Cold Blooded

by Roy Glenn

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

Bestselling author Roy Glenn returns with Cold Blooded, his latest Mike Black novel that delivers shocking urban suspense.
Following the murder of his friend and business associate, Quentin Hunter, Mike Black decides that he might ask a few questions. Why would Daniel Beason kill Quentin, and why would Beason have murdered his business partner, Elias Colton?
If Black is hitting the streets, you can be sure that Bobby Ray is hitting the streets with him. It doesn’t take them long to find that weapons, drugs, and The Troka Clan, an Albanian mafia organization engaged in international human and organ
trafficking, are involved. However, this isn't the extent of the involvement with The Family.
After finding her cousin, flight attendant Sapphire Langston, safe, Rain Robinson looks to get back to business. But before that can happen, Sapphire gets a call informing her that men are holding her mother hostage. They demand the return
of a thumb drive that Rain found on her last flight.
Rain discovers that The Troka Clan is behind the kidnapping and that the drive contains information about the clan’s transactions, contacts, and the location of their warehouses. When the exchange doesn’t go well, Rain selects a target from
the data and goes on a rampage. She takes The Family to war against the clan until Black, who has been violently seeking answers, shuts her down—but not before more blood is spilled in the streets.

Release date: December 27, 2022

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

The Playhouse was a nightclub and gambling house run by Barbara Ray. But it wasn’t always the Playhouse. Before Barbara took over, the name of the spot was Sweet Nectar. The Nectar, as many had called it over the years, was located in her father’s old neighborhood. Like the Nectar, the neighborhood was changing, meaning a new drug gang had forced their way in. Now those corners belonged to them.

The gang called themselves the G40s. They were expanding, and not just drug territory. The G40s were moving into extortion and protection rackets. It was the same old game that had been run for years—local merchants paid the gang to leave them alone so they could operate their business without disturbance from the gang. What bigger prize was there than the Nectar? It was a neighborhood institution. And now that it was called the Playhouse, it was one that Rawdawg, the leader of the G40s, had to have. Especially after he’d heard from so many people how fine the woman who ran the Playhouse was.

It started out as simple vandalism. The neon Playhouse sign in front of the building and a few windows were broken, and some customers got harassed outside. There was some shooting a couple of nights later when two of the G40s, who had come there that night to shake them down for protection money, tried to get into the Playhouse and were refused entry. A sit-down request was made by the G40s to settle the matter but was ignored. As a result, the vandalism intensified, and minor skirmishes outside the club continued. Although they were an annoyance, their activities hadn’t risen to a level where anybody felt that it needed to be brought to Barbara’s attention. That happened when three G40s caught the head server, Ishawna Patrick, coming out of the club one morning after the Playhouse closed. They kidnapped her and held her at gunpoint in one of their apartments. She was released unharmed a few hours later. The purpose of the kidnapping was to deliver a message.

A sit-down was promptly arranged for the following evening.

As head of security at the Playhouse, Axe Bryson arranged for Barbara to meet unarmed with Rawdawg. Each would be permitted to have three of their people with them. At seven o’clock, Rawdawg and his men arrived at the Playhouse for their long-awaited sit-down with Barbara. To them, the sit-down meant that Barbara had capitulated, and they were there to arrogantly dictate terms. They were met at the door by Garrett, one of Barbara’s personal bodyguards. He searched each man before he allowed them to enter the Playhouse. When they stepped inside, Axe was waiting for them.

“Right this way,” Axe said, waving them over to the table where the sit-down was to take place.

He was standing next to Barbara’s personal bodyguard, Tahanee Stevens. When Barbara was kidnapped during Rona King’s proxy war with The Family, it was Tahanee who saved her.

“Damn,” Rawdawg said, looking at Tahanee. “Look at you.” He took a few steps toward the table. “I heard a sexy-ass bitch ran this place.”

“You need to shut the fuck up and sit your bitch ass down,” Tahanee said.

“What your bitch ass gonna do if I don’t?”

“She’s not going to do anything.”

All eyes turned to see Barbara, standing with her fists balled against her hips. “She doesn’t run this place. I do.”

Barbara walked toward the table wearing a black David Koma one-shoulder minidress with crystal-embellished tank straps that hugged her curves like a second skin.

“Shit, your muthafuckin’ ass even finer than that bitch there.” Rawdawg stepped up to the table and put his hands on the chair. “Shit, goddamn, you got the whole muthafuckin’ show working for you, sexy. All of them hips and thighs and shit. Turn around, sexy, and let me see you bounce that ass for a nigga.”

Barbara ignored his vulgar request and kept walking. As if I were actually gonna do that shit. When she got to the table, Axe pulled out her chair, and in the most ladylike manner she could muster, Barbara sat down at the table.

“Not gonna show me that phat ass, huh?” He chuckled and sat down. “That’s all right, sexy. Bouncing them pretty-ass titties for a nigga when you sat down was good enough.” He licked his lips. “Yeah, sexy, me and you gonna get along real good.”

Barbara shook her head in disgust. “Is that all you came here to say?”

Rawdawg leaned forward quickly.

Barbara didn’t flinch.

“No, sexy.” Rawdawg leaned back slowly. “I came to tell your sexy muthafuckin’ ass that you’re gonna pay me two grand a week, cash money. We not gonna have no more problems at the door with my niggas getting in. Ain’t no more age limit for them. And your sexy muthafuckin’ ass gonna put that money in my muthafuckin’ hand personally,” he said, pointing to the palm of his hand. He sat back. “You do that, like a good little bitch, and I might even let you have some of this dick,” he said, reaching under the table to grab it. “And I know your sexy muthafuckin’ ass gonna love it.”

Once again, Barbara shook her head in disgust. “Are you finished?”

“Yeah, sexy.” He smiled and nodded his head. “I think that covers it.”

“Good. First off, what you said to me was offensive. It was crude and disgusting. If my father or my brother were here, or my uncle Mike, they would have killed you for disrespecting me.”

“I’m scared.” Rawdawg looked around and laughed, as did the three men who had come with him.

“Now to the matter of me paying you for protection. Let me make you a counteroffer,” Barbara said. Then she folded her hands in front of her.

“What’s your offer, sexy?”

“Did you hear me say anything?”

“No.”

“Then that must be my offer. Nothing.”

Rawdawg looked confused. “Nothing?”

“Nothing. Nada, zilch, zip,” Barbara said, leaning slowly forward. “My personal check for zero dollars from the First National Bank of I Ain’t Giving You a Muthafuckin’ Thing,” she said, reaching under the table. She got the Glock 42 from her thigh holster. Barbara stood up and shot Rawdawg twice in the head.

When she did, Tahanee, Garrett, and Axe took out their weapons and killed the three men who’d come with Rawdawg.

“Call Edwina,” Barbara said, handing Axe her gun. She went back into her office with Tahanee.

Their bodies were taken to the Parlor for disposal in the crematorium.

Black was in the basement at Bobby’s house with him and Wanda. He asked her to meet them there so they could talk about something important. Without his knowledge, Rain, Jackie, and Carter had participated in the murder of Greg Mac and Drum for Gavin Caldwell. He found out when he returned from vacation, and Angelo told him about the task force having a witness who had identified the killers as Gavin Caldwell and a woman in a blond wig and sunglasses.

“Have you talked to her about it?” Wanda asked.

“Not yet.”

“Are you going to?” she asked.

“Or are you gonna put her through one of your damn tests to test her judgment?” Bobby asked.

“You know, Bob, that’s not a bad idea,” Black said and got up to pour another drink.

“By the way, Mike, I was sorry to hear about Quentin,” Wanda said.

“Thanks, Wanda.”

Earlier that day, Black and Shy attended the funeral of his friend Quentin Hunter. He had been shot to death in the home of his friend and business associate, Daniel Beason, who, despite claiming to be innocent of the murder, fled the scene before the police arrived.

“Have the police found Beason yet?” she asked.

Black sat down. “No, they haven’t, but Ebony doesn’t think he did it,” he said and looked at Bobby. “I was thinking about, you know, asking a few questions.”

“You want some company?” Bobby asked.

Black smiled. “Always.”

“Oh, no,” Wanda said and sipped her apple martini. “The two of you, back in the streets.”

“Don’t call it a comeback, Wanda,” Bobby said and fist-bumped Black.

Wanda shook her head. “What happened with Beason and Colton anyway?”

“It all started when Elias Colton was murdered.” Black chuckled. “Somebody threw him off the balcony of his midtown condo.”

“Sounds like something you and Bobby would do,” Wanda said and laughed.

“Probably why the cops wanted to talk to you about the murder,” Bobby said, and he laughed too.

“No, that wasn’t it at all. Detective Mitchell wanted to know if I would be her murder consultant.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, Wanda, she was dead serious. She said that she needs to understand how a killer thinks.” Black paused. “And let’s face it—I am qualified.”

“Understanding killers would make her a better detective,” Wanda said.

“That’s what I told her, but I’m guessing that she already knew that and that’s why she asked me.”

“What did you tell her about Elias Colton’s murder?”

“I told her that I thought Albert and Gayle looked good for it, but it was deeper than that.”

“Why did you think that it was deeper than that?”

“Because Albert is too big a pussy to even think about killing Elias.”

“Not very scientific.”

“But it does have the advantage of being true. They eliminated Albert and Gayle as suspects, and it was much deeper than Elias fucking Gayle.”

“So what was it about?”

“I don’t know for sure, but Quentin said it was about some failed land deal that the three of them were involved in years ago. But I don’t think that’s what it was about.”

“What do you think it is?”

“Quentin mentioned to me once that Beason had asked if he wanted to invest in a new shipping venture with him and Elias and promised that he would be able to more than quadruple his money within a year.”

“Something illegal, I’m sure,” Wanda said. And she would know. She was the mastermind behind The Family’s financial success, or as Nick once called her, Wanda was the mad scientist who made everybody rich.

“Quentin said that when he asked what they would be shipping, Beason said that it’s best not to ask.” Black paused. “Beason said all Quentin needed to know was that his money was guaranteed.”

“So where were you thinking about starting?” Wanda asked.

“Quentin said that he met them at a bar in Queens called Tirana. I think that’s as good a place as any to start.”

Bobby shook his head. “That is all well and good, but I want to know what you’re gonna do about Rain.”

“I don’t know, Bob. What do you think I should do?”

“I think you should exile her to an island in the Bahamas. You know, the way the two of you did to me,” Wanda said, and Bobby pointed at Black. “No, Bobby. Don’t point at Mike. You were as much a part of my exile as he was.”

“First of all, you were on that island for a reason.”

Wanda waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever, Mike.”

“No, Wanda!” He pointed in her face. “You made an enemy of the wrong muthafucka. He had already beheaded Richie, and the men he sent almost killed you! There was no way I was going to leave you in some fuckin’ hospital and wait for him to send men to finish the job! Like it or not, you were safer on that island. And I am not going to apologize for trying to keep somebody from killing you.”

“And I am not asking you to apologize!” Wanda said, rocking her head from side to side with each word. “All I want you to do is acknowledge that at some point it became a punishment that fit your needs.”

“What?” an obviously confused Black asked.

“It was working for you to make everybody think that you had killed me!”

“Not that it mattered. It just drove muthafuckas underground,” Bobby said.

Wanda held up her hand. “Not the point.”

“What’s the point?”

“The point is that it was working for you! If it weren’t for Shy, I would probably still be down there!”

“Okay, Wanda! Yes, it started out as a way to protect you, and it turned into a punishment that worked out great for us,” he said sarcastically and then turned to Bobby. “Driving them underground was what led to you getting shot.”

“And to Cynt getting killed,” Bobby happily added.

“And all that is on me. I fucked up.” Wanda paused and sipped her drink. “But thank you for admitting it was a punishment. Now I am willing to admit that the punishment was justified. It was just too damn long, but it was justified.”

Black looked at Wanda. “After all that, after all this time, it was justified? Is that what you’re saying to me?”

“Yes, Mike, it was justified. I just needed you to admit it was a punishment.”

“You know, this is all well and good.” Bobby shook his head. “I’m glad you admitted you kicked her ass, and I’m glad you admitted that you needed your ass kicked.” He got up and walked to the bar. “But I want to know what you’re gonna do about Rain.”

“You already got my vote,” Wanda said, and then she got up to refresh her drink. “Caribbean exile.”

Bobby poured both himself and Wanda drinks, and he sat down.

“I’ll talk to her. I’ll decide what to do about it then.” Black smiled. “Unless you wanna call it a comeback and take the reins.”

“Fuck no. I don’t want her job.”

Wanda sat down smiling because, after all she had just said about Caribbean exile, she was about to throw some shit into the conversation. “What did you do to Bobby when he did the same thing with Leon and actually did involve us in a drug war?”

Black looked at Wanda. “I didn’t do anything.”

“No, you didn’t. You just told him that you wouldn’t have backed Leon and you went to war with Rico.”

“I thought you voted for Caribbean exile,” Bobby said.

“I did, but the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. Even though she backed Gavin’s play, Rain avoided getting us in the middle of his war with Kojo, and she kept us off the task force’s radar.”

“I agree, but there is still something that she has to answer to me for,” Black said.

“What’s that?” Bobby asked.

“She should have told me,” Black said and finished his drink.

“You ready to get outta here?”

“Yeah.” Bobby shot his drink and stood up. “Where we going?”

“Tirana.” Black stood up.

Wanda did too. “Mind if I ride?” she asked.

“Yes!” Bobby said quickly.

“Not at all.” Black smiled. “You armed?”

“No,” she answered.

Black turned to Bobby. “Give her a gun.”

“You sure?”

“About giving her a gun?”

“No, about her coming with us.”

“Why don’t you want me to come with you two, Bobby?” Wanda asked as Bobby went to get her a gun.

“Because I don’t want anything to happen to you,” Bobby said, coming back into the room and handing her a Ruger LCP .380. He thought about losing Vickie. “So forgive me for being protective of you.”

“I can take care of myself,” Wanda said as she followed Black up the stairs. “I think I proved that a long time ago.”

“She has, Bob. Wanda’s a soldier,” Black said and left the house.

“This coming from the guy who used to argue with her during shootouts,” Bobby laughed. He closed and locked the door.

Wanda laughed thinking about the pearl-handle .25 she used to carry. “What did I tell you about carrying a gun?” she said, imitating Black’s voice.

“I’ll be the first one to admit that I was overprotective of you,” he said and put his arm around her as they walked. “Especially after Vickie. But like you said, you proved that you could take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Mike,” Wanda said as they got to their cars and their bodyguards.

“Mr. Nesmith, how are you, sir?” Black said and shook his hand.

“I’m doing fine, sir,” the mountain of a man said.

“Is Ms. West in the city and nobody told me?” he asked because Mr. Nesmith was Jada’s personal bodyguard and driver.

When armed gunmen opened fire on Jada and Carmen Taylor, Mr. Nesmith shielded them with his body in order to protect the ladies as they ran for cover. Although he was wearing a vest that night at Enzo’s Palace, Mr. Nesmith still took several shots to his arms, and his neck and head were grazed.

“No, sir, Ms. West is in Nassau. However, when Ms. Moore said that she was coming to New York and she didn’t have anyone to drive for her, Ms. West insisted that I accompany Ms. Moore on her trip.”

“I see.” Black turned to William. “I’m gonna ride with Bobby tonight.”

“Yes, sir,” William said happily and began thinking about how he was going to spend his night off.

“I’m going to be riding with Mr. Ray as well, Mr. Nesmith.”

He shook his head. “Ms. West was quite clear in her instructions that I should drive for you.”

“If you like, I could call Ms. West for you,” Black offered, and Nesmith smiled.

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Black. I’ll tell Ms. West that Ms. Moore was with you, and that will end the conversation.” He turned to Wanda and bowed at the waist. “Enjoy your evening, Ms. Moore.”

“I will call you in the morning when I’m ready to be picked up,” Wanda said to Mr. Nesmith as Bobby pulled up in his car.

“As you wish,” Mr. Nesmith said. He got into the car he’d rented, thinking about Ymani and how he was going to spend his night off with her.

Black opened the door for Wanda, and then he got into the back seat. “How long are you gonna be in New York?”

“I don’t know, a couple of days maybe.”

“You are coming to Venus’s baby shower, aren’t you?” Bobby asked.

“If not, I’ll be back in time for her shower. You know I wouldn’t miss that,” Wanda said, and then she paused. “I gotta say, I love it down there in Nassau, but I miss New York, and I really miss you two.”

“I miss you too, Wanda,” Bobby said.

“So do I. More than you know,” Black concurred.

“That’s why I wanted to ride with you two tonight. Most times when I’m in the city, either I’m busy or you two are busy.”

“You are always welcome to ride.” Black laughed. “You’re the third man.”

“What?” Wanda questioned.

“You remember the day we were going to rob three-quarters of a million dollars in uncut diamonds that diamond wholesaler had chained to his wrist?”

“And Wanda showed up that morning,” Bobby said and laughed. “I remember.”

“Dressed in black, talking about we needed another man on the job,” Black said, and Wanda laughed because she remembered that day too. “That was the day you showed me that you could take care of yourself,” he said, remembering the day that he stepped out into the street, raised the grenade launcher, and fired at the limousine that the diamond wholesaler was in. When the limo. . .