by Pinky Dior
“Come on, Mercedes, don’t play these games with me, smart ass!”
“Well, if you won’t listen to me, then talk to my lawyer,” Mercedes said humbly.
“No! I’m talking to you! And you better tell me what the fuck is going on!” Detective Morris barked.
“Calm down, Detective,” Detective Hanks warned his partner.
“No! Because of Mercedes Carter, we have four homicides and they are all connected in some way. That’s not including the one that happened the other day.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Her New York accent came out and was heavier than before.
“Yeah, you don’t know what I’m talking about?” Detective Morris opened up the file and showed her the picture of two men lying dead in the car.
Mercedes defiantly eyed the detective. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
“These two young men are related to the man you attempted to kill today.”
“I don’t know who they are,” Mercedes assured them, as she gritted her teeth together; she knew he wouldn’t believe her.
“What a fucking coincidence!” Detective Morris laughed aloud. “I know she is responsible for all of these murders.” He shook his head. “You deserve the best fucking award right now for killer of the year.” He clapped his hands together. His partner just looked at him as he shook his head.
Detective Hanks looked over at Mercedes. She was hooked up to all kind of machines and tubes, and there his partner was antagonizing her. He felt bad for her. He placed his hands on his partner’s shoulder. “All right, that’s enough, Detective. I think we got all we can get,” Detective Hanks said. “Let’s go now.”
“Yeah, I think you should leave.”
Maria was standing in front of the door, listening to the conversation with her arms folded across her breasts. She walked over and stood at her daughter’s side as she rubbed her soft hair.
“We will be seeing you soon,” Detective Morris said. He took one last look at Mercedes before walking away. We’re going to get you, he thought, as he disappeared into the hallway.
“Thank you for your help, Mercedes,” Detective Hanks said. “I’m sorry about what happened and I hope you get well.” Detective Hanks slightly smiled as he walked out of the hospital room.
“Mercedes, what’s going on?” Maria stared into Mercedes’s eyes.
“I went home today and a guy named Romeo was there.”
“Oh shit!” Maria held her hand over her mouth. “Is he still alive?” she panicked, hoping Mercedes would say no.
“Yes, that bastard is still alive, but he shot at me first.” Mercedes coughed. “Then I started shooting back. I had to protect myself.”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” Maria carefully hugged her daughter as she cried. Maria sat down, grabbed the Kleenex tissue box, and wiped away her tears.
“Why are you crying, Ma?” Mercedes asked as she tilted her head to the side.
“Because, Mercedes…this is my fault! I brought this upon myself. This wouldn’t be happening right now, if it wasn’t for me.”
“Yeah, if I wasn’t born, right?” Mercedes said bitterly. She turned her head and hid her face from her mother. A tear crept down the side of her face.
“No, Mercedes, baby, I’m not trying to say that!” Maria exclaimed.
“So what are you trying to say, Ma?” Mercedes turned around, facing her mother as she wiped away her tears. “What is it that you’re trying to say?”
“I-I don’t know, Mercedes. But I’m blessed to have you in my life; you’re all that I have left!” Maria cried.
“Yeah, but you can’t blame yourself for doing what you did, Ma. I don’t know your whole story, but your father shouldn’t stop you from living your life, Ma. He controlled you then and is still trying to control you now.” Mercedes shook her head in disbelief.
“I’m not trying to blame myself. It’s just that with everything that has been going on, I am partially to blame for it.”
“We are Carters, Ma,” Mercedes said proudly. “No matter what, we have to remain strong. It is what it is, and everything happens for a reason.”
“You’re right.” Maria cracked a smile as she wiped away her tears.
“I love you, Ma.”
“I love you too, Mercedes.” Maria smiled as she bent over and kissed Mercedes on the forehead and rubbed her hair. “I’m going to head home now. Make sure you get some sleep.”
“I will,” Mercedes whispered. “Where are the girls?”
“Outside.”
“Tell them to come in.”
“All right, Mercedes, and after they leave, make sure you get some sleep.”
Mercedes felt like she was a little kid again. “Ma, I know, I will.” Mercedes chuckled as she started coughing.
Maria exited the room and told the girls Mercedes wanted to see her. They all walked in with balloons for her.
“Hey, Mercedes, how are you doing?”
“I’m all right.” Mercedes smirked. “I’m a Carter, and I’m a soldier.”
“I know that’s right!” Hazel agreed.
“Here, we got you a card.” Chamari walked closer to the bed and handed Mercedes the card.
Mercedes grabbed the card, and as she carefully read it, a smile appeared on her pale face. “Aw, thank you so much, guys.” Mercedes closed the card and put it on the stand next to her.
“So what the fuck happened?” Shateeya asked, being nosy.
“Motherfucker came in my spot trying to kill me. It’s a long story. Y’all wouldn’t understand even if I tried to break that shit down to you.” Mercedes shook her head, knowing she couldn’t tell them everything.
“Word?” Hazel said as she raised her brow.
“Yup!” Mercedes answered proudly. “Fucking cops trying to come at me. I told the faggots I didn’t do shit.”
“Damn, Mercedes, you’s a gangsta bitch,” Chamari sang as the girls chuckled in unison.
“I learned from the best,” Mercedes smirked, referring to her father.
“She is a Carter.” Hazel rubbed Mercedes’s hand.
“Well, I’m about to get some sleep. I’m tired as fuck.”
“All right. We will be back to see you soon,” they told her.
The girls carefully hugged Mercedes as they told her to get better. They exited the room, but Hazel stayed behind.
“I want you to go get my car out the garage. The keys are over there on the seat.”
Hazel walked over and snatched the keys.
“Take that money out the trunk and make sure you bring that shit to your crib and hide that shit. Don’t let anybody find that bag,” Mercedes directed her.
Hazel nodded her head, taking in everything Mercedes said.
“All right, thanks, Hazel. That’s why I fucks with you the most.” Mercedes knew she couldn’t ask the other girls. It wasn’t that she couldn’t trust them, but they weren’t really cut out for it; Hazel on the other hand, was built for situations like these.. She knew Hazel was from the streets and had been through some shit.
“No problem, mama,” Hazel said, as she fumbled around with the keys. “Make sure you get some sleep.” Hazel smiled at Mercedes.
“I will. See you later.”
Mercedes watched Hazel exit the room. Mercedes didn’t feel good at all. She didn’t believe she could have died. She knew she was lucky and she thanked God.
Chapter Eighteen
Discharged
Mercedes was in the hospital for almost two and a half weeks. She had informed Hazel that she was getting discharged and she was already on her way.
The doctor knocked before she entered. Mercedes motioned for her to come in. The doctor walked into the room with the discharge papers, which she handed over to Mercedes. “Take it easy now.” The doctor smiled.
“I will. Thanks, Doc.” Mercedes smiled back as she looked at the discharge papers before tossing them on the bed. She walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Sh
e still looked beautiful.
Mercedes heard a knock on the door. She opened up the bathroom door and saw Hazel standing in the doorway and holding a shopping bag in her hand.
“Hey, Mercedes, are you ready to go home?”
“Shit, I was ready the same day I got shot!” Mercedes exclaimed as they both laughed.
“Here, I brought you something fresh to wear home.” Hazel handed her the bag. “Don’t worry, Mercedes, I bought it with my own money,” Hazel assured her. “Your money is safe back at my crib and it’s all there.”
Mercedes smiled and nodded her head. “I didn’t say anything. You my partner in crime. Whatever you need, you got it.” Mercedes grabbed the bag. “Let me get dressed.”
Mercedes walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She quickly untied the hospital gown and took it off, tossing it in the trash. Mercedes pulled out the clothes Hazel had brought her, nodding her head in approval. Hazel knew exactly what Mercedes’s style was. She quickly put on some black Rocawear jeans with a cute pink long-sleeved sweater and some fresh pink Nike Air Forces. Mercedes brushed her hair back with her bare hands and coifed it up into a sleek ponytail.
Mercedes emerged from the bathroom. She was all set to go. Both of the girls headed down the corridors of the hospital. Mercedes’s Benz was right in front, parked and waiting for her when she came out. Mercedes didn’t feel like driving. Hazel excitedly rushed over to the driver’s side and hopped in the car.
“Yo, this shit drive smooth,” Hazel said, pulling off.
“Yeah, I know.” Mercedes smirked as she stared out the window and rolled it down. It felt good to smell the fresh air. She hadn’t been on the streets for two and a half weeks, but to her, it felt like much longer.
Hazel pulled up in front of the brick apartment projects in Queens. She ran upstairs and Mercedes patiently waited in the car for her. She opened up her glove compartment and her gun was still in there. She grabbed it and held it on her lap. Hazel returned with the duffle bag and placed it in the back seat, and then they were off to Mercedes’s house.
Hazel pulled up in front of the house and parked the Benz.
“You good?” Mercedes said as she looked nervously in her rearview mirror, hoping Hazel didn’t fuck up her rims.
“I got this,” Hazel chuckled.
Hazel and Mercedes stepped out of the car and entered her house. Her mother sat on the couch watching General Hospital.
“Hey, Ma.” Mercedes walked over around the table and kissed her mother on the cheek as she embraced her.
“Hey baby.” She kissed her on the cheek. Hazel walked over and kissed her on the cheek too. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling good, Ma. The doc said just to take it easy.”
“Yeah, you need to get some rest. Oh yeah, I contacted your lawyer for you. She wants you to meet her at her office.”
“When?”
“She said you can come by today if you like. I told her you were getting discharged today.”
“All right, cool. I’m about to head over there and see what’s up.”
“All right, baby.” Maria turned her head back to the TV.
Mercedes told Hazel to wait for her downstairs. She ran upstairs, took about ten thousand dollars out of the bag, and placed it in her Chanel purse. She stashed the money and gun in her closet. Mercedes rushed downstairs and they left the house. They jumped in the car and were on their way.
Hazel went along with Mercedes to meet up with her lawyer. She waited in the lounge while Mercedes went inside to talk with her lawyer.
“Hello, Ms. Alberto,” Mercedes greeted her as she walked in.
“Please, have a seat.” Ms. Alberto pulled out the chair for her. “You can call me Karen.” She smiled. “I heard about what happened. How are you doing?”
“Well, I’m all right for now, you know,” Mercedes said. “I’m here, right? That’s all that matters.” Karen smiled as she nodded her head and agreed. “So what’s going on?”
“Are you being aware of what you’re being charged with at the moment?”
“What’s that?”
“Attempted murder…”
“It was self-defense! I came into my house and it was trashed, and there he was with a gun in his hand. He fired first.”
“I believe you, Mercedes, but the detectives are trying to link you with other homicides too. Are you aware of those?” she questioned.
“Of course I am. They came in there fucking questioning me and threatening me. I don’t know shit about those other murders.” Mercedes was enraged, lying straight through her teeth. “How much am I looking at if convicted?” Mercedes asked, just in case.
“Twenty without parole.”
Mercedes’s heart dropped. She didn’t want to go back to jail again; there was no way she was going back. “Twenty years without parole? That is ridiculous!” she shouted. “What about if I plead guilty?”
“Well, they will probably give you fifteen years, maybe a little less.” Karen pursed her lips together as she made an estimate.
Mercedes reclined back in her chair. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was only eighteen years old and she couldn’t go to jail. “I’m innocent, Karen.” Mercedes said earnestly, as she stared into her eyes. Mercedes didn’t think about the consequences until she did it; every time she had killed someone, there was a reason and she had to do it.
“I know, Mercedes, I know.”
“Karen, help me out here.” Mercedes pulled her chair closer. “What can you do for me? I’m too young to live the rest of my life in jail.”
“Let me see what I can do for you.” She bit down on her lip. “I know the judge who will be reviewing your case. Let me see what I can do.”
“Thank you so much, Karen.” Mercedes smiled, hoping she could help her out.
“I can’t promise you that I will get you off scot-free, but I will try. But just to let you know, they found the shell casings and they knew you were at the crime scene. The only thing is; they don’t have the gun.”
“That’s exactly my point,” Mercedes said. “Lack of evidence, no conviction.” Mercedes spoke as if she was a convicted felon.
“I know, Mercedes, but—”
Mercedes cut her off. She pulled the ten stacks from her purse and placed it on her desk, sliding it across the table. “Make it happen.” Mercedes zipped up her bag, throwing it over her shoulder as she headed out of her lawyer’s office.
Mercedes and Hazel exited the law firm and headed out to Friday’s to get something to eat. They sat at a table in the corner as they dug into their food.
“So what the fuck you gonna do?” Hazel questioned.
“I don’t know. Hopefully she can get this case dismissed.” Mercedes sighed. “I’m not fucking wasting my life behind bars.”
“I feel you,” Hazel agreed.
“That motherfucker shot at me first, so I had no fucking choice but to shoot him. If I didn’t shoot back, I would be dead.” Mercedes shook her head. “Hazel, I never pictured my life being like this, you know what I mean?” Hazel nodded her head as Mercedes continued to talk. “I just pictured my mother and father and me being a happy family like we were, living the lavish life, with no drama or anything. But I guess when you get into the game, this is the type of shit you have to prepare for. My father once told me that there’s only two ways out—death or jail. Some survive, but not too many.”
“That’s real nigga shit.” Hazel wiped ketchup of the side of her lip with a napkin.
“Those detectives want me so bad.” Mercedes reminisced back to when they had questioned her when she was in the hospital. They stayed fucking with her. She knew one day that they would be rocking proud smiles on their faces, if she didn’t stay on top of her game.
Mercedes took in what her father had told her. She didn’t want to end up dead or in jail. She felt as if she would be the last one standing and she would be the last one to survive.
***
> Romeo had been in the hospital for weeks, clinging to life. Detectives Morris and Hanks were there, waiting for him to wake up. Detective Morris sat next to him and noticed he was moving his hand. Romeo opened up his eyes and wiggled his fingers. He looked around the room and noticed two plainclothes dudes in his room. He knew that they were detectives, because their badges were displayed prominently around their necks.
“Romeo Ramirez?” Detective Morris stood up and stood over Romeo. “I’m Detective Morris and this is my partner, Detective Hanks. We are here on your behalf.”
Romeo didn’t say anything. He just looked at the detectives and blinked his eyes up and down.
“We know who tried to kill you.”
“Who?” Romeo finally asked, even though he knew.
“Well, we have several suspects.” Morris pulled out his file folder and placed different pictures of several females on his lap. Morris made sure that he placed Mercedes Carter’s picture right in front of him and he kept his hand on her picture. “Do you see the one who tried to kill you?”
“No, I don’t,” Romeo lied.
Detective Morris purposely picked up Mercedes’s picture and brought it closer to his face. “We found you lying in her condo left for dead…and you’re telling me she had nothing to do with your murder?” he asked disbelievingly.
“I haven’t seen that girl a day in my life,” Romeo lied.
Morris turned around and bit down hard on his lip, wanting to snatch the tubes out of Romeo’s arms and nose. He wanted to rough him up a little bit. He knew that Romeo was lying. Detective Morris walked out of the room and punched the wall. Detective Hanks walked over and sat down next to Romeo.
“Romeo, I know for a fact you know who shot you,” Hanks said.
“What’s your point?”
“I know you want revenge on whoever did this to you, and whoever killed your nephew. I know you must be going through a lot.”
“I don’t want her locked up,” Romeo said, with tears in his eyes. “I want you to keep it a secret. Let her know that I’m dead and keep it that way. I will pay you twenty grand to keep this a secret from anyone else and your asshole partner.”
“Deal,” Hanks smirked as he shook Romeo’s hand.