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I have reasons to believe the owner is Big Teddy himself, but without any proof, it’s just speculation.
I have to choose how to proceed before anyone inside sees me, so I go into the alleyway near the fire exit, which leads to a window that appears open. The stairs leading to the fire exit are blocked, but maybe if I climb on the dumpster, I can reach the fire exit by jumping.
Refusing to waste another second while Liv is in danger, I climb up the dumpster and take the leap of faith towards the fire exit.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
LIV
Thebigguyiscalled Bo and the smaller one is Michael – that’s all I’ve been able to learn about them on our way to theHouse of Fun, which is what they call the place where they deal drugs from and likely store them as well.
I’m taken to the back of the second floor and my heart is pounding against my chest like a jackhammer, as if it’s trying to break my ribs and escape.
“Yo, sit her there!” Michael orders Bo, pointing to a worn-out chair in the middle of the room.
Bo tosses me onto the chair, and I silently thank God for them not tying me up. As they walk around,I survey the room — it appears to be a bedroom turned into a makeshift living room with chairs, couches, a turned-off TV, and even a video game console.
Over the coffee table lie several drugs and paraphernalia. As far as my layman’s knowledge goes, it looks like there is pot, crack, and heroin, all awaiting clients.
A picture of this coffee table would be worth gold, but my camera is unfortunately in Michael’s hand. He is sitting on the couch and seems to be struggling with the device.
“Do you need some help?” I offer gently, but the boy lashes out at me like a rabid pit bull. “I know what I’m doing, bitch!”
I bite my lip and try to stay calm.
Bo walks across the room and spends a lot of time looking out of the window. It’s a back window facing the other building. There shouldn’t be much to see, but he just keeps staring out. Then he signals, and in the end starts to walk out of the room, halted by Michael calling out his name.
“Bo!” he says, the name said with violence on his lips. “Bring the boss in here, I want him to see something!”
“Gotcha,” Bo says, resuming his walk.
“Who’s the boss?” I ask, my voice fleeting.
“Huh?” Michael looks away from the camera and squints his eyes at me. “The boss is the boss, lady!”
“Big Teddy?” I ask, daring. “Is he here?”
“Uh-huh,” he nods. “Big Teddy is always around.”
He goes back to focusing his attention on the camera, and I’m left alone with my thoughts. There’s no way I’m running out of here; Michael is armed, Bo is armed, and likely Big Teddy is armed too. Not to mention the guys on the first floor, who are the first line of security for the place.
“You can keep the camera if you let me go,” I try the next best thing: bullshitting my way out of this place. “It’s worth a lot of money.”
“Not interested, lady,” he says, nonchalant. “I bet I make in a day way more than this camera is worth. You just wait there. Nobody wants you dead; we just want you to send out a message. You work for a newspaper, right?”
“Magazine, but yeah…” I say, conceding defeat and deciding to wait. “I can deliver a message.”
I don’t dare to ask what that message might be. I figure Big Teddy will be the one to tell me. And soon, he arrives.
Escorted by several men, I know exactly who he is by the menacing aura he exudes. Average-looking, with furrowed eyebrows under a red bandanna, Big Teddy walks over to me.
I try not to quiver as Big Teddy looks me over, from head to toe and bosom to ass. “You didn’t tell me she was so pretty, Bo!” he says, kissing my hand. “In case you don’t know me already, I’m Big Teddy, lady.”
I smile, nervously, but do my best to not let it show. “Nice to meet you, Big Teddy. I’m Liv.”
“What a beautiful name,” he smiles, but I will not trust his charming manners. This man has two faces, and the other one will have me killed in no time. “What brings you to my humble neighborhood, Liv?”
“My colleague and I were doing a piece on the party,” I say. “It’s just part of an article about local celebrations.”
