“Sit that on the floor for me,” she said, handing me the bag after I was inside.
Lisa was close to six feet tall and always the flashy designer type. Since her man was a hustler, she could always afford the finer things. Her hair and nails were always done and her pretty brown skin held a beauty mole on her upper lip. I was dressed in Jordan’s and black bebe jeans with a matching jacket and I could tell she was caught off guard by my new fashion sense.
“So what’s up?” I asked, as she pulled away from the curb slowly.
“What’s this I keep hearing about you got work?” Lisa said.
“Well, I got work,” I replied.
“Really?”
“Really,” I nodded.
“Well, this is a shocker if I ever heard of one,” she said, giggling.
“I know, it’s a long story. I know the last time you seen me I was probably trying to buy some rocks, but I’m a completely different person now.”
Even though I’d just said it, sometimes I still didn’t believe it myself.
“Honestly, I don’t remember ever selling you no rocks. I remember selling Terry a bunch of rocks and that was your boyfriend, so I put two and two together.”
“Yeah, I was out there for a while, but it’s a new day.”
After she bent a few more corners, I realized we were driving in circles.
“So what’s the number for a whole thang?” she asked, staring at me through designer lenses.
“First, tell me how did you find out? Carrie?”
“Naw, I just found Carrie to get in touch with you. I found out, ‘cause yo’ name been ringing in the streets like crazy,” she informed me.
That thought frightened the fuck out of me. I didn’t mind doing business with Lisa because she was super cool, but I didn’t want people to think I had more than I did, because I knew that would make me a target.
“Well, I’ll give it to you for nineteen, but anybody else, it’s twenty.”
I needed to make some more money and I needed to make if fast, so I was thinking ahead.
“You ain’t gotta worry about that, ‘cause I won’t be sending nobody else your way. If you see anybody besides me, it will be Big Poppa,” she assured me.
“That’s cool, seeing him is the same as seeing you,” I replied.
“Exactly.”
“I can’t believe y’all still together since high school.”
“Girl, where his fat ass going? He can’t find nobody that’s gon’ treat him better than me.”
I didn’t comment because I didn’t know anything about their relationship, except it lasted. After a little more catching up, she dropped me off in front of my rental car and told me where to meet her at in an hour. I was really glad to be doing business with Lisa. Seeing her, still out here striving in a man’s game gave me more confidence. I mean, even if it was Big Poppa making the major moves, she was still getting her money too, just like Amir and me. Speaking of Amir, he finally called me back while I was driving to the hotel.
“Hey baby,” he said.
“Don’t ‘hey baby’ me. You been ignoring my calls all day, what if I had some business to handle with you?” I said, with attitude.
“Nah, it wasn’t like that. I was working on something I couldn’t take a break from. Anyway, where are you now?”
“I’m on my way to make a run.”
“So did you get the rest of your things from your mom’s house?”
“Yeah, I took it all to the hotel.”
“Okay, well when you’re done with the business, get your stuff and take it to the apartment building and I’ll meet you there.”
“Wow, you really gonna let me move into your apartment with you?”
“No, your apartment, it’s yours now. I fixed it up a little more for you.”
I fell silent as I felt myself tearing up. I still couldn’t believe someone actually cared about me this much, especially someone like Amir. In that moment, I felt like the luckiest woman on earth. A year ago, I thought I was doomed to die of AIDS, a hopeless drug addict. Now, my life was becoming something to envy.
“Thank you, baby, you don’t know how much this means to me. I don’t even know if words can express how thankful I am.”
“Hey, you’re my girl now. I can’t have you on the streets, right?”
“Yeah, well, I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am.”
My mind started to wonder and I got curious enough to speak on it.
“So, I guess I knew all along that wasn’t where you lived, but does this mean that you really do have a real girlfriend that you live with? I mean, if you do I don’t really care, it’s just—”
“Hey, hey, come on now, this is a celebratory time. Let’s not talk about bullshit, okay? Handle the business, get your things and go home. I’m gonna get some champagne and we’re gonna celebrate your newfound independence.”
I knew all he was really saying was shut the fuck up and play your position, so that’s what I did.
“Okay, baby.”
****
I met Lisa at a house that I assumed was her home, because I saw pictures of her and her son all over the house. I couldn’t believe she trusted me in her home. I counted the money and gave her the package. I had a feeling Big Poppa was somewhere in the house, but he didn’t want to see or talk to me. After that, I was all out of coke so I gathered up my things from the hotel, and went to meet Amir at the apartment building. When I arrived at the apartment, I spotted Amir’s Benz sitting in the lot with the engine running.
It was dark now, so I couldn’t see inside through the tints but as soon I parked, he cut the car off and hopped out.
“Leave your bags in the car, let me show you what I did,” he said, as he headed to the building.
My mind began to race as I followed him up the steps and down the walkway. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it was a surprise and I loved those. When we got to the front door of the apartment, he pointed down to the welcome mat.
“Look at that,” he said.
“Oh my God! Where did you find that?” I said, as my eyes became glued to the mat with my name on it.
“Come on, there’s more,” he said, before keying the door.
As soon as I stepped in, I spotted the four-foot fish tank filled with all these tropical fish. There was now a coffee table where an empty space used to be. There were pictures on the wall, and even a fake plant in the corner. I roamed around taking it in
“You did all of this for me?”
“I didn’t personally do it, but yeah, I did it for you. I wanted it to feel like a home for you.”
“It does, it really does,” I said, as I ran into his arms and planted kisses all over him.
He picked me up and carried me to the bedroom as I relished in the moment. My phone started ringing in my hand and I placed it on the new nightstand that I just realized was there. He laid me down and took his shirt off. I began to unbutton his jeans and then sat up in the bed, preparing to give him the best head I could. This was gonna be a showstopper performance. Not to be outdone the caller was persistent, calling back-to-back as I took his tool into my mouth. He wrapped my long blond hair between his fingers and closed his eyes.
As the phone continued to ring, I knew it had to be something urgent, but I was enjoying pleasing Amir so much that I didn’t want to stop. But the phone wouldn’t stop ringing, so eventually he told to me to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Roxanne?” I heard my mother say, crying into the phone.
My first thought was of Nike and my heart pounded through my chest as I jumped up in a panic.
“What’s wrong, Mom, is Nike okay?”
“It’s not Nike. Carrie just called me saying she’s been kidnapped. They want you to pay ten thousand dollars, or they said they going to kill her. Roxanne, what have you done?” she cried.
“Oh my God!”
I was in such a state of shock, I dropped the pho
ne to the floor and began to sob uncontrollably. No way this could be happening right now…but it was.
Chapter 21
“Baby, what’s going on?” Amir said, as he came over trying to comfort me.
I pushed him off me and jumped up, looking around for the car keys.
“I can’t talk right now. Some fucked up shit just happened and I really gotta go.”
“Okay, well, is it your son? Is he okay?”
“Yes, Nike is fine, but I really gotta go. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
I dashed out of the apartment and downstairs to the car. Once inside, I rummaged through my belongings until I found the pistol. I bolted out of the parking lot at top speed, then I called Bam and he answered immediately.
“What up?”
“Bam, you gotta help me, they kidnapped my sister and they want ten thousand dollars!”
“Slow down, Slow down. Who did this?”
“I don’t fucking know!” I shrieked, as tears rolled down my face. “What am I gonna do, Bam?”
All I could think about was how terrified Carrie must be. I had to get her back.
“Just come to the block and pick me up, we’ll figure it out,” Bam said.
“I’m on my way.”
When I hung up the phone, I felt the panic begin to subside a little. I knew Bam had probably been in more crazy situations than I could imagine. I believed he would help me fix this. I don’t know why I didn’t tell Amir. I guess subconsciously, I was afraid he wouldn’t help me. Or maybe subconsciously I remembered I still had all the money I owed him in the trunk of the car and I knew I could pay the kidnappers, instead of giving it to him. I had fifty-seven thousand dollars in the trunk of the rental car that belonged to Amir and another five thousand that was supposed to go to the lawyer.
I searched my phone for the number of the last person that called me before my mom. I found it and called the number.
“Roxanne?” Carrie answered the phone in a panic.
“Yes, it’s me. Are you okay?”
“No, Roxanne, I’m scared shitless. These mutherfuckers snatched me right of the street, slapping me up for no reason. They’re not fucking around. Roxanne, please just pay the money,” she begged.
“Okay, okay. I’m gonna pay the money, where do they want me to take it to?”
There was a long pause and I thought she hung up the phone.
“Carrie, you there?”
“Yes, I’m here. Please hurry, Roxanne, they are treating me like a piece of shit.”
“Okay, let me talk to them.”
“They won’t talk to you; I just tried that. They said go to the gas station on Sylvania near Uptown at twelve o’clock exactly. There’s a garbage can next the air compressor. Put the money in the trashcan and leave, and then call this number at twelve thirty. They said if you do anything stupid, they’re gonna shoot me in the head.”
“I’m not, tell them I will be there with the money, I promise.”
“Okay, I love—”
“Carrie? Carrie?”
The bastards hung up before she could even tell me she loved me. I mashed the gas, growing more frustrated and afraid. Amir called my phone, but I didn’t answer. He’d probably just realized I never gave him the money. For the first time in my life, other people’s lives were being affected by my decisions. At this point, it was no longer about me. I was about everybody but me; Carrie, Nike, Keisha, even my mom. All I kept thinking as I drove was that I couldn’t fail them.
I truly had to believe if I paid the money to the kidnappers, they would let my sister go even if she didn’t come back unharmed. I would have to worry about everything else later. When I arrived on Bam’s block, he was standing in the doorway waiting on me. He came outside gripping an AK-47, calmly opened the passenger door and fell in.
“What are you doing? We can’t ride around with that,” I rationalized.
“You a muthafucking lie. If I’m going into a dangerous situation, I’m taking my bitch with me,” he explained.
“You know what, fuck it, I don’t even got time to worry about it,” I said, pulling off.
“So who you think took her?” Bam asked.
I had been asking myself that exact same question since my mom called with the news. Lisa and Big Poppa were the first people that popped in my head, just because Lisa was the last person I’d done business with. But in my gut, I knew it was someone else behind it.
“I think it was that grimy muthafucker, Snake.”
“Oh yeah?” Bam said, surprised.
“Yeah, I really think it was him. He knows where to find Carrie, because I remember I specifically told him all about her in a conversation we had recently.”
“Well, I brought a few stacks with me if you need it. Thirty-five hundred to be exact, but you know I’ll need it back as soon as you can.”
Once again, Bam was revealing his true character to me. His friendship was becoming so irreplaceable; I couldn’t explain it.
“Thanks, but I got the money. I’m gonna take it from the money I owe Amir. But if all goes well, I may need to barrow that money to help pay him back. I really don’t want him to know about any of this.”
Before I even finished the sentence, Amir called again and I still hadn’t thought of a good lie to tell him, so I ignored the call. When I made it to the gas station it was twenty minutes to twelve. I parked down the street and counted the cash twice. I took some clothes out of one of my bags and tossed them back in the trunk. I wrapped the money in rubber bands, wrapped a shirt around it, then placed it in the black bag and tied it in a knot twice. I looked around, knowing the kidnappers were probably somewhere watching. Bam scanned the area as well, looking out for anything suspicious. Nighttime scramblers scurried about, oblivious to what was going on around them.
“Alright, let’s do this, you ready?” I said, as I started the engine.
“Yeah, let’s go. Be real smooth with it. Just act like you throwing some shit away and you don’t care nothing about it.”
“Okay.”
As we pulled up to the well-lit gas station, Bam took the assault rifle from between his legs and placed it on his lap. If anybody just happened to walk up and glance in the car, they’d think we’d come to commit a mass murder. I parked at the first pump, got out, and went straight to the trashcan. I didn’t look to the left, right or behind me. I knew Bam had my back so I felt safe as I tossed the money in the trash, then went inside the station to buy something, playing it cool. Walking back to the car, all I could think about was what if someone got to the money before the kidnappers.
“Now what?” Bam said, when I got in.
“They said leave the station and call them at twelve thirty.”
“Okay, let’s go back to the block until then.”
****
Back on the block we sat in the car, watching the clock on the dash as time seemed to tick slower than ever in life. It was 12:25.
“You think I should call now?”
“If it was my people, I would’ve called they ass as soon as I dropped the money off,” Bam said.
“Right, fuck this,” I said, reaching for my phone.
I called the number and got no answer. I waited two minutes and called again and still no answer. I called at 12:30 sharp and someone picked up.
“Hello, Carrie?”
“She in the field, you better hurry,” a raspy voice said.
“What do you mean? What field?”
The voice went on to describe her exact location and I hung up, then sped off fast as I could.
“Slow down, Roxanne, we can’t afford to get pulled over right now,” Bam said.
“I think they hurt her,” I explained as I bent a hard right.
“You won’t ever find out if the police get behind us,” he warned.
“Okay, okay,” I said easing off the accelerator.
It took me ten minutes to reach the block the man said Carrie was on. When I found the field, it was dark and full
of tall weeds. I sprung from the car and took off running through the field, screaming out her name. I could hear Bam close behind me. I saw something from a distance and I prayed it was her, as I stumbled through the weeds and trash. From thirty feet away, I could see her arms and legs were still tied and she wasn’t moving. My heart pounded as fear riveted through me.
“Carrie!” I screamed, but she didn’t respond.
When I reached her, she was lying face down with her hands behind her back. I kneeled, feeling defeated.
“Carrie, please say something.”
I could see that her face was bruised and swollen.
“They beat me, Roxanne. They beat me bad,” she spoke.
Just to hear her voice breathed new life into my lungs. She was alive and that was all that mattered to me at the time.
“I’m here now, sister. I told you I would come for you.”
Bam was standing behind me silently, with that big ass gun out for the world to see.
“Get me to the hospital, Roxanne,” Carrie said.
“Hold this,” Bam replied and handed me the gun, then scooped Carrie up from the grass. I followed behind them, holding this gun I had no idea how to use, just thanking God for saving my sister.
Chapter 22
Believe it or not, things got even crazier after we got Carrie back. I managed to get my sister to agree to rehab when she was released from the hospital. Even if she didn’t stay clean, I really needed her off the streets while I finished what I started. It was the first day of Keisha’s trial and the gas station clerk was the first witness for the prosecution. He seemed to help the defense just as much he did the prosecution. He claimed to have witnessed the shooting, but he agreed that from his view, it could’ve been self-defense. There was a second witness that took the stand and said he was friend of the victim. He was mainly there to rebuke the claims that the deceased was a carjacker. He painted a picture of Keisha as a cold-hearted killer, with a vendetta against the deceased. As he went on with his elaborate fairytale, I wished I could’ve snuck my gun in the courtroom and emptied the clip in his lying ass.
Roxanne: From Addict to Hustler Page 18