Nesto lit a cigarette, puffed and watched Lil’ Long furiously pound the wall with his fist. “Hey daddy, be easy…”
“I been easy for too long in this overcrowded muthafuckin’ joint. It’s time to do my thing. Bust my guns dying. I gotta see ‘em muthafuckin’ clown ass bitches’ smiles turned upside down,” Lil’ Long yelled.
“Fuck! They whole world up,” Ernesto joined in. “Hey Lil’ Long you ain’t gotta let all that shit bother you, them Russians they have this shit locked. Daddy, daddy I tell you they got some shit they call it bratva.”
“And what you tryin’ a say, man?” Lil’ Long asked.
“I swear on my son’s grave, daddy, they like the Italian mob, ‘cept twice as deadly. They control every single fuckin’ thing on the inside and lots and lots on da fuckin’ outside. I’m dead-ass, daddy.”
“Oh yeah, you singin’ they praises. They real bosses like that?”
“All you gotta do is say the word, daddy an’ these niggas will handle shit for you. You my man, daddy and these cats will handle shit. I’m dead-ass, daddy…”
“Nah, I ain’t trying to keep no foreign muthafuckas on my dick. I don’t need none roun’ me. I gotta be back in da hood to do what I do. I’ll handle da street shit in da fuckin’ streets.”
“But daddy, listen to your man Nesto. I’m a put in da word…”
“Nah sun, it ain’t happening. I don’t need no mo’ baggage, muthafucka. I’m a do things my way. Them bosses gonna want tribute on urrh-thing that I do. They just like ‘em wop niggas, they all ‘bout owning shit. I ain’t about to be slingin’ for no one like I’m their bitch, a ho or sump’n…”
“All Nesto sayin’ is you need to listen to these muthafuckas, they got crazy juice. I’m telling you daddy. Crazy, crazy juice. And they like you.”
“Yeah, yeah I hear you, whateva man. I already know what I gotta do to get da fuck up out this joint. And then it’s muthafuckin saddle and boots. Ain’t no-no-body gonna be sasa-afe. I’m a ri-r-ridin’ on e-m-m bi-bi-bitches.”
“But daddy you could be getting’ your hustle on, cuz it’s bout da ends. Nesto sayin’ it’s not gonna hurt to holla at these bratva cats. They got mad plans for the future.”
“Fuck all that, man. I’m gonna be out and about, doing what I do, muthafucka. I ain’t hatin but I ain’t participatin’ in da next man plan,” Lil’ Long said inhaling smoke from his cigarette. His strategy was sewn up. He knew what he had to do.
FOUR
That evening Detective Kowalski and his partner trudged up the stairs to visit Coco at home.
“You have to play good cop. Okay with you Hall. I don’t mind locking this smart ass away. I want to scare her first. Maybe she’ll open up and talk some. Plus, I know she doesn’t care much for me, so she’s not going to want to say much to me.” Kowalski said as they made it pass the first floor landing.
“You pick the simple ones. Is that it huh?”
“Come on, no faith in the system you rep, partner?”
“No faith? You’re always singing about making arrests, tough guy.” Hall said as his partner’s cell phone rang.
“Hold up,” Kowalski said. He looked at his cellphone, smiling from ear to ear. “Let me take this call. I may have turned a snitch,” Kowalski said. “Detective Kowalski here operator, go ahead put that call through. So Michael, what’s your verdict, guy? Tell me something good, now… It’s a simple exchange, you help us in our endeavors and we in return guarantee you freedom. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize a good thing, Michael… But what, Michael? Think about all the good you’ll be doing? You’ll be helping society get rid of an enemy who’s by the way, really trying to kill you. Some ah… coward who put a price on your fucking head, man? Where can you run? We know you want to get back at him for trying to keep you off your turf. We could do a better job of taking him down than you can. We want that big fish worse than you. All you’ve got to do is say the word and we’ll be looking forward to working with you… What’s your answer? Gimme a yes and I’ll start to work on your freedom immediately, baby. You’ll be out so fast.”
Kowalski nodded when he heard what he wanted to hear and closed the phone.
He bounded up the stairs ahead of Hall. “How long before Michael Lowe can be released from lock up?” Kowalski asked while his partner stared at him with furrowed brows.
“About seventy-two hours or so why?” Hall asked as they reached the third floor of the building.
“I want him released,” Kowalski answered as he examined a fresh bullet hole. “I got the infamous Michael Lowe, alias Lil’ Long, cooperating with our team now.”
“C’mon, Kowalski, you’re still green. Don’t get your hopes up too high. You know he’s only going along with your plan in order to get out. I don’t think he’s gonna want to play once he’s on the outside.”
“There you go again. No faith in the system,” Kowalski said looking directly at Hall. “If that piece a shit doesn’t cooperate, his ass will be back up in a sling so fast…”
“And what happens if he doesn’t want to go back, are you going to take him out?”
“Believe me, he will have no choice in the matter. It’s either give up Eric Ascot or he’ll become my bitch on these streets. I’ll let everyone of his buddies know he’s a faggot and a fucking rat.” Kowalski said as he turned to knock on Coco’s door. “We’re gonna use whatever it takes to break this case wide open. Whatever it takes to make the arrest. You hear me partner?” He banged again on the door. “Where could she go? Didn’t the uniform guys tell her to stay put?” Kowalski asked.
“I’m sure they did.” Hall deadpanned.
Kowalski knocked loud on the door a few more times. The door next to the apartment opened. Coco peered out.
“Wait a minute. You do not live there. What’s this we’ve got going on here? Is this breaking and entering in progress?” Kowalski asked with sarcasm.
Coco stared at him with a deadly glare before answering. “What do you want? I’m here because Miss Katie is in the hospital and I was about to bring the documents the people at the hospital wanted. So if you don’t mind, I’ll…”
Kowalski raised his hand. “Don’t tell me, you had to break into her apartment to get ah…‘The documents?’”
“No, I did not break-in. I have Miss Katie’s keys.”
“Oh you do?”
“If you did your homework you’d know that Miss Katie has been taking care of me since…”
“Since your mother has been in drug rehab,” Detective Hall said.
“Okay what’s your point? You know everything. So can I go about my bidness now?” She asked as impolite as possible.
“Why don’t you talk to us? Is there a reason why you do not trust the police? We are here to protect and serve…” Hall said.
“You ain’t protecting or serving me…”
“Young lady, couple weeks ago we could’ve arrested you for loitering in a drug infested area. The place where you were caught we know for certain that if you’re anywhere in that vicinity, you’re there for one reason only, and that’s to buy drugs. Now we did not arrest you, we did not even search you, which if we did, we’d probably found a bag or two of that reefer…”
“Huh? What reefer?