The Streets Bleed Murder Box Set

by Jerry Jackson

  Just last week he broke down and told NeNe about Keshana. Now it was time to explain to Terry about Junior, because he never got around to doing so the last. He decided it was best to do it face-to-face as well, since she visited him every Sunday with his mother. Gangsta noticed bags under her eyes and a depressed look upon her face.

  “I been calling yo’ butt, so where have you been?” he finally asked her.

  “I’ve been home, but mostly over Nikki’s house,” Terry said.

  Gangsta knew her like the back of his hand. She was his first girl and his first love, so it was easy for him to smell a lie from her a mile away. Gangsta just nodded and turned his attention to his mother, who was watching him and waiting for him to break the news to Terry. Gangsta caught the hint.

  “Ma, go buy me something to eat. Warm it up, and then change Keshana,” Gangsta said, because he needed a little time.

  “Do you want anything, Terry?” his mother asked as she stood up.

  Terry was holding her hands together and looking down while lost in thought.

  She quickly looked up and smiled before saying, “Yes, a soda will be fine.”

  “Okay.”

  Gangsta’s mother walked away holding Keshana in her arms.

  “Where you been?” Gangsta asked once his mother left.

  “I told you.”

  Terry looked to him, then broke their eye contact.

  “I’ve got a son, Terry.”

  He found himself leaning back in the chair and resting his hands on his thighs. Terry’s eyes fixed on him for a second, and she said nothing. She just stared Gangsta directly in the eyes.

  “A son?”

  “Yeah,” Gangsta replied with a shake of his head.

  “I’m just trying to figure out why you haven’t told me this?”

  “Because I didn’t believe her. I had to get a DNA test first,” he lied real quick.

  “And he’s yours? Our daughter has a brother? How old is he?” Terry fired her questions at him.

  Gangsta could tell she was pissed. Her light gray eyes somehow became a shade darker.

  “He’s 7 months old,” he dryly replied.

  “What?”

  Terry stood up and moved the table that was between them. Gangsta stood up as well, because he knew she was stupid, so the first thing he did was grab both arms. Terry tried to knee him in the nuts, but he quickly moved back.

  “So yo’ ass been cheating, mutha’fucka.”

  “Hold up, boo. Listen and just hold up. Sit down and I will—”

  “No, now move,” she shouted, and by then the officer walked over to see what was going on.

  Gangsta assured the man that everything was okay. He slid the chair back in place under the table. Terry took her seat, and he did the same.

  “Look, Terry, I was drunk. The shit happened in the club, and I don’t even remember the girl, I swear,” he lied again.

  “Gary, you got a fucking son. A son.”

  “I’m sorry, baby, real talk.”

  “I know yo’ ass is.”

  Terry was bouncing her knee while tears fell from her face. She had her fists balled. Gangsta reached for her hands humbly with beggin’ eyes, and this time she didn’t pull away.

  “Forgive me, baby, please.”

  “Gary, you got another fuckin’ kid,” Terry stated in a daze, not really looking at him. “A son.”

  “Damn, boo, you making this shit hard.”

  Gangsta dropped his head in defeat. He was kind of ready to give up, though at the same time he felt a lot better now that it was in the open. He loved Terry without a doubt, but he was in love with NeNe.

  He wanted the best of both worlds, but knew that it was impossible. Gangsta disliked the hurt he witnessed on Terry’s face, but his mother was right when she told him to get it over with so his kids could know each other.

  “Bye, Gary.”

  Terry pulled her hands free from his grip. She stood up and walked away. Gangsta just sat there and watched her go. He wouldn’t chase anymore. The reality is he had two kids, two baby mothers, and both of them were mad.

  ***

  Veedo

  Just leaving the stash house with Rock in tow, both guys climbed into the truck. Rock pulled the Glock he carried from his back pocket and slid it under the seat before he climbed completely in.

  Veedo always rode with his Beretta on his lap and ready at all time to splack the haters. Shit was good with the money count, and almost all the pills were gone, so he needed to make a move fast.

  Bam fronted him the loud in as many pounds as he wanted, but Bam’s pills were whack. They were nothing like Pat Man’s pills, that was bangin’. Veedo had been contemplating if he should step to Pat Man. If he did, then Gangsta should know, but Gangsta had never told him about Pat Man or the bitch, and it wasn’t his place to assume anything. I gotta holla at Gangsta, was all Veedo thought while pushing the Porsche through Albany’s streets.

  Rock was busy rolling a blunt from the new batch of loud that came in from Bam. Rock was the gunner of the two guys. His temper was automatic, and almost every time he got into it with someone, it ended in violence.

  “Bruh, what you think about splittin’ Kia and Amanda up? Keep one in Macon and one here, that way dem lil’ hos don’t ever try to get slick with the team,” Rock said as he lit up the blunt.

  “You think them hos will try us?” Veedo asked.

  He wanted to know his partna’s take on it, because the girls had been with them ten months and showed no signs that they’d cross them.

  At the time, the two of them were being paid good money not to snitch for free.

  “Fuckin’ right. ‘Cause them hos know the ins and outs. They know how to get around certain shit.”

  “Yeah, you might be right.”

  Veedo pulled up to LisaPay’s house and saw her seated on the porch smoking a Newport with a King Kobra beer can in one hand. That was one of those two-for-a-dollar beers. He parked, but neither of them moved from the comfort of the leather seats so they could finish the blunt.

  “I bet any amount of money that LisaPay is high as a bird,” Veedo said with a laugh.

  “Hell, I would, too.”

  They exited the car and walked into the yard.

  LisaPay wasn’t looking at either one of them when she said, “Somebody came by looking for you.”

  Veedo took a seat in his favorite spot on the porch, which was the second step, and Rock stood.

  “Who was it?” Veedo asked.

  “Who? You mean how many?” LisaPay said as she finally fixed her eyes on Veedo.

  He could indeed tell she was high.

  “Okay, then how many?” Veedo wanted to know.

  “Four carloads.” LisaPay turned up her beer can, swallowed hard, and then hit her Newport. “He said to tell you to get at him. It was some red-haired guy with gold teeth, and he left this.”

  She gave Veedo a card. He took it and read the name on the card. It was Pat Man’s name and his phone number.

  Veedo took the number, put it in his pocket, then asked, “How long has he been gone, Lisa?”

  LisaPay still didn’t look at him when she spoke. She took a long drink from the beer can.

  “No more than 20 minutes.”

  Veedo gave a look to Rock and pulled out his phone. Reading from the paper, he called the given number. The phone rang a couple times, then a deep voice picked up.

  “What’s up?”

  “Pat Man, what da move is, homie? Dis Veedo.”

  There was a moment of silence that seemed forever before Pat Man spoke. Veedo wasn’t sure what to think.

  “Ok, you must just pulled up, ‘cause I just pulled off. I need to meet the man himself who got the county on lock down with my product.” Pat Man paused, then continued. “With product my wife lost her life for. So tell me, where can we meet, my nigga?”

  Veedo was taken aback, but he refused to show any fear. At the same time, he was confused to who could h
ave told Pat Man he was pumping his shit.

  “We can meet now, my nigga. Pull back up,” Veedo said, and at the same time he motioned to Rock with his hand to get the guns.

  “Ok, I’m on my way,” Pat Man said, and the line disconnected.

  Veedo pocketed his phone and walked into LisaPay’s house followed by Rock, who asked “What dis nigga talking ‘bout?”

  “Talking like he know I got his shit. It wasn’t no pleasant call, but I can’t see how he could possibly think I got his shit.”

  “Well, shit, we finna see.”

  It only took Pat Man 15 minutes to pull up, and when he did, it only confirmed Lisa’s story of how deep he was. Pat Man rolled up four cars deep, and all occupants inside jumped out. Pat Man was a redhead, freckles on his face kind of guy. He was extra fresh, and his demeanor wasn’t warm.

  Veedo and Rock met Pat Man in the yard while his goons stood in the streets. There was no handshake, no head nod, just Pat Man looking directly into Veedo’s eyes.

  “For the past month, I’ve had my people following your campaign, buying your pills, buying your loud, supporting your cause. Me, I’m a reasonable type guy, so I respect what you got going on, but at the same time I have my assumption that the pills you slanging is mines, so my question is who did you cop from?”

  Veedo shook his head from side to side.

  “Bruh, I got my own thang going on. I don’t know what you tryna say.”

  “It’s no secret that I got hit for a shitload of pills, then all of a sudden you relocated down here. You went from selling loud in Bankhead to pumping pills in over three counties. I’m far from stupid, my nigga, so don’t play me like I am.”

  Pat Man grilled Veedo. Rock, on the other hand, was ready to pop off, ‘cause it seemed the situation was about to get out of hand.

  “Man, I don’t know where you get your info from, but I’m not the nigga who took you off. I fucks with—”

  “Bam, I know. That’s my personal,” Pat Man cut him off.

  “Well, you should know where I get my work,” Veedo shot back.

  “Yeah, true, but the thing about this is me and Bam’s pills are different, and these,” Pat Man pulled a bag of pills out, “these are mines, and they come from you.”

  Veedo took the pills and examined them before passing them back with a shake of his head.

  “Naw, bruh, I’m strictly getting mines from Bam.” Veedo had in the past gotten some pills from Bam that were whack, so he would stick to his story.

  “Well, listen, I spoke to Bam already, and he like you, my nigga. This shit ain’t ‘bout no pills. It’s the life of my girl that got took behind this petty shit. I know you know something, but on my word to Bam I promised to approach you wit’ respect. If you know anything, my nigga, then hit my line, and I got a mean award for you.” Pat Man just turned around and walked away.

  Later that day, Veedo drove to the city. He needed to talk with Bam face-to-face to find out what was really going on. Gangsta never told him that he hit Pat Man. Veedo just assumed so. Veedo wanted to know if it was Bam who sent Pat Man at him, or if not, then who?

  Kia rode with him shotgun while Rock and Amanda held the trap down, because his plan was to be in and out.

  Bam wanted to meet in a strip club, so they chose Blue Flames Veedo and Kia were checked and allowed in, then escorted to V.I.P. where Bam sat posted like the don he was.

  “What’s up, my boy? How you?” Bam smiled.

  “I’m just here, bruh.” Veedo took his seat and Kia followed. “Pat Man pulled up heavy on me today, asking me personal shit. Real deep like who my plug was. Tell me, what’s up wit’ your personal, so he say.”

  Bam poured up two cups of Hennessey and passed Veedo one, then Kia the other. He looked to his left and there sat Zay, a nigga Veedo knew well from Hollywood Road. Zay was a money figure. Then he saw Eric, who was Gangsta’s cousin.

  Veedo didn’t really know Eric. He just heard he had the west side on smash.

  However it went, though, Veedo wasn’t there for either one of them. He wanted to know what was up with Pat Man.

  Bam began to introduce them.

  “Eric and Zay, I want y’all to meet Veedo, one of our team playas. He loyal, he hungry. Veedo, this is Eric and this is Zay. I know the streets talk, so you know of each other already, but what you didn’t know is all y’all niggas eating off the same plate. All y’all niggas chasing the same shit, which is paper. Now, to answer your question, Veedo, I don’t really know what Pat Man got going on. The kid in love, so he just acting out on what he’s heard. I will calm him, though, ‘cause he, too, is our team playa.”

  “Ok, cool, ‘cause I’m not tryna be looking over my shoulder ‘bout shit I don’t know of. I’m just tryna get this money.”

  “And money you will get. Lots of it,” Bam boasted. Veedo decided to mingle a while longer, then planned to feel out Zay and Eric, and both turned out to be some cool cats. He ended up trading numbers with them both. He and Kia finally hit the road, but not before stopping at his grandmother’s house.

  Chapter 18

  Gangsta

  Eight Months Later

  Finally Free

  He watched her from the porch as NeNe climbed out of her car with Junior in tow. Still in love, still captivated by just the mere sight of her, Gangsta stared and wished the both of them were on good terms. It’d been eight months since their breakup, and that was eight months too long. Every gesture Gangsta would make toward her she somehow blocked, no matter what. NeNe had visited him one time in those eight months and poured her heart out to him about the hurt he bestowed upon her, how disrespected she felt, and what loyalty meant to her.

  Gangsta couldn’t do shit but respect it, but he didn’t like it. He still begged her for another chance. Gangsta knew he wasn’t going to fuck up anymore once he got her back in his life, but since then the status had remained the same with them.

  Gangsta watched as his mom took Junior from NeNe. That was when he began heading her way. She was looking hella good his first day home. They stood face-to-face, and then Gangsta opened his arms and NeNe walked into them.

  “I love you, and I miss you.” Gangsta spoke honest words.

  “I’m glad you home,” was NeNe’s only reply, then she firmly pulled away from his embrace.

  Gangsta let her go.

  “Yeah, me too.”

  He allowed her to walk off and mingle with the crowd of people in his mother’s yard. Gangsta made a mental note to deal with his relationship issues later and focused back on enjoying the party.

  “Bruh!” Gangsta heard someone call him. It was Veedo approaching. “I’m ‘bout to head out, bruh.”

  They clasped hands and pulled each other into a one-armed hug.

  “Okay, foo’. Good looking, too, my nigga,” Gangsta replied, referring to the conversation the two shared on the ride back from prison.

  Veedo had picked him up one-on-one to give him the heads up on the visit he got from Pat Man.

  Word ran through the streets that Pat Man was questioning people about Gangsta and Teyummie’s dealings, so Veedo told him to be on point. It was now in his daily plan to gather up info about Pat Man, because ain’t no slippin’. Gangsta walked into the house and instantly was grabbed by Terry and pulled into the hallway.

  “Yo’ ass sho’ didn’t hug me like you hugged that broke-legged bitch.”

  Terry pushed a finger to his face. The last thing Gangsta wanted was a fight — or a fight with her, anyway.

  “Not now, Terry. Real shit, I just got home, shawty,” he said while looking her directly in her eyes.

  Gangsta knew through his cousin Eric that she was back fucking with Zay, and it showed in her attire, in her face, and in her new swag. Word on the street was that Zay was a major figure in the game and his plug was Bam, so Gangsta knew Terry was living the fabulous life.

  “Let me catch dat bitch—”

  “Terry,” Gangsta’s mother yelled as she walked up beh
ind her. “Watch your mouth, girl.”

  Terry said not another word as Gangsta slid off and back into the crowd outside.

  A lot of niggas showed love today to Gangsta. Dudes who were broke back then had a grip now thanks to Bam, who wanted to put everybody down. Bam was most known for having states on smash and his murder game.

  Gangsta was worth almost four hundred racks when he touched the streets. Most of it came from Veedo and his trap spots, which Gangsta invested in. Plus, he hustled good in the chain gang, so including the seventy-five racks he had buried behind his mother’s yard, it all equaled almost four hundred thousand. Without a direction, Gangsta planned to finish what he started in the streets, but this time do it better. He would smoothly get away with the actions taken.

  Now that Pat Man was looking for clues or connections to him and Teyummie, Gangsta vowed to stay on top of Pat Man. There were no links to him killing Teyummie, and Gangsta doubted if Veedo exposed his hand about the pills. At the same time, Gangsta couldn’t put anything past anybody, so he would just remain on point.

  ***

  Veedo

  Veedo was more than elated that Gangsta finally made it home. Veedo had a feeling shit was about to get poppin’ for their team all over Georgia. Veedo hated that he had to run, but business awaited him. He strolled out of the yard and up to NeNe.

  Today she wore some gray leggings and a pair of Jordans on her small feet. She was also wearing a black Baby Phat coat. Her back was to Veedo when he approached and touched her shoulder.

  “NeNe,” he called her name and she turned around from her conversation. “Give these to Gangsta,” Veedo said and walked away.

  He walked directly past the black super sport Range Rover that he picked up Gangsta in that morning. Rock was waiting for him with Kia in a Lincoln Town Car.

  “That little nigga seems happy,” Rock stated as he cranked up.

  “Shit, he is. I’ma let y’all niggas meet in probably a few days. I told you, bruh, the realest nigga I ever met,” Veedo boasted.

  “So, do he like the ride?” Kia cut into the conversation between the two guys.