike turned his attention to Mr. Elgin.

'Please accept my apology for their disrespect, Mr. Elgin,' Mike said as the two walked away together. 'These young boys don’t have any respect for anything except power and money.'

'Not like the old days, you know. Back then, you show a mon respect until he proved himself unworthy of that respect. But under the given circumstances, I understand.'

'Tell me what you saw.'

'I was down by the docks earlier today when I heard some commotion. When I look, I see your wife on the ground. Two men were standing above her. She didn’t appear to be hurt. As I think back, I believe that she was trying to get my attention.'

'What makes you think that?'

'Because when I turn to see, she was looking at me the entire time. As they drag her to she feet, she continue to look at me. And I am sure she mouth the words help me. When I move closer, I hear her ask ‘where are you taking me?’ The white man say they were taking a little trip to Miami.'

'Are you sure about that?'

'I may be an old mon and not worthy of young mon’s respect, but I can still hear.'

'Did you recognize the men?'

'No. I never see them before.'

'What they look like, Mr. Elgin?'

'I didn’t get a really good look, but as I say, one was white and the other was of Latin descent. It appeared that he was hurt. I say this because him move slow and hold his stomach the whole time.'

'Anything else you can tell me about them?'