Chapter 18
Nas
The lightning struck across the sky as I got out of my car.
This storm had the sky dark as if it were nighttime.
If Nina hadn’t called about wanting to meet up I would’ve been home out of this weather.
As the rain soaked my shirt, I jogged towards the entrance of the building.
With the weather being as bad as it was I gave Chance the day off.
Since it wasn’t necessarily a meeting about our business he wasn’t needed for this.
This shit was personal due to it having to do with how we were moving with the information I’d recorded.
“Next time don’t call a meetin’ when it’s rainin’ cats and dogs,” I huffed as Nina stepped into my view.
“Leave it to yo’ lil’ lite brite ass to complain ‘bout some shit,” she waved me off before leading me into a room with a table covered with paper.
“What’s all this?”
“Hopefully with the help of all of this it’ll help us execute a flawless plan.”
“So, a nigga gotta do homework too? Ma I thought you had that part covered.”
“No negro I couldn’t really get that part squared away while being ‘round the muthafucka daily. Plus, genius I didn’t know how or when you’d get the proof I just trusted you’d come thru.”
“Don’t be tryna butter me up with that last line. I don’t why the women in my life feel the need to do that lately.”
“Women? What you mean?”
“Nessa’s ass buttered me up with, uh, relations before she told me she was pregnant. Which I’m willin’ to bet my last dollar you knew and didn’t tell me.”
“Son that wasn’t my business to tell. As an intuitive person I may have sensed it, but I didn’t know for sure ‘til just now. Either way I still wouldn’t have told you because that’s yo’ lady, but congrats I’m gonna be a Nana to two babies.”
“You wouldn’t have told me but I’m yo’ son.”
“Ooh miss me with that bullshit. Hell, I gave you the lil’ bug to be payin’ attention to her.”
“I guess.”
“Exactly! Now let’s get to work on figurin’ out how to end this muthafucka.”
It took us a few hours to go over plans, possible scenarios, the blueprint of the ranch and trying to figure out a possible close employee to flip on Juan’s side.
With him not doing the same shit every day it would be hard to catch him slipping and snatch him up.
The plan we’d come up with was a complete Hail Mary, but I was rocking with Nina on this shit.
I just hoped it would go off without a hitch so we could move on with our lives.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I fished it out.
“What’s good?” I answered as I held the phone to my ear with the top of my shoulder as I held a picture in my hand.
“You tell me,” Chance countered on the other end. “Is everythin’ good because the school just called me to come pick up Nyla because she was still at school. Nigga was it yo’ turn to grab her ‘cause Nessa would never do no forgetful shit like this.”
“Nawl, it wasn’t my turn to get my baby. How far from the school you is?”
“Literally ‘round the corner. I’d just gotten Chanel not too long ago.”
“Alright bet. Nessa maybe at the crib sleep, I’ma go by there and check. In the meantime, do you mind takin’ Nyla with you? Somethin’ feel a lil’ off.”
“You sure you don’t need my help? I could call and see if Yas free to watch the girls.”
“Nawl, just do that for me and I’ll handle the rest.”
“Say less. I got you.”
As I explained to Nina what was going on, I packed up everything off the table.
I wanted to give it one last look over after she dipped just to make sure a better plan wasn’t staring us in the face.
Once I calmed her down with a promise to call if I needed her, I made my way towards the door.
The closer I got to the door; I could hear a voice due to it being slightly cracked.
Careful not to make any noise, I eased over there as I identified the voice.
“It’s happenin’ soon so be careful,” Fernando warned. I couldn’t hear the person’s response, so I figured he was on the phone. “I know and I will. I love you too, Daddy.”
Out of disbelief my head popped up from close to the crack.
I was completely stunned not by what he’d said but how he said it.
Pulling the door open to reveal myself, I couldn’t help but notice Fernando’s reaction.
As he fumbled to quickly end the call, I noticed the pure surprise on his face.
With more pressing matters at hand than his phone, I decided to put a pin in that for later.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, but we gotta go,” I urged as I headed towards the truck.
“Is everything ok, Boss?” He asked as he followed behind me.
“I just need to go check on Nessa. Do you have anyone watchin’ the house?”
“No, I didn’t think we’d be this long, so I didn’t call for a replacement when we left. Is something wrong with her?”
“Nawl, she’s probably just takin’ a nap. However, still push this big ass truck like you stole it.”
“You got it, Boss.”
Fernando did the dash getting us back to our neighborhood in record time.
As we pulled onto our street, I became worried when I didn’t see Nessa’s Jeep in her driveway.
I still had Fernando pull in before I hopped out.
Using my spare key, I walked inside immediately scanning for any signs of a struggle.
When I was sure that nothing was out of place, I pulled out my phone to call Yas.
“Aye, Yas is Nessa with you?” I inquired as I continued to walk through the house.
“Nawl, I talked to her earlier but we ain’t together,” she answered. “Is everything ok?”
“Yeah, I was just tryna surprise her. Do you know what all she had planned for today?”
“She didn’t have nothing really planned today. I mean other than her goin’ to meet Desmond at her old house to grab that photo album that Mama Eva made for Nyla.”
“He told her it was that specific one?”
“Yeah. Nessa been hurt ‘bout it because she thought she had lost it. Turns out it was just misplaced in her spot.”
“Bet. I’ll just wait for her to return,” I lied before ending the call.
Getting into the car, I instructed Fernando to go to Nessa’s old spot.
My blood boiled the whole way there as I thought of what could possibly be going on.
For the sake of me already not liking that nigga, I hoped he gave me a reason to blow his damn brains out.
With Nessa’s spot being close to the hood it took us a little minute to get there.
When we pulled up, I jumped out before Fernando could even park the vehicle.
The door was left open as I stepped inside with my gun drawn.
I’d hoped that nothing foul had happened but that wasn’t the case.
That sign of struggle that I was looking for at her house was evident here as I took everything in.
There was broken glass on the floor, the sofa was knocked over, and there was blood on the wall.
For a moment I just stared at the blood as I stood there too fucked up to move.
Once I was able to move again, I pulled out my phone.
“I need you.”
Sitting at the foot of the bed, I rubbed Nyla’s leg as I watched over her.
I was happy that she was asleep by the time I’d made it to Chance’s house.
I don’t know how I’d answer any questions about her mom right now.
This shit was the last thing I’d expected, and I couldn’t help but blame myself.
Had I killed this nigga like I wanted to for being with Nessa, we wouldn’t be in this predicament.
Getting up, I was careful not to wake the girls as I left out.
“What’s the plan?” Chance inquired when I returned to the kitchen.
“We find Nessa, kill that fuck nigga and go on with our lives,” I explained. “I should’ve been put that nigga in the ground, C. He done violated in the worst way but now that nigga ‘bout to really see who the fuck I am.”
“Well good thing I’m here so you can do just that,” Nina entered the kitchen. “My contact at Miami PD is getting any footage in the area.”
“And have you gotten the results of the blood on the wall?”
“It’s Nessa’s.”
“FUCK!” I cursed as I hit the counter with much force.
“You gotta keep a level head,” Chance reasoned.
“He’s right,” Nina agreed. “I know that wasn’t the outcome of the test you wanted but it’s the result. All we can do is continue to move forward with the hope that nothing has happened.”
“She still alive I feel it. That nigga loved her so he wouldn’t kill her. If anything, he on some grab her and run away.”
“If that’s the case we’re goin’ to get to the bottom of it, Son.
I just need you to keep a level head. Now I gotta go back to PR before my absence is noticed, but I can’t be over there worried ‘bout you movin’ reckless.
Nyla needs you to be there for her, Nessa needs you to save her and I need you to live to see another day. Is that understood, Nasir?”
“I hear you, Ma. I promise I’ma keep my head durin’ all this. Gone head and go back just leave the information for yo’ contact. Let them know that they’ll be dealin’ with me movin’ forward. Once this is handled we’ll be back on track for our other plan.”
“Trust me, that can wait. Right now, our main focus is our family. Do whatever you have to do to bring Nessa home, but you come home too.”
“I will. I love you, Ma.”
“I love you too, Son. If you need anything let Fernando know.”
“Bet.”
“Nessa!” I jumped from my sleep as I looked around. The ringing helped me focus on the reason I woke up from the dream I was having about Nessa. “Hello?”
“Sorry for the delay, but I got it,” the voice on the other end informed.
“Who the fuck is this? And what exactly do you have?”
“I’m Nina’s contact and the footage of the area.”
“Oh, yeah gone ‘head and send that over right now!”