Daddy Dearest (23 page)

No words were needed. The two began kissing, while their hands roamed freely. It was at that moment that Cataya set all of her issues aside and focused on pleasure. She had once heard that stress could kill a person, but this pleasure made her feel so alive. And there was no doubt that she wanted to live.

An electrical-like jolt shot through her body when Ching began to suck on her breasts. She was on the brink of giving herself wholly to him when it dawned on her where they were at.

“Stop, Ching.”

He brought his head from under her shirt. “What’s wrong?”

“I want to, but I can’t.”

“You on period?”

“No. I don’t want anybody to walk in on us. You know how Dehila-“

“It’s a little too late for that, young lady.

The stranger’s voice made them jump to their feet. Chaplin Stephens emerged out of the shadows wielding a gun.

* * *

“This is Belvin Avenue right here,” Hammer said, pointing at the street sign. “Stop the car, I will walk the rest of the way.”

Ernest Parker/Powell pulled over. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to come with you?”

“Positive.”

“You can never have too much help in a situation like this. Power is in numbers, Hammer.”

“I know. But like I said, this is something that I have to do alone.”

“I had to try.”

“I appreciate it, too. Now get out of here.”

“Don’t forget to call the number I gave you. We can’t afford to lose contact again.”

“We won’t.”

He motioned for the prostitute to get in the front seat. “Hey, Hammer? I just thought about something.”

“What?”

“How are you going to get back?”

“That’s my least worry right now. See you.”

“Just be careful.”

“I will.”

Hammer waited until the car was out of sight before he began searching for Fannie’s house. He was surprised that he had remembered the address, being that Ron had only mentioned it once.

704 Belvin Avenue was pitch dark, save for one light. Hammer wasn’t deterred. He didn’t exactly expect the house to be dancing with life anyway.

Giving to the circumstances of the situation he pondered on the best way to approach the house. He knew that he couldn’t just go knock on the door; that would lessen his chances of winning if something was going on. So he went to a side window to peep, and was confronted by the undeniable feeling of cold steel!

* * *

Watch out, my nigga!

Before Rafeal could take heed to EL The One DeBarge’s warning a slug slammed into his back and he fell on top of Steve. The pain was instantaneously and intense, but he managed to stay calm.

He pushed Steve to the passenger side and threw the car in gear. “Move over!”

Oh, shit! You’re hit, my nigga! Throw something back at them!

Rafeal returned fired while pulling off, and soon found it very difficult to do both, when he sideswiped a few cars.

Goddamn, my nigga! Where did you get your license? Crash Dummy School?

“Fuck you! I’m on fire, man!”

That’s what you get or pistol-whipping muthafuckers! A gun was made to peel a nigga’s cap back. Get a bat if you want to bust some heads!

“Funny thing you’re saying that now, you was rooting me on when I was doing it.”

Shit. I was just happy to see you finally put in some work. I would’ve cheered you on if you would’ve been raping him. I ain’t gay, though.

“Man, just shut up so I can focus on driving,” he said, looking in the rearview mirror. “It’s about four cop cars behind us”

Damn, my nigga! We’re in the big leagues now. We got to do something to get them off our ass because this piece of shit couldn’t outrun a Power Wheels.

Steve finally built up the courage to sit up in the seat when he heard Rafeal mention the police. His face and head was covered with lacerations.

“Please pull over, Raf. Don’t make it any worse than it already is.”

“Shut the hell up so I can focus on driving! It’s all your fault I’m in this situation!”

Steve turned around in the seat so he could get a good look of the help behind them. “Oh, God! Please convince Rafeal to pull over. I promise not to press charges.”

You hear that shit, my nigga? This cracker is trying to make god do a three-way call to you. Damn, that’s the first. Tell him to call forwards deez nuts!

“I heard him.”

Oww, oww! I got it I got it, my nigga!

“What?”

Steve frowned. “What?”

“I ain’t talking to you, cracker!” He back smacked Steve across the face with the gun. “Stay out of my business!”

That was gangster, my nigga. Here go some more gangster shit. I know how we can shake the po-po.

“How?”

You got to throw his ass out of the car.

“Hell, nah! What’s good is that going to do?”

Because if we throw him out, they’re going to stop to assist him. They got to stop I seen it on Cops.

Rafeal noticed something disturbing when he glanced through the rearview mirror. Three of the cruisers had dropped back. While one was lining it’s fender up with the backside of his car.

“Oh, shit! They’re about to try the Heimlich maneuver!”

Then you better do that shit before they make us crash!

Rafeal pointed the gun at Steve. “Today’s your lucky day. Get out.”

“Get out?”

“Get out!”

“Can you pull over, first?”

This cracker is trying you, my nigga Sic, Sic. Get him, boy!

Rafeal fired a bullet into the floorboard. “Bitch, I’ll kill ya!”

Steve didn’t need any more encouraging. He dove out the car and rolled violently on the street. The cruisers swerved out the way, barely missing him.

Rafeal laughed when he saw the cruisers come to a halt. “We did it! We did it”

I told you, my nigga! You better start listening to me. I do this shit for real, them other niggas be faking!

“I see now.”

Now you need to hurry up and ditch this piece of shit before they catch back up with us. Turn right here there is a cut at the end of this street. It’ll take you to your street.

“Why would I go home?”

‘Cause, my nigga. You got to change out of those bloody clothes so you can get David. Duhhh!

Rafeal no longer questioned EL The One DeBarge. He jumped out of the car while it was still moving.

* * *

Three of the cruisers pulled over when they saw the body rolling in the street. Steve got up and started running around in circles screaming.

“Oh, my god! Oh, my god! That black bastard tried to kill me!

“Sir, we’re going to need you to calm down,” said one of the three officers. “Have a seat; are you hurt?”

Steve began to inspect himself. “I’m fine. Except for some bumps and bruises. But I want that black…animal arrested! I want to press every charge I possibly can on him.”

“What is the suspect’s name, sir?”

“His name is Rafeal Johnson. He’s an ex-employee at Target. He was fired about a month ago for assaulting me.”

One of the officers walked away to talk on his two-way radio. He returned three minutes later to address is fellow officers.

“The suspect’s vehicle has been located. It was found crashed into a tree.”

“Is the suspect in custody?”

“No. He disappeared, in some nearby woods, but he won’t get far. The K-9 Unit is on the way.”

* * *

Once Rafeal came out of the other side of the path, he hurried down to the street towards his house. He didn’t realize he was still holding this gun out until EL The One DeBarge reminded him.

Hey, my nigga. What the fuck is wrong with you?

“What?”

Put that gun up before somebody calls the police on your simple ass!

“I ain’t trying to get shot again. This shit is burning like a muthafucker.

Listen to me carefully, my nigga. If someone see you holding that gun and calls the police that little flesh would is going to be the least of your worries.

Rafeal put the gun up at the thought of that. “And if you don’t mind, I’ll appreciate if you quit calling me the n-word. It’s a derogatory word that our people-“

Nigga, I ain’t trying to hear that shit! Why the fuck you ain’t shoot that cracker?! You love wasting bullets, nigga!

“Stop hollering at me! And stop calling me the n-word. All you want me to do is kill somebody.”

No, my nigga. I just want you to get your issue; it’s long overdue.

“Oh. But don’t act like I won’t Like I’m scared or something. I did give Steve the business.”

Whatever, nigga. You supposed to had peeled his shit back to his neck!

“How was I suppose to do that and make him jump out the car? If I would’ve killed him, I wouldn’t been able to shake the police. So, I feel like I made the right decision.”

Nigga, please! You could’ve gave him a head shot while he jumping out if you wanted to. You’re just making excuses, nigga.

“Stop calling me the n-word!”

Fuck you, nigga! You monkey nigga! You bitch ass nigga!

“You know what? I ain’t going to keep arguing with you. You-“

Look, my nigga! Ain’t that somebody trying to break in your house?

“Where?”

Right there on the left side.

“Damn sure is.”

What are you going to do? Let him run over you like David did? Steal your last pair of clean underwear? ‘Cause that’s all you got left that Dehila haven’t stole.

“Hell, nah! I’m about to see about him”

Well, go get your issue, my nigga! And let the gun do all the talking this time.

 –—Chapter Twenty-Seven–—

Cataya let out a sharp scream when she saw the stranger pointing the gun at them. “Who are you?!”

Ching instinctively blocked her with his body, in attempt to protect her. “You drug dealer? Dehila no here, she left hour ago.”

“Dehila is nobody’s concern now, but the Devil’s “, he said, cutting on the light. “Her soul is burning as we speak, at an unimaginable temperature that water couldn’t extinguish.” The Chaplin read the expression on their face and nodded. “That’s right, she’s dead.”

“You want money? I got five hundred and Platinum card in pocket. Just don’t kill us!”

“Your father has been under a lot of unnecessary stress because of you,” the Chaplin said, ignoring Ching’s bribery.

“Who are you, and how do you know my dad?”

“I’ve known him for a number of years. He’s a good man. Too good to be having to put up with the likes of people like you and your mother.”

“My mother?”

“Yes, I knew her, also. I wasn’t as fond of her as I am of your father.”

Cataya was confused. “Who are you?”

“I’m no one, but I’m everybody.”

“Please, leave.”

“You are beautiful just like your mother was. I fact, you’re more beautiful than she was. You have caused your father just as much, if not more pain as your trifling mother. He doesn’t realize it, but he’ll be much better off without you, too.”

Cataya suddenly realized that she was staring at the man who had murdered her mother. She rose to her feet.

“You! Killed my mother, didn’t you?”

“Your mother was an evil person. I couldn’t allow her to go on. I just couldn’t.”

“yYou bastard! What gives you the right to decide who lives and dies?!”

“God gives me the right and the authority. Why else would I do it, young lady?”

“Because you’re a sick fucking freak, that’s why!”

The Chaplin shook his head, sadly. “The vibe that you’re putting out darkens my spirit. It’s suffocation me like black smoke. I-“

“Sir.” Ching had another idea. “My father is a millionaire He pay anything if you let us go.”

Silence filled the room. It appeared to Ching and Cataya that the man was actually considering the latest bribe. But when he finally spoke, they could hear the venom in every word.

“Young man. I don’t know your background to accurately judge what’s best for your soul. But if you interrupt me again, I’m going to assume the worst and torture you for hours.

Once he felt like he had gotten his point across, he concentrated back on his priority.

“I feel so sorry for your father. He fell in love with a monster, and created a little monster I the process. The sad thing is he has tried so hard to bring you to the other side, and show you that you’re loved, but the devil in you rejected his every advance.