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)
“Benny killing this Lucy, that made sense. He’s like that. Loves Jazz just as much as me. But Mom helping him—that made me uneasy. I left it alone.”
“But you sat outside of my house.”
“Something was off. Benny dropped that girl’s body at a party. Your party, sure. But Jazz was there. My family got one rule, keep that shit away from Jazz. Girls don’t need to be involved in this shit. Sure I fucked with chicks in the game, but they was born in the game. Jazz was never meant to be around no dead bodies. Jazz was made for books and rich white boys that could protect her more than me. Jazz was supposed to be free and get us all on the legit path.”
Am I that drunk or is he talking circles around me?
I stopped his rant. “So you watched her?”
“Yes.”
“And your mother’s involvement has you worried?”
“It doesn’t make sense. She took you to Benny’s penthouse, didn’t she?”
I didn’t know if I could trust him or not, but I understood that I didn’t have any other options.
They’re all liars. They’re all looking out for themselves. But somebody’s telling the truth, and someone’s going to die because of it. Who?
“Mom helping Benny. That makes sense. Now Mom helping you? I don’t get it.”
“I give her money.”
Sherman chuckled. “We all give her money, partner. She got deep pockets. Everyone stuffing them. You better believe that.”
“Maybe she’s pissed at Benny for taking Jasmine.”
“How did she know that Benny would take her so soon? She got there right as Benny left. I’m not sure if she saw the car or not, but I feel like she would’ve.”
I studied the man some more. “Why are you telling me this?”
“It’s for Jazz and Troy. Some shit is going down, and Jazz is right in the center. She’s not made for this life. I don’t want her around it. And Troy doesn’t need to go back to jail. He’s not made for life behind bars.”
“I agree on both counts, but I don’t believe you.”
“Look, man. I didn’t go to jail and do the shit that I did so that she could be running for her life. When I was in prison, Jazz kept my girls in school. They smart as hell. She tutored them, got them reading five to six books a week, when I can barely read the titles. My girls going to be just like her, and that’s some good shit. Jazz even got your white ass putting my babies on another level, got them in that white school making friendships with rich kids.”
Quiet ran between us as I considered everything he’d said.
“Tick tock, Mr. Stone.” Sherman dangled the handcuffs.
“What do you want from me?”
“Tell your man to let me go.”
“And where are you going?” I asked.
“I’m still doing my thing in the background.”
“And what is that exactly?”
“Seeing how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
“How is that going to help me?”
“I want Jazz back to you, as much as you want it. Jazz with Benny is not a good thing.”
“Troy is with him, too. At least that’s my understanding.”
The line on his jaw twitched. “Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Where are they?” Sherman asked.
“That’s why I’m working with your mother, trying to figure it out.”
Sherman shook his head. “You’re in over your head. Mom and Benny. I wouldn’t want to go against either one of them. You need friends.”
“And you’re mine?”
“I’m Jazz’s brother. My goal is to get her back to where she wants to be. If it’s with you, then that’s what will happen.”
“How do I know if I can trust you?”
“You can’t. The only people I’m loyal to is my family, and you’re not family. But Jazz is, so our goals are on the same road. We ride together for now, after that, fuck it.”
The whole situation spun around and around worse than a high category hurricane. In one second the winds took me east. Now the winds twirled me around in another direction. All I knew for sure was that Jasmine had a family that was more twisted than mine.
No wonder we get along so well. We’ve both lived with monsters.
I turned to my guard. “Call up some men. Have them take Sherman off into a car. Keep the handcuffs on him and make sure no one sees him leave. There has to be a back entrance or something.”
“I know the way,” Sherman said. “But I need these handcuffs off.”
Ignoring him, I turned around and got ready to exit the stairwell. “Keep them on. I don’t trust him yet.”
“You don’t trust me, huh?” Sherman laughed. “Well, trust this, if anybody should be in handcuffs, it should be Mom. Only problem with that is, I’ll cut you up over that shit. So all I can say is be careful.”
“I’ll take that advice.” I saluted him as the stairwell door closed.