A Good Day to Die

by James Hendricks

  The news of Jackie’s arrest hit the streets. Kay called Jon and told him everything, including what Juan had done. Jon and Lynette had decided to extend their honeymoon an extra month but Jon cut it short. It was time for him and Lynette to go.

  Jon, Don, Kay, Juice and J-Roc sat around one of the tables in the game room discussing everything. Jon heard everything and sat back thinking what course to take. All eyes were on him. It was just like old times.

  “All right,” Jon said as he looked around the table. “First thing’s first, Jackie. We need to give her an alibi putting her out of the city when Mad Dog was killed. Now the only thing I can come up with is my honeymoon.”

  “I’m not following,” Juice said.

  Jon sat up in his chair and spoke. “This is what we have to do. First we gotta find someone greedy person at the airline ticket place and then Don can fly down and pay off one of them hotel clerks.”

  “Why me…?” Don asked.

  “If you would’ve talked some sense into her then we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Plus, you are the one who was down there with her. It gives both of y’all alibis. We need to get on top of that tomorrow.” Jon rest his elbows on the table. “Now that bitch-ass nigga…The nigga is a dead and stinking. He don’t mess with my family and think everything’s cool. SOS my niggas, shoot on sight. If you can wound him and let him know why he about to die, cool. If you can’t, just kill him. I’m personally putting up a half mill on the nig’s head. Anyone can collect. Put the word out.”

  The five men discussed other issues. Don must’ve asked Jon to come back to the circle every ten minutes. Jon declined with a smile every time.

  July Fourth and Jackie’s alibi was airtight. The state’s attorney prolonged her imminent release, he was aware that she was missed on the streets. Jackie’s attorney was the best in Northwest Indiana and assured her that she didn’t have anything to worry about.

  “Their case won’t make it to trial.” He said to Jackie.

  Jon visited her every week in the county jail. Kay spent time with his family in Gary. After Trina’s rape the two became close but Trina grew closer to Jon than anyone else.

  Jon, Kay and Trina were in the mall looking for some outfits to wear to the concert. They were walking by the Cinnabon Shop, Trina pointed inside.

  “There go Jason right there.”

  “Jason who…?” Kay asked peeking in.

  Trina looked at him and rolled her eyes. “That nigga helped rape me,” she said before walking in his direction.

  “Wait a minute,” Jon said softly holding Trina by her wrist. “We gone do this the right way. You and Kay go get the truck. I’m a bring him out.”

  Kay and Trina walked off while Jon waited on Jason to come out. He walked out with a tall woman on his side laughing and joking.

  “Do you know what today is?” Jon asked Jason from behind.

  “Tuesday,” Jason said turning around.

  Jason saw who was standing behind him and all the blood rushed from his face.

  “Nah nigga,” Jon said pulling out his gun. “It’s a good day to die.”

  “What’s going on? What he do to you?” The woman asked.

  “Shut up and walk,” Jon said looking around.

  “I ain’t going nowhere,” the woman said raising her voice. “Don’t you know who my brother is?”

  “I don’t give a fuck who your brother is. If you keep getting loud, I’m a kill yo ass right here. Now,” Jon said nudging Jason with his gun. “Let’s go.”

  “He knows and it don’t matter, Michelle. This is a big misunderstanding so don’t get yo self killed over nothing because he’ll kill you.”

  Michelle’s eyes widened and they walked through the mall doors. Kay was double parked right in front. Jon, Jason and Michelle got into the truck and Kay pulled off. Trina turned around and spit in Jason’s face.

  “Bitch, what’s yo problem?” Michelle asked.

  “Shut the fuck up!” Jon said patting Jason down. Michelle watched. Jason was clean.

  “You think Don want in on this?” Jon asked Kay.

  Kay smiled as he looked in the rear view mirror. “You know he do. Call him up.”

  Jon called Don explaining the situation and asked for a good place to meet up at. Don told him an abandoned house on Second was perfect.

  Jon got off the phone and told Kay their destination.

  “What’s going on? What have we done to y’all?” Michelle asked.

  Trina turned around saying. “Your lil’ boyfriend’s a rapist. Now your ass bout to be feel it,” Trina said.

  “My brother ain’t no rapist. He ain’t got to take no pussy from no bitch.”

  “Who you calling a bitch, bitch?”

  “Y’all two cut it out. Kay, I think you better drive faster,” Jon said. He glanced at Michelle. “Your brother and G raped my sister up there and now its payback time.”

  “But I didn’t do anything,” Jason pleaded and Jon hit him in the mouth with the gun.

  “No more talking,” Jon said looking around the truck. “Turn the radio up!”

  By the time Kay pulled up Don had everything set up. He even had ol’ Sweets with him. Everybody walked inside the house and Jason continue his plea.

  “Y’all got it wrong. I ain’t no rapist. I tried to stop G…”

  “Yeah nig, sure,” Don said walking to Jon.

  “Nah, I’m telling y’all, y’all making a mistake. Ask her.”

  Trina didn’t need to be asked anything because she spoke up. “Nigga you lying. Both of y’all raped me. Don’t get scared now nigga.”

  “My brother ain’t no rapist. If he say he didn’t rape her then he didn’t do it. Y’all making a mistake. Please, just let us go.”

  “That ain’t gone happen. At least not yet,” Don laughed.

  Jon, Don and Kay huddled while Trina and Sweets kept watch on Jason and Michelle.

  “All right,” Jon said walking back to Jason and Michelle. “Let’s get down to business.” He smacked Jason with the gun so hard that Jason fell on Michelle. They both hit the floor.

  “Please, please don’t do this,” Michelle pleaded, tears rolling down her face. “Let us go.”

  Michelle held Jason’s head in her lap. Don and Kay walked over to them holding two sledge hammers. They both swung crushing Jason’s leg. Jason and Michelle both screamed.

  “Get the duct-tape,” Jon said.

  Trina retrieved the tape and ran over to Jon. He taped both of their mouths shut and the beating commenced. No one touched Michelle, they focused on Jason. The three beat him with baseball bats and brass knuckles until they thought he couldn’t take anymore. Next Sweets pulled Jason’s pants and boxers down, greased him up and started humping away. Michelle sat helpless with tears in her eyes watching the violation. Sweets was finished with Jason, it was Michelle’s turn.

  Don ripped Michelle’s clothes off. Kay and Jon burned spoons. Michelle was stark naked and the two men held burning spoons to her nipples. She screamed and kicked. Don brought a broomstick, greased it and shoved as much of it inside Michelle’s pussy. When he thought no more could fit Don shoved harder.

  Trina turned her head. Sweets was busy keeping Jason’s face pointed in Michelle’s direction. Kay wanted Jason to feel the pain he had felt. Don was through violating Michelle. Kay broke bottles and cut Michelle all over her body, from her head down to her feet.

  “You ready for extra Sweets?” Jon asked picking up a Rambo knife.

  “You know I is,” Sweets said revealing his toothless smile.

  Jon gave Sweets the knife and Sweets went to work. He cut off Jason’s dick and put it in his mouth then they all left.

  Michelle waited until she heard the vehicles pull off before she struggled with putting on her shirt and pants. Jason was on the floor. Michelle was too weak to walk. She crawled out the front door in search of help. A lady driving down the street saw Michelle and stopped. Michelle had enough strength to tell the woman th
at Jason was in the house needing help before she passed out. Michelle woke up in the hospital. Shine was by her side crying like a baby.

  “Shine,” Michelle said weakly. “Jay, Jason.”

  “I know, who did this to you and Jason?”

  Michelle shook her head slowly from side to side. Shine was determined to know and asked again.

  “Come on baby.” He said massaging her head. “I need to know, who did this?”

  “Twins…”

  Shine jumped up from the chair and headed out of the hospital. Will was standing in the waiting area and ran after Shine.

  “What’s up Folks?” He asked.

  Shine stopped and turned to look at Will. “It was the lil’ niggas. They killed my brother and fucked up my sister for life.” With tears running down his face Shine continued. “This is beyond personal now. I want they whole family dead.”

  “I’m with you. Let’s put an end to this shit.”

  Shine put a million dollar contract on Don and Jon and a price on all their family members’ head. When Michelle regained her strength, Shine told her that Jason died before the ambulance made it to the hospital. He wanted to know everything Jon and Don said and who else was involved. Michelle told him about Trina, Sweets and Kay. Shine knew that his brother didn’t rape anyone. He wouldn’t put it past G. Shine put a price on the heads of Trina, Kay and Sweets.

  Jon knew blood would be shed over the incident. He wanted his wife and kids safe. Lynette wouldn’t go back to Louisiana without him. Jon packed up and they headed back down south with Kay and his fiancée following.

  “Don you should bring your family and come down with us,” Jon said to his brother.

  “I ain’t running from no man,” Don said.

  “Watch your back, and call me if anything goes down brother.”

  Jon convinced his mom and Victoria to come down and visit.

  The seventeenth of July, a week before Don’s self proclaimed retirement party. Juice, J-Roc and Shawn were the only people who knew Don was retiring. Juice and J-Roc were slotted to take control over the mob. Shawn was planning her getaway from Don. She was thinking the two of them needed to go on a trip alone, without the kids or anyone else.

  She borrowed Don’s Denali that morning to go make travel plans for a getaway. It would be a surprise to Don. They could leave the day after his birthday. She wanted to visit Jamaica. Shawn visited a friend and arranged babysitting services. Shawn went mall shopping for Don’s birthday gift.

  Shawn pulled into the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant. On her way through, three men were parked and getting out their car.

  “Wait,” one of the men said. “That’s that nigga right there?”

  All three men looked at Don’s truck. “Yeah that’s him. Shine got a million dollar price tag on that nigga head,” another said.

  The driver reached under his seat and pulled out a Desert Eagle.

  “Whoa, what the fuck you doing?” One man asked.

  “Shit, I’m a collect. I ain’t scared of that nigga. Y’all with me or what?” The driver said while checking his clip.

  The other two men pulled out their guns.

  “Let’s go get this money.” The men exited the car, guns drawn.

  Shawn was busy singing Juvenile’s Back That Ass Up. She wasn’t paying attention to the men walking in her direction. The girl brought her order to the window and she let the window down. Because of the dark tint covering the windows, the men couldn’t see inside the truck.

  They opened fire when the window came down. The first couple shots didn’t hit the truck. Just as the girl held the bag out of the window, a bullet hit the bag. The girl dropped the food and ducked inside.

  Shawn quickly realized that the shooting was right in front of her. Shawn tried to reverse but the car behind her wouldn’t budge. The men got closer and had a better aim. Bullets ripped through the Denali’s windows and Shawn ducked down screaming and crying. The shooting stopped. Shawn looked out and saw the men changing clips.

  She pressed the gas and the truck passed the three men. The driver changed his clip and was again shooting. Shawn caught one bullet in her neck and another on in the side of her head. The truck crashed into a parked car. The three men ran up on the vehicle, shooting as they approached. Once they made it to the truck the three men shot their guns inside the truck before looking in.

  “Oh shit!” The passenger shouted as he saw Shawn’s lifeless body slumped over. “That’s his broad. We gotta get the fuck up outta here.”

  The three men ran back to their car and tried to pull away but police had blocked their exits and more police were coming.

  The driver looked around. There was nowhere else to go.

  “What ya’ll want to do?” He asked.

  “We dead either way, I’m a take my chances right now. I’m a run,” one said.

  The police were now squatted on the opposite side of their cars waiting with guns drawn. “Fuck it!” The driver reloaded his weapon. “On three, one, two, three…”

  The three men jumped out of the car with their guns blazing heading for the back of the restaurant. They didn’t have a chance. The police mowed all three down. The scene was taped off and the coroner was called to get the bodies. Don was devastated.

  Jon, Kay and Victoria went back to Gary for Shawn’s funeral while Lynette and Kay’s fiancée stayed in Louisiana. The funeral was the day before the twin’s birthday, Lynette wanted to go but Jon wouldn’t let her. He knew that things were unstable in Gary and didn’t want his wife and kids involved in the hostility. Jon tried to talk Victoria out of going back but she refused.

  Eleventh Avenue wasn’t the same when Jon and Kay returned. No one was out hustling and very few people were even standing outside. It looked like fear had been put in everyone’s heart.

  “How you holding up?” Jon asked looking at his depressed brother.

  “I’m holding,” Don said feebly.

  “The dudes that did it, was they plugged in with Shine?” Kay asked sitting down. Don gave a faint laugh saying. “The niggas was trying to collect on a reward. Shine put a million dollar on us including our family.” Don put his head inside his hands. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I was going to retire tomorrow. This was supposed to be my last official day as head.”

  “You still can retire,” Jon said walking over to his brother. “Shawn would want you to honor your promise and get out while you can.”

  “How can I? They took my baby from me. I can’t let that shit ride. I can’t leave now without getting my revenge. I’m staying in for Shawn.”

  “You have to use your head, Don. If you go out there and get yourself killed who gone be your kids parents. You won’t be doing them justice if you get killed. Come back with us and lay low for awhile. Let niggas think you ran off and get relaxed, then pop up on the scene and handle yo business.” Kay said touching Don’s shoulder. “And I’m a ride with you.”

  “Me too,” Jon said rubbing Don’s back.

  “I’m a think about. I’ll let ya’ll know,’ Don said with a sigh.

  All SCC was in attendance at Shawn’s funeral. It seemed like anyone who knew her attended the funeral. Don was having a hard time keeping it together. Tina and Jon greeted the guests. Twon, Kay, Juice and J-Roc tried comforting Don. He was too emotional to speak. Twon, Kay, Jon and Tina spoke highly of Shawn and told the guest a few funny stories. Tina spoke of the intimate moments they shared, Don was able to laugh. The ceremony progressed to the grave site. Don couldn’t keep it together no longer and broke down. He stayed an hour after everyone else had left while Jon, Kay, Twon, Tina, Juice and J-Roc waited in their cars. A Lincoln pulled up and Goldie got out.

  “I just heard,” he said giving Don a hug. “What can I do?” Don hugged the old-timer and cried.

  Shine took the news of Shawn’s death bad. When he put the hit out on the twins and everybody associated with them he didn’t calculate on Shawn being one of the casualties. He went in
to depression. There wasn’t anything that anyone could do or say, not Michelle, Will or Renee. Shine blamed Don for not protecting Shawn. The only thing keeping Shine going was a determination to see Don buried. His hatred for Don was even deeper now fueled by Shawn’s death. He didn’t want to accept responsibility for Shawn’s death. Shine put the whole incident on Don and promised that he’d make Don suffer.

  July twenty-fourth was the twin’s birthday. Jon was ready to go. The city seemed dead. There was no life on the street and everything was calm. Jon and Kay went to see Don who was already packed up.

  “I see you decided to leave with us,” Jon said hugging his brother. “You doing the right thing by your kids.”

  “Yeah, I thought about what Kay said and I’m a do it his way,” Don said looking at a picture of him and Shawn. “You better believe that this shit ain’t over till that muthafucka, Shine gets it in the worst way. I’ll lay low for awhile but when I come back.” Don put the picture down and looked at Jon and Kay. “Revenge will be mine,” he said.

  Jon was just happy to get his brother out of the city.

  “We got a long ride,” he said and picked up some luggage. “We better get going.” They packed up Jon’s navigator and headed for the highway leaving Tina behind. She refused to leave Gary.

  26

  Each passing day saw Don growing even more restless. He had been down in Louisiana for three months and a day didn’t go by without him thinking of Shine. Don bought a house on the same block as Jon and Kay, close to the university. He spent most of his time in his backyard swimming pool meditating while Lynette babysat John and Don Jr. She took them all over the city, showing them the sites.

  Grambling offered no attractions to appease Don’s spirit. It was too small, clean and quiet for his liking. There were parties going down at one of the frat houses but Don wasn’t into partying and meeting people. His focus was on getting revenge.