Forever a Hustler's Wife by Nikki Turner Read Free Book Online

sitting with his back toward Jarbo and Twinkle, listened to Jarbo carry on his business transaction over the cell phone. For the next couple of days, Des watched Jarbo as he made his moves and, in the process, Des even saw him meet with a police officer. Jarbo was so carefree in the little town that he never noticed Des watching him.
    After a week of studying Jarbo’s routine, Des put his plan into motion. He first packed up his things so that he could check out of his hotel room quickly when he was done. He then went to the hotel gift shop and purchased a bottle of hotel springwater before heading to the sauna. Upon entering the room, he picked up the business section of the newspaper someone had left behind, took a seat on the wooden bench, and read the newspaper. Des patiently waited for Jarbo to make his daily trip to the sauna with his bottle of hotel-issued springwater in hand, the same thing he did every day at 1:00 P.M. sharp, right after having lunch with Twinkle at the hotel’s five-star buffet.
    Jarbo picked up the part of the paper that Des wasn’t reading and made himself comfortable on the wooden bench about two feet away from Des. Once the heat came up, they both put down their papers, and Jarbo began talking Des’s head off.
    “We don’t see too many brothers around these parts much. Where are you from?” Jarbo asked, without looking up at Des. Jarbo twisted the cap off his water bottle and took a long, thirsty sip. It was as if he had been contemplating whether or not to make the comment.
    “I peeped that.” Des nodded as he sat and appreciated the relaxing effects of the sauna. “I’m from North Carolina.”
    “You here on vacation?” Jarbo asked.
    Des followed suit, twisting the cap off his own water bottle and putting it to his lips. “Well, my wife has a convention for her job not too far from here, so she suggested we stay here to get some quality time in.” Des turned the tables. “And you? You here on vacation?”
    “No, not at all,” Jarbo said, laughing. “I’ve been here for about a month. Just laying low from the hustle and bustle of the city.” He placed his water down between himself and Des.
    Des shook his head and replied, “Must be nice. What do you do for a living that you can take off a whole month?”
    “I own a few lucrative businesses.” This time Jarbo turned the tables. “And you?”
    “I’m a repetologist,” Des said proudly.
    “Really?” Jarbo sounded interested. “Damn, man, I ain’t never met no brother who was into reptiles before.” The heat was starting to relax him. Jarbo put a towel over his head to help clear his sinuses. Des smiled and leaned back on the bench.
    “I never met a brother who owned a bunch of lucrative businesses.” Des quickly took his water bottle and placed it down next to Jarbo’s. He immediately picked Jarbo’s up. Just as he had it in hand, Jarbo spoke. “What are you doing?”
    Des was caught red-handed.
    “Huh?” Des said, with a hint of nervousness.
    “What are you doing now? What are you studying?” Jarbo’s words were muffled, coming from underneath the towel.
    “Studying?” Des echoed, almost losing his cool.
    “Yes, for work. What is your latest study?”
    “Before I came here I was studying this incredible venomous snake out of Africa,” Des said. “The two-step viper.”
    “Oh yeah?” Jarbo said as he sat up, removed his head cover, and took a sip from his water bottle.
    “Yeah,” Des said.
    “Sounds interesting.” Jarbo took another gulp of water.
    “Yeah, well, I guess it’s not your everyday work thing.” Des shrugged his shoulders as if he could take it or leave it.
    “So, what about those Pistons?” Jarbo said, switching the subject. He could sense that Des didn’t really feel like talking about his job.
    Before Des could even respond to Jarbo’s last question, the three drops of the two-step viper poison Jarbo had just drunk took effect, sending him into cardiac arrest. Within