by Sa'id Salaam
Again she fought the urge to run as she retrieved the package. She wanted to tear into it and pop one on the spot. Instead, she smiled at the clerk again and waved as she walked calmly out of the store.
Cameisha made it all the way back to the bus stop before the feeling got the best of her. She tore a corner off the envelope and poured a pill into her palm. Water would be nice but since she didn't have any, she summoned some saliva to swallow it down. It took a few tries to get it down. At first it lodged in her throat but eventually went down. By the time Cameisha boarded her train she was all smiles as the familiar high ran through her being.
Chapter 22
"Get a hint bitch." Pedro said to his phone as yet another text message from Cynthia came through. He had of course stood her up. He didn't have a pot to piss in so he definitely couldn't afford ten pounds. Besides, this was a robbery and you don't need money for that.
Cynthia had been calling and texting every few seconds. She was strung out on his thug loving as well as weed and was hungry for both.
"Shawty, we finna come up real good off ten pounds of reefer." Big Shawty announced eagerly. There was no honor among thieves so Pedro saw no reason to tell him about the extra ten pounds. He hoped he could somehow keep him from knowing about the cash.
"That's him right there." Pedro growled as Juan pulled to a stop. The hater hated the expensive car and nice rims he rolled up in. Then, he hated the new Jordan's he stepped out in, hated his clothes, jewels and swag.
"That Mexican must be getting it!" Shawty cheered like a groupie. "I got dibs on that chain."
"I want that watch." Pedro called and got out the car.
Both men walked quickly into the building so they could catch Pedro inside. They needed to be in on the deal so they could get both the money and drugs at one time. The ski mask came down to hide their identities from the cameras and victims. This was the point of no return. The guns came out and they sprinted down the hall. Big Shawty used his big shoulder to open the door.
"What the hell!" Dasia screeched at the intrusion.
"Fuck." Juan sighed and shook his head. Mask men with guns at a drug deal means the same all over the world. This was a robbery and he got caught slipping. Usually there would be security or at least a gun in his waistband but not today.
"Shut the fuck up! Yall know what time it is." Big Shawty yelled, scanning the room with his gun. He made sure each and every occupant got a chance to look down the huge barrel of the 45.
"I'll take this." Pedro announced as he scooped the neatly stacked money from the coffee table. He turned to Juan and stared.
Juan frowned at the odd move. If it’s a robbery take the loot and flee. This was personal. He lifted the bag containing the weed to hand it over. Pedro snatched it but kept staring.
“You fucking her aint you?" Pedro demanded. Juan looked over at Dasia and Aqua assuming he meant one of them.
"Fuck you doing shawty?" Big Shawty demanded. "Get that nigga's jewels so we can get the fuck outta here."
"Yeah, you fucking her. Don't lie."
"Here you go man." Juan said smoothly as he took off the diamond-studded 'PJS' medallion and chain. He handed it over then his watch and ring. "I'm not touching the girls. I have a fiancé."
"Lying ass nigga. I should bust yo ass." Pedro growled. Juan could see he was building himself up to shoot and saw no reason to wait. He threw a quick upper cut that sent Pedro back peddling as he dashed for the door.
Juan reached for the door knob as Pedro recovered and fired. Two slugs tore into his back and dropped him to the floor. Both Dasia and Aqua fled to the rear as Big Shawty ran for the door. He hopped over Juan and tore down the hallway.
"Keep yo hands off my bitch." Pedro told Juan as he stepped over him. He pointed the pistol at his face and fired once more.
****
"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down." Cameisha barked into her phone as she took the frantic call. As soon as she took the call Dasia launched into one long word about the robbery.
"I said we got hit. Two niggas just ran up in here and robbed us. They shot Juan." She got out.
"He's dead?" Cameisha asked and held her breath for an answer. "They still there?"
"I don't know. It just happened we ran to the back."
"Ok get all drug related shit out now. Have Aqua take scales, money, bags, everything and go to the dorm. Police gonna come so say he was your man and someone came in and shot him. Don't say shit about drugs." Meisha directed.
"Ok, I got it. You coming over?" Dasia asked hopefully.
"Nah, call me once the cops leave." She replied. She certainly couldn't go to a crime scene with two thousand oxy pills in her purse. Actually one thousand nine hundred and ninety nine because one was coursing through her system making her feel great.
The police arrived shortly after Aqua fled with all drug paraphernalia. In this area, where robberies were common place, it was quickly labeled as such. Juan was alert when loaded into an ambulance but didn't answer any questions.
Dasia stuck to the script and played the worried girlfriend. She was questioned for a few minutes but couldn't provide much information either. Two masked men kicked the door in and started shooting. The cops knew it was more to it but didn't really care. They loaded up their gear and went off to the next crime scene. This was Atlanta after all; they had plenty to keep them busy.
It was well into the evening when Cameisha finally made it to the hospital. She knew the shooting would have detectives hovering around. There were no detectives when she arrived but a slew of angry looking Spanish men.
The observant girl counted no less than four cars in the parking lot. The way the men scanned and scrutinized everyone who passed including her she knew they were security. But why, was the question that contorted her pretty face.
The answer was because the Salazar’s were big time; royalty among Columbian drug dealers. They moved their operation to America fifteen years ago. The mother of the clan was queen but the recent college graduate, Juan was the brains.
Two more Columbian men in suits analyzed Cameisha as she stepped into the hospital. A quick once over from her revealed the guns they concealed under their suit jackets. It was then she realized Juan was larger than he claimed to be. He made it appear as if he had a connect but it was now clear that he was the connect.
The private room was full of family all speaking rapid fire Spanish at once. Juan couldn't speak because his jaw had been broken from the last shot Pedro fired into his face. It was wired shut and swollen the size of a melon. The other two bullets passed harmlessly through his body missing vital organs.
Cameisha listened from the door for a minute and translated that she was the topic of conversation. The thought to turn around and leave crossed her mind but she was free from blame and went in to clear her name.
"I knew that girl couldn’t be trusted. I bet you she is behind this." Juan's woman declared in Spanish. She had witnessed him laughing and smiling too much when speaking to the girl for comfort.
"If that were the case then why am I here?" Meisha asked in Spanish as she stepped in the room.
"Odios Mio!" Juan's mother, Marisol exclaimed and covered her mouth as if she saw a ghost when she looked at the intruder. Everyone stared in shocked silence at the woman's reactions. Cameisha shrugged it off and walked over to Juan.
"Como esta?" She asked offering a sympathetic smile. Juan offered as much of a smile as someone shot in the face can and nodded. He pulled his hand free from Angela's and reached for Cameisha's.
"I'm going to find out who did this and take care of it." She assured him. Those in the room who were fluent in murder heard the rest of the statement. Like they say, what's understood doesn't need to be explained.
The Salazar brothers were amused by the tough talk of the young girl. They murmured at her murderous declarations until the matriarch spoke up.
"What is your name?" Marisol requested sounding like a woman use to making demands.
"Cameisha." Cameisha replied, turning around to give the woman her full attention.
"Where you from? Your parents?" She questioned still wearing the discriminating frown.
"Mississippi. My daddy was from Mexico."
"Well Cameisha, this whole business is very disturbing to me. My son being shot….you double your order and a robber is waiting?" Marisol said putting her assumptions in the air for all to see. Juan shook his head 'no' from his bed.
Cameisha's mouth dropped open from the truth of the statement. Two plus two equals four in every language on the globe. The room grew eerily quiet as she did the mental math. Cynthia's boyfriend was behind this no question. Meisha's pretty face turned red with murder as she wondered if Cynt was involved. No one has ever seen the mystery man and now it was obvious his frequent buys were designed to see how deep the water ran.
“God as my witness, I am not involved." Cameisha said walking face-to-face with the diamond studded woman. She couldn't help but notice that she was fly even at a time like this. Emergency or no emergency, her hair, face and clothes were perfect. "But because it happened on my watch, I will pay for it. Remember, I loss too though. I have a connect for oxy. I can let them go for ten dollars each and they…"
"Five dollars each." Marisol corrected. It was her way of negotiating.
"Like I said, five dollars apiece. I have two…um one thousand nine hundred of them so that will pay for your product." Meisha said deciding to keep a hundred pills for her own personal use. "And I will personally handle whoever did this."
“Mmm mm." Juan mumbled urgently, getting everyone's attention. He made movements with his hand as if writing.
"Here baby." Angela purred handing him a pen and pad from her designer purse. He took it and quickly scribbled one word. When he finished he extended it to his mother.
Marisol crossed the room in regal steps and took the paper. A smile spread on her face as she read then she leaned in and kissed his forehead.
"Qisas." She read aloud for the benefit of everyone in attendance. The brothers all smiled and nodded too.
"I'm not familiar with that word?" Cameisha frowned. Her Spanish was fluent with a faux Puerto Rican accent from her high school teacher's homeland.
"It's an Arabic word." Marisol explained. "It means the law of equality; an eye for an eye. When you find who did this you must let Juan have revenge."
"Are you sure cuz, I have this uncle called Killa and…"
"Qisas!" Marisol repeated.
Chapter 23
"Ok, tell me again what they looked like." Cameisha growled in a low murderous tone. She knew exactly who the gunmen were from the first description but wanted to hear it again.
"They both had on ski masks but the stubby one had a hole for his mouth and he had gold teeth with one missing." Aqua repeated.
"Yeah but the tall one was running the show." Dasia added. "A-yo why that one was saying Juan touched his girl? Wait…yall fucking?"
"I knew it! I knew it!" Aqua joined in. "Cuz when he come over you be all 'hey popi' and he be all 'sup mama'. I knew it!"
"They do too! She be all girly and shit." Dasia recalled and slapped high fives with Aqua.
"Damn, you aint said shit to me about it." Jackie pouted.
"That's cuz we aint fucking! Never mind all that, we tryna figure who robbed us." Cameisha said embarrassed.
She was no doubt smitten by the suave Latino but he had a woman and she was too proud to be a side chick and too smart to covet what she could not have. It was true, Juan was very affectionate towards her but it was sisterly, not romantic.
"Yo it's definitely Pedro and his mutt Shawty but what Cynthia got to do with them?" Cameisha frowned.
"She seem cool, I can't see her setting us up." Aqua stated.
"I'm about to go beat that bitch until she tell me." Jackie said standing. Had Cameisha not stopped her, she would have marched over to the dorm and done just that.
"I just can't see it yo. I can't see her turning on us." Meisha pondered.
There was no doubt that Cynthia's drug buy was involved in the robbery. Pedro knew exactly when, where and how much. Cynthia was an airhead and liked to get high. That made her vulnerable, bait, prey but not treacherous.
"Pedro is slimy enough to use her to get at me." Meisha concluded. Her mind flashed to their pillow talk and petty schemes.
"You should just call your uncle." Aqua shrugged.
"For real! Have Killa come down here and air that whole shit out." Dasia seconded.
"Nah yo, this my beef and I'll handle it." She replied as if she hadn't thought of it herself. "Besides, we gotta save Pedro for Juan."
"What about Cynt?" Jackie demanded. "What we gone do about her?"
"Nothing. Don't do nothing, don't say nothing. We gonna use her to set him up just like he did us. And if I do find out she was down with that shit, I'ma kill her myself."
****
Later that night, Cynthia joined the crew in Cameisha's dorm room for a smoke session. Cynthia never missed a free get high even if she was already high. She was too deep in her own little world to catch the intense vibe in the room. Aqua, Dasia and Jackie all glared dangerously at her as she rambled on.
"Girl, I told him to suck his own dick. Shoot he don't wanna eat no cooch so…"
"Dang my phone off. Let me use yours real quick." Meisha asked cutting in on Cynthia's recounting last night's sexcapades. She passed the blunt to sweeten the deal.
"Sure! That happens to me all the time." Cynthia said, taking the bait and passing the phone. She switched the topic of conversation from sex to cell phones.
This was plan B to get a hold of Cynt's phone. Jackie suggested getting it at gun point but a blunt worked better. Cameisha went through her phone while she tried to smoke as much as she could before she had to pass it.
The first stop was the picture gallery. She quickly scrolled past pictures of Cynthia's breasts and vagina. She was scrolling so fast that she had to back up when she saw a familiar penis. It had the same fat head and squiggly vein running the length of the thick shaft. The tatted up torso had the same crude ink but then came Pedro's face. He pulled his lips into a grimace to show off his gold teeth and smoky black gums. The name on the pictures said 'Dre' so she checked the contacts to find it. Knowing the number by heart, Cameisha had no problem identifying it.
The thought of killing Cynthia crossed her mind again now that she had confirmation that she was the link to getting them robbed. When she pulled up the text messages it saved her life. She saw all the text pleading with him to call or hit her back on the day of the robbery and changed her mind.
"Here you go, thanks." Meisha smiled and handed the phone back.
"Um…ok…no…problem." Cynthia said between pulls on the blunt.
Everyone looked at Cameisha for confirmation. She gave it to them by nodding up and down as Cynthia moved on to the next topic. Once the blunt was finished she was ready to go.
"Well, let me get a bag for the road." She asked further proving she was unaware of the robbery.
"We out right now, give us a day or so." Jackie replied and opened the door for her. Cynthia had been put out of the room enough to know that was her cue. She made her goodbyes and was off in search of another session.
"A-yo Jack chill here. We finna go to the projects just to have a look around." Cameisha said sliding a clip into her little 380 pistol.
"Thought you 'posed to save dude for dude?" Jackie asked.
"I am. Just going to have a look around." Meisha replied like she believed it herself.
"So I guess that is binoculars then huh?" She asked about the gun. "How you gone see something in the rain anyway?"
The light rain and early winter dusk provided a nice disguise as they slipped into the projects. They huddled under one umbrella and walked briskly. Cameisha's first stop came up empty as Pedro's truck wasn't parked in front of his apartment.
"Let's see if his boy home." Meisha suggested and led them to the
building Pedro had either dropped Big Shawty off or picked him up.
Since she wasn't sure exactly which unit he lived in, they posted up in front of the corner store. Cameisha picked up the pay phone and pretended to talk while they staked out Shawty's building.
"How them things work anyway?" Aqua wondered. Hers was the cell phone generation so they never use pay phones before.
"I think you gotta put money in it." Dasia guessed since she had never used one before either.
"That's him!" Aqua said urgently as Big Shawty stepped from an apartment.
"Yeah it is." Dasia agreed sealing his fate. "We need a plan."
"Yeah a plan." Meisha mumbled and walked away leaving them standing in the rain. She tilted the umbrella forward to conceal her face as she approached. She was still mumbling about a plan as Shawty popped the truck to fix one of the new amps he bought with his share of her money.
"Meisha!" Dasia demanded through clenched teeth. Even if Cameisha did hear her, she wouldn't have heard her because she had murder on her mind.
Big Shawty heard footsteps and looked up just in time to see Cameisha raise the gun. Before he could say a word, fire exploded from the tip sending a copper bullet speeding towards his face. A last second flinch saved his life but only for a few seconds as the shot at his temple slammed into his jaw.
Shawty had been shot at and shot enough times in life to know to run. He turned to flee and took three rounds in his back, one for every step he took. The gun in his pocket was useless because there was no time to pull it as he fell to the pavement. He rolled over to plea for his life just in time to see the look on his killer's face just before she killed him. At least it was a smile.
An evil grin would probably describe it better. Cameisha fired one last shot into his forehead and then kicked him. She turned quickly and took off running. Dasia and Aqua took off too from across the street. They crossed over and joined the sprint back to the dorm.