• 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 •

• 26 •

valerie

I met up with Yenvy, coffee making my nerves even more jittery than before as I waited for her inside of Starbucks. Yenvy popped up with a Dutch Bros cup and a hat over her hair, thrown into a ponytail, some sweats and shit on.

"Thought you went to work?"

"I changed before I got here...since you must know," she declared, "Because today's the last day I do a case for that firm."

"Wait...what? Yenvy you're quitting?" I leaned forward in shock.

"Yep. I'm gonna do my shit on my own. Take on the business with the lounge and do a few cases myself here and there. Firm life isn't for me. Especially since I feel so overseen in a large firm like this. Todd or Mark or Harry get first pick at the million dollar cases and then the rest are handed down to me to sort through. Never mind they got me doing consultations like I don't got my whole law degree. I mean, niggas- I mean, shii...whatever you wanna call 'em, showin' up to work with liquor in they cups, ten days off to take they wife on an anniversary trip or to pick up Sally Mae Sue from school because she den ratatata'd it up, meanwhile I come on time everyday and I'm driving a Bentley while they drive Fords."

"Yenvy, stop," I covered my mouth.

"Not even a F-250, like who really gon be from Texas witta F-150. Like get ya head straight," she waved her hand around, adjusting herself in her seat, "I'm sorry. That's not what we came here to talk about. I needa know what you need from me on Illiora and vice versa, I'd assume. I'm here to help, Valerie," she told me genuinely.

"Val, please," I corrected her softly,  "And I guess we should start with who she hung around, huh? Look back through those people."

"Not in Texas," she huffed, "I can tell you that now. As soon as whoever took Ill out did they do, everybody scattered like roaches. I heard from one of my homeboys down at Home Depot that one of 'em went to Arizona, but that ain't much help to nobody if that's all the info I got."

"How about anybody she was real close with at the club? Anybody she might have stayed with? More friends from high school maybe? Rivals too."

"See," Yenvy pointed with one of her nails, "Bitches always had Illiora outta her element. Not a lot of people knew that she was as kind hearted and sweet as me." I gave her a look. "It's trueee, Valerie," Yenvy laughed, "And I really fucked with her on a personal level because of that. It was the people she was hanging around with, man, and I could say that all day long. It was them."

"Did she have any beef with anyone from the club? At least those would be people me and the crew could check in with-

"See, that's a dangerous game. You guys might be recognized. Y'all work with those people," Yenvy pointed, sipping out of her cup, then shaking it up a little.

"Maybe I could make a few calls and get somebody else to do it," I shrugged.

"As far as who she might have stayed with recently and any club beef or alliances or whatever, you'd have to get filled in with Eneaj on allat," Yenvy admitted. "Past few years, me and Illiora haven't been close close. I'd say Eneaj would probably know more random details because she was Eneaj's employee. I mean hey, I know that they was talkin' bout sumin the day Eneaj was comin' down to Houston for the first time. Maybe it's more info about this than what we know."

"Maybe," I frowned, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Cold or...hot?" Yenvy asked amusedly, watching me as I burned my tongue.

"Hot," I grimaced, using my napkin to wipe my face a little as my tongue cooled down.

"But yeah, maybe ask Eneaj about some of this," Yenvy said again.

"I will," I sighed, "I just hate how we're not making any progress. The sooner we take the killer out the easier it'll be on us. Evidence starts drying up and disappearing and moving around after awhile. We already saw that with the niggas she used to hang around with skippin' town," I stated.

"Right," Yenvy nodded, "I can try searching up names and checking the courts for addresses or any open court cases that might suggest who might be where or have to be where at some point. I can try that route."

"Yeah, that would be a big help."

I stood out of my chair, running my hands over my braids as they fell back into place over my eyes. "I thank you for dealing with your grief but still steppin' up to help with this whole Illiora situation."

"She wanted to speak out about someone innocent being killed. To tell her story. Now I want her to get her justice, one way or another, by handlin' this person who took my friend away from the people who cared for her."

I nodded solemnly.

Yenvy gathered back up her stuff. "I'm sorry I wasn't much help. Maybe I'll think of something." She turned to leave, then asked, "What are you up to today?"

I shrugged, "Was gonna go back home."

"I have some grocery shoppin' to do for the house," Yenvy adjusted her hat back on her head backwards, fixing at her low ponytail, "Chillin' with Eneaj the rest of the day until we all go to the club, huh?"

"Nahhh, she's up in Dallas. Checkin' on y'all's venue," I informed her.

"Hm," Yenvy shrugged casually, tucking a wispy stray hair under her hat, "You wanna chill for a bit then?"

"I thought you had grocery shoppin' to do?" I said, looking at her cautiously.

"Hit a vape at the park, then we go our separate ways. I need the company," Yenvy added softly, reaching out to touch my shoulder. "Nothing more, Val. I promise."

"Uhh, okay. But I'm lettin' Eneaj know," I stated.

"That's fine. I told her we were meetin' up here today," Yenvy said, holding her hands up, "Ian up to no crazy shit."

"Bet not be, girl," I laughed, typing away at my phone to Eneaj.

"Only condition is," Yenvy held her ponytail, running her fingers through it before dropping it again, "Phone gotta go on DND after you text her, Valerie."

"Why? I already text her too," I shrugged, confused.

"We don't want no interruptions if we sposed to be chillin'," she shrugged, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the doors. "I won't even be on my phone either. C'mon, I know a good park."