Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) (25 page)

“Was he in a car?” I asked. “What kind of car was it?” “Look Ms. Tracy, I can’t answer any of that, forget we even had this conversation and just watch your back. I heard about what happened to Sadique and I don’t want no parts of this ok?” I wanted to ask him more but in my line of work I knew when to back off. Besides, Paul was kinda “off” if you know what I mean, but he wasn’t stupid, not at all. “You seem like a real nice lady.” He told me. “Be careful Tracy.” He said and then he walked away. I walked out of the lot feeling really nervous. I didn’t even bother to check the mailbox as I hurried into my apartment and locked the door. Once inside I searched all the rooms making sure I was alone. Everything was clear or so I thought until I noticed someone had been in my apartment. There was a set of keys on my kitchen island.

They didn’t belong to me and they weren’t there this morning. I need to get out of here was my first instinct. I grabbed my gun ot of my handbag and walked right back out the door. I walked into the lobby and called Jackie. I gave her an earful of the update on what Paul had just told me and about me finding some keys in my apartment. I told her I would wait in the lobby for her to get here. Just when I was about to call Jerome, he came walking in. “Hey, you must be the welcoming committee.” He joked. “I was just about to call you I think someone was in my apartment.” I told him. I explained about the keys, but I didn’t tell him about what I had learned from Paul. Rome and I both walked back to my apartment.

“Should I call the police?” He asked. “Wait here Tray, let me take a look around, be back in a second.” Rome searched all of my rooms and then hurried back to me. “There’s nobody here, if there were then their gone now. He said slightly winded. Want me to call the police? He asked again. “No let me think for a minute, I need a minute, do you mind if I take a quick shower?” I didn’t even wait for an answer. I rushed to my bedroom, locked the door, and fell across the bed. I felt a tension headache coming on. I took my clothes off, went into the bathroom, and ran the shower.

This was beginning to get crazy. I had decided to sell this place in a couple of months, but I wasn’t in any rush. I don’t want to be run out of my own house but this place was not safe anymore, too many bad memories here now. I took a quick shower because I didn’t want to keep Rome waiting. I got out of the shower and threw on a pair of my workout pants and grabbed one of Sadique’s shirts from the back of the bathroom door. I buttoned up the shirt remembering how he always liked to see me in his shirts. He said he thought it looked sexy on me.

I thought I smelled something burning, like a cigarette or something, so looked around the bathroom. Nothing, but I could still smell it, so then I began to smell the shirt and noticed that’s where the burnt smell was coming from. I reached into the shirt’s pocket and a found a half of blunt in it. Wow. Now should I totally disrespect my boss right now and light this up? Hell he was in my house and I needed something to help me get rid of this forming stress headache before I could deal with anyone else today. Besides, if I smoke in the bathroom he wouldn’t know. I found a book of matches under the sink and lit up.

“Where did Sadique get this from?” I choked. This stuff is so strong that I had to take shorter and smaller pulls on it as I sat on the floor against the wall. For a few seconds I pretended that I didn’t have a care in the world. That none of this was happening and all of my troubles were non exixtent. That was until Rome knocked on the bathroom door. “Tracy Truesdale, are you smoking in there?” He asked in a fatherly tone. “Be out in a minute!” I called back. He turned the knob and opened the door. Damn I’m busted. I thought. “Well just come on in Rome why don’t chya?” I said feeling like I was in major trouble. I hope he doesn’t fire me for drug use. I didn’t even have time to throw it out or anything. “How you gonna leave me out there high and dry like that?  I thought I was your boy? Well since you want to go and put you career on the line like this by
illegally
smoking some
illegal
drugs, illegal in this State anyway, then you might as well pass them
illegal
trees over this way.” He said in his Romeoly way.

“Are you serious? Wowww.  I said in disbelief and passed it over to him. Rome grabbed the half of blunt and took a long pull. “I’m learning more and more about you everyday Tracy.” He said as he blew smoke in my face. “Want a shot gun?” “What you know about a shot gun?” I said. I could NOT believe that I was smoking weed with my BOSS. I felt a lot more comfortable with Rome knowing that I don’t have to hide my weed smoking from him anymore. I smiled at the thought. “I’m just messing with you Tray.” He joked. “I don’t know anything about a shotgun because I don’t smoke anymore.” He stated as he quickly passed it back to me. “I just didn’t want to embarrass you that’s all. Get your smoke on but you better hurry up Jackie will be here in a minute and she’d probably flip if she saw you doing that, but your secret is good with me. I just hope that that’s all that you do.” He said as he walked over to the sink and began to wash his hands.

“Yea Rome I’m not stupid. Trust me I would never go back to doing that again. Could you please go and light some candles for me?” I also asked him to turn the air on and open a window. “Oh, so now you want me to clear the air for you too? Rome smirked. You should have thought about that before you started smoking.” He joked. “Hurry up Rome, because I definitely don’t want Jackie to smell anything but some good Earthy candles when she gets here. Thanks Rome!” I yelled as he looked around inside of the bathroom. “That’s not a problem Tray, I got you covered like always.”

After I finished smoking I sat along the side of the tub. I thought I heard voices coming from the living room. Jackie could be heard laughing through the bathroom door. I washed my face and hands and then sprayed a little perfume before checking myself in the mirror. I hope I didn’t look high because I sure did feel like I was. I walked into the living room smiling real hard. “Well it looks like someone’s feeling good.” Detective Johnson smiled. “What are you doing here?” I asked him, trying not to sound rude. “This is my cousin Devon Johnson.” Jackie introduced.

“But it appears you two already know each other.”Your cousin!? This is the detective I was talking about when I told you about the detective earlier Jackie, the one that keeps giving me a hard time.” I explained. “In my defense, I was just doing my job and I thought we kind’ve came to a good agreement didn’t we?” Detective Johnson asked. “So did you decide to let me in yet?” I asked him. “Well, kind of.” He stated. “Although I can not officially let you in on the case, but I’m sure that we can be benefitial to each other.”

“Have a seat everyone, make yourselves at home. Can I offer anyone a drink?” I asked. Everyone agreed on iced teas, and lemonade. Afterward I returned to the living room and placed the drinks on the coffee table. “So where do we start Detective?” I asked. “Well for starters, you can tell me why you didn’t call the station when you thought someone was in your apartment? Tell him about the guy following you Tracy.” Jackie said. “Someone is following you Tray?” Rome asked. “I’m not sure who it is.” I answered. “A neighbor told me that a guy and had been hanging around and that he watched him follow me. “Did this neighbor describe the man that was following you?” asked the Detective. “No, but they did mention that they had seen this man with Sadique before.” I told him. “Tracy, is anything missing from your apartment? Detective Johnson asked. “Nothing that I noticed, other than the keys nothing seems to be out of place.” I replied.

“Okay.” Rome interrupted, “let’s try to piece this puzzle together. For one we know Sadique was dealing drugs. We know he had a partner or partners. We can assume this Cee guy was his partner. This Cee guy also had a relationship with Carmen. “May I also add” Det. Jackson stated. “That Sadique is the child’s father.” “When did you find that out?” I asked. “This afternoon.” He stated. “Right after you left the station. Also, the money we found on Sadique we think was either to help pay for his funeral expenses in some sick sort of way or as a message to you or someone. They had to have known that it was going to go straight into evidence. My informant told me that BOO, was a signature of some type of illegal organization he was involved with. The Detective added.

Boo?
is that a code word?” Jackie asked. “No cuz.” He answered. “All Ghosts say BOO.” Detective Johnson said. “What does Ghosts have to do with any of this?” I asked. “You talk as if these people are invisible.” I added. “These people
are
invisible Tracy and they know it that’s why they call themselves Ghosts, now of course I’m speculating but it sure sounds plausible, doesn’t it?” He explained. “So that word “BOO” on the note wasn’t referring to a person? Where does this gang of hit men and drug dealers hang out? Can you at least bring them in for questioning?” I asked concernedly. “As I told you earlier, and maybe you might or might not believe me but it really is easier said than done, we can’t prove anything yet, nothing that a judge would sign off on.” Detective Johnson said. “Can you identify any of these Ghost gangbangers?” I asked.

“It seems like they’re spread out pretty thick and from what we’ve learned just recently they move around frequently. They’re not your average crime bandits.” “How long have they been operating?” I asked. “I’m not too sure about that either.” Det. Johnson answered. “Detective, you questioned my doorman, what does he have to do with any of this?” I asked. “Oh Paul, we think he might’ve seen or heard something. Maybe he can identify some of Sadique’s associates but he’s not talking to us. I did find out he was running his mouth. He told a friend Cee often visited your building on almost a daily basis. He would meet with Sadique in the parking lot sometimes. I can’t really blame him for not talking to us, I just hope for his sake that these Ghosts didn’t find out he’s been running his mouth.”

“How do we get close to these Ghosts then?” I asked? “Do you think they will come after me?” I asked. “I doubt if they would come after you. I’m told they just probably want to make sure you haven’t found what they‘re looking for. I heard now that Carmen is the one they think knows where the drugs are? If she does, then it’s only a matter of time before she tries to move the stuff.” “Remember the young guys from the other night?” Rome asked me. “Do you think those guys were any of those “Ghosts” how you say?  “No.” Det. Johnson interrupted. They’re actually what I call fake Ghosts, Cee usually brings these young kids into the gang to move some of the drugs locally, but they never get to see any top dogs, and they’re just used as frontmen, or front
boys
for that matter. Sadique and Cee were usually responsible for them. They make a little money at first, and then after some time they can move up in the organization.” The Detective explained.

“How can we help in this investigation Detective?” I asked. “These people sound like something out of a damn gangster movie script, so how can they be stopped?” Jackie asked. “That’s why I decided to bring in some unofficially help.” He answered. “I have a list of people. I need you to question them. You will only come off as a girlfriend trying to solve her boyfriend’s murder. The fact that you’re a news reporter will also be a benefit to those that don’t know you’re just covering a story.”

“Well I’m in, who do we start with?” I said. “We can start with Carmen, she can probably lead us to Cee, and from there it should be a domino effect.” He said. “Okay guys, it’s getting late and I need to go.” Jackie stated. She gave me a hug and stood up. “It’s about time I made it home to the wife too.” Detective Johnson said. “I’ll walk out with you. Tracy give me a call tomorrow before meeting with Carmen, we still have a couple of things to discuss beforehand.” He added.

“Okay.” I stated as I got up to walk them both to the door. Jackie kissed me on the cheek and they both left. “So, are ready to throw me out yet?” Rome asked. “No actually I was hoping you would stay.” I told him. “Oh, ok, good because I planned to camp out outside your door if you said no.” Rome said and smiled. “You can have the couch. I just don’t want to be alone.” I took the empty glasses into the kitchen and popped some popcorn.

“Rome, do you think we can do a story on these Ghosts?” I asked. “Probably, once this case is solved. I just don’t want you out there stirring up trouble with these people.” He said. “Stir up trouble? I’m going toake it my business to take these guys down Rome.” I said confidently and then began to smile. “Watch out you ghosts, because there’s a new ghostbuster in town, and her name’s Tracy Truesdale.” I joked and then began singing Ray Parker Brown’s Ghost Busters song as I strolled towards my bedroom. “……………..Who you gonna call!? Ghostbusterrrrs!” I sang as I dragged my half tired ass into my bedroom to get a good night’s sleep.  

21                                                                  
A WHOLE NEW BEGINNING

(Korey)

I stood there in disbelief as the apartment seemed to get very quiet. “I guess it’s over then huh?” I whispered to myself as I fell down on the bed. I need a drink. I thought and then went into the kitchen, grabbed a few beers, and sat down on the couch in the living room. I turned on the television. MTV was playing Drake’s new video, so I sat back and started drinking. I couldn’t believe that my girl left me. I kept glancing over at the door to see if she was gonna come back home and apologize and beg for forgiveness and swear to never do it again.