CHAPTER NINETEEN
I followed Kaior home from the hospital.
She drove in front of me the entire way, and I kept my eyes on her car until we pulled into the garage.
Seeing her father like that fucked with her.
And knowing I was the reason he looked like that fucked with me.
Not because June Bug was innocent. Because his ass wasn't. He was there when my shit got taken.
He knew what was happening and went along with it.
The only difference was, according to him, it wasn't his idea.
I already knew that crackheads would do anything for drugs.
This belonged to Pooh. Had I known June Bug was Kaior's father before I walked into that warehouse, shit would've gone differently. But I didn't. Now I was following my woman home from the hospital after watching her cry over a man I put there.
Kaior got out of her car, and I waited for her before we headed upstairs together. The second we made it inside the penthouse, she kicked off her shoes and sat down on the couch.
I watched her for a second.
"You hungry?"
She shook her head.
"I'm not hungry, baby."
"You gotta eat."
"I know. Just not right now."
"A’ight."
I sat beside her.
"You good?"
She nodded, but I could tell she wasn't.
"I just keep thinking about him lying in that bed."
I rested my hand on her thigh.
"He alive."
"I know."
"And he talking about getting his shit together."
"I hope he means it."
"He sounded like he did."
She looked at me.
"You think so?"
"Yeah."
"I really hope this is it for him."
"Then help him with that. He’s going to need a support system."
"I've tried."
"I'm not talking about you."
Her eyebrows pulled together.
"I already told him I'd handle the rehab."
She stared at me.
"What?"
"I'll find somewhere good. Get him admitted and pay for it."
"Jokah..."
"What?"
"You don't have to do that."
"I know."
Her eyes filled again.
"Don't start crying."
She laughed softly as she wiped underneath them. "I'm trying not to."
"Try harder."
"Don’t do that to me. I’m emotional."
“You right baby.” I pulled her against me.
She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head against my chest.
"Thank you."
"You ain't gotta thank me."
"Yes, I do."
"For what?"
"For being here. For coming to the hospital. For not judging him. For helping him when you don't even know him."
That last part sat differently. If only she knew. I kissed the top of her head.
"I got you."
She held me tighter.
"I know."
That shit didn't make it any better.
A little while later, Kaior went to take a shower.
By the time she came back, the day had finally caught up with her.
She climbed into bed and was asleep not long after.
I wasn't tired. I walked out onto the balcony and closed the door behind me.
Before I could make a call, Hulk's name appeared across my screen. I answered on the first ring.
"What's up?"
"We checked everything June Bug gave us."
"And?"
"He wasn't lying."
I leaned against the railing.
"All of it?"
"Everything we could verify so far."
"What about Pooh?"
"That's where the shit starts making sense."
I waited.
"Pooh put it together. He knew when the work was moving, knew the route and knew how many people would be with it."
"How the fuck he know all that?"
"Still working on that."
That meant somebody had been talking.
"What was June Bug's part?"
"He was there. Helped move the shit once they had it."
So, his ass wasn't innocent. Good to know.
"He know it was mine?"
"Claims he didn't until afterward."
"You believe that?"
"I believe he knew they was stealing somebody shit. Whether he knew it was yours? Can't prove that yet."
That sounded about right. June Bug had gotten himself involved in some shit he had no business being involved in and nearly lost his life behind it.
I looked through the glass doors toward the bedroom. Kaior was sleeping peacefully.
"Keep digging."
"We are."
"And Pooh?"
There was a pause.
"We found him."
I straightened.
"Where?"
Hulk gave me the location.
"He been moving around, but we have eyes on him now."
"Who knows?"
"Me, Poncho and the two niggas watching him."
"Keep it that way."
"You want us to grab him?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure."
"What you want us to do?"
"Watch him."
"For how long?"
I looked back toward the bedroom again.
"Until I get there."
"A’ight."
"And Hulk."
"What's up?"
"Don't touch him."
The line was quiet for a second.
"Why?"
My jaw tightened.
"Because I want him."
I ended the call, but I stayed on the balcony for another minute before going back inside.
Kaior hadn't moved. I walked into the closet, changed clothes and grabbed what I needed.
When I came back out, she was still sleeping.
For a second, I stood there looking at her.
She spent half the night worried about her father, and I was about to leave the house to handle the nigga who put the whole thing in motion.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She stirred but didn't wake up.
That was good. Even though I wasn't explaining where I was going anyway. I grabbed my keys and left.
Hulk sent me the location on the way. Pooh was at some house in Lauderdale Lakes.
Regular-ass spot. Couple cars in the driveway and music playing inside.
If I didn't know he was in there, I would've rode right past that bitch.
Niggas were hanging around out front like they didn't have a care in the world.
I parked down the street beside Hulk's truck. He got out when he saw me pull up.
"Still in there?"
"Yeah."
"How many?"
"Four that we seen. Could be more inside."
"Poncho?"
"Around back."
I looked toward the house.
"Pooh know we watching him?"
"Don't look like it."
"Good."
Hulk looked at me.
"We grabbing him?"
"Not yet."
His eyebrows pulled together.
"You came all the way over here to watch?"
"I came to see who he with."
That was the part that mattered. Pooh knowing when my work was moving wasn't luck.
Somebody had given him information. And before I touched him, I wanted to know who.
We stayed where we were. About fifteen minutes later, the front door opened.
Two niggas came out first. Neither one meant shit to me.
Then Pooh stepped outside. Hulk nodded toward him.
"That's him."
"I know."
Pooh stood on the porch talking for a minute before walking toward one of the cars. Then the front door opened again and another nigga came out. My eyes were locked in on him and Hulk’s were on mine.
"You know him?"
"Yeah."
And just like that, everything started making sense. I sat back against the seat.
"Well, I'll be damned."
"Who is he?"
I watched the nigga walk down the steps and meet Pooh beside the car.
"Somebody who knew exactly when my shit was moving."
Hulk looked back toward the house.
"So, June Bug was right."
"Yeah."
Pooh wasn't the only motherfucker I needed to have a conversation with. I pulled out my phone.
"Call Poncho."
"What we doing?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Not tonight."
Hulk looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
I smiled.
"Let 'em think they got away with it."
"For what?"
I watched Pooh and the nigga get into the car.
"People get comfortable when they think they safe."
When the car pulled away. I waited until it disappeared around the corner.
"Keep somebody on both of 'em."
"A’ight."
"And don't lose 'em."
"We won't."
I opened my door.
Hulk looked at me.
"Where you going?"
"Home."
His eyebrows went up.
"That's it?"
"For tonight."
I stepped out.
"I got somewhere to be in the morning."
***
The next morning, I pulled into the park ten minutes before Cody's game started.
I told him I'd be there. So, I was. Whatever happened between me and his mama didn't have shit to do with him.
I was in his life too long to start treating him differently because Shania and I were done. I grabbed my phone and got out.
The fields were already packed with parents, kids, tents and folding chairs. I spotted Cody warming up with his team before I even made it to the bleachers. The second he saw me, his whole face lit up.
"Jokah!"
I smiled as he ran toward the fence.
"You made it!"
"Told you I was coming."
"I thought you forgot."
"I don't tell you shit I don't mean."
Cody grinned.
"You see my new cleats?" He held his foot out.
"Yeah. Them hard."
"My mama bought 'em."
"That's what's up."
His coach called his name. Cody started backing away. "Watch me!"
"That's what I'm here for."
He took off toward his team, and I headed toward the bleachers.
"Well, look who actually showed up."
I knew the voice before I turned around. That damn Shania. Here we fucking go.
"What's up?"
"That's all I get?"
"What else you looking for?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Never mind."
"Good idea."
I kept walking.
"Jokah."
I stopped and looked back. "What?"
"Can you not be an asshole for one day?"
"I came to watch Cody play. Ain't got shit to do with you."
"I know that."
"Then act like it."
She pursed her lips together. I turned around and kept walking. I found a spot on the bleachers and sat down. Shania eventually came over and sat a few feet away from me. I didn't pay her any attention.
The game started and my focus was strictly on the field. Cody played his ass off. Every time he made a good play, his head turned toward the bleachers like he was checking to make sure I saw it and I did.
"Let's go, Cody!" I shouted.
He grinned before running back toward his team.
By the fourth quarter, the game was close. Cody's team scored again with less than two minutes left, putting them ahead. When the clock finally ran out, the kids went crazy. Cody came running toward me as soon as his coach released them.
"We won!"
"I saw."
"I scored twice!"
"I saw that too."
"You saw the second one?"
"Nigga, I just told you I was watching."
He laughed.
Shania walked over.
"Cody, watch your mouth."
"I didn't say nothing."
"You were about to."
Cody looked at me and I shrugged.
"Don't look at me. That's your mama."
He laughed again. I put my hand on top of his head. "What you want?"
"For what?"
"Your win."
His eyes lit up.
"Anything?"
"Don't get carried away."
He thought about it.
"Can I get that new game for my PS5?"
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
"Come on."
Shania looked between us.
"Where y'all going?"
"GameStop."
Cody immediately started walking beside me.
"Can we get something to eat too?"
"What you want?"
"Chick-fil-A."
"A’ight."
Shania put her hands on her hips. "So, you just taking my child?"
I looked at her.
"You want him back?"
Cody immediately turned around and shouted.
"No!"
I laughed.
Shania rolled her eyes.
"Have him home before it gets too late."
"It's eleven in the morning."
"I'm just saying."
"Yeah, a’ight." Cody and I headed toward my car.