Country Boy (18 page)

“You’re a special person with a forgiving heart,” Tim told her. “Wifey material,” he mumbled to himself.

“Did you say something?” she asked.

“Nah ma, just reminding myself how lucky I am to have someone like you.”

Terri blushed laying her head on Tim’s chest, giving her own thanks for having him. Closing her eyes she drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next day Q received the phone call he’d been looking for. Hanging up the phone he taps Van on the shoulder. “Wake up ma.”

After waking Van he explained what he just found out on the phone.

“What about you Baby, you haven’t done any type of business in nearly two years.”

“Yeah I know ma, but you can’t put anything past these people. If we can hire two of them to haul cocaine, then there is no limit to what they will do to protect their own asses.” Q could see the worry in Van’s eyes. “Don’t worry, anything they come wit they’re gonna have to prove it.” He continues, “It’s not me I’m really worried about. Everybody already know that I’m out of the game. But The Crew is my second family. We can only hope that the knowledge they learned was put to good use.’’

Q’s thoughts were correct. Officer Jacobs couldn’t get the pictures he needed for a full fledged indictment. Jacobs had checked every property Q owned, all his vehicles, everything. Unable to find any flaws he began checking his associates, beginning with one Tashonda Davis. Jacobs went over her assets with a fine tooth comb. He himself was impressed with her CEO skills. Officer Jacobs didn’t want to pry too far into Q’s immediate family’s assets. He didn’t know how financially stable they were, but he knew Q never involved them in any type of illegal activity. If news of him running background checks on any of them was somehow leaked out, Jacobs knew his family was as good as dead. For weeks Officer Jacobs scoped out different locations The Crew members hung out at. Still nothing, no concrete evidence. Desperate now he began plotting against The Crew. He thought of ways to plant narcotics on each of them. It would be dangerous, but Jacobs was quickly running out of time.

Club Mercedes

The whole crew sat in the back office of The Club. Q had just finished giving them the low-down on their connects downtown. June spoke, “Yo’ Q, we basically left everything the way it was when you left. We never do business out in the open, and everything we buy, it’s legit.”

“Good,” Q replied. “That’s probably the first thing they’ll check.”

“What about the Club?” Q asked Big Kev and Poo.

“I just got off the phone with our lawyer who did the contract,” Poo answers. “We’re good Q.”

“Aiight homie.” Q reaches down and picked up his gym bag. Placing it on the table he unzipped it, then removed a package from inside. “Just a little insurance in case any of us should ever need it.’’ Dumping the contents on the table he revealed at least a hundred photos of Officer Jacobs and his senior officer and partner Stokely. There were several video and cassette tapes stacked neatly together.

“Damn Q, how did you come up wit’ all this shit homie,” Fat Dave asked still not believing what he was looking at.

Q answered while looking over the whole crew. “From the first day we conducted any type of business with these two dirty mothafuckas I got ‘em right here,” he said pointing at the stack of evidence. “One of the first things you learn in this hustle game is to cover yo’ own ass. These types of people will bring down everybody to keep from falling.”

Big Kev spoke, “What do we do now Q?”

“We don’t do nothing homie. We continue to act as if we know nothing. Keep the small time hustlers supplied as usual. If you hear from either of our connects get at me. Don’t call them or talk to them, they could be wired. We have enough evidence here to shake up the whole damn county. Oh yeah, one more thing,” Q said before standing to leave, “Let me get that heat up off all y’all.”

“WHAT!” Everybody said at once.

“Relax nigga’s,” he says digging deeper into his gym bag. One by one he pulled out each crew member’s weapon of choice. He continued. “Better to be safe than sorry. Now give me them dirty ass pistols.”

Keep It On The Low

The Crew continued to show their faces around The Block and hood. They made sure no business was conducted out in the open. If the police didn’t already have them, then they wouldn’t. Down at the police department the SRT knew they were in trouble if they didn’t act fast. The evidence they had gathered during their three month undercover sting operation was extremely weak. Nothing was hands on. Any half-ass lawyer would rip them apart in a court of law.

Out of desperation they organized a sting operation called “Trick or Treat”. On November 1st the department conducted a county round-up. They began kicking in doors at 4:00 a.m., catching most of the hustlers off their square. Most of them either still had product on them or an asshole full of money. Between the Special Response Team, the local police, and the deputy sheriff’s department, by 5:00 a.m. they had netted seventy-eight arrest, with twenty-two warrants unserved. The local paper’s front page was full of mug shots. Half the pictures made most of them look like it wouldn’t be long before they started drawing social security.

Closing the paper Q spoke. “Damn, they tried to pick up the whole fuckin’ county!”

“Yeah Q, they did,” said Van. “I read it before you woke up this morning. Look like they still have a lot more warrants to serve from what the papers stating. Do you think the guys are going to be okay?”

“Well ma, usually during a round-up, most of the time they will do buys using informants or come at you with a mothafucka wired up.” He continues, “If greed doesn’t get the best of a hustler, then usually he will slip through the cracks. I was in the game a long time, and it has never been any type of major drug bust without at least one or two ‘Big Fish’ getting caught up with the smaller ones trying not to miss a dollar. All we can do is hope our family wasn’t one of them.”

“Did you call anybody love?”

“Na ma, if something happens they will know exactly what to do.” Van pulled her nightgown over her head and straddled him. Q stared at his black queen now facing him sitting on his lap. Her aroma filled the room. Q bent down and gently sucked on her neck. Van leaned her head back making herself more available as he teased her body until her breathing became shallow. Sucking on her breast Q probed her opening with his fingers. Vans hips began grinding against his hand, as her moans traveled throughout the house. Q took his other hand and lifted her chin until they were facing each other again. Vans eyes were glazed all over as if she was on some type of medication. “I love you Boo,” he mumbled. Her response was only a slight smile. As Q entered her, her body seemed to melt as he pushed and pulled himself in and out of her, speeding up his pace at just the right time. The sensations drove Van over the edge as she dug her nails deep in Q’s skin, before burying her head in his chest climaxing. Her own contractions caused Q to lose control. He came, mixing his juices with hers. Gripping her buttocks tightly as his body produced throb after pulsating throb inside his soul-mate. As they lay exhausted in their own sweat the phone startled them.

“Hello,” Van said.

“Van, this is El. I hate to bother you but I didn’t have anyone else to call.”

“What’s wrong El?”

“Van it’s my brother Jason. He was picked up this morning during the sting operation.”

“Hold on,” Van said as she woke Q

“What is it babe?”

“It’s El on the phone Q. She said they picked up Jason this morning.”

“WHAT!’ Q said grabbing the phone. Elbony explained to Q the only information the authorities would give her. He later found out that Jason’s right hand man, Tech, had been picked up before Jason.

“Jason Wright, you have a visitor.”

As Q approached the glass in the visiting room he noticed Elbony, Van, and Q had come to see him. Picking up the phone he spoke to El first. She was his heart. After talking to Van he finally talked with Q.

“What up homie?”

“I’m good, Q.”

“What type of shit they got you down here on?”

“Right now I don’t know myself, Q. They just kicked my shit in about two hours ago. But one thing is fo’ sho’. I ain’t sold nobody shit.” Q nodded his head in agreement. Looking through the glass at Jason he thought of himself. Seeing Jason in the midst of his struggle made Q even more thankful he left the game.

“You know they picked up Tech about an hour before they hit you homie.”

“Na I didn’t find out until I got down here. Some funny shit’s going on Q. Them mothafuckin’ Feds was asking me some shit only me and that nigga Tech knew about.”

“Did they find anything at your crib?”

“The only thing they found was my heat and some cash.”

“Aiight, as soon as your bond is set El will be here to pick you up.”

Q left the county jail thinking about what Jason had told him. He had already come to the conclusion that Tech was snitching. Jason had put Tech on when he didn’t have shoes to put on his feet. Now Tech was giving thanks by telling, thinking that was his get out of jail free card. But the only thing he was getting free was a certified Death Certificate.

Old habits are sometimes hard to break. Whenever the police made a major bust throughout the counties, Q and The Crew would always leave town for a few days until it cooled down. Q had been out of the game over two years, but still found himself on Highway #1 headed towards Fayetteville, NC. Before he realized he was running for no reason. Laughing to himself he drove on knowing that his favorite Continent was at the end of his journey ... Asia!

When he showed up at her apartment she was so excited to see him. Q had begun to feel bad because he could see the sincerity in how much she missed him. Jumping in his arms her first words were “I love you “.

His only response was a tight hug. His old lifestyle had caused him to cross paths with a lot of different women. Women he now cared deeply about. Asia was only one of many who became so close to him. Q knew women all to well not to play with their feelings or emotions, but his past was causing him to have to juggle with too many hearts. “What’s been up baby-girl?” Q said.

“Nothing baby, I just have been missing you so much. How long you gonna stay this time?”

“Well you know June’s court case is tomorrow. Hopefully they will dismiss that shit.”

“That will be good,” Asia responded.

“Look I wanted to let you know I will be laying low for a little while. Some shit went down, and I don’t want to bring no heat on you.”

“What you mean baby? You know I can handle whatever it is.”

Q knew that shit sounded good, but nobody knew how they could hold up against that time until they were tried. And he wasn’t gonna test Asia on his freedom.

“Yea I know you could baby, but you know I’m not trying to have anything happen to you.” They talked for a little while longer before Q headed back towards home. He wanted to get a feel for where Asia’s mind was. He knew you were only as strong as your weakest link. He had to make sure all ends were covered.

Death Wish

“All rise!”

Everyone stood as the judge entered the courtroom. After taking his seat he gave instructions to both the prosecutor and attorney. He spoke, “What does the state recommend in the murder case of Mr. Hill?”

“Your Honor,” the prosecutor spoke, “We’re requesting a continuance.”

“Mrs. Cummings,” the judge interrupted her, “This is the fifth continuance in this case. Still you have produced no witnesses, not one shred of evidence against this young man.” He looked over at June’s attorney as he continued, “Do you have anything to add Mr. Williams before I make my final decision?”

June’s lawyer made a few short remarks dealing with the charge in the case. The judge then handed down his decision. ‘I recommend that the state take a voluntary dismissal on the murder charges against Mr. Hill. This court stands adjourned.” Rap. Rap. His gavel spoke the last words.

June walked out of the court house once again a free man. But before the ink on his dismissal papers dried, Tech had already given statements on Jason and the whole crew. The detectives had banged his head in about Q. They wanted anything they could find on him.

Tech’s statements were enough for the agents to haul Jason into the interrogation room. After four hours of trying to get cooperation they finally gave up. His bond was set at $250,000.

Elbony paged Q as soon as she got word. Jason was released later that afternoon. He met Q and June inside The Chill-Grill.

Jason spoke, “Yeah Q, they asked me all type of shit homie. That nigga Tech sold his soul Q,” said June.

“After everything you done for this nigga, he doubled crossed you.”

“Yeah that’s the difference between men and dogs. You can feed nigga’s for years and they will turn on you, like you never did one thing for them.”

“But don’t worry homie we gonna take care of that nigga.”

Queen City

Q decided that he needed some time to think this shit out. He told Van and KiKi to get dress so they could head to Charlotte for some shopping. He also figured he could squeeze a couple of minutes in with Khris while he was up in the city.

Back in Rockingham things had gotten crazy. Big Kev, Poo, Corey, and Fat Dave, had been snatched up off The Block. They were being held on a state charge of conspiracy. June and Tim couldn’t move, figuring they probably had warrants on them. They sat in Tim’s apartment discussing their next move. Before they could speak there was a loud explosion before the front door came crashing down.

“Get on the floor. Get down. Get down.” S-R-T officers came in from the front and back doors. They were hauled downtown with the rest of The Crew.

These Are the Bad Times