Chapter 14

Summer 2004

The Dirty Dozen showed resistance in the beginning to Buck and Quinton’s leadership. They didn’t believe that Buck and Quinton had Chaka’s business savvy, and they began talking about dismantling the crew. Buck was clearly not entertaining the idea. He stood his ground, knowing Dave, Danny, and Quinton would lay down the life of any nigga in the room dumb enough to test him. That wasn’t his concern. Buck’s real concern was that one or more of these fake-ass busters could have killed his partner. Judging from the way they were behaving, the killer may have been in their midst.

Sparks flew when money came up short for the legit businesses, but Quinton was a tyrant when the illegal kitty started taking losses. It was now a matter of getting to each man, ensuring that the plan was still intact and they were on board. The buzzards were hovering, but the Baker Boys 5 weren’t taking one short lightly.

The annual barbecue that the Baker Boys 5 held was the meeting place to get things in order. Niggas were walking on grass in dress socks, knee shorts, and gators, like they didn’t own sneakers and play clothes. Buck reminded each man of the real reason they were able to stunt so wonderfully.

“This thing got started because, collectively, we put our heads together and made it work,” Buck said. “You can pretend this is your thing and Chaka was repaid, but you muthafuckas are committed to the bigger picture.”

Danny and Dave stood vigil next to a picnic table, listening and watching the reactions of each man, hoping for a negative response.

“No one wants a nigga here, if he really wants to leave. That’s not what this was about, but every man here still owes for the initial venture capital that started this shit. You niggas ready to settle your debt now and walk?” Buck asked. True, Buck was a brute, but he had more sense than they’d all given him credit for. “The rules haven’t changed,” he continued, “just some of the faces. Each man that wants to leave owes an exit fee. The fee is the same for every man, whether he earned it or not, so I want to know if there’s any man here ready to pay.”

Danny almost laughed as he watched a few of his comrades’ faces drop. Dave didn’t waste time holding in his laughter. He didn’t give a damn. Quinton was impressed as Buck waited and watched for anyone of them who was tired of living the good life.

Most of the niggas sitting on the benches were walking investments. They had credit cards, beautiful homes, fancy cars, and a number of businesses, but they all had hella spending habits. Only six men could say that they could pay the exit fee right then, four of whom were the original members of the Dirty Dozen. The other two dudes were from Jersey and Philadelphia. They were located close enough to the city to reap the knowledge Chaka had been trying to bestow. They had learned the lessons, and Chaka had claimed their loyalties, despite all the rumors of a takeover.

Buck now knew he had six men in his camp for sure. No one’s books or accounts were a secret, and he knew six men could have bought their way out if they so chose. They were a conglomerate, in every sense of the word. They paid taxes and such on their legal businesses, hired lawyers, and gave to charity. He waited a little longer until a few others became restless with the silence.

“Any man wanting to leave is more than welcome to do so. Just make sure you can settle your debt. There will be no hard feelings. Enjoy the barbecue,” he said as casually as he could muster.

In the park the deal was sealed. Buck, Quinton, Danny, and Dave all cleared up any misunderstandings. Business would go on as usual. They had to keep on top of the game, search for Chaka’s killers, and keep the extension of their success in line.

***

A few weeks after the barbecue, another bit of drama had begun to unfold. Earl was back from hell with his bullshit. He had a crew of niggas hustling and making a name from nothing. Soon enough they knew that situation would not be ignored. The ruler that was used to measure others was no longer in effect. And it was becoming clearer each day that Eve might have helped Earl kill him, so the time had come to move against them both.

The potential to get sidetracked was high, especially now with all the responsibility of running the Dirty Dozen on Buck and Quinton, since Danny and Dave had moved to the Carolinas and were carving out their fortune there. But Buck and Quinton knew now was the time to focus and take action against Chaka’s killers.

As Quinton and Buck spent more and more time in the streets, trying to get to the bottom of Chaka’s murder, Anissa became angry with Quinton’s long days and longer nights away from home, accusing him of being more loyal to Chaka’s grave than her.

Quinton tried to understand her anger, but he didn’t know how to explain his side of things. His lack of communication was a breeding ground for more drama. He was offended that Anissa didn’t support him after he had always encouraged her to pursue whatever she needed to do, and so the tension grew between the couple.

“You’re more loyal to your boys than me,” Anissa shouted at him one night. “But at night when you’re too tired to take off your shoe, I do it for you. When you need me to listen to your plans and fears, I’m right here for you. Muthafucka, who’s gonna be here for me when they run you in the ground?”

Quinton was tired of her tirades. He had learned to just sit quietly and let her vent. It was easier than responding.

“What are you going to do if you never find out why Chaka was killed, let alone find out who killed him?”

The question slid from her lips with more compassion than she wanted to convey. Her plan was to make a point and get Quinton to see it was time to move on with their lives, but Quinton stormed from the house, leaving her there alone to wonder if he would return.

The thought had never occurred to Quinton that he might never find the answers to the questions that drove him day and night. He had to find Buck, who would help him make sense of it all. Anissa was right. He didn’t know what would happen if he never learned the truth.