Page 24

Parker and I drove by the Hovel no sooner than I received the phone call from Bayleigh, upset this morning. I’d just been by there last night, and everything was okay. Kenny was still chained, still talking shit, and the Hovel was still in one piece.

I’d beaten him last night with a belt and finally resorted to pouring salt into his wounds. His cries had pierced the quiet night, and before we pulled away from the Hovel, Kenny had passed out from his pain.

Somewhere between the time that we left and a few minutes before noon today, someone had freed him and burned my shit down.

I wasn’t worried about him getting to Riley or the ladies and doing anything.

His wounds weren’t superficial. They were far too serious for him to be able to execute any plan on his own.

Kenny would have to get someone else to hurt her because he was incapable of doing it himself.

My concern was who was working with him and who in my organization would dare cross me up that way. If someone was that low, that untrustworthy, and that fucking bold, I need to execute them immediately, but first I had to find out who it was.

Parker and I sit staring at the computerized whiteboard on the wall before us.

“Janel was watching her sister’s kids last night. She never left home,” he declares, pointing at the security cameras on the outside of Janel’s house that he’s hacked.

I nod as he switches to the next camera, which surrounds Malik’s home. Shaking his head, Parker comments, “He’s still fucking with that girl. He’s not going to be happy until shit blows up in smoke.”

“She’s not the best choice for Malik, but he knows what he’s doing.”

Malik has been screwing his baby’s mother for the last couple of years since her “fiancé” has been in prison. He’s scheduled to be released soon, too, and everyone worries about what will happen when he learns that the baby in her belly might not have been conceived on one of their conjugal visits.

“So, we’ve accounted for Malik, Janel, Ghalen, Madison, Hakeem, Jamal, Kim, and Aris. That only leaves Noble.”

“And Marisa.”

“Marisa?” Parker asks, staring at me strangely. “What’s she got to do with this? She doesn’t even know where the Hovel is.”

“I trust nothing, Parker.”

“Listen, I get the need for caution, but some shit’s simple, Z. Marisa? Why the fuck would she do something stupid like that? She knows you pay her well and take good care of her. She wouldn’t risk it all on a fuckboy like Kenny,” Parker disputes.

“Women have been known to do more stupid shit in the name of love,” I disagree.

“Wait.” He glances at me sideways before he finishes. “You’re saying that you think Marisa’s been fucking around with Riley’s guy?”

“I’m not saying anything, but I’m also not taking the possibilities off the table. When you start narrowing things down, that’s how you lose sight of what’s important and underestimate your enemies.”

“Maybe you’re right, but maybe you’re wrong.”

“Just get me what I need. Proof that Marisa didn’t have shit to do with anything.”

A knock sounds at my door at that exact moment.

“Come in,” I call out.

Aris opens the door and walks in. “There’s a press conference on TV that I thought you might want to see.”

I watch as she walks to the console, picks up the remote, presses the button to power it on, and then surfs to the channel that she’s looking for.

Aris places the remote back on the TV stand as she walks to stand beside me, crossing her arms and staring at the TV.

I frown at her and say, “What’s the problem?”

The only thing that I see on the TV is an image of City Hall.

Nodding at the TV, she replies. “Just wait.”

I sigh impatiently and then glance at Parker, who lifts an eyebrow and then shrugs.

When two minutes pass, I turn to Aris. “What’s this bullshit, Aris?”

Pointing at the TV screen, she answers. “They’re supposed to . . . look.”

I look up and see Essence Hamilton’s bright, beaming face on the TV. She’s standing at a podium in front of a group of microphones from all the news outlets in the state of Georgia.

The news reporter begins to murmur.

“ We’re here at City Hall with former D.A.

and mayoral candidate, Essence Hamilton.

Ms. Hamilton has an announcement to make for the viewers at home.

While we’re uncertain what that announcement will be, there has been a lot of speculation about how it might tie into her run for office.

Ms. Hamilton is preparing to speak now . ”

“ Good evening, ladies, and gentlemen. Thank you for gathering so quickly on such short notice. As you may be aware, I recently announced my run for mayor. After serving in the DA’s office for several years and spending time on defense counsel, I have sat on both sides of the courtroom.

My experience in the state of Georgia and the connections that I have with other politicians, business constituents, and philanthropists will serve me well in the role of mayor as I strive to serve the needs of those in Chicora Falls . ”

“Is this supposed to be a press conference or a campaign speech?” Parker mutters beside me.

“Shh,” Aris whispers, scowling at Parker, who scowls back.

“Children,” I hiss.

They both straighten up as we tune back to the speech.

“… diligently. Campaigns are often marked as smear campaigns marred by tactics from the opposing parties to make each other look bad. However, what will not be tolerated is outright bullying tactics and threats to either candidate’s life.

Over the last two weeks, I have had someone following me, making threatening phone calls to my house late at night, my tires have been slashed, and most recently, someone broke into my house last evening.

Mayor Brassard and I are working together to get to the bottom of this.

His office has been cleared of any allegations.

He has been very cooperative with the authorities in getting to the bottom of this, and I trust that these attacks are in no way tied to Mayor Brassard.

“I have made many enemies during my time in office and a couple before my time in office. So, we’re looking at every angle and possibility.

While one of those enemies is currently serving time in prison, he is scheduled to be released soon, so we’re not ruling him out either.

Whoever the culprit is, you will be found out, and you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Whether I am mayor or Mayor Brassard remains in his position, one thing remains: we will not tolerate violent crimes or crime organizations within our city.

I will work with the mayor in the next year to bring down any such organizations that exist, both those known and unknown, including those hiding underneath umbrella companies.

We are coming for you, and we know who you are. ”

Essence states the last, looking into the camera wearing a deep smirk with a knowing gleam in her eyes.

Aris walks to pick up the remote as the reporter sums up the speech and begins to speculate what all this could mean.

“What does that mean for us?” Parker asks.

“Shit. We proceed as normal.”

I walk to the small conference room inside my office, and I press a special button on my phone that connects with a private cell.

“Hey,” Cheyenne greets.

“Get in touch with the mayor and have him call me tonight.”

“I guess you saw the press conference.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m on it,” she responds, ending the call without a goodbye.

“You think that she might have been targeting you with that comment about umbrella companies?” Aris asks as I step from the inner conference room back into my office.

It’s obvious based on her comment about one enemy being in prison. That was a direct reference to my father and her way of letting me know that she would be looking at me.

“Oh, I know that she was, but I don’t give a fuck. What I am concerned about is who’s been doing all this shit to her. We don’t peddle in playground shit like that. When I touch Essence Hamilton’s life, she’ll know my fucking handprints were all over that shit,” I growl.