Cheaper to Keep Her part 2 (The Saga Continues) Read online

  have some damn kids.” I abruptly stood to my feet.

  Detective Whitfield grabbed me by my arm. “Where you think you're going?” he asked me.

  “You better get your hands off of me,” I roared. I was in a state of indifference. It was Whitfield’s

  job to handle the black bitch in case I didn’t go along with the program. Plus, no way did I want a white

  cop to touch me like this. Hel , I didn’t want this muthafucka touching me like this.

  Again Detective Whitfield surveyed the bookstore to see if I had caused people to look at us. He

  leaned in towards my right ear and said, “If you don't cooperate with us then I would personal y make

  it so that you end up back in jail where you started. I don't have time for your games. The judge

  dropped the charges against you based on the condition that you help us. Now if you continue to give

  me problems, then I wil make a cal right now to the jail so they can start your paperwork while I

  transport your ass back down there.”

  “So now you're threatening me?” I snapped and then I snatched my arm away from him.

  “I don't make threats. I make shit happen,” he snapped back.

  Detective Rosenberg took one step toward us in effort to defuse the situation. I wasn't in the mood

  to hear a word he had to say. So I took the first step to leave. But before I could take the second step,

  Detective Rosenberg grabbed my arm as delicate as he possibly could. I stopped in my tracks and

  looked at his hand as it held onto my arm. And within three quick seconds I looked straight at him. “If

  you don’t take your hands off me I am going to scream,” I told him.

  He immediately removed his hand from my arm. “Look,” he began to say, “Look Lynise, my

  partner and I know you're bitter about this whole situation, but if you get on the same page with us,

  we can help you get the justice you deserve.”

  “Look, I understand everything you guys are saying, but I'm going to need to sleep on this tonight.

  So hand me your card and I wil cal you tomorrow.”

  Detective Rosenberg pul ed a business card from his jacket pocket and handed it to me. I

  grabbed it from him and made my way out of the bookstore. I looked back a couple of times to see if

  I were being fol owed. And when I realize I hadn’t, I dashed around the corner and power walked back

  to the hotel.

  Wondering what in the fuck was I doing . . .

  Cheaper to Keep Her part 2 Unique

  Let’s Be Real-Chapter Five

  When I arrived back at the hotel I realized I hadn’t done anything I had set out to do.

  I was right back where I started. And after I re-entered the room, I slammed the door and sat back

  down on the bed. I picked up the remote control and began to surf through the channels. Unfortunately

  for me, there wasn't a thing I wanted to watch on television. I started to rent a movie from the demand

  channel but then I decided against it because the room wasn't in my name. Bishop probably would

  not have cared one way or another, but it was the principal behind it al .

  Since I had nothing else to do, I've decided to lie down and catch a quick nap. With al the stuff I

  had going on, I found it hard to close my eyes. So I just laid there and stared up at the ceiling. The

  conversation I had with the detectives kept replaying over and over in my head. And the part that

  bothers me was the fact they wanted to use me as fish bait to reel Duke's slimy ass in. As bad as I

  wanted to see that bastard in jail, I wasn't about to gamble with my life to do it. Not only that, I had

  invested a lot of time and emotion fucking with Duke. I needed compensation more than just simple

  gratification and seeing him behind bars. I was broke and I had no place to cal home. I needed some

  type of funding. I needed a new wardrobe, a whip and a place to lay my head. So somebody was

  going to have to pay up or keep it moving. I was a chick from the streets and it was about time for

  everybody to know it.

  I hadn’t realized I had fal en asleep until the hotel door opened and closed. The way Bishop and

  Katrina walked in the room startled the hel out of me. She cut her eyes at me for a brief second and

  again she walked into the bathroom. Bishop on the other hand, took a seat in the chair by the table

  and asked me how long I had been asleep?

  I looked over at the clock on the nightstand and said, “Not long. Maybe about forty-five minutes.”

  Bishop smiled. As much as I wanted to say it was a devious smile, I couldn’t. It was just a simple

  smile. And for whatever reason, I didn’t know how to take it.

  I said, “Were you and Katrina able to handle your business?”

  Bishop shook his head. “You wil not believe what happened while we were out.”

  “What happened?” I whispered.

  Before Bishop could utter another word to me, Katrina walked out of the bathroom. He and I both

  looked at her. Believe me, I felt a little awkward when she looked at me. To me, it was more of a stare

  than anything, which made me believe that she was probably eavesdropping on our little chat from

  the bathroom. I waited for her to come out of her mouth the wrong way because I wasn’t going to

  hesitate to curse her stuck-up ass out.

  “Have you decided what you are going to do?” Bishop asked.

  Katrina took a few steps towards him while she was fixing her blouse. “I’m going to head back

  over the water. I figured while I’m over that side I could wait for that guy to cal me.”

  “You sure you want to do that?” Bishop questioned her.

  Without giving it much thought, Katrina said, “Yeah, Ia saHm fine with it. I’l be al right. I mean,

  what can he do to me?”

  “I just don't trust him.”

  Katrina turned towards the door and began to walk towards it. “Wel , if I have any problems, then

  I’l give you a cal .”

  Bishop sighed. “A’ight,” he said and then he shook his head.

  It didn't surprise me when that heifer walked out the door without saying goodbye. She’s the type

  of chick who wanted everything her way and if she couldn't get it, then she’d make shit very difficult

  for everyone around her. When I worked at the club I always made it my business to avoid her. I did

  this to keep from fucking her up.

  There were a few times when she got into a few arguments with a couple of dancers. Now I've

  got to admit that Katrina was one feisty bitch. But the two dancers she had the confrontations with

  were even crazier. Those chicks were from Portsmouth and they held their city down. So it would've

  been funny as hel to see them whip her ass. Thank God for Neeko. He was her savior ’round there.

  And she knew it too, which is why she kept running her fucking mouth. I wonder what she was going to

  do now. Neeko was dead and gone and he was no longer around to save her dumb ass?

  “So where did you guys go?” I asked him.

  Before he answered me, he placed his finger against his lips. “Shhhhh, let me see if she’s gone,”

  he said as he got up from his chair. He tiptoed over to the hotel door and gently turned the knob.

  When the door clicked, he pul ed it open, trying to be as quiet as he possibly could and then he

  peeped out into the hal way. When he brought his head back into the room, he closed the door and

  said, “She’s gone.”

  I laughed. “Don’t tel me you’re scared of her,” I commented jokingly.

  Bishop sat back down in his seat and said, “
Come on now. Do I look like I’m scared?”

  I cracked a smile. “I don’t know now. You could be one of those guys that act al macho but as

  soon as a fight breaks out, you start running.”

  “Don’t let the nice guy exterior fool you,” he replied as he readjusted himself in the chair.

  “So, are you going to tel me what happened?” I wondered aloud.

  “Remember I told you how the books were adding up.”

  I nodded my head.

  “Wel , she tel s me that she was instructed by Neeko to give some cat named Ty thirty grand to

  buy one and a half kilos of coke.”

  “Hold up now, that is a lie. For as long as I’ve known Neeko, I’ve never known him to deal in

  drugs.”

  “I said the same thing,” Bishop commented. “So when I told her I needed to see this gu y, she

  came up with some lame ass excuse about how Neeko was the only one who had the guy’s number,

  but she knew where most of these stash houses were.

  “Did she take you?”

  “Lynise, you won’t believe the goose chase she put me on.”

  “Where did she take you?”

  “She drove me around to every hood in the city of Norfolk."

  “So I take it you didn’t see him.”

  “No I didn't.”

  “So what are you going to do? Leave it alone.”

  “Hel no. I am not letting shit go! She is going to either show me who this nigga is so I can get my

  brother’s dough back or let me take it out of her ass! Like I said before, I have never known Neeko to

  be involved in drugs. So in my opinion, she either has the money stashed away for herself and

  doesn’t plan on letting anyone know about it. Or she has already spent it.”

  I could tel Bishop was getting a little aggravated because he was about to say something, but

  then he stopped. So to take the edge off and lighten up the mood, I smiled and said, “Don't get al

  bent out of shape. I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but in the end everything is going to come

  together.”

  Bishop sighed heavily. Then he looked towards the ceiling, took a breath and looked as if he was

  going into deep thought. I wanted so badly to ask him what was he thinking about, but I decided

  against it. I mean, I was sure he thought I was cool, but he barely knew me. And when you barely

  know someone, it wouldn’t be wise to tel them your most secretive thoughts.

  A few minutes later, he told me to excuse him while he made a phone cal out in the hal way. I

  acted as if I didn't mind at al . But knowing about everything going on with Neeko’s murder, Katrina

  acting al weird and suspicious, and the fact I had a detective's phone number stored away in my

  pocket were enough for everyone involved in this shit to be on edge. I just hoped I come out on the

  winning end when it was time for the fat lady to sing.

  Cheaper to Keep Her part 2 Unique

  Suicide Mission-Chapter Six

  When Bishop walked back into the hotel room he told me to come with him.

  I stood up from the bed and asked him where were we going? “I want you to take a ride with me,”

  was al he said as he led me out of the room.

  He refrained from talking to me while we waited for the valet to bring his vehicle around. Once

  inside, he couldn't keep his mouth closed. I sat there and listen to him vent about how he wished he

  would’ve come down here a lot sooner to help Neeko out with his business. He continued to harp on

  the fact of how Neeko used to always beg him to become his partner. And if he would’ve taken

  Neeko up on his offer, then he probably wouldn’t have gotten murdered.

  “Don't beat yourself up,” I chimed in.

  “You don't understand. Neeko was my baby brother. I was supposed to protect him and have his

  back in any situation. But look at him now . . . murdered. And the fucked up part about it is that I can’t

  bring him back.”

  “Where are we going?” I attempted to change the subject. I figured the way this conversation was

  going, I’d hate to see Bishop go on a suicide mission, especial y while I was with him. Hel , I was trying

  to live.

  “Katrina just cal ed me and told me to hurry up and get back across the water,” he replied right

  after we got on Highway 264 from Independence Boulevard. He stayed in the far right lane as we

  headed towards downtown Norfolk. He had the gas pedal to the floor. I looked at the speedometer

  and I clearly saw that he was driving one hundred and ten miles per hour.

  “You might wanna slow down a little because the state troopers around here stay on the alert for

  speed demons,” I volunteered, but Bishop didn’t take the heed.

  “I can’t think about them right now. I’m gotta get back to P-town and head up to the club before this

  person leaves.”

  Hearing Bishop just tel me that we were on our way to my old job in Portsmouth instantly gave

  me an anxiety attack. I tried to hold it back but I couldn’t. My heart began to beat uncontrol ably and I

  couldn’t breathe. I reached for the power button to lower the passenger side window and then I

  literal y stuck my head out of the window. Bishop looked over at me when I started exhaling and

  inhaling the outside air. “Are you okay?” he asked. I felt the speed of the truck slow down a little.

  I wanted to explain to him what was going on with me but I couldn’t open my mouth.

  “Do I need to pul the truck over?” he asked.

  I raised my hand and was final y able to open my mouth. “No, you don’t have to pul over. I just

  needed some air,” I told him.

  “Are you sure?” he pressed the issue.

  I brought my head back into the truck and sat straight up in the seat. I placed my hand across my

  chest and then I turned my attention towards Bishop. By this time, he had slowed his truck down just a

  little bit more, so I assumed we were driving at least eighty miles per hour.

  “When you said you were going to the club, my mind couldn’t wrap that thought around my heart. I

  mean, I haven’t been back there since I was arrested. So I’m clearly not comfortable going there at

  al .”

  “What are you not comfortable with?”

  “I worried about seeing Duke for one. And if I saw my ex-best friend named Diamond, then I’m

  gonna real y freak out. Because I’ve wanted to kick her ass from the day I found out she set me up.”

  “Let me tel you something, you don’t have to worry about Duke. You’re with me and I’m not

  gonna let anything happen to you.”

  “What if it’s beyond your control?” I interjected.

  “Listen, just trust me,” he said as he picked up more speed.

  “I’m sorry Bishop, but my trusting gene has left the building,” I responded. I mean, how could he

  come out of his mouth and tel me to do that? Didn’t he get the fucking memo that I’d just gotten out

  of jail from trusting a nigga who cared two shits about me! Come on now, wake up! We live in a cruel

  fucking world. And to add insult to injury, he’s only one person, so how in the hel wil he be able to

  defend me against Duke and his wolf pack. I was sure Bishop had a gun of some sort in his

  possession, so I knew he felt confident to defend himself just in case he ran into an ambush. But

  poor little me would be a lost cause.

  As he continued to drive towards the Portsmouth tunnel, my heart began to sink deeper and

  deeper into the pit of my stomach. Not knowing what was going to happen
gave me an unsettling

  feeling. “Look Bishop, can you at least tel me why we’re going over there?” I had to ask. I wasn’t

  going to rest until I got that question off my shoulders.

  “I just got off the phone with Katrina and she told me that there’s this guy in the club who has some

  information for me concerning Duke and that cat who has Neeko’s thirty grand.”

  “Wel , that’s good news. But don’t you think she should’ve gotten that guy to meet you

  somewhere other than the club? I mean, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go up there.”

  “I understand your concern. But don’t worry. I have everything under control.”

  After he gave me that explanation, I felt that there was nothing else to discuss. It was obvious I

  had reservations about going to the club. But since he felt differently, I realized I had to take this whole

  thing with a grain of salt. He said he’d take care of everything and that he’d make sure nothing

  happened to me, so I sat back in the seat and started praying to my Father in heaven. I knew he

  would be the only one that would be able to keep me out of harm’s way.

  Bishop took Portsmouth Boulevard’s exit, crossed the railroad tracks and cruised around the C-

  shaped curve. The moment I laid eyes on the Magic City, I damn neared wanted to drop out of the

  passenger side of the truck. But when he told me to climb into the back seat of the truck while he was

  slowing down, I felt somewhat better. The windows of the Suburban were tinted real y black, so it was

  entirely impossible for anyone going in or coming out of the club to see me.

  “Do you see Katrina’s car?” I asked him.

  He scanned the parking lot immediately after he parked the truck. I searched the entire area

  myself and we didn’t spot her vehicle. “Maybe she parked around back,” I suggested.

  “Maybe you’re right. Let me go inside the club and see if she’s in there,” he said and then he got

  out of the driver’s seat and assured me he’d be right back. I ducked down real y low and peered

  over the passenger seat so I could get a ful view of everything.

  From where I was sitting, everything appeared to look the same. The parking lot was packed as

  usual with nice cars driven by niggas trying to either buy themselves some pussy or get themselves a