Street Chronicles Girls in the Game (21 page)

She heard on the street that Ant and Twan had had a rift in their friendship. Shadaisy couldn't have been paid to take from them, but now that Twan had severed ties with Ant's ugly ass, she was going for hers. She had skimmed off some of the drugs and money for herself. To her, life had been hard, cruel, and cold, but the free money and drugs were going to change things, and fast.

After showering and preparing for Ant, it was time to roll a blunt and make a stiff drink. The only way she could stand being intimate with Ant was to be as high as possible. Shadaisy decided to roll a primo for Ant. She also poured him a glass of whiskey laced with crushed Percocets. She was determined to get this date over with as soon as possible, maybe even stop it before it began. Shadaisy decided that tonight would be her last encounter with Ant. After he passed out, she would rob him for whatever he had on him and begin her search for a real hustler.

A
nt parked his car behind the house and walked in the back door. As expected, Shadaisy lay on the couch in a matching bra and panty set, two drinks on the table and two blunts in the ashtray.

“You ready to get with this, girl?” Ant sat next to Shadaisy and began running his ashy hand down her leg.

“Of course, but let's enjoy our drinks and smoke a little before we get started,” Shadaisy stalled. “You know, to help relax you. It sounds like you've had a stressful week.”

“Good idea, let's start this party.”

Ant took a toke on the blunt and gulped down the laced drink Shadaisy had prepared for him. As the blunt and drink began to take effect, Ant's body relaxed, and he fought the urge to lie back on the couch and drift off to sleep.

Shadaisy sat watching Ant before slipping out of the room to
put on a pair of jeans and a shirt. She walked back into the room and found that Ant was no longer alone.

“What's going on in here? Looks like I'm interrupting a little party.” Ant opened his eyes to find Twan standing before him. They hadn't spoken since the block party, and Ant figured he had come by to collect his half of the money they owed C-Lok. Ant attempted to acknowledge Twan but found himself unable to speak.

“What's wrong with you? You send the police after me and you can't even open up ya mouth to speak to me? Ain't that some shit,” Twan baited Ant.

“Don't pay him no mind, Twan; he's high as hell and probably don't even know where he is,” explained Shadaisy, before asking, “What you mean, Ant sent the police after you? I know damn well he ain't do no foul shit like that.”

“Ant ain't tell you that he made a deal with the devil? He sent Powell and Meeks to Bossy's looking for my shit.”

“Naw, Ant is capable of a lot of shit, but not that,” Shadaisy said.

“He was pulled over on a traffic stop by Powell and Meeks and let go. He was caught trying to rip off the money from the block party, and again Powell and Meeks let his punk ass go. After spending half of her life in the game, Bossy's house is searched out of the blue? It don't take a scientist to figure that shit out. They just happened to show up at her door the same time I would've been droppin’ a shipment off from Florida? Something told me to rearrange my schedule until I found out who my enemies were. Ant's a straight-up bitch,” fumed Twan.

Shadaisy was shocked at what she was hearing, but it all made sense. “That's why he was missing the last two weeks. He was hiding out.” She immediately turned on her heel and began gathering up her shit. Getting out of the house was in her best interest. If what Twan said was true, Powell and Meeks would be looking
for Ant, because they had come up empty in their search. Since Twan arrived, Shadaisy had decided to abandon her plan to grab the money and drugs left in the house. She knew that it would be like stealing from Twan. Shadaisy made a beeline for the door, leaving Twan to watch her smoke.

O
fficers Powell and Meeks were responding to a call of reported gunshots when they discovered the gruesome scene. Minutes later the crime scene unit was lifting prints, taking pictures, and bagging items for evidence.

“Whoever did this guy either hated him, was out for revenge, or was sending a message,” said the newest member of the Crime Scene Unit team.

Officer Powell stood in the corner of the room with a full view of the victim. His sergeant walked up beside him.

“What do you think, Powell?”

“Someone was determined to send a message here, sir.”

“Do you think this was a professional hit?” inquired Sergeant Collins.

“With him being stripped naked, it does resemble a professional killing. But the single gunshot to each knee isn't the mark of a hired hit. With his tongue being cut out and his testicles placed in his hand, I'd say this was personal, very personal.”

“Have we identified him yet?”

“Yes, he's well known by the narcotics division. They have been trying to get him for months now. His name is Anthonie Ant’ Quarles.”

B
ossy had already received word of the murder before it ran on the evening news. Things like that flowed through Youngs-town
like a cascading waterfall. Bossy tried to understand why she had no feelings one way or another about her hand in Ant's death. Years ago, she'd vowed never to be responsible for the death of another human being. As she thought about everything that had taken place, she reasoned that Ant had left her no other choice.

Bossy hadn't heard from Big Black since he left late last night. He said he was headed for the club, but he should have come back by now.
With Ant dead, I can breathe again. When Big Black comes home I'll take a deep breath.

On the backcountry roads from Youngstown to Sharon, Pennsylvania, was a twenty-five-minute ride. Traffic in the small city was always light. Mercer Street was usually booming with activity, but at four in the morning, even the drug dealers were asleep.

C-Lok opened the door and welcomed his visitors.

“Have a seat, gentlemen; you're right on time. Let's get right down to business,” directed C-Lok.

“Before we do, don't you want to introduce your friend?” asked Meeks.

“This is my good friend Big Black,” said C-Lok. “Big Black, meet two of Youngstown's finest, officers Powell and Meeks. Can you believe they sought me out after Teddy Bear died?” C-Lok and Big Black laughed in unison.

“What they want from you? Protection?” joked Big Black, as if the two cops weren't sitting next to him. The two laughed again before C-Lok replied, “Naw, they wanted me to pay them for protection. Ain't that a bitch?”

Big Black and C-Lok stared blankly at Powell and Meeks, signaling that playtime was over.

“He cool?” Powell wanted to know.

“This is the only person on earth that I trust with my life. Now, word has gotten back that the job was taken care of. It even made the news.”

“It went very well. When we found Ant he was high as the sky, but came down fast at the sight of a weapon in his face. He begged, pleaded, and cried like a bitch in labor before he took his last breath.” Meeks bragged a little too much for Big Black's taste.

“Another job well done. I trust the weapon has been disposed of properly,” C-Lok said.

“Absolutely This will go unsolved, as usual,” Powell guaranteed.

“Here's your fee of a hundred thousand dollars each, plus another fifty grand bonus to split between you. I'll be in touch if your services are required in the future.” Normally, C-Lok would see his hired hands to the door, but he had other plans for Powell and Meeks today.

C-Lok had heard from Twan about the problems Bossy was having with Ant. After Ant disrespected Bossy the second time, C-Lok's plan to punish him was under way. Ant's jealousy of Twan made him an easy mark. C-Lok knew it wouldn't take much on Powell and Meeks's part to persuade Ant to work with them. The only problem was when Bossy contacted Big Black. C-Lok knew that he would have to bring his longtime friend in on the plan he already had in the works. If they ended up stepping on each other's toes, everything would fall apart.

The day Bossy went to C-Lok about Ant and the police, Big Black knew that C-Lok would watch his back by not telling Bossy of their partnership.

Now the two old friends sat together as partners for the first
time in almost twelve years. The only difference was the company they were in. C-Lok and Big Black both knew that, given the chance, the two crooked officers would take them out. Shit wasn't going down like that.

When Officer Powell approached C-Lok about providing protection for him, C-Lok had turned him down fiat.

“Naw, I'm straight on that, but we may be able to work together,” said C-Lok.

Officer Powell was instantly intrigued, and sat down to discuss business with the powerful gangsta.

“Your first assignment is to get this bitch-ass nigga Ant under ya spell. Back him as far into a corner as his dumb ass can fit. Next, get my product back from his ass.”

Officer Powell knew better than to ask any questions. Plus, the amount of money C-Lok was offering was far too much to pass up. The deal was made, but officers Powell and Meeks had tried to backstab C-Lok by serving that fake warrant on Bossy.

There was a light tap at C-Lok's office door and the room turned quiet.

“Who else are you expecting?” Officer Powell had started feeling uneasy.

“Chill, nigga,” replied Big Black. “We got this.”

The door opened to reveal Bossy and Twan standing outside the door. C-Lok had summoned them both to join the meeting. It was time to put the entire episode to an end.

“What's going on here? What are they doing here?” Meeks stammered.

“Just like you, they are here by my invitation.”

Bossy and Twan walked in the room and ignored the two officers. Big Black rose from his seat, allowing Bossy to take his place, while Twan stood to the left of C-Lok.

“This room is a bit small for a group of this size. Why don't we go into what I like to call ‘the men's room'?”

Powell and Meeks looked at one another, each expecting the other to get them out of the invitation. Finally Powell found his voice.

“No, thanks, man. We have to get back to the station.”

C-Lok stepped around his desk, stood over the crooked officers, and replied, “It wasn't a suggestion; it is what we are
all
going to do.”

Bossy followed behind C-Lok with that sway in her hips that drove men crazy. With Twan right behind her and Big Black bringing up the rear behind Powell and Meeks, Bossy knew she was safe.

In the soundproof basement, four large-framed employees of C-Lok's waited in the shadows. Hiring the officers was a means to an end for C-Lok and Big Black, but they never figured that the men would double-cross two of the most infamous gangstas in Youngstown's history. Trying to strong-arm Bossy was not part of the plan, and officers Powell and Meeks had finally fucked over the wrong person.

“Bossy, come over here so Big Black and me can clear a few things up with you,” requested C-Lok.

Bossy asked no questions and did as she was told. She had no idea what C-Lok had summoned her and Twan for, but upon seeing Powell and Meeks, she pretty much knew the day she was dreading was finally here. She believed it was time to tell C-Lok she was behind Big Black killing Ant.

“Baby, we have something to tell you, and I want you to hear us both out before you say anything,” instructed C-Lok.

Bossy remained quiet and nodded her head in agreement.

Big Black went first. “Bossy, back when our boy Poppy was
killed, the retaliation that happened as a result is what brings us here today.” Bossy didn't understand where this was going, but she continued to listen. “Me and C-Lok were in charge of taking care of you at the time, and allowing you to pull that trigger meant that we failed. At least, in Devin's eyes we did.” Big Black took a deep breath before continuing on. “See, the two of us didn't know what to do in order to protect you, so we paid your brother a visit in prison, and to say he was pissed would be an understatement. Devin wanted to kill us both for allowing you to roll the way we did back then.”

“He's right. Devin was pissed, and if he hadn't already been behind bars, he would be now for our murders,” explained C-Lok. “When we left the prison that day, Devin demanded that we find a way to protect you. So we did.”

“Bossy, twelve years ago when I left here, it wasn't to relocate down South. At least, not the way you think. Based on our plan, I was shipped off to a federal prison to do a ten-year bid for the killings in the park that night.”

Bossy couldn't believe what she was hearing. There was no way Big Black had served a dime without her knowing. She'd sent him cards, money, and packages over the years. They had talked on the phone once a month, and his calls never originated from any prison. Bossy stood, bewildered.

“Don't get me wrong. I did do a dime, but it wasn't hard time. With Teddy Bear's help, and a federal prosecutor and a judge willing to receive monthly payments for their services, my time was served in a minimum-security prison. I was allowed to work an outside job as long as I kept my nose clean. That's what I did.”

“But how? Why would you do that?” questioned Bossy.

“Baby, I asked you to hear us out,” C-Lok reminded Bossy. ”Now it's my turn to confess. After we broke up and you refused
to accept any help from me, I had to find a way to keep you safe and taken care of It wasn't Teddy Bear who bought your apartment building and the shop. I gave him the money and had him make the business transaction. It was the only way I could think of that you would accept what was being done for you. I knew that you would feel obligated to me back then if you knew the truth.”

“Why are y'all confessing all of this now? I mean, I'm grateful to you both for the sacrifices y'all made for me, but after all this time, why tell me this now?”

Twan took a step forward and knew that was his cue to come clean about his part in what was going down.

“Bossy, when I found out what Ant had done to Aisha, and about him getting in bed with them two bitch-made niggas over in the corner”—Twan pointed at Powell and Meeks—” I felt guilty for introducing Ant into your life. We had just copped a huge shipment from C-Lok, and the only way I could see putting a stop to Ant's stupidity was to come out here and have a sit-down with him. That's when I found out about Big Black and C-Lok's plan to protect you at any cost.”