Lost Boy, page 19
The mood was interrupted as they heard a door opening up front. Nikki reached or her knife and Dirty-Red stepped behind the bar ready to grab his gun. Was it Diplite coming back on some ole bullshit? They were both ready for anything but that in particular.
“Yo-yo, what’s up?” It was Wood. “Goddamn, what the fucks going on in here?” He said as he approached Nikki. “I see, you don’t want my lil’ bit of pocket change.” He smiled at Red.
Dirty-Red shook his head, this dude was a straight character. He was for once glad to see him though. “What’s up, Wood? You hear early!”
“Well, damn...” He grabbed Nikki poking fun. “We ain’t got to stop nuthin’. Hell, I can just like, uh...join in and shit.”
Nikki laughed at him and her whole demeanor changed. “Boy, you crazy...yanh.”
Wood finally caught her and started caressing it. “Bout you, baby...bout you.”
She giggled as she made her way to the door away from Wood’s groping. Then said to Dirty-Red, “Be by, later on, tonight.”
“A’ight.”
Wood stood there watching her ass as it jiggled outside the door. Then his eyes cut at Red. “Yo’ man, wasn’t that Diplite that peeled up outta here?”
“Yeah, that was him.”
“He was pissed. What’s up...trouble?”
“Naw...everything cool,” Dirty-Red said as he walked into the back room. “I was just about to set up for tonight. Be back out in a minute.” He grabbed the bag and swung it over his shoulder. He walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Wood listened as he heard the door lock, something was up. He walked out to the front yard and looked over his shoulder again making sure Red or anyone else wasn’t around. Then he pulled out his iPhone, then scrolled through some numbers and smiled when he found the contact, he was searching for...Hulie’s.
****
It was strange Hulie kept thinking. ‘Why would he try me? He was supposed to be cool like that, even fronted me a couple bricks here and there. And always paid me back on time!’ Hulie sighed loudly as he peeped from around the side of the tan, bricked building with an old bulb lighted awning that read: Diane’s!
Stretching his leg out, he shifted his body weight from side to side on his bike. He’d just finished smoking a blunt and felt nice but frowned just as soon as he looked over toward the Circle A, a convenience store across the street. He was out to get this muthafucka, fuck why he did it...all Hulie knew was that he’d done it. He fit the description to the tee of the dude the old man saw. He was tall, neat and clean cut. The other one, some ole dread headed dude, Hulie would find him later. Right now, he wanted the rat bastard that double-crossed him and that to him wasn’t cool at all. He’d been feeling some sort of way ever since.
He didn’t answer any of his calls and they went straight to voicemail. Cleo, Diplite and some dude he utilized as a snitch, a flunky muthafucka by the name of Wood. Who was Dirty-Red’s so-called right-hand man. He even sent Sunshine to voicemail, he was feeling that she knew something about the shit anyway.
‘Man, fuck that broad,’ he thought.
He tossed the blunt to the ground and outed it. His thick heeled 309 riding boots crushed it to ashes as the cool Chucktown breeze swept it away. He stopped, once he saw the dude coming out of the store.
“Got him now,” Hulie said as he cranked up the bike and throttled down.
Q walked out of the store rummaging through the small, brown bag he carried. He was wondering if the chick at the cash register threw his Dutch’s inside or not, he damn sure didn’t see them. He turned around and saw her at the counter cheesing like a muthafucka with them his Dutch’s in her hand. She’d cuffed them intentionally, just so she could get him to dip back into the store and grab the number she was flashing on a piece of paper with the other hand. Q grinned and started back into the store, then stopped abruptly as he watched her face turn from sugar to shit just that damn quick. Q reached for the door handle as she started to back away from the counter.
“What tha fuck is this psycho bitch on?” he asked himself about to open the door.
However, he was blinded momentarily by some glitter coming from the handle. He turned to see what it was and mouthed the words, “Oh shit!”
Hulie was up on him, his bike laid slumped over on the ground where he’d jumped off. He didn’t even put the kickstand down. The first punch he threw caught Q upside the head. His legs buckled and he was down quick. He peeped into the store and saw the girl from the counter running straight to the phone. Hulie flashed his gun and shook his head. The girl stopped dead in her tracks. Q was on the ground stunned holding his head. Hulie grabbed his leg and started dragging him to the side of the building out of view. Even though a small crowd had already gathered, this was the hood and just like Vegas. What happened in the hood stayed in the hood.
Q eventually regained his senses and yelled at him, “What tha fuck you doin’?”
Hulie didn’t say anything as he got him near the dumpster and started kicking him in his head with the steel toe boots, he wore. Q put up his hands frantically trying to stop the flurry of kicks inflicted on his body. It was crazy, though, all he could think of was Sunshine. He should have listened to her. She told him Hulie’s ass was unpredictable, dangerous but damn they were homeboys. He never dissed him and didn’t have no reason to dis him at all.
Ever since he started fuckin’ with her, she told him to keep an eye on him. Fucking hard, strong and long and every time it was the same shit.
She’d always tell him, “Watch him, baby. Let me know what he’s doing.”
Every time like clockwork, he protested but when she squeezed those pussy muscles tight, he screamed like a bitch and like everyone else, obeyed.
“Yeah, baby anything for you,” he’d always respond. Just like everyone else, he started spelling her name.
Hulie watched as he spit up blood, then started without mercy pouring blows to his ribs. Q rolled up into a ball trying to cover himself up.
Then Hulie went for his face again and said, “Bet you won’t steal from no one else!”
‘Steal...damn!’ Q thought. ‘This muthafucka seriously think I had something to do wit’ that.’ Q put up his hands, trying to block some of the blows. “Yo’ man, I ain’t have nuthin’ to do with that shit!” he yelled out.
That only made Hulie pissed, he figured he could of at least man up. “You did muthafucka, I had someone watchin’ the place. Matter of fact, where’s the other muthafucka?”
“Don’ know what tha fuck you talkin’ ‘bout man.”
Hulie didn’t let up as he spit blow for blow to his body. Q’s face was swollen badly. He spotted a small electrical pipe coming off the side of the building and the crowd instantly knew where this shit was going...Five-O’clock news murder bulletin. Someone stepped up, his shadow was all that Hulie saw as he spun around with his hands up ready to swing.
“Tryin’ to jump me?” Hulie asked.
“Hell, naw. Matter of fact, fuck you, but you don’t want to beat him with no pipe. Might kill em and you don’t need no shit like that. Look at em! He’s already done!” Tree, a barber in the making stood tall, about six-ten, easy and was cool as all hell.
Respect was all that was given to him everywhere he went in the Chuck. It damn sure didn’t stop here, Hulie knew him, well. Hell, he cut his hair. Hulie stopped knowing Tree was right. He leaned against the wall breathing hard and looked over at Q.
“I gotta make him an example or ee’r one’ll try me,” Hulie stated.
“Whatever...you your own man. I’m just tryin’ to tell you something good. I’m out, this shit too hot for me.” Tree turned around and dipped into the crowd, knowing full well that ball would be rolling eventually. He definitely didn’t want his face to be seen around this dump when ball rolled up.
Hulie watched as he left and thought hard about what Tree had said. Maybe he was right, but Hulie still needed to find out some things. He turned to go wash up near a small faucet by the building and didn’t hear the steps behind him.
When he did, he said, “Yo’ Tree man, a’ight...you right.”
He was floored that damn quick, stars and blackness followed right after as he struggled to fight the unconsciousness he was falling into. Blackness once again engulfed him as he felt a thick, metal pipe hit him upside his head, making him dizzy. It hurt like hell! He could see his attacker as he squinted through the pain. Q had recovered, gotten to his feet and started wailing the same pipe he was getting for his ass.
Hulie looked up at him as he yelled, “Muthafucka, I told you I ain’t have nuthin’ to do wit’ that shit!”
Hulie could hear the faint sounds of police sirens in the background as the crowd started to scatter. Q’s boys started pulling him away, but he was fuming and talking mad shit about killing Hulie’s ass. But Hulie being Hulie just wouldn’t let it go. He wobbled to his feet, reached into the dumpster and grabbed a bottle and ran up behind them swinging. Blood splattered all over the ground as he caught Q upside the head with a 40 ounce, then he staggered over to his bike, picked it up, got on it and hauled ass down Burton Lane behind the store out of sight.
One of Q’s homeboys took off his shirt and wrapped it around Q’s head, trying to stop the bleeding. Another one of his homeboys pulled up in a ride and opened the back door. The homeboy trying to stop the bleeding pushed Q inside and skidded off toward the hospital. Ball finally arrived...late as always. Blood was all over the place and they tried questioning people around about what had happened. No one knew shit, not even the girl at the counter inside the store. Frustrated Ball gave up and decided to leave the premises.
One of the officers an old, seasoned vet, walked over to his car and gave some dude a long ass glare, he knew the face, but couldn’t quite place him. He stopped and stared for a while, waiting for him to rabbit or something but he didn’t, he just kept his cool. The cop finally let it go and got into his car, he continued to stare as he drove by. The ole boy just smiled, then laughed at his dumb ass. After all, he didn’t have nothing on him, he’d done his time. He stayed there for a minute as he watched the Police car turn up Reynolds Avenue then glanced over at the manager spraying blood into the gutter. He turned and dropped two quarters into the pay phone he was leaning on and dialed Diplite’s number.
“What the fuck is up with you?”
“Aw, man, home...you’d be surprised.”
“Man, fuck that homie bullshit! What tha fuck you doing at my peeps house?”
“Shieeettt...me and your sister, man, ‘bout to be real close...brotha’n-law.” The dude that called Diplite on the phone smiled as he looked around at his surroundings. A real cold pause came from the other end of the phone as he waited for old boy to collect his thoughts.
As he waited, he thought to himself that maybe one day he’d be able to control this side of town. All he needed was a little money which he already had, and a good start could get his foot in the door. A nice piece of ass on his arm would also boost him up as well. Cleo, hell all the ballas wanted her, and now it was finally coming to him. After the fifteen years, he’d spent rotting in SCDC day for day, it was finally his time. Jesse Taylor-off brand, country boy, field nigga, ex-con whatever you wanted to call him. Nothing was gonna stop him now, except perhaps...Diplite.
“Don’t ever go to my peeps house again. You hear me, nigga?”
“Naw...broth’n-law, you got it twisted...”
“Twisted!” Diplite yelled. “Mutha...”
“I’m gonna help you get it, right, though. For one, if you even attempt to make a move on me, that nigga Hulie’ll know everything.”
“Snitch ass muthafucka!”
“Two...I’m gonna see your sista. You hear me? And you ain’t gonna do shit to stop me...and three, if you ever threaten me again...I’ll kill you and your whole family!”
“Whoa...what! If you ever...”
“Fuck you! Tell your sister, I’ll see her later, bye.”
Diplite looked at his phone twisted and said, “This crazy ass muthafucka. What the hell did I get myself into?” He slammed the phone to the ground, and it shattered into tiny pieces. Just that quick he knew somehow, he had to handle this. This knucklehead was definitely going to be a major fuckin’ problem. He didn’t that type of shit to deal with, right now. He already Hulie to get rid of now this nigga was on his list as well. He had to think of something quick.
‘Wait a minute,’ he thought. “Cleo wanted to move in Hulie anyway. Okay...okay, maybe this could work. If she goes there, she’ll at least be safe for a minute, until he figured out a way to take this nigga out, for good.”
Jesse hung up the phone laughing about how he’d just played Diplite like a sucka. He dipped across the street and strolled down Spruill Avenue toward the Chinese restaurant. Then he dug into his pocket and pulled out some crisp twenties. After he’d finished eating, he figured, maybe he’d go to the mall and get some fresh gear, then pick Cleo up later on. That sounded like a sure plan.
His old Chevy was parked in the bushes behind the restaurant. He didn’t have any insurance, a license or nothing and it had to stay out of sight until he got a muthafucka to front their face and get all that paperwork he needed. He was thinking Cleo might do it, even though h might have to quote-unquote persuade her. His front end peered out a little more than usual from the wind pushing back the small foliage he used to cover it up.
As he walked over to take care of it, he glanced around at the old railroad tracks that ran next to the Navy Yard and saw some children playing and acting crazy. He stopped and looked at them. They finally found him, his so-called partner Dread. The one he didn’t want to share the loot with. The one who got nervous when Hulie started spazzing on his front porch. The one who fucked Cleo much harder than he had, and then she felt some sort of way toward him. Hell, she gave him back the money he’d given her and kept his. The one he did the job with, the one he put on his knees and emptied the 9mm clip into his brain. Yeah, he was the one! The one whose body they’d finally found.
Chapter Twelve
Hulie chilled on his front porch watching his runners serve dope by the handfuls. Lately, North Charleston had been booming because of new industry migrating into the underdeveloped, impoverished hood. The Boeing airplane plant had its hand in a lot of it, and it helped out the unemployed and the small business owners, but it also came with a price. It fed the addictions of many that were already well hooked on dope before they even came. Now, once they provided them with a job, that helped the pockets of the dope dealers, Hulie’s in particular.
He had his clipped .40 Caliber underneath the chair he was leaned back in. He also had another clip by the doorway going into the house, just in case something jumped off. He’d boarded up the back door earlier on in the week, cleaned the place up, gave his lookout Pops across the street a couple of stacks, then sent him on his way to some of his people’s house in the country for ‘bout a week or so. Hulie surprised him with a fishing trip, he’d fully paid for. It was well worth it though, Hulie was just simply returning a favor.
His money started to swell, he’d only put out a couple of bricks the other day, and he was already sold out. He kept business moving to his supplier, Deezo. Deezo noticed the increase, especially on Hulie’s end. He suggested that maybe Hulie should move. The spot was hot and if the Feds moved in on him, he’d rather them get the supply as opposed to the supplier. He was watching out for his own ass, and it made plenty of sense.
Hulie knew it made perfectly good sense, too. He started looking around for a couple of places. Upper scale neighborhoods were affordable but hard to maneuver. He could make the move easily, but it would cost him big trying to keep up a front. He liked the idea of living in a gated community, but he also knew they probably weren’t ready for him or his kind. The suburbs seemed to be the most logical move for him.
He pulled his skully up and noticed some of Q’s boys entering the store across the street. He slowly reached down for his gun. The owner still didn’t like him, and he made sure Hulie knew it, but mean mugging him every chance he got, especially since that shit had gone down with Q. They looked over his way before finally going inside. He kept his eyes beaded on them, so far, he hadn’t had any flack from them or anyone else since he’d fucked Q up. But somehow, he knew it the time would come, and he tried to stay one step ahead and ready at all times.
They walked back out after a while, jumped in their ride and hauled ass, not even looking Hulie’s way. Hulie thought it was strange, but that only further confirmed that Q actually did robe him, and they probably figured he’d got what he deserved. His phone hadn’t rung in a while. He hadn’t heard shit from Sunshine’s ass in a minute and because of that, he knew he was due. He frequently thought about Jabari but figured he was gone for good. He had to somehow make sure that was the case. The girl in the hotel would confirm that easily. All he had to do was give her a little dope, maybe some good old hard dick and she’d come around to seeing things his way.
“Hell, maybe I can clean that hoe up and put her ass to work,” Hulie said to himself. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.”
Yeah, it was time to see that bitch anyway.
****
Sunshine tossed and turned in her bed trying to wrap her brain around the bullshit that was going on in her life. Q was lying in the hospital on life support, the base of his skull was ripped to shreds by a bottle and no one would tell her anything. His boys said that there would be revenge, she wanted to handle the business now, her way! But they insisted it would be done in due time. The only thing they asked from her, was once the deed was done, they’d get full immunity and she agreed.
She kept asking over and over if Hulie had anything to do with it, but they wouldn’t answer. They knew of her involvement with him, but she had that feeling though. This was the last straw, the money, the bodies the attack on Q...Hulie had to go down. She still wanted the money, but Q had convinced her that it wasn’t worth the stress anymore. She was leaning that way, tightening up and going legit. But not until she got Hulie for his involvement in this.
