Lost Boy, page 10
“Do you...” Dondi said bitterly. “...but please don’t kill me!”
“Then it better be some good ass!” the black cop said.
Tangie couldn’t take anymore. She reached into her purse and pulled out the only weapon she had, pepper spray. She stuck it out with her blouse pulled over like she had a gun and charged into the room.
“Alright muthafuckas, enough!” She moved swiftly towards Dondi and grabbed her by the arm.
The cops moved back some, then one of them recognized her. “It’s that public defender bitch!”
“Damn!” the black cop said as he tried to hide his face. “If she tells...”
“Naw, she won’t tell.” The big-bellied cop slowly reached for his gun. He looked Tangie up and down and eased toward her. “Besides I always wanted some of that high-yellow ass anyway.”
Both cops looked and smiled, one of them even replied, “Yeah, me too.”
Tangie pulled at Dondi and she got up then pushed her way towards the door.
“Go press the elevator,” Tangie ordered Dondi.
Dondi hesitated at first, she didn’t want to leave her by herself. Tangie however, had other plans, she pulled out and pointed in their direction, then pressed down on the pepper spray and held it tight. They gagged as the spray littered their eyes and nostrils. She ducked down, slid out of the door and bolted towards the elevator, just as they came to their senses and started running after her.
“Get that bitch!” one yelled.
Tangie and Dondi huddled close inside the back of the elevator waiting for it to close. Tangie still had her pepper spray in hand. Hearing the footsteps running down the hall they braced themselves for whatever, but the doors closed dead in their faces. They both let out a sigh of relief. Tangie hurriedly pressed two, thinking they would take the stairs. She knew enough to get off and hit the fire exit then make their escape to the back of the building and to her car.
They jumped in, she cranked up the bright silver Audi and pulled into traffic on East Bay Street hauling ass. She looked behind her up at Sunshine’s office and she saw her standing in the window mean mugging.
She peered over at Dondi. “I don’t know what you know or don’t know, but I gotta get you the fuck outta of town.”
Dondi looked over at her puzzled. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Tangie Singleton! Would you believe I work back there?”
“Doing what?” Dondi shot back as she straightened up her clothes.
“Public Defender.”
“Oh yeah, I heard of them but you’re more like fuckin’ Foxy Brown or some shit. You something serious!”
Tangie laughed. “And I’m looking for someone.”
“Everyone is...who you looking for?”
“My brother.”
“Your brother...who’s that?”
“Jabari...Jabari Singleton!”
Dondi stopped fumbling with her clothes and stared her way. “So, you’re the one...his sister?”
Tangie sighed. “Yeah, that’s me. I’m sure you heard a lot about me, too. And a whole lot of it ain’t been good, I bet.”
Dondi pointed to a restaurant on Rivers Avenue and told her to pull around the back. “Look, before we go any further. You need to tell me what the fuck is going on...now! I’m not sayin’ nuthin’ else until then. I’m tired of this shit!”
Tangie agreed, she went in and ordered them some food, then got back into the car and took a sip of the hot coffee she bought. Tangie put the coffee in a cup holder making sure it was secured before turning to face Dondi. Tangie took a deep breath and exhaled, then closed her eyes for a moment. Dondi caught her movements, realizing she was praying, Dondi also put her head down, then reached over and grasped her hands tightly.
After completing her prayer, Tangie said, “Amen!”
Dondi reached over for her cup, blew the steam off the top of the hot brew, and waited for every word to come off her lips.
“I want you to know that I love my brother with all my heart and soul believe me. But I had no control over...” She paused then looked off.
Dondi grabbed her hand again and squeezed it. “It’s okay!”
Tangie smiled and continued. “I remember when we were little. Jabari was bad and all, but he was so small and chubby. My mama always had him in her tickling him and stuff, spoiling him.” She grinned, her thoughts were all over the place along with her emotions. “Not that I was jealous or anything, hell, I tickled him all the time myself. He was just one happy kid.”
“Excuse me...Ms...Singleton...”
“Please call me, Tangie!”
“Tangie, how old were you all then?”
“Well, I was about seven and Jabari was like, uh, let’s see...three. Yeah, he’d just turned three!”
“You remember way back like that?”
Tangie smiled and said teasingly. “C’mon, girl, I ain’t that old.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I’m messing with you. Anyway, our father worked construction and my mom did secretary work downtown at an art gallery. She loved herself some art, she was always bringing home different prints or paintings she wanted us to see. My dad had his own business and was always busy, but don’t get me wrong he always had time to be with us.”
“Okay...so what happened?”
Tangie took a long swig of the coffee and started to chew on her bottom lip.
Dondi rubbed her arm. “That’s what your brother would do when he was worried about something.”
Tangie smiled again and a twinkle seemed to appear in her eyes. “He got it from, mama.”
“So, what happened?”
“Oh, yeah, everything was going well. I’d just turned ten and Jabari was a big old boy then. It happened so quick!” She rubbed the brow of her forehead. “All I know is I was at school and the principal came and got me and rushed me to his office. I thought I was in trouble or something. There were a lot of cops there. The nurse took me by the hand and told me something bad had happened.” She started chewing on her lip again and caught Dondi staring at her.
“Sorry! They rushed me to the house and there were a lot of cop cars in front of the house. A crowd of people was also gathered around the house. I came through the door and saw my father sitting on the couch crying. I ran over to him, then I looked around and didn’t see Jabari. I asked where he was, and he pointed to the kitchen. I ran in and saw him sitting at the table with some men in suits standing around him. The next thing I knew they were taking him out the door. I remember him crying and hollering, looking back at us as they carried him off to a car and drove away.
“My dad didn’t say anything...not a word. He just looked down shaking his head. I ran around the house calling out for my mother. I rushed to the bedroom and just before I opened the door someone grabbed my arm, trying to stop me, but it was too late.” Tangie reached for a napkin and dabbed at the tears in the corner of her eyes. “Blood was all over the floor and the bed was soaked with it. I saw my mother lying face down. I screamed out for my mama as loud as I could, and she didn’t move.”
“Oh my, God,” Dondi gasped. “Was she alright?”
“She was dead, but that wasn’t all. A man laid naked over by the window. Blood was splattered all over his him and the all, he was dead too.”
“Damn, Tangie!” Dondi reached for her. “I’m so sorry.”
“My grandmother, my father’s mother took me to her house, and I didn’t see Jabari no more for years. I asked about him from time to time and they would always say the same thing. Something about him living somewhere else. They wouldn’t say where, though. I cried all the time, my father, well he just went about his business as if nothing happened. I didn’t even see my brother at my mama’s funeral.”
“What happened?”
“I later found out, at least from my father’s version. Evidently, my mother was supposedly cheating on him with one of his laborers. My father followed him to the house one day and caught them in bed together. Said the guy started shooting at him and he ended up shooting them both. The cops said it was self-defense. Said they found the gun he had with his prints. I really don’t know... it didn’t seem right to me then and it doesn’t now. My father’s people paid a lot of folks off. That’s how he would get his contracts.”
“What happened to, Jabari, where did he go?”
“He never went to my other grandmother’s house like I thought. He was sent to a mental hospital and then to foster care. My father said he was too sick or him to take care of, so he was bounced around from foster home to foster home. I never really heard about him except what my father told me, and he always said he was sick...crazy.”
“Oh my, God!”
“But the deal was this, Jabari had actually seen everything. The cops had him down as a witness. He said my father murdered my mother and set up his worker to take the fall. Said my dad was fuckin’ around with his secretary or some shit. Had to be true cause he married her ass right after that. And all the time I didn’t know a damn thing.” Tangie stared aimlessly out of the window, tears were running freely now. “I kept asking about him, but it was the same old thing over and over...he’s crazy. I felt real bad for a while but my father’s family...they had money. And one thing about money, enough of it makes a whole lot disappear. They sent me to all the good schools, bought me a lot of...stuff.”
“Did you ever see him at any time after that?”
“I remember this one time he came up to the school I was in. a real good well-off school. He came on the campus, he found me and flashed this real bright smile...like when he was a little boy. He tried to hug me, but I pushed him away. He was wearing these old clothes and looked scraggly. He’d been living at the shelter. I was around all my rich girlfriends and I felt ashamed...better than him. Would you believe that? I felt ashamed of my own brother!” she banged the top of the steering wheel, almost spilling her coffee and started sobbing heavily. Dondi sat silently, not saying a word and Tangie went on. “The look in his eyes, I’ll never forget. He felt so unwanted. He tried coming with me to the house. He wanted my father to help him and bring him back home. But my father called the fuckin’ cops on him like he was nothing.”
“Damn, Jabari...damn.” Tears started forming in Dondi’s eyes as well.
“He started doing drugs and I can’t blame him. God knows what happened to him all those years in those shelters.”
“God knows and...I know too. I know his pain, trust me!”
Tangie glanced over at her. “I’m sorry, I never should have...”
“Get it out, Tangie, you need to.”
“When I got to college and became more aware. I guess you can call it that. I knew I was dead wrong, but I still didn’t know where he was. The next time I saw him was when my father died, and he came to the funeral...drunk and high. I tried to talk to him, but he didn’t want nothing to do with me or any of us. They tried to call the cops on him, and I wouldn’t let them. When everyone left, I spotted him at the burial site...pissing on my father’s grave.”
“Hmph...that’s all, sorry, ‘bout that.”
“That’s alright, you know my brother. You how he is, I tried to talk to him, and he looked square in the eyes and said, That, bastard killed our mother and they let him get away with it! I tried to talk to him, but he made it clear we were no longer family. He said he would see me in hell before he’d ever fuck with me again. He told me to kiss his ass and then just walked off.”
“But, didn’t he still see you from time to time? I mean, he would still talk about you.”
“Yeah, but I’m sure it wasn’t good. He’d cuss me out, but I never gave up on him...I never will.” Tangie looked at her wiping her eyes. “Were you there when he threw me out in the street in front of the hotel?”
“Naw, but I heard about it. I cussed his ass out if it makes you feel any better. But, of course, he paid me no mind.”
Tangie pulled herself together and drove to the hotel were Dondi was staying but not before she had her search around the block looking to spot any strange vehicles thinking maybe the cops had come after them or someone would be spying on them. After riding around they both came to the conclusion that there was on one. They both thought it was strange but Tangie knew one thing for sure that eventually things would blow-up once Sunshine made her move. They pulled into the hotel’s office area and Pasheeva waved them down.
They stopped only after he ran out and damn near jumped in front of the car. “Wait...hold up, hold up!”
Tangie rolled down the window after Dondi gave her the run-down about who he was and what he was about. “Can I help you?” Tangie asked.
“The police came and searched through your room,” he said.
“What! You let them?” Dondi shrieked angrily.
“What could I do? They had a paper that said they could.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I locked the door, they left it wide open.”
“Damn,” Dondi said. “I wonder if they anything?”
“They looked like they weren’t really looking for anything in particular, but the place is still torn up.” He eased closer and closer until he was leaning on the door.
“Thank you, sir,” Tangie said as she started pulling off.
He held on tightly to the window. “Wait, look...uh...” He stared over at Dondi studying her body, literally undressing her with his eyes. It made her feel uncomfortable and after all, she’d been through today she squirmed. Tangie quickly caught on.
“You...uh remember what we talked about, heh?” he said as he glanced back toward the office. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he licked his lips lustfully. Tangie caught on to that as well. “My wife went to her relative's place, she won’t be home till later.” He started checking out Tangie’s legs. “Maybe...the two of us can have some...fun!”
Dondi waved him off. “No...not now...”
“But you said so, I mean, it’s a good time.” He drummed up the nerve and reached in to feel Tangie’s thighs. “The both of us can...”
Tangie rolled the window up on his arm and he screamed, then pulled him closer to the window. His face was mushed on the glass. “Look, whatever y’all two had planned...or discussed. “She pulled out her badge and showed it to the glass in front of his face. “It’s over with!” She turned around to Dondi. “Is the bill paid or what?”
“It’s paid for the rest of the month,” she said.
“Well, then...sir, if there’s nothing else.’ She let go of him.
Pasheeva mean mugged her but backed off slowly. He didn’t want to scrap with Tangie today and the look in eyes confirmed it. “Bye.” She gunned the gas and damn near ran over his foot. “Now which room, Dondi?”
Dondi pointed to the room and she pulled into a spot, grabbed her purse and started getting out. Dondi reached over and grabbed Tangie’s arm. “Look, my life is different from yours. I have to do what I have to do, at times, ya know.”
Tangie looked at her and sighed. “Believe me, I know the feeling, but, right now, at least it’s over. I need you to be straight cause this shit is serious, alright.”
“You sound just like your brother,” she said as she got out of the car sucking her teeth.
“Yeah...” They walked to the door and opened it.
Pasheeva was right, the place was a wreck. Her mattress was flipped over and cut up. The drawers were pulled out and clothes were strewn all over. Dondi’s, Rip’s and Jabari’s papers had been scattered over the floor.
“They were definitely looking for something, Dondi.” Tangie threw some clothes off a char and sat down, then asked. “Now, do you know where my brother is?” It was getting late and she needed to get down to business. She still had to get up with Moonie G.
Dondi started picking up things and tossing them on the bed. “He didn’t say where he was going.”
“Hmmm...hell.” She peeped through the blinds and looked around outside. “He could be watching us, right now.”
Dondi paused for a second and looked her way. “Naw, he was definitely leaving Charleston. He wouldn’t need a car, it’d be too hot for him.”
“You’re right, so...damn, where did he go?”
Dondi picked up some cards and stared at them, then scanned around and picked up a plastic blindfold. “Damn, here’s Rip’s wallet.”
“Rip, who is Rip?” Tangie asked.
Dondi came racing over to her, showing her a photo. “Rip, the one who was killed, he stayed here with me.”
“Okay...I see.”
She shoved his I.D. in her pocket. “I got what I need now. I can finally find his family, but damn, I need to go downtown and claim the body.” She grabbed Tangie by the hand. “Take me...please!”
“Wow, you really liked this guy?”
Dondi sat on the floor next to her and stared at the picture. “I guess...I miss him.”
“Pass me the phone.”
Dondi did as Tangie requested, dialed some numbers, turned away then said something Dondi couldn’t hear. “They’re going to hold the body for you so let’s clean up this mess and I’ll take you down there,” Tangie told her, scratched her head as she scanned the room, looking for a place to start. “I know some people that can find his family too. We’ll make sure he gets a decent burial.”
Dondi hugged Tangie. “Thank you, Tangie.
Tangie pushed her away a little and held her nose up. “Girl, you need to jump in some water.”
Dondi’s face turned flushed red and she smelled under her arms. “Ooohhh...damn! So much has been going on.” She searched the floor for some clothes and dashed into the bathroom.
Tangie picked up some papers then leaned on the bathroom door. “Dondi, was Rip and Jabari together that day?”
Dondi pulled back the curtain to the shower exposing herself. Tangie couldn’t help but admire her shapely presence, curved body, and smooth chocolate skin.
“I’ma tell you, but you can’t mention it to no one else. Yes, they left out of her together.”
“You have to tell me something, Dondi, so I can help.”
