Black & Ugly (37 page)

"I didn't lie to you, and I meant everything I said to you. There's no reason for me to lie to you, Parade. I've had you already and right now I'm the one holdin' the gun. Please believe me, when I was hired, I wasn't prepared for you and I wish you weren't involved in this shit. But don't think for one minute that I won't kill you if you don't tell me what I need to know." He then turns his attention back to Sky, who I'm pretty sure knows it's coming. What I don't understand is why or how he suspects her. Although I don't want to ask, I want to know.

"Why do you think we have anything to do with it?" I inquire, trying to cause a diversion.

"Good question," he responds as he smiles at me. "I understand that you ladies made a hell of an exit the night of the party. I also understand this lady right here," he points his gun at Sky, "had blood all over her pants that night. So, as far as I'm concerned, she's either the one or she knows who did it."

"Please, Cannon, you don't have to do this. Plus, people saw you around us. If one of us ends up dead, other people will know something," Daffany interrupts.

"What was the contingency of number two,
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Daffany?"

She shakes her head as if she forgot, although I didn't.

He answers his own question. "You have to
convince
me that whoever remains will not bring heat back to my client. If I'm not
convinced
tonight, that every one of you will remain silent, I'm killing
all
of you."

"But why?" Daffany pleads.

"Because, I can't worry about one of you convincing the others to go to the authorities when I get home.

That's why it is imperative that you make me believe the survivors will remain quiet. You should know that I have a lot of information on you and your families.

The cops that you've been talking to report to me so you can already gather, from your conversations with the fake officers, how much I know. I even have your addresses."

"So, the cops ... uh ... weren't real?" I ask.

"I like to send them first to find out what's up before I even get off the plane. A lot of times they eliminate the legwork for me, but since you all appear to be pretty loyal to one another, I had to go deeper under-cover. If they'd confirmed the killer, I would've never met you, Parade. But I'm sure I would've seen you at one of your friends' funerals." He smiles at me.

I hate him. I hate how I allowed him into my heart only to hurt me and my friends. I can't believe he's the same man I shared my body with, the same man who, just earlier in the day, made love to me. He's the friend-liest and most professional murderer I ever met. And
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I'm terrified of him.

"For the last time, I'm gonna go down the row and ask each of you, one time and one time only, who you believe murdered Melony and why. If you don't tell me what I need to know, and I don't hear a yes by either the person who did it or the person who knows something, I'll have to kill all of you." My mind is working overtime, and I hope theirs are, too. I don't want any of us to be hurt, but unless one of us thinks of something quick, I can't guarantee our safety. For some reason, a plan pops in my head but if it goes the other way, it can end up with all of us being killed. But right now it's our
only
alternative.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" I ask him as I stand.

"Why all of a sudden?" he questions, sensing I'm on some bullshit.

"'Cuz I'm scared and my stomach is bubbling. I'll be quick, please," I plead as I start moving up and down in place. "You owe me that, Cannon."

"Well, hurry up," he says politely. "And Parade ..."

"Yeah," I reply as I turn around.

"Don't fuck me."

"I won't," I respond and run in the bathroom.

Once inside, I grab my cell phone. I stuffed it in the hamper earlier because I didn't want Sky asking me to use it again and seeing Jay's number. He called telling me he ended the relationship with her like that will make me want him again. Stuffing my phone in the hamper was dumb, but it was all I could think of at the time. If she would've asked to use it, I had plans to tell
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her I didn't know where it was. I guess it was a waste of my time considering she already knew about Jay and me anyway.

Quickly, I look for the number. I find it and Cannon yells from the living room, "Parade, make it quick." I hate him and wonder if his real name is even Cannon. I won't bother askin' him, though, because I'm sure he won't tell me.

"Okay!" I yell back.

The pressure is killing me. I cut the water on to muffle the sound, hit send and pray he will answer his phone.

"Markee, it's Parade."

"Awww shit. What up, yo?" he says.

"I was calling to see if you seen Miss Wayne. I just carried all these purses in his house and he ain't here."

"Oh ... uh ... naw, young. I ain't seen that nigga," he replies in a devious tone.

Cannon knocks on the door and I can tell he's using the butt of his gun. I muffle the phone and sit on the toilet as if Cannon can see me.

"Yes?" I respond as if I'm in pain.

"What you doin', baby?" he says in a creepy tone.

"I'm usin' the bathroom. I'll be right out."

"So, why the water on?"

"'Cuz I can't concentrate without it," I utter, praying that he buys it.

Silence.

"Hurry up. We got business to take care of out here."

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"Okay."

"The next time I knock on the door, finished or not, I'm draggin' you out by your hair."

"Okay."

He's gone so I turn my attention back to Markee.

"What you doin', yo? He there yet?"

"No," I say, trying to sound disappointed. "I guess I have to leave all his shit in his house. Oh well, I gotta go."

"I'm out," he states and gets off the phone quickly.

I know immediately that my plan worked, or at least I hope it did. Otherwise, why would he get off the phone so fast with me? Any other time he would be pressed to talk because he stayed asking me when I was gonna call him and shit. I know he has all intentions of busting in Miss Wayne's place to rob it. It's just a matter of time - while time is exactly what we don't have a lot of right now.

I could've called the police but I didn't because I believe Cannon when he says that he'd have somebody kill us. For all I know, he'll hire another set of fake cops to take us out. This way, Markee can bust in and at least cause a diversion long enough for us to help Sky out.

I walk out of the bathroom and make sure Miss Wayne's bedroom door is open then I go in the living room and sit down. Everybody is still shaken up and Daffany quickly wraps her arms around me.

"You finish?" Cannon asks like he knows I'm up to something.

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"Yes."

"Good. I'm gonna start with Wayne first," he says.

"Miss Wayne," I interject.

"What?" he asks.

"I said he likes to be called Miss Wayne," I answer, using the silliest things to buy time.

"Sweetheart, I appreciate your help, but this gentleman has a gun. So, at this time, he can call me anything he wants," Miss Wayne adds.

"Thank you 'cuz I'm not into calling another man Miss anything. So ... Wayne, did you, or do you have any idea who killed Melony Walker that night?" he asks slowly.

I hope that Markee is rounding everybody up and not wasting time. I've never looked so forward to a robbery in all my life.

"Cannon," I say, trying to cause another diversion.

"Yes," he responds as if he's extra irritated with me.

"Are you gonna give us enough time to answer the question first? Like five minutes or so."

"Naw," he says, looking at me. "We don't have that much time. And don't interrupt me again, Parade. This is not a fucking game. Answer the question, Wayne."

"No," he says as he shakes his head. "I don't know who killed that woman and I'm so sorry I don't. Can you tell Mr. Walker I said that I'm so sorry about what happened to his wife?"

"Yes, but do you have an idea who may have done it?"

Again, he shakes his head no.

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