Cheaper to Keep Her (part 1) Page 16

  The big, cock diesel bouncers grabbed and tussled with the dude. The guy’s friends tried to go at

  it with the bouncers, but one of the big men lifted his shirt to display a handgun. Those dudes backed

  down. I guess they had left their shit outside in their cars. Al of the men, including the one Diamond

  had the beef with were forceful y put the hel out of the club. The bouncers fol owed them al the way

  just to make sure they didn’t try to come back in with any weapons.

  Al I could do was shake my fucking head. Maybe it was me. I must’ve been the bad luck because

  every time I came to the club some shit jumped off. This gave me more of a reason to put my plan in

  motion. I needed to get my dough from Duke. I was tired of this shit.

  “You alright?” I asked Diamond. I knew she wasn’t al right, but what else was I gonna say after

  that whole scene.

  “I’m fucking pissed off! I can’t take this bul shit no more. These bastards get worse and worse

  every day,” Diamond said as I walked her towards the stairs that led to the dancer’s dressing rooms.

  I guess her high was completely blown now.

  When we got downstairs, I sat on a short stool in front of Diamond’s little locker where she kept

  her outfits. I watched as she cleaned the nasty spit off her and got herself together. I took this

  opportunity to sel my idea. This couldn’t have been a better time, because I could tel Diamond was

  feeling as if she was at the end of her rope.

  “See Diamond, you gotta get the fuck up outta this place. This shit is fine for a temporary gig, but

  long term ain’t the move.”

  Diamond rol ed her eyes. “Lynise, I ain. (rt up for no goody two shoes lecture tonight,” Diamond

  snarled at me. “Especial y when I’m the bitch footing the bil s right now.”

  “I’m not trying to lecture you,” I clarified. “I’m trying to tel you about a plan for both of us to come

  off with some real money. I had started to tel you about it earlier today before your man interrupted.”

  Diamond pul ed off her skimpy outfit and started putting on her regular clothes. “I’m listening,” she

  said.

  “I’m going to blackmail Duke with those pictures and that paperwork. But I need you to be down

  with this. I need you to help me set up a drop for the money and have my back when it goes down.” It

  was obvious my announcement had caught Diamond slightly off guard.

  Diamond looked at me skeptical y, but she didn’t speak against the plan. I think deep down inside

  she knew I was on to something. “I’m listening,” she said in a low voice. Yes! I, at least, had her ear

  and her interest now.

  “I’m gonna cal that nigga and tel him if he don’t come up with at least a half-a-mil, I’m going

  straight to the cops with the information I have about that girl and that fucking butcher shop shelter he

  running with that doctor,” I said.

  She looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Bitch, you real y think that man is gonna just turn over a

  half-a-mil just like that? Five hundred thousand dol ars for some pictures you got that you can’t even

  prove came from him? C’mon Lynise,” Diamond retorted.

  “See, that’s where you wrong at,” I replied. “The paperwork I got has money amounts paid to Duke

  directly. Yeah, I know it may sound like he was stupid for keeping tabs, but remember he just didn’t

  figure I would ever search his shit.”

  “If you say so. So you just gon’ dial his number, say give me a half-a-mil or else?” Diamond asked

  with doubt lacing her words.

  “Hel yeah!” I replied. “Duke had a lot to lose, Diamond. Without his reputation he won’t be able to

  make no money and if he goes to jail, even worse.”

  “I hear that hot shit. Al of a sudden you a ride or die bitch, huh?” Diamond said sarcastical y.

  She was starting to piss me off, but I real y needed her so I was taking her shit. “It’s either ride or

  die or be broke and fucked up,” I replied.

  “I don’t believe you gonna cal him Lynise. It’s just not your style . . . maybe my style, but definitely

  not your cornbal ass style,” Diamond said, twisting her lips. She was egging me by doubting me.

  Maybe that was a good thing because I needed somebody to hype me up and give me the courage

  to do this.

  “Watch me!” I snapped. “But after I mak e the cal , we need to come up with a quick plan on how

  to get the money. We need to plot out the where, when and how.”

  “That’s al good . . . that’s if you make the cal ,” she said, continuing to doubt me.

  Diamond twisted her lips and dared me to make the cal . She actual y started laughing, saying I

  wasn’t going to make the cal .

  “A’ight, you don’t believe me? I can show you better than I can tel you,” I said, snatching

  Diamond’s cel . “Now give me your phone because he wil recognize my number and he won’t

  answer it.”

  Diamond crossed her arms and watched me closely while I made the cal .

  I guess she wasn’t doubting my seriousness now.

  Cheaper to Keep Her Unique

  Chapter 26—Threat

  Diamond had put the battery in my back, but she wasn’t able to soothe my nerves one bit while I

  made the cal .

  My heart was hammering when I heard Duke’s phone ringing on the other end. I started walking in

  circles in the dressing room, because I was so damn nervous. Diamond had her arms folded across

  her chest looking at me like she thought I was faking the cal .

  “Yeah,” Duke answered. I almost shit on myself and cried at the same time when I heard his sexy

  ass voice. “Speak,” Duke cal ed into the phone when I didn’t say anything right away.

  My mouth was open but nothing was coming out. I was at a loss for words for a minute. Then I

  heard Duke’s fucking wife’s voice in the background ask, “Baby, who is that?” That’s when I was final y

  spurned into action. I got angry and that made me feel bold.

  “Yeah muthafucka, I’m just cal ing to tel you that you’re done! I have you by the bal s and if you

  don’t meet my fucking demands your life is over!” I boomed into the phone.

  “What? Who is this? Lynise?” Duke asked nice and calm. I could hear his wife saying something

  but I couldn’t make out what she was saying.

  “You damn right it’s me!” I hol ered into the phone. “I ain’t cal ing to beg for you back or no shit like

  that, so don’t flatter yourself. But I am cal ing to let you know that your life wil be over. I’m cal ing to tel

  you that I know al about your little baby snatching ring!”

  Duke coughed. It sounded like a nervous cough to me. I was feeling slightly powerful as I spoke. I

  felt like I had his ass under pressure now. He didn’t say anything so I took that as my cue to keep

  going.

  “Oh yeah, I overheard you and Dr. Gavin talking about how ya’l snatch homeless pregnant girls

  and take their babies by forceful C-section. Then you tel those poor girls that their babies died. That

  is, if the girls make it . . . see, I saw one of the girls dead on the news. You know just who the fuck I’m

  talking about too! I also heard you say how many clients is paying you. I also know the babies you

  said died are actual y alive and in the possession of some very rich people. I just so happen to have

  the list and price you was paid from those people. Oh Duke, I know everything . . . and guess what? I

  got the p
ictures Dr. Gavin gave you of al the girls!”

  I was tel ing it al . I wanted him to know how serious the situation was. Duke was quiet and that

  made me wanna say even more.

  “I know one of the girls died from the botched C-section Dr. Gavin gave her at your request. I got

  the pictures right out of your desk! I can send the cops to the people who bought that baby and when

  the DNA from the baby matches the dead girl’s and I show this list of the people that paid you for

  that baby, you wil be done! Do you hear me done!”

  He was listening intently. I could tel . I felt as if I had him right where I wanted him, because if I didn’t

  have his ass in a crunch, knowing Duke like I did, he would have hung up on me a long time ago.

  Diamond was moving in front of me excitedly trying to ask me what he was saying. I put my hand up

  halting her while I finished.

  “What do you want?” Duke said calmly.

  “Now be patient! I was going to tel you,” I said with my voice shaking. “Here is what the fuck I

  want! I want five hundred thousand dol ars in cash. I want you to come to the Magic City and bring the

  shit in a duffel bag. You need to come at a time when the club is packed. I want you to leave the

  fucking bag on the left side of the bar. You won’t see me, but I wil see you.”

  There was silence on the phone. That shit was making me uncomfortable. I mean, here I was

  extorting his ass and Duke was stil cool, calm and col ected.

  I was kind of shocked at his reaction given the fact he and I both knew my evidence against him

  was rock solid. “Do you hear me you asshole!” I screamed.

  Duke was getting a rise out of me by being so calm. I wanted to get under his skin like he had

  done to me for so long.

  “Ok, Lynise, I wil meet your demands,” he final y replied. “I wil come tomorrow at ten o’clock. Is

  that good enough for you?”

  I felt a flash of heat come over me. It was a combination of excitement and fear. I couldn’t believe

  it was that easy to get him to bring me that kind of money. Something about that didn’t sit right with

  me, but I wasn’t going to back down at this point. What if Duke was real y wil ing to pay to have those

  pictures back? I mean, I had watched him waste large amounts of money before so I already knew

  money was no object for him.

  “You need to fol ow my instructions and don’t try no bul shit. If shit doesn’t go down right, I have

  instructed someone to drop the pictures and stuff off to the cops and the media. I’m sure you don’t

  want your little preacher’s daughter wife to be embarrassed publicly when she finds out her so-cal ed

  Christian husband is a murderer and baby snatcher.”

  “That is fine. I just need to know who else has been able to review these documents?” Duke

  asked, sounding al official and strictly business and shit. He was speaking to me like I was some

  business partner. I guess he didn’t want his wife to be suspicious.

  “Don’t worry about who else knows. You don’t know the person. But trust me, if one hair on my

  head is harmed, the person wil turn your ass in so fast you won’t know your own name before it hits

  the general public and every media outlet you can think of,” I bluffed. By now Diamond couldn’t take

  not knowing what was going on, so she pressed her ear close to mine and the phone.

  “I wil be there tomorrow . . . but you need to hand over the documents and pictures when I leave

  the bag,” Duke demanded. I knew he would ask for the stuff, but I was not planning on letting him see

  me. I was too scared he might try some shit.

  “I wil leave them in a place that is secure,” I replied. “There wil be a note in the spot where you wil

  leave the money. When I have seen the money for sure, you wil get the information.”

  There was no fucking way I was going to let him see me. I was going to have Diamond dress in a

  disguise and pick up the bag when he leaves it.

  “Ok, Lynise, I look forward to doing business with you again,” Duke said calmly, stil sounding al

  official.

  His demeanor unnerved me. It was strange for someone being blackmailed to be this calm.

  Diamond moved her head away from the phone and looked at me. After I hung up the phone, I was

  completely spooked. My hands were trembling and sweat was pouring down my back.

  “What happened at the end of the conversation?” Diamond asked. Damn, she seemed nervous

  too. Shit, I didn’t know if we could survive this. Hope was becoming my best friend.

  “He said he was going to do it tomorrow at ten,” I told her. “But he was too fucking calm, girl. It was

  real weird he was that damn calm.”

  Diamond was quiet and so was I. Both of our minds were racing. I could tel . I was biting on my

  nails to try and combat the huge butterflies flitting around in my stomach.

  “Girl, that shit just didn’t seem right. It was just way too easy. I’m scared as hel now,” I admitted. I

  paced up and down the little cramped dressing room.

  “Your ass wanna get spooked after the threat!” Diamond chastised.

  “Girl, this is al gonna be behind us tomorrow,” I tried to convince her. I was real y trying to convince

  myself.

  “You real y think a man like Duke is just gonna hand over that kind of money after being strong

  armed by you?” Diamond asked. She was playing with her hair. I knew that meant she was nervous

  as hel too.

  “Yup! Because he knows I’m tel ing the fucking truth about his misdeeds. He also knows now that I

  have his client list and if the cops investigate and go check up on those babies, a whole lot of shit

  gonna hit the fan.”

  “Wel , what you gonna do in the meantime?”

  “I don’t’ think I should go to the apartment that’s for sure,” I answered. “I can’t be sure that he

  won’t come there and try some shit. I don’t have any cash, but if you loan me a hundred dol ars I’l

  get a place to stay for the night.”

  Diamond sighed loudly. “Where you gonna stay at for a hundred dol ars?” she asked.

  “Any of the hotels down Virginia Beach. I just wanna lay low until it goes down and I’m free and

  clear. Just think, after tomorrow I won’t need to borrow a hundred damn dol ars and you won’t need

  to shake your ass for dirty niggas like that one tonight.” I smiled after my statement. We both needed

  to chil . This day was the worst and the calm and coolness of Mr. Duke Carrington had us both shaking

  in our boots.

  ”Very fucking true girl!” Diamond shouted happily.

  With that, Diamond dug in her purse and handed me a wad of dol ars and fives. I counted out a

  hundred and handed her back the extra.

  “Bitch, when you get this money from Duke, you better give me ten times a hundred!” Diamond

  joked.

  “Oh, hel yeah, you know I wil hook you up,” I said, feeling slightly better. “Girl, you can get like a

  hundred thousand, shit. My only condition is that you keep your damn mouth shut about where the

  money came from and don’t spend it for a while. I mean, you can’t even tel Brian about this shit.”

  Diamond sucked her teeth as if I had insulted her. Hel , she knew I was serious. And I hoped I

  hadn’t fucked up by tel ing Diamond. Once reliable, now she suffered from diarrhea of the mouth.

  “C’mon now, you know damn wel I don’t run my mouth like that!” she snapped.

  Yeah, the old drug-free you did
n’t normal y run your mouth, but the new always high Diamond

  suffered from the disease cal ed loose lips, I thought to myself. Thoughts I kept to myself.

  “You want me to drop you off at a hotel?” she asked.

  “Yeah, and after that I want you to go in the house and stay inside until you come to the club

  tomorrow. Duke never knew what apartment we were in, so if you’re inside, you wil be safe.”

  “True. Then tomorrow I wil get Brian to walk me out . . . you know, just in case the crazy nigga

  shows up,” Diamond assured me.

  “I hate Brian but that’s a damn good idea,” I concluded.

  Diamond and I left the club together through the al eyway back door with thoughts of big money

  on our minds. As we left, I thought how perfect that little back door was for my escape when I got the

  money from Duke. Instead of going out the front door and risking him doing some foul shit, I would

  make a run for the back door, which I’m sure he probably knew nothing about. As Diamond rambled

  on, I even thought about where I was going to park her car for the getaway too. I would park way

  down in the al ey that the back door led to. Before Duke realized I wasn’t coming out the front and

  started searching for me, I’d be long gone.

  After we left the club, Diamond dropped me off at the Doubletree Hotel at the Military Circle Mal .

  Before I got out of her car, we hugged each other and agreed to see each other tomorrow. I had

  asked Diamond several times if she thought she should stay with me at the hotel and not return to

  our apartment. She was adamant that she needed to meet up with Brian.

  I was uneasy, but I went along with her wishes. I hoped al went according to plan and she’d be

  safe. “Bye,” Diamond said to me as I exited her car.

  “Bye is permanent, girl. Let’s just say see you later,” I corrected her.

  At that moment, a rush came over me. I didn’t know why or what it was al about. Something

  about the word bye spoke of finality. I was so hoping it was just a funny feeling. After al , it was the end

  of a long day.

  Diamond laughed. “Ok, see you later Nini. Is that better?”

  I smiled. I so loved her laugh. “Yes, because saying bye means I won’t ever see you again,” I told

  her.

  I just didn’t know how prophetic my words would be.