Part 11 (2/2)
Jewels hesitated. Fear and confusion were having a good time playing tug-of-war with her. There was no logical reason for the bone-chilling sight before her. She dropped the luggage and ran in the direction of her apartment.
Crutchfield was aggravated as he watched Hector take his time preparing to put the gum in his mouth. Crutchfield's patience was shop-worn. To him, it seemed like it took two lousy gum wrappers four hours to hit the floor from the time Hector had discarded them.
”I didn't have anything to do with it.” Hector looked at his reflection in the two-way gla.s.s. ”You gotta believe me. When I got there he was already dead. I swear. All I did was throw a few shovels of dirt on him.”
Crutchfield smiled. ”Where's j.a.p buried?”
”I don't know.” Hector blew a bubble until it popped. ”I'll take you to the body I buried.”
”That wasn't so hard.” Thomas patted Hector's shoulder, showing approval. ”I can go for a ride.”
”Uncuff him.” Crutchfield was about to score one for the good guys.
Thomas let the shackles fall to the floor and shoved the cuffs in a carrier fixed to his waist. ”Let's go see this body.”
Hector only moved the muscles it took to chew his gum.
”Before I change my mind.” Crutchfield gave him a look of contempt.
”I already changed my mind.” Hector s.h.i.+fted his eyes between the two. ”Somebody needs to make me trust again...or forget about it.”
Crutchfield sat across from him. ”What is it you want?”
”For starters, I don't recall having a dope case. Do either of you?”
Thomas took some papers from his pocket. He showed Hector his name on the police report. ”No one ever knew about this but us and G.o.d.” He used his cigarette lighter to set the report afire. Once the flame grew, he dropped the inferno inside a wastebasket.
”You're smoking cigarettes again?” Crutchfield shook his head.
”Off and on. It's your fault that I started back.”
They all watched the flame die out.
Crutchfield ran a hand over his beard stubble. ”What now, Hector?”
He stood up. ”I'll think of the rest in the car.”
Secret and Junior were lying on Jewels's welcome mat, cuddled in a human knot, asleep.
Jewels's eyes threatened to water when she saw Junior's bare foot. She bent down and shook the knot. ”Secret, Junior, wake up.”
Junior lifted his eye lids. ”Aunty.” He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her. ”What took you so long?”
Secret yawned, still drugged with sleep. ”Where you been? This floor is hard.”
”One question at a time.”
Ndia reached out to Secret. ”How long have y'all been in this trifling hall like this?”
”Since yesterday.” Secret got her balance.
”Where the f.u.c.k are GP and your mother?” Jewels felt her anger mounting.
”In jail.” Junior scratched his head.
Too Tall cleared his throat. ”Let me get mine so I can go.”
”Motherf.u.c.ker, don't you see I'm having a family problem here? I said, I got you. Sit my s.h.i.+t down and come back later after I get my people in order.”
He set the bags down and left. I'll fix you I'll fix you. He stopped on the first floor and knocked on Apartment 114.
”What?” came from the other side of the metal door.
”Let me in. It's Too Tall.”
The frail woman eased off the threadbare sofa and opened the door. ”You got a little something to give me a kick-start, TT?”
”I will after you let me use the phone.”
She stepped aside.
TT maneuvered through the dim apartment to the phone. ”Sometimes I think you're a vampire.”
”You're gonna find out for sure if you try and play me.”
”Chill, Meka. I'm on the level.” He removed a piece of paper from his pocket and dialed the number written on it.
The phone rang.
Meka stared at him.
”h.e.l.lo?” Trouble turned over and realized that the room he was in was unfamiliar. To add to his confusion, the snoring woman beside him was a complete stranger. ”I got to stop drinking.”
”That's what we all say,” TT echoed in his ear.
”Who this?” Trouble took a peek beneath the covers. d.a.m.n, that Hennessy sure can pick a woman d.a.m.n, that Hennessy sure can pick a woman.
”It's Too Tall.”
”Yeah, what's good?”
”Jewels is back.”
Six figures and corporate numbers popped into Trouble's mind. ”Where is she now?”
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