Chapter 4

Andrea Levi sent up a silent prayer as she entered Lieutenant Baines' office, hoping that he'd listen to what she had to say.

When she entered, she saw him walking on the treadmill in his office, sweating and counting under his breath. His office was furnished with state-of-the-art furniture, giving it the look of that of a senator or governor. Baines' office was his pride and joy, so he rarely left it.

“Levi.” He said in acknowledgement, stopping the treadmill and taking a nearby towel to his face.

“Sir.” She replied sharply.

Baines took a bottle of water, twisted off the cap and put it to his mouth, almost finishing the bottle's contents in one one gulp.

After that, he gave a loud burp before he sat in his chair, not bothering to excuse himself.

“What do you want?” He asked impatiently.

“Sir, I've come to call a certain illegal operation to your knowledge.” Andrea said as she slid a file folder to him.

Baines' cocked his eyebrow at her before opening the file, perusing the documents with squinted eyes.

“You see, there's a huge drug deal going down this weekend, it's between a major manufacturer and a major distributor, and I was privileged to have some info on where and when it's going to happen. Sir, this will be an unprecedented win for us if we take the opportunity that's landed in our laps and arrest both parties.” Andrea said with enthusiasm.

“Yes. I think your idea is great. I love it.” Baines said, and Andrea pumped her fist under the table. Getting Baines to sanction arrests and raids in Ganghaven was really hard. “But there's one tiny problem,” Baines continued, and Andrea gritted her teeth; she'd celebrated too soon.

“What's it?” Andrea asked with trepidation.

“It's going down in Ganghaven. You know we have a 'wash our hands off them' policy in that block.” Baines said.

“But Sir, these people are too advanced to be ignored wherever the deal's happening, even if it's in Wakanda. Moreover, the manufacturers are based in Gulden. It'll also be in Gulden's best interests to bust the deal.” Andrea pled passionately.

Baines nodded and considered her words for a minute as he stroked his mustache. Again, hope blossomed in Andrea, and she found herself crossing her fingers, hoping that he'd reconsider.

That hope crashed when he said, “No.”

Andrea leapt, “But, Sir—”

He put his hand up as he interrupted her, “But nothing. Even if I wanted to sanction the bust, I can't. The mayor's holding his cat's burial or his wife's anniversary on the same day, and y'all will be there on protection duty. You'll be in charge of the parking lot. And don't you dare shirk your duties, or you'll be suspended.”

Andrea felt disappointed and angry, but she struggled not to show it.

It must have worked, because as Baines stood up to let her out of his office, he smiled at her, “Wow! You took my decision better than the first person who came to me with this.”

His words set off alarm bells in her brain. Who had already talked to him about the bust, and how had the person gotten the info?

She had to tell Jo what had happened. She wouldn't be happy to hear that Baines had refused to sanction the bust.

*   *   *

The person who'd broached the topic of the bust with Baines before Andrea was none other than a fellow rookie, Pascal Eden.

He was tall, quite muscular, had Roman features and a close-cropped haircut.

Nobody knew that Pascal had been a member of the Sopranos before Ash had told him to join the police force, so he could help get rid of the gangs in Ganghaven.

Pascal gritted his teeth as he strode into the men's. When he saw no one was around, he entered the farthest stall he could find and made a phone call.

Ash answered on the first ring because he'd been waiting for the call.

“What's up?” Ash asked, forgoing all semblance of kibitz.

“He refused. He said we had to be at an event the mayor's holding. If I'm not there, he assured me that I'd be suspended.”

“Shit!” Ash exclaimed angrily, “Why is this man so apathetic? C'mon, living in Ganghaven is no crime. We're humans around here too. We deserve to be protected.”

“You're preaching to the choir. I'm sorry, there's nothing else I can do.” Pascal said, feeling like he'd let Ash down.

“Don't worry, it's not your fault. I'll see how I can handle the situation. One thing's for sure, that deal won't go smoothly.” Ash vowed.

Pascal believed Ash. He knew that Ash cared more than most about what happened in Ganghaven.

“I'm glad we have someone who cares for Odton as fiercely as you do. I don't even get why, I mean you're not even an indigene.” Pascal said, shaking his head at the mystery.

“Well, we all have our reasons for doing things.” Ash said in a guarded voice.

Pascal sighed. Whenever he mentioned that Ash was not from Ganghaven, he always became distant. Well, every man had the right to keep secrets, but Ash's own bugged him.

For some inexplicable reason, he suspected Ash wasn't doing all he was just because he was philanthropic.

Pascal knew the reason was deeper, but he didn't ask because he had secrets of his own to keep.

*   *   *

Jo knocked on the door of her family house and got caught up in the nostalgic memory that entailed her waiting and counting the seconds until her father returned.

Her mother still lived in that house where her father had been murdered by unknown people. Jo and her mother suspected gangsters had been behind it.

Ruth said she felt closest to Gabe when she was in the house and wouldn't consider living elsewhere.

Her mother opened the door, “Jo!” She said, drawing her into a tight embrace.

“Mum, you're smothering me.” Jo complained, but she hugged her mother tightly too.

“Come in, I just made apple pie. You're too skinny.” Her mother said, ushering her into the sitting room.

Jo stepped into the sitting room, where her father's body had lain when he'd been shot, and shuddered. She didn't know how her mother coped with living in the house.

Ruth saw her daughter shudder and her heart went out to her. Instead of living a normal life like other young women her age, her daughter had sought out the toughest life ever; that of a gangster, just to make sure some poor child out there didn't go through the horrifying experience of having to see their parent die.

“So, what have you been up to, lately?” Ruth asked, as the entered the kitchen. She loved hearing of her daughter's ideas and escapades. They thrilled and terrified her in equal measure.

“Mum, there's a huge drug deal going down in Ganghaven during the weekend.” Jo said as she sat down and grabbed a fork, waiting for her mother to dish her share.

“Have you informed the cops?” Ruth asked as she divided the pie into two unequal shares, leaving the smaller part for herself and sliding the larger part over to Jo.

Jo dug into her pie, taking some huge spoonfuls before she replied, “Yes. But they don't seem to be interested in whatever happens here,” with her mouth full.

Ruth looked terrified, “Jo, you might be the leader of one of the most feared gangs in Ganghaven, but you're still my daughter and you'll act like it! Don't talk with your mouth full.”

“Sorry, Mum.” Jo said, before she caught herself and covered her mouth. After she'd swallowed the sweet pie, she spoke, “The police aren't interested.”

“That's sad. We're always treated differently down here. I guess they'll be caught next time.” Ruth shrugged.

“Next time? Next time? Mum, we don't know that there'll be a next time. These guys are big boys in the drug market. It would be stupid to throw away this opportunity.” Jo huffed.

“Well, I don't see anything you can do.” Ruth said, putting a spoonful of pie delicately into her mouth.

“I can rally my men, and we'll take them down.” Jo said, hitting her fist on her open palm.

Ruth almost choked on her pie, “Jo! Is that wise? You said it yourself that these people are huge in the drug market. You know what that means? Competent men and top notch guns.”

Jo smiled, “Wow, Mum! You're good at this. You could be my second in command.”

“Don't try to change the subject, Jocelyn. I'm worried about you. I've lost my husband, I don't want to lose you.” Ruth said, her eyes tearing up.

Jo sighed, left her pie, went over to where her mother sat and put her arms around her in a comforting manner, “Don't worry, Mum. Nothing'll happen to me. My men are the best too.”

“Do you have to go?” Ruth asked.

“Yes, I do. I need to stop these drugs from getting into the grasp of minors. You should see all the children in Sia's clinic who are there because they overdosed on narcs.” Jo said.

Ruth nodded and fixed her stare on Jo, “You better come back to me safe and sound. If you don't, I'll follow you to the afterlife and kill you again!”

*    *    *

Ash and his second in command, Capo were sharing food bags to some houses when he ran into her.

“You!” They both said simultaneously.

“Jo!” Capo said a second later, “How are you?” He asked, smiling.

“Capo.” Jo said, smiling as she hugged the wiry man.

Joe? What sort of name was that? What the hell was she trying to prove answering a man's name? And why the fuck was she chummy with Capo? For some reason that annoyed him, he felt like tearing them apart.

He felt marginally better when they drew apart.

“What the hell are you doing with this loser?” She said, smiling infectiously at Capo.

Ash thought her mouth was too sensual to be spitting out insults.

“He's my second in command. I didn't know you two know each other.” Ash said, frowning.

“Well, we do.” Jo said and Capo nodded.

“How do you two know each other?” Ash asked. Inwardly, he hoped they had not dated. He didn't know why his stomach roiled-up at the possibility.

Then he remembered that no matter how attractive he found her, it didn't diminish the fact that she was nothing more than a ruthless and amoral killer.

“We met—” Capo started to reply, but Jo cut him off, “I don't see how that's any of your business.”

Ash wanted to laugh. How he was enjoying this! He decided it was time to fire a quip of his own, “I'd like to stay and chat, but I have this rule about talking to women who aren't the most beautiful in their clique of friends; I don't. Maybe, I'll stay next time when your friends are around.” Ash thought he'd burn in hell for his lie. Her friends were beautiful no doubt, but she took the cake for him. Too bad she had to be dirty.

He tugged at Capo and they turned to leave. Capo gave her a smile.

Jo saw red at his insult. How dare he? How dare he have the last word? She wanted to run after him to have the last word, but they were in public and it would be unbecoming of her as a gang leader to engage in such a puellile stunt.

What were they even doing in the neighborhood? Jo thought.

She wondered why once you met someone, you tended to see the person everywhere you went, even if you didn't fancy the person.

At that thought, the angel on her shoulder gasped in shock at her lie. Fine, fine. She admitted to herself that she fancied the hell out of him. Not that she was going to do anything about it. In fact, she was going to go out of her way and avoid him, and try not to look cowardly while doing it.

*   *   *

When they were out of Jo's earshot, Ash let out the laughter he'd been stifling. God! But no woman had amused him as this one did.

Immediately, he turned to Capo, “So, how did you two meet?”

Capo shrugged, “I got shot, so I went to the charity clinic. Y'know the one that's run by the pretty little doc.”

Ash didn't know, but he nodded, eager to get to the heart of the story.

“The doc is a friend of her's. She didn't got no one to assist her so Jo filled in. So you can say I kinda owe her my life. Boss, you should see what they do there. They actually help sick and injured people.” Capo said, sounding like a fan boy to Ash's ears.

His heart leapt at the possibility that Jo was like him, using an instrument of evil for good, but a second later, he squashed that hope. Appearances were deceiving, he'd found out the hard way.