GASKINS HELD THE GLOCK loosely at his side. Broadus and Reese sat taped in their chairs, with Reese’s mouth sealed. Chantel had poured another drink and was alternately sipping it and inspecting her long painted nails.
Brock came from the back of the house and entered the living room. He was carrying a two-gallon plastic container of gasoline.
“Wh-what you fixin to do with that?” said Broadus.
Brock unlatched the cover on the yellow nozzle and the pressure cap on the rear of the container, and began to shake gasoline out and around the room.
“Nah,” said Broadus. “Nah, uh-uh.”
Brock poured gasoline over the white-woman statues, splashed some onto the leather-bound books on the shelves.
“Hold up,” said Broadus.
“You got somethin you want to say?”
“Cut me free.”
Gaskins produced a Buck knife and sliced the tape around Broadus’s hands and ankles.
“Y’all motherfuckers just serious,” said Broadus, rubbing at his wrists.
“Your cash,” said Brock.
“You lookin to bankrupt a man,” said Broadus. He walked to the television stand and picked up one of three remotes that lay upon it.
Broadus pointed the remote at the fish tank and pressed a button. The tank began to rise out of its base. As it did, a small amount of tightly packaged heroin and what looked to be a great deal of money were revealed.
Brock laughed joyously. The others stared at the bounty with varying emotions. Chantel headed for the stairs.
“Where you goin?” said Brock.
“Get something to put that money in,” said Chantel. “And my things. What you think?”
She returned with two identical Gucci suitcases and a Rolex President watch, which she fitted to Brock’s wrist. Brock let the heroin sit and filled one of the suitcases with cash. He picked it up by the handle, his gun in his right hand.
“Don’t,” said Gaskins, seeing Brock moving toward Edward Reese, still fully taped. But Brock kept walking, a man intent, pressed the barrel of the .45 to Reese’s shoulder, and squeezed the trigger.
Reese shuddered violently and flopped about in the chair. The white Rocawear shirt was shredded and blackened instantly from the powder contact. Then it seeped red. Reese tried to scream but could not get the sound out from beneath the duct tape.
“Smile now,” said Brock.
“Let’s go,” said Gaskins, and when Brock didn’t move, savoring what he had done, he shouted the same words again.
“You coming?” said Brock to Chantel.
Chantel crossed the room and joined Brock and Gaskins.
“Say your name,” said Tommy Broadus.
“Romeo Brock. Tell your grandkids, fat man.”
“You made a mistake, Romeo.”
“I got your money and your woman. From where I’m standin, it don’t look that way to me.”
Out on the street, a spotlight mounted on the door of a car flashed one time. The car turned around in the court and drove away.
“All that gasoline in there,” said Gaskins, as they walked to the cars, “and you firing off a gun. Lucky we didn’t get blowed up.”
“I got nothing but luck,” said Brock. “Think I’ll embroider a horseshoe on the headrest of my next ride.”
“Yeah, okay. But why’d you have to shoot that man?”
“Just a robbery otherwise.”
“What you sayin?”
“The words Romeo Brock ’bout to ring out on the street.” Brock pulled his keys from his pocket. “My name gonna mean something now.”