“Girl, it was some GF niggas. They was trying to rob Poonie and Zay.” Roxanne only told them what she had heard.
Zay’s mother was being held by one of the detectives in the case as she cried, rocking back and forth.
“GF?” Terry asked, confused. She looked at Roxanne for understanding. What did someone wanna rob Zay for? He didn’t floss his wealth. It had to be Kash behind this, and now he was trying to make it out like it was someone else doing this shit. She hated Kash.
“Yeah, Dontay and some other dude. They both on Rice Street,” Roxanne said while reading a text message in her phone.
All kinds of people were calling and texting about Zay and Poonie being killed. Terry still couldn’t believe it. She shook her head side to side, still in denial of what she was hearing. More people started walking into the police station. Poonie’s folks and more of Zay’s people. Terry was questioned about Zay and his friends, then she was allowed to leave with Nene and Erica.
Mrs. Jackson was outside waiting on them. She hugged Terry. “Baby, call me if you need anything, and stop all that crying. You know you have that baby inside you,” Gangsta’s mother said. She then hugged her grandkids.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Terry, tears still in her eyes.
“Nene and Erica, y’all care for her, okay?”
“We will,” Erica said while moving a strand of hair out of Terry’s face that got caught by her tears.
“Okay, that’s good, and y’all call me, okay?”
***
Kash was in ICU at a Miami hospital, being helped by the machine. His room was guarded by two federal agents. He had survived eleven shots. He was blessed. His body was banged up and he was weak. He was woke but couldn’t move. He was strapped down to the bed. His body was really weak from being cut open for surgery. All Kash could do was think.
He was thinking about how he would get out this mess. How could he beat this case? The Feds must have been following Chavez and Loco to know they were at the warehouse, and it had to be a bust because it was too many of them to count. Kash remembered hearing the loud bang. Then he heard the Feds. He heard gunshots, and when he saw that Loco and Chavez started dumping at the cop’s, he followed their lead.
It wasn’t something he wanted to do, but it was something that had to be done. Kash knew that it was over when he got hit in the stomach by two slugs. he felt his defeat but he was willing to shoot to his death. Now he was stuck. Now he was down bad, cuffed to a hospital bed with tubes running out of him. What could he possibly do? Who could he possibly call? Kash wasn’t ready to see another jail cell. It had only been some months and already he was on the way back. But this time, he was going to the big boys’ playground.
Kash’s heart dropped when he thought about how he failed Gangsta. He felt bad because he knew his brother would be disappointed at him. Gangsta sacrificed too much for Kash to take it all down the drains. He thought about his kids and how sad they would be. He thought about Ebony and the talk they had before he left her at the kitchen table. Kash thought about his mother, his father, and how happy his mother was to know he was doing okay and that he was trying to start a business. Kash felt defeated. He wanted so badly to sneak out of the hospital, but he was too weak to move.
Chapter 30
Trish landed in Miami at 5:30 pm the day after the warehouse shooting. She was still torn up by the fact of Veedo videotaping her, but her job called for her to be there. She was shocked to hear that Chavez and the agents had a gun battle that left four Mexicans dead, six shot, and eight federal agents wounded from bullets. She could not believe Chavez and his son were able to get away when they raided, but they did. And now here she was leaving the airport, headed down to the hospital to interview the Mexican and Charles McCants aka Kash, a man she’d seen with Veedo a few different times. She knew he was a piece to the puzzle. She saw it in his face.
She thought about Veedo and wished they had never met. She still wasn’t able to confront him about the disc but she was sure he knew something was up. She knew that it was very likely Veedo was still a drug dealer, she just held hope that her gut feeling told her wrong this one time.
She was just shocked to know he’d been recording her, and worse, while doing the nasty. She felt so disrespected and dirty because she trusted him to be that man he portrayed himself to be and it hurt deeply to see that mask come off his face. But what was done was done as her best friend, Brit, said. Trish just wanted to run home to Augusta GA and hide in her mother’s embrace. She wanted to hide her and her heart deep in the confines of her mother’s love because she was for certain that woman would never hurt her, never trick her.
As Trish was riding to the hospital with a few agents, she heard over the radio that all federal agents, local police, and state troopers were to report to the hospital. There was a gun war going down.
“Oh my God,” Trish said as the Tahoe roared a little faster down the highway. She wondered what was going on. She wasn’t even dressed for war. She had in tactical clothes, no vest, no nothing. All she had was her gun and ID because she was only on an interrogation assignment. Nervous wasn’t the word, she was scared shitless. She could only imagine what was going on at the hospital. The government was dealing with the Mexican cartel so there was no telling what was going on. All Trish knew was to be prepared for the outcome.
***
Kash saw the red beams bouncing off his wall, coming through the window. He wanted to duck for cover. He couldn’t take another slug right now if he wanted to. After he saw the beams, all the power shut down making the hospital floor pitch black dark for ten seconds until the generator came on. But then there was a scream and Kash heard gunshots. Kash watched as both the federal agents were gunned down by some Mexicans posing as ninjas, wearing all black, black masks covering their entire face. Two of them entered the room, then two more entered pushing a wheel chair and holding a doctor with a gun to his head.
“Make sure he lives for the next twenty minutes, my friend.”
Kash and Longo made eye contact as the other ones rushed to uncuff and unstrap him. Kash was helped up. He was drugged up as well so he couldn’t find his balance as he tried to fully stand. The staples in his stomach caused him to be hunched over in pain, but the pain had him numb.
He was placed in the chair, rushed out of the room, and down the hall. It was commotion all over the hospital floor. A whole lot of Mexicans were standing guard, ready to die or to kill something. They took the elevator to the ground floor and quickly made it to the ambulance. It was the perfect getaway. Once Kash was placed in the back, the ambulance pulled off into traffic with the sirens blaring. The Feds and police was just pulling up, jumping out and running into the hospital, not knowing Kash was gone. No matter how many gunshots he heard or how many people screamed and shouted, the morphine was taking control of his body. Minutes into the ride, Kash fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 31
Veedo was still in the streets trying to figure out what was up. Meco was at Walmart with his kids when Veedo and Monkey wanted to meet. Meco wasted no time telling them to come on with it because he knew that they felt some type of way. Meco met them in the food section of Walmart. He had both his lil’ girls with him.
“Man, what da fuck happened out there, bruh?” Veedo was the first to speak after they all took seats.
“Bruh, real shit, both then niggas was on some tender dick shit. All this shit is about a hoe, my nigga, a hoe that was playing both them niggas. Bruh, I tried and tried to stop that young nigga, get that nigga to fall back, but he wild and insecure, my nigga. So after the fight outside, I left everybody. I had to get home. A nigga just got out, I’m not with that bullshit,” Meco explained the best he could.
“Damn, bruh, that’s some fuck shit. All ‘bout some pussy? And how did Zay get caught up?” asked Monkey.
“Who? The Nigga with the limp?” Meco didn’t know Zay nor Poonie.
“Yeah.”
“Man, he was cool
in’ he didn’t even jump in it when the fight broke out. Ion know how he end up gettin’ whacked.”
“Word, he got hit two times in the head,” added Veedo.
“Yeah, them young niggas pulled up on shawty nem at the red light with them sticks, which you already know what that toy do,” he replied.
“Say less, bruh. You good, right? We just waiting on the wolf to get back so we can continue business ‘cause right now shit is real,” Monkey told Meco. Then he and Veedo left.
They’d already gotten the 411 from the only dude who didn’t get touched, one of the shooters, and he’d told them exactly what Meco was saying. Veedo shook his head. Pussy made niggas go crazy. Three niggas dead behind one nigga’s pussy. Veedo didn’t understand niggas, he never would either.
He checked his phone and there was still no call from Trish. He guessed she was at work and too busy to talk or text. He hated the fact of leaving her in his bed like he did. Veedo had plans to get the pussy again early that morning and send her off. But this situation called for his attention. He was tired now and needed to shower and get in a power nap. He sent her a text.
“Baby I’m missing you. Hope all is well.”
He pocketed the phone and headed to his house. The streets were off the chain and he really didn’t have a reason to be in them. It was time to retire. Veedo constantly said it in his head, but he was loyal to Gangsta and he knew what Gangsta’s plan was, so Veedo wanted to help who helped him.
He wanted out of that lifestyle though because Kash and them were younger than him. He’d played the street enough. It was time to be smart with the money. Veedo’s kids needed more of him. His grandmother was getting old and he was getting no younger, so the time was now, rather than later, to get out the game. Veedo made it out to the crib and went inside. He walked to his bedroom, hoping he could see Trish laying there still waiting on him. But he knew that was only a fairy tale.
He knew because her car was gone. It wasn’t in his driveway anymore and her purse wasn’t on his sofa like when he left her. Veedo retired to his bedroom. He was about to lay back when he thought about the video tape that was still playing. He got back up, wondering if he would see Trish snooping around the house. He was pretty sure he would find her doing something she had no business doing.
Veedo entered his closet and went to his shoe rack. he pulled at it and removed the shelf. The monitor was off. Veedo powered it up and ejected the disc. He looked at it and pressed play, but nothing came up. Veedo pressed rewind and then play again to get the same thing.
“What da fuck,” Veedo was baffled.
“I know I started this shit,” he said to himself. Then he looked around his closet. He walked around his entire house to see if anything was out of place, but found nothing. He made it back to the monitor and tried it again. He pressed record and it started recording. He pressed play and it showed what he’d just recorded, which was just a few seconds. He put everything back in place and returned to his bed. He was confused and was thinking crazy.
Could it be that Trish found the monitor? Why did he up and just leave her in his shit when he knew she was the Feds? Veedo picked up his cell phone, still no call from her. He called her four times, back to back. Then he text her twice. Now he knew why she wasn’t replying to his calls and text message. She had to have found out that he was recording her. Veedo looked around again. He looked at the wire on the wall, it was hidden good. He knew she didn’t find that, she couldn’t have, or could she? Veedo was baffled big time as he kept calling her phone.
***
Trish was down town Miami at the federal headquarters, piled with paperwork and more coming in. the Mexican cartel pulled off yet another one of their stunts when they entered the hospital, killing two agents and wounding three. Then they removed every one of their own men including Charles McCants.
The government did not give badges and pictures to the media because they did not want to show defeat to the world. They did not want to show people that the cartel was nearly impossible to nab. They worked hard to keep it under the rug because once the media got it, then it was on.
Trish’s phone constantly rang and vibrated, text after text, all from Veedo. And as bad as she wanted to answer, she couldn’t. If she could, she would. But she refused to do so around her coworkers and the loud chattering going on around the office.
“Call me ASAP!”
She read one of his many messages and replied, “At work in Miami. Will call you when I can.” she sent the text, then put her phone back in her purse. She was still shocked and hurt by the video, and still wanted to know his reason. But she also missed him, and that was crazy. That was insane, she thought. She could not keep him off her mind, no matter how hard she tried. He’d just invade he thoughts.
“Ms. Williams, we have a witness.”
Trish she looked up from the pile of paperwork to one of the agents standing in the doorway.
“He? She? Where are they?” Trish stood to her feet. She was ready to get away from all that damn paperwork. She was ready to do some talking and learning of what was going on and who was involved. So she followed Steve down the hall to an empty room where an old white woman sat at a table smoking cigarettes. Trish looked in at her and then back to Steve.
“Where did y’all find her?”
“She was one of the warehouse workers. She works for the cartel,” Steve smiled.
“Oh my.” Trish straighten her shirt. “Has anyone spoken to her? Got statements? Anything?” she asked, prepared to go inside and question the woman.
“Yeah, we have a verbal statement made at the scene. Called her in and she came, to our surprise,” Steve shot back. He opened the door to allow Trish inside. This was the start of a big case. She planned to finish with victory under the government’s belt. This was a case Trish wouldn’t lose. She would convict everyone involved with the Mexican cartel, even if it was the one she loved and wanted to be with. Trish walked into the room with the lady. The room was stale of old cigarette smoke, which made Trish ball her face up as she pulled a chair out to take a seat.
“Hello, I’m federal agent Williams and your name is, ma’am?” she politely asked the woman.
“My name is Sandy and listen, lady, I need protection if I talk to you,” the woman pulled another cigarette out, ready to put some fire to it, but Trish stopped her.
“Please don’t. It’s smoky enough in here. And it depends on what you tell me if I can get you witness protection.”
“This is the fucking cartel, lady.” The lady tossed the pack of cigarettes on the table.
“So what do you know about the cartel other than they’re Mexican drug dealers?” Trish wanted to know.
“I know all about the cartel, honey. I been working for them for twenty years,” the woman spoke confidently.
“So why are you willing to sell them out?”
“Cause they sold me out. I was loyal to those bastards but they drew first blood. I was too loyal, honey.” The white woman picked the pack of cigarettes up off the table. She pulled one out and lit it up.
“I see. Well okay, tell me something. Have you ever met Chavez? Tell me something about him that you think I should know.” Trish looked over at the woman.
“I know he owns the limo shop downtown. It’s how he traffics his money and product.”
Trish wrote down what the woman said and at the same time asked, “How do you know he’s the owner?”
“I’ve been working for them twenty years, ma’am, believe me, I know all about Chavez and his family,” the white lady replied as Trish kept notes. Then she finally looked up.
“How long have you been working in the warehouse?”
“Six years now,” replied the woman. She put some fire to her cigarette, inhaled, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.
“Where else have you worked?” Trish kept writing on her note pad.
“His home in Riverdale and limo service, trust and believe if I say it, I mean it. I know what I’m tal
king ‘bout.”
“Okay, so tell me everything there is to know.” Trish looked up from her pad.
“I need protection first.”
“You got it. I can have that arranged for you,” Trish replied and was all ears.
The white woman made a thirty-five minute verbal statement against Chavez, telling everything she knew from her first day until her last day. In between, she had smoked four more New Ports, almost killing Trish in the process.
Trish made sure to record everything the woman said and also write down main subjects. Things were looking even better for the government now that some of Chavez’s secret had been exposed. The old white woman was given federal protection, being the government’s first and only witness against the notorious Mexican drug lord.
Trish’s phone kept ringing and vibrating text messages. She kept ignoring it because what Veedo wanted wasn’t as important as the conviction of the Mexican cartel. So he would have to wait. Plus, Trish was still heartbroken by fact that he video recorded them. She couldn’t trust him anymore, but she still loved him and what he could be. Trish returned back to the office to get her bag. She had a plane to catch back to Atlanta, and some drug dealers to put behind bars.
Chapter 32
His vision was blurred. The pain killer had his mind in a daze. It was like he was in a constant dream. It was like anything he thought of somehow turned into this dream so vivid that it felt like he was woke.
Chavez. Did he see his face? Loco was standing there too, both at a distant, watching as doctors worked over him. Kash couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel, but he saw and heard.
Then Chavez, Loco, and the doctors were gone and the room wasn’t cold anymore. The room was warm and comfortable. It was a bedroom. He saw a TV mounted on the wall.
The Streets Bleed Murder Box Set Page 57