Chapter 17
“D-David’s dead?” I whispered.
Maceo nodded. “It was a drive-by shooting.”
“But… how could… oh my God!”
I covered my face with my hands and cried. Over time, I’d grown to love the guys in the crew. They were sweet savages who’d served their country in war and on their homeland. They were good men and very respectful to me as the only woman. I felt just as protected with them as I did with Maceo. I couldn’t believe he was gone.
Maceo pulled me into his chest and kissed my temple.
“I don’t even know what to say,” I said through my tears. “He didn’t deserve that.”
“I couldn’t even say anything. I’d called the others on my way home to break the news, and they were just as shocked. I hated to scare them, but I had to let them know that it was a possibility that they weren’t safe and that they needed to watch their backs at all times. I’m gonna have to bring the family in on this one,” I added, quietly.
I pulled away from him. “I uh… I’ve already got Jaeda looking into something for me.”
“Since when?”
“A few days ago. I told you I saw Charity at the gas station. I got the license plate number of the car she was in.”
“Shar—”
“Maceo, you weren’t listening to me when I told you something was up with that bitch. You and the guys have been on ten missions, and never have you had an issue until this bitch popped up. I’m telling you, she had something to do with this shit. Something ain’t right about that girl. Her and that nigga she’s always with now are on some shady shit.”
“What nigga?”
“This big, dark ass, scary looking nigga. They were in the club when me and Salima went the other night. They were talking to this girl, and I swear I feared for her life. She left with them, and I didn’t see her again. You didn’t see the way they were looking at her. It was like… prey. Maceo, that man sends a chill down my spine. I don’t know what it is about him. You know I’m not afraid of anybody, but him? Babe, there is something sinister about that man. Those cold black eyes… that scar on his cheek?—”
I watched his ears perk up. “Scar?”
“Yes. It’s a big scar that looks like somebody cut him in the face. It starts right under his eye and goes down to his chin. She said his name was?—”
“Blane.”
I looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Yeah. How did you know that?”
“Because I damn near slammed into his car on the way home. He pulled out in front of me.”
“Did he know who you were?”
“He didn’t act like it, but if your suspicions are correct, I’m sure he did.”
“We need to see if Jaeda found anything.”
I went over by the front door and slipped my feet into my slides. Jaeda’s house was the one before ours, so it only took a minute or so to drive over. She opened the door the moment we stepped on the front porch. She looked from me to her brother.
“It’s okay,” I said. “He knows.”
“And we’re gonna talk about you keeping my girl’s secrets, Jaeda Janelle.”
She rolled her eyes. “Come inside. I was just about to text you.”
“You found something?”
“Did I!”
She led us back to her work area. The girl had a whole suspect board laid out with a bunch of shit all over it. Every monitor had something on it.
“You’ve been busy.”
“I have. You sent me down a rabbit hole.”
“What are we looking at?” Maceo asked, sitting at her desk. He tried to touch the keyboard, but she slapped his hand.
“Don’t come in here touching shit. Move.”
He huffed as she shooed him out of her seat. She sat down and started messing with the monitors.
“Okay, first. Charity checked out.”
My brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”
“Everything I found on her seems legit, Shar. Driver’s license, social security number. According to my findings, she was raised in foster care after her parents died in a car crash when she was ten. She aged out at eighteen, worked a few fast-food jobs. It seems like she disappeared from a digital footprint about three years ago. I couldn’t find a phone record, tax record, bank account… nothing.”
I was thoroughly confused and a little upset. Jaeda was the smartest person I knew, but I couldn’t believe that Charity was who she said she was. Something wasn’t right. She clicked away on the computer until Blane’s face popped up.
“I’m gonna do a little more digging on her. Just give me some time. Now your boy here… he has a hefty rap sheet. Take a look at the board.”
We turned to the board, looking it over.
“I was able to find his registration with the license plate number, so I ran his name through my system. Blane Carmichael. Thirty-two. He’s been in and out of juvie since the age of twelve. This guy has done a little of everything—assault and battery, robbery, arson, illegal possession of a firearm… The only thing not on his rap sheet is rape and murder. Looking at him, I wouldn’t put it past him.”
She clicked around some more before pulling up what looked like a record.
“I found something interesting,” she said, zooming in. “This is his commissary account record from the last time he was in prison. Notice something weird?”
Maceo and I stared at the screen.
“That’s a big jump from fifty dollars here and there to having a thousand dollars a month,” I said.
“Exactly. I decided to see who was putting money on his books…” She moved to another monitor. “Quinton Ellis.”
She pulled up a picture of a nerdy looking nigga with thick glasses. He didn’t look the least bit threatening, but something about him was vaguely familiar.
“What’s he got to do with anything?”
“Quinton is the son of Blane’s old cell mate, Quame Parker. He’s been in prison for fifteen years on human trafficking charges. Now, you would think that with him behind bars, business would be shut down, but it’s not. I had to access the dark web to find this shit, but he’s been moving deep underground, even from a prison cell.”
Maceo’s brows furrowed. “If it’s on the dark web, how do you know it’s Quame? Ain’t that shit encrypted?”
Jaeda looked offended. “Really, Maceo? Look who you’re talking to.”
I giggled. “Don’t play with my favorite nerd like that,” I said, slapping his arm. “My girl is the smartest person I know. If anybody can do it, it’s her.”
Jaeda blushed. “Thank you, boo. Anyway, once I was able to get past the encryption, I got the IP address. No surprise, it’s registered to Quinton. My guess, he’s been running things for his father. Much like Detective Pearson was Councilman Hayes’ illegitimate son, the same goes for Quinton.”
Maceo shook his head. “What is it with these illegitimate bastards taking on their deadbeat ass daddy’s burdens?”
Jaeda shrugged. “Everybody isn’t blessed with a father like ours, Maceo. Some people are desperate for that love. Anyway, over the last couple of days, I’ve been combing through his files, emails, texts, phone records. His most used contact is this one.” She pulled up a number on another screen. “That’s Blane. I’ve been all up and through his shit, and I can say for certain that he is the one behind the organ trafficking. He’s got connections to black market doctors and all kinds of shit. They thoroughly examine these victims before taking their organs. There is a whole log in his encrypted email. It’s sickening.”
I had to sit down for a moment. We’d really ran into some crazy shit. I looked over at Maceo, who stood, rubbing his temples.
He took a deep breath. “One of the guys from my team is dead, Jae.”
“What?”
“The shooting that happened downtown a few days ago… he was the victim.”
A look I couldn’t read presented itself on her face.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I found something else,” she said slowly. “You remember giving me the organization’s name?”
“Yes.”
“Well… I think someone on the inside tipped Blane off the last time. He got this anonymous email telling him that they had information on who was interfering with his drops. I think that same person tipped off Daddy to get y’all off their trail. Either they were hoping he’d put a stop to it or you would get killed. Y’all have interfered with a hell of a lot of money, Maceo. Blane came up off a cool quarter million to even get that information. Honestly, Shar, I think you may be on to something with Charity. It can’t be a coincidence that they’re hanging out, especially when she was in the back of that van. That had to be the reason she was there… a setup.”
“I’m gonna kill that bitch,” Maceo said, angrily.
“Not if I kill her first,” I mumbled.
“Both of y’all need to stay calm until I can figure out who she is. I have to run this by Daddy so he can be in the know. This is why we don’t deal with the underground shit, Maceo. It’s so much to uncover, and we may never know who everyone involved is.”
Maceo shook his head. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his chest heaved in anger.
“Fuck, man! I already know he’s about to be on my ass for this shit.”
Jaeda sighed. “I know. But if we can take out the head three in charge, the rest of the organization will fall eventually. I’ll do my best to see who on the inside tipped him off. My guess, it’s the same person who’s been tracking them this whole time. How else would they know where the drops were gonna happen? It might take me some time because I’m sure we are on similar levels with computers, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
I watched as Maceo paced back and forth. I could tell he was in his head and his feelings about this shit. I was certain worry filled him, not knowing the fate of his family.
“This is all my fault,” he said. “If I’d just… fuck, man!”
Jaeda stood and went to hug him. She whispered softly in his ear in a language I couldn’t understand. He simply nodded as he pulled away.
“If anything happens to me—” he started, but she cut him off.
“Don’t start that shit, Maceo.”
“Nah, Jae. Real shit. If anything happens to me, you gotta know I love you, sis. I know I fuck with you and tease you, but I just be bullshitting. I admire the fuck outta you, Jaeda. You’re the smartest person I know. You’re kind, and you’re just good people. I need you to see your worth and stop that insecure shit. You’re beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have you. Even if I’m not here to see it, I know you’re gonna find a nigga that’s worthy of you.”
“Let me stop you right there. When I find a man, or a man finds me, you’re gonna be here, along with the rest of my annoying ass brothers, to harass and threaten him. When I declare war on the rest of them niggas, you’re gonna feel my wrath too. Don’t even get it in your head that you won’t be around. I don’t accept that. We’ll get through this like we get through everything. Together.”
She hugged him once more before ushering us out of her office. She promised she would get back to us, as soon as she could, with more information. There was nothing else we could do at this point but wait.
Back at our house, we sat downstairs in silence. Maceo was spread out on the couch while I lay on top of him with my arms wrapped around his body. My head rested on his chest, and I could hear the rapid beating of his heart.
“Baby,” I said softly.
“Hmm?”
“Are you scared?”
“Not for myself. I knew what this life was and the dangers a long time ago. I just never thought I’d be the one to bring it to my family. I’m afraid for you. Shar… if anything ever happened to you… I couldn’t live with myself.”
I lifted my head and peered down at him. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”
“Not if I can help it.”
He cupped my face and kissed me softly. For a moment, he stared at me like he was trying to commit my face to memory. He smiled faintly.
“You remember the first time we said I love you?”
I giggled. “I do.”
We’d been officially dating for a couple of months. It was my birthday, and I always celebrated with my family first before going out that night. I told my father instead of gifts, I wanted a huge block party, and, of course, he made it happen. He and Maceo got together and threw the best birthday bash I’d ever had. There was a total of five grills going, with my father, Mr. Dillinger, Maceo, his uncle Blake, and Mr. Aaron throwing down.
There was a DJ. Granny Dillinger, my mama, Aunt Karen, and Ms. Maddie made a shit load of sweets. Smoke and Steele came through with the liquor and drinks by the caseloads. The whole party was a vibe. The streets were flooded with people I’d known my entire life, just showing me love on my special day. We’d been at it for hours, and just as the sun was starting to set, Maceo grabbed the mic from the DJ booth.
“Aye! Y’all quiet down!” he yelled. The crowd hushed to a low whisper. “Today is my lady’s birthday. Y’all give it up for Sharina, over there looking fine as a muthaf ? —”
“Maceo!” his mother and Ms. Stephanie yelled.
He chuckled. “As you can see, even at my big age, I still get yelled at by my mamas. I guess I’ll keep it clean. Come on over here, baby.”
I wore the brightest smile as I made my way over to him. As soon as I reached him, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, garnering whistles and cheers from the crowd.
“I know you said you didn’t want anything but a big ass party, but I couldn’t let the day go by with you not getting at least one gift from your man.”
He motioned for the crowd to move, and when the sea of people parted, in came Deuce driving a brand-new 2024 black-on-black Lincoln Nautilus with a big ass red bow on the hood. I screamed and jumped up and down. I’d been in love with this car for so long, but I’d never said anything to him about it. It was literally the car from my Pinterest mood board… which I hadn’t shown him either.
“I can’t believe you!” I screamed, jumping on him.
He chuckled. “Happy Birthday, baby. Go take a look.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I grabbed his hand and ran over to the car, damn near yanking Deuce’s ass out. As soon as my ass hit the seat, I was in tears. This was a beautiful car. Fully loaded with my name stitched in the driver’s headrest. When I looked in the back, there was nothing but designer bags and boxes from the back seat to the trunk.
“Maceo…” I whined, looking around. “This is too much.”
“Says who? I’m your man, right?”
“Yes, but ? —”
“But nothing. Didn’t I tell your father I was prepared to spoil you in every way?”
All I could do was nod. He’d been giving me everything. Whether it was physical, mental, sexual, or whatever, if I needed it, he provided it.
“Open the armrest,” he said, nodding at it.
I slowly opened the center console to find fifty thousand in bands of hundred-dollar bills.
“Why would you do all of this?” I wailed, burying my face in my hands.
“Because you’re mine. I take care of what’s mine.” He pulled my hands from my face and wiped my tears. “I love you, Sharina. I know it hasn’t been long, and I know my brothers are gonna be on my ass because I said I wasn’t looking for love… but I love you. You make a nigga feel good… seen… loved for more than what I can give you. For that, you deserve the world.”
I was shocked by his expression. I went into this not looking for love, either. As life would have it, I’d found my best friend.
I cupped his face. “I love you too, Maceo.”
That night, we’d fucked on every square inch of his house, and I expressed my gratitude with every part of my body.
“That was a wild night,” I said, fingering his locs.
“That was the night I knew I wasn’t letting up on you.” He peered into my eyes, and his face grew serious. “I’ve never been one to really plan for the future. I’m used to living in the moment. Meeting you changed that. I don’t know what the outcome of this whole thing will be, but whatever time I have left on this earth, I want to spend it with you right by my side, Sharina.”
He sat up with me still straddling him. When he slid me onto the couch and got down on one knee, I gasped.
“Mace—”
“I don’t have a ring tonight, but I can get one first thing in the morning. I don’t wanna wait weeks, months, or years. I want whatever forever looks like for us right now. Will you marry me, Shar?”