Page 23 of Night Blind

“One and the same,” Cherry replied. “He entered to make the deal, and being as rapacious as he is, he’ll be back tonight to sample the merchandise he’s going to deliver.”

Helen said, “I didn’t see the data; is it supposed to look like a hit from a rival, or is the shot meant to send a message based on the caliber of the bullet?”

“Send the message,” Cherry said.

“I need to get to your vehicle to make it happen,” Helen said, looking at Mustang. “Will you ride with me to close the assignment?”

Mustang’s eyes were wide. The same woman he helped rescue a few months prior was now going out to take an assignment missed by the Cherry on Top. His facial expression said everything his mouth didn’t. Helen didn’t want to hear his alpha male bullshit on her abilities to pull a trigger or any got-damned thing else. She was fed up with men trying to dictate how she’d exist in this world.

“People have underestimated me my entire life,” Helen said. “I’m still standing. I’m still here, and I am a much better shot than my cousin. Azreal, make the call.”

Azrael frowned, a thing she should never do, which made Naomi recoil, gripping her father’s arms. Azreal’s deep husky voice spoke, “Shit, at this point, I don’t have much of a choice other than to take it myself, and I’m not climbing any trees.”

“Then we have it,” Helen said. “Let’s get everyone settled in for the night. I have two bedrooms and a pull-out couch at my place. Mustang, take the couch here with Slow. Zeke and Tameka you can take the second bedroom at my place, Doc and the pretty lady may have the other. Logically, the boy can stay here with the girls, Bunny has a trundle mattress under her bed that can hold the boy, and Michelle can share her bed. Azreal, you can take my couch. Rebecca, there is a fold-up bed in the closet to the right which can be rolled into the bedroom with your parents. Mustang, you and I can rest up and head out in the afternoon and return your rental once I retrieve the shop and complete the assignment. You lead me to The Collector, and I can handle that and get the women safe, which I hope Azreal can provide backup with law enforcement and social services, then I will get you on your way.”

Mark didn’t like how calm Helen was sounding. It worried him. “Hold on a cotton-picking minute. You are making this entire operation sound simply cleaner than duck nuts, and it’s not. You’re talking about ending not one life but two here, young lady.”

Helen’s demeanor changed. She ushered the kids into Naomi’s room where they didn’t need to hear what she had to say next. She quickly helped the kids return to Naomi’s room to get settled by Tameka. Zeke was also paying close attention to the woman who said little, but when she spoke, she dropped a mouthful.

She returned with a cold steely stare aimed at Mark Neary. “Sir, with all due respect, things are sometimes simple. We have to eat. Your son has taken on a great deal, and my cousin and I can carry our own weight. We need the money, and that mutherfucker who took me and those women needs to die.”

“Yes but…,” Mark started.

“He gave each of us a name, Sir,” she said. “I was his Chocolate Queen, and he snatched me so I could cook him soul food. He still has with him, or at least I pray they are alive, Irish, Italy, China, and Mexicali. The last one talked too much and gave him too much lip in English and in Spanish, and he cut out her tongue. He washed me from head to toe with bleach water telling me I was unclean. We had dinner with me chained to a table and when I challenged him− he took me, on the floor in front of those women, like I was nothing more than cattle to be bred. I’m not going to even start to say what he did before cutting up my feet and my breasts before letting me go. Therefore, you have no right to mansplain to me the need for the life choices of these filthy men who prey upon women.”

“Helen, I’m sorry for what happened to you by that man,” Mark said.

“Mr. Neary, please stop,” she said, sounding aggravated. “You have no idea the number of women in your life or whom you work with or know who have fallen victim to some creep and never speak on it. Yes, you’re aware of what has happened to each of us in this room, but The Collector and the ass rash from the assignment are indicative of a mental rot of manhood in this country. I’m not killing him out of vengeance. I’m killing him out of necessity. I’m going to sleep fine. And just so we are clear, a man from my childhood who left me barren is the demon that haunts my sleep. I am going to slay both of those dragons and learn to sleep well.”

“You’re right, I can’t understand or prevent you from doing what you feel is right or necessary, but you are loved, Helen,” Mark said. “You’re building a life here with our family, your family.”

“Will the family still be here after I put a few well-placed bullets in a son of a bitch?” She asked, moving closer to the back door, “Yeah. Thought so. Good night, family,” she offered, pointing to Tameka who’d returned to the communal space after settling in the children, her pregnancy in full second trimester making the woman appear to be out of balance.

Naomi, who’d been sent to bed, returned. Too much was happening in the house and she wasn’t sleepy. She popped under her father’s arm, climbing into his lap. Suddenly, her small eyes roamed the room, landing on Tameka’s belly, fully understanding a baby was growing inside of Michelle’s mommy’s tummy, and she’d heard it was a little boy. What she hadn’t thought about she suddenly reasoned as she looked at the belly, then at Zeke, and back to Tameka’s belly now protruding from under her top.

“Daddy,” she said softly, “how is that baby getting out of there?”

“Huh?” he asked, not wanting to hear anything else from his daughter.

“Daddy, she has a baby in her tummy. How does that baby get out of there? Is that baby gonna come out of her vagina?”

Before he could answer, Naomi began to bawl at the top of her lungs. “Daddy, I don’t want to be a girl. I don’t want any stuff coming out of my vagina but pee!”

Mrs. Hump covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Mustang’s eyes grew wide at the small confession from the child. Cherry, in obvious pain, closed her eyes as the Doc snapped the bones into place for the resetting. Slow was at the end of his rope. He got to his feet, passed his daughter to his mother, andgave a small salute. It was late, he was tired, his belly was full, and his heart was in flux.

His wife was benched.

His best friend had returned and was taking his sister-in-law on a killing assignment.

His daughter was obsessed with her vagina.

All he needed was sleep.

“I’m going to bed,” he said, leaving the room and entering his bedroom. He didn’t bother to undress, but simply flung himself on the bed and closed his eyes. The one man in the world he trusted more than his father was Mustang. He knew the rules, he knew the drill, and they would get the job done, one way or another. “Good enough.”

****

The rooms emptied with family members dispersing to bedrooms and a blanket and pillow appeared for Mustang to get comfortable. Helen was standing near the couch after having silently returned from her home where she’d gotten the Doc and his wife settled, along with Azreal and Zeke with his wife. Ruth and Mark were in bed along with the children. He knew she was there as he’d heard the creak of the hinges on the back door. The lotion she wore smelled of almonds.

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