Between Friends (12 page)

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Authors: D. L. Sparks

Tags: #Fiction, #Suspense, #General, #African American Police, #Urban Life, #Thrillers, #African American

BOOK: Between Friends

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“Linc, this is Geech, the guy I was telling you about.”

Geech looked up from that briefcase opened in front of him. “Y'all late. Let's get this over with.”

Twist looked around the room. “What's the hurry?”

Geech looked at Linc. “I don't like cops,” he said, looking at Linc. “All this heat in the room can only start a fire.”

Linc looked at him. “I didn't come here to be your Facebook friend, ya dig. You got my money, pot'na?”

“Everything is in here.” Geech turned the open briefcase around, showcasing its contents.

Linc eyed the neat stacks of fifties tucked inside the black case. He motioned for Nate to check the contents. He watched intently as Nate pulled stacks out of the case and studied them closely.

“Looks like it's all here,” Nate finally said.

Linc picked up the duffel bag on the floor next to him and in one switch motion tossed it to the man who had been lurking in the corner. The bag flying in his direction made him put up his hands to catch it, taking away any chance he had of going for whatever heat he was carrying.

“Y'all got your shit; we out.” Linc turned to walk out of the room and he heard the sound of guns being cocked.

He pulled his Glock from his holster and turned around. “Oh, it's like that?” he taunted. “You blaze. We blaze. What's up?”

His heart was pounding hard in his chest; he could hear it in his ears. Sweat popped up on his brow as his eyes scanned the room. He didn't come over here for this shit. From the corner of his eye he could she Nate's gun pointed at the dude standing by the table.

Geech cracked a crooked smile. “Yo, where you going playboy? I know you in a hurry to supply your merry elves, but this shit needs to be checked.”

Linc gave a nod and Nate lowered his heat, but he didn't put it away.

Everyone stood around in silence, watching intently as one of Geech's boys pulled each silver-coated brick out of the small duffel bag and weighed it before meticulously examining each bag of pills. He then pulled a small pocketknife from his back pocket, flicked the blade open and cut a small slit in the top of each brick, revealing the powder hidden inside. A small amount of the light, airy powder settled on top. He moistened the tip of his finger, collected a sample on the tip and rubbed it in his mouth on his gums. Moments later, he gave an approving head nod.

Tension slowly lifted as Geech turned his attention back to Linc. “Yo, big man. What a brotha gotta do to get his weight up?”

Linc holstered his gun. “How much weight you talking?”

“Let me be clear, I'm not just talking weightâI'm talking insulation.”

Linc answered, “I'm listening... .”

He knew what Geech wanted. But Linc wanted to hear him say it. That way he stayed in control. He wasn't just gonna put his shit out there like that. He'd run interference for dealers numerous times for a cut of their books, so it wasn't like it was something new. But he didn't know this dude, so Geech was gonna have to ask for it. And it definitely was gonna come with a price.

“I need some breathing room to get my payroll back up, and the streets are hot right now.”

“And?”

Geech walked around and leaned back against the table. “I know you got some people on the inside who ain't real happy about their supply being held up.”

It made Linc uneasy that Geech seemed to know about what he had going on, but he had to respect the man and his hustle.

“So what are you sayin'?”

“I think we can both stand to benefit from this, but I need help keeping the bad boys in blue off my back.”

“What kind of weight you looking for?”

“I'm ready to flip high six figures. For starters.”

Linc looked over at Nate and smiled. “I can handle that. But what you gon' do for me?”

Geech motioned toward a sitting area, with two over-sized armchairs on the other side of the room. “Let's talk.”

After almost two hours of back and forth they came to an agreement that made both Linc and Geech very happy and promised to make them both extremely rich if they played their cards right.

With the weight Linc was about to supply Geech he could stop rolling low-level dealers and focus most of his attention on working Geech. He could leave the petty street level shit to Nate if he wanted it. This was exactly what he needed, he'd be so far removed from what was going on they'd need a surgeon to figure out his connection, because realistically he'd be right in the heart of it all.

Linc handed Geech the paper he'd been writing on.

Geech scanned it for a moment then looked up. “You sure about this?”

“You want somethin' from me pot'na, that's my price. Take it or leave it.”

Geech glanced over to the other side of the room where Twist was drinking and playing Xbox and where Nate and the other dude were talking, before folding the paper and putting it in his pocket.

“So this agent on this list, what's up with him? He may not be that easy to get to.”

Linc stood up. “He's my problem, not yours. You just need to get rid of him. Along with everyone else on that list.”

Chapter Sixteen

Idalis

I rode around I-285 and tried to find answers in the intermittent traffic and asphalt that encapsulated the city. I kept replaying the threat from Linc. At this point I wouldn't put anything past him, including planting something either in my car or on me just to get me locked up. I couldn't live my life searching my car every time I pulled out of the driveway, or checking my pockets and purse whenever I left the house.

That was just crazy.

Things were falling apart at the seams and I couldn't get a grip on them: India, with this California mess, and Linc flipping the script the way he had. I felt like I was dealing with a bunch of doppelgÃ¤ngers. One thing I did know, with both of them losing their minds, only Trip seemed to be making sense to me right now.

I picked up my phone and tried Trip's number.

It went to voice mail, so I left him a message.

“Hey, it's Idalis. When you get this message, can you call me? There's something going on, and I don't know who else to talk to.”

I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat and saw the exit for I-20 coming into view. I hit the gas, exited, and sped west.

Fifteen minutes later, yet again, I was standing in the middle of my past. Only this time it was broad daylight and all secrets were on display. The rickety porch made me feel like I was a little girl standing there in ripped jeans and ponytails, about to ask if Trip could come out to play.

I heard the locks click; then the door opened and his mom was standing there, smiling. I couldn't help but smile. She was so tiny and much older than the last time I saw her when her husband died.

Her hand shot up and covered her mouth in surprise. “Oh my Jesus, Idalis Arrington.” She pushed back the old screen door, welcoming me into her home. “It's been so long.”

She hugged me tightly, causing me to wince from the pain in my side, but I didn't pull away.

“How are you, Miss Myrtle?”

She turned and pushed the door up. “I'm good. I'm good. Come on in and have a seat. When's the wedding ?”

“It's in a couple months.” I said.

“Wow, coming up fast.” She busied herself rearranging pillows on the couch; then she moved a throw blanket from one side of the couch to the other. She was just as nervous about me being in her space as I was about being there.

I smiled, no real comeback for that. I made my way to the couch and took a seat.

“How's your grandmother?” she asked.

“She's okay,” I responded. “She's been up moving around.”

She nodded her approval. “Praise God. I saw your mom at church the other Sunday and she said she seemed to be doing much better.”

“Uhm ... I can't stay long, I was actually”âI looked around nervouslyâ“I was, uh, looking for Trinity. That her Acura parked in the driveway?”

She looked back toward the bedrooms. “Yes, she's back in her room.”

A few moments after that, I heard her coming down the hall. “Mama, who was at the door?” She stopped when she saw me sitting on the couch. “Oh my goodness! Hi, Idalis!” she squealed, rushing over to hug me.

She was sporting twists she didn't have the last time I'd seen her. They were in their beginning stages but I knew if she followed in her brother's footsteps her locs would be long and beautiful in no time.

When she smiled, her cheeks smiled back with matching dimples.

“Wow, Idalis, you look great.”

“Thank you, so do you. You're hair is cute!”

“Thank you,” she said, playing with her twists. “How's India?”

“She's doing well. Talking about moving to California.”

Trinity dropped her head a little and laughed. “That's India.”

We sat down on the couch as her mother placed two glasses of lemonade in front of us and disappeared down the hall.

“So what's going on?” she asked. “Trip told me you came by the other night. I hate I wasn't here.”

“I know. He said I had just missed you,” I said. “Have you talked to him today? I'm trying to get in touch with him. I called but I got voice mail and he didn't respond to my text.”

She looked confused. “That's odd. He must be busy. But he's been coming by here a lot before he goes to his hotel in the evening sometimes.”

I let out a sigh.

She gave a worried look. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I just really need to talk to him that's all. And I think he's mad and avoiding me.”

Her eyes got big. “Why?”

I filled her in real quick on what happened at Dugans and when he came by my mother's. I tried my best not to sound as pathetic as I really was. But the more I talked and listened to myself I couldn't help but feel a little childish.

She waved her hand, dismissing what I had just said.

“Girl please, he I'm sure he ain't mad at you. And whoever she was she was just something to do.”

“I know, I just been dealing with a lot. My grandmother isn't doing so well and planning this wedding is taking its toll on me.” I stared at the glass of yellow liquid sitting in front of me, but I had no desire to drink it.

“I know. Mama told me about your grandmother. I'm sorry.”

“Thanks.” I stood up and grabbed my purse. “Do you know where Trip is staying?”

“At the W on Peachtree.”

Her phone chimed with the sound of a text message. She read it and put the phone back down.

“Okay, maybe I'll try to catch him down there.”

She stood up and walked me to the door. “I really hope you two can work through this. I know he misses you a lot.”

“So much time has passed and things are just ... complicated now, Trin.”

“I know. But it's nothing that can't be fixed. Y'all been through too much. You're family, Idalis.” Her phone rang and she checked the display. “It's work. I gotta take this.”

After a quick hug I stepped out onto the porch.

I stood there for a second, trying to figure out what I was doing, or, for that matter, what I was trying to do. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lincoln would carry through with his threat of setting me up. But after the way I acted, I wasn't even sure if Trip would
want
to help me.

But at this point I had to do something. My son's life depended on it.

I checked my watch, then my phone. I had two missed calls from India and a text.

You need to come home.

I guess Trip would have to wait.

I jumped into my car and sped across town to my mother's house.

When I pulled into the driveway, my body went numb when I saw an ambulance in the driveway. My mind went to my grandmother and I couldn't breathe. I jumped out without turning the car off and ran through the front door. My mother was standing in the foyer, talking to a medic; she saw the frantic look on my face and immediately came to me.

“Mama, what's going on?”

“It's your grandmother.”

“Is sheâ”

“No, no,” she reassured. “She's being transported to the hospital.”

“For what?” I asked, looking toward the steps.

“Her doctor wants to do some tests on her. She's in a lot of pain,” she said. “The ambulance is just a precaution, just transportation.”

India came rushing through the front door. When I saw her, my eyes filled with tears. Her face was soaking wet, covered with panic.

Standing there, I felt like we were thirteen years old again and my father had just had his second heart attack. The first one merely scared all of us, giving us a cold dose of reality; the second one played for keeps, taking my father one afternoon while we were unknowingly playing at school. I remember us standing on the same porch, watching my grandmother drive off to the funeral home to make arrangements with my mother.

Moments later two medics appeared on the steps carrying my small grandmother on a stretcher and the present flooded back to me, slamming into my body like a huge tidal wave.

She appeared to be asleep, undoubtedly induced, but she looked so peaceful. I walked over and touched her hand, wishing I could rewind time for her. I felt my mother's hand on my shoulder and I turned around.

“I am going to ride with them. Cameron is taking a nap on the couch.”

I nodded and stepped aside, letting them pass. My mother put her purse on her shoulder and followed them out the door and down the steps. My heart wrenched and a lump formed in my throat.

“God, please. Not now. I need her,” I whispered. “Not now.”

I cried into India's shoulder and she did the same into mine.

“It's gonna be okay, Twin. She's a fighter, right?”

My sister, younger by mere minutes, was looking to me for strength. Right now, though, I had nothing to give her but promises and reassurancesâand I wasn't sure about any of these anymore.

“Yes, she is, India.”

She broke our hug and placed my car keys in my hand. She must've turned my car off for me. “I need to make some calls.”

I wiped my face with my hand. “Okay. I'm gonna check on my baby.”

Tears flowed as I made my way to the living-room, where Cameron was sleeping, oblivious to what was happening around himâthe way a child's life should be.

I pulled out my cell and dialed Lincoln.

It went to voice mail, so I left him a message.

India and I sat at the kitchen table for hours, mostly in silence, waiting for the phone to ring. She made us something to eat; afterward, she munched on the salad she had in front of her, while I pushed mine around my plate.

“You need to eat, Idalis.”

“You're not the boss of me.”

I looked at her and we shared identical weak smiles.

India gravitated toward my mother after our father died, and I found comfort in my grandmother. I didn't feel that the love was any less or any different, but I found solace in the long talks that I had with my grandmother.

I got up and found myself pacing the kitchen floor.

Restless energy propelled me upstairs where I found some Motrin in the medicine cabinet. My side was aching worse than a toothache. I swallowed the tablets dry as I made my way back downstairs. I looked in the kitchen and India was texting someone.

I ended up in the living-room looking out the window, then back in the kitchen again.

I couldn't sit still.

She put her phone down. “You want me to go to your house and get y'all some clothes?”

I stopped in my tracks and processed what she had just said.

“No, I need some air. Can you stay here with Cameron?”

She nodded.