King of Ashes: A Novel
by S. A. Cosby
Contents
Chapter Nineteen
Overview
Neveah obtains her mother's cold case file, confronts evidence of Bonita's affair with Oscar Conley and the likelihood she was murdered, and breaks down at the train switchyard. Roman authorizes Khalil's strike on a BBB stash house, which is firebombed and destroyed along with its heroin stockpile, dramatically escalating Roman's war with the gang. Dante defies Roman to get high and receives a haunting text from someone called Cass.
Summary
Neveah leaves a winery cabin after a weekend that included a night with Detective Chauncey, who laughed off her invitation to join her. She carries a box containing her mother Bonita's cold case file, obtained from Detective Kelly, who warned her the contents would shatter her image of her parents. The file confirms Bonita was having an affair with Oscar Conley, a former employee of Keith's; that Bonita visited the crematory the day she vanished; and that only Bonita's and Keith's prints were in the abandoned car found near the train tracks. Neveah visits the switchyard, concludes her mother was murdered (not kidnapped), and screams in rage in her truck.
Neveah returns home tearful and rebuffs Roman's concern about Chauncey, calling him a piece of shit she can't ruin. Roman calls Khalil on the burner phone. Khalil has scouted a BBB stash house on Alberta Avenue holding wholesale heroin and four armed guards. Roman greenlights an attack for that night.
Dante, hungover and hurting, insists on leaving to get high despite Roman's warnings about police surveillance. Roman threatens that Khalil could make Dante disappear if he endangers their plans, but Dante calls the bluff, knowing Roman would never allow it, and takes the rental car.
That night, BBB guard Corey Gardner smells gasoline at the stash house. The house erupts in flames, followed by a second blast (Sway later guesses a grenade) that destroys it entirely along with the heroin stockpile.
Roman, dining with Jae at Fouche's in Richmond, receives a one-word text—"barbecue"—confirming the job is done. He briefly grieves his mother, recalling a broken toaster, then toasts Jae, hinting they are more than friends. Meanwhile, Dante is high on crushed Percocets at Tug's with Dulsi when he receives a text from an unknown number calling him "Deedee." He replies, "I miss u 2 Cass."
Who Appears
- Neveah CarruthersObtains Bonita's cold case file from Detective Kelly, confronts evidence of her mother's affair and murder at the switchyard, returns home distraught.
- Roman CarruthersAuthorizes Khalil's strike on the BBB stash house, fails to stop Dante from leaving, dines with Jae and receives the success text.
- Dante CarruthersDefies Roman to get high on Percocets at Tug's with Dulsi; receives a mysterious text from "Cass" calling him Deedee.
- KhalilRoman's loyal fixer; scouts and executes the firebombing of the BBB Alberta Avenue stash house.
- Detective KellyCold Case detective who hands Neveah Bonita's file at Trout's, gently warning her about its damaging contents.
- ChaunceyDetective and Neveah's lover who mocked her invitation to the winery; mentioned as a piece of shit she can't ruin.
- JaeRoman's dinner companion at Fouche's in Richmond; flirts with him and questions whether they are merely friends.
- Corey GardnerBBB guard at the Alberta Avenue stash house who smells gasoline and flees as the house is firebombed and destroyed.
- SwayBBB guard at the stash house; later speculates a grenade caused the second blast.
- MezzyBBB guard knocked into the street by the explosion; fires wildly into the burning house.
- Oscar ConleyKeith's former employee who, per the case file, admitted to a yearlong affair with Bonita and was with her the day she disappeared.
- Bonita CarruthersRoman and Neveah's missing mother; the case file reveals her affair and that her abandoned car held her blood.
- TugDante's friend hosting the drug session; argues with Raynell over pie.
- DulsiSnorts crushed Percocets with Dante and passes out at Tug's place.
- CassUnknown texter who calls Dante "Deedee" and says they miss him; Dante responds in kind.