Chapter 21
I opened my eyes and tried to sit up, but excruciating pain shot through my shoulder. After a few deep breaths and bracing myself for the pain, I tried again.
“Oh no, Mr. Noble. Don’t try to move,” a woman who I assumed was a doctor or nurse said as she approached my bed. She pressed a button on a small remote, which adjusted the bed so that I was sitting up. “Are you thirsty?”
“I’m good. What the hell is going on?” I asked.
“I’m Nurse McGhee, and you were shot in the shoulder.”
I closed my eyes, and the past couple of weeks flashed through my mind. After Noelani put me out for not being completely honest with her, I went ahead with my plans to hit up the stash house, but decided it would be my last.
Most of the money I’d stolen over the years wasn’t for my personal gain.
I wasn’t trying to get rich or live lavishly.
Nothing had changed, but this time, there were a few specific things I wanted to use it for.
Some of those things were personal, some weren’t, but still close to my heart.
Thankfully, the hit was successful, and I officially retired from what had become a lucrative hustle.
A few days later, Myra called me. I was tempted not to take her call, but I couldn’t pretend I didn’t want to know what she had to say. The information she shared whenever she reached out had been helpful.
“Zelle and some of his boys are coming to Onyx City, and to look for you,” she said.
“Who says I’m in Onyx City?”
“Look, you ain’t gotta confirm shit with me. My girl said Zelle’s niece saw a picture on your sister’s Flikstagram that could’ve only been taken in Onyx City. I’m starting to think I must love your ass because I really ain’t gotta keep telling you this shit I be hearing around town.”
I sighed because she was right. I hadn’t been the nicest to Myra the last few times she’d called, and she was just trying to help.
“You don’t love me, but I appreciate you looking out. Wassup?”
Myra proceeded to tell me everything she knew, and from that point on, I was on high alert. I didn’t know what Zelle and his people knew about my life in Onyx City, but I assumed before they made the trip, they’d do their research.
“I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake, and he’ll come and explain everything to you. Some people are waiting to see you. I’ll—”
A knock on the door, followed by two uniformed officers entering, interrupted her. Shit!
“Mr. Noble, I’m Officer Downing, and this is Officer Walker. Can we ask you a few questions?”
“You can ask, but I don’t know anything.”
“Do you remember any details about the incident?” Downing asked.
“I left my house and was headed to see my girl. My car was driving funny, so I pulled over a few blocks away from my house to check my tires. I got out and went to the front driver’s side tire first, but before I could kneel to get a closer look, I heard a gunshot and felt stinging in my shoulder.”
“Do you know what street you were on?” Downing began.
I honestly didn’t recall. I had yet to familiarize myself with the street names in my neighborhood.
“I don’t, but when I left my house, I remember going through two stop signs and making a left turn before pulling over.”
“What’s your address?” Walker asked, speaking for the first time.
I rambled off my address before Downing continued with his questioning.
“You didn’t see anyone, or notice anyone following you?”
“No.”
“Do you have any enemies?” Walker asked, who’d been taking notes.
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“Do you have any idea of who might want to harm or kill you?” Downing questioned.
“I recently moved to Onyx City. If I’m not at work, I’m at home or with my girl. I don’t know many people outside of the people I work with and her family.”
“Have you made any enemies at work?” Walked asked.
"Not that I know of.”
Walker continued taking notes while Downing stared at me like a weirdo. I was about to ask him what his problem was, but he spoke before I could.
“You look very familiar,” he said.
“Yeah. I’ve heard that a few times since I’ve been here.”
“Do you know the Rush Brothers, Rocky and Russell?”
My body tensed at the mention of my brothers’ names, and I was sure Downing noticed.
“Nah. Never heard of them.”
“Interesting. You look a lot like them, especially Russell.”
A man, who I assumed was the doctor, walked in after a quick knock on the door. I was relieved and welcomed the interruption.
“Do you gentlemen need more time?” the man said.
“Nah. They were just leaving,” I responded for them.
“We’ll be in touch,” Downing said with a nod.
“I’m Dr. Ray, and I’ve been taking care of you this evening.”
“Much appreciated. What’s going on?”
“A few things, but lucky for you, none of them are life-threatening. As you know, you were shot in the shoulder. The bullet entered through the back and exited through the front. Unfortunately, the X-ray revealed that some fragments were left behind. The surgeon will be here tomorrow to give you more details on that.”
“I have to stay overnight?”
“You’ll be here at least a few days. If you have to have surgery, depending on when it’s scheduled, you’ll be here at least a week. In the meantime, the nurse will be back to put your arm in a sling. You’ll be tempted to move your arm, but the pain will remind you to keep it still.”
A few minutes later, Dr. Ray left, and Nurse McGhee returned with my mother, sister, and uncle behind her.
“You have some visitors,” she said before leaving us alone.
My mother and sister rushed to my bedside, both teary-eyed but smiling. They began fussing at me at the same time and I almost told the nurse to take them back.
“Hold on. I can’t hear if you’re talking at the same time,” I said.
“I knew that shit would catch up with you eventually,” Ma fussed.
“Ma, chill. I don’t even know if this had anything to do with that.”
She gasped. “You promised me you—”
I shook my head. “Nah, I didn’t promise you anything, but who says I’ve been—”
“Cut the shit, Rowdy,” Uncle David interrupted.
“You think I don’t know where you got the money to fix the shop?
You’re taking money from dangerous people which puts your mother and sister in danger.
I can’t protect them twenty-four hours a day, and neither can you.
Hell, you couldn’t even protect yourself. ”
“I’ve been doing a damn good job of protecting them for damn near my whole life.”
“Well, your luck ran out.”
“It’s my fault!” Ramina shouted.
She’d been quiet since I cut her and my mother off when they first walked in. The three of them looked at her.
“How is this your fault?” Ma asked.
“Nobody back home knew where we were, and things were fine. I posted a picture of me and Violet at her family flower shop on Flikstagram. My page is public, so anyone could’ve seen it.”
I wasn’t on social media but because of Myra, I was aware of the picture Ramina had posted. I didn’t bother talking to her about it because the damage was done. Besides, she was a teenager. I couldn’t expect her not to do shit that most teens did.
“Mina, this isn’t your fault,” I assured her.
“Yes it is. You told me to be careful what I post, and I forgot.”
“Mina, the only person to blame for this is your brother. It’s his actions that put our family in danger,” Ma reassured Ramina before speaking to me. “Rowdy, I’m glad you’re okay, but you need to make better choices, and if you don’t choose right, you can’t stay with me and your sister anymore.”
I chuckled. “You can’t afford—”
“I’ll work overtime or get another job, but if you want to keep risking your life and putting ours in danger, you gotta go.”
“I’m too old to still be living with you anyway, so it’s cool, Ma.”
“Wow, Son! You’d rather leave than stop living on the edge?”
“I was already planning to move out, Ma. It’ll just be sooner than later.”
She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “I love you, Rowdy.”
“Love you too, Ma.”
She leaned over the bedrail, kissed my forehead, and left. Ramina did the same, leaving me alone with my uncle.
“There has to be more to this, Nephew. I get the adrenaline and excitement of it all, but they’re on to you now.”
“I decided my last hit was my last hit. I got enough money to do everything I planned.”
“Where were you tonight?”
“Not where you think. I was a few blocks from our house, headed to see Noelani. That’s why I’m not sure this has anything to do with the stash houses.”
“What other enemies could you have in this city?”
“I don’t have any enemies because no one knows I’m the one hitting up the stash houses.”
“You can’t be sure. Savannah ain’t but a few hours away and the Riders are well connected.”
“I was never connected to any of those hits in Savannah. All they can ever do is speculate.”
“Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. It’s your life, Rowdy. I’ve said all I can say, and so has your mother. It’s up to you now.”
“I told you I’m done.”
“Good. Hopefully, it’s not too late.”
He turned to leave with a solemn look on his face.
“Unc!” He paused with his hand on the door, but didn’t turn to face me. “Can they stay with you until I figure this shit out?”
He nodded and continued out the door. Zelle would never be more than the low-level drug dealer he was, and everyone knew it but him.
I’d embarrassed him in private and in public, and he had too much ego and pride to let it go.
It was clear that he was determined to get revenge, but I had no idea how far he would go.
For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to do, but I had to figure out something quick to keep my loved ones safe.