Part 38 (1/2)
”Paid off a man who works in that s.p.a.ce during the day.”
”Another inside thing. Don't that boy ever learn?”
”He's scared. He just wants us out of town. It'll be all right.”
”We will will be leavin' town after the job. Right, Frank?” be leavin' town after the job. Right, Frank?”
”I figure we'll pick up the car from Manny, slide on over to Detective Jonas's house in the middle of the night, do a little mayhem there. Then we'll leave town.” Farrow looked closely at Otis. ”You don't have a problem with that, do you, Roman?”
”I'm with you,” said Otis carefully. ”You know that.”
”What I wanted to hear.”
”There is something else I wanted to talk to you about, though.”
”Go ahead.”
”Gus. He don't belong with us, man. The man's plain lovesick over my sister. I brought him with me from Cali 'cause I wanted company on the ride. He wouldn't do us no good -”
”Get him out of here.”
”Thanks. I was thinkin' I'd drive him up to D.C. today. Put him on one of those cross-country buses they got.”
Farrow said, ”Fine.”
He turned and walked back up the stairs.
Otis breathed out slowly. He hadn't been certain that Frank would let Gus book. The thing was, he didn't like the sound of this card game heist and he sure didn't want to make a widow of his sister. Young boys playin' gangster. Shoot, any kind of drama could go down there. And then there was Frank on his revenge trip. Taking stupid chances, playing with that cop over the phone, following his kin. Now he wanted to go to the man's house after the job and f.u.c.k with his family and s.h.i.+t. None of it felt right.
Well, at least Gus would get out clean. As for Otis, he'd stay with Frank, despite the funny feeling in his gut about their future. Ice-cold as he was, Frank had always watched out for him, even saved his life one time in Lewisburg. Once you made the decision to partner up with a man, whoever he was, it just wasn't right to walk away.
Roman Otis went around to the front of the house. Kendricks and Lavonicus were by the stand of tall pine near the Mark V, parked alongside the 'Stang.
”You don't have to tell me that you played for the Spirits,” said Kendricks, ” 'cause I know. But I'm tellin' you you that you don't know what the f.u.c.k you talkin' about. They used to call Marvin Barnes 'B. B.' on account of that n.i.g.g.e.r had one tiny-a.s.s head. Had a head on him small as one of those BBs you load into an air pistol, man.” that you don't know what the f.u.c.k you talkin' about. They used to call Marvin Barnes 'B. B.' on account of that n.i.g.g.e.r had one tiny-a.s.s head. Had a head on him small as one of those BBs you load into an air pistol, man.”
”I'm telling you, you,” said Lavonicus.
”I'm telling you, you,” said Kendricks, mimicking the monotone and laughing.
Lavonicus's ears turned pink. ”Listen. B. B. stood for 'Bad Boy.' Marvin 'Bad Boy' Barnes, get it? I don't care what your friends say because I was there.”
”Aw, go ahead,” said Kendricks.
”Hey, Gus,” said Otis. ”Come in the house with me for a minute, will you?”
Lavonicus walked across the yard with Otis.
”What's up, Roman?”
”You're goin' home. How's that sound to you?”
Lavonicus gave Otis his clown's smile as he ducked his head under the door frame and entered the house.
Gus Lavonicus packed a bag quickly and said good bye to Farrow, who was standing in the kitchen, drinking a gla.s.s of red wine and smoking a Kool.
”Be back in a few hours, Frank,” said Otis.
Farrow said, ”Right.”
Lavonicus and Otis left the house. Kendricks was still out in the yard. He smiled at Lavonicus as he came down the steps. Lavonicus and Otis walked toward the Bill Bla.s.s Mark V.
”Where you off to, Stretch? Takin' a trip or somethin'?”
”I'm goin' home,” said Lavonicus.
”I'm goin' ho-ome,” said Kendricks.
”I'm just droppin' him off in D.C.,” said Otis.
”Goin' back to see your woman?” Kendricks cackled. ”The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice, right, Gus?”
”See you later, Booker,” said Otis.
”Hey, maybe I'll ride with y'all.”
”I don't think that's a good idea,” said Otis, but Kendricks got ahead of them and stepped along toward the car.
”So, you like the sisters, huh, Gus? You prefer 'em to your own kind, that's what it is?”
Lavonicus said nothing.
”How's a big man like you do it with a little thing like my cousin Cissy, you don't mind my askin'? I mean, what you do, bounce her all around in your lap and s.h.i.+t? Or do you hit it from behind, man, hog-slap that thing...?”
They were nearing the stand of pine by the car.
”What'samatter, Gus, you done lost your tongue?” Kendricks looked over his shoulder and up at Lavonicus and laughed. ”You got some red-a.s.s ears on you, too.”
Lavonicus grabbed Kendricks by the neck and slammed his face into the trunk of a pine. Blood erupted, and pieces of bark flew from the tree. Lavonicus released Kendricks. Kendricks's arms pinwheeled, and he fell back and lay still.
Lavonicus's mouth dropped open. ”Did I kill him, Roman?”
Otis looked down and studied his cousin's face. ”Naw, man, he gonna be all right. C'mon.”
They got into the Mark V and started down the long drive that cut through the woods to the two-lane. After a bend in the drive, Otis snapped his fingers and cut the engine.
”Hold up, Gus. I forgot my driver's license at the house. Gonna walk back and pick it up.”
”We could just back up the car.”
”Need to stretch my legs before that long trip we got. Be right back.”