The Corner III (No Way Out)

by Alex Richardson

  “Tighten your shit up, Reese. While you’re spitting that shit about me getting soft and shit, you need to get a better hold on your men, or I will replace you as my captain. Feel me?”

  Reese gave a short nod.

  Slim pulled out his cell and dialed.

  Baby G answered.

  Slim asked, “Where Anthony?”

  “It was getting late so he was getting some sleep in case you called,” Baby G answered.

  “Handle that action.”

  Baby G smiled. He loved this type of shit. “Will be done in less than a couple hours.”

  They hung up. Slim told Reese, “I know you knew about Shaun, and he got what he deserved, but what happened to his girl?” He shook his head. “Her blood is on your hands, not mine. Get my ass to my car so I can go see my woman. And Reese.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t ever think I’m getting soft because I think. I’m just smart and this shit ain’t like when we were younger. Wildin’ out and shit. Ruthless, yet smart, men last in the game of hustling.”

  “Man, Slim, I feel you, I didn’t—”

  “Reese, I don’t give a fuck what had happened. I’m about to get my money right, and I am getting out. If you want this shit you and whoever wants to stay, can, but if you’re fucking up, I will put someone else in charge, and like I said, get me home to my woman. And you still my man even though you’ve fucked up,” Slim said as he rested his head on the headrest and closed his eyes as he tried his best to get the image of Teresa out of his mind.

  13

  “Aw nigga, now you down wit’ my theme music.”—BABY G

  Baby G brought the Chevy to a halt in the alley. They were watching a two-story house that was on the corner. It was the house that Boogie said Reynard had the money hid—Big Sam’s house. The money was supposed to be there for only a day. It was the money Bone had put up for when he got out of the game. Reynard had the money taken out of the walls of Bone’s house and had it moved to Big Sam’s until he could get the two million to LaTanza to be washed—at a fee of twenty percent, of course.

  “You ready to do this?” Baby G asked Anthony.

  “Let’s get these muthafuckahs,” Anthony replied.

  G said, “Remember the last time me and you was on some shit like this…well, you know.”

  He was talking about when they were fresh out of high school and pulled a robbery of some kilos and their partner Smiley was killed after they were set up.

  Anthony gave G a pound and slid in the CD, Al Green’s ‘Love and Happiness’ began to play at a low volume.

  Baby G grinned then said, “Aw nigga, now you down with my theme music.

  Anthony reached in the glove compartment and pulled out a bottle of liquor and took a swig. He handed the MD 20/20 to his partner, and he did the same. It was the liquor they used to drink back in the mid-nineties when they were teenagers. The same time their boy, Smiley, was killed. They would sip until Al Green finished, then they would take what was owed to Slim because there was no way he was going to pay the share, Reynard, who had taken over for Bone, owed Dmitri.

  * * *

  LaTanza was sitting in the back seat of the white S550 as she watched the plane descend on the small airfield. Chacho was right; she would have no problems and watched as the small plane’s wheels touched the pavement on the small airstrip in Iowa. Her people and his were to unload and take the seven hundred kilos of cocaine to a house and divvy it up so that it could be transported to various cities in various states. All under the control of LaTanza. She was truly the Queenpin and relished the moment of watching from afar through binoculars as her people handled their business. Liza was with her instead of Chavez. He was laying low after knocking off Bone. There were different stories floating through the streets of who killed the BD leader, even some saying it was Slim’s crew, but the gossip would soon end and people would be back to grinding and getting on the dick of Reynard who was in charge.

  LaTanza set the binoculars on her lap and then looked over at Liza. She thought Liza was beautiful and was glad she had passed the test.

  LaTanza said, “Liza, when we were in Mexico, it was my idea to have Chacho fuck you.” She waited for a response.

  There was none.

  She continued. “I had to be sure. Even though you checked out as my husband’s cousin, he’s behind bars and the feds could have sent you. I apologize for that.”

  “Part of the game, Mrs. LaTanza, besides, sex means nothing to me.”

  “Everyone loves sex,” LaTanza said as she looked out her binoculars at the trucks that were being loaded.

  “Not me,” the sexy Latina stated. “When I was young I was raped by my uncle repeatedly and when I finally said something, my mother called me a liar. Probably because it was her brother.”

  Liza had done her homework. She had studied everything the feds had on LaTanza and they knew all about her stepfather. Carlos had given them that because he knew that it would help the female agent gain LaTanza’s trust.

  LaTanza felt her body itching. That happened at times when she began to have a chemical imbalance and the thought of another woman being raped by a family member triggered the nervous condition. She smiled at Liza saying, “That’s bad, but it’s good that you put it behind you. Whatever happened to your uncle, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  Liza looked away out her window then quietly said, “Let’s just say he’s not walking the earth anymore.”

  LaTanza said, “You are going to work out just fine.”

  Liza smiled and said, “I’m here to protect you. That’s my job, Mrs. LaTanza.” And I can’t wait to slap the cuffs on your ass, like that fat fuck Chacho, she thought to herself as she watched the cars and trucks prepare to leave the airstrip with the millions of dollars worth of poison.

  * * *

  Slim made it home. It was five in the morning, and Trish was a nervous wreck. This was the first time Slim had been gone all night and when she called or texted him she couldn’t reach him. She noticed how his clothes were wrinkled and simply worn looking. He even smelled bad as if he’d been outside in the woods.

  “Are you okay, baby? I was worried sick about you,” she said as she gave him a hug then helped him out of his jacket.

  He kissed her gently on the lips then headed for the kitchen. He retrieved some orange juice poured himself a glass and drank.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked.

  “As a matter-of-fact I am.”

  She pulled a plate of steak, potatoes and green beans from the refrigerator and took the Saran wrap with the note that told him all he had to do was heat it up and love Trish, taped to it. She put the plate of food in the oven telling Slim that it wouldn’t take long to heat up. She poured herself a glass of tea and sat.

  Slim looked at how beautiful she was. At dawn wearing a blue silk robe with no make-up and little sleep from worrying about him.

  Trish studied her man’s face and could tell something was on his mind. “Anything you want to talk about?”

  “Actually, it is.” Slim leaned back and rested his back on the chair.

  “I don’t think you really know me.” Slim saw her expression change a bit. “I mean know me as far as what I do.”

  “I know about your lifestyle, but you said you were going to change. That it was just going to take some time.”

  “That is true. I am planning on changing my life, but it’s going to take more time than I thought.”

  “Oh,” Trish said as she left her seat to check the plate of food.

  “Listen, Trish, I owe a lot of people. I want to make sure that they are all okay. I care for them too much to leave them out in the streets to fend for themselves.”

  Trish closed the oven. “The food needs to warm a little more,” she said as she walked behind Slim and began massaging his shoulders and neck.

  Slim sighed. “Trish, I am a gangster. No matter how you slice it, that’s what I am.”

  “But you are a good
man with a good heart, and you are trying to get out.”

  “So you do believe me when I say that.”

  “Yes, and I’m not going to pressure you to do that. When I met you, Ray told me who you were and what you did for a living. He also told me what kind of heart you have, so it’s my choice to deal with you and I want to. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “And I want you, too.”

  She walked in front of him, and he scooted his seat back and she sat on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed Slim. When they broke their embrace she said, “I love you.”

  Slim reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. He handed it to her and asked, “Will you marry me?”

  She took the box from him as a big smile formed on her face. She opened it and saw the largest diamond she’d ever seen. “I told you last night that I would,” she cried.

  She slipped the ring on her finger, and it fit perfectly.

  “I love you, Marcellus.”

  “I love you, too,” Slim said as his cell rang.

  * * *

  Big Sam was sitting in the living room on the couch eating some jerk chicken he’d picked up at Joe’s. A masked Anthony could hear him talking shit to some young chicken head about how he was going to put it on her good once she arrived. In the background Nicki Minaj was rapping on the cut Y. U. Mad by Birdman. Anthony and Baby G had entered the house by a duplicate key that was made by Boogie. Boogie didn’t want to be a part of the crew with Reynard in charge because he knew they would be going to war with Slim. He didn’t want to go through that kind of drama since he was tight with Noonie, and he was simply tired of the gangbanging and there was no doubt that Reynard was going to bring that type of drama. When he found out that Reynard had got a hold of Bone’s money he owed Slim to pay the Russians, he met with Noonie who talked to Slim and a deal was brokered that Boogie would receive twenty percent of what was recovered if he helped them get it.

  “Bitch, they don’t call me Big Sam because of my height and weight. It’s my dick size. You think you can handle it?”

  The woman said something and he laughed.

  “Yeah, whatever. You better watch your mouth, I’m old school. I’ll smack a bitch!”

  With that, Anthony eased closer and once he was in range, he drew his hand back and smacked the shit out of Big Sam on his bald head. “I’ll smack a bitch, also,” Anthony said.

  Big Sam fell over a bit then caught his balance. “What the fuck?” he barked. He was shocked for a moment because he had no idea that someone was in the house with him.

  Baby G rushed around the couch and trained his weapon on Sam before he had a chance to grab the pistol that was on the coffee table.

  “What y’all niggas want?” he barked.

  Anthony snatched the phone from his hand then placed it to his ear. “Who this?” he asked.

  “Who the fuck is you?” the young woman hissed.

  Anthony could tell she was hood so he said, “Look here, spread the word to everyone in the hood that Big Sam and Reynard had Bone killed and stole his money, holla baby.”

  “What the fuck y’all niggas doing some shit like that fo’?” he barked.

  Anthony pulled his mask off his head revealing his identity.

  “Ant, what the fuck kinda time you on?”

  “Where’s the money at, dog?” Anthony asked in a no nonsense tone.

  “I don’t know what you talking about,” Sam lied.

  “Nigga, I figured you’d bullshit me. Look here, you niggas foul for killing your man, Bone.”

  “Fuck you, nigga, I ain’t have shit to do with—”

  Boom, boom!

  Noonie shot Big Sam twice in the chest, and he fell back on the arm of the couch. He’d been hit in the lung and the hole in his chest made a sucking sound every time he breathed. Anthony leaned over him and said, “I didn’t need your ass, I know where the money is at. Get you some G.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about,” Baby G said then walked up to Sam and pointed his pistol in his face.

  Big Sam held his hands up screaming, “Nooooo!”

  Baby G fired one round that went through Big Sam’s hand and hit him in the skull ending his life.

  “Let’s get the money,” Anthony said.

  * * *

  Trish was still on Slim’s lap as he answered his cell. She slipped her tongue in his other ear making him feel good.

  “What’s up, is it done?”

  Anthony told him, “More than we thought. It has to be close to two million. We would have never found that shit without Boogie. It was in a false wall. No wonder they didn’t have a lot of niggas in the house, it was no need.”

  “Hook Boogie up with his ends, and I’ll see you in the evening so we can get Dmitri his money and our organization headed in the right direction. Now, let me chill with my future wife.”

  Preview of The Corner 4, Phoenix and Lies, Lust, Consequences on the following pages.

  Join the author on Facebook: Alex Richardson and his fan page Alex Richardson Books.

  Also By Alex Richardson:

  The Corner (Slim’s Revenge)

  The Corner II ( The Queenpin)

  Phoenix

  Lies, Lust, Consequences

  Lines Crossed (the true story of an undercover cop)

  THE CORNER 4 PREVIEW

  DC sat at the round table in the hotel room of the Motel 6 tapping his lighter on the cheap wood. He wanted to fire up a blunt but decided to wait until the deal was over. He needed to be on alert while dealing with men he didn’t know. DC had been getting his drugs from his cousin Cookie who was getting supplied by Shaun. He was getting the drugs at a much better price than they were going for in Memphis and with the drought he was making a killing. DC stood, poured a shot of Crown Royal whiskey into the glass that sat on the table. He dropped some ice cubes from the ice bucket into the brown liquor and thought about how a lot of the men down here in the south drank the drink. He sipped then swallowed. The liquor slightly burned as it went down but he immediately felt better. He checked his watch then walked to the bathroom. He still had about fifteen minutes before his company was due to arrive.

  After relieving himself, DC, went to the sink and threw some water on his face. He didn’t use a towel; he simply wiped his face with his hands a couple of times. He grasped the sink, leaned forward, and studied his reflection that was staring at him. He looked at the mirror then touched the scar that was on his head. A reminder of the blow Reese had given him with pistol the night that his best friend, Noonie, was supposed to execute him, but decided to let him go free. Noonie had spared his life but told him to get out of Chicago. That he was to never come back and to never contact anyone. That he was considered dead the way Slim wanted him. DC had slipped up and caused Slim to lose money, and brought an undercover cop into their organization. It was a mistake that DC never intended on making, but there are rules in the game and DC had to be dealt with. The only thing was Slim had sent Noonie to do the job, but he couldn’t kill his best friend.

  DC had lost a little weight the past year and a half. In the mirror was a reflection of a six foot, one hundred and seventy-five pound man, fifteen pounds lighter than he was when he was living in the city. Living like a damn gypsy could do that to a man. But he was on the come up. Word on the streets started ringing about him having that good shit and he started blowing up like nitro. He’d stacked his paper spending only enough to get by on and to have a little fun with, and also to trick a little with his girl, Tammie. A young hood rat who he’d meet when he first came to Memphis. She lived a block from his grandmother and had reeled in the city slick DC as soon as he hit the block. She was his plug. Some cats from Murfreesboro, a city southeast of Nashville were on their way to meet him. Tammie said that they were friends of her cousin and they were looking for a lick. She labeled the men as slow and new to the game. He was buying a half a kilo from DC for ten thousand and also giving DC a couple of pistols and a Ma
c-10. The automatic weapon was something DC thought he would need since he bowing up. Getting paper made other men jealous and hungry. Hungry enough to take your shit. By hook or crook and DC wasn’t going out like that.

  The prepaid cell vibrated on DC’s hip.

  “Yeah,” he answered.

  “We pulling up, baby,” Tammie said.

  DC walked to the bed and picked up the small .22 automatic he’d purchased from a youngster who’d lost all his cash in a crap game.

  “A’ight,” DC said, then hung up the phone. He then grabbed the black gym bag that had the cocaine in it and slid it under the bed knowing that in a hotel room there wasn’t many hiding places. It was his last kilo but that was okay, Cookie was on her way to drop off another shipment.

  Headlights lit up the ground floor hotel room then within seconds they were off. DC slid the pistol in his waistband then quickly threw his white tee on to conceal the weapon. He trusted Tammie but had to be safe.

  DC heard the giggling of Tammie and the muffled sound of a man’s voice. There was light tapping on the door. DC pulled the curtain back slightly and saw Tammie with a slender male.

  “DC, it’s us, baby,” she said. Her voice was cheerful, but that cheerfulness seemed forced. The hairs on the back of DC’s neck rose like a porcupine on defense. He slid the chain back but hesitated for a second as he grabbed the door knob.

  DC thought about the fact that Tammie’s cousin pressed the issue about adding in the guns as payment. Something just didn’t sit well with him, but he opened the door anyway.

  Tammie walked in first and behind her was a thick built man. DC noticed the clean cut and average joe haircut.

  The man said, “What’s up, cool?” He extended his closed fist to give DC some dap. “Von,” he said, telling DC his name.

  DC didn’t give the man any dap. He closed the door, and in monotone, he said, “What’s up?”

  Von said, “Ain’t shit, happening. You got that work?”