by Mike Sanders
“Damn, that was fast.”
He went to peep out the window to see if it was the taxi that was blowing.
“Yo, that’s my ride. You can damn sho’ tell this ain’t the projects, fast as his ass showed up.”
We both laughed.
“I’ma hit you later, aiight.”
He was grabbing his jewelry and cell phone off my dresser as he spoke. He approached me again and gave me a wet, passionate kiss before turning to leave.
“Lock my door on your way out,” I said to him as he was exiting my bedroom and heading for the front door. As an afterthought, I yelled, “Be careful!”
“I’m always careful!” he yelled back just before I heard my front door open and close.
I found the outfit I’d been looking for and placed it on the lounge chair where my robe had been laying, then walked over to my bed and begun snatching off the sheets, which were stained with our juices, and headed down the hall to my laundry room. I was almost at the door to my laundry room with the sheets in my hand when I heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots coming from up the street from my house. I instinctively gasped from the shock of it all, and then purely out of habit I hit the deck!
As quickly as the shooting had started, it had stopped just as abruptly. The next thing I heard was the sound of screeching tires zooming off in the distance.
As I lay on my hallway floor my heart was racing a mile a minute. In the back of my mind I just knew whatever had just happened, had happened to the man who had just left my house.
CHAPTER ELEVEN CARLOS
I was still heated from the news I’d gotten from Sabrina about Monk and D.C., but I managed to maintain my composure around everyone. For a few weeks Ali was the only one out of my crew who knew about what she had told me. Then I’d decided that it was time to move, so I subsequently put Face up on what was happening. As expected, Face was ready to put in work as soon as I told him. I had to admit, I was starting to lose my patience as well. My mind had been made up to tear these niggas some new assholes! And to make matters worse, I’d been trying to call Justice for the past few weeks and that bitch had been avoiding me.
That only confirmed what I’d been thinking: That bitch had known about that shit all along!
Her dodging me had infuriated me to the point in which I was ready to blow that bitch’s wig back upon sight.
It was a little past 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning when Face and I were leaving Captain Steve’s restaurant in Fort Mill, South Carolina when out of curiosity I decided to ride past Justice’s condominium complex to see if she was home. I was behind the wheel of the rented Durango while Face sat silently on the passenger’s side puffing on a Newport.
Once on the main road, I dialed Justice’s number again and waited for an answer. As expected, she never picked up. I even called back from Face’s phone and she still didn’t answer.
I mumbled, “Snake ass bitch.”
I hung up and texted her. After punching in my message I hung up and texted Monk just to see if he would call back.
“Justice still ain’t answerin’?” Face inquired.
“Nah, that bitch still playin’ it raw. But it’s aiight though. ‘Cause she still guilty by association,” I stated while punching in the last of my message to Monk.
After I finished texting I looked over at Face to try to see if he expressed any type of remorse for having to murk a woman. I’d hated it had come to that point with me and Justice, but my mind was made up and there was no turning back. I had been giving her all the opportunities in the world to talk to me but she had chosen to avoid me. To my knowledge, Face had never killed a female before and I wanted to know if he viewed the situation at hand any differently from any other hit.
“You got a problem wit’ noddin’ Justice?” I asked while stopping for a red light.
Face looked over at me with cold eyes and stated, “The only thing I won’t kill is a baby. Fuck e’rybody else.” He was stroking that grotesque scar. It was a habit of his whenever he was deep in thought.
As the light changed I pulled off and commented, “That’s good, ’cause Los luh da kids,” I snickered. I then changed my tone and added, “You know they say every time a person dies, a child is born somewhere in the world at that same instance.”
“Fuck is you doin’? You preachin’ to a nigga now?” Face laughed sarcastically. “Nigga, I know death is just as much a part of life as livin’, an’ I ain’t got no quarrels about handlin’ my binness. You just keep breakin’ bread wit’ a nigga. I wouldn’t give a fuck if it was that bitch Sarah Palin you wanted slumped, we’ll put some snow chains on this bitch and be headed to Alaska today.”
He was professing his loyalty and I heard the sincerity in his words as he spoke.
I sat back in the comfortable leather and gripped the steering wheel as we got onto the highway and zoomed back up I-77. Thirty minutes after leaving the restaurant I was turning onto W.T. Harris Boulevard. While I drove towards Justice’s neighborhood I was thinking of how I’d always prided myself on being a professional “sucker ducker” and how I had always steered clear of grimy muthafuckas. I should’ve known better than to be actually fucking one. Those muthafuckas had worked their way into my circle and had infiltrated my shit like a mole. I couldn’t believe I had allowed a crab like Monk and his trifling ass sister to play me like a piano. I hadn’t even suspected they had been the ones that had tried me.
My cell phone rang and brought me out of my reverie as I neared Justice’s complex. I looked at the number and was surprised to see who was calling. I knitted my eyebrows in astonishment and raised the phone to show Face the number. He let out a sarcastic grunt when he saw who it was. I flipped open the phone and answered.
“What it do!”
“You tell me. You texted me,” Monk answered.
I was thinking, This lil’ arrogant fucker is bold as shit!
“Where you at, my nigga? I need to holla at ya,” I replied while passing the security gate that led me into Justice’s complex.
“I’m a little busy right now. I got company. Talk quick but don’t talk slick.” He sounded as if he was trying to rush the call.
“You heard from your sister?” I was driving through Justice’s parking lot, searching for her car.
“Yeah, I heard from her. She doin’ aiight. Want me to tell her to get at ya?” Monk sounded impatient.
“Yeah, yeah, you do that. Your man D.C. wit’ you?” I was trying not to sound agitated, but just the sound of this nigga’s voice was making my blood boil!
“Nah, I ain’t seen my nigga. Look, yo’ text said you needed to holla at me about somethin’, so what’s good? I told you I’m busy.”
“I got a proposition for you. It’s about some biness. You need to get back at me when you got time to talk. Matter of fact, where you at? I can come to you.”
“Ain’t none of yo’ biness where I’m at. I am where I am. Matter of fact, I’ll holla back when I finish doin’ what I’m doin’ while I do what I do where I’m at. Ya’ dig?”
This slick talkin’ ass nigga is gonna make me make him suffer when I catch his ass! I thought.
“Make sure you get back at me because it’s gonna be beneficial to you.”
I was trying to make it seem sweet so I could keep him sleep. Thinking it was about getting some dough and not knowing I knew he’d been involved in robbing my spot, that thirsty ass nigga would be sure to holla back.
“Alight. One.”
Monk ended the call.
I closed my phone while exiting Justice’s parking lot after not seeing her car or any other vehicle parked in either of her two reserved spots.
“That nigga really tryin’ a mahfucka,” Face stated. He was referring to Monk as he thumped ashes off the cigarette he was smoking.
Face was right about Monk. That nigga was really trying me like I was Boo-Boo The Fool or some damn body. But I felt a slight sense of contentment knowing that I had a cake baked for his ass.
Minutes after leaving Justice’s neighborhood I was turning into Sapphire’s neighborhood. I drove until I reached her street, McAlpine Drive. I had intended to go by her house and speak with her for a brief moment and try to find out where her girl was at without arousing her suspicion. I knew Sapphire probably had no idea as to what was going on, so I didn’t want her to get the impression that I was looking for Justice to harm her.
As I slowly cruised down Sapphire’s street I couldn’t believe my luck! I spotted Justice’s car parked in Sapphire’s driveway.
“Bingo,” I stated as I pointed to the Chrysler.
Face looked over and saw the car and instinctively reached for the pistol that was tucked away in his waistband.
“Hold up for a minute.”
I stopped Face as I saw him reaching for the door handle to get out. I didn’t want him to go up in there on a Rambo mission like that. I wanted to wait until Justice left Sapphire’s house so I could follow her and do her somewhere more discreet. A deserted street would be more than perfect. If Sapphire were to leave the house with her, then she would have to get it too. Sapphire’s destiny that morning was being determined by whether she stayed her ass home or not. I silently hoped that she’d make the right decision and stayed home because I truly believed that she knew nothing about what had been going on.
I pulled the Durango around the corner from Sapphire’s house and parked in a spot where we could still see her front door. Twenty minutes or so elapsed without any movement from Sapphire’s house until we saw a taxi pull up in her driveway. We watched intently as the cabdriver sat as if he were waiting for someone to emerge from the house.
When Sapphire’s front door opened I had to blink twice because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on a nigga.
“What the fuck!?”
Face started, “Yo, ain’t that…” but he didn’t finish his question as he pointed at the dude that was walking to the cab.
“Christmas in July nigga! That’s what that is,” I answered Face’s question as I put the Durango in drive. I was somewhat confused as to why Cross had just come out of Sapphire’s house, but I must admit it was definitely a pleasant surprise.
I told Face, “You know what it is, my nigga.”
He let his window down and cocked his pistol back, loading one into the chamber.
The taxi backed out of Sapphire’s driveway and headed up the street as I followed, waiting for it to stop. There was a stop sign at the end of the street and I waited for the taxi’s brake lights to come on, signaling that it was slowing down and getting ready to stop. I was directly behind them as they came to a complete halt. Cross was seated in the back of the taxi, directly behind the driver so I quickly steered the truck alongside them so that Face was right next to the driver’s window. I watched as Cross looked up with a confused expression on his face. I leaned across Face to look down at him because I wanted him to see my face before he died. As we locked eyes I smiled when I saw him reaching beneath his T-shirt. He was reaching for his tool, but it was too late because Face was already leaning out the window with his ratchet aimed directly at him.
Without hesitation, Face commenced to let his .40 cal vomit lead into the taxi’s interior. He hit both Cross and the driver. Seconds after the first shot had been fired; live nerves in the driver’s lifeless body caused his foot to slip off the brake and the taxi slowly rolled a few feet away from the Durango. As if he weren’t satisfied, Face opened the door, hopped out the truck and walked alongside the taxi, matching its snail-like pace. I watched as he leaned in through the broken glass and fired three shots into Cross’s face and two more into the back of the driver’s head.
Face jumped back into the truck and I was smiling from ear to ear as I peeled out, burning rubber away from the scene. Two lifeless bodies were left inside the blood-splattered taxi as we exited the neighborhood and hit the highway.
I thought, Now that was some real gangsta shit! Jack me and think you’re gonna get away with it? Oh, hell nah!
My morning had started out fucked up, but when we rocked Cross’s bitch ass to sleep I knew it was going to be a beautiful day. Two bodies in less than two minutes—one was deserving and the other was just in the way. I felt no remorse whatsoever for what had happened. In fact, I was feeling a sense of vindication! After leaving Hickory Grove we drove directly to Grier Town to pass off the rental to Ali’s sister. On the way, I was thinking about how fate sometimes deals you a dirty hand, and then turn right around and drop opportunity right into your lap.
It was one down and four more to go. D.C., Monk, and Justice were already walking dead and now Sapphire had just been added to my hit list. I had no idea what that nigga Cross had been doing at her house, but she’d just initiated herself into the tangled web he’d woven by having him there. For all I knew, they all could have been in cahoots with trying me; so in turn, they were all going to get it. Guilty by association! Sapphire had just taken on the label as a “problem” and it was already understood how my problems were handled—I made them go away!
I was more than thankful for Sapphire having that nigga Cross in the wrong place at the right time, but in this case gratitude would have been a burden. However, the vengeance of it all had been an extreme pleasure.
I looked over at Face and saw no remorse whatsoever in his cold eyes as he casually blew smoke out the open window. My nigga was definitely about his B.I. and I loved that shit!
CHAPTER TWELVE MONK
Yo, you’ll never believe who I’m with.” I was inside the restroom at Red Lobster on Albemarle Road in East Charlotte, speaking to D.C. on my cell phone. It was a little pass 12 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon and I was about to have lunch with a beautiful woman. I was awaiting D.C.’s response because I knew he’d never guess who my lunch date was.
“That bitch Tan,” he responded. I wrinkled my eyebrows with astonishment and asked, “How the hell you know?”
“Because I’m wit’ her girlfriend,” he laughed and I laughed with him.
“Boy, you ain’t got no morals, do you?” I was still laughing.
“Me? Nigga you was the one who slapped the taste outta that bitch’s mouth!”
We were both cracking up. Tan had called me earlier that morning and asked if I wanted to grab a bite to eat. At first I was a little hesitant because of what I had done to her. Then I had come to the conclusion that she had no idea it had been me who had invaded her home, so I figured I had nothing to worry about.
“Man, lemme hit you back later.” I was about to end the call, then I added, “Oh, yeah, that nigga Los called me ’bout an hour ago talkin’ ’bout he wanna holla ‘bout some binness.”
“Oh, yeah?” D.C. had a hint of skepticism in his voice.
“Yeah, I’ll hit you later and let you know what he talkin’ about.”
“You gonna fuck wit’ that nigga?”
“I’on’ know. I’ma see what type of game he playin’ though.” I was exiting the restroom and heading toward the table where Tan was seated.
“Holla back then.”
“One,” I ended the call as I approached the table. I was stuffing my phone back into my pocket as Tan looked up from the menu. I sat down across from her and asked “You ready to order yet?”
She was looking at me with those sexy ass eyes and responded, “Not yet. I guess I’ll just have whatever you have.”
I studied her face for a minute, noticing a slight bruise from where I’d slapped her a few days earlier. Because of her light complexion, the bruise was still slightly visible. I also noticed that she’d taken out the weave. Her hair was now short and naturally curly, which made her even more beautiful.
I waved for the waitress,
and then commenced to order once the big-boned blonde approached the table.
“Lemme get two steak and shrimp dinners.” I looked over at Tan. “That’s straight with you?”
“That’s fine.”
“I want my steak well done, how you want yours?” I asked.
“Medium-rare, thank you.”
“And two iced teas,” I added.
“One check or two?” The waitress asked while taking our menus.
“One” I replied. I thought that the least I could do was pay for the bitch’s meal. I did slap the shit out of her.
While we waited for our food I struck up a conversation, trying to get her to mention what had happened at her place.
“What happened right there?” I was pointing at the bruise on her cheek.
“You won’t believe it if I told you,” she replied with a slight sense of embarrassment.
“Try me.” I was itching to hear that shit as I leaned back and prepared to listen.
Tan took a deep breath and unconsciously looked around at the nearby tables to see if anyone could hear our conversation. Satisfied that no one was in earshot, she began to convey to me everything I already knew, except who had found them bound and gagged.
“Thank God it was the day my two brothers were supposed to come by with the receipts from the payroll and the rest of th—”
“Receipts?” I interrupted with confusion.
“Yeah, receipts. We own three construction companies that were left to us by our father a few years ago. He passed away from a heart attack. I run one and my brothers run the other two. To’Wanda is our accountant; she handles all of the receipts, taxes and things like that. My brothers come twice a week with the receipts from the supplies and the payrolls, and drops them off for To’Wanda to sort through and put on file.”
I was sitting there listening to her while feeling like a damn fool.
Construction!? Hell nah!
“What’s wrong? I’m boring you, aren’t I? See, that’s why I didn’t wanna tell you.” She must’ve peeped the look on my face and the change in my demeanor.