A Gangsta Twist Saga (46 page)

Pitt smiled as he waited for Cash Flo' to answer his telephone.
I'm about to get at that nigga Won something vicious,
he thought to himself as he impatiently tapped his fingers on top of his desk. When Cash Flo' came on the line, Pitt skipped the pleasantries and said, “Damn! What took you so damn long to pick up the phone?”

“What? Man, don't call me, questioning me on how long it takes me to answer my damn phone! What the fuck is wrong with you?” Cash Flo' asked, clearly agitated by Pitt's rudeness.

“Look, I got confirmation that it was that nigga Won who got at me. All I need for you to do is to give me the green light so I can handle my business,” Pitt said excitedly.

“First off, I need to hear exactly what type of proof you have, and if I'm feeling that, then and only then will I give you the go-ahead.”

Pitt smiled as he told Cash Flo, about G and everything that happened back at his torture house. After he was finished he said, “For a minute there I thought I was going to come up empty, but the cocky bastard called G's celly and made my fucking day!”

Cash Flo' was quiet for a few seconds as he absorbed everything Pitt had just told him. Then he said, “You really don't have all that much on him, Pitt.”

“
What?
Come on with that shit, Flo'! You know damn well that's enough to green-light that nigga! You think it's a coincidence that Won would call that fool's cell too, huh? Don't do this shit, Flo'. You and I got that nigga dead bang.”

Cash Flo' shook his head from side to side as if Pitt was in the same room with him and said, “You may be right, but I need to think on this shit a little bit more before I give you the green light. I've got to go out to the East Coast to holla at the dagos. They acting like they want a piece of the dope game all of a sudden. They see how profitable it's been for The Network lately, and now they want in. When I get back, I'll have a decision for you, Pitt.”

“Decision? You mean you're actually telling me that there's a chance that you might not let me get with the nigga?” Pitt asked angrily.

“Like I said, I'll give you my decision when I get back.”

“How long will that fucking be, Flo'?”

“You'll know when I call you, Pitt,” Cash Flo' said before he hung up the phone in Pitt's ear.

 

 

“I can't fucking believe you, Taz! How in the hell could you forget to call me and tell me about Bo-Pete?” Tari screamed as tears streamed down her face. She sat down on Taz's couch in his living room and cried like a baby.

Taz stepped over to her and tried to console her. As soon as he was near her, he started crying himself. They sat there side by side and cried for over twenty minutes.

Finally, Taz shook it off a little and tried to regain his composure. “Look, Tee, we got all of the funeral arrangements made. All we're waiting for is the homicide detectives to give the go so they can release the body to Temple and Sons Funeral Home.”

“Why haven't they done that yet? How long does something like that take?”

“Normally it's about a week or so, but sometimes it takes a li'l longer.”

“Okay. So all of this killing I've been reading about in the papers is behind Bo-Pete's death?”

Taz gave her a slight nod of his head and said, “Basically. You know it was that nigga Cliff and his homeboys who got at us that night at the club. If I would have popped that clown right after he hit 'Neema, Bo-Pete would still be alive.”

“You can't blame yourself, Taz. Too much shit has been happening around here lately. There's been entirely too much drama going on here in the city. So, I guess it's safe to assume that Cliff is no longer a breathing human being, huh?”

“Nah, that clown is hiding somewhere. We ain't been able to get his ass yet.”

“But you intend to, right?”

Taz stared at Tari as if she was crazy and said, “What do you think?”

She sighed heavily and said, “I know. I just can't get over the fact that Bo-Pete's gone. This shit has me really tripping.” As her tears started to fall again, she said, “Let me go. Make sure you give me a call whenever they release Bo-Pete's body.” She stood and kissed Taz tenderly on his lips and left his home.

 

 

“Bitch, not only did I go with him, I was actually about to shoot somebody with him,” Gwen said as she held the cordless phone between her shoulder and right ear.

“Stop lying, ho! You know damn well you wasn't going to do shit!” Sacha yelled into the receiver.

Gwen sat down at the dining room table and said, “Sacha, I'm not losing another man that I love. If Bob is determined to go out there and get revenge for his homeboy, then I'm going to be his ride-or-die bitch and be right by his side. If something goes wrong for him, then it's going to go wrong for me too.”

“You love him that much, ho?”

“You damn skippy! But, anyway, since nothing happened, I've been praying like hell that he don't want to go back out there. Bitch, I was scared as hell!”

They started laughing, and then Sacha said, “Ho, you are too fucking much! Let me go. I have a court appearance to make. I'll give you a call when I get back to Taz's.”

“All right, bitch,” Gwen said and hung up the phone.

Bob, who had been listening to Gwen's entire conversation with Sacha, stepped back into his bedroom and sat down on the bed.
That woman really loves a nigga. I can't put her in that kind of situation again. What the fuck was I thinkin' about?
he asked himself as he laid back on the bed and started thinking about Bo-Pete and the past.
This shit has really gotten crazy. Taz is on the verge of losing it. If he's talking about hurting 'Neema, then I know the end of the world is coming. That nigga Cliff has to die, but is it worth Taz and his only child going at it like some killas on the streets?
“Damn!” he said aloud as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 

 

“I really need to see you, Cliff. When are you coming back to the city?” asked Tazneema.

“I'm not sure yet, 'Neema. What's wrong, baby?”

“I need to talk to you, and it's very important. Where are you staying? I could come out there if I have to.”

“What? Come on now, baby. You're in no condition to be making this long drive to Dallas. Why won't you tell me what's on your mind right now?”

“I need to be with you when I talk to you, baby. I have to look into your eyes to make sure that you're not deceiving me.”

“Deceiving you? What are you talking about, 'Neema?”

“Do you really love me, Cliff? I mean, am I really the woman you want to be with?”

“Come on, 'Neema. You already know the answer to those questions.”

“If I'm the woman you love, then come out to my apartment in Norman. I need you to get here as fast as you can. I'm only three hours or so out of Dallas. You could make it here before midnight if you left right now. I need you, baby. I need you to confirm what my heart already knows.”

“And what is that, 'Neema?”

“Are you coming or not, Cliff?” she asked firmly.

He sighed and said, “I'm on my way, baby.”

She smiled into the receiver and said, “I'll see you when you get here.”

 

 

After Tari left Taz's house, Taz went downstairs to the gym and started to work out vigorously. The harder he worked his muscles, the heavier his heart felt. He was trying to punish his body for the mistakes he felt he made. His own daughter was going against him for a man she felt loved her. One of his closest friends had been murdered in the street because he waited too long to handle what he normally would have finished immediately. The only reason he paused on killing Cliff was because of his daughter.
Now look at this shit!
he thought as he pumped his arms up and down, harder and harder. He was bench-pressing two hundred and forty-five pounds of solid iron. The burning sensation he was feeling in his muscles was nothing compared to the hurt he was feeling inside his heart.

He heard a car pull into his driveway and smiled as he racked the weights he'd been lifting. He wiped sweat from his face as he left the gym to head back upstairs. Just as he made it to the next floor, Sacha was opening the front door to his home. He smiled and said, “Damn, Li'l Mama! Where you been? It's almost eleven!”

“I stopped over at Gwen and Bob's, and we ended up going out to dinner. I called you here and on your cell to see if you would want to join us, but you didn't answer either phone. Are you all right, baby?” she asked as she stepped over to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

“Yeah, I'm good. I was working out. I left my cell upstairs in the bedroom. Tari came by, and I told her about Bo-Pete. After watching her lose it a li'l, I got depressed all over again and needed to work out some of my frustration.”

“I understand. Are you hungry? I could make you something real quick if you want me to.”

“Nah, I'm gon' go get me something after I take a quick shower. You go on and do whatever you got to do. I'm good.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I'm sure.”

“Taz?”

“Huh?”

“Go talk to your daughter. You have to put an end to this madness, baby.”

He frowned and said, “I know, Li'l Mama. But the only way any of this will end is when Cliff is dead. That fact will never change. He has to die.” He stepped past her and went upstairs to the bedroom.

Sacha shook her head from side to side as she followed her man upstairs.

 

 

Clifford was a nervous wreck as he pulled into Tazneema's apartment complex. When he'd left his room at the Westin, he drove around the city for close to the hour and forty minutes he needed to pass by before he drove out to the city of Norman.
What if she had Taz over there waiting to take me out? What if the police have gotten her to try and set me up? What if . . .?
These were the questions going through his mind as he sat in his car and stared up toward Tazneema's apartment. After five minutes of this, he took a deep breath and said, “I love her, and I know she loves me. She would never do anything to hurt me like that. I know she wouldn't.” When he made it to Tazneema's front door, he shook all doubts out of his mind and knocked softly on the door.

Tazneema opened the door, smiled and gave him a tight hug and said, “Come on in, baby. Lyla isn't here, so we'll have all of the privacy we need.”

Clifford let her pull him over to the couch and sat beside her and asked, “Now, what's so important that you made me drive all of the way back to Oklahoma, 'Neema?”

She stared into his eyes and said, “I wanted to know if you were responsible for my Uncle Bo-Pete's death, Cliff. Did you kill my uncle?”

Clifford was shocked by her abruptness. He was even more shocked at how calm she was. He stared directly back into those deep brown eyes of hers—eyes exactly like her father's—and said, “What? Come on now, baby. Do I look like a killer?”

“Answer my question, Cliff. I have to hear you say it. I have to see it in your eyes, baby. Please, answer my question. Did you kill my Uncle Bo-Pete?”

Still staring directly at her, he said, “No. No, 'Neema, I did not kill your Uncle Bo-Pete.”

“Did you have anything to do with him getting killed?”

“No.”

“Did you know that your Hoover homeboys have been trying to kill my father?”

“For what?”

“I was hoping you would answer that question for me, Cliff. You see, my daddy has his mind made up that he's going to kill you. He feels that my Uncle Bo-Pete was either killed by you or your homeboys. Either way, he's holding you responsible.”

“That's absurd! I don't deal with any of those Hoover homeboys, as you called them. Now, I do speak with some of my close comrades from back in the day, but that's about it. For Taz to even think I'd have something to do with a murder is absolutely ludicrous! I know you don't believe any of this craziness, 'Neema.” Clifford stared at her for a minute and said, “You do! You actually think that I'd commit murder!”

Tazneema's heart began to literally melt at that very moment. She smiled at the man she loved more than anything in this world and said, “No . . . no, I don't, baby. I love you. I had to look into those gorgeous brown eyes so I could be sure my heart wasn't leading my brain. I've gone against my father for you, Cliff. I'll never leave your side, baby. Never!” she said and kissed him tenderly.

Clifford pulled from her embrace and said, “What did you mean, you've gone against your father, 'Neema?”

“He swore on my mother's grave that he was going to kill you, baby,” she said with a sudden fury in her voice. “So I swore on my mother's grave that if he killed you, then I was going to kill him.”

“My God! This is ridiculous! What the hell are we going to do to straighten out this madness, baby?”

She shrugged her shoulders and said, “I don't know. All I know is, I love you. I'm about to have our child, and no matter what, nothing and nobody is going to hurt my man without paying dearly for it. I'm my Daddy's child. If he can kill, then so can I. Now, come on. Lyla won't be back for at least another couple of hours. I want to do it,” she said with a sexy smile on her face.

Clifford shook his head and said, “You're something else, crazy girl!”

“But you love me, right?”

As he let her pull him toward her bedroom, he smiled and said, “Yeah, I love you. I love you more than you'll ever know.”

“So, she went back to her place, huh, Mama-Mama?” asked Taz as he turned his Denali onto the highway.

“Mmm-hmm. You really need to talk to that girl, Taz. She's acting out because she doesn't know any better.”

“She's grown, Mama-Mama. I can't make her do anything that she doesn't want to.”

“That may be true, but you can still try to talk some sense into her smart tail.”

“I'm about to go out to her place now and see if I can do just that, Mama-Mama. I'll give you a call in the morning and let you know if I was able to do any good.”

“Make sure you do that,” Mama-Mama said before she hung up the phone.

Twenty-five minutes after he had gotten off the phone with his mother, Taz pulled into Tazneema's apartment complex. If he was fifteen minutes earlier, he would have bumped right into Clifford as he left Tazneema's apartment.

Taz jumped out of his truck and walked toward his daughter's place with a heavy heart. He knew she was going to stand firm on what she believed was right.
I hope and pray that I'll be able to convince her to see things my way because, if she doesn't, things are going to get ugly out here in Norman,
he thought as he knocked on her front door.

When Tazneema heard the knock at her door, she immediately assumed it was Clifford coming back for something. She ran to the door with just her thong and bra on. She opened the door and asked, “Did you forget something, baby?”

Taz stared at his damn-near naked daughter and said,
“What?”

“Oh, shit! I'm sorry, Taz. Come on in,” she said as she ran back into her bedroom to put on some clothes.

Taz stepped inside of her neat little apartment and asked, “Where is Lyla?”

“She's out! She should be back in a little bit though!” Tazneema yelled from her bedroom. “What brings you out this way at this time of the night?”

He glanced at his iced-out Cartier watch and said, “I know it's late, but I really need for us to clear the air, baby girl.”

She came back into the living room and said, “Look, Taz. I love him, you hate him. He's my man, not your enemy. Cliff didn't have anything to do with shooting at you or my Uncle Bo-Pete's death. I know you don't believe that, but I do. Can you please let this go, Daddy? Please?”

He sat down on the couch and said, “Baby girl, you know I will give you anything in this world. I love you more than words can ever express. You're all of my MiMi that I have left, 'Neema. But I can't and I won't let that nigga make it for the shit he's responsible for. He did it, 'Neema. I swear to you on your mom's grave, baby girl, he did it! He tried to get me, and he done Bo-Pete. For that he has to die. It's as simple as that. I don't want to lose you or the love we have for one another, but if you force my hand, 'Neema, I'll have no other choice but to do me.”

“No choice about what? What? You're going to hurt me too, Taz? Are you that cold, Daddy?” she asked sarcastically. “You know what? You don't even have to answer that, 'cause I already know you are. Like I told you when I was at your house, if you get at my man, then expect for me to be getting at you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and I'm going to bed now.”

“You really don't understand, do you? That shit is crazy! Love's a bitch. I know this, and I realize that you're in love with that nigga. I respect that, just as I respect you for being loyal to your man. But by being loyal to your man, you're not being loyal to the one man who would do whatever it would take to make sure that you're taken care of for the rest of your life.

“I've done more in this lifetime than you could ever imagine, 'Neema. I've robbed, I've killed, and I've hurt a whole lot of people, baby girl. I did what I did to ensure that my only child would always be taken care of. You are set for the rest of your life financially because of the crazy-ass life I've chosen to lead, and you have the fuckin' nerve to stand there and tell me that you'll go against me! You can't even pay your half of the rent for this place! I pay your school bills, this apartment included, your expenses for clothes, food. Hell, I pay every fuckin' bill, you have! Me! Me, 'Neema! I pay for every fuckin' thing! And you think I'm gon' let you talk to me like I ain't shit?

“I could break your fuckin' neck right fuckin' now, and no one would ever know! I can't hurt you, baby girl. You're my blood, and I love you with all of my heart's love. So, for the last time, stay away from that nigga. He's a dead man as soon as I can catch up with his ass. After I do that nigga, if you still want to come get at me, you know where to find me. I'll be waiting for you.” Taz stared hard at his daughter for another moment, shook his head sadly and left her standing in her living room with tears falling down her face.

 

 

The next morning Taz was lying in bed when Detective Bean called and told him that he could come and retrieve his weapon.

“Why don't you come and deliver it? After all, you did come and get it,” Taz said arrogantly.

“I'd prefer for you to come downtown to the station, Mr. Good. I have a few more questions I'd like to ask you,” Detective Bean replied.

Taz laughed and said, “You know what? I don't have anything else better to do. I'll be there within the hour.” Taz then hung up the phone and took a quick shower. He dressed in his everyday gear, a pair of black Dickies with a white T-shirt. After tying up the laces to his Timb boots, he put his diamond grill in his mouth and draped himself with the rest of his expensive jewelry. He was all smiles as he went into his garage and hopped into his truck.
This shit is going to be fun,
he thought to himself as he pulled out of his garage.

 

 

Tazneema tossed and turned the entire night. She couldn't understand why her father was so confident that Cliff was responsible for her Uncle Bo-Pete's death.
Is Taz right? Did Cliff have something to do with it? Or is Taz trying to destroy my relationship with Cliff?
She asked herself all of these questions over and over almost the entire night. By the time she did fall asleep, she was bone-tired.

Now that she was awake, the questions still remained
. Did Cliff have anything to do with all of this mess? I love that man, and he loves me. He wouldn't lie to me. I'm not going to let you fuck up my relationship, Taz,
she thought to herself as she climbed out of her bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

 

 

Taz was talking to Mama-Mama on his cell phone as he drove toward downtown Oklahoma City. “I'm tellin' you, Mama-Mama, she's so caught up with old boy that she's not listening to me.”

“Are you positive that that boy was the one who did this to Bo-Pete, Taz?” asked his mother.

“Yeah, I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't move on that clown until I was, Mama-Mama. I don't want to cause my baby girl any pain, but I have no other choice. That fool has to go.”

“I don't want to be hearing none of that, Taz! I understand that you're hurting, but so am I. That boy was like a son to me. You have a decision to make, Taz, and the sooner you make it, the better off you and 'Neema will be.”

“What decision are you talkin' about? 'Cause I already done told you that clown has to go. I'm not changin' my mind about this, Mama-Mama. I love my daughter and she knows it, but if she chooses to go against me, then she has chosen her own fate.” Before his mother could respond he said, “Look, I'm at the police station downtown. I'll give you a call later on Mama-Mama.”

“What are you doing down there, boy?”

He smiled into the receiver and said, “Nothin'. I'm 'bout to have a li'l fun, that's all.”

“Fun? Oh, never mind. I got a funny feeling that I don't need to know what you're talking about. Be good, boy,” Mama-Mama said and hung up the phone.

Taz closed his cell, stepped out of his truck and strolled confidently inside of the police station.

After a fifteen-minute wait, Detective Bean came out into the lobby, where Taz was waiting patiently for him and said, “Good morning, Mr. Good. Would you please come this way?”

Taz followed the detective into his office and took a seat in front of Detective Bean's desk.

Detective Bean stared at Taz for a moment and then said, “I know all about you, Taz. I've had some time to do some serious research on you and your past.”

Taz smiled and said, “I figured you would. So, tell me, what you think? Pretty interesting stuff, huh?”

Detective Bean laughed and said, “That's funny. Yeah, you're an interesting individual, Taz. There's something that confuses me though.”

“What's that?”

“You're a very wealthy man. Not only that, but you seem to have all of the right people behind you and your friends. How did a young man from the streets get into such a powerful position?”

“Sometimes when a person knows the right people, they can make certain dreams become a reality.”

“I don't understand.”

“I know. It wasn't meant for you to. Look, I'm here for my pistol. Can I have it back or what? I have a busy day planned ahead of me.”

Detective Bean reached inside of his desk and pulled out Taz's 9 mm that he had inside of a plastic Ziploc bag. He passed it across his desk to Taz and said, “One more thing, Taz. I know you and your crew did those Hoovers. To be honest with you, I really don't give a damn about those cowards. You live by the sword, you die by it. Just because you missed me on that one doesn't mean you'll always miss me. I'm very thorough. I don't miss too often.”

Taz smiled and said, “Neither do I, Detective. Neither do I.” He stood. “You have a nice day, Detective.” Then he turned to leave Detective Bean's office. He stopped at the door, turned back and said, “I'm curious. Who informed you about me and my peoples?”

It was now Detective's Bean's turn to smile. He relaxed back in his chair and said, “Won's been around for a very long time, Mr. Good . . . a very long time.”

Taz kept his poker face intact even though he was shocked as hell when he heard the detective mention Won's name. He smiled at the detective and asked, “Who's Won?”

Detective Bean burst into laughter and said, “Oh, you're good! You're very good, Mr. Good! Have a nice day. And, Taz, stay outta the way. It would be a shame for you to lose all that you've acquired over the years due to something as messy as this.”

Taz stared at the detective for a full minute before finally turning and leaving his office. As soon as he was back inside of his truck, he called Won. When Won answered the phone, Taz said, “What's up with this Detective Bean out here in the city, O.G.?”

Won started laughing and said, “He's my cousin.”

Taz gave a sigh of relief and said, “Yeah, well, you need to get your peoples off of my fuckin' back.”

“I did. Why the fuck you think you had that meeting with him? He gave me a call a couple of days ago, asking me all types of shit about you. I gave him the semi-version of your life, and the rest is history. You don't have to worry about him. He's a teammate.”

“You're something else, O.G. You know that?”

“Yeah, I know, Babyboy. That's why my name is
Won!
”