TYCE 5 (4 page)

Peck nodded his head as I explained my search strategy. My two friends were as pissed off as me about what happened in the parking lot. That’s why they were all on board with the street justice agenda. Peck was a full-fledged member of my crew now and he was holding his own. Even Sway had to admit that he was a bad ass white boy. Peck returned to his back seat and put a Lakers hat on. He adjusted it low on his forehead. The 50 dollar all black cap matched the hundred dollar vintage T-shirt he was wearing.

“Yeah, Thad was begging us to let him go.” He chuckled. “Look in the center console Tyce.”

“Right here?” I looked
down at the armrest between the front two seats.

“Yep.” Peck grinned his confirmation.

I popped open the leather lid underneath my elbow and smiled to myself once I saw what was inside. I reached in and pulled a wad of bills out. Sway continued to drive down the busy street; but he looked away from the road for a second to peep over at me.

             
“What’s this, gas money?” I snickered.

“That’s the money Thad tried to buy his freedom with. He told us there was twenty five thousand in his freezer after we kicked his back door in. He begged us to take it and leave him alone.” Sway stopped my truck at a light.

Peck sucked his teeth again. “Can you believe that shit? This muthafucka’s supposed to be famous and all he got is 25 stacks!”

I jumped in the conversation. “Shit, he would have more than that if he didn’t blow it all on coke.” I started counting the money and when I got to five thou
sand I stopped. “I’ll take five and you two can split up the 20.”

Sway pulled off when the light turned green. “
Naw nigga, we even Steven on this. Matter fact you should get it all. Me and Peck already decided on that. Any money that comes from this nigga should go to you. You’re the one in pain right now and it might be because of his weak ass.” Sway looked at me.

I lit my first cigarette of the day and cracked the window. The smoke snaked its way out to join the wind as I looked at the money sitting
on my lap. The green bills contrasted with the black background of my jeans. I felt a sense of appreciation at the sincere thug gesture my crew was showing me.

“
Naw, good lookin’ out, but ya’ll take 10 each. I gotta take care of my crew. I ain’t one of them greedy ass niggas.”

I divided the rest of the stack evenly
and put my five thousand dollars inside the glove compartment. I handed Sway his wages and passed Peck’s cut back to him. He was all too happy to get that dime.

“Right on. Ay, after we kill this punk lunch is on me fellas.” Peck tucked the cash in the front pocket of his denim shorts.

After a 30 minute ride to the industrial side of the city, we rolled up on our chained up prisoner at the empty junk yard. Just like Sway and Peck reported, he was anchored to the bumper of an old rusty Cadillac, cooking under the broiling sun like a rotisserie chicken. I got out of my truck and casually strolled up to him along with my partners in crime. We all stood there looking down at him as he looked up at us with a terrified look on his sweaty face. He strained against the metal cuffs around his wrists. They were firmly attached to the extra-long and heavy classic automobile. I knew it had been Sway who picked that car out of all the cars on the lot. He knew that old school rides like that were made to last and there was no way Thad could snatch it off and escape.

I kicked his black dress shoe with my red
Jordans. “Wasup bitch? You’re a long way from the studio huh? You look thirsty.”

Peck chuckled as he pulled out his black mat finish gun and cocked it.

“What the fuck is all this shit about?! I ain’t seen or heard from Angelique since she stole my money and my shit! I promise you that! I left that bitch alone man, I swear! I ain’t went to the police and told ‘em shit about what ya’ll did to me. I swear!”

I cocked my head to the side.
“We’re not here ‘cuz of that. We don’t hold grudges. I need to ask you some simple questions…that’s all.”

Thad extended his leg
in front of him and sat flat on his ass.

“What q
uestions?” He looked irritated.

I put my hand up. “Hold on now. Before I ask you, I want you to think very carefully about how you answer me. I want you to tell the truth because your pathetic life depends on it. If I think you’re lying…I’ll put a bullet in your stomach so
that you bleed out internally. Then I’ll toss you in this car and burn you alive. Do you understand what the fuck I jus’ said?”

His eyes got wide with fear. “Yeah, yes I get it, I get it. I understand.”

“Good,” Sway chimed in.

I squatted down a few feet
from his dark face to level our eye contact, and I paid close attention to his movements. I looked down at his dusty designer jeans and his damp light green t-shirt before I studied his big eyes.

“Alright, here’s the question. Did you shoot me twice in the back?”

Thad stared back at me. “No.”

“Do you know who did?” I maintained my eye contact.

“I have no idea,” He responded.

I smiled and patted his smooth bald head like a dog.

“Alright, I’m not gonna kill you.”

Once I saw
the relief spread across his face, I slammed the back of his head into the trunk of the car. The deep sharp thud echoed in the vacant sandy lot. He grimaced and his eyes fluttered in their sockets.

“That’s for calling the mother of my child a bitch. Ay Peck, you like that platinum watch?”

Peck nodded his head. “Yep. Sure do.”

“What a
bout you Sway, you like his earrings?”

Sway leaned in to get a closer look and smiled at a dizzy Thad.

“Yeah, what are those, about a carat each?” He looked at me.

“They’re
about half the size of mine. I’d say they’re about one and a quarter.”

“That’s good enough.” He winked at Thad.

After we robbed the singer of all his jewelry we released him and left him lying in the dirt. As we drove off, Peck looked back at him and then he shook his head.

“That’s it? I can’t believe you
jus’ let him go. All he said was no. Of course he’s gonna say that. You should back up a let me shoot him!”

I looked out
of the window at a crow that settled on a bare tree limb. I lost sight of the bird as we made a right turn back onto the street.

“He was telling the truth. He didn’t do it.” I rubbed my facial hair.

“Why, ‘cuz he said he didn’t? Come on now.” Peck pressed the issue.

I sighed before I schooled him once again. “His voice stayed even. It didn’t get higher.
Most people try to lubricate their throat when they lie. He never swallowed, or cleared his throat even though he was thirsty as hell. He never looked to the left which right handed people tend to do when they’re gettin’ ready to tell a lie. He didn’t repeat my question before he answered me either. And, he didn’t feel the need to defend himself. Niggas that lie get all defensive, especially when their life is on the line. The truth
is
an honest person’s defense…that’s all they have to say. It wasn’t him Peck.”

The tan leather crunched as Peck relaxed in his seat.

“Damn, I’m glad I never lied to you.” Peck frowned up.

Th
ere I was sitting alone having Popeye’s chicken with my daughter. She was in her high chair anxiously awaiting every spoon full of mashed potatoes I fed her. She lightly slammed her plump little hands on the white surface showing how happy she was to be eating. Our new home was my old condo that I never sold even after I moved in with Tyce. I wanted to sell it, however he suggested I keep it and will it to Khari. I’m glad I listened to him because that prevented me from having to house hunt, which is something I didn’t have the time or the patience to deal with right now.

It had been about
seven weeks since the parking lot incident, and it had been six weeks since I got high. It was also going on seven days since I last saw Tyce. I knew he was busy trying to find out who the masked man was, but he still kept in contact with me. We both agreed that it was too dangerous for Khari to ride around with him, but her very first weekend visit with her daddy was coming up in two days. He planned to keep her at the house with him and Dallas. Yep, they were a couple now and I hated the thought of that snake ass bitch being around my child…and my man. I felt that way because in my heart, he would always be mine. Ever since I first saw Tyce on the block, from that day forward I wanted to be with him. That’s why I fought so hard to get him. It’s funny how the people you love get hurt the most by your negative actions and mistakes.

“Mommy messed up baby.” I wiped her mushy mouth.

Khari clapped her hands together. “Mommy up.” She said in a soft voice.

“Yep, but I’m
gonna fix it alright.”

“
Awight.” She gave me the prettiest smile.

I was now officially a single mom. I never w
anted to be in that situation. Shit, no woman did for that matter. We never plan for things to end up like that, but I had no one to blame but myself. I was mad at Dallas and I was disappointed in Tyce. I hated Thad’s guts. However, nobody forced me to fuck up, so the blame began and ended with me. I just hoped Tyce would give me a second chance. Not because I wanted him too, but because he wanted too.

I took the last bite of my biscuit drizzled in honey and my skin suddenly got hot. My hands felt clammy and my eyes started to water. I tried to swallow the food and take deep breaths
, but it didn’t work. I scooted my chair out fast, made a bee line straight for the kitchen sink and threw up my three piece chicken dinner in the stainless steel bowl. I stood there with my hair dangling around my face gasping for air. I felt my stomach churn once again and another round of chicken flavored vomit spewed from my mouth.

Once the violent nausea subsided, I rinsed my mouth out and turned the garbage disposal on to clean the sink. I closed my eyes to steady my ne
rves and calm my emotions as I took the time to count to 10. The brief meditation did nothing to quell my anger. I took my frustrations out on the wood cabinet below my waist as I kicked it with the sole of my running shoe as hard as I could.

“Damn! Not now!” I screamed.

Being the real bitch that I was, I took it upon myself to go talk to my cousin Khalil. Tyce told me to lay low and let him handle things, but I couldn’t just stand in the back ground and do nothing. Dallas Mitchell never played the back. I had to help my man in any way I could, even if it meant going against his wishes. I felt like I let him down when I fired my gun several times at the muthafucka that shot him and missed. Now I had a chance to clean that up and I was going to make the most of it. My plan was to ask Khalil where Roman was hiding out. Ever since Tyce put the word out that he was looking for him, the nigga disappeared like birds at night time.

After parking my Audi outside his house in Compton, I trotted up to the front door. I had blue stretch pants on with a tight fitting black lacy shirt. I rocked a black bra underneath which accented my
titties. I had matching blue and black accessories to put the finishing touches on my outfit. I chose these colors because Khalil’s three bedroom house was located smack dab in the middle of the Rollin’ 60’s Crip territory and I didn’t want any unnecessary beef.

             
I didn’t waste any time and knocked on the door like I was the holice. I heard heavy footsteps coming from the other side.

“Who
izzit?” I heard a man say from behind the door.

“It’s Dallas.” I raised my voice a little so he could hear me.

The door swung open and my casual expression went

from sweet to sour in a split second as a black grizzly looking Roman stared back at me from inside the door way.

“Shit, if I woulda known you was comin’ over I woulda took my clothes off.” He looked me up and down.

Before I could back away, he grabbed my arm, yanked me inside, and slammed the door shut behind me.

“Why the fuck you over here?! Who the fuck came with you?!” He dragged me over toward the window and looked out the heavy brown curtains nervously.

“Is that nigga
Tyce out there?! Huh?! Is he?!”

I winced in pain because he was jerking my arm wildly.

“Nigga let me go!”

My purse dangled in the crook of my arm. I had to get him to calm down so I could grab
my gun out of my bag and shoot his ass. Up close, I was no match for a man his size.

“Answer me bitch! Is he out there?!” Spit flew from his hairy mouth.

“No!” I yelled back.

Once he took several more glances out the window, he finally let my arm go.

“What the fuck you doin’ here?” He pointed a thick finger at me.

I held my purse in front of me. “I came to see Khalil.” I glared at him.