Page 28 of Bear
“Oh, shit you’re Bear?”
“Yeah, I’m Bear. Which one of you fired the shot that killed the little boy?” I asked, pushing my locs off my forehead. Both boys shrugged and looked at each other. “So you were recklessly outside of an apartment building…shooting? Why?” I rested my pointer finger on my top lip and waited for an answer.
While I waited, I watched Ace moving around behind the two boys, laying out plastic tarp.
Good man.
“Yo, Bear. This shit isn’t cool. You won’t even tell me what’s going on!” Nick’s voice raised an octave when he heard the crunch of plastic and saw Ace taping it down. I flitted my gaze to him and narrowed my eyes at his erratic behavior.
“You okay, Uncle Nick?” I didn’t know which one was Darius and which one was Ashton. I didn’t care. They merged into one person in my mind.
“Don’t answer any questions. Just stay quiet,” Nick urged them. I let out a deep chuckle and looked in Nick’s direction.
“You really think that’s smart to tell them? You know me, Nick. I get kind of pissed when people don’t answer me. Now, why were you two shooting in public?” I quizzed, looking into their now scared eyes. I knew Ace had them hand over any guns or weapons so I wasn’t afraid of them trying anything stupid.
“We were robbing this rich motherfucker.”
“Robbery? Wow. So you killed a kid over money?”
“We ain’t even know that little motherfucker. How were we supposed to know he’d get hit?”
“Darius, shut the fuck up! Can’t you see something isn’t right here? Stop talking for Christ’s sake!” Nick pled with his simple-minded nephews.
I smiled then aimed my pistol over my shoulder. When I pulled the trigger, a bullet sailed through the air splitting the skin on Nick’s cheek before tearing out the other side of his face. He fell limp to the ground.
“Your uncle talked too fucking much. Now, back to what I was saying.” Both of Nick’s nephews were rendered silent, frozen to their spots by fear. I took a few steps closer and smiled at the look in their eyes.
It was beautiful fear. They wanted to live. Their lips trembled and tears filled their eyes threatening to run down their cheeks. Silence ballooned in the wide-open space, choking both Darius and Ashton. “You killed a five-year-old over a robbery? That’s sloppy, boys. Chances are, whoever you were trying to rob wasn’t rich either or they would have never been in that neighborhood.
Let me show you how to rob someone. Get up.” I aimed the barrel of my gun at them and they hopped to their feet. “Empty your fucking pockets,” I said in a low, calm voice.
“We-we don’t have anything in our pockets.”
“Shit. Y’all make sorry ass subjects.” I rubbed my face and sighed. “Strip.”
“What?” They tilted their heads to the side, making sure they heard me correctly. “I said,strip.” One started pulling his shirt off then the other followed suit. I waited until they were down to their underwear then I walked around them in a circle.
“Stand beside each other. Shoulders touching.” They were shaking so badly, I could hear their teeth chattering like a song of fear. I shut my eyes for a moment and listened to it, wishing I could conjure up some fear of my own.
When I came up empty, I opened my eyes and let my shoulders droop with a sigh. I raised my hand and pressed the barrel of my gun against the side of one of their necks.
“The little boy you killed? His name was Kaiden Foster.” I pulled the trigger and let a single bullet rip apart both of their necks the same way they’d done to Kaiden. I wanted his name to be the last thing they ever heard.
Both of them dropped simultaneously, shaking and gurgling. Blood poured from them and I shook my head at the scene. They walked right into the valley of the shadow of death and I sent them straight to hell. I was sure we’d come face-to-face one day. Today wasn’t it though.
“Ace, have this shit cleaned up. I’ll talk to the cops.” I had a deep roster of officers on my payroll and I’d make sure the word got out that Kaiden’s killers had been found dead. I’d smooth it all over before the sun came up. My father taught me how to navigate cops and politicians with ease and once I knew how to do it on my own, they respected me enough to do what I asked.
The drive back home to New Orleans was long and my mind held me hostage the entire time. I couldn’t stop wondering if Cecily would be there or not. I shouldn’t have told her to stay at her parents’ house. I should have left it alone.
When I pulled into the driveway, I didn’t see Luanne’s car. I didn’t want to go inside because I hated the thought of pushing the one bright spot in my life away with my callous nature.
Nevertheless, I opened the door and walked inside. Nothing in the air told me if Cecily was upstairs in or not. I cursed it for not being more informative. Why the fuck didn’t the air hold all the answers to my questions?
I let out a dry laugh at the thought and climbed the stairs. The first place I checked was the guestroom. The bed was empty and pristinely made. The blankets were folded on top neatly. I gripped the doorknob in my hand and nodded. It was just as well. Maybe Cecily shouldn’t have been there. My head was heavy with regret. Something else I never experienced.
I went into my room and didn’t bother turning on the light. Darkness was comfortable for me. I wore it like an old sweater. I took the gun from my waistband and placed it on the dresser then I sat on the edge of the bed and rested my elbows on my knees. “You said you weren’t going to be that long. It’s been four hours, Bear.” Cecily’s voice came from behind me, making me spin around.
She was in my bed.
