What Da Lick Read? The Triple Cross

by McCray, Sevyn

  “Man, come on now? You know my sack rite. I don’t need you to buy me no computers shawty. But what I do need from you is a bottle of Actavis, pronto. You have had me on punishment long enough.”

  “Okay, I know you have had a rough twenty-four plus hours and you haven’t had any sleep, so that may be the reason why you are switching up on me. Because I know you ain’t trying to handle me cause your sisters are there with you. We don’t even rock like that lil’ ma. You do not have to put on a show for real. I’m feeling you. The real you, so whoever the fuck this is can listen to the dial-tone. Please do tell Reality to give me a call when she has a chance.” Jaimes ended the call.

  Reality pulled the phone away from her ear and just looked at it. She shook her head. She couldn’t believe that he had hung up on her. How was he gonna catch an attitude? He was the one that was on the sneaky shit. She had something for him. Reality wasn’t about to get her feelings any more wrapped up in him if he was fucking Gigi. That was the only reason that he would keep the fact that he knew her a secret.

  “Who was that? Your Boo? Loyalty asked.

  “Dat was D.J., but that nigga ain’t my boo. I don’t do secrets and it’s something in my gut telling me that this nigga is full of them.” Reality angrily threw her phone down on the ottoman.

  It seemed like every time the word secret was mentioned, it made Honesty’s flesh crawl. “Don’t be so mean. Your mean ass gonna drive that man away.”

  “Man, if it is that easy to get rid of the nigga, then he ain’t for me no way. I ain’t hard up for a nigga. Shit, he is just the one that has caught my attention emotionally. We connect on a spiritual level. It is not even about the worldly things when it comes to me and dude. That’s the feeling that I want the most out of a relationship. I don’t want no nigga that is chasing after me cause I’m Coach K’s baby girl, or a nigga chasing after me cause I’m light skin with long hair and light eyes. I don’t want a nigga that is chasing after me because I do what I do with the computers and shit. I want a nigga that want me for me, what is on the inside and that is how I feel about dude, but something in the milk ain’t clean. I just got to find out what it is.” Reality was filled with so much passion when she spoke about Jaimes.

  The three of them sat quietly in the den. Loyalty picked up the remote and turned on the television. She started flipping channels trying to find something for them to watch.

  “I’m hungry. Let’s order some take out from that Chinese restaurant that delivers. They use to have some good Egg Foo Yung,” Honesty said as she got up and went into the kitchen to look for the menu. She knew since Pop-Pop lived alone, a lot of days when he was working from home, he would order from them.

  “What are you looking for Truth?” Reality asked her sister as she reached over and got her iPhone off of the ottoman. She looked the restaurant up on her phone, found the number and had them on the line. She ordered herself Shrimp Lo Mein, Crab Rangoon and two vegetable spring rolls. Loyalty ordered Shrimp Egg Foo Yung and two seafood egg rolls.

  Honesty walked back in looking down at the menu in her hands. “Give me my phone; just looking at this menu, has my stomach growling. I’m going to order me an Egg Drop soup with extra Wontons, a large Shrimp Fried Rice, braised wings with lemon pepper on them and two seafood egg rolls.”

  “I would like to add an Egg Drop soup with extra Wontons, a large Shrimp Fried Rice, braised wings with lemon pepper on them and two seafood egg rolls” Reality repeated into her phone.

  “What the what?” Honesty looked up at her sister in amazement.

  Reality held up her phone and said “If you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have an iPhone.” As she burst out laughing, falling off of the couch.

  The sisters were having a good time together and were not thinking about all that was going on in the outside world. But someone was watching them as they laughed and talked and they didn’t even know it.

  “But seriously Truth, who have you been spending your nights with? It’s someone because you haven’t been home in the last few days. You know what’s up with me, and you know what’s up with Loyalty. What’s going on? Are you holding out on us? Where have you been the last few nights? Reality quizzed her sister as she sat back on the sofa.

  “I have been with Gorgeous.” Honesty said quietly as she got up and left the room.

  Chapter 13: Smile in yo’ face, all da time they tryna take yo’ place…..Backstabbers.

  Khalil pulled his Silverado truck up at Slow Poke’s house and shook his head. He was still in shock to know that his best friend had changed so suddenly. As he got out and rang the doorbell, he looked at the football and skateboard in the yard. They must belong to his girl’s children. He had never met this one. Poke changed women like he changed clothes, so he knew this one had to be special for Poke to leave her in his house.

  She opened the door wearing an apron and with a little girl on her hip. To say that she was beautiful would be an understatement. She was breathtaking and young. She was young enough to be his daughter. “Can I help you?” The young lady said looking at the man who looked so familiar to her.

  “Hey, I know you don’t know me. My name is Khalil. I’m Poke’s best friend. Can I have a word with you?”

  “That’s why you look so familiar. I have seen many pictures of you and your family. Come in, please come in.” She said as she opened the door wider to let him in. She was praying to herself that Poke hadn’t overdosed somewhere or that no one had hurt him about some drugs. She put the little girl down and reached out and gave Khalil a hug. She walked into the living room. “Have a seat, have a seat. My name is Jazmeir. What can I do for you?”

  Khalil sat down on the white leather sofa. He looked around at the décor. A lot had changed since the last time he was here. It was decorated nicely with the white contemporary furniture. He knew that had to be Jazmeir’s doing cause he couldn’t see Poke having this much creativity. The little girl walked over to him and reached for him to pick her up. Khalil bent down and picked her up and sat her on his lap. She was the spitting image of her mother. She rubbed his beard and laid her head in the crook of his neck. “She is a sweetie. I remember when my youngest daughter Reality was this age. She was the meanest little thing. Come to think of it, she still is.”

  “She feels your spirit. It is good and kind. She cries so hard when Poke tries to pick her up. The only way that she goes to him is if he has some food or candy. Her name is Harmony Rain. I have some gumbo on the stove; I need to turn it down. I will be right back.” Jazmeir turned and walked toward the kitchen.

  Khalil couldn’t help himself; he looked at her butt as she walked away. She had on some of those Pink pants that his daughter just had on. He shook his head, not only was she his daughter’s age, but this was his friend’s woman. He looked down at the pretty little girl and noticed that she was dozing off to sleep. He tried to be as still as possible. She smelled just like Johnson’s baby lotion.

  Jazmeir walked back into the room; she had taken the apron off. She had on a halter top that matched her pants. Her stomach was flat as a board like she had birthed no children. She sat down on the loveseat opposite of him. “So how can I help you today? I feel like you are bringing bad news. I have been with Poke for almost a year and I have heard a lot about you but I have never seen you.”

  “I like your accent. Where are you from?” Khalil asked Jazmeir.

  “I am from Santo Domingo. I have been here for five years. You see you do have a calming spirit. Harmony has fallen asleep on you.” Jazmeir got up and picked the little girl up from Khalil’s arms. “Excuse me once again.”

  Poke sure had been keeping secrets. Khalil didn’t know how to handle the entire situation. He needed clarification. He knew that if he murdered his best friend that he would live with that for the rest of his life. He sat on the sofa and rubbed his beard where the little girl had rubbed it.

  “She is sound asleep. You are a good babysitter. Can I show you something? Follow m
e.” Jazmeir led him down the steps to the basement. She turned on the light.

  “What the hell?” The walls were filled with pictures of him, his kids, Gorgeous and Black Sillk. Some of them were recent and some of them were as far back as ten years ago. He looked around in amazement.

  Jazmeir broke through the awkward silence. “He is obsessed with you. You are all he talks about. It is not in a good way. I told him that it wasn’t right what he was doing and he always told me that he wasn’t doing anything. But I could feel it in my spirit that he was turning more and more evil. He went in his scrap book and got out all of your pictures and put them on the wall. He would come down here and talk to the pictures like you were dead or something. I wanted to reach out and let you know but I didn’t know where to start to look for you. I know it is the drugs making him act like this. It has to be. I mean how else in the world could one suddenly hate someone who has been their best friend for their whole lives.”

  “Do you hear what he says when he talks to the pictures? You got to know that I have never did anything but help him all these years.” Khalil was so hurt. He looked at a picture that had him and Killian on it and both of them had darts through them.

  “He talks as if he is in a trance. He repeats things over and over. I caught him saying something about your kingdom falling. It’s time for him to reign over what is supposed to be his.” She said.

  Khalil walked toward the steps. He had seen enough, he turned around one more time as he started up the steps and looked at all the pictures again. He just couldn’t believe it.

  “I couldn’t take it anymore. People were showing up here all times of night knocking on the door looking for him. He never slept. He would walk all night whenever he was here. Whenever I said something to him, he would start cursing me out. Poke use to be so sweet when I first met him. I have two kids. I wouldn’t have my kids around someone like him if I knew he was like this. The drugs have taken over. He was about to lose the house. It had been put up for foreclosure. The mortgage hadn’t been paid in almost a year. I came home from school and there was a letter in the mailbox saying that the house would be sold on the steps of the Fulton County Courthouse the following week. I went to him and he told me that he didn’t have the money and that we would have to move to his other house. He took me to that shack on Perry Blvd. I couldn’t raise my kids in nothing like that. He told me it would only be temporary. I went to the courthouse and bought the house myself. I came back and I had all of his stuff taken to the other house. I got a restraining order taken out and he can’t come here or anywhere near me and my children.” Jazmeir went into the kitchen and washed her hands. She then went to the big pot on the stove and started stirring it.

  The smell of the food drifted through the air. “That sure smells good.” Khalil said as his stomach growled.

  “You are more than welcome to stay for dinner. My son should be coming home from the after school program within the next ten minutes.” Jazmeir put the top back on the pot and turned the stove off.

  Khalil couldn’t believe that Poke had lost his house. He wondered why he didn’t come and ask him to help him out. When Poke bought that house it was his pride and joy. It was the first one built in that particular subdivision. He remembered Poke telling him that the Camp Creek area was gonna be big and he was getting in before everyone else. It amazed him that Poke hadn’t paid for the house. He knew that he had the money over and over again to pay it off. But then he wondered to himself, where in the world did this young girl get the money to buy the house herself.

  Jazmeir rushed to the door as a horn blew. A little boy ran up to her and gave her a hug. She waved at the driver and turned and shut the door. She took off his back pack and the lightweight Polo windbreaker that he had on. Then she bent down and gave him a kiss on both cheeks.

  Khalil looked up and she was standing there in front of him with a dark skinned little boy with a head full of jet black curly hair that looked so familiar to him. “Hey lil’ man. You had a good day at school? My name is Khalil. I’m a new friend of your mother’s.”

  “My name is Champion and yes sir I had a good day” he stuttered and he walked over and gave Khalil a hug.

  “See I told you that you have a really good spirit Mr. Khalil. Champ, put your backpack in your room and wash up for dinner. Will you be staying for dinner?”

  “I’m sorry but I can’t stay. I still have a lot of stuff to take care of before I go in. I’m getting to be an old man. I don’t like to be hanging out late like I use to. But here is my card. It has all of my numbers and my email. If you think of anything else or if you see anything else, give me a call.” Khalil said as he made his way to the front door.

  “Okay I will and by the way you are not an old man and if you are, you look very nice for your age. I hope what I told you will be helpful. Be safe.” Jazmeir reached up and gave him a hug and kissed him on his cheek.

  Khalil walked back to his truck with so many thoughts going through his head. One of the main thoughts was where did this girl come from. There was something very calming about her. He can see why her and Poke aren’t together anymore because he is very chaotic. He didn’t know her age but she seemed very mature even though her appearance was young. He pulled out of the driveway and headed back toward the city. He never saw the pair of eyes watching him.

  Chapter 14: The streets ain’t safe

  Gorgeous sat behind her desk. The last few days had been hell. There was a bottle of Patron, a cup of salt, a cup of limes and a shot glass sitting on her desk. She had been drinking for the last hour. The thoughts were running rampant in her head, the main two being Honesty and Poke. Honesty had been texting her all day. She was worried that everyone was going to find out about them. Concrete was sitting in the chair facing her. He was worried about her. He wanted to go ahead and kill Poke. His whole logic was that since he was a threat, they needed to go ahead and nip it in the bud. Uncle K had told her to wait and let him handle it, but she didn’t feel comfortable with this known threat in the streets.

  She had put a tail on Poke so she now knew his every move. She placed a call to Killian, he was her enforcer. Before she had put him on her team, he was robbing everybody that wasn’t affiliated with his dad. Which meant all of her key players; everyone was scared of him so no one would retaliate. His mere presence struck fear in men twice his age. He was a good person to have on her side. She paid him well and in exchange he made sure that everyone stayed in line and if they didn’t, they would have a price to pay. He was a very skilled murderer, he didn’t look like one and the target never knew what hit them.

  “What’s up sis? What’s up fam?” Killian greeted Gigi and Concrete when he walked into the office. He sat down in the other leopard print chair facing the desk. He looked at Gigi and he could tell that she was worried. He had never seen her drink, not even at her own party. This entire Poke situation was getting out of hand. It was fucking with everybody that he was around.

  “Bro, what do you think that I should do?” Gigi asked Killa as she looked him dead in the eyes. Shit had been going too good for her lately. She hadn’t taken any losses in the streets and her team was strong. She knew that problems tend to arise, but she was used to taking care of them as soon as she encountered them.

  “Man, this shit is just fucked up. That nigga is like my uncle and now he out here on this fuck shit. Somebody is going to body him either way it goes. I just think it needs to happen more sooner than later because we can’t afford any losses. I want to do it myself because I don’t want my father to have to live with the fact that he killed his best friend.”

  “I feel ya. That is what I was thinking when I met with Uncle K earlier and he told me that he was gonna handle it. This has to be hurting him. That is just like me having to kill Con. That shit would fuck with me forever.” Gigi said as she got up from behind her desk and stretched her arms over her head.

  “Well I know we already got somebody following him. Toe-Toe is going
to send one of his workers to his spot on the Hill tonight. They are going to put a tracking device and bug on his car. That way, we will be able to hear everything that he says when he is in it, and we will know where he is at all times.” Killa was deep in thought.

  Gorgeous poured some more Patron into the shot glass and turned it up without the salt or the lime. “Order me some fish and fries from the kitchen, Con. I haven’t even eaten anything all damn day.”

  Concrete left and went downstairs to the kitchen. He didn’t like seeing her drinking; he didn’t like seeing her worrying. He had promised Sillk when he was on his deathbed that he would take care of Gigi and that is what he planned to do.

  “This nigga can’t be doing all of this by himself. We need to find out who is helping him. He has to have someone out there doing something if not the dope has him real bad if he thinks that he can come against this army all by himself. We need to put a camera on that nigga house so that we can see who is coming and going.” Killa said as he rubbed his hands together like he usually does when he is in his planning mode.

  Gigi picked up her cell phone as it vibrated on her desk. It was a text from Honesty. It only said, ‘Omg, what next?’ Gigi didn’t know what the text meant but she knew something else had happened.