The Dirty Red Series

by Vickie M. Stringer

  Q stood up. “Well, Foxy, c’mere, give me a hug.”

  Foxy complied. “When you gonna let me show you how a real woman does it?” she asked seriously.

  “I don’t think I can handle you.” Q was amazed at how real Foxy’s breasts felt against his chest. If I didn’t know she was a he, I’da fucked her a while ago. “You’re a whole lotta woman.” Q laughed to clear his thought, and began walking toward the door.

  “And don’t forget that,” Foxy joked.

  Q headed back to the loft. He hoped Red was at the bank cashing the check he’d gotten back from Zeke the night before. It was time to move on with their lives.

  • • •

  Bacon sat in Maurice’s new BMW 760Li sedan outside Foxy’s apartment. He wanted to see her as soon as he got home because he wanted some pussy, but he saw a familiar Range Rover on the street, then saw Q leaving. A few minutes later, Foxy called his cell phone, but he didn’t answer. He was too busy reflecting back to his last conversation with her. Is he fucking her, too? I didn’t know she knew him. I wonder what else she hasn’t told me. Bacon followed Q when he pulled away from Poindexter Village Apartments. He needed to get a location on Q—he knew Red wouldn’t be that far behind.

  Bacon sat in his car laying in the cut on Q. It was a perfect chance for him to do Q, but he wanted to find out where Red was first. Bacon watched as Q hugged an older woman good-bye. Bacon assumed that it was a family member, and now that he knew where Q’s family was, he knew he’d always have a way to catch up with him again. Not wanting to be detected, Bacon slumped down in his seat a bit as Q drove right past him. Bacon pulled off in the opposite direction and circled the block one last time. We’ll see each other again, he promised himself.

  • • •

  Later that evening, back in Bloomfield Hills, Bacon stewed that his home was no longer his. Although Maurice welcomed the company, it didn’t sit right with Bacon that he was a guest in his own home.

  Getting out of the car and gathering the mail, he went inside and sat down. After thumbing through it, he saw a letter from Triple Crown Publications addressed to Lisa Lennox. He tore into it and read:

  Dear Ms. Lennox,

  Due to the overwhelming success of your novel, Bitch Nigga, Snitch Nigga, we would like to offer you another one-book deal worth $50,000. If this would be of interest to you, please contact me.

  Also enclosed is the second payment for the contract of Bitch Nigga, Snitch Nigga as well as royalties.

  Kammi Johnson

  Bacon looked at the checks that were included with the correspondence. The first one was for $15,000 and the second was for $10,000.

  “Not bad,” Bacon said, holding the checks worth 25 g’s in his hand. He ambled to the telephone and called the phone number listed on the letterhead.

  “Triple Crown Publications, how may I help you?”

  “May I speak with Kammi Johnson?” Bacon code-switched and asked in his most professional sounding voice.

  The person put Bacon on hold.

  “Hi, this is Kammi. How may I help you?”

  “This is Isadore Jeffries, agent to Lisa Lennox.”

  “Good morning Mr. Jeffries,” Kammi replied cheerfully. “How may I help you?”

  “I’m contacting you regarding the correspondence you sent pertaining to another contract. We’d like to get everything moving as fast as possible.” Bacon smiled.

  “Great, Mr. Jeffries. Uh . . . you said you’re Lisa’s agent, correct?”

  “Yes. She’s actually away on a personal family matter.” He lowered his voice to get sympathy. “Her sister Raven was murdered.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that! We can wait, Mr. Jeffries, until she’s able to talk to us.”

  “As her agent, I have proxy to sign whatever documents you need.”

  “Great. We’d like to get this going ASAP as well. Do you have a fax machine so we can send the contract?”

  Bacon gave Kammi the number to the fax machine that was upstairs in Maurice’s office.

  A shit-eating grin plastered Bacon’s face when he saw they were willing to pay 50 g’s for the second book. Because they thought he had proxy, Bacon was able to sign the contract for Red.

  Fair exchange ain’t robbery.

  • • •

  Red arrived at the unusually crowded bank. She wanted Q to go with her but he elected not to. Always impatient, today she didn’t let the crowd bother her. She was hopeful and ready to begin her new life with Q. She stood in line after filling out her deposit slip, waiting patiently for her turn. About twelve minutes later, she heard, “Next,” and walked over to the next available teller.

  “How may I help you?” the friendly voice behind the window asked.

  Both women stood in shock for a minute. It was Kera! They hadn’t seen each other since the move, a little over a couple of months. Red noticed that Kera looked tired and worn-out. Her hair was unstyled and she looked like the life was drained out of her. Red, on the other hand, was looking her best.

  “I’d like to deposit this into my checking account.”

  As Kera’s gaze took in the amount of the check her eyebrows rose instantly, making her amber eyes more pronounced. “As a matter of fact,” Red added, wanting to rub Kera’s nose in shit, “I’d like ten thousand back.” She smiled.

  Kera attempted to make small talk while she began to punch a bunch of numbers. “Checking or savings?” she asked out of habit.

  “I said checking,” Red said smartly. She didn’t look Kera directly in the eye. She treated her like a mere customer service clerk, not like someone who was once her friend. Red would never forget how Kera had betrayed her and almost cost her her very life. If it wasn’t for her sending that letter to Bacon, Red wouldn’t be in the situation she was in now. She wouldn’t have gone to visit him, she wouldn’t have fucked him and the paternity of her baby would have been known. In a sense, Red was glad she didn’t have the baby because she didn’t know whose it was, but it was just the principle that Kera was supposed to have been her friend and fucked her in the end.

  “Have you heard from Sasha?” Kera asked as she keyed in more numbers.

  “I’ve been out of the country,” Red said sarcastically.

  “Well, girl, she got a new man, and it looks like he’s taking good care of her.”

  “That’s nice.” Red began patting her foot, impatiently.

  Suddenly, whatever Kera had punched in her computer made a beeping sound. Red drummed her perfectly manicured nails on the dark granite countertop. “What’s taking so long?”

  “She may still be in town.” Kera began to key the numbers again. “I met the dude she’s with.” The numbering sequence caused another beep. “She said he had some business to tend to, but girl, he was the blackest nigga I have ever seen. I think that’s what she called him too—Black.” She paused for a moment. “Naw, it was Blue. Hey, I’ll be back in a minute.” She flounced away with Red’s check.

  Blue?! Inside, Red was fuming when she thought of Sasha being with Blue. Droplets of sweat formed on her nose. That bitch always wanted to be like me . . . BE me. Now she with Blue? Even though I don’t want his shit-mouth ass, he will always be my man, she thought. She was going to track down Sasha to see if this was indeed true. For Sasha’s sake, she prayed it wasn’t.

  Red abruptly came back to her senses when Kera returned to her window with the check and a small piece of paper.

  “So, how’s life as a new mommy treating you?” Red figured Kera was embarrassed with the way she’d let herself go. “How’s the happy little family?”

  “Actually, we’re fine,” Kera lied as she slid a picture of the three of them toward Red.

  “Oh, wow,” she said, fakely. “Isn’t this sweet.”

  Kera began following the instructions on the piece of paper and slid the check through her machine. This time, it didn’t beep. They both heard the machine imprint something on the check. Red was glad. She was ready to get out of there but
not before hammering a nail in Kera’s casket.

  “You heard from Terry?”

  Lord, please help me hold my tongue. Kera’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Red, who was now grinning like she had won the lottery. Fuckin’ bitch, she said to herself, then apologized to the Lord. She grabbed the check and read the printout. Her scowl was replaced with an even bigger grin than Red’s.

  “There’s been a stop payment on this check,” Kera said in a louder than normal voice.

  “What? Run it through again!”

  “I’ve done it three times. You may want to get in touch with the issuer.” Kera continued to talk loudly so the other customers could hear. She smiled because she knew Red was embarrassed. “I’m gonna have to take thirty dollars out of your account for a returned check fee.”

  In a huff, Red grabbed the check. “Take it out!” She stomped out the bank.

  Little did Red know that was all Kera needed for her to say because she had more plans to get back at Red: Fair exchange ain’t robbery.

  With a satisfied feeling, Kera called out, “Next!”

  CHAPTER 15

  Seeing Q made his mother smile. She had been worried about him because she hadn’t heard from him in weeks and their last phone call had ended so abruptly. Q wasn’t expecting her to come over. Although his mother was welcomed at his home anytime, he was glad she’d arrived after Red left for the bank. He didn’t feel like any drama today.

  Q’s mother questioned him about his whereabouts and the reason behind his sudden departure, but Q never gave her a straight answer.

  “Was it because of Raven?” she asked, her lips pursed. Q could never lie to his mother, so instead of starting, he didn’t answer. She knew what that meant. “Q, you’re a grown man, but I will always be your mother.”

  “I know, Mama.” Q kissed her on the cheek in hopes to divert her thoughts.

  His mother walked into the kitchen. “You’ll never guess who I ran into while you were away.”

  “Who, Ma?”

  Red was pissed off about the check when she got to the loft. When she heard voices, she closed the door as quietly as she could. Q and his mother were in deep conversation. She didn’t alert them that she was home, she wanted to hear the rest of their conversation.

  “Anyway, no woman will ever know you like I do,” said Q’s mom.

  “You’re right, Ma.” He kissed his mother on her cheek. “And just so you know, no woman will ever take your place.” He knew what his mother was getting at and he wanted to reassure her that she’d always be his number-one girl.

  Red heard them walking toward the kitchen door. She ducked behind a partially built wall that held a flat screen TV. It shielded her from Q and his mother’s view.

  “Be careful, son,” she said as Q escorted her to the front door. “I know a snake when I see one.”

  Red was beyond livid now. She knew that Q’s mother didn’t like her, but this was taking it too far. She was going to make Q’s mother eat her words.

  Q was always spoiling his mom, and they left to go to the mall. Soon Red was left alone in the loft.

  • • •

  Red paced around the apartment, trying to cool off. She’d come home to tell Q about the check, but knew that doing so immediately would cause more questions than she had answers for. She worried that the money, or lack thereof, would change their relationship, and that was not a question Red was ready to tackle. She decided to leave well enough alone until she received answers.

  Watching the Channel 10 News, Red listened while the reporter told the Motor City how dumb Mayor Kilpatrick really had become.

  “In the middle of the affair, the mayor texted love notes to his aide.”

  Red’s mind quickly went back to Q’s mother. She couldn’t believe the woman called her a snake, especially considering she didn’t even know her.

  During the trip to Mexico, Red had made a conscious effort to begin to right the wrongs she had done to Q. It appeared as if she was still on the right path. Now she was afraid that Q’s mother would distort his perception of her and open old wounds.

  The words Q spoke to his mother lingered in her mind. She knew she could never take his mother’s place, but she was gonna sure try. She was even more pissed that Q had left the house with his mother. Red continued pacing and stopped in front of the couch.

  “Damnit!” she yelled, and swung her arms, knocking two pictures that were on the end table to the floor. Everything was going wrong all at once. She had also been trying to get in touch with Gloria for a couple of days and so far was unsuccessful. Red was so incensed about what was going on that she didn’t hear the knock or notice the turning of the doorknob on the front door. Stomping toward the door, ready to leave to go to the office, she flung it open.

  CHAPTER 16

  Hey, baby,” Kera said as she walked through the front door. She took a half day off to spend with Mekel. Mekel was able to make ten times the money Kera made, with fewer hours worked. His job as a hustler made her somewhat envious. Mekel would rise early to check his traps, and then spend the afternoons and evenings at home chillin’.

  Lil’ Mekel was in his swing, enjoying the ride, while Mekel was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on lunch.

  “Hey, ma,” he greeted her.

  She stopped the swing, picked up the baby and walked into the kitchen.

  “How was your day?” he asked.

  “You won’t believe who came in the bank today.”

  “Who?”

  “Red.”

  “Red?” Mekel had to search his memory bank. “Oh, your girl who you stayed with.”

  “Yeah, her. Well, guess what. You know she’s a real estate agent, right? Well she comes in the bank today to cash a one-point-six-million-dollar check.”

  “O-kay.”

  “And there’s a stop payment on it.”

  Mekel’s eyes got big. “Ooh, that’s messed up. I know that had to be embarrassing,” he said after Kera told him how crowded the bank was. “I feel sorry for her.”

  “Feel sorry for her? For what?”

  “That’s your girl, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, and.”

  “The fact that she tried to cash a check that large, she was obviously going to do something with the money. Man, that’s messed up.”

  Kera looked at Mekel like he was crazy. She didn’t want him to know why Red was upset with her or anything about their history. Kera wanted to maintain the pristine image that Mekel had of her. Her plan to take him away from Terry had worked. He just didn’t know it.

  After lunch and a relatively peaceful afternoon, Mekel was in the nursery about to put his son down for a nap and Kera was in their bedroom putting clothes away when the phone rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Kera yelled. “Hello?”

  An automated voice came through. “You have a prepaid call from”—Terry, another voice said. “Press five to accept or hang up to decline the call.”

  Kera pressed five. She had some stuff to get off her chest.

  “Hello. Is Mekel there?”

  Kera cocked her neck to the side and looked at the phone. She got her nerve calling here for my man, she thought. “Who is this?” she asked in order to taunt Terry. She had a major attitude.

  “You know who this is, Kera.”

  Kera’s blood pressure rose instantly. She wanted to yell, but decided against it. No need to alarm Mekel when she had something she needed to tell this crazy trick. All of the religion left Kera’s body. She gritted her teeth and spoke forcefully. “Bitch, you got your nerve to call here.”

  “Look, I asked to speak to Mekel.”

  “Well, you gotta go through me to get to him, so whatever you have to say to him, you can say it to me.”

  There was silence on the other end. Finally, Terry spoke up. “Well, can you put him on the other phone? That way, I only have to say this once.”

  That was a reasonable request, but Kera wanted to add more salt to the wound.
“Actually,” she said through a yawn, “he’s waiting for me in our bedroom.” She paused for a moment to gather more venom. “Just so you know, Mekel is a great father, Terry. He said he wants to have a lot more kids with me,” she lied. “By the way, how are your kids, Terry . . . and their fathers?”

  Despite how much of a Christian Kera had become, she couldn’t resist hitting Terry just where it hurt; she knew Terry had lost custody of her children and her baby’s daddies were ghost.

  “Okay, I deserve that, Kera.” There was another light pause. “How’s the baby?”

  Kera pulled the receiver away from her ear and looked at it as if it were a foreign object. “Do you really care, Terry? You try to kidnap my baby, then you wanna know how he’s doing? What? You wanna make sure he’s okay so you can do it again?”

  “Look, Kera, I was calling because I was wrong. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Mekel and most of all, your son. I hope he’s okay because if he’s not, I would never be able to live with myself.”

  Kera fell silent momentarily. She actually felt sincerity in Terry’s words; however, this was something that would not go away with an apology.

  “You know what, you just better be glad you’re behind bars because that’s the only place you’re safe right now,” she threatened. “Oh, and don’t call back here. Mekel doesn’t want to talk to you.” She slammed the phone down. A voice behind her startled her.

  “I don’t want to talk to who?”

  • • •

  “Ooh, you scared me,” Red exclaimed. When she’d flung open the door, it revealed Zeke standing there.