“Did I get him?”
Bay Bro opened his eyes and looked at his beautiful fiancé. He was trying to get to his feet but couldn’t. “Is the nigga dead?”
Victoria looked down and caressed Bay Bro’s face.
“Yes baby,” she said kissing him all over his face. “You got him.”
Cash’s bullet hit Bay Bro’s shoulder. Cash wasn’t that lucky. He was dead.
Victoria helped Bay Bro to his feet. The two customers ran outside and flagged down a police car, telling them what they had witnessed. Bay Bro and Victoria made it to the door only to see the three squad cars parked outside. Bay Bro looked at the police.
“They’re going to arrest me,” he said.
“No, it was self-defense. Don’t say that.” Victoria looked at Bay Bro and started crying again.
“Hey you right, boo, everything will be alright.”
The two walked out the store. Bay Bro was arrested and placed in handcuffs while Victoria kicked, screamed and cried.
She called Jon and told him what happened. Jon consoled promising he’d take care of everything. He told Don, Kay and Smoke what Victoria told him.
“What we gone do?”
“Get rid of the witnesses. No witnesses. No conviction.”
“How…?” Smoke asked leaning on the table.
“Mad Dog will give us their addresses,” Don said.
“Exactly…” Jon pulled out his cell phone. “This the type a shit we bought.” Jon dialed Mad Dog’s cell phone.
“Yeah,” Mad Dog sounded irritated.
“I know you heard what happened at Hustlers,” Jon said. He walked to the mini refrigerator. “I need addresses as soon as possible.”
Mad Dog had the addresses in his book. He had taken the witnesses’ statements. “They got that shit locked away. I ain’t got that key. They acting all top secret with this case but,” Mad Dog paused to think of a number. “Get fifty thousand dollars and I can pay an informer.”
“Done,” Jon said not convinced of the reason for the money.
“Give me a couple of hours and I’ll let you know,” Mad Dog said smiling.
“It’s done,” Jon said after hanging up.
The police notified Jossie of Cash’s murder. The witnesses reported that Bay Bro was trying to rob the store. Their entrance distracted Bay Bro long enough for Cash to get his gun. Both fired shots. They ran out the store to get help. Jossie listened to the story and knew something wasn’t right.
Cash wouldn’t jeopardize his life for a couple of dollars. He always reminded her that he had his family to live for. Jossie asked the Officer who killed Cash and he told her. She didn’t recognize Bay Bro’s real name.
“Is he from 11th,” she asked.
“Yes,” the officer said.
After the police left Jossie cried hard and long. Her son awoke crying from his sleep. Josie looked into her son’s eyes and realized that Cash would always be with her. Jossie held the baby in her arms. Thoughts of revenge coursed through her mind.
Mad Dog called Jon. He agreed to meet in the parking lot of the grocery store behind the stationhouse. Mad Dog met with Jon and gave him the addresses of the witnesses in exchange for the fifty thousand. It was clear they had no trust for each other.
Jon, Don and Kay would handle the two witnesses. The three went to the first address and knocked on the door getting no response. They walked around to the other side of the house. They checked through the windows, she wasn’t home and went to the next address. The house was located right outside the hood on 19th and Cleveland. Don knocked on the door and.
“Can I help you?” A young man greeted the boys with a smile.
“Yes,” Jon said as he looked down at the piece of paper Mad Dog had given him. “I’m looking for Devon Jones.”
“That’s me. Do I know you?”
Jon pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man’s chest. “Get inside.”
The man stumbled backwards into the house, raising his hands into the air. “I didn’t do anything,” he said backing into the house. “What did I do?”
Don and Kay pulled out their guns and the three boys followed the man inside.
“That bet not be another bitch,” a woman shouted walking into the living room. “If it is…” The woman stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw the three guns.
“Run and I’ll shoot yo ass,” Jon said pointing at the woman.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
“What’s your name?” Jon asked lowering the gun.
“Sh-Sh-Shelby…” The woman stuttered.
“You the Shelby Williams from the east side?” Jon asked.
“Yeah, that’s me,” Shelby exhaled relieved he knew her.
Jon looked back at Don and Kay nodding his head.
“It’s them,” he said and cocked his gun.
“Wait! Wait! Devon screamed. “The two what?”
“Y’all the two bitches gave the phony statements to the police on my man.” Kay cocked his gun.
“No,” Shelby pleaded. “We told the truth.”
“Well, you know what they say; the truth shall set you free.”
Don fired twice hitting her in the chest. The man tried to run but caught bullets from Jon’s and Kay’s guns in the back.
“Put the mask on!” Jon ordered. He pulled out a Captain America mask. The boys put their masks on and left the house.
At the same time Don, Jon and Kay were taking care of their business, Jackie was at one of her dope houses trying to figure out why her money kept coming up short. She was all up in one of her lieutenant’s face. Damon was supposed to be in charge of the house and money.
“Why the fuck is my money not right? When I drop off five thousand worth of product and pick up four thousand cash. Shit, sometime it don’t even be that.”
Damon was the average height with an average build. He didn’t like working for anybody, especially a woman.
“Look Jackie,” Damon said backing away. “The money be right. I be counting it. Ain’t no shorts or playing with the dough,” he said without looking her in the eyes.
“Oh yeah, somebody playing with my money. I got an idea who,” she said.
“What do you mean by that?” Damon asked with a screw-face.
“I ain’t got all day. Be a man. Tell me the damn truth but if you gone be a lil bitch then you can tuck yo tail between yo legs and get the fuck out.”
“That’s right bitch!” Damon walked towards Jackie. “I been robbing you ain’t...” Damon never saw it coming.
Jackie shot him in the groin. He dropped to his knees screaming in pain. Jackie walked over to him.
“A bitch ain’t supposed to have nuts,” she said standing over him. “You wanna play with my money and be arrogant about it. Nigga, you know what time it is?”
“You stupid bitch! How you gone shoot me in my dick?”
Jackie pointed the gun at him.
“Wait! Wait!” Damon shouted. “Jackie let’s talk. I was wrong and I know I was wrong but this ain’t the way. Not for me and you.”
Jackie laughed. “Stealing my money was for me and you, right?”
Damon didn’t answer. He looked at Jackie wearing a pitiful expression on his face.
“You got anything else to say, Mr. Big-man?” Jackie asked still pointing the gun at Damon’s grill. “I know you got something else to say.”
“I’m sorry…”
The words had hardly left his mouth. Damon felt the sting of the steel in his chest. She put one more in his head. “Sorry is right.”
Jackie rushed out. She called Jon and asked him to meet her at his mom’s new house. She needed an alibi. Damon had been down with her from day one. He always had her back. She’d have forgiven him for anything. Stealing was unacceptable. Jackie drove listening to her thoughts. If he didn’t act ignorant, he’d be alive.
May 23rd, Bay Bro was still locked up. He kept telling the boys that he’d be out soon. If the police came
asking questions, Jackie and the boys had each other as alibis. Tina would support them. Jackie was relieved and things went back to normal. It was the grand opening of Debbie’s, the boys’ new apartment on 5th and Durbin.
They stood in front pitching. Jon’s phone rang.
“Hello,” Jon said. His face lit up with joy. “I’m on my way.” Jon looked at the fellows. “Lynette’s in labor. I’m out.” Jon ran for his truck. They all followed. The boys headed for the hospital. Six hours later, Lynette delivered a healthy baby girl, named Donita Zoie Jenkins.
The next couple of months went smoothly. There were no fights and shootings. Jon wanted to give up the game. Kay and Ron agreed, Don, Twon and the crew wanted to remain in the streets. Jon didn’t want to leave Don in charge of the operation and stuck around a while longer. Kay was riding with Jon no matter what. Ron was slowly easing out.
It was a cool July night. The Savoy was throwing a talent show. Up and coming rappers, singers and dancers were getting their burn. Heavyweight ballers were scouting new talent for investment. J-Roc was at the Savoy to demonstrate his rap skills. Smoke went for support. People from Concord projects were there, just-in-case.
J-Roc, Smoke and two members from Concord were at the bar drinking Coronas and talking shit. A loud boom thundered through the club. Smoke looked around. The loud sound was heard a couple times. Two Concord members hit the floor.
“Get the fuck down!” J-Roc yelled.
Smoke heard but was too busy looking around to see who was shooting. J-Roc scurried over to Smoke and pulled him down.
“What the fuck…?”
Smoke snatched his arm away from J-Roc. “I’m trying to see who shooting at us.”
“Smoke, we gotta get the guns off Chill and Kenny. That’s the only way we gone make it outta here alive.”
Smoke looked at the two dead boys and shook his head.
“Damn! We…” Smoke slurred. He was drunk. J-Roc took the lead.
J-Roc tried to figure where the shots were coming from. They seemed to be coming from everywhere. Time was running out for them and J-Roc knew it.
“Fuck it! Stay here Smoke. I’m a get the guns.”
Smoke shook his head in agreement and moved. J-Roc ran over to Chill and Kenny sliding on the floor next to Kenny. He frantically searched Kenny’s body for the gun. The shooters zeroed in on J-Roc. He used Kenny’s body for cover and grabbed the .45. J-Roc crawled over to Chill’s body and removed the .40 caliber from Chill’s waist.
“Smoke.” J-Roc said sliding the .40 caliber over to him. “Get the gun.”
Smoke picked up the gun.
“Get back over here,” Smoke said cocking the gun. “I got you covered.”
J-Roc nodded his head. Smoke jumped up shooting his gun wildly, J-Roc jumped up from the floor and hopped over the bar landing next to the bartender. He stuck his head up and saw Smoke getting wet-up. J-Roc didn’t know how he was going to make it out. He heard the siren. The police were coming. J-Roc peeked over the counter in time to see Will running out of the club.
J-Roc called the game room and told Kay what happened and that he was on his way. A few minutes later, J-Roc entered the game room. He heard Kay, Jon and Ron talking.
“What’s up brothers?” J-Roc greeted them and took a seat.
“What the hell happened?’ Ron asked clearly upset.
“Them niggas was everywhere. We couldn’t tell where the shots were coming from.”
“How did Smoke end up dead?” Ron asked interrupting.
“He was drunk and was standing up like he was bulletproof. I had to pull his ass to the floor. Once he got the gun it was like he felt he was invincible.”
Everybody was quiet for a minute and then Don spoke.
“You saw who did it?”
J-Roc looked up from the table. “Damn right. I saw Will running out the club.”
Ron jumped up from the table. “It’s time for that nigga to pay. I say we hit the Bronx tonight.”
Jon had been quietly weighing the options.
“Nah,” Jon said looking at Ron. “Hitting the Bronx is only going to kill innocent people. He’ll get away. We’ll pay for his ass, dead or alive. We gotta start being smart. Everything that happens doesn’t need a violent response right away. Look at Bay Bro if he’d waited till Cash left the store, he wouldn’t be in jail. We on some other shit now.”
The next day a phone call was made to the Gary Police Department.
“I have info on some killings.” The anonymous male voice said.
“Who’s calling?” the dispatcher asked.
“Listen, I’m not telling you my name. I’ll tell you this. There are two twins riding around in a burgundy Cadillac with guns used in murders. If you act now you can catch them going up Broadway.”
“How do you know this, sir?”
“I’m trying to do a good deed and you give me the third degree. I’m telling you, they got guns and a couple keys of crack. Now do your job.”
The phone went dead and the dispatcher relayed every detail of the conversation. The detective ran out of the precinct leaving the dispatcher bewildered.
Don and Jon were on their way to pick up a cake for Bay Bro’s homecoming. Don had to get another vehicle after his was shot up the day Zoe got killed. He wanted a Cadillac. The twins were talking about retaliation against Will. Jon was explaining his position when lights flashed behind them.
“Ain’t this a bitch,” Don said pulling over to the side. “I’ve been driving for four years without a license. And as soon as I get one, I get pulled over.”
A second police car pulled in front of the Cadillac and then a detective’s car pulled behind the first police car.
The detective walked to the Cadillac, gun in hand. “Step out of the car!” The white detective ordered Don.
“We haven’t done anything wrong. I ain’t stepping out of shit,” Don said reclining in the driver seat.
Three more police cars pulled up. The officers jumped out with guns drawn.
“Something ain’t right,” Jon said as he watched other officers approaching. “This ain’t no traffic stop.”
“We were tipped off that y’all carrying illegal guns and drugs,” the detective said raising his gun at Don. “Now get out of the car!”
Reluctantly the two boys got out of the car. The police found two guns inside the car and an AK in the trunk. They didn’t find any drugs.
“The guns are all we need to lock y’all up for a long time. Let’s see if the SCC can get y’all out.”
Jon shook his head and gave a chuckle. Don laughed hysterically. The boys were taken in and finger printed and photographed. They were transported to the Lake County Juvenile Center.
Their arrest sent shockwaves through all the hoods. Tina stayed on the phone with the police station, the juvenile center and different attorneys. Kay called all the SCC members and told them that he would be in charge until the twins were out. Twon disagreed with Kay. He felt he was the closest to Jackie. Kay pointed out that Twon was never around. A vote was taken and Kay won unanimously.
Bay Bro consoled Lynette. He called Tina and offered his lawyer to the boys. Things weren’t the same without Jon. Bay Bro called Goldie to have breakfast at their favorite spot on Chicago’s south side. He got into his truck and headed for the highway and was busy searching for a CD. He never saw the white station wagon tailing. Bay Bro pulled into a gas station to fill-up.
He went inside the station to pay for the gas. Bay Bro saw a young woman parked at the pump behind him in a white station wagon. She had a baby in the front seat but there was something familiar about the station wagon. He dismissed the woman and went to pump his gas. The woman walked up behind him.
“Bay Bro,” she said.
“Yeah,” Bay Bro said turning around.
The woman pulled out a .380 from her sweatshirt.
“This is for my brother Doug and my husband Cash.”
Bay Bro felt seven shots ripping his chest a
nd stomach. He fell to the ground. The woman stood over him.
“Payback is a motherfucker, ain’t it?”
Jossie turned and got back in her car. She pulled off rubbing her baby’s head. “It’s over now,” she said.
News of Bay Bro’s death hit unexpectedly like a sucker-punch. Half of Chicago and some of Gary wanted revenge but there were no witnesses and no one had a clue. Victoria and Lynette bonded even more after Bay Bro’s death. Lynette was pregnant again and turned to Victoria. Shawn too was pregnant. She kept trying with no success, to reach out to Tina. Shawn cried to Don on the phone about how she felt. Don talked with mom asking her to try and get to know Shawn. Jon also asked Lynette to spend some time with Shawn and for the kids to grow up around one another.
Jon took Bay Bro’s death the hardest. He withdrew from everyone, including Don. When the twins stepped foot into their section, respect was immediately shown. There were no problems until after Bay Bro’s death. Jon beat up two inmates and broke a guard’s jaw. He was locked down for the incident. As soon as he was let out, Jon beat up couple more boys.
Don let his brother vent. He was amazed to see how two years of boxing made Jon nice with his hands. Jon had used the isolation to reflect on his life. He realized he wanted to walk away from SCC and the streets.
With the twins out the picture, it was the collective effort of Kay, Twon and Ron that kept SCC afloat. Cliques were applying pressure attempting to take over the territory. The crew of Shine and Will were eating plenty. Their prosperity had a lot to do with Twon wanting sole leadership. After losing the vote, he began encouraging SCC members to side with him. This caused confusion.
Shine wanted all of the buildings. Kay wasn’t relinquishing the reigns of the crew to Twon and started distancing himself. He wanted no part of equal leadership. He watched Jon use equal leadership to assume full control. J-Roc stepped up to fill the void that Twon’s absence created.
Don and Jon were labeled as drug dealing murderers by the Gary Police Department. The state recommended rehab. Despite the vigorous argument from their attorney, Don and Jon were sent to High Plains Youth Center in Phoenix, Arizona for twenty-four months.
A Good Day to Die Page 17