Clifford drove to Rosalyn's Bed and Breakfast, he never planned to drop his life in Georgia and stay in New City for the rest of his life. But the way things were looking,he wasn't leaving anytime soon. Quinten had told Clifford about the bed and breakfast said,"Its a real great place I was there after the funeral handling business." Clifford had never been to New City and thought,"Bed,Breakfast.I need rest and food,guess it'll do." After talking to Rosalyn and her husband Manny he found out that there was a party and a girl was raped and nearly died. Clifford knew that his cousin Charlie was a drug dealer, but he didn't want to believe that he could have organized something like that. Charlie handed down the rains to him but Clifford was now the leader of something he had no idea about. His main concern wasn't what was being moved or how much had to be shipped or ordered or prepared, his main concern was Minerva,Abby and Susie.
Charlie had sent him letters every week talking about his family and how everything was so perfect. Clifford believed every word with hope that it was the truth,but in his gut he knew it was all lies. He walked into the Bed and Breakfast and waved a hello to Manny who was watching the entrance. The Victorian building was so beautiful,just like walking into the 1920s. He smiled and thought,"I could be like Al Capone in the old days,and take over this town." He shook his head,"Dirty money,don't mean anything when you have actually felt what its like to make clean hard earned money.I don't think I could do that part Charlie,I've lived too honest to start lieing now.You already got me lieing part time,I'm not going to make it a full time job.[he looked up]Just making sure we clear." He walked up the stairs to his room and stepped inside.Tossing his keys on the dresser beside the door and turned the TV on just for noise.As Clifford began to undress his phone rang.
"Hello?"Clifford said."Cliff its Quinten. Wassup?"Quinten sounded like he was out of breath."I'm good,at Rosalyn's about to call it a day.You good?" He replied. "Yeah me and some of the guys were playing football,our way of releasing all the anger and steam of the day,you should play with us one day."Clifford was a quarterback in High school and gained a scholarship because of it,but his glory days were ages ago. "Maybe one day..."Clifford said with a chuckle then continued,"...So do you know what happen here a few days ago when I came here Rosalyn and her husband were talking about some girl who got raped,I remember you told me you were here." It was silent. "I'm not accusing you or nothing i was just trying to figure out if that had anything to do with the business." Clifford replied to the silence. "Well,we get a call to do something, we say a price, they give it and it gets done."Quinten replied without emotion. "Charlie never told me alot about the business,I just want to know exactly what it is that we do."Clifford said sternly. "OK, think of it like an relay race.You control which way the runners move,if you want you could completely cut people out of the race but they would have to be replaced. Each person hands off the product to another person,in exchange for money.More racers means more money. Yeah you give people a cut,but your cut is always more than theres.That's what makes you the boss." Clifford was confused it made no sense,but he knew that laughing at how stupid the whole metaphor was would be disrespectful so he just agreed to whatever Quinten said. "So when can I expect you to handle the business?"Quinten asked. "I need time Quin."Clifford said hoping he would understand. "I'm willing to give you all the time you want,just give me the orders to handle business and ill handle it."Quinten replied. Clifford smiled and thought, "Finally a way out of this shit.I wonder if Cuz would allow him as the leader?But if he already did what he did to that girl i cant allow that shit to happen again,maybe i could stop all the bad shit-" Quinten interrupted his thoughts,"So whats it going to be?" Clifford spoke,"Listen,I want you to handle business but I want you to clear your decisions with me first and tell me everyday whats happening." Quinten was quiet."Understood?"Clifford demanded. "Yes....Boss." Quinten replied and hung up. Clifford shut off the light and went to sleep.
Clifford woke up the next day disoriented.Remembering where he was and why he thought,"Damn this is going to take awhile." Realizing the time he quickly showered and began to leave his room when he realized he didn't have his wallet.He grabbed it and a picture fell from it.It was the picture of Miverva and the girls that Charlie had sent him in one of his letters.Clifford always admired how beautiful Minerva looked and how cute the girls looked.On the back Charlie wrote,"My Love Minerva and My two darlings Abby and Susie."Clifford smiled then ran to his car and drove to New City Apartments...
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