A Girl From Flint (21 page)
Authors: Treasure Hernandez
Chapter Nineteen
T
he sound of the alarm beeped loudly, and Joe hit the snooze button. He looked over at the clock. It said 10 a.m. He stood up slowly and wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He sat back down as if in a daze. He thought about going back to sleep, but the vibrations of his phone made him think otherwise. He picked it up off the nightstand and looked at the number. He shook his head and said in a groggy voice, “Another day, another dollar.”
he sound of the alarm beeped loudly, and Joe hit the snooze button. He looked over at the clock. It said 10 a.m. He stood up slowly and wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He sat back down as if in a daze. He thought about going back to sleep, but the vibrations of his phone made him think otherwise. He picked it up off the nightstand and looked at the number. He shook his head and said in a groggy voice, “Another day, another dollar.”
Joe walked into the hotel's bathroom wearing nothing but his Calvin Klein boxers. He looked in the mirror and splashed warm water on his face. He put his hands on the side of the sink and leaned forward, holding his head down.
Today is my last day on the grind. I can't do this shit no more. I'm taking my money and getting out of the game. I made a quarter-mil before I turned twenty-five. Fuck that! I've seen greed send niggas straight to the pen. I'm out!
As he brushed his teeth, he thought about the exchange he had to make later that day. He was going to make this the last transaction and return to New York.
Today is my last day on the grind. I can't do this shit no more. I'm taking my money and getting out of the game. I made a quarter-mil before I turned twenty-five. Fuck that! I've seen greed send niggas straight to the pen. I'm out!
As he brushed his teeth, he thought about the exchange he had to make later that day. He was going to make this the last transaction and return to New York.
Joe got fully dressed and put on his leather coat. He reached in the pocket and pulled out a Tiffany's jewelry box. He opened it up, and the 18-karat diamond ring glistened in the sunlight streaming through the window.
I'm gonna ask Tasha tonight.
He had never met a woman as beautiful and intelligent as Tasha. He loved her, and wasn't going to let her slip out of his grasp.
I'm gonna ask Tasha tonight.
He had never met a woman as beautiful and intelligent as Tasha. He loved her, and wasn't going to let her slip out of his grasp.
“I overheard him talking to someone on the phone last night. He is supposed to make a drop-off tonight at . . .” Tasha felt a tear stream down her cheek, and her heart began to pound harder and harder.
I can't do this. I should just warn Joe, or make him leave home with me. We could leave tonight.
Tasha was looking for an escape, a way to leave the madness behind and get away with Joe. She took the phone away from her ear, her lips quivering uncontrollably as she realized she was about to snitch on Joe, the only man she ever loved.
I can't do this. I should just warn Joe, or make him leave home with me. We could leave tonight.
Tasha was looking for an escape, a way to leave the madness behind and get away with Joe. She took the phone away from her ear, her lips quivering uncontrollably as she realized she was about to snitch on Joe, the only man she ever loved.
Troy yelled through the phone, “Hello? Hello?”
Tasha put the phone back to her ear. “I'm here.”
“Where, Tasha? Finish telling me where.”
She took a deep breath. “Tonight at eleven o'clock, he is supposed to . . .” She stopped.
I can't!
I can't!
Troy quickly grew frustrated, “Tell me! Tonight at eleven . . . where, Tasha? Say it!”
Tasha couldn't speak. The only thing she could think about was how kind and gentle Joe was to her, how much he loved her, and how well he always treated her. It tore her up inside that she was being forced to do this.
“He is supposed to be dropping off a couple kilos to a dude named Benny at the old steel factory down by the river.”
A big smile spread across Troy's face. “That's a good girl!”
Tasha hung up the phone and slumped onto the floor crying. She slammed her hands against her face, regretting that she'd let the words out of her mouth. She whispered, “I'm sorry. Baby, I'm so sorry!”
Honey stood in Tasha's doorway watching her cry to herself. She had overheard her whole conversation. “Fuck that nigga, Tasha!”
Tasha wiped her eyes and looked back at Honey with a confused expression.
“That nigga would not go to jail for you, Tasha. You need to get your shit together.”
Tasha got up off the floor and softly said, “Bitch, get out of my room!”
Honey put her hands on her hips. “Bitch, this is my auntie's house. I ain't got to go nowhere.”
Tasha rolled her eyes and stormed out of the room, bumping past Honey. “I don't have time for this shit.”
I'm getting the fuck out of here. After this shit is over, I'm on the first flight back to New York
. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Amra's number.
I'm getting the fuck out of here. After this shit is over, I'm on the first flight back to New York
. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Amra's number.
Amra sat in the doctor's office when her phone rang. The caller ID displayed Tasha's name. “Hello?”
“Amra, we're leaving. This ain't for us. I'm trying to be out of town by tomorrow night.”
“I know. I been thinking the same thing. I'm ready to go back home. I need to be home with my momma right now.”
“I'm going to get the tickets now.”
Amra saw the nurse motion for her. “Tasha, I love you. You are my sister, and I love you more than anything. Always remember that.”
Tasha had to laugh. “Damn, girl! You act like we ain't gon' see each other no more. Quit tripping. Anyway, we are leaving ASAP, so when you get back to Tammy's, pack your stuff.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Tasha stood outside Tammy's house and called a cab. She wanted to get to the airport and buy their tickets. Honey and Tasha didn't see eye to eye on the Troy situation, and Tasha was getting real tired of Honey and her attitudes. She sat on the curb waiting for the taxi to come. Feeling so alone and so afraid, she couldn't help but cry. She didn't know what was going to happen to Joe.
The next thing she knew, a car pulled up in front of her. “Get in,” she heard someone say.
Tasha popped her head up and was startled to see Joe. She quickly wiped her face and got into his car.
He kissed her softly on the lips. “Are you alright?”
Tasha shook her head. “No, and I don't want to talk about it.”
Even though Joe wanted to know what was bothering her, he just held her hand with his right hand and pulled off, his left hand on the steering wheel. “Tonight I have something planned for us.”
Tasha tried one last time to convince him to leave. “Let's just leave, Joe, me and you. Let's go back home right now.”
Joe rubbed his smooth face. “I feel you. I'm ready to leave too, but not tonight. I have to handle one last thing. Tomorrow we can be on the first flight out of here.”
Tasha realized she couldn't stop Joe from making that transaction she had tipped Troy off about. Joe reached over and held her hand while he drove, and his touch made tears form in her eyes. She closed her eyes, trying to make them go away.
I'm sorry, baby! I'm so sorry!
I'm sorry, baby! I'm so sorry!
Joe looked over at her. “I love you, Tasha.”
His words only broke her heart even more. She opened her eyes and looked him dead in his. “I love you too.” Tasha held on tight to his hand as she watched the street signs pass her by.
Joe pulled up to a hotel and parked the car. Tasha followed him to his room and reluctantly walked inside. She looked at the clock that sat beside the bed and knew it wouldn't be long before Troy put him in handcuffs.
“Baby, let's go. Let's go far away from here, just me and you.”
“Tasha, that sounds good, but I have to handle this one thing. I told you, we're on the first flight out tomorrow.” Joe walked over to the closet and grabbed a briefcase. “Now, I want you to wait here for me, and when I get back, we celebrate.” Joe kissed her softly on the cheek before walking out the door.
Tasha wanted to say something so badly. Everything inside of her wanted to stop him from walking out that door. Her heart told her to stop him, but her mind was thinking of her freedom and the freedom of all her friends. She dropped her chin to her chest and felt her heart beat fast. It felt like a baboon was on the inside of her, fighting to get out.
Just as Joe was about to close the door, she called out to him, “Joe!” Don't go!” The words echoed in her head, but, “I love you!” slipped out of her mouth.
Joe smirked. “Tasha, I love you too. After this, it's over. Our life together will begin soon.”
His words made what she was going through all the more difficult to bear. As soon as he closed the door, she dropped to her knees and cried uncontrollably, realizing there was nothing left to do. She balled up her fists and beat the floor, trying to take her anger out on something. Her heart was filled with guilt; she loved Joe, and he loved her. She yearned to be with him, to take back everything she'd done wrong in her life and be with him. She stared around the room hopelessly. She lay down on the floor and balled up into a fetal position.
She felt her cell phone vibrate on her hip, and quickly reached for it. She looked at the caller ID and saw Troy's name flashing across the screen. The sight of his name enraged her, and she began to tear up the room. She threw the lamp against the wall, breaking it into pieces. “Aghhhhh!” she screamed. “I hate you!” She tipped the TV off the stand onto the floor.
Panting, she stood in the middle of the hotel room, trying to catch her breath. Tears flowed down her face as she realized that she had made the biggest mistake of her life.
“Joe!”
she screamed at the top of her lungs. Tasha raced out the room at full speed, heading toward the spot she had tipped Troy off about.
“Joe!”
she screamed at the top of her lungs. Tasha raced out the room at full speed, heading toward the spot she had tipped Troy off about.
Joe drove his car ten blocks up from the hotel he had just left. It was dark outside, and only the moonlight illuminated the abandoned warehouse. He parked his Mercedes in the back, turned off his cell phone, grabbed the briefcase, and cocked his gun before putting it in his waistline.
One more time . . . one more time, and I'm finished. I can't wait to get back to Tasha and ask her to be my wife.
One more time . . . one more time, and I'm finished. I can't wait to get back to Tasha and ask her to be my wife.
Joe exited his car and slowly walked to the back entrance. He opened the door and noticed that he was the first to arrive. He looked at his watch and cursed softly to himself. “Damn! Where he at?”
Tasha was running full speed, sprinting down the street. She only had a few minutes to reach her destination. She dialed Joe's number as she ran, but got no answer.
I have to stop him from making the drop-off
.
I have to stop him from making the drop-off
.
The ten blocks from the hotel to the warehouse seemed more like a million. Tasha felt her legs tightening with each stride, and a cramp forming in her stomach. She thought she would pass out, but she didn't stop. Her lungs were on fire, and as fast as she tried to run, it seemed to be taking her forever.
Troy was waiting around the block from the warehouse in a gray unmarked van with surveillance monitors and tape recorders. He had set up hidden cameras and bugs to view and hear all that was happening inside the warehouse, and the only thing he had to do was wait. He also had a ground team waiting to rush in and arrest Joe.
He had a big smile on his face, knowing he had a conviction sitting in the palm of his hand. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and said to his team, “Don't make any moves until the transaction is made. We need to catch him red-handed.”
Mimi sat in her living room, high as a kite and without a care in the world. She was smoking a fat blunt and rolling another one that she was gonna fire up as soon as she finished the one she was on. She wondered where everybody else was. Her love for weed had grown, but she was low on cash, and her supply would be running out soon. She picked up her cell phone and called Manolo.
“Hello?”
Mimi hadn't spoken to him in months. “Hey, Manolo,” she said sweetly.
Manolo recognized her voice but didn't reply.
“Manolo, you got a job for me? I need some cash.”
Manolo laughed quietly. “Yeah, baby, I got a job for you. I'm on some new shit now though. I got this escort service I'm starting. You wit' it?”
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