Diamonds and Pearl (10 page)

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The game room was located in the basement of the brownstone. This was where Big Stone and his boys went to unwind or watch sporting events. There was a ridiculously large plasma television dominating nearly an entire wall, a pool table, and a bunch of old-school arcade games set up throughout the basement. Pearl had spent many hours down there, trying to conquer the prehistoric games, but she hadn't had much luck on anything other than Ms. Pac-Man.

As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she could hear the soft whispers of Maxwell coming through the surround-sound speakers. When she stepped into the basement, she could smell the sweet aroma of chronic floating in the air. In the center of the room, leaning over the pool table, a blunt dangling from his mouth, was the man her father trusted like a son, Knowledge.

Knowledge was a wiry youth, with skin so black that it sometimes looked blue in certain lights. He wore his hair in a low Caesar that was almost always covered by a crispy fitted cap. That day he was sporting a red St. Louis Cardinals cap turned to the back. As usual he was wearing a fresh white T-shirt that looked like he'd starched and pressed it before he came out of the house. The muscles in his tattooed forearm bulged as he stretched the length of the pool table, trying to get just the right angle for his shot.

Pearl stood there watching him, trying to keep her thoughts pure. Knowledge was gorgeous, but also off-limits. Even if there wasn't an age difference between them, Pearl doubted if she could get him to bite. Big Stone's dog only bit at his command.

Knowledge had been under Big Stone since he was about twelve years old. He was a neighborhood kid with no father and a mother who smoked up every dollar they got. His mom, Genie, had been a dime back in the day, so it wasn't uncommon to see her keeping time with whoever was on top at the moment. Then the eighties rolled and crack hit, and it was all downhill from there. Like so many others, Genie had fallen victim to the pipe and in under a year had gone from a diva to a dud.

Being that Genie spent the majority of her time high, Knowledge was free to run wild from an early age. From the time he had gotten his hands on his first gun, he'd proven he was a hungry dog and nobody's food was off-limits. It was his wild-ass antics that had brought him to the attention of one of Big Stone's lieutenants—he robbed one of their stash spots. He was local, so it wasn't hard for Big Stone's people to find him and snatch his ass up. Big Stone expected him to be afraid or at the very least apologetic, but he was neither. The boy was either too stupid to be afraid or he just didn't give a fuck. Most likely the latter.

The kid had balls, and Big Stone admired that, but it didn't change the fact that he had touched what belonged to him; an example had to be set. He found himself with two choices: break the little bastard's legs or kill him. Neither appealed to Big Stone. He didn't have a problem dealing death or punishment to adults, but he had a strict policy about harming children. Still, if he didn't do something, he ran the risk of looking weak, and he couldn't have that. After much contemplation, Big Stone came up with a third option. He would make Knowledge work off his debt. Until he had repaid him for the drugs he'd stolen, Knowledge belonged to Big Stone.

Knowledge started out small, running errands for Big Stone and some of the other guys. In time he would come to earn Big Stone's trust enough for him to let him hit the block and start making money. Knowledge took to the game like a fish to water and soon became one of Big Stone's most promising young stars. He was a hard worker, never came up short, and would do things without Big Stone having to ask. His natural leadership abilities allowed him to quickly climb the ladder of the organization and become one of Big Stone's must trusted lieutenants. Knowledge was as loyal as a dog and would kill or die for Big Stone without even thinking about it, and Stone knew it, which is why he kept him so close.

“You know Daddy doesn't like nobody to smoke weed in the house.” Pearl leaned against banister of the stairs.

Knowledge blew smoke into the air and dropped what was left of the weed in a near-empty Corona bottle. “He doesn't allow
you
to smoke in the house.”

Pearl rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Sandra said you wanted to see me, so what's up?”

“Yeah.” Knowledge bounced the cue ball off the nine but missed the shot. “What happened in school today?”

“What do you mean?” Pearl faked ignorance.

“Don't play stupid, Pearl. You know what I'm talking about. You know you fucked that girl's face up, right?”

“I knew that bitch was a fucking rat!” Pearl fumed.

“Calm your little ass down. When they pressed shorty, she played it off like some girl who didn't go to the school snuck in and jumped her. It was a weak story, but she's sticking to it, so there ain't too much the school can do about it.”

This surprised Pearl. “Why would she go through all that instead of just telling on me?”

“Because it was in her best interest, which is the only reason you're not kicked out of school and sitting in a police precinct, looking at a charge.” He rested the pool stick on the table and came to stand in front of Pearl. “Why is it that every time I turn around, you caught up in some chicken-head shit? Your father is paying a lot of money for you to go to that school. I don't think he'd be too thrilled if you got kicked out for fighting.”

“If Kate and her friends hadn't tried to jump me, I wouldn't have had to clown.”

“That doesn't make it right. If you have learned anything growing up in this house, you should've learned how to do dirt without getting caught. I understand the need to defend yourself, but you could've caught her off school grounds and done it to her. You're just lucky this didn't blow up in your face.”

“Like I said, they tried to jump me. If somebody fronts on me, they're gonna get it where they stand,” she said defiantly.

“A hard head makes a soft ass.”

“My head ain't got nothing to do with my ass feeling like a cloud. I get that from my mama.” She slapped herself on the buttocks and sent a ripple over her plump booty. Pearl made Knowledge look, but she couldn't get him to stare. This was an old game she played with him, dating back to when she'd first discovered the differences between girls and boys. Pearl got a kick out of making Knowledge as uncomfortable as she could whenever she could.

“You need to go somewhere with that bullshit, Pearl.” Knowledge tugged at the brim of his fitted cap.

Pearl rested her elbows on the pool table and leaned over enough so that he could see her cleavage beneath her tank top. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked playfully.

Knowledge ignored her advances and walked over to the bar, where he poured himself a finger of Hennessey. He tossed it back and then poured another. “Your father is coming home tonight,” he said, putting things back into prospective.

“I heard. What time is he getting in?” Pearl asked, trying to coordinate her night.

“
Soon,
which is all your sneaky ass needs to know. It'd be in your best interest to be here when he arrives. Your dad has been under a lot of stress lately, and y'all kids need to be mindful that you don't add to it.”

“Is he bringing me something back?”

Knowledge gave her a disapproving look. “I tell you that your father is dealing with something, and that's your response?” He shook his head. “Sometimes you can be extremely shallow.”

“I'm just kidding,” Pearl lied. “But you can't blame a girl for wondering. You know I got a birthday coming up, so I just thought maybe I should be looking forward to a little something,” she said suggestively.

“The only thing you should be expecting is to make it through another year of life. There are people in the world who won't be that fortunate. What do you have planned for your birthday anyhow?”

“I was hoping you could tell me. I know Daddy is planning on throwing me a surprise party, so you might as well spill it,” Pearl told him.

“Big Stone hasn't said anything to me about a party.”

“Stop acting like that, Knowledge. My dad has thrown me a party every year since I came into this world, so I know he's got something cooking this year,” Pearl insisted.

“Like I said, he hasn't mentioned it to me. Maybe he's decided you're getting too old for birthday cakes and pony rides,” Knowledge teased her.

Pearl sucked her teeth. “Now I know you must've fallen and bumped your damn head. If I don't get a party, I'm going to be mad.”

“You know, sometimes you can be one ungrateful-ass little girl.” Knowledge shook his head again sadly. “Your dad showers you with gifts all year-round, not just on your birthday. I don't know about a party, but I'm sure he's going to get you something nice. You could at least pretend to be grateful from time to time. I never had a birthday cake that wasn't homemade until I was, like, sixteen, and I don't think I ever had a
real
party until when I turned twenty-one? Nobody ever gave enough of a shit about me to make a big deal over my birthday.”

“Sucks to be you,” Pearl joked, but he didn't laugh. “For the sake of argument, if he is throwing me a party, are you gonna come through with some of your boys?”

“For what? So one of you young-ass broads can try to slap a statutory charge on us?” He laughed. “But seriously, you know if something goes down, I'm going to come through and show you some love, but I doubt if I'll linger. That's not really my scene,” Knowledge said.

“Yeah, I know. You're Daddy's good soldier, always on duty,” Pearl mocked him.

“It ain't about being a good soldier, Pearl. It's about being selective about what kind of people you choose to entertain. One day when you're a little older and a little wiser, you'll dig where I'm coming from.” He playfully plucked her top lip with his finger and headed for the stairs. “I've got some moves to make before I pick your dad up from the airport. Try to keep your ass out of trouble while I'm gone, and for the love of God, please stay in the house tonight.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Perl teased. “Knowledge, one question before you go. How did you know what happened at school with Kate?”

Knowledge paused and looked at her. “All you need to know is that I got eyes and ears everywhere, which is why you and your family can sleep good at night.”

After Knowledge had gone, Pearl stayed in the basement for a while longer, basking in the lingering scents of chronic and his cologne. She could've sat and listened to Knowledge scold her for hours just to be around him. Pearl had had a major crush on Knowledge since she was little, and now that she was getting older, it was evolving into something more. She sighed, knowing they were just the pipe dreams of a little girl smitten. Even if it weren't for the age difference between them, Big Stone would kill any man he caught sniffing around his baby girl, even one he claimed to love like a son.

 

CHAPTER NINE

Knowledge had to stop and take a breath when he emerged from the basement. Pearl loved to play him close because she knew it made him uneasy. She was definitely a stunning young woman, and as a man, it was only natural that he noticed, but she was a baby. More important, she was Big Stone's daughter. He was well aware of the standing execution order for anyone caught trying to deflower the Stone family prize, because he was charged to execute it in the event that it happened. Knowledge didn't have the heart to tell Big Stone that his daughter hadn't been a virgin for quite some time. If Big Stone wanted to live that dream, he'd let him.

Before heading for the door, he made a quick stop by the kitchen to tell Sandra he was leaving. When he went outside, he bumped into Stoney and his two friends on the stoop. They were speaking in hushed tones about something but got quiet when they spotted Knowledge. “What up?” he greeted the youths, dapping each of their fists. “Y'all staying out of trouble?”

“Yeah, man. You know I'm on probation,” Domo told him.

“What about you?” Knowledge looked at Stoney.

“I'm just chilling,” Stoney said, trying not to sound guilty.

“What's this I hear about you getting into a dustup? You're just as bad as your sister with this fighting-in-school shit,” Knowledge scolded him.

“Wait, Pearl was fighting in school, too? How come she didn't get suspended?” Stoney asked.

“Don't make this about Pearl; we're talking about you right now. What the fuck is your deal, little man?”

“It was a situation that couldn't be helped,” Stoney said simply. He sounded like a man far beyond his years.

Knowledge looked at him. “And what's that supposed to mean?”

Stoney looked at Domo and Raheem, but they turned their eyes away, letting him know they wanted no part of that discussion. Stoney cast his eyes up at Knowledge, who was glaring down at him impatiently. “If I tell you, you gotta promise you won't tell my father.”

“That all depends on what it is. Now start talking,” Knowledge demanded.

“Okay, they bet some money with me on a football game and lost, but they acted like they wasn't gonna pay me.”

That one caught Knowledge off guard. “Stoney, you gambling in school?”

“You can't get no action if it don't run through Stoney,” Raheem capped.

“Shut up, nigga!” Stoney snapped. “Knowledge, before you even get on my back about why I shouldn't be gambling in school, I wasn't. I had a little something going with the guys at the community center. The only reason I put my hands on him in school was because that's the only place I've been able to catch him. He's been ducking me for days,” he explained.

“You too fucking young and too wet behind the ears to be out here gambling and shit, Stoney. You got a cushy life, but you insist upon playing gutter games that can get you hurt. That gambling shit stops now, and if I find out you're still at it, I'm fucking you up and then telling your father why I did it,” Knowledge threatened.