Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
I turned to Vivian. “It’s like we both grew up in different households.”
“No, you just like to pretend that Mom is a loving person. You can’t see evil in people like me.”
Vivian tucked hair behind her ear. “None of this matters.”
“In a way, it does,” Troy corrected. “In any game, you have to understand who your players are and what the rules are. If Benny controls the game, then we can figure out how to win. But if Mom is involved ... well, we’re fucked.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped open.
“I’m sorry, Viv. Not fucked.” He let go of my arm, appeared for a minute like he was going to get up and hug her, but then stopped. “I’m just saying, Mom makes things difficult. She’s good at getting inside of Jazz’s and my head. Plus, I can’t figure out why she would even get involved. Why get Lucy killed?”
“This is stupid, man.” I looked at Vivian. “Can you grab that bag?”
“Now?” Vivian asked.
“Hell yes. I’m smoking.”
“But—”
“Please, Vivian.”
Vivian pushed her chair back and rose. “Fine, but don’t talk about anything until I come back.”
We both nodded in unison, in that perfect way we’d practiced, when we were young. People always found Troy and I adorable. As kids, we’d used that little factor against everyone. At eight, we’d go to the corner store, look up at the old Indian woman that cashiered, and give her the saddest eyes.
‘We love you,’ our gazes proclaimed. ‘We are so cute, and we love you.’
Like clockwork, she’d suck her teeth and toss us our favorite candy. For me, pink Now and Laters. Troy had a thing for watermelon Airheads. It was the only sort of watermelon he would eat. I’d never witnessed him eating the actual fruit. He believed it made him a stereotype.
“Not all black people love watermelon, Jazz.” He would roll his tiny eyes, yet drool as I munched on my chunky slices of juicy fruit.
In Benny’s prison castle’s kitchen, Vivian placed her hands on her hips and stared at us. “You both look like you’re lying to me.”
Together, we smiled.
“You’re going to plan something without me, right?” Vivian frowned.
We shook our head no.
“For my own good, apparently?” Her sad expression shifted to annoyance.
We said nothing.
“I’m going to get the stuff. Try not to plan something stupid until I get back.” She gave up and walked off.
When she disappeared into her room, Troy fixed his attention on me. “What, Jazz?”
“You’re leaving something out.”
“Am I?”
“Your reasons for Mom being involved are shaky. What’s going on?”
“You’re just going to get mad and even more pissed, so why go there?”
“What?”
“I’m not even sure if I’m right.”
“What?”
“I think Chase and Mom are together.”
“Huh?” I almost laughed. The very idea sounded comical. “My Chase?”
“My Chase?” he mocked me.
“Shut up.”
“When I talked to him yesterday, he said he was with somebody. He was speaking in code and shit. Confirmed that the person knew me. Now how many people could Chase be around that knows him and me?” Troy raised his hand and touched his fingers one by one as he listed names. “Viv, Benny, Sherman, and Mom. Viv was with me. Benny with you. That only leaves Sherman and Mom. Either way that’s Mom. Sherman’s her puppet.”
“Stop it.”
“It’s the truth. First born and all that shit. You think he was able to control the block without her whispering in his ear?”
“Concentrate, Troy.” My bottom lip shivered. “Okay, let’s think about this crazy theory for one second. If Mom or Sherman was with Chase, why would they be with him?”
“To find you.”
I closed my eyes. Grief over took me. “They can’t help him.”
“Why not? Only person on this earth that understands Benny better than us, is Mom. If I was Chase, I would go to her.”
“She’s not going to be able to help him. She’ll just use him.”
“She’s already using him. Chase got her on a salary. I was in his system’s records. She’s on the payroll like she works there.”
“Why were you in his corporation’s computer?”
“It was months ago, when we were trying to figure out who could be working against us and helping Benny out. We figured it had to be some of Chase’s security. When I happened to see her name on there, I asked Chase about it. Motherfucker told me that she’d been up in his office demanding money and education funds for Tee-Tee, Sherman Jr., and them.”
“He never told me that.” I couldn’t even open my eyes as reality slapped my face.
“Don’t matter now. This is the problem. Look at me.”
I opened my eyes.
He leaned in closer. “Mom is involved somehow, and she wants something. This whole thing doesn’t make sense. She’s been cool with Benny forever. He’s helped her out in South End, I’m sure of it. Biggest reason why she got control of the block was because people are too afraid of him, and didn’t want to fuck with Mom, and have him on their back.”