by Deja King
Finding a place to put all my stuff until I figured out my next move was first on my list. I located a Storage USA and went in to fill out the application. Once I got the spot, I purchased a lock and put the majority of my belongings in there, including my money. Last thing I wanted was to be caught with a million dollars, plus that shit felt like a ton of bricks.
Then I headed over to Harlem to meet up with this dude named Smokey. I used to fuck with one of his homeboys, but after he got locked up we still remained cool. Any weapon you needed, he could hook you up. I purchased another 9mm since I felt comfortable handling it, said my piece and broke out.
By the time I got back to my room, still no calls. I turned on the television to catch the six o'clock news not feeling optimistic I would find out anything, but then my patients paid off-
"This is Steve Douglass reporting live from Fort Greene. The house behind me," he turned, pointing his finger at what looked to be Ritchie's house, "Is the crime scene of a double homicide that occurred late last night in this upscale section of Brooklyn."
I held my breath, waiting to see who was the second person killed.
"The two male victims have yet to be identified, but the cops do have a suspect in custody. His name is Nico Carter, a purported notorious drug kingpin."
Not caring to hear anything else I switched off the television and flopped down on the bed. "Hallelujah," I echoed as I spread my entire body across the bed. I finally felt some sort of justice. Even so, I wouldn't be completely satisfied until Nico was doing life behind bars. In one night I was able to get rid of the three people I hated most in this world. But the punishment Nico would soon endure was the sweetest. If the system prevailed, he would spend the rest of his life locked up, knowing his fiancee was fucking his best friend behind his back, and believing that I was actually pregnant by Ritchie. That was enough to make any man want to get a hold of a bed sheet and hang himself inside his jail cell. Nico had too much pride to ever commit suicide, so he would have no choice but to spend his days and nights in confinement visualizing Ritchie twisting my back out and wondering if I screamed his name and called him daddy the way I did with him. Good for that motherfucker.
I was surprised that still nobody called me about Nico. I knew the streets had to be buzzing. The only person I really expected to call me was Inga. Boogie would never discuss that shit with me over the phone, so I decided to go see him first thing in the morning. He always got to work an hour before business officially opened. That night I went to bed early because tomorrow was going to be a long day.
When I arrived at Boogie's shop early in the morning, the door was locked. I knew he was the there because his red Deville was parked out front. I knocked for five minutes before he came to the door.
"What you doing here?" he questioned with a surprised look on his face. "I'd think you be at home waiting on a collect call from Nico."
"I haven't been staying there. I don't know exactly what went down, so I've been keeping on the low. That's why I came to see you, Boogie," I said, squeezing past him since he was blocking the door entrance.
"Sorry `bout that," Boogie said, realizing I damn near had to knock him over to get inside. "From what I hear, it's not looking good for Nico. Supposedly the cops caught him at the scene of the crime with the murder weapon."
"On the news I saw that the murders took place at Ritchie's house, but they didn't say who the victims were."
"You haven't spoken to Nico?"
"No, I told you I haven't been home. The night it happened, Nico and I got in an argument, so I stayed at a hotel. I just heard about the murders yesterday."
"One of the men was Butch and the other one was Ritchie."
"Ritchie," I shrieked as if in shock. "Are the streets saying why?" In my mind I was finding it difficult to act as if this was all new to me. I hoped that Boogie didn't pick up on it.
"Word has it that Ritchie was working with Butch to cross Nico on some underhanded shit. Nico got word of it and finished them both off. What's puzzling is how Nico was so sloppy with it. He got many niggas on his payroll that murder for him like this," Boogie said, snapping his two fingers together. "Why he did the shit himself I have no idea. One thing I do know, it's not looking good for Nico Carter."
"Has he had a bail hearing?"
"I doubt it, but even so, they not setting no bail for that man. The local, state and Federal government has had a hard-on for Nico for so many years. Never did they think they would get him for murdering his best friend. If they have their way, Nico Carter won't ever see the light of day."
"Thanks for the insight, Boogie, but I gotta be going. I need to stop by the house and pick up some things."
"You're taking this pretty well, Precious. You have to be worried about how you're going to maintain with Nico behind bars."
"Not really. Financially I'll be straight, especially if you help me out."
"What, you want your old job back?"
"That's funny, Boogie. You know I'm way past that."
"I thought so too, but how else can I help you?"
"I have some money stashed away, but I need to make it legitimate."
"Legitimate how?"
"You know, like a bank account. Maybe buy a house."
"A house? How much money we talking about?"
"A million dollars."
"How in the hell did you get hold of a million dollars? I don't want to know. The less I know the better. I'll help you, Precious, but it's gonna cost you."
"I know Boogie, this is business and you always want your cut."
"No doubt. I'll place a few phone calls. I should know something by tomorrow so stop back through in the evening around closing."
"Don't let anyone know you've seen me, Boogie, or about the million dollars."
"Who you trying to school? I know how to handle business."
I gave Boogie a slight smile because he was the original playa in all this.
"By the way, how did the cops catch Nico at Ritchie's house?"
"An anonymous tip. I guess somebody had it in for Nico."
"I guess so," I said, walking out the door.
I was relieved to know that Nico hadn't leaked to the streets why he really killed Ritchie. Or maybe he hadn't spoken to anybody to inform them. But Nico was so private, he rarely confided in anybody. Besides me, the closest person to him was Ritchie. He had no family. Right before I met him, his mother passed away. The only family he probably had right now was his attorney.
I decided that I would drive past our brownstone to see if the cops had blocked it off. I slowed down at the far end of the corner. There was no indication that the cops had shut it down, so I proceeded with caution moving forward.
Right then I noticed Tommy coming out the house, empty-handed. I wondered if he'd spoken to Nico and came to retrieve the million dollars, or did he take it upon himself to get his hands on the money because Nico was locked up. I debated whether or not to pop up on him, but if he did speak to Nico, there was no telling what he was told to do to me.
When Tommy got in his truck and drove off, I left my car on the corner and crossed the street to do my own investigating. As I got closer to the front stairs, I immediately noticed the basement window was busted open. I wondered why our state-of-the-art alarm system didn't go off when it happened, but I quickly remembered that when I bolted out the house that night, I forgot to turn it on. That motherfucker Tommy didn't come on Nico's orders, he came to rob him. The reason I knew this was because if Nico had spoken to Tommy directly, he would've let him know where he kept the spare key hidden so he didn't come in this neighborhood busting windows out and possibly drawing unnecessary attention to himself.
Without a second thought, I turned right back around and got in my car. Before I could finish my thoughts, my cell phone started ringing and it was Inga. "What's up, Inga?" I said calmly. I wasn't in the mood to speak to her, but I needed to hear as much street gossip as possible.
"Precious, did you hear
about Ritchie?" Inga bawled. By the tears that were obviously flowing, she sounded as if she just heard about the murders.
"Yeah, you just hearing about it?"
"Hmm hun. That night when I saw you, the next morning I had to go to the hospital. I was having real bad cramps in my stomach and there was a little bit of blood. I just got out today."
"Did you lose the baby?" I prayed the answer would be yes.
"No, the baby is fine. The doctor told me I'ma have to take it easy throughout my pregnancy."
"With Ritchie being dead you still want to have his baby?" I asked while saying to myself, this is a dumb bitch.
"Yeah. I know Ritchie was foul, but I loved him. I guess you told Nico that Ritchie was tryna to set him up. That's why he killed him."
"Inga, I neva even had a chance. When I got home that night, Nico was already gone. I didn't even know what hap pened until I heard it on the news."
"Well, he must of found out some other way. Ritchie's stupid ass should've neva crossed Nico. But I can't believe Nico's in jail, you must be devastated, Precious. I know how much you love him."
"So much is going on I really haven't had time to take it all in."
"Have you spoken to Nico?"
"No, I haven't been staying at home. I wasn't sure if the cops was gonna run up in there or something."
"That's true. I heard Nico's supposed to have a bail hearing tomorrow morning. From what I hear, they doubt he gonna get bail."
"Where you hear that from?"
"This girl named Vanika."
"Who that?"
"She Corey's sister. Corey's a little nigga. He works for one of Nico's street lieutenants."
"What else she say?"
"Not too much. Just that everybody stressed `cause wit' Nico locked up and Ritchie dead; they don't have nobody to lead the way. Them two was the only ones that dealt one on one wit' the connect. Ain't nobody heard from Nico. They don't know if the police ain't letting him make no phone calls or what. That's why I was wondering if you spoke to him."
"Not yet."
"So are you gonna go to court for his bail hearing tomorrow?"
"I don't know. Nico might want me to keep a low profile."
"That's true. Wit' Nico locked up I'll understand if you'll need your apartment back."
"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll make some other arrangements."
"I know you ain't going back to your moms' crib."
"Nope." Inga had me feeling she was the police with all these simple-ass questions she was spitting at me.
"So what do..."
"Yo, I gotta go. I'll be in touch," I said, abruptly ending the call. There was nothing left to discuss with Inga because she gave me all the pertinent information she had. The rest of the conversation would've consisted of her picking my brain, which was out of the question.
The first thing I did when I got back to the hotel room was turn to the news. I knew they probably wouldn't have any new information about the case, but I had to do something to calm my nerves. I was pacing the floor back and forth, wondering if I should go to court in the morning. I prayed they wouldn't set bail for Nico, and I needed to hear firsthand.
I arrived at the downtown Brooklyn courthouse early that morning. Once I found the courtroom where Nico's hearing would be held, I took a seat in the back. It was hot as shit in the building. It was the middle of winter and cold as hell outside, but they had it blasting to the point I was getting dizzy. I took off my coat and wanted to take off my hat, but I didn't want to be seen, especially by Nico.
More and more people started coming in filling up the wooden benches, then one particular person caught my eye. She strutted to the front of the courtroom and took a seat behind the defense table. Even to court, that chicken head bitch Porscha didn't know how to represent. She had on some low-cut red dress that was made so cheaply that if you pulled one piece of thread, the whole ensemble would fall apart. I so badly wanted to jump across these benches and finish where I left off, but I had to remind myself I was keeping a low profile. Seeing Porscha confirmed that Nico was getting exactly what he deserved. He was still seeing that bitch after he swore he was done with her. Niggas weren't shit.
Finally at a quarter to ten they brought Nico out. When they called his name, Porscha sat up extra straight and smiled at him like she was his wife. Yeah bitch, you can do that bid wit' him too like you his wife, I thought to myself.
When the Judge called his name, Nico stood next to his high-profile Jewish attorney, looking prouder than ever, even in his orange jumpsuit.
The prosecutor argued that bail shouldn't be set for Nico, not only because of the heinous nature of the crime, but because it was also a double homicide. He also stated that Nico was a flight risk, and due to his illegal drug activity, was a menace to society.
Nico's attorney argued that Nico was an upstanding businessman in the community and that he acted in self defense.
They went back and forth, and finally the judge sided with the prosecution and denied bail.
Nico's attorney immediately demanded that his client wanted a speedy trial.
Once the judge gave his ruling, I quietly got up to leave when I heard someone say, "Precious, is that you?" I tried to step up my speed, but then they got louder. "Precious Cummings, is that you?" I turned to see who had blown my cover, and instantly Nico and I made eye contact. If looks could kill I would've died that morning in the downtown Brooklyn courthouse. Nico stared at me until the bailiff took him away.
"Don't you remember me, Precious? I used to keep you sometimes when your mother had to work."
"Yes," I said, nodding my head and wanting to punch the older lady in her mouth. "Hi, Ms. Duncan. How are you?"
"I'm good. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl. You have grown up to be so beautiful."
"Thank you," I said, trying to edge myself out the door.
"I hope you not in no trouble, being down here in the courthouse and all."
I wanted to be like, "I can ask you the same question," but I didn't want to start a scene. "No, I was just checking up on a friend of mine. I really have to be going. I'll tell my mother I saw you."
"You do that now."
Breathing a sigh of relief to finally be leaving the inferno, Porscha scandalous ass stopped me.
"What do you want?"
"I want to know why you came down here. You know Nico don't want to see you."
"Why is that?" I asked, wondering if he confided in her about my involvement with Ritchie.
"You know why."
Yeah, I did, but she obviously didn't or she would have been humming like the bird she was. "Listen, I'm not gonna discuss my relationship wit' my fiancee with you." I held up my engagement finger that still had the massive rock that Nico laced me with. "Whateva you got going on wit' him is cool `cause you ain't nothing but a broke down, haggard, bootleg version of what I'll neva be. So keep it mov ing in that ten dollar, which includes the cost of those patent leather shoes you rockin' ensemble, and step the fuck off before I wax that ass one more time."
"Ain't nobody stuttin' you, Precious. You a dead bitch. You a dead bitch," she repeated.
My natural reflex kicked in and I balled up my fist ready to Mike Tyson her ass, when a security guard who had been watching our argument unfold, stepped in and grabbed my arm mid-air. "Miss, calm down," the officer said, now holding both my arms gently.
"Nah, let her go. I wish you would put yo' hands on me, Precious!" Porscha raged, trying to egg me on.
"I'm going to ask you to leave this area now, before I cite you for disruption," he said as Porscha rolled her eyes and walked away.
I was breathing so hard. I felt like that bitch was threatening my life. I was consumed with anger.
"Listen, you seem like a nice young lady so please calm down and leave without having another altercation with that woman. She's not worth it. Next time I might not be there to stop you, and it could be you in front of that judge.
I
nodded my head, knowing what the security guard said was true. I got my bearings together and left.
Since I was in Brooklyn, I took a ride over to my moms' apartment to see how she was doing. When I unlocked the door, I immediately closed it and looked at the apartment number to make sure I was at the right place. I opened the door back up and was bugging at how clean the place was.
The walls were newly painted, the hardwood floors were in perfect condition and the whole apartment had new furniture. It didn't even look like the same place. I opened the refrigerator and not a bottle of liquor was in sight. Nothing but juice, water, fruit and other healthy foods, which made me wonder if my moms had died and someone else took over her apartment.
"Precious, I wasn't expecting to see you today, but I'm glad you're here," I heard my moms say.
When I turned towards the door to answer her, my heart almost stopped. I stood speechless.
"Precious, are you OK?" my moms said repeatedly as she stroked my hair.
"What happened to you?"
"I took your advice and got myself together. The last time you were here, I decided to quit using cold turkey. I truly felt ashamed that day, Precious."
I couldn't get over how beautiful my moms looked. She picked up weight and her hourglass shape was still intact. Her skin was glowing and her sandy brown hair was cut short and streaked with blonde highlights. It made her green eyes stand out even more. All the beauty that was hidden because of the drugs was now coming through. It was amazing. I just hugged her and wouldn't let go. For the first time in my life I had a mother.
For the rest of the day we sat down and talked to each other like human beings for the first time. Every word I said was brand new to my moms because she was hearing it with a clear mind, not one that was consumed with drugs. The six hours I spent with my mother were the happiest moments of my life.
"Momma, I have to meet with a friend of mine, but I'ma come back over when I'm done. You really look incredible. I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you. You be careful. I love you, Precious."