Chapter 21 #2
“Raven, you need to sit down.” Tameka told me calmly.
I guess that she was perfectly fine with our niggas gearing up for combat.
I couldn’t get with that. I was about to put up a fuss when my baby kicked, reminding me that I had another life to consider.
So, I copped a squat on a chair in Tony’s garage.
There were a few guys as young as sixteen eager to put in work. I wanted to tell everybody to just go home, but I knew that Jah wasn’t having it.
“Baby, I’m about to put an end to this shit today.” Jahrein told me as he knelt down and gently stroked my cheek.
“Jahrein, I want you to use your head. Don’t try to handle shit in broad daylight. That is throwing bricks at the penitentiary.”
“Raven, we got this.” he tried to assure me.
“Yeah, Raven, we got it. We can’t let the nigga make it this time. I should’ve let Jah blow his brains out that night he came over here with the drama a few months ago.” Jared added.
I didn’t quite know what he was talking about. “When did he come with some drama?”
“You know. The day him and Jahrein got locked up. He came over here talking cash money shit. He was telling Jah to stay away from apartment 215 on 1960 because he paid all the bills in that bitch. He swore that Jah had been over there because you wouldn’t answer his calls.
I knew the nigga was crazy then. Jah pulled out his pistol ready to blast his ass.
I stopped the nigga. How the fuck can a nigga try to charge up the next nigga over their wife?
I was like Raven aint nothing to play with. ” Jared told me as he shook his head.
“So, he told Jahrein where I stayed?”
“Shit it wasn’t hard to figure the shit out after he got through running his mouth.
Jahrein said that he was going to ride around in that area until he found your car.
Somebody had already told him that they spotted you around that way so he had a general idea of where to look.
Then in the end all Sherlock had to do was use that GPS tracking device to locate the Benz. ”
“Oh.” I nodded. I knew the somebody that he was referring to was Tyra. Who else had seen me with Khalil out near my apartment?
I saw all the signs of a potential problem with Khalil but looked past it all. That was what had me in that fucked up position.
“Oh, shit! Jahrein, the kids.” I remembered. It was four o’clock and Jahrein, Jhyrah, and Jahrae were supposed to be picked up from school at 3:30.
“I called Ray-Ray when you was on your way over here. He went to pick all the kids up.” Jahrein said. It seemed as though he never slipped when it came to our kids.
“Oh.” I sighed. My nerves were on edge. So, I damn near jumped out of my skin when my cell phone rang.
“Hello.” I answered.
“Yes this is HPD. We received a call from you about a disturbance in the park.”
“Uh huh.”
“Okay, ma’am. Could you please tell me everything that you witnessed?”
I got a strange feeling. “Did you find the two men fighting?” I asked him.
“Well, no. We did however come across a crime scene. Is there any way that you could come down and talk to us?”
“For what?” I asked as my stomach became queasy.
“I would better explain in person.”
“Okay, hold on.” I placed my cell on mute. “Jahrein.” I whispered.
“Huh?” he responded.
“The police want me to come in for questioning.”
“For what?” he asked me.
“Something about the shit that just went down between me and Khalil.”
“Shit, go meet them. If it’s that serious you need to make them think that you’re fully cooperating.”
I nodded my head then took my phone off mute. “Hello, where do I have to go?”
The officer told me to come to the downtown precinct. After he gave me directions I hung up the phone with him. I gave Jah a briefing on everything that was said.
“You think he killed that man that helped you?” Jahrein asked me.
“Why you say that?” I questioned not trying to think of the worse.
“I mean, why wouldn’t he just get your statement over the phone? Or better yet, why didn’t he just come to where you are? He wants to ask you some private questions.” He answered his own question.
“I guess I’ll just have to see.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“Okay, Mrs. Braxton you say that you and Khalil were dating?” detective Benson asked me inside of the interrogation room.
“We did for a short while. Me and my husband were separated.”
“So, you say that you had been receiving threats?”
“Yes. I still have some of his messages on my voicemail.”
“Okay, so Mr. James was just a good Samaritan?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what Khalil does for a living?” the officer asked me.
“No.” I lied.
“Do you know where Khalil is?”
“No. Mister, look at my face. Does it look like I want to have contact with him? He tried to kidnap me. I think that he was going to kill me and my baby. Where is Mr. James so that I can thank him?” I said, tired of the twenty-one questions.
The white officer took a long pause. “He’s dead.”
I couldn’t believe that the man had died because of me.
Khalil had really come to murder me. I guess God felt that it wasn’t my time, but I felt so sorry for that man and his family.
I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down my face, as I pictured Khalil shooting that man down like a dog on the streets.
“That’s why we need you to give us any information that you may have on his whereabouts.” the officer told me.
“I already gave y’all his last known address. His baby mama lives on MLK. His mama lives off of Airport. He drives a silver Lexus SUV.” I spat as I grew agitated. The man was acting as though I was trying to protect Khalil or something.
“Is there any other place that you may have forgotten to mention?” he pressed.
“Look! I am married with five kids and have a sixth one on the way. None of my children are for Khalil. I don’t want that bastard!
That’s why all of this shit happened. I want his crazy ass off the streets more than anybody else.
So, stop wasting time giving me the third degree.
” I snapped ready to fuck his white ass up.
I guess he thought that all young black girls were trying to protect murderers and whatnot. He had me fucked up, though.
“Okay, Mrs. Braxton. Thank you for your cooperation.”
“Whatever.” I snapped as I stomped out of that room.
I walked out of that building with my emotions all over the place.
I felt pissed, frustrated, and scared all at the same time.
Never in a million years did I think that dealing with another dude would lead to this.
I should’ve stayed far, far away from men until I had my mind right.
I couldn’t take it back, and now an innocent person had lost his life.
“What happened?” Jahrein asked me once I climbed inside his Escalade.
I sat in silence for a little while.
“Baby, what happened?” he asked me again.
I took a deep breath. “Khalil killed that man.” I sobbed. “He didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s okay.” Jahrein sighed as he took me into his arms. He gently rubbed my back.
“I can’t believe it. He actually killed that man?” Jahrein questioned me in disbelief.
“That’s what these pigs are saying.” I quivered as I dried my tears. “They was questioning me like I know where the nigga at.” I complained.
“Yeah, that’s what those dick suckers do. That nigga is crazy, though. Killing civilians and shit. They gon give his ass the death penalty if I don’t catch his ass first.” Jahrein fumed as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Jahrein continued to ramble on and on and I wasn’t listening to a word that he was saying. I was inches away from dying that day. I could still see the hatred for me in Khalil’s eyes. I wouldn’t feel safe until his ass was locked up.
“That could have been me, Jahrein.” I finally said.
He shook his head back and forth. “No, don’t even talk like that.
You here. You aint going nowhere. I’d kill that nigga and his entire family before I’d let him get away with that.
” He expressed. “That could have been you?” he shook his head.
“Naw, let’s not even go there. I can’t wrap my mind around something like that.
” He said. I could tell that he was deep in thought.
Was the thought of losing me that scary for him?
“We’re not staying at home until this shit is over.” I told him.
“I already know. We going to Ray-Ray and Red’s house.”
“Good.” I sighed.
Once we arrived at our parents’ crib I couldn’t get the scene in the park out of my head.
I kept replaying it over and over again.
I was trying to think of a way that I could’ve saved that man’s life.
I bet he never thought that a jog in the park would lead to his demise.
I promised myself that if me and my family made it out of that situation I would change my life.
My kids could have been motherless right then. Something had to change.
Jahrein still wanted to search the streets for Khalil, but I wouldn’t let him out of my sight. I was stuck to his ass like glue. He wasn’t leaving me and the kids alone. Well, Ray-Ray, Red, Jalero, and Jalero’s baby mama Jennifer aka Tammy Chi was all there too, but I needed him there.
We were all sitting in the living room while the kids ran through the house. “Damn Raven, why don’t you give that nigga some breathing room?” Ray-Ray taunted. I was sitting right next to Jahrein although there was plenty of space on the leather sectional.
“She good.” Jahrein said with his arm was wrapped around me.
I just ignored Ray-Ray’s ignorant ass. He still acted like the guys my age. I was comfortable and felt safe as hell in my husband’s arms.
“I’m like Ray-Ray now. Y’all act like the world’s gonna come crashing down if y’all aint touching each other.” Jalero teased.
“It just might.” I rolled my eyes at everybody.
“That baby got you cranky.” Red added.
“She aint cranky. Y’all just getting on her nerves.” Jahrein told them. “And mine too.”
“Y’all kill me.” Tammy giggled. “Can’t nobody talk about the other one.
You see how he defends her? Oh, Raven just stabbed me.
Here go Jah. Well you must have did something to make her do it.
Well, Jah just shot me. Here go Raven. Well you must have put the gun in his hand and made him pull the trigger. ”
We all had to laugh at that one. We did have a tendency to defend each other even in the wrong.
I guess that came from living in the same house as kids.
We had a sister and brother bond. When something came up broken or missing we would both say that neither of us did it even if we were the only two people in the room when it happened. Jahrein was honestly my best friend.
At the end of the night me and Jahrein made love. After my near death experience I realized that I had to treasure every moment spent with him. So, after we were done I lied in his arms and just told him how much I loved him.
It was barely midnight and Jah’s cell phone went off.
“Who the fuck is this?” he hacked before picking the phone up. “Who this?”
The phone’s volume was so loud that I could hear the caller clearly. “Jah, my nigga I just saw Killah on Brasewood. I’m following his ass right now!”
“No shit?” Jah sat completely up in bed. “I know that this nigga is nuts. He’s out and about like he aint a wanted man.”
“Yeah. I’m like two cars behind him. He’s riding with a bitch in a tan Benz. I know that broad, she fucks with Tony sometimes. She just ducked her head down, so you know what time it is. That nigga is distracted. So, what you want us to do?” By that time I realized that it was Jared on the phone.
“Keep following him. I’m about to get in the car right now.” Jahrein said as he ended the call and put on his jeans.
“Jahrein.” I tried to get his attention.
“I’ll be back.” he said cutting me off.
“But, Jahrein.” I called out to him as he left out the room. I climbed out of bed and followed him. “Jahrein, maybe we should call the police.”
He glanced back at me but didn’t say a word. I knew the code. We didn’t talk to police. He don’t make peace bonds. My nigga didn’t trust in the judicial system; he busted his guns.
“Please don’t do this.” I pleaded on the verge of tears.
“What’s going on?” Red questioned groggily as she stepped out of her bedroom.
“He’s about to go after Khalil.”
Red turned to Jahrein. “Jah, are you sure that this is what you want to do?” she asked her son.
“I got to, mama.” He told her.
“Red, tell him that he needs to stay his ass at home.” I snapped.
“That aint gonna happen.” Jahrein scrunchedd, as he entered Red and Ray-Ray’s bedroom.
I stood and stared at Red. I wanted to strangle her. When was she ever going to really step up and be the parent? She was calm as her son prepared to go commit murder. What real mother does that?
“You’re pitiful.” I rolled my eyes at her as I stepped into her bedroom. I noticed that Jahrein had awakened Ray. Maybe he’d have more sense this time around. “Daddy, I know that you are not cool with this too?”
Ray-Ray was going through his drawers in search of some clothes. “This gotta be done, Raven.”
“What? Are you fuckin serious?” I spazzed.
He spun around. “Watch your fucking mouth. Now, as much as I try to keep this street life from you, you are not na?ve. This nigga has violated one too many times. We can’t let him make it.
You are my daughter and I know that sometimes I could have done better.
But I was young and dumb. That was my bad.
But I’ll be damn if I let some nigga think that he can take you out just cause!
” Ray-Ray shouted as he pounded his chest all of a sudden infuriated.
“You are my child and I would lay down and die for you!” my daddy roared with bloodshot red eyes.
“Calm down, Ray.” Red begged as she tried to hug him.
He pulled away from her. “Move, Jaylah.” He told Red. He was the only person that called her by her government name. “We getting at this nigga, Raven. And that’s that.” He stated with finality.
I was so frustrated. Both Jahrein and my daddy both had their minds made up. Was this really the only way to handle things? I just threw my hands up, knowing that my pleas were falling on death ears.
Jahrein went and woke up Jalero. All three gathered some artillery, were out the door, and wasn’t trying to hear nothing that I had to say.