Heaven was the only one who was unfazed by the sight. Instead, she studied the gunshot wound with a critical eye.
“Help me roll her over some more on her side,” Heaven directed to Sonya.
Together they lifted Shell’s body until she was nearly on her stomach. A new patch of blood stained hair appeared.
“Nita hurry up with that other bucket of water,” Heaven yelled.
“Sis, what’s up?” Sonya questioned.
“I don’t know yet,” Heaven replied.
Anita returned with the bucket.
Heaven looked up at her oddly. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Anita answered.
Heaven could see that Anita looked a little out of it but she didn’t bother to continue her questioning. Her main concern and focus was Shell at that moment. She began soaking Shell’s soiled hair while Sonya leaned in as before and carefully cut chunks of it out. After the second round of water and Sonya’s crafty cutting the three of them stared down at what Heaven had already figured and hoped was the case. The additional hole in the back of Shell’s head indicated that the bullet had entered through the side and exited out the back.
“At least it’s not still in there,” Heaven stated, relieved. “She has a better chance of living,” she added.
Heaven rose to her feet. “We need to know who the fuck is responsible for this.” Her tone was murderous.
Sonya and Anita nodded.
“Whoever it was had to be squattin’ on us for a minute now if they caught Shell slippin’ like this,” Sonya offered.
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” Heaven agreed. “Nita, you sure that day you thought you were being followed was really a false alarm?” Heaven turned and asked.
“Now that you say something, I can’t be for sure,” Anita answered doubtfully. “I mean, they could’ve been and just kept going because they realized I was on to them. That’s a possibility but I’m not sure.” Anita grimaced and shrugged her shoulders.
“Okay,” Heaven retorted. “Well some shit like this bound to leak out. If your cousin is as strong in the game as you say he is then he should be able to find something out. Call him and tell him you need to meet up with him asap and then fill him in all this. We ain’t leaving the mutha’ fuckin’ south until we get to the bottom of this shit.” Heaven’s tone was stern.
Anita pulled out her cell phone and did as she was told.
“What are we going to do about Shell?” Sonya asked. “We can’t just let her stay fucked up like this.”
“We not,” Heaven assured her. “But for now, we just gotta monitor her until we figure out how she got like this in the first place and handle that shit. We ain’t go hard like we did back home for nothing. You think I’ma come way down here and let some shit like this ride? It’s not gonna happen,” Heaven growled. “Mutha’ fuckas done stole from us and drew blood in our camp. Now somebody gotta pay for this shit. Simple as that,” Heaven ended abruptly.
Sonya nodded in agreement. They had went to war and taken lives for less, so she knew not to expect anything different. She couldn’t help but think about her friend’s condition. She knew if she lost Shell it would be like losing a piece of herself. They had been partners from the very beginning. At that moment, Sonya understood how Heaven felt when they had lost Earth.
“Go find something to clean her wounds and wrap a cool towel around her head,” Heaven instructed Sonya breaking her chain of thought.
“He didn’t answer, I left him a message and texted him, he’ll call or text me back,” Anita interjected.
“Okay.” Heaven glanced at her watch. “Where the fuck is Mia at?” she asked no one in particular. It had just dawned on her that she hadn’t made it back yet. Nearly two hours had gone by since Mia had left the house Heaven noticed.
“I was wondering the same thing,” Anita replied.
“She should’ve been back by now.”
Heaven pulled out her cell phone and dialed Mia’s number. After one ring, Mia’s phone went straight to answer machine.
She could tell Mia had deliberately sent her to her voice mail. She was just about to dial it back when a text message appeared across her screen from Mia.
The text read, “I’m on my way.” The text put her somewhat at ease, knowing Mia was okay.
“She’s on her way back now,” Heaven told Anita as she responded to Mia’s text.
Heaven wondered what could have been so important that Mia had to run out with all that was going on and been gone for so long. Although Heaven trusted her judgment, the moment Mia walked through the door she had some serious explaining to do…
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Arriving at destination,” the computerized voice announced. Tyrone Howard pulled onto the grass of the house he was looking for. He thought he’d never arrive at the address deep in the back woods of the country part of the city. Thank god for navigation systems the doctor thought. There was no way he thought he would have been able to find the house had it not been for its’ help. But then again, as bad as he needed the money he knew he would have been motivated to keep trying until he did. Ever since he had thrown his education and career away by losing his license for selling prescriptions drugs and forging prescriptions, the former medical student turned doctor had resulted to illegal medical practice full time. He was more than excited to receive the call from his drug dealer cousin requesting his services and assistance. His only hope now was that he wasn’t too late and didn’t miss the opportunity to make a few bucks. Although he wasn’t filled in on any details, Tyrone detected the urgency in his cousin’s tone, so he figured it was a serious matter. It had taken him nearly two hours to get to his destination, which he knew was enough time for someone in his cousin’s line of work to die. The thought caused Tyrone to hurry out of his vehicle.
The door to the house was slightly ajar when Tyrone reached the porch.
“Cuz?” Tyrone called out.
Tyrone waited a few seconds then pushed the door just enough to poke his head inside.
“Cuz?” Tyrone called out for a second time. “You there? Oh shit!”
Reflexively, Tyrone snatched his head back out of the house.
“What the fuck!” he cursed.
The body stretched out on the couch and sprawled out on the living room floor caught him by surprise. Tyrone planted his back up against the house. He could feel his armpits beginning to sweat, the way they always did when he was nervous, as his heart rate increased. His mind was moving a hundred miles a second as his heart pulsated up against his chest in rapid speed. Tyrone bent over and placed his hands on his knees then took a deep breath in attempts to pull himself together.
His gut was telling him to jump back in his car, drive off and pretend he hadn’t saw what he had, but his mind was telling him something different.
“Fuck that,” Tyrone said aloud.
It only took a few seconds before he allowed his mind to win the battle. He weighed up the pros and cons as he thought about his current financial position. Tyrone made his way back to his car. He popped his glove compartment and retrieved the 38 revolver he normally traveled with in case of emergencies. This is an emergency he told himself. Despite his educational background, Tyrone was from the streets so he was no stranger to danger. He steadily made his way back onto the porch with his revolver in hand. Slowly, he eased the house door open with the bottom of his tee shirt then slid himself inside. He now had his weapon raised in the air ready for whatever. As he got closer, he didn’t recognize the body on the couch, but he knew the one on the floor was his cousin Corey. He also noticed an additional body in the kitchen. Knowing his cousin, Tyrone drew the massacre up as a drug deal gone bad. He shook his head at what he believed to be frivolous murders. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Tyrone started with his cousin. He knew what he was doing was unethical and questioned his morals, but he was a desperate man. Tyrone rolled his cousin onto his back. After checking both of his front pockets,
he shoved the two wads of cash he had recovered into his own pockets then made his way into the kitchen. He did the same with the dead man laying on the floor. Although it was in no comparison to his cousin’s, Tyrone relieved the body of its’ small fortune. He smiled as he anticipated the bills he would pay behind his actions. Two down and one to go, he thought as he rushed over to the body on the couch. Had he not caught his balance, he would have tripped and fell on top of the dead body. Tyrone looked down and noticed what had almost caused the mishap. He kneeled down beside the duffle bag. Something urged him to open it up. Tyrone’s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of the content. He became nervous all over again.
There were well over fifty packages of what he believed to be kilo’s of cocaine in the bag he thought. He couldn’t believe his luck. He wondered how the bag was overlooked but was glad it had been. Tyrone zipped the bag back up and stood. He didn’t even bother to check the dead man’s body on the couch. Instead, he made a beeline straight to the front door. As before, he opened the door with the bottom of his tee and let himself out. He secured the duffle bag in his trunk and backed out of the driveway. Once there was distance between him and the house, Tyrone pulled out his cell phone.
“911 how may I help you?”
Tyrone cleared his throat. In his best female voice he said, “Yes, there’s been a murder.”…
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mia killed the engine to the rental. She snatched up her fitted and the two phones out of the passenger seat then slowly climbed out of the car. Her body was sore and the black eye she had was the cause of her splitting headache from the scuffle she had back at the house. While she navigated her way back to the house a few times she thought she would not make it but by the grace of God she had. When she was physically ready to give up her will power kicked in. Her anger was her fuel and motivation. Mia drug herself up to the door. As soon as she opened it, Heaven stood with hands on her hips stoned face while Sonya and Anita stood with arms folded in the background.
“Where the fuck you been?” Heaven immediately tore into her.
Rather answer, Mia took off her fitted.
“Oh my god,” Sonya was the first to cry out. She rushed over to Mia.
Instantly Heaven’s face softened and her tone changed.
“Mi, what the hell happened to you?” Heaven moved in closer.
Mia fought back her tears. She had been strong up until then. She knew she had to hold it together.
“Shell’s dead.” Her tone was low and sounded defeated.
Both Heaven and Sonya looked at each other puzzled and then back at Mia.
“Mia, what are you talking about? Shell’s here with us,” Sonya offered.
The words took a second to register with Mia. The news confused her. In her mind, she had already envisioned how things would play out once she had shared the news to her crew. She was more than happy to hear that what she thought was actually a lie, but she knew the rest of information she had was nothing but the truth. All the thinking began to drain Mia of what little energy she had left. Her legs quivered. Heaven and Sonya both caught her just in time.
“Nita go get her some water,” Heaven instructed as they guided Mia over to the couch.
“Mia, who did this to you?” Heaven asked for the second time.
Mia dug her hand into her jean’s right pocket and was about to go into what happened just as Anita returned with the water.
“Here you go.” Anita handed the glass to Mia.
Mia flashed a half of a grin and took a sip of the water.
“We’ve been getting’ played this whole time,” Mia announced.
“Played? By who? Mia what are you talkin’-?”
Heaven was stopped short in mid sentence by the sound of a ring tone.
The lyrics to the familiar ringtone filled the air.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Mia slyly asked.
She flashed the cell phone she had taken off the dead body at Heaven. Heaven stared at the phone for a second and then turned towards the left of her once it had registered. Before anybody could say or do anything else, Anita immediately sprung into action.
“I’m sorry!” Anita cried out as she backed away from the couch using Sonya as a shield. She had managed to get behind Sonya and take her hostage at gunpoint. When Mia had first entered the house in the condition she had Anita had a feeling she had discovered her involvement. The water gave her enough time to draw her weapon in case she was right.
Heaven also had her own weapon drawn and Mia was now on her feet with hers cocked and ready as well. The situation had caused Mia to gain her second wind. Heaven couldn’t believe it. It was like de javu all over again.
How the fuck did another snake slither their way into my circle she wondered. Just as she hadn’t with LeLe, there was no way Heaven was going to allow Anita to get away with the betrayal.
“Nita put the gun down,” Heaven ordered. She had her gun locked on Anita.
“Shoot this bitch!” Sonya yelled.
“Shut the fuck up.” Anita tightened the choke hold she had around Sonya’s neck. She spun Sonya around and began backpedaling towards the front door.
“I trusted you,” Heaven stated.
“You don’t understand,” Anita rebutted. In the beginning, she had fought with her decision out of the love and respect she had for Heaven for saving her from a life sentence, but she allowed her greed to get the best of her. Besides, she was not like the rest of the crew. She was not loyal to the things they were. She had no desire to return to New Jersey nor did she want to go on a suicide mission and join their witch-hunt to avenge their former boss’s death.
“I told you this bitch wasn’t right,” Mia gritted. She was waiting for Anita to slip up and give her a clear enough shot to take.
“Fuck you,” Anita cursed at Mia. “You don’t know shit. It’s because of me ya’ll asses lasted this long or else you’d be locked the fuck up,” she added, believing her own words.
“Now, it’s because of you we’re in this predicament,” Heaven reminded her. “Just put the gun down so we can fix this shit.” She tried to rock Anita to sleep. Anita wasn’t buying what Heaven was selling though. She let out a loud laugh.
“I may not be the sharpest knife in the bunch but I’m not the dullest one either,” she referenced to seeing right through Heaven’s words.
She continued backing up towards the front door with a tight grip around Sonya’s neck.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen like this,” Anita stated. “I just wanna get out of here,” she added.
Anita continued to make her way towards the front door. Other than getting out of the house, she had no plan. She contemplated on whether taking Sonya with her would be her best option.
Both Heaven and Mia inched their way towards Anita as she backed up.
“We’re not letting you leave up out of here with our girl,” Heaven told her. “Let Sonya go and we’ll let you walk out of here.”
Anita sucked her teeth. “I’m taking her with me,” Anita barked.
Her words were all the motivational fuel Sonya needed.
The blow came from out of nowhere. The shot Anita managed to get off, before she bellied over and dropped her weapon, whizzed pass Sonya’s head. The elbow Sonya delivered to the mid had done the trick. She wasted no time launching an attack on Anita.
“You stupid bitch,” she cursed as she lunged her knee into Anita’s face. The impact from Sonya’s knee caused blood from Anita’s nose and mouth to fly across the room and sent her crashing to the floor. Sonya continued her assault as Anita fell to the ground. “This is for my peoples.” Sonya roughly kicked Anita in the ribs repeatedly. She was in a blind rage.
By now, Mia had made her way over to Anita and joined in on the assault. She kicked Anita in the head and spit on her curled up body.
“That’s enough,” Heaven ordered. She knew if she didn’t stop them they would beat Anita to death. That’s not
what she wanted. She had other plans.
Sonya and Mia ended their attack.
“Lift her up,” Heaven instructed as she walked over towards them.
Sonya and Mia did as they were told.
“Stand the fuck up straight.” Mia yanked Anita’s arm.
“Fuck you,” Anita spat with a mouth full of blood. Both her nose and her mouth were bleeding profusely.
Mia delivered a hard shot to Anita’s gut. Once again, Anita bellied over. She was immediately snatched up right by Mia.
“Was it worth it?” Heaven asked.
Anita looked her square in the eyes and remained silent.
“What the fuck were you thinking Nita, and why?” Heaven continued. She wanted answers but Anita still gave her the silent treatment.
“She’s a fuckin’ snake, that why,” Mia volunteered.
“Answer her bitch,” Sonya demanded to no avail.
“So, you don’t have anything to say huh?” Heaven retorted.
“Okay, well here’s my last question then and let you not answer this.” Heaven’s eyes grew cold. “Where’s our shit at?”
Anita took Heaven’s question in. It was the only question that she knew she could answer truthfully.
“I-I don’t know,” she answered as a glob of blood spilled out of her mouth.
“Well then you’re no use to us then.”
The two shots in succession caught both Sonya and Mia by surprise as they stumbled a little. The first bullet tore into Anita’s chest like a hungry lion during chow time. The second one caused brain matter and blood to spray paint Sonya and Mia’s faces. They released Anita’s limp body at the same time and let it fall back to where they had picked it from then each wiped their faces with their shirts.
Heaven didn’t even flinch. She watched Anita’s lifeless body hit the floor.
“We gotta get up out of here,” Heaven announced.
Sonya and Mia gave agreeing nods.
“Sonya go get Shell situated to move while Mia and I wrap this bitch body up. We can’t just leave her here.”
One Way To Heaven Page 8
