“That’s right, it is. And I do remember you,” Diane replied and cut her eyes.
“So, what’s up?”
“Nothing,” Diane said coldly as she walked away.
“Damn, it’s like that?” Travis asked, but Diane simply kept going without a word.
“She just cold dissed you, Tee,” Jackie said.
“Whatever, Jackie. I’ve been dissed by finer women than her and in better places than this. She’s not the first woman to dis me, and she damn sure won’t be the last,” Travis said as the waitress arrived.
“Can I get you something from the bar?”
“Hennessey straight up all around,” Ronnie ordered. She disappeared to get their drinks. “So, this is the house that Mike Black built? It really is a nice spot, Travis. Nothing like what I thought it would be.”
“Yeah, but it’s changed a lot since Black’s been gone.”
The changes in clientele and atmosphere brought with them a significant decline the club’s revenue. This fact did not go unnoticed by Wanda Moore, the organization’s lawyer and business manager. She handled the money, making smart investments, and made the members of the organization a ton of money over the years.
Wanda entered Cuisine and looked around at the half-empty club. She shook her head and went off in search of Freeze. As Wanda walked by, she stopped and looked in Travis’s direction. Travis waved to her, but Wanda just rolled her eyes and continued her search.
“Who is that fine ass muthafucka there, Travis?” Ronnie asked.
“If you fuck up on a job again, you’ll be spending a lot of time with her,” Travis advised.
“What you talkin’ about?”
“That’s Wanda Moore.” Ronnie and Jackie both looked at Travis with questioning eyes. “She our lawyer.”
“Oh,” they both said as they watched Wanda walk away.
Wanda made her way around the club and found Freeze seated at a table in the back. She should have known where to find him. Freeze always sat in the back of anyplace he went, and always with a clear view every door. That way he could see who was coming in and would have time to respond if it became necessary to do so.
“Yo, what’s up, Wanda? Have a seat.”
“Stand up, Freeze,” Wanda commanded. Freeze took a deep breath and complied with her request. “Look around this place. Do you see anything wrong with this picture?”
“It’s a little empty. But it’ll pick up later in the evening.”
“I’ve been looking at the numbers for the last few months. Revenue has been steadily going down since you took over.”
“It has?” Freeze asked. “I hadn’t noticed that.”
“Well, you need to start payin’ attention to what’s goin’ on in here,” Wanda demanded.
“All right, Wanda. I got it. But like I said, it picks up later in the evening.”
“What do you mean later in the evening?”
“I mean later. You know, a time that comes after now.”
“I don’t think you’re understanding me, Freeze. This is a supper club, not some after hours spot. There are supposed to be people in here having dinner. And what are all these thugs doin’ up in here?”
“They’re just some of my peeps come to hang for a minute, that’s all.”
“This is not that type of place, Freeze. This is not the Late Night; this is not a thug hang out. We are marketing to a different, more upscale clientele here, Freeze, not to the people you do business with. And who the hell is that no-singin’ bitch you got on stage?”
“That’s-” Freeze started to say, but Wanda cut him off.
“I don’t give a fuck who she is. Fire her no-singin’ ass tonight. The next time I come in here I better see Que back up on stage and Angela Gray up there singin’ her ass off. And you need to tell all your thug buddies that they can’t come up in here without a suit,” Wanda said and paused.
“Freeze, you’re doing a great job running the organization, but I think Black made a big mistake leaving you in charge of this place. But this is where he wants you, so that’s that. Just try to understand this is Black’s baby. He worked very hard to make something of this place. He left you to run it for him. Not me, not Bobby; he left it to you to run for him, Freeze. So please, don’t disappoint him. He and I both expect you not to run it into the ground. Am I getting through to you?”
“Yeah, Wanda, damn. I understand what you’re sayin’,” Freeze said quietly. He didn’t like being punked like that by anybody, not even Wanda. But he knew she was right, so he didn’t push it.
“And isn’t that your buddy, the high-tech wannabe robber?”
“Yeah, what about him? He got a suit on, don’t he?”
“That’s not the point. What’s he doing in here, Freeze?”
“He came to give me my taste of the job he ran today.”
“Freeze, you can’t do business in here or Impressions or any other legitimate business we got. Meet them anywhere but here,” Wanda said as she started to walk away. “And Freeze, you need to start wearing a suit when you’re here.”
“Yes, Wanda.”
Wanda stopped and turned around. She walked back toward Freeze. “I heard that Nick was back in the city. Have you seen him?”
“No, why?”
“Just wondering why he hasn’t been around to see anybody,” Wanda answered.
“You know as well as I do, maybe even better than I do why Nick ain’t been around, Wanda,” Freeze said and sat back down at his table. “Don’t play dumb. You know Nick ain’t been around cause of that shit with him and Bobby.”
“Well, if you see or talk to him, tell him to call me,” Wanda requested.
As Freeze watched Wanda walk away he said, “Yeah, right. I’m sure Nick is just dyin’ to talk to your shit-talkin’ ass.” Diane came toward his table.
“Excuse me, Freeze. Travis is here to see you. Do you want me to show him to the office?”
“No, that’s all right, Diane. I’ll go over there and talk to him.” Freeze paused for a second. “One more thing, Diane. Start enforcing the old dress code. I’ll make sure you have security up there to back you up.”
“You’re the boss,” Diane said and walked away.
No, the boss just left.
Freeze got up and walked toward the table where Travis was sitting. “What’s up, y’all?” Freeze said as he took a seat.
“What’s up, Freeze?” Travis reached in his coat for the envelope containing the money he had for Freeze.
“No,” Freeze said quickly in anticipation of what Travis was about to do. “Meet me at Cynt’s in two hours. We’ll talk there. And from now on, when you need to see me, call me and I’ll tell you when and where to meet me. Understood?” Freeze said and moved on to the next table.
“What’s up with that?” Ronnie asked.
“How should I know?” Travis replied. “We’ll just meet him at Cynt’s in two hours. I’m sure you two won’t mind, since that’s probably where y’all were goin’ anyway. Spend some of that money. I know it’s burnin’ a hole your pockets,” he said as he got up and started for the door.
“Shit, like that wasn’t where you were goin’,” Jackie said as she followed Travis and Ronnie to the door.
Four hours later, Freeze still hadn’t arrived at Cynt’s, and it really didn’t seem to matter. Cynt’s was the kind of place where you went to escape. Cynt’s was the kind of place where you went to indulge all of your passions, no matter what they were. You could be or do anything you wanted, as long as it didn’t hurt or bother anybody. Liquor, gambling, and of course, you could experience the pleasures of the women in the house. Cynt’s was a place where fantasies did come true.
Travis sat at a table in the corner of the room where Freeze always sat when he was at Cynt’s. While he waited for Freeze to arrive, a dancer who called herself Mystique was entertaining Travis. She was a tall woman with beautiful, dark eyes and deep caramel skin. Travis had never noticed her on any of his other visits to Cynt’s, although she’d been there every time. He sat, watching her dance, and losing himself in the seductive movements of her hips.
Maybe it’s time to quit.