Part 6 (1/2)
He would forever regret those words. That single word sent Macy over the edge, and he turned around, drew his gun, and put a hollow tip through Boomer's head. Macy didn't even think twice about what he had just done.
Just as quickly as rage had entered Macy's mind, guilt crept in. As he saw his son lying on the floor staring into s.p.a.ce, he began to think about Fatima. Fatima and Boomer shared the same eyes, and that was the hardest thing he had ever done. But he knew that if he didn't do it, Boomer would have eventually killed him. Boomer's hate for Macy was deep, and it wasn't a secret.
The guards were totally taken off guard by Macy's actions, never thinking that he would or could kill his own son. Macy slowly knelt down and gently kissed Boomer on the forehead. He then ran his hand over Boomer's face so that he could close the eyes that seemed to be staring directly at him. Macy had just done something that he could never take back.
Macy knew that he was slipping. He was moving so sloppy and jeopardizing his entire life over money. He had never shed a tear in his adult life, but as he sat parked in his driveway, watching his wife's silhouette as she moved around in the upstairs window, he cried. Silent tears ran down his face as he thought of how he had singlehandedly ripped his family apart. He had killed his son, and despite the fact that Boomer was in the wrong, Macy was far from right.
Macy was usually a calm and collected man. He barely moved if his actions weren't strategic or well thought out. Everything that had occurred since his anniversary dinner was chaotic, sporadic ... stupid. He hit his steering wheel, wis.h.i.+ng that he could take back the past hour of his life. Dazed, he watched his wife's shadow move around their room.
”I can't go in there right now,” he said aloud, knowing that when he looked into her eyes, he would see Boomer staring back at him. He pulled out and immediately called Edris.
”Everything's in order,” Edris stated as soon as he picked up the phone. ”I cleaned up that mess. Fatima will never know anything.”
Macy stopped him. ”I f.u.c.ked up. I need you to meet me at my office.”
”Yeah, I'm on my way,” Edris stated as he looked over to ensure that his wife was fully asleep.
”Bring me a change of clothes and hurry, E. It's important,” Macy said.
Macy sat with his executive leather chair turned toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was deep in thought when he heard Edris enter the room.
”The clothes will be a little big, but they should fit okay,” Edris stated as he stepped toward the desk. He had no idea why Macy needed the clothing, but he had learned a long time ago not to ask questions.
Macy turned around, and Edris' eyes bugged out as he noticed the blood that stained his slacks and s.h.i.+rt.
”I found Boom,” Macy stated.
”What did you do, boss?” Edris asked. He could tell that things had gone bad. Macy's red eyes and solemn demeanor told Edris so. ”What did you do?”
”I snapped,” Macy replied in a low tone. ”I f.u.c.ked up. I forgot who he was, and I just snapped.” Macy knew that if he was in his right frame of mind, he would have never killed Boomer, but anger was like a drug to him. He was never clear when pushed to the edge.
”I can't tell Fatima this. She will never forgive me for this. He was our son... . He was family.”
Macy shook his head and looked at Big E. ”I need you to get that tape from the hotel. I was messy. I slipped out of an emergency exit after I shot Boomer. I can't be tied to this murder. Housekeeping doesn't come around until ten, so they won't discover the body until morning. After that the police will be knocking on my door. No one can know that I was anywhere near that hotel. If they ask, I was with you tonight. We were here at the office working late. Without the surveillance video, no one will ever suspect me of killing my own son.”
Edris nodded. He was speechless and in utter disbelief that Macy had taken it to this point. He had witnessed the tension firsthand between the father and son duo. Boomer had been a problem child since he hit p.u.b.erty, rebelling every chance that he could. Macy had pegged it as teenage rebellion, until the drug use entered the picture.
”You all right?” Edris asked.
Macy nodded his head and reached into his desk. He removed a large yellow envelope filled with money. He tossed it on the desk toward Edris. ”When you get that tape, I'll be fine,” he replied.
Edris entered the hotel and walked directly up to the desk clerk. The young Asian girl flipped carelessly through a magazine as she worked the night s.h.i.+ft.
”I'm sorry, we don't have any availability. All of our rooms are reserved for the night,” she said without looking up.
Edris leaned into the counter. ”I'm not here for a room.” He went into the inside pocket of his pea coat and pulled out the money-filled envelope. He placed it on the counter and slid it to the girl.
”What's this?” she asked as she grabbed the envelope.
”Take a look inside,” he urged.
The girl opened the envelope, and when she saw all of the Ben Franklins staring back at her, she dropped it as if it were hot to the touch.
She leaned over the counter, and her c.h.i.n.ky eyes peered at him suspiciously. ”What is this?”
”It can be yours if you cooperate,” Edris responded. Macy had already acted irrationally, and Boomer's murder was going to blow up the spot. Edris couldn't bring more conflict to the situation. It was sometimes more effective to put a little sugar in the game, as opposed to s.h.i.+t. He was going to sweeten the pot for the young girl so that she would help him cover up Boomer's murder.
”Cooperate how? I don't understand what you want from me,” the girl replied with a slight tremor in her voice.
”Relax, sweetheart. If I wanted to hurt you, you would have never seen me coming. I just want to talk. You understand?” Edris asked. ”Can we talk?”
She nodded her head, still nervous as she looked around the empty lobby. She had no choice but to hear Edris out because there was no one in sight, in case she needed help.
”Now, something happened inside this hotel tonight, and I need the surveillance tapes,” Edris stated. ”How much would I have to give you for you to give me the tapes and forget that you ever saw me?”
”I ... I ...” The girl stammered, unsure of what to say or even what number to throw out.
”I'm trying to talk business with you, baby girl, so just calm down and put your big girl panties on,” Edris stated. ”What's your price?”
The girl knew that she could be fired for even thinking about giving over the tapes, but she had a feeling that this could be a bigger payday than she would ever see in a week's check. She thought of all the bills that were stacking up at her house and of the college tuition that was due in a few weeks. ”Five thousand dollars,” she said, feeling as if she were reaching. The girl never expected Edris to pay her that much money for one measly tape, but she had no clue who she was dealing with. Edris did not immediately respond, and she was worried that she had gone too high.
”If that's too high ...”
”There is twenty thousand dollars in that envelope. You can have it for the tapes and for you to forget about this little conversation,” Edris proposed.
The girl slid the envelope behind the desk and was too excited to contain the sly smile that spread across her thin lips. ”What conversation?” she asked.
Edris chuckled and nodded his head. ”My girl. Now, the s.h.i.+t is going to hit the fan soon, and when it does, you don't know s.h.i.+t and you didn't see s.h.i.+t,” Edris schooled. ”Now, show me where the surveillance is.”
The girl led him to the back, where the recording system was set up. Edris had the girl leave him alone, because he did not want her to notice Macy's face on the tapes. He didn't need her looking over his shoulders. He ran the tapes back and watched as Macy walked through the lobby and up to Boomer's room. He could only imagine what had gone down inside. He immediately popped the tape out of the recorder and then erased the data on the system for the entire day. He pocketed the tape and then emerged from the room.
”Give me your license,” he told the girl.
”What?” she questioned.
”For insurance. You will be completely safe as long as you keep up your end of the deal. If you talk about this to anybody, especially the police, I'll know where to find you, and I'ma come see you. My next visit won't be so friendly,” he warned.
The girl removed her license with hesitance. She made a copy of it behind the desk and slid him the copy. ”I won't say a word.”
He folded the paper and put it in his pocket with the tape and replied, ”You better not.”
He walked out of the hotel like a ghost. It was the first and last time that the place would ever see him.
Chapter Seven.