If there is one specific rule or guideline we follow with our side business. The only two things we don’t handle transportation with are drugs and human beings. We don’t handle any of that. Our hands are clean in that matter.
“Son of a bitch.” I mutter. I walk away from the box and pushed past Joaquin, knowing that I needed to call it in. I wait for the rings to come through and on the third one he picks up.
“Keola.”
“Brother man, we have a situation.” I say.
“What now?” He shouts.
I dread telling Jackson this, “We might have to check the logs. Bobby might have snuck an extra load of contraband.”
Jackson doesn’t say a word, “What do you mean?”
Someone’s head is going to roll and it might be mine. “He’s stashing drugs in the backroom of the store.”
“You fucking kidding me,” He yells. I hear a small voice in the background. “No! I’m not going to calm down.”
Well, someone else’s head might be rolling on the floor, in a pool of blood. “Brother, maybe this isn’t the time.”
I can feel the heat coming back to me, I have the wrong timing of words, “It’s never the right fucking time. Figure this out. That shipment and dealing is on you,” He sneers out. “Figure it out. Where is Bobby? Get answers from him.”
I move towards the front of the store, and shards of glass crunch under my boot. Not good. I look at it, spots of dark red are hidden under the glass. I have seen crime scenes like this before and it’s never a good sign. The shards of glass trail along the back counter, which is missing the glass.
The counters are busted and missing merchandise. The only thing missing is Bobby. And there aren't any signs. But the blood had to come from somewhere. I look further. Jackson is still on the phone. “I have no idea. But the place looks like it’s been ransacked in here. Jesus. We might need the cleaning crew here. Maybe Topaz and Johnny.” I offer. I can hear the deep sigh from Jackson.
A sign of disappointment.
“Yeah, looks like that.” he says.
“What about the drugs?” I ask.
A moment goes by, “Step away from it. We don’t need the tracing to come back to us.”
“Roger that. Look.” I start to say I continue to walk along the back counter. Smash glass everywhere. This looks to be more than what we might have anticipated. But something catches my eyes.
A limp body hiding in the corner. Tuck away for prying eyes to overlook.
“Keola.” The voice continues to come through the phone.
I walk closer, the voice from the phone fading away. I have a strange feeling there is more of a connection with this than we got ourselves into.
The body is lifeless, no movement.
The face is too familiar to us.
“Boss, think we found Bobby.” I confess.
“Fucking hell.” He whispers. Then raises it, “No darlin’. Not right now.”
Control your temper with her, you’re too smart for that.
“Time to activate the ghost plan,” I offer the suggestion.
Ghost plan means that we wipe everything.
We were not here.
There is no tie here.
