Larceny (27 page)

 

 

 

When I got back to the jail, I came out for recreation and went straight to the phone to call Keda. She was my gangsta, and she had come through like a soldier for me.

When I first got arrested and Michelle came into the interrogation room, I whispered in her ear to call Keda and give her the alibi. Keda wasn't even in Florida over the weekend. Her sister Carla took her sons to Disney World, and before they left, Carla took a few pictures of them.

Damn, Keda was a soldier. She had lied for me and said I was the father of one of her sons. Even though I looked out for her son, I never thought she'd say I was his father. Keda did shit right, and for that I was going to bless her with something real nice when I got out.

I dialed Keda's number.

“Hello,” Keda said.

“You have a collect call from Jovan. If you wish to accept, dial five now,” the operator said.

Keda pressed five and said, “Hello, Jovan.”

“Hi, Keda,” I said.

“Yeah, what up, boy? How'd I do?” she asked.

“You did good. Thanks, baby. I'll never forget that.”

“That white lady was a bitch,” Keda said.

“Yeah, I know. Now, look, don't talk too much on this phone.”

“Okay.”

“This what I'ma do. I really, really appreciate what you did, and for that you will forever have my loyalty. You're more real than some of these bitch-ass niggas out here.”

“Jay, I fucked wit' you. I know we ain't together, but the shit you did for me and my sons, I'll never forget, and for that, if I can do anything for you, I will.”

“Okay, shorty, thanks again. Look, Keda, I'ma call my grandma. I want you to go over there. She's gonna give you a gym bag.”

“What's in it?”

“It's a present for you.”

“Okay, Jay.”

As soon as I got off the phone with Keda, I called Grandma and told her to go upstairs and grab the gym bag, not the suitcases, and give it to Keda when she came by.

“Okay, baby, when is she coming?” Grandma asked.

“She should be ringing your doorbell anytime now.”

After I got off the phone with Grandma, I called Sonya. “Hey, baby, what's up?” I said to Sonya.

“Nothing,” she said. For some reason, Sonya sounded upset.

“What's wrong Sonya?”

“Ain't nothing wrong with me,” Sonya said.

“Damn, you sound like you mad with me 'bout something.”

“Why? Am I supposed to be mad at you about something?”

“Naw. Look, I see you got a bad attitude, so I'll call you some other time.”

“Oh, so now you don't wanna talk to me no more. What, you gonna call one of your other bitches?”

“Man, what you talking 'bout, Sonya?”

“Nothing, Jovan. Nothing,”

 

 

 

When I was in court today, everything was going good, until I saw that bitch get up on the stand and lie for Jovan. I didn't care about her lying, but the fact that Jovan had a son and didn't tell me fucked my head up. Now from her testimony I knew Jovan committed those murders. He wasn't in Florida; he was at that party, and that night was the night we first made love. That was the night my soul took flight. If anybody remembered anything about that night, it would be me.

Also, the next day Jovan was at the gym, or at least that was what he told me. He was probably somewhere laid up with that bitch Keda. But anyway, one thing I did know was he wasn't in no damn Florida. He was at my house fucking my brains out.

I didn't care if Jovan was a killer or not. I knew he had things in the closet, but so did I. That's not what I was mad about. I was mad because I was his fiancée and I told him I was down for whatever, and he still ain't tell me he had a child.

 

 

 

It was Saturday and visits were starting in twenty minutes. I doubted Sonya was coming, even though she hadn't missed a visit yet. She was probably still mad I hadn't called her since we last talked. Shit, she was trippin' for nothing. I told her that it was a lot she'd have to deal with by being with me. If she was frustrated by the whole thing and couldn't hold fast, then she could go ahead with her life. I needed a soldier, a gangsta who could weather the storm, who wouldn't get mad at me 'cause I wasn't home yet. This kinda shit took time.

The C.O. came to my cell and said, “Price, you got a visit.”

“Okay, thanks, C.O.”

After I got myself together, the lieutenant escorted me to the visiting room. Sonya was sitting there, looking mad as hell, with her arms crossed. What the fuck was she trippin' off of?

As I entered the booth, Sonya still didn't smile. I sat down and looked at her for a second. She still ain't said nothin'. She was probably still mad I ain't called her.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why you looking so mean?” I asked her, picking up the phone to talk.

“'Cause, Jovan,” she said.

“'Cause what?”

“Look, I told your ass I love you a million times! You act like you can't hear me. I got on my knees in this fucking visiting room, cried my heart out to you and embarrassed myself. I asked you to marry me, and you still ain't recognize. I done told you I was down regardless of anything, and you still ain't realize, nigga, that I love you and will die for you,” she said, crying.

At that moment, I was shocked by what she was saying, but nothing was making any sense.

“Okay, Sonya, what are you getting at? And please make it plain so I'll understand.”

“Jovan, I was in the courtroom Friday.”

Instantly I knew what she was mad at. “Sonya, I thought I told you not to come to court.”

“Yeah, I know, but I couldn't hold that back. Listen, Jovan, I'm not mad at the shit you did. I know you're a good person, and whatever happened, happened for a reason. You gotta do what you gotta do, and the fact that you do it so well is even better.

“I understand you don't want me to know, and I won't ask. That's not the problem. I'm down with you on that part all the way to the bloody end, and will do whatever to protect you, and I mean whatever, but what fucks me up is that you got a fuckin' kid!” she said, getting upset again.

“Hold up, boo. See, that's why I ain't want you to come to court, 'cause I knew you would take it like this,” I said.

“Well, Jovan, how else am I supposed to take it? You're about to be my husband.”

“Look, Sonya, that's not my son. It was part of the move. Look at you. You feel stupid, don't you?” I said to her. Now I was getting upset.

“Baby, I'm sorry, but I thought—” Sonya said, but I cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

“Yeah, I know what you thought, but now you know everything, so where do we go from here Sonya?”

“Jovan, baby, I'm still here. I ain't going nowhere. We're still gonna get married, have babies and all that, but now that I know about you, it's time you know about me. We'll both have something over each other's heads, and forever we shall remain loyal to each other.”

Sonya told me some shit that I would never believe even if I saw it. She told me how she killed her father for cheating on her mother, and that her little brother took the beef. She told me all about her past, and about the day we met in the courthouse. She was going to see her probation officer that day. Sonya had done time in federal prison for being a drug carrier for that bitch-ass Ray.

She told me so much shit that I knew for sure that I had the perfect one, the perfect soldier, a straight-up real bitch, down for the ride to the bloody end, just like Bonnie and Clyde. So, I put her down with the move, the political move, and she graciously obliged.

 

 

 

My visit with Jovan went well. We put everything on the floor. Now there was nothing for us to hide, no more lies. I knew that one day I'd have to stop living a lie, but I couldn't let the world know. Only my man, my love, my soon-to-be husband, who was also living a lie, and no one else, would ever know.

 

 

 

It was Monday, and after my visit with Sonya, I felt unbeatable. I already had three bodies out the way; now I had to get this last one over with and then I was a free man. Some way I had to discredit Meeka's testimony. If I could do that, then I was free. Michelle was doing a good job, but for real, I was just tight like that, so any lawyer who would have taken my case woulda walked straight through it.

When I entered the courtroom, I looked in the back for Sonya. She wasn't there. I told her she could come now since we had talked about everything.

“All rise!” the bailiff said.

When I stood up for the judge, I was still looking for Sonya, but I don't see her. This was the last stage of my trial, and I needed her support.