Triple Crown Presents-Road Dawgz Read online

  “Straight like that?” “Straight like that. I just came home this morning. They took five years off my life, Flip. Five fucking joints.”

  “Damn, that’s heavy. So what you gonna do now?” “I’m gonna do the damn thang, Flip. I gotta ball or fall, man. Them is the rules, kid.” “I know that’s right. So who you gonna hook up with?” “Hook up with? Nigga, my mafuck’n self.”

  “Man, you just hitting the bricks. You gonna need someone to start you out.”

  “I’ll tell you like this, Flip. This world is mine, I just ain’t claimed it yet.”

  “I hear that hot shit, Keshawn. But what about them cats that done already laid they claim to this shithole?” “What about ‘em? I mean, I ain’t setting out to step on nobody’s toes, but if I got to, then fuck it. Niggaz is gonna respect my team. There’s enough cake out here for us all to get rich, but if mafuckas try and stop my show, then they getting knocked out the box. Straight up.”

  Flip started to argue his point some more, but seeing the serious look in K-Dawg’s eyes he decided to change the subject. “So,” he started, “you gonna hook up with the old crew?”

  “I thought about it,” K-Dawg said. “Me and Jus is supposed to go over a few things. Matter of fact, I might be able to put you down. You still on a paper chase?”

  “Man,” Flip stated sadly, “I ain’t chased nothing but a high in the last few years, but a nigga always down to make a few dollars.”

  “Say, I been meaning to ask you something, but I didn’t wanna come across wrong. What the fuck happened to you, Flip? I don’t mean no disrespect, and you know I don’t, but you used to be the man. Now…”

  “Man,” Flip said goodheartedly, “that’s an easy enough question to answer. A bitch happened to me.”

  “I don’t follow you, Flip.” “Well, let me break it down to you.” Flip and K-Dawg weren’t that many years apart, but Flip’s knowledge of the game was much deeper and he had seen and done a whole lot in his few years. If K-Dawg had things his way, he would pick Flip’s brain clean, so he just sat back and listened while this predatorturned-prey ran down the sad tale of his life.

  “Now,” Flip continued, “we all know I started doing my thing at a very young age. I done a lot and I seen a lot. Them cats I was working for used to bump. Me being the impressionable young ass that I was, thought that was the thing, ya know? I would bump a little at parties and shit, and here and there at social gatherings. Nothing too heavy.

  “At first I was just chipping, then the next thing you know, I had a habit. It was cool, and I thought I had it all under control. As long as I made enough to fuck off and support my habit I was good. That was until I met that bitch, Sherry.

  “Man, that bitch gassed me to cook that shit up and freebase it—said the high lasted longer. Well she wasn’t lying, ‘cause I been high ever since. To make a long story short, I lost my money, my shit and my dignity. Now here I stand—hustling-ass Flip, a mafucking basehead.”

  “Man,” K-Dawg said under his breath, “them old heads you was pumping for ain’t try to pull your coat to the shit? I mean, them being older and all, I’m sure they knew what that rock do to a nigga.”

  “Shit,” Flip said wiping his nose with the back of his sleeve, “if you ask me, they was wit’ the shit. Them niggaz seen how I was grinding and knew a nigga was on a come-up. I could’ve had my own shit, Keshawn…my own hood, man. But I had to go and get strung out.

  “Worst part was that my fake-ass team ain’t do a damn thing to help a nigga when he fell. All them years I hustled for them cats, they couldn’t even give a nigga a blast on a day when he was short. You know, just to keep me from getting sick. They’d just post up laughing and shit. The same mafuckas I was lending money to, gigging on me, kid. Can you believe that? I ain’t good for nothing, now, except inhaling that mafuck’n exhaust and running errands for niggaz half my age.”

  “That’s some cold shit, Flip.” “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Keshawn. This is the land of the heartless. The rules done changed while you were gone. You gotta know when to use your pistol and when to use your head. Only the coldest mafuckas come up out this wit’ they skin on. You gotta be ready to play God—give life and take it. You think you got that shit up in you?”

  K-Dawg looked Flip dead in the eye. His green orbs seemed to glisten in the dim elevator light. K-Dawg’s eyes danced on the fine line between insanity and genius. With one word, the wheels of fate were set in motion. “Yes.”

  Flip gazed into K-Dawg’s jade green eyes, searching for signs of weakness or insecurity, but there were none. K-Dawg was the real deal. This young kid that Flip used to teach how to shoot free throws, was now a man possessed by the lure of the dollar. Flip knew the look well because he had held the same stare in his prime.

  “I’m gonna win, Flip,” K-Dawg said emotionally. “This world has cast me aside only to have me reborn as a better man. Instead of prison fucking me up, it made me more focused. Picture me busting my ass for thirty or forty years to put some snot-nosed cracker through college. For what, a pension and a half-fare train pass? I don’t think so.

  “My ribs is touching, Flip. I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m getting in this game head first, and best believe, my side gonna be the winning side. Now my question to you is, you gonna be content being a fucking store boy, or you ready to step up and reclaim your respect?”

  As K-Dawg spoke, Flip hung onto his every word. This was probably his only chance to get back a little bit of what he had lost. There was no doubt that K-Dawg was gonna put his best foot forward, but could he pull it off? Either way, Flip couldn’t lose. If K-Dawg failed, Flip could go back to his life and still probably make off with a few dollars. On the other hand, if he succeeded, Flip would be getting in on the ground floor.

  “Keshawn,” Flip said grinning, “I got yo’ back on this one. We can take this joint, man. I mean we...” “Hold on, player, ‘we’ is French,” K-Dawg said cutting him off. “I ain’t said shit ‘bout putting you on, yet. I don’t even know how far I can trust you.”

  “Hey, this is Flip, baby. You know you can trust me.” “Flip, no disrespect to you, man, but I don’t know shit, and ain’t nothing free. You got to earn my trust.”

  “Keshawn, man, just tell me what you need from me. What, I gotta kill somebody or some shit?” “Easy, Flip. I don’t even know what you talkin’ ‘bout on that murder shit. Truthfully, I’m a little offended that you would even ask me some shit like that. Just be cool for now. We’ll talk soon.” K-Dawg was being careful with his words in case Flip proved to be a snitch.

  “A’ight, man. Just give yo’ nigga the word and I’m wit’ you. These niggaz is gonna shit they pants when they find out we hooked up.”

  “See, Flip, you speeding again, dog. I don’t want nobody to know what’s up with us—not even my niggaz. You gonna be my trump card. Through you, I’ll know what’s up in the streets at all times. Just keep ya mouth shut and let me work.”

  “Okay, man. If you need me, you know where to find me.” Flip got off the elevator leaving K-Dawg to his thoughts. So far everything was going smoothly. The knowledge that Flip had bouncing around in his smoked-out brain would be beneficial to K-Dawg in his conquest, but he sure as hell wasn’t gonna tell Flip that. Flip was going to be a big help, but K-Dawg knew that his services would only be needed for a short term.

  He and Flip had been friends once, but that was a long time ago. Flip was a hype and could only be trusted to a certain extent. As the shit got deeper, he would have to keep Flip close to him. He couldn’t be trusted to run around with the kind of information K-Dawg would have to confide in him. As sure as KDawg’s ass was black, Flip would fuck up if given an opportunity. The only thing a basehead nigga could ever truly be loyal to was a pipe. When Flip had outlived his usefulness, he was going to die. Fuck it. He was just another pawn in K-Dawg’s game.

  ***

  K-Dawg approached the door to the project apartment and stared at it as if he was seeing it for the first time. He reached for the knocker but withdrew his hand. He knew that beyond that door was what was left of his family, but it brought him no comfort. He would still be a stranger to them, as he had always been.

  K-Dawg had lay awake in the filthy six by nine many a night and imagined this moment. He had rehearsed in his head what he would say over and over, but now his mind drew a blank. After debating over it for about ten minutes, he thought to hell with it. It was too late to turn back. Whatever happened once he knocked on that door would just have to be.

  K-Dawg tapped lightly on the door. After a few seconds there was no response, so he knocked a little harder. He could hear someone shouting and then footsteps approaching the door.

  “Who the hell is it?” someone asked from behind the door. “Housing,” K-Dawg answered playfully. The door swung open and a woman in a bathrobe confronted K-Dawg. “What the fuck...,” the woman started to curse. Once she saw who it was, all the hostility left her voice and a smile spread across her round face.

  “Keshawn, is it really you?” she asked in disbelief. “Oh shit, my baby brother.” Pearl grabbed K-Dawg and gave him a big bear hug. “Boy, why you ain’t tell nobody you was coming home today?” Without waiting for an answer, Pearl grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the apartment. “Come on in here, lil’ nigga.

  K-Dawg looked around the tiny living room and was a little disappointed. Even though it was fairly clean, the furniture was old and coming apart. The only bright spot was the mantle, which was lined with martial arts trophies from various tournaments. China was on her job.

  It had been a while since K-Dawg had seen his sister. She had put on a little weight, but other than that, Pearl was still the spitting image of their mother—only lighter. She had chopped her hair into a Halley Berry type cut, and her eyes showed early signs of crow’s feet, but she was still pretty.

  “China!” Pearl shouted. “Girl, bring yo’ ass out here and see who’s dropped in on us.” China came out of the bedroom sucking her teeth. The grey cut-off shorts she wore showed off her shapely legs and plump rear. Her stomach was flat as a board, so K-Dawg knew that she was still on her work-out shit. China’s skin was a smooth butterscotch color, making her look anything but black. She got that from their grandmother.

  Unlike Pearl, China had let her hair grow down her back and wore it in one plait. It did justice to her already breathtaking China doll features. Now, Pearl was pretty, but when men saw China all they could say was, “Damn!”

  China was giving off much attitude, but when she saw who it was, her cinnamon brown eyes grew wide with shock. “Keshawn!” she squealed. China ran across the living room and gave her brother a warm hug.

  K-Dawg embraced China and hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting her. He fought back the tears that filled his eyes. He was cool with all of his siblings, but he and China were especially close. They had always shared a special bond that no one ever really understood. It was as if China filled Kiesha’s spot when she had died.

  “Baby bro,” she said crying, “I’ve missed you so much.” “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” he said, getting all choked up. “I’m home now, sis. Everything’s gonna be okay.” Pearl started to say something but held her tongue. There was something about seeing the two of them together that irked her. She had always been jealous of K-Dawg and China’s relationship. It didn’t really make sense, because they all came out of the same womb and she loved them both. She just wished that she could’ve been closer to them.

  “So,” Pearl said interrupting, “how does it feel to be a free man again?”

  “It feels great,” K-Dawg said smiling. “That place ain’t nothing nice. I wouldn’t wish prison on anybody.”

  “I hear that,” said Pearl. “Now we just gotta keep you out.” “Sis,” he said flopping down on the dusty old sofa, “I ain’t never going back to the joint. You can bank on that.” “Never say never, lil’ bro.” “Pearl, trust me when I say I’m never going back! I’ll hold court in the streets before I see the inside of a penitentiary again. I’m home for good, or at least until the devil calls me to hell. Straight like that.”

  “Keshawn,” China cut in, “why you always gotta talk all crazy?”

  “China, I’m dead ass serious. Me and jail don’t mix. That shit just ain’t the move.”

  “So, what you plan on doing with yourself now?” Pearl asked.

  “Hmmph,” he began with a shrug of his shoulders, “I got a few things lined up—a lil’ of this, a lil’ of that.” “Well,” Pearl said, “you better get yourself a lil’ of a job. That’s the rule ‘round here, Keshawn. We all gotta pitch in and keep things going. Since Granny passed, things have been tight.”

  At the mention of Granny’s name, Keshawn got silent. After their father was killed, Granny held their family down. She wasn’t their real grandmother, but she still stepped up to the plate for them.

  “Sorry about that, Keshawn,” Pearl said. “I know how you felt about her.”

  “Nah,” he waved her off, “I’m over it.” “That was some dirty shit them pigs did,” China added.

  “Its cool, China. She wasn’t my real grandmother. That’s why they didn’t let me go to the funeral.”

  “So what. It was still dirty.” Granny was Keshawn’s heart. When their mother was sent away, she helped Charlie take care of the family. When she passed, the people that ran the jail wouldn’t let Keshawn attend the funeral. They said that because she wasn’t a blood relative, their relationship didn’t hold any weight. It was just one more thing Keshawn had to pay the system back for.

  “Listen,” K-Dawg sighed, “about what happened between me and Charlie...” “The past is the past,” China cut in. “You acted out of emotion and you paid for it. They took five years of your life. I’d say the score is settled.”

  China might have been right, but K-Dawg didn’t think so. When the hour of judgment came, he’d have a lot to answer for. For the crime of killing his mother’s husband, the state took five years out of his life. To him, it was worth it. A life for a life. When he killed Charlie, he was only thinking of himself. He didn’t think of what it would do to his family. K-Dawg was sorry that Charlie was gone, but he wasn’t sorry for killing him. In his mind, it was justice.

  K-Dawg was brought back to reality by the sound of a little voice. “Mommy,” a boy called as he came out of the bedroom, “who’s that man you’re talking to?”

  Pearl scooped the boy up and kissed his forehead. “That’s your Uncle Keshawn,” she said hugging him. Keshawn took a close look at the boy and couldn’t believe his eyes. They were almost identical. The boy’s nose was a little wider than his, but other than that, it looked like Keshawn could’ve been his father.

  “What up, lil’ man?” Keshawn said smiling. “I’m your Uncle K-Dawg. What’s your name?”

  “Justin,” the boy said sizing up K-dawg. “Well, Justin. It’s nice to meet you.” “How come I never met you, Uncle, ‘K?” “Well, that’s ‘cause I been away.” “Are you going away again?” “Nah, I plan on being around for a while.”

  “Cool,” Justin said leaping from his mother’s arms to the couch. “You like video games, Uncle K?’” “Sure do.” “I got Mortal Kombat. You wanna play me?” “I never played that one, but we can get it on.”

  K-Dawg took Justin by the hand, and they went skipping off into the bedroom. China was happy that her little brother was home. He was the bright spot in her life. Pearl, on the other hand, was leery. She saw the look in his eyes when he said that he was never going back to the joint. It wasn’t the look of a changed man but of a hardened criminal. As he went off to play video games with her son, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of evil she had let into her home.

  CHAPTER 4

  After about an hour of playing with Justin and getting mercilessly beaten, K-Dawg probably broke a record for consecutive ass whippings. Justin was a well-behaved kid. He kept his side of the room clean and spoke to adults with respect. Unlike KDawg, Justin was oblivious to how poor he was. From the moment K-Dawg laid eyes on his nephew, he fell in love with him. He made a promise to himself that Justin would have a better life than the one he had, and he would never know what it was like to do without.

  K-Dawg’s grumbling stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten all day. Justin wanted to keep playing, but K-Dawg needed to get something in his belly and handle business. When Justin asked him why he was quitting, K-Dawg responded, “A man never made a million dollars sitting in front of a video game.”

  K-Dawg went to the kitchen and proceeded to ransack the refrigerator. The contents of the icebox were pitiful. There was little to no food in it. The only things even worth taking a second look at were a few dead roaches and a half-empty six-pack of beer. K-Dawg opted for the beer.

  K-Dawg grabbed a beer and flopped down in front of the floor model television that took up the majority of one of the living room walls. As he looked at the rickety old living room set, all he could do was shake his head. Everything was secondhand. His peoples were hurting and he had to do something about it. Before K-Dawg could get a good sip of the beer, China came out and sat down on the couch beside him.

  “And what are you doing?” she asked in a motherly tone.

  “What?” he asked confused. “Nigga, don’t what me—the beer?” “Oh, this ain’t about nothing.”

  “What you mean ‘ain’t about nothing,’ Keshawn—ain’t you on parole?”

  “Yeah, but they don’t test you for this shit. They looking for shit like weed or coke. Them people ain’t stressing no beer.”

  “You still shouldn’t be drinking it. Now give me a sip.” The two fell on each other laughing. It had been quite a while since K-Dawg was really able to let his guard down, and it felt good to laugh. In the joint, you had to always wear your game face. If you smiled too much, a nigga would think you were soft and try you.