Page 79 of More Than a Hero
Jacko shrugged, rolling his shoulders like the weight of the conversation was an inconvenience. “Can’t say I’ve ever met him myself, but I hear he’s an ugly fucker.” His chuckle turned into a raspy coughing fit. He hacked into his sleeve, his whole body shuddering as he struggled to catch his breath.
Pete grimaced. “You’d live longer if you quit smoking.”
Jacko wheezed out a laugh. “Yeah, I heard you the first hundred times you told me that.” He finally managed to suck in a steady breath before continuing. “Anyway, figured you boys should know. Word on the street is that Flame’s been hanging around up here. Supposedly, he’s got some relative in the area. Probably gives him a reason to be here, so it’s less suspicious. Can’t say I’ve seen him, but I don’t stick my nose where it don’t belong—especially not where I live. I’ll leave that up to you all.” He coughed again. “I’ll tell you one more thing. Word has it that Flame is a helluva lot more ambitious than Ciao.”
With that, he shoved the door open and climbed out, leaving behind the stale scent of sweat and unwashed body odor. The door slammed shut with a heavy thunk.
Pete exhaled through his mouth, trying to erase the stench. “Christ.”
Jeremy slid back into the front seat, only to wrinkle his nose. “We need to start getting out of the vehicle before we talk to him.”
Pete barked out a laugh. “Damn straight. Now, I gotta get my SUV detailed before I take Angie out.”
Jeremy grinned, shaking his head as Pete pulled away from the gas station. The conversation with Jacko had been barely useful, but something about this whole situation sat wrong with him. As they headed back to the station, the weight of it settled deep in his gut. Flame was here. And not just because he’d come with Lashawn. And that meant trouble was coming.
32
JIMMY
Jimmy sat with the other boys on the bus, still riding the high of having passed his math test. Laughter filled the space around him, the kind that came easy after a good day.
"I think I’m gonna go check on Mr. Marty," he said to Darius, shifting in his seat as the bus slowed at their stop.
Darius nodded, his expression turning thoughtful. "I noticed he didn’t seem to be feeling great the last time we talked to him."
"That’s what I thought, too. If we go check on him now, then I’ll have the rest of the evening."
The bus lurched to a stop, and nearly all the kids in their section piled out. Their apartment complex wasn’t the nicest place around, but it was home. His mom worked hard to make sure their unit stayed clean and welcoming, even if the outside could use a fresh coat of paint and some better lighting.
Jimmy waved to the others as he stepped off, then headed down the breezeway to his apartment to get his bike. His mom was afraid someone would steal it, so almost everyone kept their bikes locked inside their homes. It didn’t take too long to pedal to the Careway Senior Apartments. Jimmy liked the way the U-shape allowed a little garden in the middle. Marty lived in the end unit to the right.
He felt his bike was safer here than his own apartment building, but he still locked it to one of the small trees before making his way to Mr. Marty’s door. He knocked and waited. No answer. Frowning, he knocked again, harder this time. Mr. Marty had trouble hearing, and Jimmy knew he was supposed to be working on getting a hearing aid.
The door swung open, but instead of Mr. Marty, a younger man stood in the doorway. Someone Jimmy had never seen before. He was dressed in a red tracksuit with a black ball cap. His look might be casual, but Jimmy recognized the brand, and it was more than his mom could afford.
"Uh… I just came to see Mr. Marty…"
The man didn’t say anything. He just stared at Jimmy, eyes cool and unreadable. But from inside, Mr. Marty’s familiar voice called out. "Oh, that’s Jimmy, my friend. Let him in, Tamarcus."
The door opened wider, and Jimmy stepped inside, relieved to see Mr. Marty settled in his recliner.
"I didn’t mean to disturb you. I didn’t realize you had company."
"This is my nephew. Well, I suppose my great-nephew," Mr. Marty said with a chuckle. "He lives in Norfolk and has come to visit me recently."
Jimmy turned back to Tamarcus and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you. I’m Jimmy."
Tamarcus let the moment stretch, leaving Jimmy’s hand hanging for just a few seconds too long. Then, with a grin that showed off a gold tooth, he clasped Jimmy’s hand and gave it one hard shake before letting go.
Something in Jimmy’s gut twisted. He didn’t like him. "Well, I guess, Mr. Marty, I can?—"
"Come sit down, Jimmy." Mr. Marty waved a hand toward the sofa. "It’s always a treat to have you stop by."
Jimmy hesitated. Tamarcus was still watching him, expression unreadable but unmistakably guarded. The energy in the room felt off. "It’s okay. I’ll let the two of you visit," Jimmy said, taking a step back. "I’ll come by later, maybe tomorrow."
"Sounds like a good plan," Tamarcus said. They were the first words he’d spoken to Jimmy, and the tone was not friendly.
Jimmy didn’t miss the tension in his voice. Nodding, he turned toward the door, giving Mr. Marty one last glance before stepping out into the breezeway. He rode his bike back to his apartment complex, not surprised to see Jalen, Rasheem, and Darius walking down the outside stairs toward him when he arrived.
