Ghetto Girls Too

by Anthony Whyte

  “What’s good, Jo?” Coco asked as she approached Josephine.

  “Oh shoot.” Josephine seemed to be startled by the sudden appearance of Coco.

  “You look like I scared da shit outta you. Didn’t mean to scare ya, girl. You ahight?”

  “Yeah, I’m good. I was just sorta reminiscing on Danielle a lil’ sump’n and I got caught up. How’re you?”

  “I’m chilling, yo. We catching the bus or sump’n?”

  “No, we can ride down in a cab. It’s not far at all.”

  “Ahight, let’s do this,” Coco said and the girls waved for a taxi.

  “Yo, Coco, what did you really think of Danielle? I mean…”

  “I hear you. I catch your drift, yo. What did I think of her?” Coco glanced outside then back at Josephine. “At first, she was sorta like this wild bitch and then next, she’s the sweetest person. She was real with her shit though. If she ain’t like you, you knew about it quick fast,” Coco said.

  “She was crazy. Danielle was my girl but she was soo crazy.”

  “You mean like she was seven thirty, yo?” Coco asked and as Josephine was about to answer, she looked out the window and suddenly yelled at the driver.

  “Stop please! That’s where Danielle lived,” she said. The taxi’s brakes screeched as the girls dug out money to pay the fare. Moments later, Coco and Josephine stood outside Danielle’s parent’s apartment door. “This is where her mother lives,” Josephine said sounding unsure.

  “You sure this is it, yo?” Coco asked. Josephine glanced around before she answered.

  “Yep, this is it. This the one, 4B,” Josephine said and rang the doorbell. “Yep, I’ve been here before.” There were voices coming from the other side of the door. The door swung open and a young white guy answered. The girls were taken by surprise.

  “Ah…Hi, we’re trying to find a friend…Her parents live here. This is 4B, right?” Josephine asked, still looking at the person at the door incredulously when he began to speak.

  “I feel for ya, baby doll. What’s your friend’s name?” he asked.

  “Her name was Danielle. She died some months ago and…”

  “Oh, so that’s da dealie, yo? Yo, I’m saying, dogs, I don’t know da peeps but I’m sayin’ da apartment was on da market an’ my ol’ man hollered at me to cop it. You know what I’m sayin’?”

  Josephine looked at Coco with her mouth wide open in disbelief. “Ahight, tell me what just happened ain’t just happen,” she said.

  “I’m trying to digest it all,” Coco said looking at the young white guy at the door then back at Josephine.

  “All I’m sayin’ is she ain’t here. She probably dipped on y’all or sump’n,” he continued.

  “Thanks,” said Josephine.

  “Good looking out, my nig,” said Coco. Both girls walked away laughing.

  “Peace, fam. I’m outtie,” he shouted.

  When they were out of the apartment building, Coco and Josephine were still laughing.

  “Yo, that white boy was like any ol’ nigga on da corner, ya know?”

  “Whatcha fit’n to do now, Coco?” Josephine asked. Coco looked at her and saw the sadness on her face. She knew there was something else to the question but teased her anyway.

  “Why nothing, cousin Kizzie. Ya think we should run away from Massa’s house today? We paid niggas now, cuz.”

  “I ain’t playing around, Coco. I’m for real girl. You wanna go get lunch or a snack?” Josephine asked. Coco stared at her intently.

  “Sump’n is bothering you?”

  “Either that or my period,” Josephine said.

  “You better do sump’n about that,” Coco said.

  “I will. I will. I’m a go buck wild with that nigga.”

  “Josephine, I’m talking ‘bout your period. Take Demerol or sump’n like that for the pain.” They both laughed and Josephine quickly added.

  “Ya gotta make yourself clear, Coco.”

  “Whatever. You always have sex on the mind, that’s all.”

  “Whatever, Coco. I’ve got Danielle’s parents home number somewhere in my hotel room though. Hopefully, they ain’t changed it. I’ll call and set up the appointment for me and…”

  “Nah, yo. You just call them and let them know you’re gonna bring the check to them.” The girls discussed the possibilities as they walked into a café on the corner. They found a booth and sat down. A busboy immediately brought two glasses with water to the table.

  “Why you gonna front, Coco? You don’t wanna meet her moms and them? I think her parents are divorced. Maybe that’s why they sold their apartment to that wigga.”

  “See, now you buggin’ calling him a wigga. You’re crazy girl,” Coco said and they both laughed until the waiter came to take the order.

  “I’ll have scrambled eggs with home fries and orange juice,” Josephine said.

  “I’ll have the cheese sandwich with ice tea,” Coco said.

  “Make mine fried soft, please. The scrambled eggs, that is,” Josephine said and sipped some water. “You got smokes?” Josephine suddenly asked as if it was an emergency.

  “Nah, I’m fresh out and shit, if I tell you what happened this morning, you’d see why,” Coco said rolling her eyes.

  “It’s that bad?”

  “What? I’m telling you, Jo. I was in the bedroom with two social workers and don’t you know that one of them found a bag a weed in my room.”

  “You let them know that that was some of your mother’s shit, right?”

  “Man, they grabbed that shit and ran like they was fiends.”

  “Oh, you mean they were gonna smoke that shit?”

  “I’m trying to tell you, Jo. They ran out the apartment as soon as they put their hands on the smoke.”

  “Well, fuck it. What’re you gonna do?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I could wait until Monday.”

  “That’s when they gonna try to tell you that they want you to go to a drug program.”

  “Bitch, I ain’t going to no druggie place.”

  “Yeah but ain’t your mom in one of these places, Coco?”

  “Yeah but that’s my mother. She needs that counseling and shit. I don’t. I ain’t hooked on nada.”

  “Sounds like you already made up your mind so I guess you’ll wait till Monday. So that means you can’t smoke?”

  “I’m gonna do what I wanna do. Nobody’s gonna threaten me.”

  “They already found the bag of weed on you.”

  “No, they found that shit on the floor,” Coco said emphatically.

  “Ahight, so they found the shit. The point is, is you gonna smoke or is you not?”

  “You sound like you gonna cop.”

  “Yep, you got that right. I’m fitting to cop like a fifty and call it a day,” Josephine said.

  “I heard that,” Coco said with a smile.

  “You wanna chip in?”

  “Why I gotta chip in when you now have money coming out da ass? You can’t buy a fifty sack dolo?” Coco answered.

  “Ahight, ahight. You get the food and I’ll buy the weed. And that includes the tip, bitch,” Josephine said and the girls shook hands on it.

  “Jo, where you gonna cop?”

  “I know this spot that Geo told me about.”

  “Word, where is it? Cuz five-oh be waiting on me to do sump’n, you know?”

  “What’re you? America’s most wanted? I got the info in my cell phone,” Josephine said producing the instrument.

  “You gotta call ‘em and let ‘em know you’re on your way or sump’n like that, right?”

  “Nope, I call this number and put in my special code and they’ll deliver in about ten to fifteen minutes.” Josephine dialed the digits and gave her location. Like she said, a delivery was immediately dispatched to meet her at the café.

  “Get out, Jo. How you gonna come back to the city and get connections like that before I do, yo?”

  “Don’t worry. Once they
come by and see you, you’re down. Being that you my girl and all, I’ll verify for you.”

  “Stop playing, yo. They coming to deliver to you right here?”

  “Right here at the café in about another ten minutes. Coco, don’t sweat it. The ‘dro will be here, ahight,” Josephine said and sipped orange juice.

  “If you say so, bitch. I gotta wait and see this,” Coco said as she slapped Josephine a high-five.

  “So, Coco, what’s up with you and Dee?”

  “What you mean?”

  “Like she wants to be your friend but you won’t let her.”

  “Nah, it aint even like that. She’s just a show-off. Quick to let you know she got dough and all.”

  “Her uncle’s got dough.”

  “Yeah but at times, the bitch be flaunting like she’s soo fucking rich. Pisses me off, that’s all.”

  “Damn, girl, I didn’t think it was that serious.”

  “It ain’t that serious but she be doing shit when I’m around and it just irritates me is all.”

  “Shoot, I heard that but she’s kind hearted and likes to help.”

  “Yeah, that’s true but sometimes it’s too much. You know, back up some and stop sweat’n a sista. You feel me?”

  “I smell you, girl.”

  “Shit’s irritating.”

  “Ahight, Coco, be nice. Our food is here.”

  “I can’t wait for the weed to come. I’ve got to see this.”

  “Just wait a while, you’ll see. You’ll see what I’m working with.”

  FORTY-NINE

  He felt the uneasiness of his confines. After being processed, Lil’ Long was issued an orange jumpsuit by prison officials. Lying on his back in his bunk, he could hear the alarm ring for mess. He had sauntered through to this isolated cell without interference and remained sleeping until now. He opened his eyes, briefly struggling to deal with his reality. Although he was hungry and still woozy, he refused to budge and stayed horizontal. The impact of the ride had left him nauseous. He lit a cigarette to chase his thoughts away. Later, Lil’ Long awoke to the prodding of a CO. He strained to snap out of his sleep.

  “Yeah, what da fuck is da deal?” he asked.

  “You got some demerits to work off. There’s no smoking in bed.”

  It was Torres, the bitch from sickbay. Fucking bitch, what she want from me? Lil’ Long’s mind became activated as he stared at the curvaceous officer.

  “Whatever. Why you busting my chops? You love me or sump’n? I know you saw the size o’ my dick. You probably fantasizing ‘bout it and all. I got it right here for you, baby.” Lil’ Long grabbed his crotch and thrust his hips.

  “You should be very careful. I wouldn’t move around like that if I were you. The doctors left a bullet close to your spine, the one they couldn’t remove. If you move too much, the bullet may become lodged in your spine. A couple of days later, you won’t be able to walk and you may not be able to move anything below your waist. So like I’m saying, be very careful.”

  Lil’ Long stared at her face trying to read something in the grin she bore on her mug but he only drew a blank. In the end, he didn’t know whether what she had just told him was the truth or not. There was no trust in him for the system. He waved his arms. “I don’t give a fuck,” he said and closed his eyes. She waited awhile before hitting his leg.

  “You need to get up. You got some important visitors.” He slowly hunched his back trying to stretch and flopped back onto the bunk.

  “I can’t stand so tell ‘em if it ain’t about money, I’ll see ‘em another time,” he said casually.

  “Don’t make me call for assistance. I don’t think you’d like it too much,” she replied. Lil’ Long stared at her for a moment before he answered.

  “Who came to visit? My peeps don’t know I’m here.”

  “They said to tell you that they’re your guardian angels, that’s all,” the officer said blankly. Lil’ Long again tried to read something in her expression but could not. He got up and left the cell escorted by the officer.

  When he arrived in the visitor’s area, he was pulled into a side office and the door slammed. “Here’s your man, officers,” was all she said and he knew that this was not going to be a happy visit.

  “Sit,” Detective Kowalski ordered. “Good to see you finally recovered,” he continued as Lil’ Long sat down and looked around. He immediately identified Hall and his partner, Kowalski. They were probably here to try and juice him for info. He cast a sneer their way when he spoke.

  “Can I smoke a cig, detectives?” Lil’ Long asked and the detectives looked at each other.

  “Can he smoke?” Kowalski reflected aloud. “I guess you can do anything you wanna do, within limitations of course, on the condition that you provide us with all we need to know about this past weekend and all that led up to it.”

  “Does that mean I can light up?”

  “It certainly means that if you light up, you start talking,” Hall said as he sat down and pulled out a recorder. “Go ahead. Light up, my man.”

  Lil’ Long put the cigarette to his lips and Kowalski lit it. The prisoner inhaled hard and blew rings before he opening his mouth to speak. “So whatcha wanna hear, detectives?” Lil’ Long asked as he took another puff.

  “You can start with explaining why the guns that were found in your hands were used to commit multiple murders?”

  “Ah, that was simple. Give me a harder question, man.” The detectives stared at each other befuddled by Lil’ Long’s remark.

  “C’mon, we don’t have time to play around,” Kowalski said. “You mess around and you’ll be eating that cigarette soon, homeboy,” he continued. “Now talk to me.”

  “I’m saying, man, that shit’s real simple. All I did was walk up in his crib and I get blamed for all these murders and shit. C’mon, even Ray Charles could see through that. I was set up.” Lil’ Long sucked on the cigarette then spit while exhaling.

  “Why did you ‘walk up in his crib’ in the first place?”

  “Listen, first of all, I didn’t know whose crib it was. All I knew was that I wanted to talk to that bitch, Kamilla.”

  “Why?”

  “Cuz that bitch knew who killed my man. She was s’pose to be wit da nigga and da nigga got shot so I wanted to know what she knew. You feel me? I gets to the place and we started arguing. They tell me to get out. I kept arguing. They began shooting and somebody shot me and the girl. She dead?”

  “Yes, she’s dead. Who was your man that was shot?”

  “Ah, that would be Vulcha. You know ‘bout him?”

  “So you’re saying Eric Ascot framed you for all these murders just because you walked up to his apartment and started arguing with one of his guests? Did he know you were coming?”

  “No, I mean, yes, he had an idea. He didn’t know exactly when I was gonna be there but he knew I was coming.”

  “So, you get there and all the other guests were there. Did you know anyone else who was there?”

  “Yeah, I knew some o’ the others. I mean, everybody heard of Coco and all the Crew members...” Lil’ Long’s voice trailed off. The detectives focused their attention on his body language. He was still relishing his cigarette. Lil’ Long appeared relaxed as he sprawled in the seat.

  “So, you see Kamilla and you start asking her what?”

  “I mean, I don’t remember word for word what I said but I know we were going at it. I was angry and I wasn’t trying to hear her bullshit, you feel me?”

  “So, at one point or the other, the argument may have gotten out of hand?”

  “That’s what it is. I got up but I wasn’t gonna hurt da bitch. I just wanted to know ‘bout my man and all. That’s when all the shooting took place. I gained consciousness to find that I had possession of weapons with bodies on ‘em. Ain’t that a bitch? What am I doing with all ‘em weapons, uh?” Lil’ Long asked and the detectives looked at each other.

  “You may have to testify to this in a c
ourt of law. I mean, is this all of the truth or is there more to it?”

  “Look, detectives, I ain’t gonna further waste your time. Why don’t you just have the mothafucka take a lie detector test and we’ll see who’s on the up. I mean, I ain’t trying to tell you your jobs but just because the mothafucka rich don’t mean he can’t be down with illegal shit too. The poor man ain’t always the guilty one.”

  “How’s your stay so far?”

  “What can I say? I’m locked down and my man, Vulcha, is dead. Things ain’t so good, you feel me?”

  “We gonna have to check this story and see what we can do. By the way, you may have to sign a sworn statement before we can even begin to think of letting you out. In the meantime, you’ll stay put.”

  “Yo, I’m saying, ask that nigga to take that polygraph and watch what happens. He stuntin’.”

  “We’ll see, we’ll see,” said Hall. After Lil’ Long was ushered from the room, Hall spoke again. “You know what, his story is more plausible than Eric Ascot’s.”

  “There you go with them two dollar words again,” Kowalski said in disgust. “Are you saying that our prisoner turned song bird has a better story regarding the murders?”

  “Yep, that’s what I guess I was trying to say,” answered Hall.

  “Well, for the first time, you and I are on the same sheet of music,” Kowalski said.

  “That’s scary.”

  “No, what’s scary is thinking the court’s gonna buy this. We gotta go out and prove that story. Any suggestions on how to make this stick, college boy?” Kowalski asked.

  “While I resent you calling me college boy, I also resent being your partner. Anyway, dodo brain, a good start would be at the beginning with Mr. Ascot.”