Double Dead

by Gary Hardwick

  2

  Bait

  Cane watched without emotion as they brought the blindfolded boy closer. There was a time when he might have felt sorry for a kid like Little Jack, but those days were long gone. Two of Cane's men stood behind the boy in the living room of one of Cane's houses.

  One of the men was a thin roller everyone called Q. He had been in the crew for only a short time, but he had a long reputation on the street. Q never combed his hair and wore an unusually long earring shaped like a chain.

  The other man was a huge roller named Turk. Turk was a freelancer, muscle for hire. After Tico had been taken, Cane needed more muscle. Turk was fresh out of prison, where he'd done five years for an armed robbery. He still had the smell of prison on him and was eager to get back into the life.

  “Here he is,” said Turk. His voice was high-pitched, a contrast with his massive frame.

  Cane didn't know if Tico was still alive. He was a hostage of the Nasty Girls, and Walker had betrayed them both. The thought of Walker enraged him. There was nothing worse than a man who was not loyal.

  When Cane heard the news, he was about to go to Jaleel's house and take him out. Tico's spy there had confirmed that Jaleel was stealing. But with Tico gone, Jaleel was not a priority. Tico was like family, and family always came first.

  And so LoLo had sent this boy, Little Jack, as a messenger to him with her demands. Demands. The very thought of the word made him want to choke somebody.

  “Nigga just walked up to the crib,” said Q. “Hard little muthafucka, ain'tcha?” He slapped Little Jack on the back of the head. Little Jack tensed like he was ready to fight.

  “All right, take off that rag,” said Cane. Turk took off the blindfold.

  Cane watched as Little Jack's eyes adjusted to the light. The boy had a look of pure terror on his face. Cane liked that. He had the upper hand already. Cane recognized the kid. He had been with LoLo's roller Sheri when Cane and Tico hit them. Cane had spared the boy in order to spread the news to LoLo's crew.

  “Make it quick,” Cane said to the boy.

  “The Girls want...” Little Jack's voice cracked. “They wanna stop all this madness, killin', and shit. LoLo say, if you give back what you took from her, she release your man and everythang's even.”

  “And if I don't?” Cane asked.

  “She kill your boy Tico,” said Little Jack.

  Cane walked to a dark corner in the room and grabbed something. He stepped into the light and revealed the spiked glove that he'd used to kill Sheri. Little Jack took a step back, only to be pushed forward by Turk.

  “Hey, man, killin' me won't help your boy!” said Little Jack.

  Cane just stared at the young boy for a moment.

  “Are you a man?” Cane asked.

  Little Jack seemed thrown by the question. He couldn't take his eyes off the spiked glove and the man holding it.

  “Yeah, I'm a man.” He tried to fill his voice with courage.

  “Then why are you working for bitches?” Cane asked. “Men don't put themselves under women. So you must be lying. You must be a bitch.”

  “I ain't trying to hear all that,” said Little Jack. “I just came to deliver a message.”

  Cane put the glove in the boy's face. “Don't you wonder why I killed that bitch but not you the other day?” he asked.

  Little Jack looked confused for a moment, as if he had never thought about it.

  “Guess I got lucky.”

  “I don't kill men who don't deserve it,” said Cane. “But bitches, they have no business in a man's game. That's why I let you live.”

  Cane took a step back from the boy. “Do you think you'll ever get any real money from those bitches?”

  “Hey, I'm gettin' paid,” said Little Jack.

  “You're a fool,” said Cane. “All the leaders of that crew are women, and it's always gonna be that way. They're using you.”

  Little Jack turned angry at that remark. “I didn't come here to hear this shit.”

  “I know why you came, messenger bitch!” Cane yelled. “What I'm doing now is trying to help your sorry little ass. You are a man working for bitches. That makes you a bitch whether you like it or not! If you want to be a man, you'll listen to me. You keep interrupting me, and you'll never leave this house.”

  Cane brought his face closer to Little Jack's. The blind eye was grotesque, but the good one seemed to frighten the little boy even more.

  “You get pussy, boy?” asked Cane.

  “Yeah,” Little Jack said immediately.

  “You a damn liar!” said Cane. “The only time you been in a pussy is when you was born.”

  Turk and Q laughed loudly. Little Jack turned quickly to look at them, having forgotten they were

  there.

  “Fuck all y'all!” said Little Jack.

  Cane's hand shot out, and he grabbed Little Jack by the shoulder with the spiked glove. The boy winced. Even through his coat he could feel the spikes digging into his body.

  “Your man Tico,” said Little Jack, “he be dead if you mess with me.” His voice trembled.

  “Watch your mouth.” Cane pulled the glove away. “You already dead, boy,” said Cane. “LoLo won't trade Tico for your ass. And she don't want peace. She wants me. Tico is a man, and he's been ready to die since we got into this. But your bitch-ass boss LoLo don't know that. See, she thinks men are dumbasses, like you. I'll negotiate for Tico, but not to save his life. I'll do it because when LoLo comes to trade Tico for her money, I'll kill her tiny ass. You go back and tell her that I'll meet her in Greektown this Friday at eleven p.m.”

  “What?” said Little Jack. “Greektown be full of cops at night.”

  “Just tell her,” said Cane. “And if she don't agree, she can kill Tico. I don't give a shit.”

  “Why you telling me what you gonna do?” asked Little Jack. “You know I gotta tell LoLo.”

  “No you won't,” said Cane. “I've been calling you a bitch, I know you ain't one.” His voice was softer now. He knew that this boy, like so many others had no father, no male role model. And no matter what women did for Little Jack, he'd rather follow a man. The young boys in the neighborhoods were lost and without any focus on the elusive prize of manhood. Little Jack was young but he was old enough to have learned the contempt that all men have for women. It was a risk but one Cane had to take if he was going to save Tico.

  “I know you're a man,” Cane continued. “You watched me tear that girl's face off, and you didn't flinch. And after that you walk in here to bring me a message knowing what I am. Takes a man to do that. You just young. And when the time comes, I know you gone be with me against them bitches because you know in your heart this is where you belong.”

  Cane walked away from the boy. He waited for a moment, knowing that Little Jack was not sure if he would leave the house alive. Cane took a deep breath. Then, with his back still to Little Jack, he said:

  “Let him go.”

  3

  Fame

  They went deeper into the neighborhoods, and Jesse saw the face of Detroit he'd forgotten. On his trips to see his sister and her kids, he had not stayed long and never got the full impact of what the city was. The hard, ugly visage of the street stared at him, into him, from every abandoned house, vacant lot, and hopeless young face. It mocked him. He had walked out of the ghetto a winner and a symbol of something. Now he was back in shame, and the neighborhood seemed to be saying, “We knew you'd be back.”

  The two stopped on a plain-looking street called St. Aubin and entered a big two-story house. LoLo's favorite house on Bristol had been shut down after the raid, but this one was still going strong. The place was actually very nice inside with furniture that looked new. All the business was transacted outside through a window, a trademark of LoLo and her crew.

  Jesse looked around the drug house with dread and disgust. This was what he'd dedicated his life to stopping, and now he was here, inside this place, seeking help.

  T
hey both were patted down by a roller, then led to a back room. Inside were a man and a woman. The man was heavyset and hard-looking with dyed red hair. The woman was dark and attractive with a head full of braids with beads on the ends. They looked at Jesse and Ramona with mean, stoic faces; then they started to clap and laugh.

  “Girl, you famous!” said the man. He clapped Ramona on the back.

  “Hey, Dell,” said Ramona to the man.

  “This him, baby?” asked the woman. She pointed at Jesse.

  “Yes, Cat,” said Ramona. “That him.”

  Cat and Dell looked at Jesse, smiling. “You one of us now, huh, baby?” said Cat.

  Jesse remained silent. These two dealers sold death to children, caused the birth of crack babies, and they stood here joking and laughing at him like he was the criminal. He looked at the dealers and wanted to haul them both off to jail.

  “You talk or what, nigga?” asked Dell.

  “I talk,” said Jesse tersely

  “I need to find LoLo,” Ramona announced.

  “Wait a minute, baby,” said Cat. “I wanna know how y'all beat the cops like that.”

  “Yeah,” said Dell. “What's the four-one-one on the great escape? That was like some movie shit.”

  “Just like the news said,” Ramona explained. “We busted through a wall and snuck out.”

  “So y'all fucking like the news said too?” asked Dell.

  “What?” said Ramona. “When did they--”

  “They didn't say that, Dell,” said Cat. “They said possible

  romance.”

  “That’s news talk for fuckin',” said Dell.

  “That's bullshit,” said Ramona. “He got me out because people are tryin' to kill us.”

  “Well, he look pretty good to me,” said Dell. “I'd give him some-or vice versa.” Dell and Cat slapped five.

  Jesse saw now. Dell was a big, fat, crack-dealing homosexual. Jesse thought of himself as a liberal when it came to gays. But he was nauseated by Dell's suggestion.

  “I'd give him some too,” said Cat. “In fact I got time right now, baby. Whatcha say?” Dell and Cat laughed, slapping five again.

  Ramona just shook her head. “You two are still the same,” she said. Jesse was tired of the duo and their nonchalant attitudes.

  “We don't have time for your shit.”

  Dell and Cat stopped laughing. Silence fell on the foursome. Ramona looked at Jesse with unbelieving eyes. Cat and Dell looked at each other. Then Dell pulled a gun.

  “Dell, no!” said Ramona.

  “Shut the fuck up,” he said. He stepped over to Jesse and put the gun in his face. “Excuse me,” he said. “What did you just say?”

  Jesse stared into the face of the big man. He saw Cocoa and Kelvin dead, his sister clinging to her addiction and the life he'd thrown away. At this moment he was frustrated and angry but not afraid of the man before him.

  “I said, we don't have time for your silly-ass bullshit.”

  “Cap his monkey ass,” said Cat.

  “LoLo won't like that,” said Ramona. “She needs to see this man. It could mean lots of money. You do anything to him, and you'll have to answer to her.”

  Dell contemplated this. He scowled at Jesse, then pulled the gun away. “Lucky-ass nigga,” he said.

  “We need to find your boss,” said Jesse.

  “Fuck you,” said Cat. “You killed that woman, then come up in here giving orders. Find her the best way you can, muthafucka.”

  “I'm asking, Cat,” said Ramona. “Hey, I never liked your prissy ass neither,” said Cat. “Fuck you too.”

  “Okay,” said Ramona. “We'll go. And when LoLo gets the money this man has to give, I'll be sure to mention that you all didn't help get it to her when she gives everybody a taste.”

  This statement grabbed their attention. “How much money?” asked Dell.

  “Never mind,” said Ramona, heading for the door. “But you see how the police is after his ass, don't you?”

  Jesse turned and followed, playing along with her. Ramona was good, he thought. Money was something even these lowlifes understood.

  “Wait,” said Dell. “LoLo is on the DL, you know.”

  “DL?” asked Jesse.

  “The down low, dumb ass,” said Cat.

  “She's hiding out because of this thing with Cane,” said Dell. “LoLo grabbed Cane's boy Tico and wants to trade him for some money Cane took.”

  “Dell, do you know if LoLo still has my case, the black case?” asked Ramona.

  “I don't know nothing about that,” said Dell.

  “Yeah, you do, baby,” said Cat. “That white boy who sells the guns said something about wanting to buy it off LoLo.”

  “Oh, yeah, Pierre,” said Dell. “Yeah, I guess she still got it.”

  “Thank God,” said Ramona.

  “Where can we find LoLo?” asked Jesse.

  “Ain't nobody talking to you, murderin'-ass nigga,” said Dell.

  “I didn't murder anyone,” said Jesse.

  “I didn't murder anyone,” Cat said, mocking Jesse's proper English. “You talk like a damn white boy. Mona, you'd better watch your back. I think this nigga's one of them sick muthafuckas. Probably cut you up and eat you.”

  “He can eat me,” said Dell. “You like sausage?” He and Cat laughed again.

  “Dell, Cat, please,” said Ramona.

  “All right,” said Cat. “Last time anyone saw LoLo she was over by Roxanne's.”

  “In general, she be 'round the way, you know,” said Dell. “Thanks,” said Ramona. Ramona studied the duo a moment, assessing them, then asked, “Look, I need a few. I'll get it back to you.”

  Dell contemplated it a second, then pulled out a wad of cash and peeled off some bills. Jesse looked at the money with a mixture of disgust and need. Money was precious to them right now.

  “You can have some too,” said Dell lightly to Jesse. “But you know what I want for it.”

  “Fuck that. Mine is free,” said Cat.

  “Since I'm a murderer, aren't you afraid I might fuck you to death?” asked Jesse. Dell and Cat roared with laughter.

  “I think I like this nigga now,” said Dell. “Hey, I'm sorry

  about that gun in your face thing. Let's make up.”

  “You don't want none of that,” said Cat. “His shit is toxic.” They both laughed again.

  “Dell, was LoLo hurt when she grabbed Cane's man?” asked Ramona.

  “Naw, it was clean,” said Dell. “LoLo turned one of Cane's men, that Jamaican. Why you ask that?”

  “No reason,” she said. “Just worried about her, that's all.”

  She and Jesse left, hearing Cat and Dell catcall to Jesse. The moment they walked outside, they were hit by a cold, biting wind.

  “Damn/' said Ramona. “We gonna need some bigger coats.”

  “Well, we struck out on that,” said Jesse, ignoring the cold air. “We're right back where we started.”

  “How you figure that?” asked Ramona, annoyed.

  “Those two laughing hyenas don't know where your friend LoLo is.”

  “You don't speak the language no more, do you?” asked Ramona. “Dell said LoLo's would be 'round the way. LoLo has a few places she always goes to, areas she hangs out in. All we have to do is check them and we'll find her.”

  “You know these places?” asked Jesse. Doing criminal cases, he had heard many slang terms, but he never remembered them. He had no use for such things anymore.

  “I know all her places,” said Ramona. “That's why I asked if LoLo was hurt. She's got a place she goes when she gets hurt. Only me and Yolanda, her best friend, know where it is.”

  “Where is it?” asked Jesse. “We could go there and wait for her.”

  “No,” said Ramona. “LoLo won't go there unless she's racked up.” “Let's go anyway,” said Jesse. “We might get lucky.”

  “Sorry,” said Ramona. “I'm not giving up her secret unless I'm sure she's there.”
/>
  “Are you kidding me?” asked Jesse. “This is important. It's my life.” He was angry. This criminal code of honor shit was stupid.

  “Okay,” said Ramona. “We can go, but if LoLo finds out, she might get really pissed off.”

  “I'll take that chance,” said Jesse.

  The wind whipped up, and Ramona wrapped her arms around her chest, shivering. “Damn,” she said. “Let's get in this car.”

  They walked to the beat-up Ford and got inside. Jesse played with the wires sticking out from the steering column of the stolen car. Struggling with the wires, he glanced over at Ramona. She was calm. It was as if they were going to find a school buddy and not a drug dealer who could save their lives. She was either the coolest customer he'd ever met or a fool.

  “You don't really think I killed Karen, do you?” asked Jesse. He needed to prove his innocence to somebody, even Ramona.

  “If did,” said Ramona, “I would have let Dell shoot you.”

  “Nice to know I have your confidence,” said Jesse sarcastically. The car's starter caught, sputtered, then went silent. He kept trying.

  “You know,” said Ramona. “I should go back and ask them to give us a gun. We might need one where we're going.”

  “No need,” said Jesse. He reached behind his back and pulled out his gun. “I got it covered.”

  “I see,” said Ramona. She was impressed. “I guess you still got a little of the 'hood in you. “

  “What do you mean?” asked Jesse.

  “Nothing,” said Ramona. She shivered.

  Jesse put the gun between his legs. He tried the wires again, and the old car started up. He drove away, turning up the heater.

  4

  Blue Feet

  Florence needed a drink. She'd been in this little room filled with cops and prosecutors for over an hour. They'd come to her house and pulled her out of bed that morning. What the fuck was Jesse trying to do?

  Florence believed in him. Jesse was as straight as they came. He'd bent the rules a few times, but he was honest about it. He'd done a little more than bending this time, though, and it did not look good for him.