Murder Mamas

Murder Mamas.

Ashley & JaQuavis.

Prologue.

Case slowly walked back and forth across the front of the s.p.a.cious church. Both hands were behind his back as he wore Armani slacks, shirt, and a tie. His strong posture and piercing eyes symbolized power, and the entire city felt it. He took his time, knowing that he wanted to choose his words wisely.

The first three rows of the pews were filled with important guests, listening to the man who had ruled over the streets for more than a decade. He called a meeting at one of the city"s abandoned buildings that once was a church. Case looked at his audience, many of whom were some of the head hustlers in the city, and they remained silent as they listened closely to the man who had the floor.

Case"s drug operation had suffered a big blow because of the recent narcotics crackdown led by Macy Sigel, the city"s mayor. Macy was the creator of a newly formed task force that focused on the drug problem in the inner city. This put a direct strain on Case"s cash flow. He decided to call a meeting and clear up all debt and beefs in the streets because he was about to make a power move. He was about to murk the mayor and wanted the streets behind him when he did it.

"You are all here today because I chose you to be here. In some shape or form, every one of you have gone against the grain. Some of you failed to pay me my twenty percent, some of you owe me money, and some of you, well, some of you I just don"t like," Case said as he stood before the men, staring at each individual in the eye.

It was a moment of silence in the room, and all that was heard was the breathing of the men. The smell of fear was in the air. Case smiled as he was overcome with the buzz that goes along with having power. It was like a natural high being a man with such influence, and he enjoyed the view from the top as he looked down at the others before him.

"Anybody have anything to say?" Case asked sarcastically. In actuality, no one could say anything because duct tape covered their mouths, stifling them, while their hands and feet were bound.

Case looked over to his right, where his henchman stood guard. Case gave him a signal, and the henchman picked up the can of gas that sat at his feet and began to go up and down the aisle, pouring gasoline over the heads and bodies of the hustlers in attendance.

"I told y"all m.u.t.h.af.u.c.kas, do not f.u.c.k me! Now look at you," Case said as he lit a cigar. He headed down the aisle, and his henchman followed.

The moans and pleas fell on deaf ears, as Case wanted to set an example for the whole city. Business had slowed up, and he had to tighten down on his organization and restore order in the streets. Case didn"t like to be a bad guy, but he was so good at it.

He waited for his henchman to empty the can and join him. He then took a pull of the cigar and tossed it into the aisle. Case instantly sent the place and its patrons up in flames.

Case"s henchman opened the car door for him and commented on the situation. "This guy Macy Sigel is f.u.c.king up the whole organization. We got to do something to this n.i.g.g.a. It"s going to be hard to touch the mayor though. He constantly has his people around him."

Case looked down at his watch and saw that he only had thirty minutes to get to the state penitentiary, where he had unfinished business to attend to. "I know how I can get to this n.i.g.g.a. I have to call an old friend up. She owes me a favor. I know exactly where I can find her, too," Case stated surely.

Case sat in the back seat of his Maybach as his henchman guided the luxury car off the avenue. They were on their way to witness the death of a Murder Mama.

Thump ... Thump.

Thump ... Thump.

Thump ... Thump.

Aries" heartbeat was deafening as her chest heaved up and down. She could hardly breathe as she moved through the short line. There were about fifteen people in attendance. Undoubtedly, she was the only supporter in the room. She could not believe that things had come to this point, and her hands shook violently as she signed in, putting her John Hanc.o.c.k on the witness log.

A member of the most notorious Murder Mama crew, she had committed many sins. As a murderer for hire, she had learned long ago to bury her emotions deep inside of her. Fear was something that she had never allowed herself to feel, but as she got processed through the prison system, the dormant emotion surfaced to the top. She had no idea what to expect, and as she was searched, her old instincts kicked in. Her eyes scanned the room thoroughly, looking into the eyes of the prison guards. She half expected them to detain her at any moment. She deserved a thousand years for the crimes that she had under her belt, and she was wary about putting herself in the position to be caught.

As badly as she wanted to skip out, she knew that this was one event that she had to be a part of. It was only fair. Her friends had been there for her through thick and thin. They had come up together and as fate had taken its course, they had fallen together as well. Her attendance was mandatory, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she tried to get through the ordeal.

The guards escorted the small group to a room with rowed seating, and Aries quickly reserved one in the front row, dead center. Looking through the thick gla.s.s window before her, she saw the contraption that had ended many more lives than she ever could. She felt sick to her stomach as she thought about what was about to occur. As badly as she wanted to do something to stop what was about to happen, it was out of her hands. The only thing that she could do was witness an execution.

Her heart ached as she watched her friend Robyn enter the room. Shackles tightly bound her hands and feet. The navy prison-issued jumpsuit she wore swallowed her slim frame. Aries" chest caved in from pure emotion as she felt tears sting her eyes. They were about to kill her girl, her Murder Mama, signifying the end of their reign over the underworld"s murder game.

Around her, the family members of those Robyn had bodied cried and thanked G.o.d for justice, but there was nothing just about it. Robyn was like her sister, and the state was about to put her down like a rabid dog.

The entire Murder Mama crew had been decimated, and although Aries had felt loss before, this one hurt the most. Not because she loved Robyn more, but because Robyn wasn"t dying a free woman. Aries knew that if Robyn had her way, she would have preferred to bleed out in the streets while doing what she did best. This wasn"t how any of them had envisioned their end. This was no storybook or no hood legend myth. The streets couldn"t glorify this. Robyn had been caught and a jury of her peers had found her guilty; another man had sentenced her to die.

Karma had come full circle for Robyn, and as Aries locked eyes with her dear friend, she felt her pain. Aries studied Robyn"s features and noticed how placid, how serene she looked. She wanted to nod at her, to blow her a kiss, or to do something to acknowledge her, but they both knew that any communication could put Aries at risk.

The police had questioned Robyn for years trying to get her to give up the other member of the notorious Murder Mamas crew. The state had even presented her with a deal. If Robyn had talked, she wouldn"t be dying today; but she had stood tall and carried the sentence for them both. She was dying for Aries and on behalf of her loyalty to the rest of her deceased crew. Loyalty and their love for one another was all they had. Robyn refused to betray that. Aries closed her eyes and spoke to G.o.d.

Please take care of my friend, G.o.d. Please look after her. Make it painless and quick. Forgive her for the things that we"ve done. She"s held the burden of enough blame. Hold me accountable for the rest.

Aries lifted her head and watched helplessly as the prison guards strapped Robyn down on the gurney; then a man in a white doctor"s coat inserted an IV into the vein on the back of her hand. Aries cringed with worry, but she never stopped looking Robyn in the eyes. She put her arm on the armrest of her chair and brought her hand to her face to lean on it. She discreetly kissed the tattoo on her wrist that read, MURDER MAMAS. She knew that Robyn would know that the gesture was meant for her.

A priest came into the room and opened a Bible, quoting scripture out of respect. When he was done he asked, "Do you have any last words?"

Tears finally emerged from Robyn"s eyes as a moment of absolution came over her. Aries, unable to contain herself any longer, shivered as her cold tears rolled down her cheeks. She was stricken with guilt and filled with admiration all at the same time.

"I love you, Murder Mama. Live. Live for the rest of us who no longer can. We love you," Robyn said while staring Aries directly in the eyes.

The doctor flipped a switch, and Aries watched in horror as the lethal combination of medicines traveled through the plastic tubes. It all happened in slow motion, and Aries felt as if her heart would explode as grief paralyzed her. When the concoction reached Robyn"s IV, Aries couldn"t stop the sob from escaping her lips. She put her hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying aloud, but her eyes never left Robyn"s. It was the only way for them to connect in Robyn"s final moments.

Robyn held on as long as she could, but as the poison entered her system, she slowly faded. She fought it as long as she could, but the overwhelming sleepiness plagued her, and her eyelids betrayed her as they began to close.

The doctor monitored Robyn"s pulse and heartbeat until she flatlined on the screen. He looked at the clock and announced, "Time of death, 7:07 P.M."

Aries lowered her head and whispered, "Rest in peace."

It was the most pain she had ever felt and the worst day of her life.

She arose from her seat and stormed out of the room, searching for the nearest exit. It suddenly felt as if there were no air in the room. "I have to get out of here," she whispered as she emerged out of the building and the sunlight beamed down on her.

The contents of her stomach erupted, and she keeled over as she vomited onto the pavement. Although death had been her occupation, seeing a person she loved be put down rocked her entire world. She quickly gathered herself and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before leaving the prison behind. She vowed that she would never step foot inside one again.

She picked up her cell phone and noticed that she had three missed calls. She dialed the numbers back and put the phone on speakerphone as she put distance between herself and the barbaric prison.

"Rachel, hey, baby. I"ve been calling you all morning," her husband, Prince, said.

"Hey, honey. I"m sorry. I had to take my mother to the hospital this morning. Her blood pressure is out of control, and she just isn"t in good spirits. Her health is fading, and the doctor was trying to explain a few things to me. I couldn"t answer for you," she replied, the lie slipping off so easily that even she believed it.

She had become an expert at lying during the five years that she had been in hiding. Her real mother had been dead for so long that Aries rarely ever thought of her.

After Robyn"s arrest, Aries had been forced to change her entire life. Her ident.i.ty, her look, even her accent had to be reinvented. Aries now lived as Rachel Coleman, housewife and mother. Her world was so far removed from the tyranny that she sometimes couldn"t believe she had ever lived so ruthlessly.

Days like this were a reminder of what she used to be. She was a killer and she was a part of a murder-for-hire team whose names would ring bells in the streets for years to come; but to Prince Coleman she was just Rachel, his lovely wife. He had no idea who he was sleeping next to at night.

"When should Tre and I expect you?" he asked.

"I"m coming home tomorrow. I did what I came here to do. It"s been five years since I left here, and now I remember why I"ve stayed away for so long. I"ve had enough of this city. Everything is dead to me here. I wouldn"t care if I never came back," she replied.

Aries wrapped the ap.r.o.n around her summer dress and pulled up her long hair as she prepared her family"s breakfast. After Robyn"s execution, she had caught a late flight back to her home in Barbados. Going back had sparked a lot of bad memories for her. Ever since she saw the drugs enter Robyn"s system, she had been having visions of blood on her hands. Her conscience was playing tricks on her, and deep regret had begun to fill her soul as she thought of all the reckless murders she had taken part in. She could have easily been in Robyn"s shoes.

The red tint that stained her hands was only visible to Aries. She felt as if she were losing her mind, and as a tear slipped from her eye, she rushed to the stainless steel sink. She rubbed her hands together vigorously under the cold, flowing water and took deep breaths as she closed her eyes. It"s not real. You don"t live that life anymore. Forgive yourself, she thought.

When her nerves had settled and her pulse had slowed, she slowly opened her eyes. She sighed in relief as she turned off the faucet and went back to cooking for her family.

When she had first exited the game, her paranoia had almost driven her crazy. Everyone was somebody to her-somebody who wanted to see her dead. The mailman, the lady cashier at the local market, even her next door neighbor: She had suspected them all of being out to get her. It had taken her five long years to transition into a normal lifestyle, and she refused to allow the corruption of L.A. to set her back in her old ways.

"Mama!"

The tiny voice behind her made her smile, and she turned to greet her three-year-old son. He stood in front of her wearing Batman pajamas and a huge smile. He ran toward her at full speed and leapt into her open arms.

"Hey, mama"s baby. Oh my goodness, I missed you," she whispered as she snuggled his neck and gave him a million kisses all over his face.

"I missed you too," her son replied. Seeing his innocent face instantly turned her mood around and her spirits went from low to high.

Aries scooped him up in her arms and said, "Let"s go wake your daddy."

She carried her son up to her bedroom, and they both hopped on top of Prince. He lazily opened his eyes as he pulled her under the covers.

"Hey, baby, what are you doing here? I thought I was supposed to pick you up from the airport after I left the office," he said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes and adjusted the hard-on in his linen pajama pants.

"I flew back early. I wanted to see my two men off this morning," she said sweetly. One would have never known that this island beauty had a sinister past.

He cuddled with his wife and son, then discreetly reached in between her legs, fondling her juicy c.l.i.t.

"Hmm-hmm, boy. Don"t even try it," she said with a seductive smile. "You know your son is not having that."

He put his hand over his face and shook his head with a knowing smile. "I swear that boy has a radar or something. A n.i.g.g.a can"t get no p.u.s.s.y while he is awake," Prince commented playfully.

Their son hopped up and down at the end of the mattress, and Aries chuckled softly. "I made you two breakfast. We"ll be downstairs waiting on you," she announced before grabbing her son"s hand and walking out of the room.

Her life now was so simple, and although at times it felt slow, she had to remind herself that it didn"t carry the same risks as the one she used to lead. She had left the streets alone a long time ago, and she vowed that nothing would ever pull her back in. The allure of it all wasn"t worth it anymore. When she was young and reckless, it all seemed like a big adventure, but now, at the age of thirty, she just wanted peace.

It had been five years since her finger had wrapped around a trigger, and she had made a whole new life for herself. In her native country of Barbados, she lived happily and in tranquility. She had told herself that she would never return to the States, but missing Robyn"s execution was not an option. The trip had sparked bad memories for her, but as she catered to her family"s needs, she shook them off.

Prince joined his wife and son in the kitchen, and Aries admired his handsome appearance. She walked toward him and handed him a plate of food then grabbed his tie and pulled him into her for a kiss. Watching her family do something as simple as enjoying the morning breeze brought pure joy to her heart. After the things her eyes had seen, she was fortunate to live such a tame life. She was the last person who deserved a happy ending, but somehow she had wound up with one.

Aries played the role to perfection as she saw her husband off to work, standing in the doorway with her child in her arms as she waved good-bye. By the time his black S-Cla.s.s disappeared from sight, Tre was dozing off on her shoulder. She closed the door and put him down in his bed.

DING DONG!.

She stood up and shook her head, knowing that Prince had forgotten his briefcase once again. He was so unorganized that she could not understand how he was one of the most prominent accountants in the country. But his client list alone told of his status. She went into his office to retrieve his briefcase, but when she looked behind his desk, it was nowhere to be found. She frowned and looked around in confusion. Prince always kept his briefcase in the same place.

DING DONG!.

The doorbell sounded off again, and she ran down the stairs to answer the door. "I was going to bring it to you, but-"

Her words stopped when she lifted her head and met eyes with the man who stood before her. Fear paralyzed her, and she felt as if she couldn"t breathe. Her killer instincts kicked back in as her hand immediately shot to her waistline, but unfortunately her days of pistol toting were long gone.

Tears filled her eyes as she realized she was about to be murdered while her son slept soundly upstairs. She had known that her past would come back to haunt her one day. She stiffened her jaw and held her head up, preparing to die the Murder Mama way, proud and unflinching.

As her son began crying she winced, knowing that the man before her had no mercy on children. That"s when she broke down. It was in that moment that regret filled her heart and she thought back to the very first day that she had crossed this man, wishing that she could take it all back... .

Chapter One.

Five years earlier.

Robyn and Aries looked at the stacks of hundred and fifty dollar bills scattered all over the red-top pool table. Case slowly circled the table and finished dumping the cash out of the Gucci duffle bag. Casey James, also known as Case, was well over six foot, dark as tar, and as ruthless as they came. Cocaine was the name of the game, and he was the head of the black market of Los Angeles. He was putting his money where his mouth was and was laying out a million dollars of dirty money for the kidnapping of a federal judge"s daughter. Case"s younger brother was caught with twenty kilos of cocaine a few months back, and his fate rested on the shoulders of the jury and a known racist judge.

"There you go, ladies. One million dollars," he said as he rested both of his hands on the rim of the pool table and leaned over the pile of money. Aries and Robyn smiled as they looked at the abundance of bills.

"Hold on. Give us a second," Robyn said as she stepped to the side to have a sidebar with Aries.

"That"s a lot of money right there, Aries," Robyn said as she glanced back at the table.

"I know. But is it worth it?" Aries asked in her heavy island accent as she thought about what task was at hand. Murder was one thing, but to be asked to kidnap someone was a totally different ball game.

"I say go for it," Robyn said as she thought about the money that they would be leaving on the table if they turned the offer down.

"f.u.c.k it. Let"s do it," Aries said, not caring about the degree of difficulty the job required. She was ready to get paid and willing to go to the extreme to achieve her big payday. They both went to the table, and Case saw the greed in their eyes.

"Deal," Aries said as she grabbed the bag and began to stuff the money back inside of it. "We get to keep the bag, right?" Aries said as she gave him a small smirk.

Case smiled back and nodded his head. If it were not for business, he would have pushed up on Aries. She reminded him of Rihanna, and her accent was s.e.xy to him. He quickly dismissed the notion, but not before looking at her slim frame and round a.s.sets.

He was glad that he had gotten plugged in with the infamous Murder Mamas. For a long time, he thought they were a myth, but he quickly was made a believer when they showed up to his spot. After he put the word on the streets that he was looking for them, it did not take them long to find him. He knew that they were the best in the business, and the job he requested needed to be done by the best.

"Okay, look. I"ve already done my homework on this racist p.r.i.c.k," Case said as he walked over to his desk that sat in the back of the room and reached into his desk. He pulled out a legal-sized envelope and walked back to them. "He lives just outside of the city and has a wife and daughter," he said as he tossed the pictures onto the pool table. There were photos of the fifty-something Caucasian judge kissing his wife and then a picture of him getting into his Benz.

"He leaves for work every morning at seven-fifteen sharp, and the kid gets on the bus at seven o"clock. You guys should catch him coming out and force him back into the house. Don"t play with this mu"f.u.c.ka! Establish from the beginning that you guys are willing to kill if not listened to. What I need is for you to enter the home, tie up his wife in front of him, and let him know what it is. I want him to know that if my brother doesn"t get a verdict in our favor, it"s curtains. His wife will be knocked off," Case said, meaning every word of it.

He needed someone who wasn"t afraid to pull the trigger if needed, and that"s exactly why he called on the best in the business. He wasn"t taking any chances and resting the fate of his brother in a racist judge"s hands. His brother"s trial was a no-jury trial because of the notoriety of his crew. The court didn"t want to worry about jury tampering, but Case was a step ahead of them. He was going straight to the source with no reservations.

"Say no more," Aries said as she tossed the bag over her shoulders.

Case then handed the envelope to Robyn, who had a key to the judge"s house, his address, and the photos of his wife and kid. They were given all the tools to make it happen smoothly; now the only thing left to do was to execute.

Case watched as the ladies exited through the back door and faded into the black. He smiled while moving the toothpick around in his mouth. He felt good about the money he had spent. The only thing he would have to do at that point was to wait.

"What the f.u.c.k?" Aries whispered under her breath as she glanced at her watch. She noticed that it was 7:30 and Robyn was running late. She was supposed to meet her at the Starbucks around the corner from the judge"s home. Aries had been calling Robyn, but her phone kept going to voice mail. "Come on, gal," Aries said, her accent being more evident because she was getting upset.