Daddy's House (17 page)

In a panic, I threw my hands up to my mouth as the tears strolled down my face. I tried to focus on the distorted sounds that came through my ears, but nothing made sense. It couldn’t be true. The words
victim, Tracey
Holmes,
appeared on the screen. When the cameraman switched positions, and showed a stretcher carrying Tracey’s body outside, covered by a white sheet, I flipped. My howl was like that of a mother bear that lost her cub.

“
She was all I had!” I screamed in agony. Snot invaded my nose and the upper part of my lip at the same time. Sushi didn’t care though.

She attacked me with a bear hug. “No look,” she said, trying to cover my eyes. “T.V...no good,” she added in a softened tone, as she rocked me back and forth. For the first time, I wanted her closeness. I needed somebody to hug.

“
That’s right, experts on site believe the body has been here for about four days now,” I heard the reporter say. I screamed again, this time uncontrollably.

Cinnamon came running with a box of tissues, while her eyes welled up too. It was so emotional for us all. Several of the girls had now gathered around, and Sushi backed off a bit. Even though my head hung low, and tears kept me from seeing clearly, I used my peripheral vision to scan the room. Oddly, School Teacher and her twin sister were staring me down. I turned in another direction to break away from their gaze, but Luscious was staring too. For some reason, Luscious’ gaze went straight to my necklace. I knew she wasn’t the jealous type, because she stayed clear from us most of the time, barely ever saying a word.

I clutched the necklace, wondering why all eyes were on me, especially my necklace at a time like this. “Tracey’s dead!” I shouted. Then sobbed even more. This time they didn’t dive in with embraces.“They said it was murder,” Ms. Dottie said somberly, making her presence known in the room. School Teacher moved aside, allowing me to get a good view of Ms. Dottie. She stared at the television with an evil smirk.

“
Huh, everybody got a date with the coroner some day.”

I jumped up ready to fight. “My cousin may have been slutty, but God bless the dead, she was all I had.” My shoulders reared back, and all I needed was for her to make the first move.

“
House Lady,” I spat, as if I was disrespectin’ her position.

My eyes were still watery, but the tears on my face dried without delay. Ms. Dottie was obviously challenging me. Her finger was extended in my direction, like she was about to preach a sermon. “You disrespectful little bitch,” she snapped. “You got the nerve to have on Lisa’s chain. And you wearing it like it’s yours!”

I looked down at my chain, gripping it hard, like she wanted to steal it. Then my neck did a fast swivel around the room. Everyone knew but me. I was so ashamed.
How
could Daddy do this to me
, I thought. Lisa was the missing girl, or dead girl as some around here would say. I wondered why Daddy would’ve given her a chain. Then I thought about my special moment with him. Maybe he wasn’t exclusive maybe it wasn’t his first time getting down with the talent. And just think, I thought my night with him was priceless.

At the thought of his name, I rushed out of the room, and ran up the steps like a crazy woman. I burst through my door to grab the number Daddy had given me that morning. He told me to use it when I felt like I needed to hear his voice. I crumbled the small white piece of paper between my thumbs, and hurried back down to use the phone. I didn’t care who was up for phone time. I was gonna get my time now. As I punched the keys with force, tears fell from my eyes again thinking about Tracey. I wanted to call one of my family members living in Harlem to see if it was official, but I was too afraid.

My mind started going crazy. I instantly analyzed an important fact. Big V was released from prison, and now Tracey was dead!

“
Hello…hello,” a woman kept repeating.

I looked down at the digital phone to get a good look at the number I’d dialed. I quickly matched it up with the number on the paper. “Umm…Ummm, I was looking for

Daddy,” I said hesitantly, in between my sniffles.

“
Well, you’ve called the right place,” the woman sassily said. “What can we help you with?”

We
, I thought. That fat muthufucka played me, was all I could think.

“
Why don’t you call back when you can figure out what you want,” she said, before slamming the phone down in my ear.

I was devastated. I just slammed my head down onto the desk and cried even more. “Agent Barnes,” I finally said beneath my breath. “I gotta call him.” I knew his last number by heart and prayed it would work. Emotionally, I didn’t know if I was ready to talk to him, but it was worth a try. I picked up the phone and dialed.

When his answering service picked up, I whined into the phone, “Agent Barnes, this is Candice…”

Chapter Sixteen

“
Where’s that sheet?” Luke whispered.

I watched him scramble through his kitchen drawers. After giving him some pussy, this nigga better not had been lying.

“
I thought your shit was straight?” I strolled over to give him a little help. “Move nigga.” I yanked the rest of the drawers out, dumping everything on the floor. “Get the hell down there and find that shit.” I gazed at his half naked-ass as he went through every piece of paper. I should’a known that any nigga who fucked with Tracey had to be a damn idiot. His ass searched through coupons, old prescriptions and some other bullshit.

“
I know it’s here, Velma, ‘cause I checked for it, and it was here earlier.”

“
Why would your dumb-ass put it wit’ all that shit in that sloppy ass junk drawer anyway?” I yelled. He shot me a goofy Poindexter look. Luke was the funniest lookin’ clown I’d seen in years. I should’a known better than to take his ass any further than Vicky’s front door.

That was the day everybody came to pay their respects and shit before Tracey’s funeral.

I showed up over my sista’s house sobbin’ and shit actin’ like I hadn’t killed Tracey wit’ the same knife she’d pulled on me. I actually cried the moment her life disappeared from her body that night. First time I’d shed a tear in over ten years.

“
Check this, I’ma go in this here bathroom to wash my ass, and when I return, that shit better pop up!” I walked slowly, waiting to see how long it would take for his ass to respond. Silence. I turned back.
What the fuck, I
thought I’d schooled this nigga right.
“Luke! Did you hear what I said?”

“
Yeah,” he whimpered, like a little bitch.

“
Well then speak, nigga.”

“
Uh huh, I hear you. I gotchu.”

I swayed my fat ass through his narrow hallway. I felt all claustrophobic and shit. I flicked on the light when I reached the bathroom, and was blinded by bright-ass color. This nigga had yellow walls with big ass pink polka dots spread throughout.
What the hell?
I slammed down the toilet seat to take a shit. I fell deep into thought as to how I was going to get this little bitch.
Was she really
ever blood to me?
I strained to let one out. After that one dropped, I was on a roll. Just when the gettin’ was good, that crazy mufucka started banging hysterically on the door.

“
What Luke, damn, I’m mindin’ my damn bizness. What, you wanna see me wipe my ass too?”

“
I found it! I found the number to where Candice is at. I told you I would come through.”

I could hear his ass jumping around like a damn kid in a toy store. “A’ight, nigga, pipe the hell down. I’ll be out in a sec.” He turned the knob, trying to come in. “I locked the shit! Now go sit your ass down somewhere!”

“
I’ll be waiting for round two, baby. Hurry up!”

He repulsed the hell out of me. I don’t know what the hell I was thinkin’. Fuckin’ my niece’s leftover’s just for some damn information was more than my insides could stand. The more I thought about it, that shit, was nasty as hell.

When I first saw his ass standing on the curb of my sister’s house, wearing a damn orange velour sweatsuit, that should’a been all the signs I needed. If I didn’t think he would come through for me concerning this whole Candice ordeal, his ass would’a been dismissed. He tried to pull some ol’, ‘we reached for the same biscuit’ love shit. So he configured in his retarded ass mind that we must’ve been destined. I knew from that point, with a little pussy he would be puddy in my hands. So I rubbed past him between a small space to give him
a
sample
. His dick got hard instantly. I didn’t give a shit who saw it in the fam. I had my mind set on one thing…getting Candice’s ass. Now that I got my info from Luke, there was no need for me to go to Tracey’s funeral.

After gettin’ off the toliet, I stood in front of the sink to take a quick hoe bath. The pink polka dots kept fuckin’ with my head. I hit high as possible, low as possible and impossible. The prostitutes in the pen taught me that shit. Hit the face, under the arms and the ass and you done. Time to look for your next conquest.

I slipped into my jeans and a cream sweater and went back to glow worm. That was my name for him. Damn, his ass was bright!
I hope he take the five g’s I give him
and head straight for the islands. He needs to let the sun
kiss all over his ass.

I reached his tiny hollow kitchen to find his ass scrambling eggs. “Especially for you, baby,” he said.

“
Yo, how many times I gotta tell you’re a…”

“
I know, I know, but you so luscious.” I stuck out my hand. He knew exactly what I wanted. Luke reached over to the counter and handed me the torn piece of paper. I held it slightly away from my face, and kissed the phone number. I tucked it in my bra, prepared to go forth with my plan.
The shit is on now!

“
You happy now,” Luke said.

“
I’m 70 percent there. Just chill, you’ll get your cash, you hungry bastard.”

“
Why you gotta talk like that? You too beautiful to act like that.” He was serious about this relationship shit.

“
Slap some damn eggs on my plate.”

“
Not until you give me some more ass. I told you I’d be ready for round two. Nobody told you to wash your ass. I gave you what you want, now give me what I want.” He smiled, showing that big-ass gap between his two front teeth. I don’t know what was wrong with niggas.

The more you gave ‘em, the more they wanted. I grabbed his ass and pulled him toward the living room, ‘cause I knew he wasn’t gonna be right until I dropped that sweetness on him.

My big fat ass was spread eagle on his little-ass couch within seconds.

“
Turn over so I can go deep,” he said.

“
Damn, nigga, I’m scrapin’ my damn knee. Throw this low-ass, raggedy-ass couch out!” He got lost in my shit before I could get in position.

“
It’s good,” his skinny-ass screeched.

My bloated cheeks could easily swallow his little ass if I let ‘em! I couldn’t help but laugh at him.
The shit I
did for information.
“Hurry up so I can wash my ass again.” He let it all out. This time with an attitude.

“
I’m tired of you being the damn man in this relationship,” he said, with an attitude.

“
Relationship? What relationship? Shit, this is bizness, not pleasure!” I hurt his feelings. “Come here, Luke, baby, it’s cool. You know how I do.” I let him nurse on my pussy.
Niggas are weak for that juicy shit.
I pushed him from between my legs. “That’s enough. Damn, save some for later.” I hopped off the couch, and went straight to the kitchen. I was hungry. He pulled me back.

“
Lay with me a minute. Why you always jumpin’ up?” he asked.

“
For the third time, this ain’t no love connection, nigga, this is bizness!”

“
Come on,” Luke whined.

I laid there against my will. I didn’t do pillow talk with the poor and desperate. His ass wanted to start reminiscing about Tracey. But I could care less about his thoughts or Tracey. I had already got what I needed.

Chapter Seventeen

When Daddy pushed his big frame through the door, you would’ve thought he was coming to a funeral the way everybody moped around the house. Every girl seemed to be in a shitty mood, and no money was being made, except for Luscious, who had some broke thug in her room.

I sat at the bar with the same white robe I’d put on after my shower that morning. At six in the evening, we were all supposed to be dolled up and ready for action. Ms. Dottie said we were behind on our quota, but the moral was dead. Sushi had even put on a black, long gown in honor of Tracey, and passed a bottle of Remy Martin VSOP around the room.

Instead, I was on my third glass on Jack Daniels, combined with my forth Prozac, compliments of School Teacher. She had broken down earlier, spilling her guts about how she wanted to leave, but Daddy wouldn’t allow it. She said she’d been to the hospital many times on suicide watch, and all she had to show for it was the bottle of pills that now lay smothered in my hands.