Page 40 of Double

My fingers gripped the steering wheel again.

After dinner, Big Hill announced to the ladies that the men were going to take a drive. That explanation was for Tinsley’s benefit. I could tell that both my mother and Lynne knew “take a drive” was a colloquialism by the way they rolled their eyes at him.

I wasn’t surprised that Big Hill, my dad, and I ended up at Lucky Day’s Lead & Iron Supply. It was Lucky’s gun range, and it was the perfect place for me to blow off some steam. Lucky and Justus were waiting at the door when we pulled up.

“Closing down Mahogany Hall go all right?” Big Hill asked, slipping out of his coat as soon as we stepped into the building.

“Yeah, them broads ain’t want it,” Lucky assured him before smirking at me. “Double, I thought your ass was about to crash out on Compton’s dumb ass. You had murder blazin’ in ya eyes. I ain’t never seen you look like that.”

“Me neither, bro. I was kinda glad that Diamond had already taken off. You was ’bout to catch a case.” Justus eyed me.

“Now we know what it takes to make Double come outside himself,” my father commented.

“For real.” Lucky scratched at his temple. “But I thought this marriage was fake and shit.”

Before I could respond, Big Hill spoke. “Don’t matter. That’s his wife. His woman to protect, and if I taught any of you anything in this life, it’s to always protect your women. They ain’t gotta belong to you to belong to you, if you know what I mean. That’s why this one’s first inclination was to protect Passion all those years ago.” He thumbed his finger at my dad. “She belonged to his best friend, was technically off limits, . . . until she wasn’t.” He chuckled.

My father shook his head. “Come on, Hill. You know you wanted us together.”

My grandfather laughed his ass off. “Guilty. I pushed so hard that I almost made Passion’s little rebellious ass write you off.”

“Was never gonna happen.” He shook his head. “Like you said, she was mine, . . . even when she wasn’t.”

Lucky led us to the shooting lanes. Typically, a customer would stop in the showroom first to select their firearm of choice, but since we were all holding, we skipped that step.

“Say, Double, you good with your regular heat or you want to let something fly? You want an automatic? Hollow points?”

“Fuck you, Luck,” I said, thankful that he was able to make me chuckle.

“All right, family,” Lucky said, and he was all business. “It’s just us here; but, yet, and still, this is my business. We gon’ follow the rules and not have no mistakes. Before any weapons are discharged, I’mma need you to put on your earmuffs and your glasses. Once you do that, you can load your targets and start.”

I grabbed a target from the stack and attached the two metal clips to the shoulders of the human silhouette. I took my time getting it straight, taking deep breaths and trying not to let myself think too hard about old girl touching Tinsley’s face. Once the target was secure, I hit the button on the keypad and sent it down the lane.

I watched it move down the motorized track. Once it was in position, I lifted my gun. Steadying myself, I aimed for the midsection—the chest—and let off round after round. When the clip was empty, I let my hand drop to my side. Lucky walked into my lane, hit the keypad, and brought the destroyed target toward us.

“A’ight, Cousin.” He removed the tattered paper from the clips and replaced it with a new silhouette. “I see⁠—”

“Send it back down there.” The new clip clicked into place.

“Okay. You apparently have some more shit on you. I’mma gon’ ’head and let you get it off.” He hit the keypad, starting the process of sending a new target down the lane.

15

My Man, My Man, My Man

Tinsley

“Uncle?”

“Yes, niece. It’s me.”

“Oh my goodness, I’m so happy to hear your voice. I’ve been worried sick,” I cried into the phone. I had just stepped back into my bedroom after my morning shower and heard my phone ringing.

“Your aunt and I are fine. The boys and their families are fine. It took us a few weeks to truly get settled here on the island.”

“Are you still in the Caribbean?

“Yes. We’re staying with friends on Oriana Cay.”