“What’s up, Lucky?” Ant asked. He’d stopped calling his father Pops out in public, a show of respect by keeping it on the same level as everyone else.
“That man is hurting and he’s going to be easier to deal with than his father,” Lucky told them as they walked toward Frank’s Escalade.
Frank said, “It’s something up with his wife. She was mourning, but I could tell she was trying to ear hustle what the two of you were saying.”
Lucky shrugged, “Probably ain’t much.”
Ant opened the door for Lucky. “So he doesn’t think we had anything to do with this, does he?” Ant asked.
“Nah, I don’t think so. He might be starting to think it was Bone trying to make a power play. He sort of hinted to it in so many words.”
Frank put the SUV in gear and drove off as drops of rain began to fall from the sky. He hit the wiper blades and turned the heat on low. “Well, we’ll know what the deal is once the sit-down is over with. Who are you taking with you?”
“Noonie, just in case I need to know what someone says in Spanish, and he’s the highest ranking lieutenant right now.”
“I hope shit don’t come to a head. It’s too much money to be made out in these streets,” Frank frowned and shook his head.
“Too much, but not enough to keep greedy men happy,” Lucky sadly frowned as he told him.
The Blocks Are Hot
The cold breeze blew off Lake Michigan cutting through the sweaters Lisa and Devin were wearing so they walked huddled together down Navy Pier. They had been to see a movie and now they were strolling down the Pier sightseeing. The two had been seeing a lot of each other, hanging out as much as they could. They would also hang with Shay and her man having dinner parties, going to sporting events and shopping. Lisa loved the countless nights of lovemaking. The first couple of times they indulged in each other’s body it was straight sex—making each other feel good, but then they began to feel passion in their hearts and that took the sex to lovemaking. Neither one of them ever said the ‘L’ word to the other, especially Lisa, who was guarding her heart. One thing for sure was she has forgotten about Terrance, but when they stopped in front of a food stand so Devin could get a Chicago style polish, the stop was all that it took for Lisa to bump into her old flame.
Terrance, who was into a conversation with his fiancée, bumped right into Lisa. “Excuse me,” he said then noticed who the woman was that he’d almost knocked down. “Lisa,” he said shocked to have run into her. He’d talked to her every now and then but after trying to come over and see her a few times only to get rejected, he simply stopped. She told him that since he was engaged that they could see each other, but the late night drop byes couldn’t happen because it could turn into more than a hello and with him being engaged, that wouldn’t have been a good idea.
“Terrance, hi,” Lisa said, obviously shocked to have run into her former lover.
The two tried not being obvious as they checked out the other’s partner. Terrance was the professional baseball player, but Devin was just as athletically built and good looking. Lisa was fine and very good-looking in the face with a tight body. Terrance’s fiancée was pretty in the face, light-skinned, tall and slim. Lisa felt good knowing she had the better body.
“Hey, Lisa, how are you?” he asked nervously.
“Fine, um…oh this is Devin,” she said as Devin held his polish in one hand and shook Terrance’s with the other.
Not feeling threatened at all Devin said, “What’s up, man? I’ve heard so much about you.”
Wondering what Lisa had told him but keeping a poker face, he said, “All good, I hope.”
“Uh-um,” Terrance’s fiancée did the throat-clearing thing reminding Terrance that she was there.
“Oh, this is my lovely fiancée Brittney.”
Lovely, oh he’s laying it on a bit thick, Lisa thought.
Devin and Lisa shook Brittney’s hand and she made it a point to let them notice her left hand that had the huge rock on the ring finger. Devin congratulated the two on their engagement and so did Lisa who tried not to show the hint of jealousy. Lisa made it a point to let Terrance know that Devin was her man by slipping the words my man into the conversation. Terrance didn’t seem to be phased by it. He stayed close to his fiancée and even grabbed a hold of her hand while the two couples talked. Devin wasn’t insecure about the situation. He knew about the history between the two and this was a meeting that was bound to happen. Better to get it over with now than later. They ended the small talk and went their separate ways. Devin put his arm around Lisa as they walked and didn’t say much. He decided to wait seeing as how he figured her former lover was on her mind. Hell, if it had been the other way around, he’s sure he would have had mixed emotions also.
* * *
Carlos sat at the head of the table dressed in black slacks, a charcoal grey sweater and Kenneth Cole dress shoes. His man, Rios, was with him sitting off to the side. At the other end of the table was Lucky, wearing a Stacy Adams suit but dressed down by leaving the tie off, and Noonie, who had on a Sean John suit minus a tie also. At the side were Bone and his cousin, Raynard. Unlike the other men who were dressed casually, they came in Timberlands and jean outfits—fitting for the thug in them. Lucky couldn’t help but to think how they were going to fuck up what Sammy had built.
They were in a house on the North side. It was a place where Carlos’ dad held the same type of meetings. It was on Carlos’ territory, and Bone didn’t want to attend the meeting but knew that it was in his best interest to. He liked meeting in neutral places or on his turf and would even meet in the parking lot of a restaurant or mall figuring that it was safer than sitting in the living room of some expensive house on someone else’s turf. But he knew he had to play things cool so he didn’t have both crews on his ass, and that meant they could team up and convince his supplier to cut him off seeing as how the two of them could pick up the slack.
Carlos walked in the room and spoke. “Would any of you gentlemen like a drink?”
Bone thought to himself, this nigga ain’t but about thirty and talkin’ gentlemen shit like he’s some old Don.
“I’ll take a double shot of Martell,” Lucky told him then looked at Noonie.
Noonie ordered a double shot of Patron.
“Bone?” Carlos asked.
In his ghetto way he said, “Yeah, you got some of that bumpy face?”
Carlos stared at him, letting him know to order something else and to get with the program seeing as how he and his boy were slouched comfortably in their seat as if they were at the movies chilling with one of their hood rats. It was bad enough that they came dressed to a sit down as if it were some house party, but if that’s the way they were going to dress, so be it. But Carlos wasn’t going to let them disrespect him.
“Get them whatever gin and juice we have,” Carlos told the maid. “And Bone?”
“What?”
“Get your act together. This some serious shit, but if you are bored and got somewhere else you’d rather be then there’s the door. We’ll make what decisions we need to make without you, and you’ll just have to deal with the cards you’re dealt.”
Carlos waited until everyone was served and the maid was gone before he got down to business. He let everyone know the obvious that he was the head of the Fuentes’ family now and that he wanted to make a deal with them. A deal that would guarantee them lower prices on their drugs if they all purchased from the same supplier. And even if they didn’t want to do that, Carlos told them that he was prepared to devise a plan to where they would all have certain areas where they could sell with the agreement that no one will try to serve or take over the other crews’ corners, blocks or neighborhoods. Lucky and Noonie liked the second plan but Bone liked the first. He voiced his opinion that they were all hustlers, and that it wasn’t right to just say that ‘this is your territory and that is your territory’. He joked that this was America and he was an entrepreneur and that was
what business was all about, being able to expand and grow. That’s what he and his people were in the game for—to make as much money and have as much power as they could.
Carlos asked Lucky which way he wanted to go. Lucky told him that he couldn’t just drop his supplier and Carlos knew that was a hard thing to do. Lucky also said that he liked the idea of everyone having their own areas without any worry of violence from other crews. All that would have to be dealt with was the harassment of the police and the thing with that was the more money you had, the more cops and politicians you would have to pay off. Bone told them again that he didn’t agree, and that his people were going to keep hold of their spots. When Carlos asked him did they intend on expanding since he didn’t agree with what they were trying to come to terms with.
Bone told the new boss, “I’m a fuckin’ hustler. I’ve been a gang banger all my life never bowing down or taking shit from nobody and ain’t about to do it now, especially since I’m in charge and not Sammy.”
Lucky thought that he might be out of place but went ahead and said, “Nobody’s telling you what to do or trying to take money out your pockets. We just trying to make things less violent and trying to get everyone fed.”
Bone stood saying, “Looks like y’all in cahoots with each other to keep ol’ Bone where he’s at.”
Carlos who was fed up with Bone said, “It would be best if you sat and it sounds as if you have plans to try to take some shit over? Are you planning on expanding to some of Lucky’s territory? Or mine? From the way I see it somebody’s already trying to move in on the Fuentes’ seeing as how we had to lay the Boss, my father, to rest.”
“Ay, playa, you think I had something to do with your old man’s death? If so say ya peace and make ya move,” Bone spread his arms out as if to say I’m right here.
Carlos told him, “If I knew you had something to do with it you would have been dead days ago.”
Bone didn’t like what Carlos said and the tone he used. He told him that he was done with listening to them and that he was going to do him. Keep things going like business as usual. Before he left, he told Lucky that he was soft in his older age and that he better hope that Slim came back soon or he was going to fuck up what he has by laying in bed with Carlos.
Lucky put his hand on Noonie’s knee when his lieutenant was about to speak. He told Bone that he needed to be wise and not a hothead, or he was going to lose everything Sammy had built. Bone told Carlos thanks for the drinks. And with that the gangster and his partner walked out of the house and to their vehicle. Lucky told Carlos that he’d get back with him and that he’d keep an eye on Bone because the gangster was sure to do something stupid since he was pissed.
Carlos told Lucky to think about what he said, that they could make a lot of money together. Lucky told him that he’d think about it. He knew what he wanted to do and that was to go with Carlos’ plan, but Slim might have a different idea, and he had to okay it with him before he did anything. He told Carlos that he’d get back with him on it and promised that he and his people would keep it business as usual. Carlos gave Lucky a hug and a bottle of fifty-year-old Scotch and a box of Cuban cigars. Lucky and Noonie left the home and got into the Escalade where Frank and Jamel were waiting. The men drove away from the estate and Frank asked was everything all good.
“There might be a problem,” Lucky told him.
Frank asked, “Carlos was on some bullshit, huh?”
“Nah, his old man’s death seems to have mellowed him out. He wants to make money without any problems. It’s Bone who might fuck things up.”
“Yeah, we were wondering what was up when we saw him and his boy leave out without everyone else following.”
Lucky continued to look out the window at the orange, brown and yellow leaves that were falling from the trees that lined the long driveway as he mumbled, “Like I was saying, there might be a problem.”
* * *
“So what do you think I’m paying you for? I need you to find out who this Angelina bitch is and where she lives!”
Styles answered LaTanza, “Maybe you need to hire a private investigator. I’m a narcotics cop. I can work magic sometimes, but unless the bitch sells drugs, causes people to bleed profusely or just straight up into some gangsta shit, it’s going to be hard for me to find out who she is, especially with no record and no last name!”
She yelled, “You know you are starting to be real fucking difficult to deal with!”
“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about your ass,” he laughed. “Look, if Carlos was fucking around with this chick, I know you said you didn’t want anyone following his ass ’cause he’d pick up on it, but I got a guy who could do that shit for you. Carlos or his bodyguards would never know he’s being tailed. If he’s fucking around, most likely the guards ain’t with him, seeing as how your mean ass got him pussy whipped.”
Desperate, LaTanza told Styles, “Give me the man’s name and number.”
“Now, once you find out, you gotta let me know ahead of time when you want to set your husband up.”
“I will.”
Styles chuckled, “The Queenpin, huh?”
“Call it what you want. But this shit’s personal.”
“Why you tripping over him getting a little ass on the side. He got your ass living like a fucking queen and you going all sideways over some other bitch getting a little taste?”
“Don’t worry about that. As long as you get paid you cool, right?”
Styles grinned, “You know that’s right, two hundred grand to bust Carlos Fuentes. Shiiit, I’m getting paid, and it might get me promoted so I can eventually take your goodie-goodie ass sister’s place as lieutenant.”
“Just handle your business.”
LaTanza hung up the phone. She thought about how Carlos was fucking around on her and might have a child outside of their marriage. The goosebumps rose on her arms, and she began to feel flushed. She began to feel angry and wanted to kill her husband for cheating on her. For doing what he’d promised he’d never do—break her heart like her family did. Now he had to pay, and the empire his father built was going to be hers and her daughter's. Fernando relayed to her what Rios had told him about the meeting with Lucky and Bone, and she was pissed that Carlos was about to become content with what he was making. And being content would leave the door open for some other strong crew to move in so she knew she had to do something about that.
* * *
“Fuck them niggas, and them fucking Spic muthafuckas. I ain’t trying to join no fuckin’ forces and give up what’s all mine,” Bone spat. “I know what they plannin’. They gonna try to squeeze us out since Sammy’s gone.”
“Fuck that shit,” Dre, one of Bone’s top men, said. “Nigga we just need to turn up the heat on them fools. I say we start taking over their spots that borders ours. Hit two of their spots at the same time. Some straight calculated shit. And let’s hit that soft ass nigga DC first. I ain’t like the way he was mean mugging when we were at the club and his bitch was all over your dick.” The young man puffed on some hydro while giving Bone a questioning look.
“That sounds like a plan, and I believe I got your way in so give me a day or two,” Bone answered.
“Once again it’s on,” Dre’s crazed ass laughed.
* * *
“Where you at?” DC asked Cat who hadn’t been at the apartment for over four days. One would have thought that he wouldn’t have given a fuck after the way she had played him weeks ago at the club, but she kissed up to him and put the sex on him and she was back in good graces. But the fact of the matter was that Bone had rented her a spot of her own that was furnished and he dropped her some mad loot. All she had to do was give him all the info he wanted and give him the pussy how he wanted and they’d be all good.
“Nigga, it’s over so can you please quit calling my cell?”
“Bitch, I bought you that cell. I’ll have the muthafucka turned off.”
“Do it nigga. I
don’t need any of your shit. My nigga I used to fuck wit’ outta the joint and we back together,” she lied. It wasn’t about some dude from back in the day, it was about Bone, but she was told not to let DC know about them and she didn’t.
“You ain’t nothing but a trick. I don’t even know why I fucked with your ass. I should’ve fucked you up that night at the club when you disrespected me. Grinding your ass all on that nigga, Bone’s, dick. But I guess that’s what I get for fuckin’ around with a stripper bitch.”
Click! She hung the phone up on his ass.
DC walked to the bedroom as he scrolled through his phone’s address book for Greg’s number. He was inside the closet that used to be a walk-in when Greg answered, “What up?”
“It’s me, DC.”
“I know nigga, what’s really going on?”
“I need you to get over here to my place—”
“Which one fool,” he asked seeing as how DC had more than one spot.
“The one I had Cat staying at. That bitch done went south and she knows that I keep kilos stashed at this ’fucker and I just picked up some so I gotta move ’em.”
“Nigga, yo…stupid…ass had that amount of dope stashed at a crib where some ho was staying?”
“Cuz I ain’t got time for that lecturing bullshit. She back with her nigga who was locked up. He out and probably ain’t got shit and these keys could be a come up.”
“You think she’d roll like that?”
“Can’t take a chance. I gotta move ’em,” he said into his blue tooth as he used a drill to unscrew the screws to the panel on the wall.
“How many you gotta move?” Greg asked as he got up off his couch to grab his .40 cal Glock and hoodie.
“Seven.”
“Seven! You had that much shit in a crib with a bitch. Nigga, I’m on my way. I’m about to call Jamel so he can roll. You fuckin’ slippin’.” Greg called Jamel who was at Doc’s on 87th and had just ordered a fish sandwich and small order of shrimp. The place was packed as usual seeing as how they had the best fish sandwich on the south side. Greg told him that he needed him to roll with him to take care of some shit. Jamel’s girl was sitting in his Chevy Trailblazer yapping on her cell while using her luscious lips to do a number on a Charms Blow Pop when she saw him come outside the store without a bag in his hand. Moments later he closed his phone and put it in the pocket of his White Sox fleece jacket. He stepped back into the crowded restaurant and grabbed his sack from the counter. He got inside his truck and told his girl, an eighteen year old who he was planning on digging out, that he had to take care of some shit. She pulled a shrimp out of the bag and damn near burned her tongue when she bit into it. He told her to take the truck back to his apartment, and he’d be back later. She was cool with that seeing as how she was going to take it for a spin over to her girl’s house on Avalon Street to show off. Jamel ate as much of his sandwich as he could while he waited for Greg, who lived in a quiet neighborhood on 93rd and Green.
The Corner II Page 16