Free Deception's Playground by Kevin Williams al-Fahim Page B

else
picked her up too. That “somebody” drove a black suburban.
    Duece, I thought.
    Lisa said Sonya didn’t
deserve a nigga like me. According to her, Sonya had loose lips, bragging about
her control over me. Which was bullshit.
    I had mixed feelings at
the moment. I understood Lisa going after what she wanted; I even admired
it.  But I also felt vulnerable, not knowing what business of mine Sonya
may have put out there.
    But for some odd reason
I felt like I could trust Lisa. I filled her in on a fraction of the recent
events. I told her to keep her eyes and ears open. She was more than willing.
Shortly after, I left with a promise to call her soon.
     
    ***
     
    I was pulling up to my house thirty minutes
later. I noticed two Mexicans sitting a few houses down, in a gray Cadillac
with light tints. I opened my garage and pulled in.
    When I got in the house
I went straight to the window. The ‘Lac had Arizona plates on it. I noticed Ace
was gone too. I watched the idle Cadillac for about five minutes. They just sat
there. I left the window and returned OG Casa’s call.
    “Spade, what’s goin’
on?” he answered.
    “Tryna figure it out.”
    “I’m just letting you
know Duece has been lookin’ at some houses.”
    Code for: Deuce has
been looking for customers to sell some bricks to.
    “Ah yeah?” I was
pissed.
    “Be meticulous wit’
it,” he said, then hung up. I hated when he did that shit.
    I had a strong feeling
Duece hit my safe. I had to be sure before I acted.  I went and looked out
my window again.
    The ‘Lac was gone.
    I had a lot of shit to
square off. Find out who was behind taking my bricks, find somebody with some bricks on deck, and a new runner. I had to get that bitch Tamika
off my heels. Maria’s pops wanted me knocked …
    Too much was going on.
     
    ***
     
    Casey wanted me to meet her at The
Cheese Cake Factory. I had to run to Macy’s in Independence first. Some new
Coogi had hit the racks and I had to have it.
    Only in the store about
twenty minutes, I already had what I wanted in hand.
    “Did you get my
message?”
    I turned around and it
was Tamika. She had a funny ass smirk on her face. I felt like slapping this
bitch for keying my truck.
    “What the fuck you
doin’, bitch? Followin’ me?”
    “As a matter of fact, I
am.” She smiled.
    I headed toward the
cashier.
    “Don’t walk away from
me, Spade!”
    Customers in the store
started looking at her. Then at me. I kept walking. Lucky for me, a lane was
open. I made it to the cashier.
    “Will this be all sir?”
the feminine male asked.
    “Yeah, man.”
    “Pussy, you can’t run
from this.” Tamika got in my face. I shoved her ass back. “Oh, so you gon’ hit
me?”
    The cashier told me my
price nervously. I handed him eleven hundred and grabbed my bags and left,
leaving the receipt and the change.
    That bitch followed me
out. She didn’t even buy shit. She had to be nuts, I thought, as she trailed
behind me in the parking lot.
    “Baby, I’m sorry for
causin’ a scene in there. Please forgive me.”
    We were by my truck.
She was a different person then. She had to be bipolar.
    “You good?” I said. I
decided to take a subtle approach.
    She smiled, forced a
hug and kissed my cheek. Then, oddly, she turned and ran to her car. “Bye,
baby!” she yelled as she trucked it the other way.
     
    ***
     
    “That’s all you
eatin’?” I asked Casey.
    “Yes. Thank you,” she
said sarcastically.
    “A’ight, lil’ mama. I
was just askin’.”
    “So, did you find out
anything?”
    My phone rang. “Not
yet, hold up,” I said, putting the cell to my ear. “What’s good?”
    “I got a room at the
Red Roof Inn on Noland. Meet me there later; I’ll tell you everything,” Nicole
said.
    “A’ight.” I hung up on
her.
    “Who was that?” Casey
was slightly irritated.
    “Nobody. So, how’s the
restaurant comin’?”
    “It’s doin’ okay. The
profit margin could be better. But it’s cool.”
    As we talked,