Free Baltimore Chronicles by Treasure Hernandez Page B

Danielle. The police were also shooting at her.
    Danielle felt hot metal searing through her skin. Her eyes bulged in shock and pain. She was in disbelief that her own crew had set her up. As her legs stopped moving, she thought about the baby she was carrying and the great betrayal she had just suffered. Then she gave up. Her bullet-ridden body lurched forward and hit the ground with a splat. She felt the life leaving her. “Why, Sticks, why?” She gurgled as blood spilled from her mouth.
    Within no time her limp, lifeless body was surrounded by the police.
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    Sticks, Timber, and the driver jumped out of the truck they were in and changed to a smaller car they had stashed a few miles away, just in case something like this had jumped off. Sticks knew at least three members of their crew were dead and the rest of the young’uns were going to be hemmed up by the cops. He couldn’t look back now. He knew he wouldn’t have trouble recruiting replacements into the Dirty Money Crew. But the thought of replacing Danielle gave him instant heartburn.
    â€œDamn, man, I thought Dani was your main bitch,” the driver said.
    â€œThat bitch was a snitch,” Timber replied before Sticks could say anything. “We was gonna kill her ass after this anyway. We just wanted her to help us get this last big lick before we murked her informant ass.”
    Sticks didn’t really have the heart to stand in front of her and just kill her, so he had instructed Timber to make sure her death looked like it was a result of the bank robbery. He still had too much love for her. In his own world, thinking about Danielle, Sticks remained silent as they rode in the opposite direction of the racing police cars. He was hurting inside.
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    â€œWho the fuck is banging on my door this time of night?” Dana grumbled as she rushed to her front door. “Better not be this Danielle talking about she forgot her damn keys. Who is it?” Dana called out.
    â€œBaltimore County Police!” a booming baritone on the other side of the door replied.
    Dana screwed up her face and yanked the door open. She thought maybe Danielle had been picked up for something.
    â€œMs. Rodriguez?” the officer asked.
    â€œNo. My last name is Thomas. My daughter’s last name is Rodriguez,” Dana said nervously. A sick feeling washed over her.
    â€œCan we come in, ma’am?” one of the officers asked.
    Dana moved aside, and the officers stepped into her home.
    â€œMa’am, we are sorry to tell you that your daughter Danielle Rodriguez has been killed.”
    Dana’s ears started ringing, and she couldn’t move. A scream was welling up inside of her, ready to erupt. She opened her mouth, and the sound that escaped was almost like that of a pig at slaughter. She fell to her knees and screamed, “Nooooo!” at the top of her lungs.
    The officers tried to help her up, but Dana would not move from that spot. She was wracked with sobs, and her body trembled.
    After a few minutes on her knees wailing uncontrollably, she allowed the officers to help her up.
    â€œWhat happened?” she yelled. “Why my child?”
    â€œMa’am, your daughter was killed fleeing the scene of a bank robbery. She was with a group of men that tried to rob the bank,” one of the officers informed Dana.
    â€œYou must be mistaken! My daughter wouldn’t do something like that! She is a good girl! Danielle knows better! I don’t believe you!” Dana belted out, flailing her arms at the officers.
    â€œMs. Thomas, I’m afraid it was your daughter.” The officer shoved a picture of Danielle’s bloodied body toward Dana.
    Dana placed her hand over her mouth. It was Danielle in the picture. “Would you please call her sister? She is a cop too,” she managed to say.
    The officers looked shocked, like they thought she was lying.
    â€œHer card…it’s on the counter. Please