“Is that so?” Kisa questioned, wearing a phony smile as she eyed the woman suspiciously.

“Anya and I do a lot of business,” Ta-Ta interjected nervously. “She’s starting to place orders too large for me to fill, so I thought I’d introduce her to you.”

TaTa’s action astonished Kisa. Livid, she jumped up, grabbed TaTa by the arm, and dragged her off to the side. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Kisa ripped. “Talking business in front of a stranger?”

“I know Anya well. She’s bought like close to fifty bricks from me, and I’ve never had a problem.”

“I don’t care if she bought five hundred and wanted to move up to a thousand. She is your customer, you deal with her. Now get her the hell away from my table.”

“Why?”

“’Cause I don’t trust her, and neither should you,” Kisa warned. “I mean, look at her in that old five-hundred-dollar fur, a Third Avenue dress, and those knock-off shoes. Can’t you tell by now when someone is trying too hard? She looks out of place. Quite frankly, she looks like the police.”

“Aight, Kane, I’ll get her out of here. But I’m telling you, she is straight.”

“Let her be straight around you and far away from me. Now beat it.”

TaTa went back over to Anya. “Come on, girl. Let’s go grab a couple of bottles.”

“Can’t the waitress get them for us?”

“Yeah, but I got a couple of people I need to go see.”

“I can wait for you here,” Anya said.

“You can’t wait here, you’re not welcome.” She pulled Anya away. Once at the bottom of the stairs, TaTa turned to Anya, who was actually Detective Robbins. “I know my family! So the next time I tell you that something is not going to work, it would be wise to listen.”

Back at the table, Kisa told Eisani, “I don’t know what type of shit your sister is on, but I swear I’m this close to not fucking with her.”

“What happened?” Eisani asked, confused

“She just tried to discuss business in front of that broad.”

“No, she didn’t!”

“Yes, she did, and when I checked her about it, she tells me the bitch buys mad bricks. That bum bitch look like she couldn’t buy two ounces. I think the bitch could be the police.”

“I’ll talk to her about that dumb shit tomorrow.” Eisani glanced to her left. She nudged Kisa under the table. “Here comes your boy.”