Tears of a Hustler 2 (7 page)

“I figured you were lonely in here, so I brought you something to read,” a female C.O. said, sliding two books through the little slot.

“Thank you, but I’m not really a big reader,” Ali said, making his way over to the cell door so he could read the C.O.’s nametag. “But I do appreciate it Ms. Ruby.”

“Oh please call me Crystal,” she insisted.
“Crystal Ruby? What kind of name is that?”
“That’s what my moms named me.” She smiled, looking

Ali could tell that this chick was a hood chick by the way she talked and handled herself. Ali quickly looked away. He knew how much he loved hood girls, and Crystal was definitely a hood chick, but she was also a dime. What stood outabout her was she stood six feet tall which was kind of tall for a female, but she was definitely sexy wit it.

“If you give those books a chance I’m pretty sure you will love them,” Crystal said, trying to make small talk.
Ali picked up the two books: Married To Da Streets by Silk White and Hood Rat by K’wan.
“Both of these titles sound interesting. I think I’m going to check em out,” Ali said gratefully.
“Well I guess I better be going now, talk to you later.” Crystal waved goodbye as she strolled down the tier.
“Talk to you later Ms. Ruby,” Ali said, as he leaned his face against the bars, so he could get a good lookat Crystal’s healthy ass as it jiggled up and down through her uniform pants with every step she took. “Damn,” Ali said, shaking his head. From the looks of things he could tell that the C.O. wore a thong under her uniform pants.
Ali quickly erased the nasty thoughts from his mind as he sat on his bunk and picked up one of the books thatCrystal had just brought him.

Once service was over, April patiently waited for most of the people to make their exit so she could have a word with the pastor. “Michael sit right here until I come back.”

Michael nodded his head, as he continued playing his PSP.
“Hey Pastor,” April said, as she gave him a hug.
“Hey April, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in service for a while. Is everything okay?” Pastor Jackson asked, with a look of concern.
“Well not really,” she answered, looking at the floor.
“Tell you what, how about I come over to your house tomorrow and you tell me all about it, because I have to run over to the hospital real quick to pray for one of my members who has cancer,” Pastor Jackson said, handing Aprila piece of paper and a pen so she could write down her address.
“I’ll be home all day tomorrow so you can drop by anytime,” April said, handing Pastor Jackson the paper with her address on it.
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. You go in peace,” he said as he and a deacon made their exit.
Jay-Z bumped through the Benz speakers, as Skip pulled into the airport parking lot. “Yo, you heard what Hov just said?” Skip asked, with his face crumbled up.
“Yeah that nigga killed that shit,” G-money said, bobbing his head to the beat.
“A’ight, this what we doing,” G-money said, grabbing everybody’s attention. “Me, Skip, Knowledge, and Suge is flying. We’ll meet the rest of ya’ll at the spot when ya’ll touch down.”
With that being said, a soldier quickly exited the van and slid in the front seat of the Benz.
Roy and Bumpy just looked on from the sideline.
Once on the plane, the six gangstas made small talk with one another.
“Everything a’ight?” G-money asked, looking at Skip.
“Nah, B. I think I’m out,” he replied.
“What you mean?” G-money asked, leaning forward.
“I can’t do this no more,” Skip sighed. “I gotta go straighten shit out with April and my little man.”
“Yo, what kind of shit is that?” Knowledge hissed.
G-money quickly hushed him. “It’s about time you started using your head,” G-money said as he gave Skip a hug. “You should have been out the game. You got more tolose than any of us,” he reminded Skip.
“Yeah I think I’m going to move to Canada and start over fresh,” Skip said. “Plus out there I’ll have a clean record.”
“Anything I can do to help just let me know,” G-money said as he gave Skip a pound.
“Knowledge time for you to step up to the plate,” Gmoney announced.
“That’s what I been waiting for,” Knowledge saidin a cocky tone as he gave Suge dap.
“Be careful what you ask for. People always think they missing something when they on the outside looking in. But when they get in, they realize they ain’t been missing shit,” Skip said, shooting Knowledge a private glance.
When the plane finally landed, G-money, Knowledge, and Suge all gave Skip a hug and said their goodbyes as they watched Skip hop in a cab.
“That’s a real motherfucking soldier right there,” Gmoney said, as his eyes got a little misty as he watched the cab’s taillights bend the corner.
Once the cab was out of eyesight, G-money quickly slid in the back of the limousine with the rest of the crew.
“Take us to Pauleena’s mansion,” Roy ordered as he opened up a bottle of Henny and poured himself a glass. “Ya’ll make ya’ll self at home.”

“Pull over right here real quick,” Skip told the cab driver as he quickly ran up on a brother who was selling roses on the corner. “Let me get two dozen of these shits,” Skipsaid, handing the man a hundred dollar bill. “Keep the change brother,” he said as he slid back in the back seat of the cab. For the entire ride, Skip thought about the look on April’s face when he handed her the roses and tell her he was out the game. I hope she’s cool with moving to Canada, Skip thought out loud as the cab pulled up to the dingy apartment building. “Here you go papi keep the change,” Skip said, handing the cab driver a hundred dollar bill.

Skip hopped up the flight of steps with a smile on his face. He couldn’t wait to tell April the good news. As soon as Skip entered the apartment with his key, his smile quickly melted into a frown as he heard a man’s voice coming fromthe living room.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” Skip growled as he entered the living room.
“Babes what are you doing here?” April asked, jumping up in shock.
“Fuck all that, what is this nigga doing here?” Skip asked, taking a step closer to the man sitting on the couch.
“This is the pastor from the church,” April blurted out as she stepped in front of Skip, doing her best to keep him away from the pastor.
“What the fuck is he doing in my house?” Skip huffed as he pushed April out of his way.
“Listen brother, I just came over here to pray for your wife,” Pastor Jackson said as he stood up.
“Well you should have been praying for yourself!”
“The only person I fear is God,” Pastor Jackson shot back, raising his voice.
“So you think God can stop me from punching you in your face right now?” Skip asked, balling up his fist.
Before the pastor got a chance to reply, Skip had already caught him with a two-piece to the chin, dropping him off of impact.
Skip went in to stomp the pastor out, but April had grabbed him by the waist trying to hold him back.
“Get the fuck off me,” Skip growled as he turned and slapped April down to the floor.
“Daddy what are you doing?” Little Michael asked, peeking down the hallway to see what all the commotion was.
“Its okay Mike. Go to your room. Everything is fine,” Skip said, pasting a fake smile on his face. In that split second, Pastor Jackson quickly made it to his feet and threw Skip in a chokehold from behind.
“I’m about to send you straight to hell you son of a bitch,” Pastor Jackson snarled, as spit flew from his mouth with every word he spoke. Pastor Jackson quickly dropped to the floor and wrapped his legs around Skip’s waist applying more pressure.
Once Little Michael saw the pastor put his father in a chokehold, he quickly ran to the phone and dialed 911.
“Let him go!” April yelled, as she tried to pryPastor Jackson’s arms from around Skip’s neck.
April looked over and saw Skip gasping for air as his face turned red as an apple. She knew she had to do something and do it fast. With not many options left, April quickly ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. Without thinking twice she jabbed the knife in Pastor Jackson’s side three times until he released the hold he had on Skip’s neck.
“You fucking bitch! I’m going to kill you!” Pastor Jackson grumbled, as he slowly made his way towards April with the devil in his eyes.
“Just leave,” April yelled as tears ran down her face.
“I am after I lay hands on you,” Pastor Jackson said in a deadly tone. His mouth had gone dry and sour, his hands curled into fists. As he came forward, she retreated a step. Everything seemed to be going slow inside April’s head, but itmust have all happened in less than a minute.
“Just leave! If you come any closer, I’m going to stab the shit outta you,” April yelled as she backed into the wall, clutching the knife with two hands.
Skip slowly made it back to his feet and grabbed the glass vase from off the coffee table. The vase whistled through the air as it violently shattered over the pastor’s head, dropping him instantly.
“Gimme that knife,” Skip demanded. “I’m about toskin this nigga alive,” he said with venom dripping from his voice.
Seconds later two cops busted through the front door with their weapons already drawn. “FREEZE!”
Skip stood over Pastor Jackson’s sprawled out body with the knife glittering in his hand.
“Don’t make me do it,” one of the officers yelled, halfway squeezing on the trigger.
“Baby please put down the knife,” April begged.
With a defeated look on his face, Skip dropped the knife. Immediately the two officers roughly tackled Skip and cuffed him.
“All I came over here to do was make up with you,” Skip said in a low pitch voice. “I brought you roses and all that. Then I come home and you got a man sitting in the living room,” he said in an unsteady voice.
“Baby I told him to come over here so he could pray for our marriage,” April said in a weak and shaking voice as she saw the brief look of hurt flashed across her husband’sface.
“Fuck that praying shit. You know I’m not just going to leave my family hanging,” Skip fumed. “Now I gottaspend time in a fucking cage because you wanted this faggot topray for us,” he said, shaking his head involuntarily.
Seconds later, Pastor Jackson finally made it back to his feet still a little dizzy. “I want to press charges,” he said pin wheeling his arms to keep his balance.
“Officer what’s the charges?” April asked. Her face wore a cautious, startled expression.
“Not certain yet ma’am. Your husband could be charged with assault or maybe attempted murder; it depends,” the officer answered politely.
“Fuck,” April cursed loudly knowing that everything that had just happened was partly her fault, not to mention Skip was already on the run.
“Mommy why they got daddy in hand cuffs?” Little Michael whined as he hugged her leg.
“It’s just a misunderstanding baby,” April criedopenly as she and Little Michael watched as the police took Skip away.

G-money slid out limo with a smile on his face. “I can definitely see myself in a crib like this real soon,” he said to himself as he admired the huge mansion. In front of the mansion, two Muslim brothers stood holding down the entrance. Each man wore a black suit, along with a red bow tie.

“What’s up J,” Roy said, extending his hand to one of the Muslims.
The Muslim looked at Roy’s hand like he had just rubbed it in some shit. “How can I help you brother?”

Muslims up and down.
“Name please?” the shorter Muslim asked, speaking for
the first time.
“What you talking about? I was just here last week. Why
ya’ll acting like I’m some kind of new nigga?”
“Name please?” the short Muslim asked, again as he
cracked his knuckles.
Roy frowned, but answered regardless. “Roy.”
Immediately, the taller Muslim spoke into his earpiece. “Yeah we
got a Roy outside. He says you’re expecting him.”
Seconds later, the taller Muslim turned to face Roy. “Sorry about
that brother, just doing my job,” he said, as he lightly frisked,
each man one by one, before he allowed them to enter. The
taller Muslim then escorted the men to a room at the end of the
hallway. “Knock before you enter,” he said in a deep voice as he
returned back to the front to re-join his partner.
“Knock, Knock, Knock!”
“Come in,” a deep voice boomed from the other side of
the door. Roy and Bumpy entered the office confidently as Gmoney, Suge, and Knowledge brought up the rear.
G-money saw a very attractive Spanish looking woman
sitting behind a mammoth oak desk with a seven-foot Muslim
standing by her side. The seven-foot monster stood with his
hands clasped in front of him. With the jacket from his suit
removed, his twin .45’s sat comfortably under his arms in the
shoulder holster.
“I delivered just like you asked me to,” Roy said, kissing
the back of Pauleena’s hand.
“That’s why I love you,” Pauleena replied with a smile.
“Now which one of these handsome gentlemen is G-money?”
she asked as she stood up and slowly walked from behind the
desk. Once Pauleena was in G-money’s full view, he studied her
from head to toe. His eyes immediately locked when they came
in contact with her horse ass. The tight black spandex she wore
didn’t help the situation at all.
“I’m G-money,” he said raising his hand.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Pauleena said
shaking his hand. “So who are these two gentlemen?” she
asked, looking at Knowledge and Suge.
“This right here is my number two man, Knowledge.” “Nice to meet you Knowledge,” Pauleena greeted him. “And this is my main muscle right here, Suge.” “Nice to meet you Suge.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Suge replied with a warm
smile.
“Roy, I need a favor.”
“What up?”
“Could you and Bumpy please take these two gentlemen
out to the bar so I can have a word with G-money alone?” “No problem,” Roy said as he, and Bumpy escortedSuge
and Knowledge to the bar area of the mansion.
“I’m glad you could make it on such short notice,”
Pauleena said, pouring her and G-money a glass of Remy. “It’s all good. My ears are always open when it comes to
money,” G-money said, gladly excepting the drink.
“Okay let’s get straight down to business then,”Pauleena
said as she sat on the couch cross-legged next to G-money.
“From what I hear, you and your partner Ali had the streets on
lock until Detective Nelson made Frankie stop supplying ya’ll with
work. That’s when Rell got his hands on the product ya’ll used to
have and ran with it.”
“How the fuck do you know all that?” G-money asked a
little puzzled.
“I’m like the F.E.D.S. I know everything,” she chuckled.
“But basically, I brought you here because I know we can help
each other.”
“How you figure?” G-money asked, sipping the liquid fire. “Simple, I want you and your crew to join my family,”
Pauleena paused to take a sip. “You will never have to worry
about finding a connect ever again. I get my shit straight from
the Cuban’s pure uncut shit.”
“Damn, you the answered to all my problems then,” Gmoney chuckled. “Only problem is I’m hot right now, the
F.E.D.S. is all over me and I wouldn’t want to bring any of my
heat down on you; Smell me?”
“The F.E.D.S. are the least of my worries sweetie. I got a
few judges and district attorney’s on my payroll. We all family,
one hand wash the other.”
“What about all the trap houses, you got pumping in the
south?”
“You join our family and you’ll get a piece of all the
action. Plus when I hit you with that bomb work, wegoing to
shut down the entire Harlem area; not to mention upstate New
York, like Buffalo and Syracuse,” Pauleena said, pointing to the
floor. “My boy Roy got more than enough soldiers onstand by
for anything. For instance, like that little problem you got with
Rell. I can get that handled for you, along with that cocksucker
Detective Nelson just like that,” she said, snapping her fingers
for extra emphasis.
“Nah, I gotta handle Rell myself,” G-money told her. “I know you got your pride and everything, but you
gonna have to be smarter about your decisions especially with
the F.E.D.S. on your back.”
“Yeah you right about that,” G-money agreed. “Well it
looks like we have ourselves a deal. I would love to join the
family.”
“You made a good decision,” Pauleena said, leaning over
to give G-money a hug.
G-money embraced Pauleena tightly until he felt his cell
phone vibrating on his hip. Before G-money could reach for his
cell phone, the sevenfoot monster was already in motion. The
big man quickly grabbed G-money’s wrist with one hand,
clutched the back of his neck with the other. “Don’t move!” His
voice boomed like thunder.
“Malcolm,” Pauleena said, giving him a look that said its
okay. The seven-foot monster quickly released his grip. “Fam, don’t put ya hands on me again,” G-money said in
a cold tone as he answered his phone. “Yeah who dis?” “It’s me Skip.”
“What’s good, you changed your mind already?” Gmoney said playfully.
“Nah, I’m in jail,” Skip said in an un-even tone. “Get the fuck outta here,” G-money said in disbelief. “True story.”
“How? I was just with you?” G-money asked. “I went to the crib trying to surprise April with the good
news, and I found her in the living room with a preacher.” “A preacher?” G-money echoed. “Them niggaz be the
biggest freaks.”
“I be knowing.”
“So what you did to that clown?” G-money asked,
already knowing how bad his long time friend’s temper was. “I tried to kill that fucking faggot,” Skip told him. “How
did everything go with the Pauleena chick?”
“Everything is good on this side,” G-money said, not
wanting to talk about that, especially on a jail line. “I’m gonna
send Mr. Goldberg down there first thing in the morning.” “A’ight good looking. I’m about to get comfortable for my
little vacation, just hold me down on the commissary end.” “You know I got you,” G-money told him.
“A’ight, I’mma keep in touch my nigga, one.” “One.”
“Everything a’ight?” Pauleena asked, sipping from her
glass.
“Nah, a good friend of mine just got knocked.” (Locked
up)
“What’s his name? I might can have my peoples pull
some strings.”
“Nah, he gon have to sit for this one,” G-money said,
shaking his head. “He was already on the run.”
“Damn, he gon definitely have to hold that down,”
Pauleena agreed. “I want you to start thinking before you react” “What you mean?” G-money asked a little confused. “I mean let the soldiers do their job, that’s what we pay
them for, you going to have to stop letting your pride and
temper get the best of you.”
“Yeah, you right.”
“Two weeks with me and you’ll be looking at thegame in
a totally different way,” Pauleena told him.
“We’ll just have to see about that.”
“What’s the word on the streets?” Rell asked, flipping
through the daily newspaper.
“We still haven’t heard shit on who could of killed our
driver,” Debo shrugged his shoulders.
“Nobody ain’t heard nothing?”
“I put the word out and nothing came back yet,”Debo
said. “I still think you should stay in the house until me and Mad
Dog get to the bottom of this.”
“Fuck outta here. Rell don’t hide from nobody,” he
grunted, speaking of himself in third person.
“Nah, I’m not saying for you to be hiding out, I’m just
thinking it would be safer to get to the bottom of this shit first,”
Debo said humbly.
“I don’t pay you to think, I pay you to bust heads,” Rell
shot back.
Before Debo could respond, somebody rang the doorbell.
Debo quickly grabbed his shotgun that rested on the coffee table
as he headed towards the door. He looked through the peephole
and let out a sigh of relief when he recognized the person
standing on the other side.
“Detective Nelson, what a pleasant surprise.” “Out of my way shit face,” Detective Nelson barked as he
brushed past the big man.
“How can I help you Detective?” Rell asked, folding his
hands in front of him.
“I need you to help me find this scum bag named Big
Mel, he used to run with Ali and G-money before we shut them
down.”
“A’ight, I’ll see what I can do.”
“No, make it happen,” Detective Nelson fumed.
“Be easy, I said I got you,” Rell said. “I heard about what
happened to you.”
“That bastard is going to pay with his life,” Detective
Nelson spat.
“I’ll have something for you by the end of the week,”
Rell told him.
“Cool, you got that for me?” Detective Nelson said,
shooting Rell a private glare.
“Yeah, Debo go get Detective Nelson his money,”Rell
ordered. “So what are you going to do when you find this
fucker?”
“You don’t even want to know,” Detective Nelsonsaid
with venom dripping from his voice. “I’m about to go check out
this address I got for him. I doubt if he’ll be there, but I’m going
to go check it out anyway when I leave here.”
“I’ll have a address for that cocksucker in a week, but
I’m going to need a favor too,” Rell said, turning to face the
Detective. “Somebody killed my driver last week andI need you
to find out if it’s something serious or not. I didn’t get a word
from the streets, so I’m not taking this too serious; you dig?” “I’ll look into that for you,” Detective Nelson said, taking
the duffle bag from Debo. “I’ll see ya’ll in about a week,” he said
as he filed for the door.