Last Laugh Read online

  Chang walked over to Darryl and slapped his back. “Good move, man. You won’t regret it. It’s best for you and everyone involved.”

  Yeah, just have an innocent man convicted, he thought, but said, “You’re right. Thanks.” He ushered Chang to his office door, showed him out and then closed the door behind him.

  Darryl sat at his desk, and got his assistant on the line. “Hey, Sarah, I need for you to get the Bureau of Prisons on the line for me.” She assured him that she was right on it. I have to at least get him back into federal custody and out of that county prison hell hole. I actually have an innocent man’s life in the palm of my hands. I was always told that I had power, but now I know it.

  26

  MANAYUNK, PHILADELPHIA

  Tasha was twenty minutes late for her romantic dinner, and she didn’t care. In fact, she had been late on purpose. Not that she wasn’t grateful that Andre had invited her out, she just didn’t have time to sit in a restaurant with him and pretend that she wanted him. She agreed that she should meet him for the sake of their son and raising him in a strong family household, but how strong was it? Andre paraded around selling drugs and making illegal money, while she sat at home and spent it. That was no way to raise a child.

  When she walked into the Manayunk Brewery she was accosted by two waitresses. Andre sat at a table in front of an 80 inch TV showing a Monday night football game rerun. He waved her over, and then stood. When she reached him, he held his arms out, hugged her and then kissed her cheek.

  “It’s been a few days, but I miss you so much, babe.” He looked her in the eyes, and then smiled. She was looking at him with the same attitude that a deer looked at a tractor trailer just inches from crashing into it.

  “It’s nice to see you, but what’s the occasion?” She smiled at him and then had a seat. She didn’t want to be rude, but she didn’t want to feign happiness either.

  “I can’t invite my fiancée to dinner?” he asked. “Fine, we’re going through a rough patch, but make no mistake, you’re still going to be my wife.”

  He had a controlling demeanor that didn’t sit well with her. He had a curt grin on his face that she interpreted to be the same old Andre Bezel, and she didn’t want any parts of it.

  The waiter walked by, and she caught his attention. “Excuse me, sir, could you please bring me three shots of vodka.”

  “He’s not our waiter,” Dre interjected.

  “That’s fine, he can still do it,” she said and went into her purse. She pulled out some cash, and handed the waiter $50. “That should cover it, keep the change.”

  The waiter walked away and Andre looked at her and shook his head. “What are you trying to do here?”

  “Look, Dre, I am just not looking to be your little follower anymore. I know what we’ve been texting, but I haven’t been totally honest with you.”

  Andre’s eyebrows raised and then he balled up his face. “That’s strange. Since when do we lie to each other? I have been a bad boyfriend, but I haven’t lied to you.”

  “I get all that,” Tasha said as the waiter dropped off her three shots. She threw one back, and then slammed the empty glass on the table. “But I just need to be a free and independent woman.”

  “And with me you can, Tasha,” Andre sat and moved his seat closer to her. “I have not been controlling you or telling you that you cannot work or do anything.”

  “No, you haven’t, but you have forced me to be a house wife. Now you have our boy, so how does it feel to be a stay at home dad?” She took another shot and then said, “Oh, I forgot. You took the easy way out and dropped him off at dear old grandmoms. It’s sad how you and Kareem won’t grow up and be men. You both just keep relying on her like some crutch.”

  “Tasha, you’re getting out of line. Be nice here, because I have come to work this out, baby. You’re my world, and I can’t imagine letting you out there in the world all alone.”

  “Listen to you, I have been out here all alone, as you have been ripping and running the streets and leaving me alone a lot. That’s what lead to me getting my own apartment.”

  Andre froze. Own apartment? What the fuck is she talking about? This tough girl act is pissing me off, but I’m going to keep calm because I need her and so does my son. “What apartment, Tasha?”

  “Andre, I went to a realtor and signed the lease for a two bedroom apartment in downtown today.” She pulled out two gold keys and sat them on the table. She then had her third shot. “I also signed up and took the placement test at Temple University to study English.”

  Andre stuck his finger in his ear and scratch the interior, and then pulled on his ear lobe. He was trying to calm down and understand what was happening. How did his woman have keys to a new place without his permission?

  “How are you going to just move out for real, Tasha?”

  “Did you think that I was joking?”

  “Yes,” he said as their waiter stepped to the table. He waved the man off, and then said, “I thought, you’d go to a family member and cool off. Look, I am sorry, but I do not want to lose you.”

  “And you won’t but I have some demands.”

  “Okay,” he said and humbled himself. “What are they?”

  Surprisingly, he was listening and she seemed to have his attention. “I want my tuition paid. I will not get enough financial aid, and I’d like you to take care of the balance.

  “I can do that. No problem. What else?” He couldn’t believe that he was committing to this, in this fashion. Sure, he would help her, but he saw a gun gently planted at his temple. What would she do if he said no? She knew way too much about him and his illegal activities thanks to his foolish pillow talk. The one motto that his father had always told him was that whatever happened in the streets was to stay there.

  “I need you to pay half my rent. I will take our son for half of the week and you must keep him the other half, not your grandmother.” She dug into her purse and pulled out a set of keys on a ring. “Here’s keys to the place. I am not doing this because I want another man, but I need you to understand that we have to grow up and get some things straight.”

  What the hell is she talking about? “Come on with this. Just come home. You know I can’t take care of our boy alone.”

  “You can, if you want any chance of being with me. I am going to get myself together to contribute to us. I want us to move into a home together where I can contribute.”

  “Tasha will you please stop this. I will give you money.”

  “I have money, Dre.”

  He looked puzzled.

  “Do you think I spent every dime you’ve given me over the years? I have a nice bit of money, and before you ask, I want your contribution on the tuition and the rent because as you said, I am your world and fiancée and I need you, so that I do not use all that I have to better us.”

  “Us?” he asked and stood up. “I am going to bring my boy to your apartment tonight. I am sure he misses his mother.”

  “I am sure myself, but bring him with furniture for his room.”

  “Are you ready? I see what I have to do.”

  “Do we have a deal, Andre?”

  “Yes, Tasha.”

  “You said that a little too quickly.”

  “But I meant it, because I am done with this game and I want the best for our son and you.”

  “Okay, fine.”

  “Let’s go. Let me get you to this place, so I can inspect it.”

  “I leased a car, Andre.”

  This bitch is really trying to piss me off, but I’mma let her have her moment. “What kinda car, Tasha?”

  “Benz.”

  Oh she’s really doing the most, but I am getting my baby back.

  27

  PHILADELPHIA, MARRIOTT HOTEL

  It seemed odd that Rock was hard pressed to use Yolanda like he did many woman when she first approached him on Broad Street. That had since changed. They had had a wonderful dinner, and decided to have some drinks.
He held her hand and ushered her into the downtown Marriott Hotel, which was a few blocks from Sbraga. He didn’t plan to take her to a room and have sex with her, but to simply relax with her in the lobby bar, Circ. She had a warm heart and he felt comfortable around her. Unlike all of the other woman that he had met out in the streets, Yolanda had class and was sophisticated. She had told him all about her degrees and her family background. What he didn’t know was that she had told him all lies, and was determined to see him behind bars for a very long time.

  Yolanda had a seat on one of the lime green sofas, and smiled at Rock. She was laying it on him, like any undercover detective would, but somewhere deep within her she was attracted to him physically, sexually and emotionally. He had the kind of charm that could get into the bed of any woman, and he seemed to be very smart. It was such a disgrace that Rock had been influenced to disregard his natural ability to be a great man, to be a drug dealing street thug.

  A waitress walked over to them, and asked what they were having to drink.

  “I am not sure, what I want,” Yolanda said and looked at the drink menu. “I am not really a drinker.” she confessed.

  “Oh, come on, shorty,” Rock said and pulled her closer to him. “I got this,” he told Yolanda, and then told the waitress, “Were going to have a bottle of bubbly. Give us your best champagne,” he said and then smirked at Yolanda. “We need to toast and celebrate connecting.”

  “I’ll be back with that,” the waitress said. She then asked, “Are you here for a special occasion?”

  “No, just...” Yolanda began, and Rock cut her off.

  “Yes, this is my new girlfriend.” He was kidding around, and she knew it, but they both accepted the moniker for that moment.

  “Oh, I see,” the waitress said and walked off.

  “Your girlfriend?” she asked and raised her eyebrows. They were both inflating each other egos in an attempt to gain trust.

  “Yes, ma. You’re mine. I have never met a woman like you. I need and want you.”

  She looked at him and shook her head. She wanted to vomit. This man is such a game player, and I can’t believe women actually fall for this sort of bullshit. He’s calling me ma and shorty. Women are not shorties, she thought, but gave him a warm smile. She blushed like he had said the most inspiring words of her life time, and smiled back.

  “I am speechless. No man has ever took total control of me like this.”

  “That’s because you haven’t met a real man until you’ve met me,” Rock said, and then looked at his cell phone. “I have to take this call,” he said. “It’s my brother Dre. His brother is in some bullshit, and he needs my help to get him out of it.” He got up and walked towards an empty corner of the bar.

  Yolanda pulled out her cell phone and text her handler.

  He is on the phone with Dre as I text this. You need to get a location ASAP.

  She immediately deleted the text and then took a picture of Rock on the phone in the corner. He looked to be in a heated conversation, and she wanted to capture it all for the grand jury. She sent the pictures to her handler and then to her email account as a backup. When she received the notification that she had received the pictures, she deleted them from her phone’s camera roll. Rock walked back towards her, and she pulled up her Facebook account to avoid any suspicion from him when he had a seat on the sofa.

  He sat down as the waitress poured their champagne into their glasses. He handed her a glass and then held his in the air and Yolanda followed suit.

  “To the future, us,” he said.

  “Yes,” she said, “To us.”

  They both took sips of the drink, and he then informed her that he had to make a run.

  “Just when I was enjoying the night,” she said.

  “Yeah, you know I am into a lifestyle that demands a lot of time, but I am about to give all that up. You’ve met me at a great time. I am about to really pursue a dream of mine that I always wanted to do.”

  “Oh, nice,” she said, “what’s that?”

  “I am a chef at heart. That’s why I took you to that fine ass restaurant, Sbraga. I want to own something like that, and act as head chef. I know the owner of that one, Kevin Sbraga, who won one of the cooking shows a few years ago. I want more out of this life.”

  It’s a tad late for that, she thought. “I totally understand. You should go for it. Let me know if I can help you at all.”

  He held up his glass. “I’ll toast to that.” She tapped her glass against his, and he said, “I have never had a woman say that. In fact, I stopped telling woman that because they either laughed at me, or suggested that I continue to get this illegal money. But that was really all about them getting the benefits of the money. It took some time to realize that, but I now have.”

  “Because of me?” she asked puzzled.

  “Not exactly, but you do seem to compliment what I am trying to do,” he said and then noticed her blank stare. “It’s early yes, but I can tell that you’re into me, and that you’re a woman of substance. Yes, I am a bad boy, but that may be just what you need.”

  “Only in the bed.” She smirked and ran her hand along his leg to his crotch and stroked his penis. He instantly became erect. “Yes, I see you’re a bad boy.”

  “Oh, it’s like that. I can skip this meeting and we can go upstairs to a suite, and you can really play with him.”

  I know that silly, she thought. But I don’t want all that. I just need you to believe that I do.

  “No, you need to go and handle your business. I don’t want to have sex on the first day, but I do want to show you that I am a freak.”

  “Good, ‘cause I can show you what being a freak is all about,” He tickled her left nipple which was showing through her shirt. “Let’s get out of here before we end up in jail for being indecent.”

  28

  CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY DRE’S LAIR

  Dre sat in a shabby living room, and looked at Dook and Mack playing XBox 360. They screamed and talked smack to each other as if they didn’t have a care in the world. That was the reason that he took advantage of them. They were puppets. Merely men that he used to do what he didn’t want to. And they would undoubtedly help him kidnap his brother from county or federal custody. Which one, he didn’t care. If they didn’t, they’d probably end up missing.

  Dre took another shot of vodka, and then asked his homies, “So how long do you think Rock is going to take to get here?” He had a Walther PK380 sitting on his lap. Andre had a burning desire to use the subcompact weapon that was fitted with a Viridian X5L green laser beam.

  “Man, you bitched him in front of the squad, Dre,” Mack said. “He’s pissed.”

  “Fuck dat. He shouldn’t be bitchen, like no hoe,” Dook added and tossed his controller. “I’m done beating ya ass, cuz.”

  * * *

  “Dre? Who’s Dre?” Yolanda asked. She was elated that they finally broached the topic that had her with Rock.

  “Let’s not worry about that, right now. Just know that I have to get away from him, and right now may be my only chance,” Rock said. They were parked in the parking lot of the projects. Rock didn’t want to go upstairs because he feared that he may not make it off the 16th floor alive. He was going up there, though, because he needed to get on with his life without Andre Bezel by his side. Rock was tired of all of his drug dealing ways. The robbing, stealing and killing had consumed him, and he had enough.

  “What are you going to do?” Yolanda said. She seemed a tad hyperactive and that turned Rock on. She reached under her car seat, pulled out her gun, and said, “I definitely will bust my gun if that’s where you going.”

  “Yo, put that away,” Rock said and then chuckled. She had turned him on with that move. He liked that she was ready for war, but he wondered what the hell she was doing with a weapon. “Damn, I knew there was something about you that I liked. This is the PJ’s though, so you can’t just pull out a gun. It’s undercover police all through here.”

/>   You don’t say. “My bad, Daddy. You just make me want to be there for you, you know? Just be your ride or die bitch. I can be that.” She was lying again, and starting to like it. She wondered what would a typical hood chick do after saying such a foolish comment. In an effort to fit in, Yolanda confirmed her words by stroking his dick again. She was about as sincere as a cat promising not to kill a mouse. Just a smooth undercover agent going in for the kill, cracking this case one clue at a time. Visions of her promotion consumed her, and she smiled inside.

  “Good, Baby,” he said and leaned over. He kissed her lips with passion. “Well, I am going to tell you this. I’m going up here to meet a homie of mine, but I need to cut ties with this dude. I want it to be a simple thing, but he has already disrespected the shit outta me in broad day light, and I might have to handle this clown.” Rock cracked his knuckles and then balled his hands into fists. He was ready to fight Andre, but he knew that he wasn’t getting a fair fist fight. I’ll have to kill that mutha fucka.

  “Whoa, I am not being no getaway driver. We in Jersey, Baby. We can get a fed case for crossing state lines like that.” What the hell am I talking about, Yolanda thought. I am getting into specifics that he could care less about. But I can’t encourage him to commit crime, either. What if he tells his attorney that I coerced him? They’d get my evidence thrown right out if the judge agreed. I better slow down.

  “I like that you said, we. That’s some good shit, and we’ve only been fucking around today. This is too good to be true. How about you pull around the back,” he told her and then guided her to park right in the back of the projects under Dre’s apartment. He planned to toss some drugs out of a window along with some money if he had the chance. “Chill right here,” he said opening the door. “I am not going to coerce you, but if money or drugs fall from the sky, scoop that shit up. It just may be your ticket out of here with your new boo.”

  She grabbed his thigh. “Okay, Daddy. For some reason, I trust you, and I am ready. I don’t have anyone else right now, but my mom. But anything you drop out of that window is coming into this car.” Along with being logged as evidence. She winked at him. “Now get in there, and get that money.”