The Widow Of Magnolia Lane

Part 11

Monday, September 25, 2017, 9:48 pm

"She still not answering?". St. James said as he scanned the area for Joseph's black Mercedes.

"Nah man. I have been blowing her phone up all afternoon and this evening. I hope she alright. Something doesn't feel right. I can't wait to see this nigga. If he hurt her?.... Man, I swear on everything I love, this nigga gonna die tonight". Akoni hit the wheel with his fist.

"Yo son, he got. Believe that". St. James shook his head.

Akoni was parked half a block away from Trinity Methodist Church. He and St. James sat patiently, waiting for Joseph's car to pull up. He had planned on shooting Joseph in the back of his head. A clean and quick shot with his G45 Glock.  After meeting Natalie at the coffee shop, he decided to shoot him in his face. He wanted Joseph to see his smile before he pulled the trigger, a sweet parting gift before joining the afterlife.

Akoni's phone rang, startling both men. "Natalie?". He answered the phone without looking to see who called.

"Natalie? Nah man, dis' Toni". A raspy voice shouted on the other end of the phone.

"Toni? What's up?"  Toni was a bar fly that hung out in Akoni's uncle's speakeasy. He glanced over at St. James with a puzzled look on his face.

"Man...You gotta come down here and get Bull. He trippin'. He done locked dem' boys in da' fucking pit". Toni cleared what was lingering in his chest and spit it out on the ground. Akoni frowned at the sound of it.

"Boys? What boys?" Akoni had the phone pressed so hard to his ear that he could feel the heat from the battery warm his hands.

"Meech and em'. Some shit popped off what dem' Russians around the way. Dem' boys were out front Bull's hoopin' and hollerin' ready fight. You know Bull don't want that shit round' there. Bull told' dem' boys to get out from out front of the bar".

White boys left but one of dem' boys that Meech be havin' round him got up in Bull's face. You know Bull don't play that. He had us gather em' together and throw em' in the pit".   Toni coughed up phlegm and spit again.

"Man...Meech a grown man. He knows how Unc' is. Fuck it. Let him sit down there and stew". Akoni shook his head.

"Akoni. You caint' let Bull keep dem' boys down there. He walkin' round with a shotgun. Talkin bout' he gonna open the door and put a hole in em'. You gotta get over here". Toni's voice lowered to a whisper. Akoni could hear Bull yelling in the background.

"Fuck! I'm on my way". Akoni hung up the phone and started the car.

"The fuck going on now?" St. James looked over at Akoni with concern.

"Fucking Bull trippin'. We gotta swing through there". Akoni turned the car around and headed up the highway.

"Fuck it... Let's ride". St. James fastened his seat belt and turned up the music.

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10:24 pm......

Cashius "The Bull" James sat at the bar gulping on Hennessey, swirling the brown liquid slowly in the glass, before each swallow. He inhaled deeply off of a Cuban cigar before mashing it in a nearby ashtray. Cashius James was tall, black, and deadly. He wore a dress shirt with a vest and tie every day. He prided himself on being a businessman and was adamant on dressing like one. He ran the bar and the prostitutes outside. Nobody sold dope on Bull's block, without asking permission and giving him a cut, and nobody disrespected "The Bull".