One Way To Heaven

by J. M. Benjamin

“I still don’t get it.”

  “It seems she did some time with the perp Anita Abrams some years back. She used to braid Ms. Abram’s

  hair, so every now and again she would hold personal conversations with her. Well according to her, Ms. Abrams made mention of getting out and building a house on some land some family owned in South Carolina. It was a shot in the dark, but I looked up the last name and narrowed it down. I made countless calls to the boys down there in a few different areas, who put the word out, and late last night I got a call from a Sheriff in Florence, who by the way I owe dinner and a movie. He told me that a Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Abrams owned a lot of land down there in the Florence and Timmonsville area,” she paused again. “And that my friend has the address to the Abrams residence.”

  “Bravo, well done,” Detective Saleski clapped. “Joy, I could kiss you,” he chimed.

  “I rather you not,” she smiled.

  Detective Saleski fanned his hand at her.

  “I gotta say, this has to be one of THEE best birthday gifts I have ever received!”

  “That’s sad.” Detective Crawford shook her head.

  “No, like Tony the Tiger says, It’s Great!”…

  Chapter One

  Anita Abrams peered out of the rearview mirror of her pearl white Cadillac Escalade for the fourth time as she drove down Palmetto drive. She stroked the handle of her black nine-millimeter Beretta, which rested between her legs, as she studied the dark colored vehicle trailing three cars lengths behind her.

  “I hope I don’t have to put you to work today,” she referenced aloud to her pistol.

  She hoped she was just overacting and the blunt of exotic she, Shell and Sonya had smoked before she left had her paranoid.

  Ever since she had dropped her aunt and uncle off the money in Timmonsville she normally gave them monthly for putting the house in their name and jumped on the road, she felt as if she were being followed. Since they had been in South, Carolina they had tried to keep the lowest profile they possibly could and only did business with a small circle of people they had met through one of her male cousins. It was not easy, especially since they had the best kilos of coke prices from East to West Florence. She wondered who could be tailing her knowing what type of heat came with the drug game. She knew it could only be one of two people, the police or stick up kids. No matter who it was though, Anita had made up her mind that she wasn’t going back to jail nor was she going out without a fight. She cursed herself for leaving her cell phone back at the house in Florence.

  Heaven had emphasized on more than one occasion that none of them should ever leave out of the house without their phones in case of an emergency, but she was speeding and rushed out without thought. Now here it was her carelessness could be the cause of her losing her freedom or her life. At that moment, Anita knew the true meaning of a hard head making a soft behind. She grimaced as the car sped up and closed in the gap between them.

  “Fuck,” she mumbled under her breath.

  It was now only a car length behind her SUV. The gold Chevy emblem of the charcoal colored Impala illuminated in Anita’s rearview. She noticed two bodies in the front seat of the vehicle but between the tint on the top of the front windshield and the glare from the beaming southern sun it made it difficult for her to get a good look at the occupants. Anita’s speedometer read 59 miles per hour. Despite the speed limit being 55, she accelerated until the needle surpassed 65. The vehicle behind her followed suit.

  “Okay you wanna play mutha’ fucka’s.” Anita sat erect in her SUV. She could feel her adrenaline pumping. She increased the volume of her Young Jeezy CD on the steering wheel. With her turn coming up soon she knew it was now or never. There was no way she was going to lead whoever was following her to her crew she told herself. Anita removed the safety on her weapon and un-locked the Escalade’s doors. As she reached the two-way intersection, she began to slow her speed. Rather than making her normal right, she hooked a left. By now, she had her gun tightly gripped in her right hand ready for whatever. She wasted no time pulling off to the side of the road. She placed one hand on the SUV’s door handle and the other on the trigger of her weapon. Despite the chill from the air conditioner, sweat trickled down the side of Anita’s face. This is it, she thought, as she waited for the car’s next move. To her surprise, the black Chevy Impala kept straight.

  Anita watched as the car cruised by the intersection. Within seconds, it disappeared into the distance.

  She wiped the remaining perspiration that had formed on her forehead with the palm of her hand.

  “Damn, I need to stop smokin’ that shit.” She laughed aloud.

  “Sorry girl, false alarm.”

  Anita kissed the side of her gun before she slipped it back between her legs then busted a u-turn in the middle of the road…

  Chapter Two

  “Man, why the hell you didn’t turn behind the bitch?” Peedie shouted at his partner John-John.

  “For what?” John-John answered. “You ain’t see that her fuckin’ ass was on to us? Would you had been the one to tell big bruh if we would’ve fucked this up?” he followed up with a question.

  Peedie let out a gust of hot air in frustration.

  “I’m getting’ tired of all this waiting shit. We should’ve just grabbed that bitch back in Timmonsville and forced her to tell us where all that shit at. Instead we ridin’ around followin’ mutha’ fuckas.”

  John-John peered over at his partner. He knew how impatient Peedie could be at times. It was the same lack of patience that had gotten them caught on burglary charges and sent them to the Darlington county detention center when they were fifteen. The very same reacting without thinking first mentality that had nearly gotten them killed at a juke joint in Hartsville when they were nineteen when he had underestimated a man and moved too fast. It was also the same impatience that had landed them both in Evans Correctional Facility in Bennettsville for seven years of their thirty-two years of living six years ago for shooting someone in the leg when they only intended to rob him. No matter what the case, John-John continued to take the bitter with the sweet. The two of them had a history and the good outweighed the bad. There were times when John-John who had put them in situations or predicaments that would have caused them to lose their freedom or lives and Peedie had never complained. They were crime partners and John-John knew his partner always had his back. The two were friends and all the other had. Aside from Peedie being short, brown skinned and stocky and John-John being blue black, tall and slim, the two men had a lot in common. They were both an only child and had grown up together in Hartsville in the small Security housing projects. They had took to the streets and been doing stick-ups and other petty jobs since they were fourteen years old as a means of survival after John-John’s mother had over dosed on heroin and a month later Peedie’s mother was stabbed to death by one of her jealous lovers. Neither of the two knew their fathers and the rest of their family didn’t want anything to do with them. It was actually John-John’s idea to start robbing and stealing and Peedie went along with the idea, no questions asked. Both their bond and trust in one another was unbreakable.

  “Man, I knew I should’ve drove,” Peedie shouted.

  John-John shook his head as he anticipated his friend’s next words. He had heard them so many times in similar situations that he could just about recite them himself. “I would’ve run that bitch off the road and shoved ‘ole Bessy in her mouth and made her tell me what we needed to know,” Peedie said referring to his 44 revolver.

  John-John mocked Peedie under his breath nearly verbatim until he had ended his famous speech.

  “What if she wouldn’t have talked?” John-John posed the question as he drove. He always got a kick out of his partner’s responses whenever he posed the question.

  “Then ole Bessy would’ve done the talking for her city slickin’ ass!” Peedie kissed the side of his revolver. “Ain’t that right girl?” he addressed his gun.

  “
Then we would’ve been right back to square one and you would’ve had some explaining to do.” John-John smiled as Peedie searched for a comeback.

  “Well yo’ ass got some explaining to do now since you let that bitch get away.”

  “I guess,” John-John shrugged as he made his way back to Hartsville…

  Chapter Three

  The loud but sweet smelling aroma of Sour Diesel met Mia at the doorway as she stepped into the living room and scanned the room. She removed her shirtsleeve from her watch and checked the time. She shook her head in disgust. In three minutes the meeting that Heaven had told her to call at 12pm would be starting, which meant all members of their crew should have been present. Instead, Shell and Sonya sat at the round table and rotated a blunt in a two-man cipher after every three pulls while there was no sign of Anita.

  “Deme? Que asa mami?” Shell noticed the irritating look on Mia’s face.

  “I’m good,” Mia replied dryly. “Where’s Nita at?”

  “She still hasn’t gotten back from auntie and ‘em crib,” Sonya offered.

  “This bitch know Heaven hates when mutha’ fuckas ain’t on time.” Mia glanced at her watch again and noticed only one minute remained before her boss would walk through the door. “This the second time her ass been late for some important shit. One of ya’ll call her phone.”

  Shell and Sonya looked at each other then back at Mia and burst into laughter. A few months back they would have immediately said something to Mia for trying to come off like she was their boss giving orders. It took a minute, but after learning her through countless of heated arguments and growing to love her like a sister, they knew Mia meant no harm.

  “Yall some silly asses, what’s so funny?”

  “You bitch,” Sonya chuckled. She took two more pulls of the blunt and passed it to Shell then pulled out her cell phone.

  “Oh, I’m funny? I’m here to amuse you?” Mia retorted in a sarcastic manner.

  “Girl, you ain’t no fuckin’ Joe Pesci and this ain’t no Good Fellas,” Shell joined Sonya with a snicker. “Here, take this shit to calm your damn nerves, with your Earth acting ass.” Shell extended the blunt in Mia’s direction.

  “Fuck yall.” Mia smiled then walked over to Shell and snatched the blunt. She took a long drag. For the past six months, Shell and Sonya had made reference how Mia had reminded them of her mentor. To them, it was said in humor, but to Mia it was an honor. There was no doubt in her mind that had it not been for Earth she would not be as thorough as she was today. Not a day went by without her thinking of her. Just like a day did not go by without her thinking about killing the person responsible for taking her mentor’s life. In Mia’s book, she had not only lost a friend but a big sister as well. She knew she wouldn’t be able to rest until street justice was served. There was no doubt in Mia’s mind that the time would come and she anticipated its’ arrival. She took another pull of the blunt as she stood in deep thought.

  Her thoughts were suddenly broken by the sounds of a Jay Z song.

  Everybody in the room looked around. They knew who’s phone the ringtone belonged to. Mia was the first to spot where the song was coming from.

  “This bitch!” she exclaimed. She walked over and picked up Anita’s cell phone.

  Both Sonya and Shell shook their heads and smiled as Mia rambled. It was like watching their ex-boss reincarnated.

  “If you not gonna smoke that shit then pass the damn blunt,” Sonya stated.

  “Don’t you see me smoking.” Mia put the blunt up to her mouth and took another hit.

  Sonya rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “She’s a forgetful mutha’fucka.” Mia’s tone was nasal. “I bet ‘chu she was in here smokin’ before she left and rushed out and forgot her shit,” she continued as weed smoke slowly escaped her mouth. She let the smoke exit her nostrils then handed Sonya the blunt.

  “Mia, relax boo,” Sonya offered. “Anita cool peoples. It’s because of her we got a decent place to lay low down here. And her peoples been showing mad love coppin’ from us on the strength of her.”

  “I gotta agree with Sonya on that one mama,” Shell joined. “That bitch definitely been earning her keep.”

  “Tsk!” Mia sucked her teeth. “That’s the only reason I ain’t go up top on her ass. It’s something about her that just don’t sit right with me.” Mia stood shaking her head.

  “You sure it’s not because you’re not her type?” Sonya slyly remarked.

  “There you go talkin’ that bullshit!” Mia exclaimed. “That bird lookin’ bitch ain’t my type!” she added.

  Both Sonya and Shell bellied over into laughter. Sonya knew her comment would get a rise out of Mia. She and Shell were convinced that Mia didn’t particularly care for Anita because the two of them were both studs. From day one, Mia had expressed her disdain towards Anita to Sonya and Shell. For the first couple of months, she and Anita butted heads because Mia did not like the way she moved. She felt Anita was bringing too much attention to them by interacting with her family the way she did. There were times when Mia would secretly follow Anita when she hung out with her cousins at local bars and clubs. She watched Anita’s every move like a hawk, hoping she would make the slightest fatal mistake and give her a reason to get rid of her. Even though Anita had done the foot work and laid the ground work for them to move the product they had been sitting on, Mia still did not trust Anita as far as she could see her. Her male senses and female intuition had never been wrong and she had no reason to not trust them now. It wasn’t until Heaven had told her to fall back on being so hard on Anita that she eased up, but still she kept a watchful eye on her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The sound of Heaven’s voice broke Mia out of her trance.

  “What’s wrong is that your girl Anita is late again and she left her fuckin’ phone,” Mia chimed. She had caught an attitude all over again at the thought.

  Heaven glanced at her watch. “How long has she been gone?” she asked.

  Before Sonya or Shell could answer, Mia beat them to the punch.

  “The bitch been gone all morning,” Mia spat.

  “I hope I’m not the one you’re referring to as ‘bitch’.”

  Anita came strolling into the room midway of Mia’s statement.

  “You’re the only one that’s been gone all morning,” Mia dryly remarked, stating the obvious.

  “You a bitch,” Anita snapped back.

  “See a bitch, smack a bitch!” Mia barked.

  Anita welcomed the challenge. In no time she started making a bee-line in Mia’s direction. Before Mia could meet her half way, Heaven intervened.

  “Both of ya’ll asses chill the fuck out!” She boomed.

  “I’m tired of this dumb shit between ya’ll two. This shit been going on for months now and it’s getting’ played the fuck out. What the fuck is the problem?” Heaven wanted to know.

  “She’s the problem.” Mia’s words came off sounding child like. “She moves reckless.”

  “Reckless? Little girl, please! You don’t even know how to move,” Anita rebutted with a light chuckle.

  “I got your little girl.” Heaven’s word stopped Mia in her tracks before she could follow through on her intended act.

  “If you pull it you better use it!” The look on her face bought Mia back to her senses.

  She dropped her hand from her waistband.

  “Are you two fuckin’ serious?” Heaven asked. “Mia were you really thinking about whippin’ out on Nita? For what? You really need to get your shit together. I don’t know what beef you got with Nita, but that shit stops now! Do you not realize it’s because of Nita we got a good safe house. Do you not realize it was Nita who plugged us with theses jokers down here that’s keepin’ money flowin’ and food in our stomachs. If you don’t see that then you’re just wearing blinders. This shit ain’t about you this is about us, we ride or die together as a team and Nita has been nothing but a team player.”
<
br />   Anita stood there shaking her head in agreement, as Mia stood stoned face listening while Heaven reprimanded her.

  “And Nita,” Heaven shifted her direction. “There are some things I will and have let slide but recklessness, lateness and being careless are not any of them. Mia is right, you have been moving reckless lately.

  Anita’s eyes widened with surprise. A slight grin appeared on Mia’s face as Heaven continued.

  “When we first came down here I stressed the importance of keeping as low of a profile as possible. Now I know you had to go out and mix and mingle with your peoples to get the ball rolling with sales and shit, but you up in strip clubs bringing bitches home with you and staying out all night, leaving your phone and shit and showing up at meetings late is unacceptable. Do you not realize what you do affects all of us? Nobody not even supposed to know we really down here, let alone know where we lay our heads. What if you run into one of them grimy bitches we hear about that be settin’ mutha’ fuckas up? Or worse, what if something happens to you and you don’t got your phone on you?”

  “I’ve only brought one chick here and.”

  “It doesn’t matter. There’s no excuse.” Heaven cut her words short. “Bottom line is, everybody needs to tighten the fuck up!” Heaven looked around the room.

  “That goes for you two too.”

  Neither Sonya or Shell uttered a word. They had been rolling with Heaven long enough to know when not to say anything, whether they had done anything or not. They were used to the words coming from Earth in the past but knew they held even more weight coming out of Heaven’s mouth.

  “Now, let this be the last time we go through this shit. Ya’ll don’t have to love one another but at minimum ya’ll gonna respect each other and have one another’s backs.”

  Mia and Anita stared long and hard at one another then gave agreeing nods.

  “Aight, now let’s get down to business. Nita what’s the latest?”

  “I took care of my aunt and uncle, they send their love. I’m supposed to meet with my cousin later on, he said he got some dudes interested in coppin’ heavy from us and he still workin’ on gettin’ us those I.d.’s and passports. He should know by the time I get with him.”