Chapter 27
twenty-seven
Forty-five minutes of nothing. Sitting in the hard seat coolly tapping his finger to a beat that formed in his mind on the cramped ride over.
Cairo bobbed his head, tapped his finger, and bounced his feet.
The longer he bopped, the more it locked into his mind so he could build it when he got home.
That was only if the law enforcement officers hadn’t tossed his house in the interim.
“Yeah,” he muttered to himself and the camera watching. “That shit is going to be fire.”
Another ten minutes passed and he continued to tap and wrap his knuckles against the table. Only briefly pausing when the door opened. Cairo looked up and knocked his knuckles against the table harder.
“You’re interrupting me,” Cairo muttered, if not for anything else to irritate the detective as much as he’d irritated him.
Another five minutes of beating and glaring the detective in his eyes, daring him to make him stop. Finally, tired of playing with him and ready to get this over with, Cairo stopped and sat back. “What did you and your little bitches find?”
“Alright, C4,” the detective stated with emphasis on his street name. “Let’s wrap this up. You know, so I can get home to my lady.”
Cairo let an arrogant smile ease over his face.
Even while cuffed to the table and shackled to the chair, he rested in the hard metal chair.
The smile on his face teased the officers.
He’d been down this road before. Same shit, different detective.
What everyone in Los Oceania should’ve gathered by now – he was a methodical son of a bitch and he wasn’t going to get caught unless he wanted to get caught.
“We know you and Tiny ran together. In fact, he names you as the ring leader. Just tell us where the drugs and money are stashed and we might cut you a deal,” the detective continued to press.
“Might huh?” Cairo taunted. “Just like you might have some evidence, right? Right.”
“We’re raiding your trap house right now,” the detective spoke, causing Cairo’s smile to grow larger. “Pulling all the CCTV footage from the area. It’s going to show us you, Tiny, and the rest of those muhfuckas we’re about to bring in.”
“I have a trap house?” Cairo asked. “Since when?”
“You’re playing a game you won’t win. We’re going to find the drugs, the money, and anything else you’ve stolen,” the detective continued. “Save us some time and just confess.”
“Nahhh,” Cairo drew out as he leaned forward and looked the man in the eyes. “I’ll wait. Shouldn’t be too much longer though.”
A knock sounded off against the door, coaxing an arrogant smile from the detective.
“You hear that?” the detective asked. “That’s the sound of your freedom fleeting.”
Cairo watched him move to the door and open it. There was a presumptuous sway in his walk. One that was sure to be kicked from under him.
“Tell this Azul Heart nigga we got him.” The detective’s tone haughty with assumption.
“Uh, Sergeant Yates we…” the officer stammered.
“You found it. Everything Tiny said was there, right?”
The officer swayed his head just enough that if Cairo blinked, he would’ve robbed himself the satisfaction. “There’s nothing there. According to the fire marshal, the house had faulty wiring and burned down two weeks ago. There’s no trace of money, no drugs, no weapons. We can’t keep him.”
“What does the CCTV footage show?”
The officer delivered the final blow to the detectives ego. For now, at least.
“He wasn’t anywhere near the house, the assumed trap house, or his home. Tiny fucked us,” the officer stated, making the detective growl in annoyance. “We didn’t even read him his rights.”
“Fuck!” the detective boomed. Before turning to look at Cairo, who’s smile almost made him combust. “Get his ass out of here.”
Cairo chuckled while the officer removed the chains from his wrists and ankles. “You hear that? That’s the sound of my freedom. See you around, nigga.”
“I’ll be seeing you again. One way or another, I’ll have your thugging ass behind bars for the rest of your life,” the detective spoke as Cairo strolled out past him.
“But tonight, you won’t. Hope you make it home for dinner,” Cairo replied.
Exiting the precinct, he found Nate at the far end of the parking lot, the phone pressed to his ear.
From what Cairo could see, Nate was in a heated exchange.
Trying not to put any more attention on him, he quickened his stride and got into the car.
Nate followed suit and pulled off. “Stay on the phone, D.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Cairo posed, concern edging his voice. “Did they raid my fuckin’ house?”
“Nah, Dania took Mila to her aunt’s,” Nate attempted to speak easy and calm but he knew better. He knew the minute he alerted Cairo of Dania’s concerns, all hell was breaking loose.
“I don’t have time for the slow talking, nigga!” Cairo bellowed, snatching the phone from Nate. “Drive this muhfucka! Dania, what the fuck is going on.”
“Cai, I don’t know she asked me to take her over here to talk to her aunt because she assumed you were arrested because of her. Hype and Chuckee are blocking the door, I can’t get in. I hear shit breaking.”
“Gahdamn it, Nate, I side drive this muhfucka. Where’s my fuckin’ gun?” Cairo felt himself spiraling. If anything were to happen to Kamilla, the little bit of sanity he was holding on to would snap and everyone would feel his wrath.
Nate floored it, speeding without any regard for anyone else from downtown Los Oceania to 35th and Mecca.
Double parked and guns drawn, there were no Crimson Kings present to help Martez, Hype, or Chuckee.
Dania was on the steps arguing with them and they were bitch-made enough to argue back with her.
Nate fired off the first warning shot. “You a bitch arguing with mine? Next bullet is gon’ be your fucking chest, nigga.”
Cairo didn’t have time to for the talking.
He took the steps and grabbed Chuckee by the collar.
Hype moved the moment he saw the car barrel down the street.
His loyalty to the gang and wanting to save his own life becoming a conflict internally.
Cairo tossed the men aside like ragdolls the same way he did when they held her a gunpoint.
Every step closer to Kamilla’s shouts and Martez’s grunts, the flood of his heart deafened him and the regret of not handling Martez sooner vexed him. Neither of them would be the same.