The Demise (22 page)

Miamor opened the kitchen drawer and she began searching for something.

“He don't deserve you, Miamor. I love you. All of this was for us. You just have to let that nigga go. Ride for me, ma. Nobody knows about what I did but me and you. It doesn't have to go any further than these walls,” Fly Boogie tried to convince. “You're not his girl anymore. You owe me.”

“You're right. I would never let C.J. hear gunshots thundering through his home,” she said. “If Carter was any other nigga, maybe I would be thanking you, but he's not. Everything you did after shooting him means nothing anymore. Because you brought my son back to me, I'm going to do you a favor and make this quick. You should be thanking me … because if I told Carter, it would be much worse.”

Fly Boogie's eyes widened when she pulled a silencer out of the drawer and screwed it onto the barrel of the gun. Fly Boogie lunged for her, but before he could even get too close, she let loose.

PSST!

One bullet was all it took to leave him slumped on the kitchen floor. Miamor grabbed her handbag and car keys, then rushed up to C.J.'s room. “Come on, baby boy, let's go,” she said as she hustled him out of bed.

“Where are we going?” he asked, confused as she led him toward the back of the house and out the back door.

“We're going to see your dad. He wants you to stay with him tonight,” she said as they got into the car and sped off into the night.

 

C
HAPTER
15

When Carter opened the door to see his son standing before him, he frowned. He opened it and pulled him inside. “What's going on?” Carter asked. He stepped out onto the front porch and saw Miamor sitting in her car stoically. She was looking straight ahead as if she were in a trance. Carter immediately knew that something was wrong. “Go in and get comfortable, man. I'll be right back,” Carter said as he slipped into his loafers and stepped out into the night. Miamor was the only person who knew exactly where to find him. As soon as he found out his son was still alive and would be living with Miamor in L.A., he had purchased a modest spot in West Hollywood. He spent the majority of his time in Colorado, out of sight, where he could have peace of mind, but he planned to make the trip to Cali every weekend to see his son. He walked out and approached her. He could tell from her body language that something bad had occurred. He opened her door and knelt down beside the car.

“Mia,” he said. There was just something about this woman that he found completely endearing. He hated that he had to hate her, because all he really wanted to do was love her.

She gripped the steering wheel as thoughts of indecision, regret, and sadness filled her. Even when she tried to be better, trouble always followed her. “When you got shot in Vegas, we thought it was Baraka's order,” Miamor whispered. She looked into Carter's eyes as she finished. “It wasn't. It was Fly.”

Carter stood to his feet, looking at her, shocked. “And you fucked with him after the fact? He shot me and you became his bitch? We were going through the divorce. Did you set it up?”

“No!” she shouted as she stepped out of the car. “I don't care what happens between us, I would never want to see you dead! You know me better than that.”

“I'm going to murk that nigga,” Carter threatened.

Miamor quickly responded, “It's already done.”

“What did C.J. see?” Carter asked.

“Nothing,” Miamor assured him.

“What did he hear?” Carter shot back.

“Nothing,” she responded again.

“Miamor!” Carter said with urgency as if he didn't believe her.

“Nothing, Carter! He saw nothing. He knows nothing,” she guaranteed.

“That was your man,” Carter said.

“That was a mistake. A desperate attempt to replace a piece of my heart that you still own. You are my man,” Miamor replied as she looked at him desperately, her chest heaving up, then down. “You'll always be my man.”

Carter knew that living without Miamor at his side could not truly be called living. Without her, his life was calm, settled, ordinary, and safe. He knew he shouldn't want her, but he couldn't deny himself of her presence anymore. If loving her meant allowing danger to creep back into his life, then so be it. No matter how hard he tried to get her out of his system, he could never fully shake her. Miamor was like good dope. He just kept coming back. He rushed her, pushing her against her car, and kissed her passionately. She exhaled in relief as he wrapped his arms around her waist. This was home for her … he was home for her. They were each other's compass, and for the past three years they had been lost. Miamor was tired of fighting fate. With him was the only place she wanted to be. “You're going to be the death of me,” Carter whispered, knowing that when his time did come, it would be because of something Miamor had done. It was just who she was. She wasn't his strength but his weakness. The euphoria that came from loving her made the inevitable worth it, however. It was easy to love someone when they were doing everything right. He had punished her when he had seen the worst version of her. After killing Yasmine, he had shunned her, blamed her for it all, when in actuality they had all played their part in that disaster. He wanted to love her right or wrong … ride with her the way that she had ridden for him tonight.

“Where's the body?” he asked. “At the house still?”

She nodded. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Go inside. I'll have it taken care of.” He watched her walk inside and he pulled out his phone to put in the call to his cleanup crew. They would make Miamor's indiscretions disappear. It was reasons like these that he was wary of their reunion. Already she had more blood on her hands. He hadn't been involved in anything illegal in years. He was trying to live his life right so that his son never had to pay for his own bad deeds, but here he was, letting Miamor lead him back to the darkness. Carter just wanted his entire family out of the game. As soon as this one deed was taken care of, he promised himself that he would take Miamor and his son back with him to Colorado, where they could all lead a normal existence.

*   *   *

“Well, would you look at that?” Sam said as she sat inside the inconspicuous car that was parked curbside up the block from Carter's place.

“Looks like he's cheating on you,” her partner, Jacobs, said with a chuckle.

It was a joke, but Sam felt a jealousy stirring inside. It was something about deceiving Carter that made her job feel even more rewarding. She wanted him to love her as much as he possibly could before she finally put her cuffs around his wrists. She couldn't lie: It was hard to not fall for Carter Jones. On paper, he was a ruthless dictator of an infamous drug empire, but in the flesh, he was a king. He was considerate, generous, private, and gentle. She didn't love him, but she didn't hate him, either, and seeing his connection with the infamous leader of the Murder Mamas stirred an animosity within her. It didn't matter that what they had was an act. If it had been real, Carter would be betraying her in this moment.

“That's okay. That girl right there is the key to his downfall. Without her, he's a good man. With her, he's just who I need him to be to build this case. Three years is a lot of time to be in those mountains. I'm ready to be off this case, so however I can get him, I'll take it. I'm going to fry his ass.”

*   *   *

That feeling. Aghh. The amazing feeling that pulsed through Miamor as she rode next to Carter in the backseat of the blacked-out SUV made her smile. He held her hand, intertwining their fingers as if he were afraid she would disappear if he didn't hold on to her.

“We got a lot to work out. We need to sit down and put everything on the table,” Carter whispered.

Miamor nodded. “I know, but I don't care how hard it is. We'll work it out. Talk it out. Fight it out. Whatever. I just want this,” she said as she stared sincerely at him. C.J. sat in the front seat, bugging the driver with all types of questions as they headed for the airport. This was how it was supposed to be all along. This felt like perfection.

“Do I need to worry about the therapist? How serious is that situation?” Miamor asked.

Carter shook his head. “Once you learn that you don't have any competition when it comes to my heart, you'll be good, ma. That was the problem with Yasmine. You weren't sure. This time you can be. Sam isn't an issue. I'll dead that. You have my word,” he promised. He pulled her in for a kiss.

“Uh, Dad?” C.J. called as he pointed straight ahead.

Carter looked forward and frowned when he noticed the caravan of cars pull out in front of them, blocking their path. Instinct kicked in as both Carter and Miamor reached for their guns. Latino goons jumped out of cars. They were outnumbered and outgunned as the men surrounded the car, guns drawn and hanging at their sides.

“Who the fuck are they?” Miamor asked.

One of the men stepped up and shouted, “I'm looking for Carter Jones! We can do this the easy way and have a conversation like gentlemen, or I can sic my dogs on you and get at your wife and kid in the process.”

“I don't know,” Carter said as he popped open his car door. “Back up. Drive through them if you have to. Take them to the airport.”

“What are you doing?!” Miamor shouted as she opened her door as well.

Carter pulled her back inside the car. “I'll meet you at the cabin,” he said. “One gun or two, we're still on the losing end of this. Get in the car.” His tone of voice left no room for negotiation.

She slammed her door. “You better meet us up there,” she said as tears filled her eyes. “If something happens to you…”

“It won't,” Carter said. He passed Miamor the gun, and their fingers touched. She closed her hand around his, tears forming in her eyes as he pulled away from her and closed the door.

*   *   *

Sam and Agent Jacobs watched in complete shock as a pillowcase was slipped over Carter's head and he was stuffed into the back of one of the cars.

“Do we want to intervene here? This looks gang affiliated,” Jacobs said.

“No. He can handle himself. We'll fall back until I hear from him. He's bringing Miamor Jones and their child to Colorado. I'm sure I'll be receiving a breakup call soon,” Sam said.

Sam had no idea what business Carter had with an L.A. street gang, but it was just one more stone to put in the pile that she was building. All incriminating evidence was good. She didn't want to swoop in and blow her cover until the time was just right. By that time, Carter would be in too deep to make a harrowing escape like he did the last time. There will be no missteps, no forgetting to Mirandize him, no hung jury. This time, Carter and the entire Cartel would lose, and justice would be served.

*   *   *

The smell of weed filled the air, and Carter's Italian shoes echoed against the concrete floor as he was escorted into the warehouse. His face was still covered, but he was unusually calm considering the circumstances. The pillowcase was snatched away and Carter stood in front of a man at a desk. A cigar hung out of the corner of his mouth. He didn't even look up at Carter when he began speaking. “I gave a package worth a hundred grand to a kid named Fly Boogie.” He chuckled and shook his head in amusement. “I'll never understand the nicknames your people give themselves,” he said. “I'm from the old school. Mexico. We had respectable names back then. Anyway, it disheartens me to find out my package was put in the hands of an eight-year-old boy … your eight-year-old boy.” He paused to finally look at Carter. “He got caught with it, and my product is now in the hands of the LAPD. This angers me. Somebody owes me a debt, and seeing as how Fly Boogie was stupid enough to put my drugs in the hands of a kid, I can't work with him. Imagine my surprise when I did my research and found out that the little boy who got caught with my drugs is the son of the legendary Carter Jones.”

“A hundred thousand is nothing. I'll cover my son's debt,” Carter said.

“Of course you will. I've asked around. You have built quite the reputation in this business. I don't want your money,” the man said. “I want a partnership. You see, I'm into pills, but with a supplier like you, I can easily take over with the coco.”

“If you've done your research, you should know that I don't take kindly to ultimatums,” Carter said, tensing. He felt naked without his gun, but strapped or not, no one was about to railroad him into anything.

“Ultimatum is a strong word spoken by enemies. That's not the direction I'm looking to go with this. I'd rather have your friendship. My name is Josiah, and I'm much more deadly than you think. I own this city. I don't take losses, no matter how minuscule. I prefer to call this a proposition. I will consider your son's debt paid if you agree to supply me with one thousand kilos. A one-time deal,” the man said.

Carter was unmoved by the quantity. He had moved ten times that amount in the course of his street tenure.

“I'm out of the game. I don't move that way anymore,” Carter resisted. If Fly Boogie was still alive, Carter would have never considered paying the debt. He wasn't the type of man to be bullied into anything. This was inherited debt, and it was being placed on his seed. He would have to make it right just off GP. “Money isn't an object. Whatever is owed, I'll cover, but I don't get my hands dirty like that these days.”

“I get it. You're trying to raise your boy … trying to steer him from the path that you chose … that his mother chose—”

“You don't know his mother,” Carter interrupted, tired of the banter. “You don't know my life. My family. Your research didn't tell you that I'll kill every mu'fucka in this building over my wife and my son. You don't want to get into this with me.” Carter was always so calm under pressure. He stood in a warehouse full of armed members of Josiah's army, but he was unafraid. Josiah wouldn't kill him, at least not this day, not where he stood. Carter's run in the game had earned him at least that much, but Josiah was politely warning him.