Big Boss Sheezy was starting to wonder about Jack Al’s lengthy absence. Had he been arrested? He wondered anxiously. Murray had not yet reported to work and Damian was on a heist in a bank. Easter stood there before him, waiting for her assignment.
“Are you alright, boss?” She asked him, after his long silence.
“I’m… I’m cool, just thinking ‘bout Jackie. And when Big Boss Sheezy thinks so much, Big Boss Sheezy becomes so anxious that he needs a drink to calm ‘em down,” he replied.
“May I get you the drink?” Easter offered.
“Don’t bother. You’re going on a mission,” he replied, then turned to Love Lee, who was seated at his side. “Love, baby, why don’chu getcha fine ass up and go get me a nice, strong Scotch?” He requested her sweetly. She got up and stroked his flabby chin with her open palm.
“Anything for you, my love,” she cooed, then blew him a kiss and strutted out of the room in a slow manner. Big Boss Sheezy watched her until she was out of sight, then turned to Easter and smiled.
“You women are blessed,” he said softly.
“Why is that, boss?” She replied.
“You’ve been given a fine body that us men don’ ‘ave,” he said, then took out his phone. “I ‘ave to call Jackie. Easter, sweetie, can you do me this favor?” He requested, then outstretched his phone to her.
“Sure,” she said, then took it and phoned Jack Al. It took a while before he picked up. “Hello, Jack?...yeah, it’s me, Easter. The boss wants you back very soon…no, there’s no…hello? Hello?” she started, but then stared at the phone blankly when the line on the other end went dead.
“What happened?” Big Boss Sheezy asked her with a look of concern. She gave him back his phone.
“The phone went dead,” she whispered cautiously.
“I knew it! Jackie has been arrested!” Big Boss Sheezy shouted hysterically, then got up and scratched his bald head in frustration.
“We’re not sure about that, boss,” Easter said to him calmly.
“What’s there to be sure about, baby? Do you prefer that we go to the cell he’s locked up in to confirm it? Nah uh, baby girl. Big Boss Sheezy been ‘n this business for long with no trouble. Know what I’m saying?” He replied.
She nodded blankly, just watching her boss lose it. Mercifully, Love Lee walked into the office with a bottle, glass, and magazine, and poured Big Boss Sheezy a drink. The magazine was Thrill magazine, and on the front cover was Jack Al with a white-haired beauty. Easter’s eyes widened as she studied it. Big Boss Sheezy downed his drink in one gulp, then snatched the magazine from Easter.
“Give me that!” He roared, then scanned the source of astonishment. “You see? You see, bitches? This here’s our man. Our Jackie, with some white-haired bitch!” He spat at both of them while displaying the front cover to them and poking Jack Al’s image as if it was the real Jack Al. Easter and Love Lee looked at him silently.
“He’s abandoned us and is now planning to sell us off. He’s not picking our call. He never told us he’s now a fancy model posing with fancy women!” He shouted, while studying the picture again.
“But boss…” Easter started.
“But nothing, bitch! My word is without any mistake. No one double crosses Big Boss Sheezy and gets away with it, not even Big Boss Sheezy himself!” He snapped.
Easter and Love Lee exchanged worried glances as he poured himself another drink while mumbling to himself. He tossed the magazine away angrily. Love Lee approached him and tried to cool him down with her slow massage and kisses but he stopped her.
“Not now, bitch!” He growled, making her recoil and move away from him. Easter folded her arms and stared at the tossed magazine beside the office door. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. “Come in!” Big Boss Sheezy bellowed. Murray came rushing in.
“Sorry I’m late, sir,” he said.
“It’s cool, Double M, my man. How you doin’?” Big Boss Sheezy asked as he struggled to approach him. When he did, he greeted him.
“I’m fine, sir,” Murray replied.
“You loyal to me?” Big Boss Sheezy whispered to him.
“Yes, sir. You know I am,” Murray answered, then glanced at Love Lee and Easter quizzically.
“That’s good. That’s good,” Big Boss Sheezy whispered as he wobbled to his seat, then sprawled onto it. “But some of us aren’t—Jackie in particular. Take a look at that magazine over there,” he said, then indicated the magazine with his eyes. Murray turned to it, then went and picked it up. Love Lee took her post beside her man, and Easter went to where Murray was to see the picture better.
“Jackie’s a traitor. The sonofabitch goes big shot and he doesn’t tell us,” Big Boss Sheezy said to Murray as he studied the picture. “So, Double M, Big Boss Sheezy got a big mission for you: Find the bastard. Kill ‘em, before he exposes us. Big Boss Sheezy don’ wanna go to jail, no siree,” he added.
Easter looked at her boss in disbelief. He took out a bundle of notes from the inside of his coat pocket and slammed it on his desk.
“Here’s your fare to that shit hole they call the East Side. Go there now, baby. Keep in touch with me. I want him dead!” Big Boss Sheezy said, then motioned Love Lee to plant him a kiss on the cheek. Murray grabbed the bundle and forced it into his back pocket.
“I’ll be on my way, sir,” he said. Big Boss Sheezy saluted him leave. He left quickly. Easter watched him go with a look of horror. She wished she could do something, but she was powerless.
“Easter, baby,” Big Boss Sheezy said as he looked through the side drawer of his desk.
“Yes, sir,” she replied. He took out a glossy sheet of paper and stretched it out to her. She took it, then studied it.
“That is a blueprint of Deluxe Jewelry Store,” he started, then joined his hands together. “It has all the details on the place and all the crocodiles to avoid, so you can get in and conduct business successfully,” he paused. She nodded, while still studying it carefully. “So here what Big Boss Sheezy wants: Jewels. Plenty of them, and he want you to get ‘em for him,” he continued.
“Alright, sir,” she said, then rolled up the paper and stuffed it in the side pocket of the tight black pants she had put on.
“Good. Then go get me ‘em,” he concluded, and with that, she left, leaving him exchanging pleasantries and kisses with his girl Love Lee.
Jack Al was up and already dressed. Trish had left for work earlier on. He stared at his phone for a while, then put it in his pocket and went to Trish’s super kitchen that had all the electrical appliances and hungrily went through her fridge. There was plenty of semi-frozen food, but he chose to take several slices of bread and a pack of ice cold 7Up canned sodas.
He devoured it quickly. When he was hungry, he was more of a beast than a human being. He glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. It read 8.30 a.m. He went out and found Trish’s chauffeur leaning against her car with folded arms, looking blankly at the horizon. He was an old man of about sixty, with a firm face, thick gray moustache, and dark uniform to match Trish’s dark Hummer.
“Rangers Avenue: Step on it,” Jack Al ordered the chauffeur, then sprawled into the Hummer. The chauffeur slowly got in, took the driver’s seat, and started the vehicle to where he was ordered. Jack Al hoped inwardly that Lilly was still home.
Mrs. Simmons was clearing the table after her, her husband, and son had had breakfast, minus Roxanne. She, Roxanne, had been out the whole of the previous night. As she was still clearing, the front door flew open, and in came Roxanne, looking fresh and happy. She took off her jacket and greeted sweetly, “Good morning, Mom,” as she went to her and hugged her.
“Good morning, Roxy. Won’t you be late for work?” Mrs. Simmons inquired gently after the hug.
“I’m not going,” Roxanne said simply, then sat on the seat closest to her mother.
“Why?” Mrs. Simmons pried.
“I-I don’t feel like it,” Roxanne stammered, then rubbed her eyes and stretched.
“Why?” Mrs. Simmons repeated, while staring intently at her daughter. “There’s a problem, isn’t there?” She asked, then took a seat beside her daughter. Roxanne nodded slowly, and was thinking of a lie that she could tell to save her skin. “He left you, didn’t he?” Mrs. Simmons asked in a slow and gentle, yet piercing voice.
“Who?” Roxanne asked.