He owned a sex club called the Down and Dirty, where the drinks were next to lethal, the music was hot, and many of the patrons had spent as much time in a cage as out of one.
They called him Crack as he claimed that was the sound he made when he knocked people’s heads together. And that summer, Eve had held him while he’d wept like a baby beside the body of his murdered sister.
“You just here to scare cops?” she asked.
“Nothing scares you, white girl. You got a minute? Maybe some place without so many ears.”
“Sure.” She led the way into her office, shut the door.
“Cop shops,” he said with a glimmer of a smile. “Don’t know as I’ve ever been in one in what you might call a voluntary capacity.”
“Want coffee?”
He shook his head, shifting his bulk to look out the window. “Ain’t much of a place here, hot stuff.”
“No, but it’s mine. You going to sit?”
Again, he shook his head. “Ain’t see you in a while.”
“No.” The silence hung a moment, as they both thought of the last time they’d seen each other.
“Last time I did was when you come by my place to tell me face-to-face that you got the bastard killed my sister. I didn’t have much to say to you.”
“Wasn’t much to say.”
His shoulders lifted, fell. “No. Too much to say.”
“I went by your place a couple weeks ago. Barman said you were out of town.”
“Couldn’t stay here after what happened to my baby. Had to get away awhile. Did me some traveling. Big-ass world out there. Took a look at some of it. Never thanked you for what you did for me and my baby sister. Couldn’t get the words out before.”
“You don’t have to get them out now.”
“She was beautiful.”
“Yes, she was. I’ve never lost anybody really close to me, but—”
He turned back to her now. “You lose people every day. Don’t know how you get through one and into the next.” He drew a deep breath. “I got the letter from your man saying how the two of you had a tree planted in the park for my girl. That was a fine thing to do. I went by to see it, and it’s a fine thing. Want to thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You did right by her, I wanted to say that. Wanted to say I know you took care of her, and I won’t forget it. The living’s got to live, no matter what. So now I’m gonna try to do that, best I can. You come down to the D and D now, I’ll be there. Kicking ass and cracking heads, like always.”
“I’m glad you’re back.”
“You need anything from me, you just ask. Now, I gotta tell you, hot lips, seen you look better.”
“Long couple of days.”
“Maybe it’s time you got out of town awhile.”
“Maybe.” She angled her head as she considered him. “You’re a big guy.”
“Sweetcheeks.” He patted his crotch. “I got written testimony to that effect.”
“Bet. But just keep that big dog on the leash.” She was thinking of geographics again. “Big, beautiful black man wants to maintain his big, beautiful build he goes to the gym regular.”
“I got me some equipment of my own.” He winked lasciviously. “But I use a place a couple times a week. Keeps mind and body disciplined.”