Jackie was out on the island in Huntington driving down Jericho Turnpike when she saw the car on the lot. Jackie took in the Cayman with her eyes and immediately fell in love with its curves. The salesman told her, “The Cayman S is armed with 3.4 liters of total swept volume and a maximum of 295 horsepower at 6250 rpm. Maximum torque is 251 lb.-ft. at 4400 rpm.”
“What’s the top speed?” Jackie asked excitedly.
“One hundred and seventy-one miles per hour.”
“I’ll take it,” Jackie stated, not even questioning the price tag on the vehicle. All she knew was that she wanted it, therefore had to have it; no matter what the price.
Lately she’d been thinking that the move might have been just a little impulsive, but she loved that car and the idea of selling it was out of the question.
Now, her plan was simple; talk to Freeze and convince him to let her into the poker game that Mylo ran. Jackie knew that Freeze was a creature of habit. She knew that Freeze would be at the house or on his way there. So when Jackie suggested that she could meet him there, Freeze was agreeable. She had to get in that game. She had fifty thousand dollars, which was fifty thousand less than it took to buy in. Jackie was hopeful that once she explained her situation, Freeze would still let her in the game.
When Jackie drove past the house she saw that Freeze’s Navigator was parked a little ways down the street. She quickly parked her car and set the alarm. Once she told the doorman that she was there to see Freeze, she was allowed in the house.
Jackie entered the room where the game was being played and took it all in. She didn’t see Freeze anywhere, and naturally all of the players turned to check her out, dressed as she was in tight blue leather. But quickly, they turned their attention back to their cards. Jackie’s eyes were focused squarely on the pile of chips that sat in the middle of the table and wondered how much money that represented.
Mylo came out of the office and walked straight towards her. Jackie knew Mylo well enough to speak to him, but they had never really talked. She just never liked the way he looked at her like she was a pork chop sandwich. “What’s up, Mylo?”
“You Jackie, right?” he asked, looking at her in exactly the manner which she couldn’t stand.
“Yeah.” She knew if she planned to be in this game, that Mylo was somebody she would have to deal with, so she would have to get used to it. “I’m here to meet Freeze. Is he here?” she asked even though she knew he was there.
“He’s back here waitin’ for you. Follow me.” Mylo then said quietly, “with your fine ass,” as he led Jackie into the bedroom that served as an office.
When Mylo opened the door, Freeze was sitting on the couch, talking on the phone. He looked up when he saw Jackie follow Mylo into the room. “I’ll get with you later, Tanya,” he said and pressed end on his cell phone.
Jackie smiled to herself when she heard Tanya’s name mentioned. She knew her very well. One night, several months ago, Jackie was at Cynt’s, one of the gambling houses that was run by Black’s organization, when Freeze came in with Tanya on his arm. At the time, she was barely holding her own in the game when she looked up and saw Tanya looking at her. Jackie smiled back at Tanya. When Freeze went into another room to talk to Cynt, Jackie cashed out and went to talk to Tanya.
“Hi, I’m Jackie.”
“Tanya. How you doing?” she said in a sweet and sexy voice that made Jackie want her even more.
Jackie took a step closer. “I’m doin’ just fine tonight, honey.”
“I saw you playing; how did you do?”
“Not too good tonight, but I held my own.”
As the conversation continued, Jackie said, “I haven’t seen you here before.”
“Well, that’s because Freeze doesn’t like me to be around this stuff,” Tanya said.
Jackie understood all too well why that was. Freeze’s former girl friend, Paulleen, used to be around all time and used to be into everything and everybody. In fact, her former partner, Ronnie Grier, used to mess with her. Travis believed in his heart that it was Freeze that killed Ronnie. He remembered Freeze telling him one time when they were talking about how out of control Ronnie was and how that was bad for business. Freeze said, “Whatever I do is always business. Never personal, even if it seems that way. Remember that. And it will never have anything to do with you and me. Understand?”
Jackie wasn’t as convinced as Travis was that Freeze killed Ronnie, but she had no intentions of asking. She looked at Tanya and understood why Freeze kept her on ice and far away from predators like herself. Tanya was a very attractive woman with a body the begged for attention.
Jackie recalled how her and Tanya had agreed to go see
Jackie hadn’t told Travis that she was sexing Tanya because she knew what he’d say.
Now she stood before her lover’s other lover about to ask him to do her a really big favor. “Jackie,” Freeze said and got up from the couch to greet her. “What’s up?”
“I’m good, Freeze, I’m good.”
Freeze gave Mylo a look that told him that his presence was not needed. “I’ll be out here if y’all need anything,” he said, and after waiting briefly for a response from Freeze or Jackie, which didn’t come, Mylo left the room and closed the door behind him.
“How’s Travis?” Freeze said and sat down.
“He doin’ a lot better. When I left to come here he was up and around.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, what the fuck were you niggas doin’ for Travis to get shot?”
“We were stealin’ some computer processors and shit went south for us.”
“How come I didn’t know anything about this?”
Jackie was puzzled by the question. She knew that Freeze liked to be on top of everything that went on and insisted that Travis brief him before they did anything. But since he was asking the question, she knew that wasn’t the case. “It was a job that Monika turned him on to. He’d been doing some jobs with her.”
“I know that.”
“Well,” Jackie said and took a step back. “Monika passed on the job because she thought it was too much of a risk, but Travis felt that he could do it, so we went for it.”
“Maybe next time somebody tells you some shit like that, y’all should listen,” Freeze told her definitely.
“That’s not gonna be an issue anymore. After he got shot, Travis said he was done.”
“No shit?” Freeze asked.
“Yup, that’s what he said,” Jackie replied and sat down next to him on the couch.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that, Jackie. Once he starts feeling better and starts missin’ that paper, he’ll be back.”
“I thought that too, but he says he don’t need to do this no more. That he got enough money saved and his house in Connecticut is paid for, and since the economy is gettin’ better, he could live good with a job and the money he got saved.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see,” Freeze said and tapped Jackie on the leg. “I’ll talk to him.”
“I don’t think it will do any good, but by all means, get my boy back in the game.”
“So where does that leave you?” Freeze asked.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“If I hear about somebody needing a good driver, I’ll put you in.”
“That’s not exactly what I had in mind.”
“So what's your plan then?”
“I was hopin’ that you would let me buy into that game going on out there?”
“No.” Freeze said flatly.
“Why?”
“Cause I said so.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that,” Freeze told definitely.
