“What are you saying?”
Just then, Dauntay started yelling. “I want to talk to the FBI agent. Tell the bitch I’ll tell her what she wants to know for a price.”
Sin smirked. “I’m saying he’ll talk before it gets bad.”
Sin walked back into the room and again placed the pills on the table.
“Since you asked for me by name, I decided to hear what you had to say. Are you going to tell me about Rebecca Lancaster and her roommate?”
“You think you’re so smart. You know nothing. We didn’t want the president’s daughter, if that’s who she really is. The target was the Russo girl.”
The news shocked her, but she never let on. “Why kidnap Pia? Why kidnap an innocent girl?”
Dauntay’s eyes were downcast. “I don’t know.”
Sin scooped up the pills and went to stand. “And you were doing so well.”
“Wait. I swear that’s the truth. I don’t know why the Russo girl was taken. I swear.”
Sin relaxed and eased back into the seat. “Maybe I believe you, maybe I don’t. You want what I have, you’re going to have to give me more than that.”
“That’s all I know. Come on, man. I told you what I know. Now you give me the Oxy’s.”
“Here’s how this plays out,” Sin said. “You give me the name of the leader of the Black 6, and I give you the pills.
Dauntay was silent. She could tell he was weighing his options. “Even if I knew his name, and I’m not saying I do, you’ll never find him.”
“Give me his name and leave that to me.”
“They say he can kill without even touching you. If I give you his name, I’m as good as dead.”
“I’ll protect you, just give me his name.” She slid a pad of paper in front of him along with a pen. “Write his name and I promise you protection.”
“There’s no place you can hide me where he won’t find me.”
“How?”
“Onyx has his ways.” She pulled one of her revolvers from her holster.
“Are you going to kill me?” he stuttered. “I told you everything. What about the pills?”
“God knows I’d like to, but today is your lucky day,” she said. Sin placed the pills on the table and uncuffed one of his hands. She watched as he crushed them with his fist and leaned over and snorted the pieces as fast as he could. “Now that you’re thinking a clearer, look at me.” When she had his attention, she opened the cylinder, slid out a .45 caliber bullet, and placed it in front of him. He looked down at the pearlescent white casing.
“What’s this?”
“My calling card.” She then placed her pearl-handled revolver on the table. You get word to Onyx or whatever his real name is that La Perla Ángel de la Muerte is coming for him.”
Dauntay’s eyes dilated when he heard the name. “The Pearl Angel of Death? I remember hearing your name back in Jamaica. I thought you were dead.”
“My death was highly exaggerated.” She stood and yelled for the guards. When they entered, she looked at them and told them to release the prisoner.
“You said you’d protect me. If I leave here, I’m as good as dead.”
“Tell Onyx to release Becca and Pia. At six o’clock, I expect to see the girls sitting at the bar in Sloppy Joe’s. If they are, my job is done.”
Uncuffed, Dauntay rubbed his wrists. “He’ll kill me!”
“I have a feeling he’ll let you live.”
“Why? Why would he do that?”
“If he’s as smart as you say, he’ll know you’re more valuable to him alive. You know what I look like.”
As the guards started to escort him from the room, she picked up the bullet and shoved it in his pocket. “Don’t forget to give him this.”
“You’re as good as dead,” he said in Patois.
“We’ll see about that,” she answered, eyeing the guards. “Get this piece of shit out of my sight.”
Troy stepped out of the observation room and nodded to his deputies. “Wait an hour, then release him.”
He leaned his head against the wall and stared at her. “I’ve heard rumors of this Onyx. If everything I’ve been told is true, you really did give him a death sentence.”
“I don’t think so, but we’ll know at six p.m.”
20
Onyx was practically foaming at the mouth as he listened to Dauntay. More than once, he punched the wall, leaving a fist-sized dent in the hard wood.
Dauntay’s shoulders furled inward each time he heard the wood crack from the force of the punch.
“Where are Mical and Joseph?” Onyx sneered.
“I—I don’t know,” Dauntay said, stumbling over his words. “I haven’t seen them since we were taken to the station.”
“You say you were blindfolded in the cruiser. Why would the cops do that?”
Dauntay shrugged, his body quivering.
Onyx leaned against the wall, staring at the weak man. “Did the agent who questioned you say anything else?”
Dauntay’s eyes opened wide. He nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out the pearlescent bullet. “She gave me this. Said it was her calling card and called herself La Perla Ángel de la Muerte.”
Onyx’s bloody hands curled into fists upon hearing the name. His knuckles cracked as he squeezed tighter. “The angel of death,” he mouthed. “It seems I’ve underestimated President Lancaster.” He was quiet for a moment, the back of his head resting against the wall. “I’ll play his little game . . . for now. The Lancaster girl was just extra baggage, anyway.” Onyx yelled for one of his men in the next room.
The door opened, D’andre stood at attention, his eyes glancing downward. D’andre, like the rest of the Black 6 crew, had all heard the stories about how Onyx had killed people by just staring at them. That’s why they were so afraid to look Onyx straight in the eyes. Onyx nodded in his direction. “Take
