A Man of Two Identities
“Girl, I can’t believe that your ass is on your way to Indy!” Shay yelled into the phone.
“I can’t either, but I don’t know what else to do. I miss him, and I think his mother could answer some questions for me,” Lisa told her friend as she drove down interstate 65.
“Well, I don’t like the way he played you, but I guess it is possible that he did fall in love with you.”
“I just need to talk to his mother about something. Something I saw at her house that may answer a lot of questions for me.”
Shay told her friend to call if she needed anything but to also call when she arrived at Devin’s mother’s house so she’d know that she had made it okay.
Lisa was pulling into Mrs. Anderson’s driveway before she knew it. The woman wasn’t expecting her so she hoped that she was home. Lisa saw the curtain go back when she stepped out of the car. Once she got to the porch the door opened and Clara asked, “Lisa? What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Mrs. Anderson, I mean Clara. You said that if I needed anything to let you know.”
“Yes?”
“Well I need to talk to you about a few things.”
Clara saw the pain on Lisa’s face. “Come in child and tell me what’s on your mind,” Clara said sounding concerned. Clara left Lisa in the family room while she fixed some tea. Lisa looked around at all the pictures and that’s when she noticed what she’d remembered seeing, the ring on Devin’s grandmother’s finger. It was the same ring that’s in her purse. The same ring Devin gave her the last time they saw each other almost a month ago. Once Clara came in with the tea, Lisa didn’t hesitate asking, “Did Devin tell you of our breakup?”
“Yes, he did and he’s heartbroken.”
“Did he tell you why?”
“He didn’t have to because he’d already told me how you two met. I told that stubborn boy that you were a head strong woman and wasn’t going to take kind to him lying to you.”
Lisa was glad to see that even Devin’s own mother saw her point of view. She asked, “Why did you play along with him when I came to visit?”
“Because my son loves you and he asked me not to let on that he was a policeman. He wanted to do it himself. You see, Devin’s reason for being a cop goes deep. I shouldn’t be telling you this.” Clara gathered herself then continued. “His sister overdosed on that crack rock stuff out in LA while trying to be a movie star. He was young and didn’t understand, but as he got older he realized what had happened. And since then…well he wanted to be a policeman and wanted to work narcotics. When this assignment came up, he saw it as an opportunity to help all the sisters out there who didn’t have anyone to protect them. And that way of protection was to get as much of that poison off the streets that he could. And the people who sold it.”
Lisa listened and her facial expression changed. The man she loved was trying to avenge his sister’s death the only way he knew how. Lisa asked about the ring, and Clara told her that it was her mother’s ring and that was one of the things she left Devin, and it was for the woman he married. Lisa was taken aback. She still loved Devin and she wanted to forgive him, and she thought that she’d give him a call.
* * *
Jamel and Feet, who was a shorty who sold on the corners who had dreams of moving up and rolling with the big dogs, were in one car; DC and John John were in the other. They’d been going to the stash houses collecting money and dropping off product. They pulled up at the last house and before DC and John John went in to pick up the money, John John asked, “Why the hell they call that little nigga Feet? I know his mama didn’t name him that.”
DC laughed as he put the Chevy in park, “You must have never seen that little nigga run. I swear his ass ought to be on the track team at his high school ’cause that is the fastest nigga I’ve ever seen.”
“How fast?”
“Well, one time he was on the corner hustlin’ and you know he ain’t nothing but sixteen, so five-o walks up on his ass cause Feet let him. That little nigga told the five-o ‘I’m ’bout to run so get ready’.”
“Bullshit,” John John laughed.
“I’m telling you and this wasn’t no fat ass cop. This was a fresh out the academy in shape brotha. Feet ran, stopped and let the cop catch up and took off again and didn’t lose a sack. Jamel paid that nigga double that day and bought his little ass some gear from that joint on 87th.”
John John’s cell rang and he noticed the number was Lisa’s. Normally he wouldn’t have answered it while out working, but he was aching to hear from her and here she was calling after all this time.
“Hello,”
“Hi, Devin, you busy?”
“A little, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry and I want to work things out. I do love you and I want you to be happy and that I don’t want you to quit working—”
“You don’t have to explain. Can I see you tonight and we talk about it?”
“Well, I can’t. I’m staying at your mom’s tonight for dinner.”
“You’re at my mom’s? What are…?” Devin figured out what had happened and he was glad that Lisa did pay his mother a visit. He knew mom had a way of making everything okay. “Tell her I said hi and not to be telling all of my business,” he joked. “But let me call you two later okay?”
“I love you, Devin.”
“I love you, too.”
DC teased, “Sucka fo love ass nigga, let’s go get this money so I can get the fuck home, it’s colder than a mutha.
DC and John John got out of the car and headed for the house. DC hadn’t been paying attention or he’d have noticed that both porch lights were on. They only kept one on and if both were on or off they were to use caution. Only the right light was supposed to be on. When they reached the porch they knocked and didn’t get an answer and that’s because all of their men inside were dead.
Jamel and Feet were rolling a blunt, but Jamel was keeping watch. That’s when he noticed a shadow in the darkness creeping from the side of the house. “Jack move little nigga!” he yelled to Feet as he pulled both pistols and was out the car firing at the shadow. DC and John John fled in different direction as shots came out of the front picture window of the old single family home. DC was behind a tree busting shots at the windows of the home. He yelled, “John you okay?”
“I’m hit,” he yelled and was obviously in pain. He had run behind a parked car after being hit in the back with a round.
Jamel had laid the man lurking in the shadows to rest, but shots were still coming from that area. Feet was trying to make his way to John who was exchanging rounds with men in an approaching car. Even though he was hit, he was still able to shoot. The car kept coming, and Feet was firing at the vehicle also. Rounds were being exchanged and it sounded like a war zone. DC and his boys were laying the men down, but it was too many of them. Chavez had sent some soldiers to rob and take over the house. He had paid someone a hefty price for the information of where one of the houses was. People on the streets who kept an eye on what was going on knew where the dope man’s spots were at, so that way it was a good idea to keep on moving them every now and then. The sucker who got paid was down the street in his basement counting his fifteen grand unable to hear the war that was going on down the street since his music from his new stereo system was blasting while he drank Grey Goose and counted his money.
“It’s too many of them, let’s stab out,” Jamel yelled.
It made sense seeing as how the men were just about out of ammo. John John took another round to the leg and he grunted. DC made it to Jamel’s car, Feet was stuck and the police were coming their way. The Latins had dipped to the alley so he definitely wasn’t going to head toward the house. He didn’t want to leave John John and figured this could be a way of making his way up in the crew. The shots had ceased but the police was there. Feet had just ditched his pistol in the storm drain and acted as if he was an innocent bystand
er who was helping a shot man.
“Get your fucking hands up,” the officer yelled as he pointed his weapon at Feet.
The youngster did what the man said as blue lights illuminated the area and sirens were deafening. Feet looked over at John who was passed out, saying, “I was just passing by and these guys shot him. There were a lot of them they took off toward the alley.” He sounded so convincing and looked his age when he pleaded with the officer as the man called dispatch for an ambulance.
More squad cars arrived on the scene. Tires coming to a screeching halt on the frozen pavement. When one of the officers who just arrived saw John John laying on the ground bleeding he yelled, “That’s Anderson. I went to the academy with him. I just saw him last week. I think he’s working narcotics.” He looked at Feet, “You killed Devin!”
The next thing Feet saw was darkness. The patrolman who was a friend of Devin’s had knocked him out cold with the butt of his shotgun.
* * *
Lisa and Clara made it to Chicago as fast as they could. Clara had received the call while Devin was in surgery and by the time they made it to the city he was in recovery. He was coherent when the two women he loved showed up and a smile slowly overcame his face when he saw the ring on Lisa’s finger. After making sure he was okay, she told him that she would marry him and he was happy—the perfect medicine for his wounds. They talked for awhile and the doctor gave them the good news that he was going to be fine and wouldn’t have to stay in the hospital long. Lisa stared for a second when she saw the pretty statuesque sista walk in the room. At first she thought that maybe it was a girlfriend, but that fear was quickly squashed when she introduced herself to Clara as Lt. LaDonna Dixon, Devin’s commanding officer. They talked for a bit and when she saw that Devin was okay, she told him that he could take off all the time he needed and told Lisa that she was a lucky woman. Lisa and Clara left to give Devin some time to rest and get Clara set up at her apartment. They would shower and be back in a few hours to sit and comfort the man they both loved.
* * *
“Oooh yes, daddy that’s it, hit…that...fuckin’…spot!” the woman screamed as she held on. Slim was standing while holding the woman as he dug her out.
Slim’s cell rang for the fourth time and once he got his nut he laid the woman on the bed. It was Noonie and he gave Slim the news of what had just transpired at one of their most lucrative spots. Pissed, though he didn’t show it, Slim told Noonie that he’d call him back in ten minutes. Slim told the woman that he had business to take care of. He gave her five hundred dollars and the woman smiled. She wasn’t trying to hustle Slim, but the money was welcomed. They were at the Hilton and he told her that he had business, that they were going to have to cut things short. She smiled and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Slim was a baller and not the real-estate investor like he’d said. Nevertheless, she took the money and left. She had met Slim at the Ford City mall and was barely making it. She felt lucky to have met a man with money like Slim. If she only knew with whom she had laid with, she could have gotten money hand over fists to set up the man who the police, mob, the Fuentes’ and Bone wanted so badly.
Once Nessie left, Slim called Noonie back and his lieutenant explained in detail what happened and then broke the news that they had a snitch in the camp. That John John was the police. Slim was pissed but didn’t let it show. He simply asked what all did the man know and who brought him into the crew. Noonie was broken when he told him that it was DC because he knew what Slim was going to tell him. And without hesitation Slim ordered Noonie to clean up the mess. To tie all the loose ends that John John knew about and to take care of DC—and Noonie knew he meant for him to do it. Noonie also knew that if he didn’t that he and Chantel would end up dead. This was the life that he and DC chose and there are rules and no one man could be allowed to break them.
Tying Up Loose Ends
LaTanza parked halfway down the block and watched as Angelina parked in front of her house then stepped out of her blue mid-sized Honda SUV. She’d followed the woman from her job at the Department Of Motor Vehicles to the mall where she had to wait for the woman to shop. She parked a couple of rows over until the short ordinary looking Hispanic woman came walking out carrying bags full of wrapped and unwrapped gifts. It was only a couple of days before Christmas, and LaTanza guessed the woman was finishing her shopping. LaTanza noticed one of the bags that were from Kay Bee toy store and the thought of the woman having kids at home ran through her mind. She didn’t want to confront her if there were children in the house. She didn’t want the child or children to have to grow up with the pain of witnessing the death of their mother seeing as how she had grown up with too many painful memories of her family herself. The original plan was to just follow the woman so she’d know where she lived, but once Angelica pulled into the driveway of her three bedrooms flat, LaTanza began to feel angry. Her eyes tightened as she stared at Angelica. A plain and simple looking woman. Someone who couldn’t have possibly had what it took to take a husband away from his family. She was nothing more than a plain Jane. No thrill to her whatsoever, at least not on the outside. Angelica had changed into a baby blue and white Adidas warm up suit and a thick white skullcap before she left work. She also had on a black leather coat and LaTanza who was outfitted in designer jeans, a cashmere sweater, and three quarter length suede coat, thought the woman she was following looked tacky.
LaTanza managed a smile while thinking about how Style’s man had come through and found where Angelina worked. She watched as the woman activated her alarm to her truck then picked up and retied one of the lit candy canes that the strong wind had blown over. Once she had the Christmas decoration tied back to the porch railing, she entered her home. The east side neighborhood reminded LaTanza of the old neighborhood she lived in as a child and that got her to going.
“If this bitch thinks she’s going to have a child by my husband and reduce me to living like this, she’s out of her fucking mind!” LaTanza muttered as she canvassed the aging neighborhood with her eyes—a neighborhood that was decent but had seen its better years. Some houses were well kept and some run down depending upon the owner of the home, but the fact was that it was just one of the older areas in the city.
Snow began to fall on the cold winter night, and the heavy flakes melted as they hit the warm windshield. LaTanza thought about what her daughter had asked her, if it was going to snow before Christmas. Not a lick of snow had fallen all month or in November and now her daughter was going to be surprised when she awoke and saw how white it was outside. The forecast was for four to six inches and she made a mental note to ease into Carlita’s room and pull her curtains back so when she awoke she would see that Christmas Eve day was blanketed with her wish, white wintry snow. And that meant that LaTanza would be able to take her little princess sledding after she took her to see her father. Both of the outings would be enough to tire the child out so she could fall asleep with no problem on Christmas Eve night.
LaTanza readied herself to go do what she had been planning for months. She grabbed the .38 revolver from the glove box and put it in her waistband. There was no need for her to put it in her purse. She wasn’t about to carry the extra item that held her identification, besides; all she was here to do was kill the woman. The same woman who used her sex to hook her husband into sharing his seed with her and now she was pregnant. Just the mere thought of Carlos sharing his dick with the plain ass woman made LaTanza want to throw up. She gripped the steering wheel so hard that her hands began to hurt but the pain was nothing. Her blood was beginning to boil and she got angrier by the second. She slipped on her leather gloves and scanned the block before she stepped out of the rented Grand Prix Fernando had a dope fiend sign for. As she fast walked to the house, through the picture window she could she the woman putting wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. It was sickening to LaTanza to see the woman looking so happy—singing a Christmas melody along with Vanessa Williams while adju
sting the tinsel and lights on her tree. LaTanza’s heels on her boots crunched a bit as she stepped on the salt that had been thrown on the porch. She rang the doorbell and within seconds the porch light came on and she could hear a little yap, yap dog possibly some type of useless Terrier, barking. One swift kick and the little Spuds McKinzie would be out of the way.
LaTanza got ready to end the woman’s life. All she had to do was get inside the house and it would all be done. All her worries would be over—at least that’s what her mind told her. When the woman opened the door she would rush in and do her thing.
The woman yelled, “Who is it?” As she moved the curtain to the window to the side she saw that it was LaTanza.
Before LaTanza could speak the front door opened.
“Hi, LaTanza. It’s good to finally meet you.” Angelica said as and noticed the incensed look on LaTanza’s face. “Is there something wrong?” she asked pleasantly as she reached for the handle to the screen door—to let Carlos’ wife inside.
* * *
Noonie was standing in the living room of DC’s apartment waiting for his partner to get dressed. It was cold out and the forecast was for snow so DC took off the low cut Lugz and put on his Timberlands. He was dressed in all Roca Wear from jeans to long sleeved shirt to down coat with fur around the hood. He left his black panty hose on his head so he didn’t mess up his waves then slid on his brown skully. Noonie had called his long time partner an hour ago and told him that they needed to meet with Slim about a spot on the North Side that was run by the Fuentes’.
“So whas’sup, do I need to bring a little extra heat or what?” He asked holding up a Glock nine and a Street Sweeper.
“Nah, homie, leave the gauge. He said we just going to go over some shit. He wants to figure out a plan to roll on the Fuentes’. He’s calling it ‘a Christmas gift for that bitch’.”
The Corner II Page 24