It’s Friday night and the only music store in the mall, Da Hot Spot, is the place to be. Crammed with a young, rowdy crowd, the Spot pounds with a steady hip-hop beat that draws in the customers and keeps them milling in the aisles. When an employee sees two guys casing the store, she advises manager Bill Jackson to call security. But the last thing Bill wants is to cause a scene, particularly one that might incite racial tension. In the hopes of settling things quietly, he asks the alleged shoplifters to empty their pockets. Jamal Bey and his cousin Tyrece have long been regular customers at the Spot. Jamal knows Bill, but neither Tyrece nor Bill’s employees know just how well. When he’s asked, Jamal agrees to show Bill what’s in his pants ... but only in private. So the two head for the back room, where Bill discovers just how hot Jamal’s merchandise is.

Hot Merchandise

With a slight nod, he says, “There’s a back room.” When Angie starts to protest, he raises a hand and his voice to silence her. “It’ll be fine. Just the two of us. If you’ll follow me?”


He doesn’t wait for Jamal to respond. Instead, he jingles the set of keys in his pocket and weaves through the crowd, down the aisle, heading to the locked door at the back of the store. Even though music still blares through the sound system, the crowd is quiet and Bill feels as if the world has stopped. Everyone watches him walk the length of the store. Everyone waits to see what’s going to happen next.


When he reaches the door, he turns and sees Jamal right behind him, thank goodness. If the guy hadn’t followed, he doesn’t know what he’d do. Shaking out the right key on his ring, he unlocks the door and steps inside. 


Chapter 3