It was 2:30 when Trey strolled in to Dr. Rozelle’s office carrying a briefcase with a hundred thousand dollars.
Dr. Rozelle was a small white man with thinning hair and expensive eyeglasses. He had a permanent look of skepticism on his face and he was always thoughtful before he spoke. He stood and closed the blinds, then he shook Trey’s hand.
“Good to see you?”
“Same here?’
“Did you bring the cash?”
“Yeah, I didn’t know what to bring, so I brought a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Well, you’re going to need another twenty thousand.”
“Why so much?”
“Matlock’s fees are ridiculous, plus your friend is not from Texas, so most bondsman won’t touch him, but Matlock has one that will.”
“Okay I’ll have to bring it back to you later.”
“Bring me big bills this time?”
Trey said, “Yeah, it’s mostly hundreds. There are a few fives and tens.”
Dr. Rozelle sighed and said, “Jesus Christ, Trey, you make my job so hard.”
“I’m sorry, man. I mean that’s all I had.”
“I have been telling you for years. Start a business, a cash business. A dry cleaners, pay taxes on the money, and write checks.”
“Yeah but I don’t want to be associated with this case. You know that.”
“You would write the check to me, and I would write one to Matlock.”
“Listen, I’m gonna take your advice. The next time I need you, I will write a check”
Dr. Rozelle thought for a moment then he said, “When Monte gets out, don’t say a word to him.”
“He doesn’t know where you live right?”
“Never been to my house.”
“Good”
******
Jada was dressed in a simple white blouse and skinny jeans with a leather jacket and the wedges that Craig had purchased for her. Craig greeted her with a big hug when she entered Halo, a local lounge with a chic ambience. He led her to a table in the back corner of the lounge. She ordered an apple martini and he ordered water.
“Not drinking today?”
He said, “Trying to lose ten pounds.”
She said, “Not fair that I’m drinking and you’re not. You trying to make me look like a slush.”
“Not at all, just trying to stay in shape. I’m approaching my 50th birthday and I damn sure don’t want to look 50.”
The server came back with the drinks and Jada said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to keep seeing each other?”
“Why not?”
She sipped her martini and said, “I just feel so guilty.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty.”
“But I love Shamari. You just don’t understand. I love this man. I owe this man; he was there for me when I didn’t have nobody. He pulled me out of a bad situation.”
Craig sipped his water. He knew that no matter how much money he spent on her, it would hardly create the kind of bond she had with her man. Hell they were from the same place. They were the same color.
“You don’t understand do you?”
“Actually I do. My wife Anne was there for me when I didn’t have a damn thing. Even though things have been really vanilla lately with our sex life, I feel indebted to her.”
“Indebted is not the same as guilty.”
“True.” Craig was quiet. Taking it all in, he didn’t want to stop seeing her. He flagged the waitress and said, “Give me a scotch on the rocks.” He took a deep breath and then said, “I really need a drink now.”
The waitress came back with the drink sat in front of him.
She said, “I had sex with him the other day, and I realized how much I missed him holding me.”
Craig sipped his drink then said, “I can give you a better life and you know this.”
Jada said, “Did you know my mama was an alcoholic?”
“No.”
“So is my stepdad.”
“Really?”
“My sister is an ex-crack head.”
“Okay where are you going with this?”
“This is a lifestyle you wouldn’t understand.”
“No. Can’t say that I would, but what does that have to do with me and you?”
“It has everything to do with me and you. We’re not the same; I can tell Shamari about this because his family is just as fucked up as mine. He understands me.”
“You’re saying y’all are more compatible?”
“Yes.”
“Can we be friends? Platonic?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because I am attracted to you. But not in that way.”
“So you’re going to cut me out of your life.”
“Don’t look at it like that. You’re still my favorite surgeon.” She stood and said, “I have to go.”
He stared at her, observing how her jeans were gripping her ass. His mind went back to the sex on top of the Maserati. He didn’t say anything as she walked away, but there was no way he would let this beautiful ass woman walk out of his life.
Black was pulling out of a neighborhood in southeast Atlanta when a Chevy Volt pulled alongside his Porsche. When he noticed the men wearing ski mask, he knew it was bad news. They opened fire. Sixteen shots fired into the side of Black’s Porsche. He lost control on the steering wheel and hit a telephone pole. The men sped off. A concerned citizen driving a Jeep Cherokee tried to call 911 before a shot was fired into his car barely missing his head. The operator was on the line. The concerned citizen gave 911 the whereabouts of the incident. The paramedics were there a few minutes later, along with the firemen. The Porsche was so mangled, they had to cut the car open to remove Black from the car. Black was barely breathing. They transported him to Grady Memorial.
It was 2:00 when Lani got a call from Nana, Black’s grandmother.
“Hello.”
“Hey I was just calling to tell you that Tyrann is in the hospital and it ain’t looking too good.”
“What happened?”
“He got shot this morning. That’s all I know. I told that chile to get out of the drug business.”
Lani didn’t say anything. She knew what had happened, Mike and Chris had retaliated. Though Black brought this on his self, she felt bad about the whole situation.
Nana said, “I know you and Tyrann ain’t seeing each other no mo, but I thought you might want to know about this. I’m sorry if I bothered you.”
“No Nana. I have been meaning to come see you anyway. Other than this terrible news, how have you been?”
“Well I lost one of my breasts but I been hanging in there. The best a woman my age can do.”
“Tyrann didn’t tell me that.”
“You kidding me? I always tell him to tell you I’m thinking about you and think you’re the best girlfriend he ever had.”
“Thank you Nana.”
“I’m going back up to the hospital to see Tyrann. He’s in the intensive care unit if you want to come see him. Grady Memorial Hospital.”
“Okay Nana.” Lani didn’t want to commit to going to see Black.
“And if you ain’t able to come see him, I’ll understand, but please pray for him.”
Lani said, “I will.” She ended the call.