A Girl From Flint (19 page)
Authors: Treasure Hernandez
Jamaica pulled his gun off his waistline and set it on the bed. He then stood up and walked toward the window and opened the blinds. He walked out onto the balcony and looked at the city lights. He took a deep breath of Flint's fresh air.
If money keeps rolling in like this, I might not go back home. I can't believe how our dope is driving niggas nuts here. I don't want too much attention, though. I ain't trying to get knocked.
If money keeps rolling in like this, I might not go back home. I can't believe how our dope is driving niggas nuts here. I don't want too much attention, though. I ain't trying to get knocked.
Tariq stuck half of his body onto the balcony. “Wanna hit this?” He offered Jamaica the blunt he had in his hand.
“Nah, duke, I'm good. I want to stay focused.”
Tariq looked at Jamaica like he was crazy. “I feel you, but me, I got to stay high.”
Tariq went back into the hotel room and continued to smoke, while Jamaica stayed out on the balcony, thinking about how good life was at the moment.
Troy had Tasha right where he wanted her. She knows she doesn't have a choice. He knew that Jamaica would not be able to resist her. She was what every nigga wanted.
Troy pulled his holster off his waistline and set it on his living room table. He felt bad about blackmailing Tasha, but she was the only way he could get something on Jamaica. Keys was very careful when he was alive, and if she was able to get him to trust her, then she had to be good.
He picked up his case files, opened them and looked at the pictures he had taken of Tasha. He didn't want to waste any time; he wanted her to get on Jamaica as soon as possible. One of his little niggas from around the way had told him where Jamaica liked to hang out, and he planned on sending Tasha there the next night.
He pulled Tasha's number out of his wallet and smiled to himself. With her working for him, he was so much closer to getting the bad guy.
Chapter Seventeen
T
asha received a call from Troy the following morning, telling her that Jamaica would be at Junior's that night. “You need to be there tonight,” he told her. “I need you to get in good with him quick. He usually stops in around eight o'clock. I'll be there watching you, so don't fuck up.”
asha received a call from Troy the following morning, telling her that Jamaica would be at Junior's that night. “You need to be there tonight,” he told her. “I need you to get in good with him quick. He usually stops in around eight o'clock. I'll be there watching you, so don't fuck up.”
“How will I know what he looks like?”
“You'll know when you see him. He'll be the nigga who comes in with a group of dudes. He's the ringleader though. He runs it all. It's not hard to spot him.”
Tasha hung up her cell phone without saying good-bye.
Damn! What did I get myself into? How do I know this is going to be the last time this nigga tries to use me? Or, how do I know he's not going to arrest me after he gets what he wants?
Damn! What did I get myself into? How do I know this is going to be the last time this nigga tries to use me? Or, how do I know he's not going to arrest me after he gets what he wants?
Tasha walked into Mimi's room. She saw her asleep in her bed, and Amra's bed was neatly made up with a note on the top of the blanket. Tasha walked over to the bed and picked up the letter. It read:
Went out for a minute. Be back in a few. Amra.
Went out for a minute. Be back in a few. Amra.
Tasha threw the letter on the bed and whispered, “I wonder where she went.” She shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room and thought about her task at hand for later that night.
As Amra sat in the doctor's office waiting for her name to be called, she flipped through a magazine. She thought to herself,
I wish they would hurry up. Please, God, don't let me be pregnant. I do not need this right now.
She hadn't been feeling well lately, and was always fatigued. If she was pregnant, she had no idea who the baby's daddy was. Most of her sexual encounters happened when she was either drunk or high. And she had engaged in sex with so many men, even she had lost count.
I wish they would hurry up. Please, God, don't let me be pregnant. I do not need this right now.
She hadn't been feeling well lately, and was always fatigued. If she was pregnant, she had no idea who the baby's daddy was. Most of her sexual encounters happened when she was either drunk or high. And she had engaged in sex with so many men, even she had lost count.
The nurse stuck her head out of the door that led to the back. “Amra Rodgers.”
Amra took a deep breath and whispered, “Here goes nothing!” and then proceeded to the door where the nurse was waiting for her.
The nurse escorted Amra into a small room and told her, “Wait here. Dr. Katz will be with you shortly.”
Amra began to feel butterflies in her stomach as she sat there waiting for the doctor to enter the room. She'd been there a week before to get a checkup and wasn't this nervous. She had a gut feeling she was pregnant. The nausea became unbearable, and she felt the contents of her stomach threatening to erupt as her body temperature began to rise.
I got to go home and lay down
.
I got to go home and lay down
.
Dr. Katz walked in fifteen minutes later. “Good morning, Amra. Good to see you again.
Amra mustered up a smile. “Hey, Dr. Katz.”
Dr. Katz grew a concerned look on his face and said in a soft voice, “The receptionist has been calling you all week. We needed you to come in.”
Amra's heart dropped. She already knew. She dropped her head and whispered, “I'm pregnant.” She placed her hand over her stomach and imagined it big, with stretch marks all over. A tear formed in her eye as she looked at the doctor. “I'm not trying to have a baby right now. I can't have a baby right now. I-I want an abortion.”
Dr. Katz took a seat on the stool closest to Amra. “I think it's a little more serious than that. Your blood test came back positive. Amra, you're HIV-positive, and it's progressing quickly into full-blown AIDS.”
“What?
What the fuck you mean? That test can't be right!”
What the fuck you mean? That test can't be right!”
“With new technology, infected people can prolong theirâ”
Amra stormed out of the office before he could even finish his sentence. She was in a state of shock the whole ride home. The tears stopped, and she seemed to be in a zombie-like trance. She didn't even get off at her stop. She couldn't focus on anything. She regretted all the nights of unprotected sex.
I'm dead! I don't even know where it came from . . . I mean, who it came from. My life is over!
I'm dead! I don't even know where it came from . . . I mean, who it came from. My life is over!
“You ready?” Troy asked.
Tasha, sitting in the passenger seat of his car, shook her head up and down. “Yeah, I'm ready . . . ready for this to be over!” she said sarcastically.
Troy quickly responded, “You have a long while before this shit is over. Get the job done.”
Tasha smacked her lips and folded her arms tightly against her chest.
“Don't fuck with me, shorty. If I suspect any bullshit on your part, you know where you'll be headed.”
As they sat in the parking lot of Junior's, Tasha grew more and more frustrated with her situation. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. “What are we waiting for?” she asked in a smart way. Troy kept his eyes on the building and didn't respond to her, so she rolled her eyes and started to look out of her window at the pedestrians and the traffic jam in the streets.
“Showtime!” Troy said as he saw Jamaica and his crew enter Junior's.
Tasha tried to get a glance at the infamous Jamaica, but by the time she looked up, the men were entering the building, and all she could see was the back of their heads.
“Jamaica is the cat with the blue NY hat and the platinum chain around his neck. That's the man you're after. I want you to get acquainted. Okay, go on.”
Tasha took a deep breath. As she got out of the car, Troy said, “And don't slam my door!”
Tasha smiled to herself. She cocked the car door back and slammed it as hard as she could.
That felt good,
she thought as she headed toward the front entrance.
That felt good,
she thought as she headed toward the front entrance.
Troy shook his head and watched as she walked toward the entrance.
Damn!
he thought, admiring Tasha's sandy-brown hair that matched her skin. He licked his lips as he watched her ass and Coke bottle shape.
Damn!
he thought, admiring Tasha's sandy-brown hair that matched her skin. He licked his lips as he watched her ass and Coke bottle shape.
Tasha entered the building, and as she walked to an open table, all of the guys she passed stared at her beauty.
“Damn!”
“Hey, ma!”
Tasha ignored them. She was used to that type of reaction from men, but today she was on a mission. She sat down at an empty table and began to look for her target. She noticed that the groups of guys across from her were the fellas she had seen entering the building. She made eye contact with one of them. He was very dark, with perfect white teeth and had deep waves on top of his head, which appealed to Tasha. But he wasn't wearing a platinum chain. She quickly glanced at the other men and noticed that none of them was wearing a platinum chain.
The dark-skinned man that Tasha had been scoping out got up and walked toward her. “Hey, ma. Can I sit?”
Tasha wanted to say yeah so badly. Any other day she would have been on him, but today wasn't the day. “I'm waiting for someone.”
He sat down anyway and smiled slyly. “Whoever you're waiting for is a damn fool. He got you waiting here all by yourself. If that was me, I would have been waiting on
you
.”
you
.”
Tasha smiled, but she wasn't interested.
This nigga needs to move so that I can find Jamaica.
This nigga needs to move so that I can find Jamaica.
“What's yo' name?”
“Tasha. What's yours?”
The dude sat back in the booth and seemed to relax before he replied, “Tariq.”
Damn! Wrong nigga
, she thought to herself. Just as she was about to dismiss his ass, a man walked past them and sat at the same table that Tariq had come from. Tasha noticed the chain on his neck. “Bingo!” she whispered as she got a glimpse of Jamaica's backside.
, she thought to herself. Just as she was about to dismiss his ass, a man walked past them and sat at the same table that Tariq had come from. Tasha noticed the chain on his neck. “Bingo!” she whispered as she got a glimpse of Jamaica's backside.
“What you say?”
“Yo, who is that?”
Tariq turned around. “Who? Him? That's my man, Jamaica.”
Tasha smiled and looked at the back of Jamaica's head. “Tariqâit was Tariq, right?âtell Jamaica I would like to talk to him.”
Tariq got a salty look on his face and looked back, “Oh . . . okay,” he said as he slowly rose up from the table.
That bitch got some nerve,
he thought as he walked back to his table with a bruised ego. He whispered something in Jamaica's ear, and then looked back at Tasha. Jamaica didn't even turn around to look at her. He just shook his head and continued to eat his cheesecake.
That bitch got some nerve,
he thought as he walked back to his table with a bruised ego. He whispered something in Jamaica's ear, and then looked back at Tasha. Jamaica didn't even turn around to look at her. He just shook his head and continued to eat his cheesecake.
Tasha was insulted.
Who this nigga think he is? He didn't even look at me.
At that moment, the waiter walked over to Tasha and asked her for her order. “A burger and fries,” she said, never taking her eyes off the man they called Jamaica.
Who this nigga think he is? He didn't even look at me.
At that moment, the waiter walked over to Tasha and asked her for her order. “A burger and fries,” she said, never taking her eyes off the man they called Jamaica.
As Tasha waited for her food, she saw Troy walk in. He walked past her and sat at the counter and signaled for a waitress. He spun his chair slightly around to position himself toward her, and shot a look to let her know she needed to get on her job. She nodded her head to let him know she was on task.
Jamaica stood up and began to turn around. Tasha thought,
Okay, Jamaica, let's see if your looks are as big as your reputation.
As Jamaica turned around, Tasha squinted her eyes in disbelief, and couldn't believe what she saw. “Oh my God! Joe?” she yelled out in a state of shock.
Okay, Jamaica, let's see if your looks are as big as your reputation.
As Jamaica turned around, Tasha squinted her eyes in disbelief, and couldn't believe what she saw. “Oh my God! Joe?” she yelled out in a state of shock.
Joe looked in her direction. “Tasha?” He walked over to her with his arms out and gave her a hug.
Tasha felt good in his arms and took a deep breath. Joe held her tight and rubbed her back as he embraced her. Tasha was speechless. She glanced over at Troy, who was watching her closely. “What are you doing here?” she asked, their hands intertwined.
“I'm here with my people. I needed a little vacation, and I'm here for a while.”
Tasha didn't know what to say. “Oh!”
Troy smirked, knowing half of the battle was already won.
Hell yeah! She already knows this nigga. This should be like taking candy from a baby. He already trusts her.
Troy watched closely as they talked to each other. He couldn't make out what they were saying, so eventually he stopped trying to. He had seen all he needed to see. He pulled out his wallet, threw some money on the table, and walked out.
Hell yeah! She already knows this nigga. This should be like taking candy from a baby. He already trusts her.
Troy watched closely as they talked to each other. He couldn't make out what they were saying, so eventually he stopped trying to. He had seen all he needed to see. He pulled out his wallet, threw some money on the table, and walked out.
Joe joined Tasha at her table, and his friends sat behind them in their own booth. “How have you been?” he asked her.
Tasha had to take deep breaths to stop the tears from coming. She wanted to tell him everything, but she couldn't.
I can't set you up,
she thought to herself. She could either be loyal to herself and her friends and fix their mess by doing what Troy wanted her to do, or she could be loyal to Joe and not go through with the setup.
I can't set you up,
she thought to herself. She could either be loyal to herself and her friends and fix their mess by doing what Troy wanted her to do, or she could be loyal to Joe and not go through with the setup.
“You alright?”
Tasha snapped out of her daze. “Yeah, I'm okay. I missed you so much.”
Joe didn't reply. He just gave her a sexy smile that she knew meant, “I missed you too.”
Tariq came over to the table and whispered into Jamaica's ear.
Jamaica told Tasha, “Look, I got to go handle some business right now.”
Tasha's heart almost broke in pieces.
I don't want you to go
.
I don't want you to go
.
“Do you think it's possible for us to get together tonight?”
Tasha felt a sharp pain vibrate in her heart.
I can't do this. I love him too much. I have to tell him about Troy.
“Joe . . . I . . .” She pictured Troy putting handcuffs on her and taking her to jail. “I'll call you when I'm ready.”
I can't do this. I love him too much. I have to tell him about Troy.
“Joe . . . I . . .” She pictured Troy putting handcuffs on her and taking her to jail. “I'll call you when I'm ready.”
Joe leaned over and kissed her on the cheek softly. “Tasha, I'm glad we ran into each other. I wasn't going to call you until I finished handling all my business, but I'm happy to see you. I'll see you tonight.” He put his hand on Tasha's face.
Tasha smiled. “See you then.”
Joe got up, and his crew followed him out of the door.
Tasha was devastated. She buried her head in her arms.
What the fuck! What are the odds that my target would be Joe? He is supposed to be in New York. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I can't do this to him.
What the fuck! What are the odds that my target would be Joe? He is supposed to be in New York. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I can't do this to him.
Tasha got up and stormed out of the restaurant. Troy was waiting for her by his car with a smug look on his face. “I'm not doing this!” she said as she walked past him.
Troy walked behind her. “Then you might as well get ready to spend the rest of your life in prison.”
Tasha continued to walk away from him. “Do what you got to do then. I can't do that to him! I won't!” she yelled at Troy. She was tired of being blackmailed, and she didn't want to set up the one man in her life who loved her and treated her right.
“You don't have a choice! Tasha, you can either save your own ass, or save his. It's up to you. Don't be stupid. Would he do the same thing for you? That nigga got bitches like you all over town. You ain't nothing special. Don't let love land your ass behind bars.” Troy could see that his words were getting to her. To make sure that she saw things his way, he picked up his cell phone and called his lieutenant. “Hey, lieutenant, this is Smith. I need you to send out a car to pick up these ladies for me. They are suspects inâ”
Tasha walked over to Troy and snatched his phone from his hand. She hung up on the lieutenant and said, “Fuck you, Troy!”
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