“Aight, chill.” Priest put his hands up and sat back on the bed. “I’m tellin’ you though, you got the wrong person. Whatever you talkin’ about, I didn’t do it.”
“So, who the fuck is this?” O’Malley whipped out a picture of Earl lying in a hospital bed.
Priest swallowed the lump in his throat. “I don’t know that nigga.”
As soon as the last word rolled off his tongue, O’Malley’s right palm was connecting to the side of his face. “Don’t fucking lie to me!” he yelled.
Agent Havoc stepped up and pushed his gun in Priest’s face. “Let me shoot this piece of shit, O’Malley.”
“Stand down, Agent.”
“Wait…” Priest was regaining his equilibrium. “Wait… aight… hol’ up.” He touched his jaw because it felt like he got punched instead of slapped. He looked at O’Malley’s hands. They were huge. “Aight, I know that muthafucka, but he ain’t no federal informant.”
“You sure about that?”
“Man, that’s Earl. I known that nigga all my life, and I ain’t never heard of him being a rat.”
“Yeah, well certain circumstances will make a person do things they normally wouldn’t do.”
Priest looked around the room. April was still crouched in the corner. “I ain’t no snitch.”
O’Malley glanced at Havoc and laughed. “Don’t they all say that in the beginning?” He got up from the chair and stood over Priest. “Listen asshole, I know more than you think I know, believe me… but our problem ain’t with you.”
“So, why you fuckin’ wit’ me?”
“Shut up and listen,” O’Malley demanded. “This little attempted murder situation, this is nothing. You’ll do what, ten… fifteen years. Not to mention this is fed time, not that state shit you did before.” He sat back in the chair. “You too old to be going back to jail, Priest. Help us help you.”
Priest sat in silence for a moment. Out of all the crimes he’d committed, and all the times he’s been interrogated, never once had he been asked to cooperate. It was as if they knew he wouldn’t do it, so they never asked. Priest was a stand up dude, and as far as he knew, so was Earl. That’s why it was hard to believe what O’Malley was saying. “I don’t know about this…” he said, rubbing his head. “It jus’ don’t sound right. Why the fuck would Earl be workin’ for the Feds?”
O’Malley pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Earl done got himself into something he can’t get out of.” He passed the phone to Priest. “You know him?” It was a picture of Tyrell.
“Nah.” Priest lied again.
“That’s Tyrell Michaels. We got him on a murder charge and a few drug cases. Young muthafucka thinks he’s Nino Brown or something.” O’Malley shook his head. “Anyway, Earl owes the kid some money and hasn’t paid yet. Word is Tyrell put some money on his head.”
“And being that you guys have this information, you went to Earl with it, and he’s willing to help y’all if y’all help him, correct?”
“Exactly.” O’Malley answered.
“So, what I got to do with this?”
“I’m getting to it, I’m getting to it.” O’Malley took the phone from Priest, moved to the next picture, and handed it back to him. “There’s our problem, and I’m pretty fucking sure you know who that is.” It was a picture of Mox.
“Nope.”
O’Malley used his other hand and slapped the opposite side of Priest’s face. “You keep lying to me and I’ll keep fucking you up.”
Priest felt his cheek and smiled. It didn’t matter how many pictures they showed him, the answer would always be no.
“Now, here’s what it is…” O’Malley stood up again. “Our only concern is him right there,” he pointed at the phone and then to Priest. “Your son. Your one and only biological son, Mox Daniels.”
Priest took a deep breath and dropped his head.
“C’mon Priest, we know everything. Earl’s sister’s murder on down to Mox’s little brother’s murder… even Brandi’s kidnapping… all of it.” O’Malley scooted the chair closer to the bed, leaned in to Priest’s ear, and whispered. We even know that it wasn’t you who killed Mox’s mom. Believe me Priest, we know every-fucking-thing.”
Priest closed his eyes and fell back onto the bed. He couldn’t believe how much information they had.
“Help us help you, Priest… do the right thing.” Agent Havoc instructed.
“We want Mox and Priscilla, Priest. Bring them to us and all this will go away.”
Mox sat up, wiped his face and chuckled. “I guess y’all don’t know everything, huh?”
“What’s that?” O’Malley asked.
“How you expect me to get close to Mox, when he thinks I murdered his mother. He wants to kill me.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it?”
O’Malley was getting upset. “Yeah, what are you hard of fucking hearing now? I said don’t fucking worry about it.” he reached down, picked up his badge and holstered his gun. “Let us worry about everything else, you just bring them back here.”
Priest was confused. “Bring them back, from where?”
“Richmond, Virginia.”
Priest scratched his head. “Y’all want me to go to Richmond, Virginia, find my son and his girlfriend, and bring ʼem back to New York, so you can lock ʼem up?”
O’Malley tapped Priest shoulder. “There you go… see, you’re picking up quick.”
“Suck my dick, you cracka muthafucka. I ain’t doing—”
Those were the last words Priest got out, before Agent Havoc smashed him in the back of his head with the butt of his service weapon.
“What the fuck did you do that for?”
Agent Havoc shrugged. “Fucking guy kept talking smack, O’Malley. How much of that shit am I forced to listen to?”
“Goddamnit!” O’Malley kicked the chair. “We didn’t get him to say yes.”
Agent Havoc stared at Priest knocked out on the bed. “I bet his ass say yes when he wakes up.”
They laughed. “Aye, you…” O’Malley called to April. “Get dressed and get the fuck out of here. Don’t ever let me see you around this fucking piece of shit again.”
April snatched her belongings and dashed out the house half-dressed.
“Aye, Havoc… you got a real fucking grudge against black guys, huh?”
“Leave it alone, O’Malley.” Havoc knew exactly where his partner was trying to go with that remark.
“I’m just saying… your wife still banging that drug dealer guy?” O’Malley burst into laughter.
“Fuck you, O’Malley.”
“Yeah, try going home to fuck your wife, asshole.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Damn Unc, I hear you… stop yellin’ in my ear.” Mox replied, holding his cell phone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other.
“Well, I’m jus’ makin’ sure, nephew. How long before you get here?” Earl asked on the other end.
“I’ll be through in like twenty minutes. I’m starving too… been driving all fuckin’ night.” Mox turned his lip up and side eyed Travis, snoring in the passenger seat. “I should’a stopped in Harlem and got something to eat, but I said fuck it, I’ll jus’ get somethin’ when I get there.”
“I got food here, don’t worry.”
“Aight Unc, I’ll see you in a few.” Mox hung up and continued north on the highway.
The sun had just come up and the highway was empty of traffic. Mox pushed the rented Porsche truck to 80 MPH, clutching the steering wheel, and at the same time keeping an eye out for lurking law enforcement. They were known to be hidden in certain spots off the road—camouflaged—waiting to catch someone moving above the speed limit.
“The Glamorous Life,” by Sheila E came on the radio, and Mox raised the volume above 10. Travis squirmed in his seat, trying to get all the rest he could, but Mox had different plans. The loud music wasn’t enough, so he tugged at Travis’ arm
and rolled all the windows down. The fresh November winds smacked his face and he jumped to attention, wiping his eyes, looking around.
“Wake up, nigga. We in New York.”
Travis looked at his watch. It read ten minutes past 6 am. “Damn nigga,” he said, stretching. “You was flyin’, huh?”
“Hell yeah. I did ninety the whole way.”
It was a few minutes past midnight when he and Travis got on the highway in Virginia. Due to the light traffic, he’d been able to make the trip in one of his fastest times yet.
Travis slipped his sneakers back on and sipped his water. “I know one thing, I’m hungrier than a muthafucka. I hope we goin’ to get somethin’ to eat.”
Mox agreed. “Me too. You already know. My uncle said he got some grub at the crib, so we good.”
They cruised the remaining distance until exit 16 came up and Mox veered to the right and got off.
As far as Mox and Priscilla’s relationship, the past month and a half had been rough. The strain was beginning to put distance between them. Priscilla would come in at the wee hours of the morning several times during the week. Mox knew what it was, but he didn’t want to let go, and neither did she.
Mox’s trips to New York became more frequent, and were no longer strictly business. More than often, he would be mixing his business with his pleasure, and he knew better than to be doing that.
Despite the altercations and all the drama, Mox was still seeing Jasmine. Only now, it had become more normal and serious. He purchased a three-bedroom condominium in Hartsdale, New York, and she was living in it. Jasmine was satisfied, and for the time being, they lived a drama free life, but those moments don’t last long.
“When was the last time you was in New York?” Mox asked Travis.
“Shit… I ain’t been back here since I was six years old.”
“Damn, that’s a minute. Your family ain’t out here?”
Travis gazed out the window at his birthplace. “Nah, my mother didn’t have any brothers or sisters, it was jus’ us. Once we moved south, she never looked back. I don’t know who my father is…” Travis paused. “Fuck that nigga… and my grandmother died five years ago.”
“Yeah, I be feelin’ the same way. You know what’s real though?”
“What’s that?”
Mox tightened his grip on the steering wheel and glanced at Travis. “I jus’ hope my daughter don’t say that shit about me.”
The rest of the ride to uncle Earl’s house was silent. They pulled up to the address he had given them and Mox parked the truck. He turned the engine off and snatched the key out the ignition.
“This your uncle’s crib?” Travis asked.
Mox shrugged. “I guess so. This is where the GPS brought us. I never been to this spot. He do so much moving around, you never know what this dude is into.”
The property they were in front of was a one family townhouse style home with a short driveway and a small front yard. Mox and Travis got out the car and walked to the front door, but before he got a chance to knock, the door opened, and uncle Earl was there to greet them.
“Nephew, wassup?” he said with open arms.
“Whaddup, Unc.” Mox hugged him, patted his back, and got a good look at him. “You lookin’ good Unc… I see you,” he said, smiling.
Earl looked at Travis. He’d never seen him before. “Who’s your homeboy?”
“That’s my road dog, Unc, Travis,” he answered.
Earl extended his arm and shook Travis’ hand. He pulled the door all the way open and let the two men inside.
“So, what’s the emergency, Unc?” Mox looked around the nicely furnished house. His uncle always had a good sense of style.
Earl took a seat on his brown leather couch and picked the Bible up off the coffee table.
“Did you ever read this book, Mox?”
“Bits and pieces. Why?”
Earl opened the Bible to a page he had bookmarked and recited a passage to himself. After he finished, he looked up at Mox. “This is the most powerful book you could ever read. You know why?”
“Nah, why?”
“Because it can change your life, Mox.” Earl looked down at himself. “I’m livin’ proof, nephew. I found my calling… and this book right here is the reason.”
Mox had a stunned look on his face. “I don’t understand where you going wit’ this, Unc. What, you read the Bible… okay.”
Earl shook his head. “You don’t get it, nephew,” he tried to explain. “I found God, Mox. I accepted Jesus Christ into my life, and ever since that day, I pray and worship him every minute of every hour. I thought you were gonna be here a few weeks ago, and I had something set up. I need you to come to the church with me.”
“To the church?”
“Yeah, next month, on Christmas Day. I’m getting baptized and I want you to be there. I also got a few words to say.”
Mox stared at his uncle to see if he was joking or not, but Earl kept a straight face. “You serious huh?” he asked.
Earl nodded yes. “Excuse me for being rude. Y’all want something to drink?”
“Yeah, get us some water, Unc… and bring some food.”
Earl went into the kitchen to fix some drinks and a few snacks for his houseguests while they sat and relaxed on the couch. Almost ten minutes went by before he returned, carrying a tray with two glasses of water and two plates of food.
“Yo, Unc your phone was ringing, somebody named O’Malley called.” Mox said, pushing the cell phone to the other side of the table.
Earl’s eyes popped wide open at the mention of O’Malley, but neither Travis nor Mox caught it. “Yeah, umm… that’s the guy from the church. I’ll give him a call back in a few.”
The deception was making Earl extremely uncomfortable. This was his nephew—his bloodline. And although he hadn’t snitched on him, he was still a rat because he was going to snitch on someone else. He knew how Mox felt about rats; in fact, the most important rules of the game he learned from Earl. But circumstances were different now. Tables were turned, and the cards that were dealt were now being played. Earl was still coming to terms with the decision he made. He felt it was best for his well-being. He was afraid for his life.
“So, Unc,” Mox broke off a piece of the grilled cheese sandwich and tossed it in his mouth. “You really gettin’ baptized, huh?”
“Yeah nephew, this serious. I need to make a change in my life style. I need some stability—some direction.”
Mox listened to every word his uncle said, and he sounded sincere. It was the first time he’d heard him speak about religion with such passion. “I respect it Unc, shit… I got no choice but to respect it, but you already know how I’m living. I really don’t do the church thing.”
“You tellin’ me you not coming?”
“Nah, I’m not sayin’ that. I’ll be there, don’t worry.”
Mox and Travis sat with Earl for an hour before they left. Hartsdale, New York was one of the few stops he had to make before going to see Juan Carlos to handle his business.
-HARTSDALE, NEW YORK-
Mox hit the lights and slowly pulled into the gated community. He punched his code in the panel at the front gate and continued up the winding road until he was at his front door.
A black Mercedes Benz and a blue Corvette occupied the two guest parking spaces next to Jasmine’s Range Rover, so he knew she had company. He parked a few spaces down and he and Travis got out the car and walked to the house. Before he stuck the key in the door, he could hear the music playing loud from the inside. “They probably in there drinkin’ n shit.” he said to Travis as he opened the door.
Mary J Blige and Lil’ Kim’s video, “I Can Love You,” was playing on the flat screen television and blasting through the surround sound. Jasmine’s two friends were in the middle of the living room dancing and singing along.
“Y’all havin’ a party, huh?” Mox said.
Jasmine looked up smiling. She knew her man’s
voice anywhere. She lowered the music video and got up from the sofa to greet Mox. “Wassup babe?” He wrapped his strong arms around her soft, warm body. “You miss me?”
Jasmine kissed her teeth. “Nope,” she joked, kissing his lips. She reached down and cuffed his sack. “I miss him, though.”
“Yeah? I bet you do.” Mox looked at her two friends. “Wassup Melonie?” He had no idea who her other friend was, so he just waved. “Jasmine, this my homie Travis. Travis this my boo, and her crazy ass friend, Melonie.”
“How you doin?” Travis shook Jasmine’s hand and waved at her two friends.
“Are you staying for dinner, Mox?” He wanted to say yes, but time wasn’t permitting him. He had a couple more stops before his meeting.
“Nah, babe… I told you, I gotta take care of something. Next time I come up, I’ll be able to stay.”
No was exactly what Jasmine didn’t want to hear. She told Mox that she was comfortable with their situation, but honestly, she was jealous of Priscilla. She was annoyed at the fact that he constantly expressed his love for her, but woke up every morning to someone else. Jasmine no longer wanted to be viewed as second in line; she wanted the top spot. But to even be considered for that spot, she needed a relevant explanation—a sure reason for him to leave the person he was with.
“Mox, I need to tell you something.” Jasmine grabbed his arm and led him into the kitchen fifty feet away.
“I’ll be right back,” he told Travis. Once they entered the kitchen, Jasmine grabbed the lump in Mox’s pants and massaged it. She got close to him and slipped her tongue in his mouth. Mox cupped her ass cheeks as he felt his dick hardening. “Chill… you gon’ get him hard,” he whispered in her ear.
“That’s exactly what I wanna do.” She whispered back, pulling his zipper down. Jasmine started to go down on her knees, but Mox stopped her.
“Not right now babe… I told you, I gotta go.”
“Shh…” She put her finger to her lips. “It won’t take long. I got you.” she assured.
Mox couldn’t resist seeing her soft, wet lips around his hard dick. Jasmine gave the best head. It was one of the many reasons he kept going back. And he agreed with her. The way she worked those lips, it wouldn’t take long at all. Seconds later, he succumbed to her sweet seduction. He leaned his back against the seven-foot refrigerator and let Jasmine take control.
The Union III Page 10