Trouble In Paradise (21 page)

Danielle was still quiet. “So what happened?  Let’s hear it.”

“I have court Monday and I need you to be here.  More than likely my bond will be higher than all get out so get a pin and piece of paper, I’m about to give you the safety deposit box number I had set up for a situation like this one.” 

January was really all ears now.  The only thing she knew about that deposit box is it would not be touched unless it was a matter of life or death, that made her heart skip a beat. She knew Danielle had over 600,000 dollars in assets she inherited when her great grandfather died three years ago and had put it all in a safety deposit box. 

“What is going on Danielle?”

January said in a no no
nsense tone. 

“I killed somebody,” she said swallowing hard. 

January gasped so hard she was almost choked by the oxygen intake. 

“No, no, no
Danielle how could you kill somebody?” 

“I didn’t.  It was an accident.” 

“Wait what?  You didn’t kill them.  I’m confused.” 

“I killed Leon,” Danielle said somberly.  “It was an acc
ident, I didn’t mean to shoot him, he startled me, walked right into my line of fire and they are trying to rail road me in here.”  

“Oh snap
.” January said.  “I’m on my way,” she said slamming down the phone.

Chapter 25

“I got a lot of things going on right now sweetie, I want to meet up with you too but I really need to be here for my man right now.  Have you seen the news lately?” Dantae asked. 

“Yeah,” Cynthia huffed, “they still talking about a murder that happened last week.  I’m so tired of hearing about it, that’s why I don’t watch the news because they only talk about the bad stuff.”

“Well that murder they’re talking about happened at my man’s house.” 

Cynthia was surprised by this news. 

“I’m so sorry.” she said.

“Me too,” Dantae said, “my man is going through some things right now sweetie, but I will get up with you before I leave don’t worry aight?” 

“Geez,” she said. 

She thought about the scenes that had been replaying over and over again on the news.  That part of the suburbs never received any attention and she figured that’s why they were constantly looping it. 

“Ok,” she said letting out a sigh, “you’ve got the number.” 

“That’s what’s up,” Dantae said, “talk to you later.” 

“Ok, bye.” 

Dantae stood up and went downstairs.  Joshua was sitting on the couch with his head back, eyes open staring at the ceiling. 

“Still no luck?” Dantae said. 

Joshua just blinked. 

“Yo man, I’m sorry.”

“Shhhh,” Joshua said, “enough with the sorry man I can’t take it anymore I’ve had enough sorry to last a lifetime.” 

Dantae sat down next to Joshua. 

“Look man we need to get you out of this house.” 

“And go where?” Joshua asked still looking at the ceiling. 

“Go anywhere man, anywhere you want to go.  You’ve been in this house for four days staring up at that ceiling only leaving that spot long enough to take a bath and call Victoria.  She’s not answering the phone; it’s probably because she is upset and needs to cool down.” 

“What would she be upset about?  I’m the one that’s been shot trying to save her life.  How does that make me the bad guy?” 

“Are you for real man?” Dantae said looking at him like he was crazy.  “I mean you think because you got shot saving her life from your ex-girlfriend that supposedly is pregnant by you that
make you a victim?  She is your fiancé. . .just because you got shot doesn’t rule those things out and you know women think about that.  She probably thinks this is your fault to begin with because you were being unfaithful.” 

Joshua looked over at him. 

“Don’t look at me crazy J; you know I’m telling the truth.”

  Dantae was sitting on the edge of the sofa.  He was ready to get out of this house. 

“The best way to get out of this mood is let your girl calm down and when she is re
ady she will talk to you.  Lets go play some ball or something, work off that frustration ‘cause I’m getting frustrated just sitting in this house.” 

Joshua sighed. 

“You right D.  I just can’t lose her man; she means everything to me man.  That’s my wifey I can’t let her go D.  What do you think I should do?” 

“Look
once she calms down you can talk to her, persuade her to come home, this is where she belongs.  You guys are engaged and you guys really need to get together and talk.” 

“What if she doesn’t want to stay here anymore, after all someone was killed in this condo.  We just bought it and already I feel like I should sell it and who would buy it?” 

He rambled on, “It’s been on the news every day who is going to want to live here?” 

“Are you crazy?” Dantae said. 

“Now you know like I know, the same way there are people that would never want to stay in this house there are just as many people that would.  You know the world’s split half and half man.  Come on now, I need to get you out of this funk.  All this sadness is putting me in a funk and I ain’t having that,” he said eyes wide, hands out. 

Joshua
laughed, “Man you crazy,” they laughed. 

“I’
m being straight up J, if she doesn’t want to stay here put this on the market and watch it sell and I bet it sells quick.” 

“I hope your right D, I hope your right.  You know, even though all this has happened I still feel sorry for Danielle man.” 

Dantae rolled his eyes,

“Why?” 

“Because man, I was with that girl for years, you know that I was under her twenty-four seven sometimes and I never saw any crazy intentions.  I mean we had our fights and blow overs and she never seemed to be, you know, like this.  It’s like she just snapped or something and I just don’t know her, I’ve never seen this side of her before.  The might have been a turn on if I wasn’t serious about Victoria.  She is in jail under a murder charge and all types of other offenses.  She doesn’t have anyone and the person she had she killed.  She said they were treating her bad.” 

“When did you talk to her?”

“A few minutes ago when you were upstairs making love on the phone.” 

Dantae thre
w a pillow at him, “I was not making love on the phone.” 

“Yeah you was homie, I heard you,” Joshua chuckled. 

“I’m glad you can laugh at my expense,” Dantae said. “What else she say?” 

“I asked her how she was doing and she said not good.  I said ‘good.’

Dantae started laughing.  Joshua looked at him with a smug look on his face,

“Yeah, I cursed her
out but I still felt bad.  What can I say?  The girl was a part of my life for a decade.” 

Dantae shook his head up and down, he understood. 

“I know man, this is really a bad situation.  I wish she just would’ve took no for an answer and left it at that, now we have to go to court.  There’s no telling how long this will play out and right now I’m pressing charges against her.  I won’t lift them either unless Victoria tells me to.  I don’t want to see anything happen to Danielle but she put herself in this situation.  I won’t take up for her.” 

“Did she say anything else?” 

“She just said the usual, she was sorry and she never meant to hurt me blah, blah, blah, she loves me, never wants to be without me blah, blah, blah.” 

Dantae laughed. 

“Ahhh boy you got pros in different area codes,” he said laughing at Joshua. 

Joshua was smiling and shaking his head no.  He looked down at his phone, no missed calls.  He flipped his phone opened and hit send to redial the last number.  It was Vict
oria’s number.  It rang six times before going to voicemail. 

“Hi you’ve reached my voicemail, leave a message and I’ll get back to you when I can.” 

Joshua hung up.  That was the closest he had gotten to hearing Victoria’s voice in days. 

“Come on man,” Dantae said, “I see you back at it.” 

All of a sudden Joshua didn’t feel like going anywhere.  His life was Victoria and without her in it he felt empty.  It was more painful than Dantae knew.  He couldn’t live without her.  He really messed up big time. 

“J,” Dantae called out, “let’s go man, get up, were getting out of here.  You will not go back into misery mode again, now get up or I’m going to leave your ass in here looking up at the ceiling.” 

“Go,” Joshua said. 

“I ain’t going
nowhere now get up.” 

Joshua sat forward and put his head in his hands. 

“Let her cool down J.”  

Joshua shook
his head yes stood up and walked around the couch toward the kitchen.  In the fridge he pulled out a bottle of Hennessy grabbed a shot glass and filled it to the rim.  It went down smooth Dantae walked into the kitchen. 

“You mean to tell me you’ve had liquor and you didn’t tell me?” 

“You didn’t ask,” Joshua said.  “You should’ve gone through the refrigerator and you would have seen it.” 

“Ok, you know from now on I’ll be going through your food and cabinets.” 

“Mi casa es su casa,” he said. 

“You got another glass?” 

Joshua pulled out another shot glass and poured some Hennessey into both glasses. 

“Bo
ttoms up,” Dantae said.

T
hey knocked the shots back. 

“Whooo,”

He started beating the counter, “now that’s what I’m talking about, you want me to order some pizza and entertainment up in here, right?” 

Joshua laughed,

“What kind of entertainment?” 

“
I can get this party started.” 

Dantae took out his cell phone. 

“Put that phone up D.”

“
Why?”

“Because anything coming out of that phone don’t need to be up in here.”

“Call
for the pizza man, no entertainment.”

Dantae shook his head.  Joshua walked over to the couch and picked up his phone.  No missed calls.  He let out a snort.  He looked back at Dantae and heard him saying,

“Yeah, make that extra pepperoni and um do you have a delivery girl?  Oh ok, well send her please.  Un huh . . . ok how much?” 

Joshua started to laugh Dantae looked over at him,

“What?” he said. 

“Nothing, you cool man.” 

An hour later there was a knoc
k at the door.  It’s about time Dantae said walking up to the door.  He opened it and a Caucasian female with braces smiled hard winking at him. 

“Special delivery,” she said. 

“You telling me,” Dantae said. “How old are you?” 

“Nineteen,” she said. 

“Un huh, let me see your ID.”

The girl took a step back handed him the pizza and tried to take her wallet out of her jean pocket. 

“Um,” she said, “I need to loosen my pants a little to get it out.” 

She had her blonde hair in a baby doll ponytail and it was swinging back and forth as she wiggled trying to get her id out.  She had an oval soft baby face with grey eyes, she was a cute lil’ thang but those braces, what was he supposed to do with that?  She proceeded to unbutton her jeans and pull them down over her young ample hips.

“Hold on,” he said, “before you go any further I’m going to have to see your ID, you can’t get caught with your pants down if you’re lying to me.  I’m a black dude and you white as snow, I don’t think so.  So I hope this ain’t something sneaky you and your friends at the pizza place put together ‘cause I don’t play games.” 

Joshua walked up,

“What’s going on man? Joshua looked from the white girl to Dantae. What’s going on D?”  

“Nothing, she was just leaving,” Dantae said. 

She smiled and pulled out her ID she pulled her pants up and buckle
d them.  They were too tight, she was right she really couldn’t get her ID out of them.  She handed him the ID and he looked at it.  She was nineteen and would be twenty in August.  He smiled and turned around and handed the pizza to Joshua,

“Take this back to the kitchen man, she gone sit around for a little while.” 

“Hold up let me see the ID, this my crib.” 

Dantae han
ded it to Joshua.  He looked at the girl and back at the ID eyeing her closely.  She stuck her tongue out and winked at him. 

“Aight,” he said, “close my door, you letting the air out.”

  She stepped in and Dantae closed the door and locked it. 

“What’s your name sweetness?” 

“Latrice McDaniels,” she said. 

“That’s a nice name, ‘Latrice McDaniels,’ it may help you get the job of your dreams one day.” 

She laughed, “You silly.” 

“I’m Dantae and the brotha in there is Joshua.  He been crying over his girl ‘cause they having some problems, so we gone try to keep his spirits lifted for a minute.  How long can you stay?” 

“For about thirty minutes,” she said. 

“Ok cool, you want something to drink?” he started towards the kitchen. 

“What do you have?” 

“It depends,” he said opening the refrigerator then he thought about how old she was and said,

“Orange juice?” 

“You don’t have any wine coolers?” 

“See the thing about that is you’re not old enough to drink.  You know what I might need to get you out of here.  

“Why,” she said, “I’m almost twenty; I’m so passed the little eighteen-year-old stage.” 

“You making that comment right there lets me know you’re not.  Let’s go.  Stop back by in about four years, you’ll be nice and right by then.” 

She walked passed him and put her hand in his face almost knocking him down. 

“Whatever, it’s your loss,” she said lifting her shirt exposing her bare chest. 

His face froze and she was amused.

“That’s what I thought.
”

S
he pulled her shirt down and walked out the door.