“What are you doing in these parts, man?” A rough voice growled before his stern face appeared at the passenger window of Suave’s car.
“Mambo, it’s us,” Cobra answered, instantly recognizing one of Mason’s men. “It’s Suave and me.”
“We just heard about Mason.” Suave peered at Mambo. “I still can’t believe that someone would do something like that.”
Mambo grunted but didn’t respond to Suave. After all, Suave was one of Mason’s enemies too. For all he knew, Suave could have hired the hit on his boss.
As if he were reading Mambo’s mind, Suave said, “You know I loved Mason like a father, Mambo. You were there when he took me in and cared for me. We had a falling out because I wanted to spread my wings, but I would cut off my right hand before I hurt a strand of hair on Mason’s head.”
Mambo locked eyes with Suave for a moment. He saw the sincerity in them and relented. “Mason talked about you every day.” Mambo mumbled and quoted a few of Mason’s words. “My boy is doing big things for himself. Mark my word, one day, Suave is going to be the biggest godfather in Jamaica.”
Suave looked away and stared out his window, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. Mason never forgot about him after all.
“He still loved you,” Mambo said, regaining Suave’s attention. “He was just too proud to reach out to you after you left. Come on. I’ll meet you by the house and tell you how it went down.”
As Suave drove down the narrow street toward the house, a large, boisterous crowd was gathered on both sides of the streets, crying and wailing. It was a community in mourning—A very violent and enraged community that wanted justice.
“We want justice for the godfather!”
“Woieeee, they killed Mason!”
“It’s kill for kill!”
“Murderers!”
“Blood is on your hands!”
The police were out in even greater force. The killing of a man with Mason’s status in the community wouldn’t go without retaliation. This type of murder often resulted in other killings in neighboring communities to get revenge. The police were adamant about preventing this from happening.
Suave paused briefly in front of the shop where the murder took place. Yellow and black crime tape blocked it off, and police officers and their cars were blocking any form of entry. The onlookers were here chanting as numerous police went in and out, trying to collect evidence.
“It seems as if they already took the body away,” Cobra said as he too stared at the place where they spent so much time with Mason. He could almost see Mason drinking and cracking jokes, enjoying being the center of attention. Now he would be there no more.
Suave parked the car in front of the house and got out, leaving Cobra still sitting inside, deep in his thoughts.
“Get out of our house,” Junior yelled as soon as Suave entered the living room. He planted himself in front of Suave, preventing him from taking another step forward. “My father said you weren’t welcome here ever again. Get out!” Junior’s face was twisted in fury and pain.
It was at that moment Suave knew he got it right with Junior’s nickname. Standing in front of him was the real deal King Kong. But Suave still wasn’t scared of him.
“I’m not even going to bother with you,” Suave replied and gently but forcibly pushed past Junior. “I know you’re hurting right now, so I’m going to ignore you.” Suave made his way down the hall until he got to the master bedroom. He knocked on the closed door.
“Come in,” said an unfamiliar female voice.
Suave turned the doorknob, pushed the door open, and entered the bedroom. He felt the tears well up again in his eyes at the sight of Miss Pam. She was lying across the bed with her head in a woman’s lap, crying uncontrollably.
“Miss Pam?” Suave walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. “I’m so sorry.” He reached over and began rubbing the back of the woman who cared for him like a son.
Miss Pam peeked through one eye before rising and throwing herself in Suave’s arms. She sobbed on his shoulder as he whispered words of encouragement in her ear.
“They killed him, baby,” Miss Pam muttered. “He was just getting ready to turn the business over to Junior, and they gunned him down like a dog.”
Suave looked over Miss Pam’s head at the strange woman.
“I’m Celes, her sister,” the gentle-looking woman answered Suave’s unasked question. “I live over in Jungle and came as soon as I got the news.”
“What happened?” Suave asked above Miss Pam’s sobbing. “Mambo is to meet me here.”
“All I heard is that Mason was getting ready to close the shop, so he paid the men that were there, and they left. Pam wasn’t feeling well today, so she never left the house. Thank you, Lord!” Miss Celes raised her hands in the air to give God some more praise. “They would have killed my little sister too, Lord, but you prevented it. You are a mighty God! A wonderful Savior! A God in our time of need! Lord, you—”
“Miss Celes,” Suave interrupted. He had had enough of the foolishness. Why was the woman praising God when Mason was dead? Didn’t she know her so-called God don’t give a rat’s behind about anybody?
“Yes. I have to always give my Lord the praise for being so good to us,” Miss Celes said with a smile. “So, anyway, a neighbor said a motorcycle stopped in front of the shop. Two people were on it, a man wearing a helmet and a young boy no more than twelve or thirteen years old. The boy got off the motorcycle and entered the shop. Seconds later, there was a whole heap
