She walks away but stops halfway. “You call log clean and thing?” she asks quietly.
I nod. “Yah.”
“Okay,” she says, disappearing through the back door with Zahir. Then I hear Pepper barking. Followed by Zara’s screams. She being extra, Pepper chained and can’t break free.
Five minutes later, British calls me. “He’s almost there. Delete all our calls including this one then delete my number.But don’t deleteeverything, him will find that suspicious.” She hangs up.
I move quick.
Then Zara appears at the door. Her eyes talking:
Dem deh yer.
I stay put. Playing dumb. Still watching the dumb cartoon. Zara disappears again. Outside, I can hear him now. Yelling at the security to open the gate. But my security don’t move unless I say so.
I text Michael: “Open the gate.”
There’s police cars, private cars, soldier trucks, and news reporters outside. Drama at the Don yard today.
“Da-da,” Zahira looks up at me. She has the biggest, pretty eyes. I kiss her cheek just as Mario pushes the door open.
We lock eyes.
“Nickoi Jacobs,” he says.
I nod. “That’s me, sir. Good morning.” I try to seem professional and respectful. It’s all an act. When mi done, mi want mi Oscar.
He shows me the warrant, then signals. “Soldiers!” He points upstairs. “Officers!” Downstairs.
They move in. He walks over to me, eyes on Zahira. Smiling like he’s friendly.
“Wha this ‘bout?” I ask.
“You’re Nickoi Jacobs. I’ve seen you down by St. Jago?” his eyes on me.
“Oh yes,” I answer, acting surprised.
“She’s so pretty. So sad you’ll be leaving without her,” he adds, voice calm. I stay quiet, letting him talk.
“Why you say that?” I ask eventually.
“You know what you’ve been doing.”
“Do what, bossy? Own mi car mart?”
“That’s not all that you do.”
I shake my head. A soldier walks in with his hand resting on Zara.
“Mi nuh wah be disrespectful, but tek yuh hand offa mi woman,” It comes out deadly He drops it quick. Mario’s brow raised. As if he’s observing how I get.
“You have guns?” the officer asks. If I say no, he’ll think I’m hiding something.
“Yes. I have a licensed one,” I answer. I’m talking about Zara’s. Mi fully dawk. Mi nuh use licensed gun. I show him my hand after laying Zahira on the couch. “It’s in my pocket. May I?”
He doesn’t answer. Just pulls it out himself. Checks it. Keeps it in his hand. His face falls when his team comes back empty handed.
“Nothing!?” he snaps.
