We’ve been attempting to gain your attention. You’re a very busy woman and one with too many eyes for your own good. We have seen you become successful, bringing in many people within our lovely city.
We believe that someone is holding you back from becoming even more successful. Perhaps even more powerful. We could see a beautiful partnership that would give you more assistance with that lingering debt from your own mother’s senior living.
We can be more helpful than your current associates. If you're interested, turn your pink neon sign on, and we’ll be in touch.
Sincerely,
A trusted new business partner.
I read the letter over and over again. It wasn’t a scam, it was someone trying to poach a good, and prideful, woman by holding her family over her head. We scanned the next two letters. Fender took out his phone taking photos and sent it to our board.
I saw red.
We had taken care of our issues months ago, and it seemed like when one problem ended, another one would pop up like a daisy.
Raven’s eyes flooded with fear, fear of the unknown, fear that we would turn our frustration out on her.
She fumbled with her hands, showing the stress that coursed through her body.
“How long have these been coming?” Skaggs chimed in.
“A couple of weeks. The last letter was three days ago.” Her voice was soft.
“Why didn’t you come to us with this?” Fender treaded lightly.
She quickly shook her head. “Because I wasn’t going to do anything. I thought it was a scam, someone trying to scare me or something. I have never been one to say I needed more money. I have been content. I’m blessed to have your business, your assistance. I’m in your good graces, why the fuck would I go back on y’all?” Her voice trembled, yet I knew she was telling the truth.
Whoever sent the letter was targeting a close associate but one we would never have trouble with, again someone quiet enough to pass by our radar.
A single tear streamed down her cheek. I offered my sleeve for it, but she quickly wiped it away.
“I’ve been scared that whoever this is, they have been watching my store, and watching closely. I never turn on my pink neon, it clashes, I just have been too lazy to take it down,” she explained.
“Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary? Any word from your neighbors on this “recruitment”?” Skaggs pestered on.
She shook her head. “Well, at least about the neighbors part.”
“And about anything out of the ordinary?” I pressed.
She bit her lower lip. The same move Amelia did when she was worried about telling me something I wouldn’t like. Fuck, I was down bad for that girl.
“Every once in a while I see a SUV down the block. It’s not that suspicious, just this neighborhood or at least block of business isn’t known to have big SUVs, maybe like lifted trucks or something.” she admitted.
Skaggs took to the window, scanning the streets back and forth.
Ms. Raven was worried, either about retaliation or that she was about to get involved in a situation that she wasn’t ready for.
“Shooter, I can’t lose my store,” she said sheepishly.
“You won’t.”
“But this threat, someone knows about y’all and knows how I’m associated with the club. I can’t go down and lose everything.” Tears streamed down her face, and a tiny bit of guilt hit my chest.
Before I could console her, a loud yell boomed through the store. “Hit the deck!”
Fender jumped over the counter, bringing Ms. Raven down with him. Rounds of shots pelted through the storm, rapidly hitting everything in their path. Skaggs hid down by a thick wall near the door.
Scatters of glass and materials from the store bursted, causing more and more chaos in its path. Ms. Raven’s screams filled the air. My instincts took in, crouching low to the ground to head through the front door.
