Gangstress

by India

  Attempting to scream was useless because my voice was caught somewhere down in my stomach. Without hesitation, I sprinted toward Ace as fast as I could and threw all of my weight on top of him. The collision was so hard that we both fell to the ground with a loud thud. I hit my head on a rock in the grass and was bleeding pretty badly.

  The fall was just the distraction Smoke needed to escape. Turning on his heels, he began to run through the low-income housing development like a bat out of hell.

  Checking the magazine on his gun, Ace sprang to his feet like a jack-in-the-box. “I’m out!” he yelled in anguish. If Ace didn’t kill Smoke tonight, he would surely come back for Ace. We couldn’t allow that to happen. It was time to put an end to this madness so that we could move forward with our lives.

  “Here, take mine.” I handed him both of my guns. When he looked down and saw my bloody forehead, his mood softened.

  “Are you okay, Janie?” I could tell he was torn between ensuring I was okay and catching Smoke. Inside I smiled. Even in the midst of mayhem, my man was a gentleman.

  “I’ll be all right. Now go get him!” I yelled, scrambling to my feet as best I could.

  Ace took off like a track star behind Smoke. Within minutes, they were both out of sight. The fall had me slightly dizzy and a little shaken up. My stomach felt queasy. Therefore, I leaned over, prepared to throw up, but the only thing coming out was spit.

  Just as I was beginning to get my bearings, I heard sirens and saw the police lights approaching in the distance. I scanned the parking lot for Alicia. Per my instructions, she was gone. “Damn!” I cursed. The police were extremely close. I knew it was only a matter of minutes before they would be swarming the place.

  Surveying the area, I tried to plan an escape route. Unfortunately, I was unfamiliar with the projects. I didn’t know whether to go left or right. Then I remembered my homegirl lived nearby. In a flash, I dashed toward Keisha’s house, hoping like hell she was home.

  Chapter Forty

  “Keisha, open up. It’s me, Janelle!” I yelled and banged on her door for a minute straight before I realized her car wasn’t parked out front. “Shit!” My heart raced. By now, I could hear the police dogs barking and a helicopter circling the area above. I couldn’t call Alicia because I didn’t have my cell phone on me. Furthermore, I had no idea where Ace was. Quickly, I contemplated kicking Keisha’s door in but decided against it. I didn’t want anyone to hear the noise then point the police in my direction.

  With no other options, I casually stepped off the porch and commenced walking toward the front of the housing complex. If I could just make it out of here, get to a main street, then I was sure to be in the clear. However, the second I began walking, I was hit with the helicopter spotlight, which was looming overhead. Praying like hell that I hadn’t been made, somehow I knew shit had just gotten real.

  “Fuck!” I rolled my eyes at the sea of people surrounding the crime scene. The shooting had only taken place twenty minutes ago. Even so, news traveled fast in the hood. Everybody and their mama was outside trying to see what was going on. There was no turning back, nowhere else for me to go. Therefore, I continued to walk, doing my best to calm my queasy stomach and wipe my bloody face.

  Apprehensively, I made my way into the center of the commotion, portrayed myself as one of the onlookers, and stopped to check out the crime scene. There was a gang of people whooping and hollering about their lost loved ones. Several others attempted to offer their version of what had gone down. As each individual provided a different account of what they had seen, I smirked within. So far, nobody’s story was even believable, which meant the police had no leads.

  With my head down, I bypassed a few officers who were roping off the crime scene. Out of respect, they were also covering the deceased with white sheets. “Not my baby. Lord, please tell me that’s not my son lying there.” A light-skinned woman was being restrained by family members who were attempting to keep her from seeing her son in his current state.

  I looked over to see that the man she was referring to was the same one I had dropped with one shot. Truthfully, I felt bad for the woman. Nonetheless, that was the game. All of this could have been avoided if Damien and Smoke hadn’t tried to kill Ace. If shit would’ve gone sideways and they had actually succeeded in executing my man, then it would’ve been my tears that were being shed and not hers.

  After making it through the throng of bystanders, I could finally see the main street in the distance. Yet, I noticed a few more obstacles in my path. In an effort to locate potential witnesses, several police officers were interviewing neighbors. Everyone was so busy with one thing or another that no one even bothered to look my way. Prematurely, I exhaled a sigh of relief. Just as I thought I was in the clear, nearly home free, this big black woman raised her hand and pointed directly at me.

  “That’s one of the shooters right there, Officer!” she exclaimed. “I saw that lady right there shooting one of those guns.” In her pajamas, the large woman stood in the doorway with a baby on her hip and another toddler tugging at her leg.

  “That woman right there?” the male officer asked in disbelief.

  “That’s what I just said, didn’t I?” She placed a chubby hand onto her free hip and rolled her eyes. I promise, if looks could kill, I would’ve murdered that bitch with my gaze right then and there. Hadn’t she ever heard about the “no snitching” rule? Where was her loyalty to the G code?

  “Excuse me, ma’am, may I speak to you for a second?” the officer calmly stated while speaking into his walkie-talkie at the same time. “This is Officer Tidesdale requesting assistance near the Mack entrance of the Brewster Housing Projects.”

  “What do you need to talk to me for?” I tried to play it cool, but internally I was sweating bullets.

  “I would just like to ask you a few questions.” He pretended to smile. “It’s only routine, ma’am.” While reaching to unfasten the clasp on his holster, he approached me with caution.

  “If this is routine, tell me why you’re walking up on me with your weapon drawn.” My hands were already raised in surrender.

  “This is standard protocol when apprehending a suspect, ma’am.” A veteran officer wouldn’t have provided me with so much information. Therefore, this cop had to be a rookie. My ass would’ve been laid out with my face in the dirt, my feet crossed at the ankles, and hands cuffed behind my back.

  “I’m pregnant, Officer. Do I look like a killer?” I asked just to mess with his mind. Although I wasn’t really showing, it gave him something to consider before shooting my ass. The moment he paused to ponder my statement, I took off like a bat out of hell and didn’t look back. I needed to get the hell out of dodge before his backup arrived.

  “Freeze!” he yelled as he proceeded to pursue me on foot. I was gone with the wind. I had him by a few yards. Even with a baby on board, my feet didn’t fail me. For that small blessing, I was thankful. That was until a police car came out of nowhere and barely avoided hitting me. Screachhhh! Tires slid across the pavement. The squad car began to smoke.

  “Lie down! Put your hands behind your back, or I will shoot!” The driver of the smoking vehicle emerged to apprehend me.

  “I’m pregnant, sir! I can’t lie down on the ground, but I can spread my hands across the car,” I tried to reason with the man. However, someone had obviously pissed in his coffee, and he took it out on me.

  “Bitch, you’ll do as I say!” The officer from the vehicle damn near body-slammed me down to the ground then cuffed me.

  “Please stop. You’re hurting me!” I screamed out in pain. This was no exaggeration either. Now I was fearful for the safety of my unborn child due to the unnecessary use of force the officer utilized.

  “Hey, bruh, that’s a female. You ain’t gotta treat her like that.” A bystander came to my defense.

  “Get the fuck out of here before I arrest your monkey ass too!” After flipping the onlooker the bird, the old cop returned his att
ention to me. With a comment like that, I knew I was dealing with a racist prick. Cringing inwardly, I figured this was not likely to turn out in my favor.

  “Who the fuck is you calling a monkey? Cracker!” The spectator looked pissed beyond measure.

  “I’m talking to you and the gorilla that had you, you black bastard!” The cop laughed as he yanked me up from the pavement then bent me over the hood of the squad car.

  “Ahhh!” I screamed. “Man, this hood is hot. It’s burning my face.” I tried to lift my head. However, he forcefully held it down while enjoying my agony.

  “I’m calling the news on you two bitches!” The bystander pointed at both officers while pulling a cell phone from his pocket. He then proceeded to record the incident. “Hold tight, li’l mama. We ’bout to get paid off this shit. I’m calling Sam Bernstein on that ass!” His mention of the popular attorney from television commercials did nothing but irritate the veteran officer.

  “Get that clown and his phone out of here,” the older cop instructed the rookie, who shooed the man away as best he could. While his partner was away, the vet took the opportunity to body search me. He began with my vagina. Vigorously, he palmed my private area and made a circular motion around my clit. After that, he smelled his fingers like a pervert. I could feel his manhood rising and rubbing against my ass.

  “Isn’t it department protocol to have a female officer frisk me?” I knew my rights. This fool was definitely not following the department’s code of conduct.

  “Do you have any weapons or drug paraphernalia that I should be aware of?” he asked, blatantly ignoring my question.

  “You are one crooked muthafucka to be violating my rights like this.” I rolled my eyes as his nasty ass began to fondle my breasts.

  “You ain’t got no rights, jailbird.” He smirked while turning me around to face him.

  “Oh, I got your jailbird.” As hard as I could, I kneed his perverted ass right in the balls then watched him double over in obvious agony. Obviously, the pain didn’t last too long, because he stood up and sucka punched the shit out of me. Blood sprayed from my mouth. I prayed like hell that I still had teeth.

  “Brisbane, what in the hell is going on over here?” the rookie asked as he marched back over to the car.

  “The bitch was resisting arrest.” He assessed the damage done to his swollen knuckles while rubbing his aching nuts at the same time.

  “How was she resisting arrest? When I left here, she was already in handcuffs.” Looking at the damage that had been done to my face, the rookie shook his head.

  “Are you questioning me?” The vet raised his voice. There was no response from the rookie. “Read her her Miranda rights and let’s head back to the precinct.”

  “What if this gets out?” the rookie inquired. He was as nervous as a $2 ho in church on First Sunday.

  “It won’t get out. Her word means nothing, and you ain’t gon’ say shit. Now read the bitch her rights and let’s roll.”

  Chapter Forty-one

  For the entire ride to the police precinct, I laid my head up against the squad car window cage with my eyes closed. I contemplated how in the hell I was going to get myself out of this situation. Particularly since I didn’t have a lawyer. This was quite a predicament to be in. Nevertheless, I knew enough to know that if there was no evidence, there was no case. As far as their fat-ass witness went, I could easily have someone handle her before the trial even began. So that didn’t really faze me.

  Believe it or not, I was more concerned with the lesson I was going to teach Officer Brisbane than I was with being a free woman. I was eager to teach the racist cop a thing or two about respect. I couldn’t wait to catch this fucker by himself and beat the dog shit out of him.

  “Let’s go, convict.” The vet opened the car door and pretended to help me out of the back seat while copping one last feel of my tits. If I hadn’t been afraid of him hitting me again, I would’ve spit right into his eye sockets.

  As we made our way through the double doors, I received a few glances from concerned officers. Yet no one stopped to inquire about what happened to my face. Assumingly, the men and women in blue lived by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

  “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” The vet pointed to a folding chair against the wall and instructed the rookie to guard me.

  Squatting down beside me, the rookie whispered into my ear, “I want to apologize for the way my partner handled the situation.”

  “No offense, homeboy, but it’s way too late for apologies.” I turned away from him. Honestly, I did appreciate what he was trying to do. But where was all of that kindness when his partner was assaulting me?

  “I’m sorry, so very sorry.” The rookie stood back up and headed over to the water fountain for a quick drink.

  “Janelle?” Someone called my name. I looked up to see Officer Bryant, the cop who let me get away after shooting Gudda at the trap house. “Girl, we have to stop meeting up like this.” He smiled, then immediately frowned when he noticed the burn on my face as well as the busted lip. “Holy shit! What happened to your face?”

  “Why don’t you go and ask that officer over there?” I nodded to the rookie who had damn near choked on the water he was gulping.

  “Yo, Tidesdale. Tell me what the hell happened here.” Bryant hemmed his fellow officer up against the wall. The commotion caused a small stir in the precinct. But for the most part, no one gave two shits about what was going on. Therefore, they continued to mind their own business. “Did your partner Brisbane do this?”

  “What do you think?” Tidesdale replied in a low tone. The veteran officer must have had a reputation for the shit he did to me, I assumed.

  “Oh, hell no! Not today! And not with her! Where is he?” Bryant’s chest moved up and down as his jowl muscles tensed.

  “He’s down there filling out paperwork.” Tidesdale pointed. Bryant was so outraged that he took off down the hall like a bat out of hell, almost knocking someone to the ground. I watched as he rounded the corner, then laid my head up against the wall to collect my thoughts. However, before I had time to process anything, I heard my name again. This time, my heart skipped three beats.

  “Janelle, what are you doing down here?” Gran stepped away from the officer who was walking beside her. With worry in her voice, she wobbled over to me.

  “Gran, what are you doing here?” I answered her question with a question.

  “Someone robbed me on my way into my apartment building tonight. They took my purse and the keys to my apartment.” She sat down beside me. “My building manager called the police then called the maintenance man to change my locks.”

  “Gran, are you okay?” Now I was the worried one. “Did they hurt you?”

  “No, I’m not hurt. Just shaken up, that’s all.” She sighed. I looked down and noticed her hands were trembling. For years, my father had offered to move Gran into a safer neighborhood. She always refused.

  “Mrs. Doesher, let’s go into my office to finish your report.” The officer had waited patiently for us to converse. However, now he was ready to conclude his business with Gran.

  “Are you in trouble, granddaughter?” Gran asked before reaching out and gently touching my face.

  “No, ma’am. I fell earlier and messed myself up, that’s all.” I lied with a straight face. She didn’t need to worry about anything else. There was already enough on her plate. “I’m just waiting for a friend to finish up reporting her stolen car.” With my handcuffed wrists buried between my thighs, she had no choice but to take my word for it.

  “Okay, well, I should be done soon if you need a ride.” She headed off down the hallway.

  After about an hour of waiting in the hallway like a sitting duck, I noticed Bryant and Brisbane approaching. I exhaled. Good, bad, or ugly, I was ready to face the music.

  “Looks like you’re free to go.” Brisbane sorrowfully unlocked my handcuffs with a sour look on his face.

  “
What happened, change of heart?” I smirked.

  “You’ve got to be one lucky little bitch,” he mumbled.

  “That’s enough!” Bryant dismissed his coworker. “Janelle, the captain decided to release you due to lack of evidence. However, he still has you on the suspect list, so don’t go out of town.”

  “Please believe I won’t be skipping town anytime soon. I’ve got business to handle.” I spoke loud enough for Brisbane to hear me. “See you soon, playboy.” I smiled as he continued to walk back down the hallway. Knowing he had fucked up, he tried to play it cool.

  “Janelle, would you like to file an incident report regarding what Brisbane did to your face?” Bryant asked.

  “No snitching, remember?” I lived and would die by that rule. Too bad there weren’t others who were more like me.

  “Suit yourself.” Bryant shrugged. “Should I call someone to pick you up or can I drop you off somewhere?”

  “Can I use your phone to call my friend?” I liked Bryant. In spite of that, I didn’t know him well enough to give him my address. Therefore, I opted to call Alicia.

  “Who is this?” She didn’t recognize the number. Naturally, she was on the defensive.

  “It’s me, Janelle.”

  I heard a huge sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. “Thank goodness you’re okay. Where are you?”

  “I’m at the precinct downtown.” I gave her the address and instructed her on how to get here.

  “Okay, sit tight. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” She ended the call, and I handed the cell phone back to Bryant.

  “Thank you.”

  “No problem, Janelle. Come on, let’s wait outside.” He pushed the door open for me. The night air was muggy and stale, but I wouldn’t dare complain. Just an hour ago, I didn’t know the next time I’d be a free woman.

  “So what’s up with you?” I took a seat on the top step, and he followed suit. He sat so close to me that I scooted down just a tad. I didn’t want to make it obvious that he was too close. Nevertheless, I didn’t want him to get the wrong impression either.