Page 27 of June: When Gangstas Collide

Pierre and I sat a block down from where Zaria’s Place was and watched as Chevy was served paperwork. Since that meeting at FBP, I had someone look into him. It had been something that stuck out to me at that meeting, which made me want to go on the hunt. Come to find out, with the information Naheem had mentioned and what I found out, I knew handling Chevy needed to be smart. What I did was a much better taste of revenge than beating his ass or shooting shit up.

P glanced at me, “What the fuck did he serve him?”

I started my car and drove off, “I own the land that nigga’s business is on, and the nursery, or what used to be a nursery, is mine. June Calloway exists, but not legally. That nigga has been moving under a false name.”

P shook his head.

“Damn, that’s fucked up. So, his name is Clark.”

“Clark Mercier, not June Calloway,”

I said as I drove off the block.

Honestly, I didn’t give a fuck about his business, where it was, or even cared to take it from him. However, it was the principal and the fact that he did what he did that made this revenge sweeter. That nigga was going to have to see me, and until he did, I wasn’t letting up off his ass.

Naheem came through for something, but it wasn’t enough to save his ass. I headed to Best’s house because she said she would much rather talk to me in person. When she said that, I knew I needed to brace myself. I hoped that whatever it was she had to say was something I already knew or at least thought I knew. I didn’t want any new information, especially if it was bad.

When I reached her house, I glanced over at P, “I hope this doesn’t take long. I need to go check on Indigo.”

“You think she’s good?”

I gaze straight ahead.

“I don’t know, but my gut is telling me she isn’t. Indigo and I were doing good, then that nigga came around and now we’re all fucked up. We should have stayed on the boat.”

Pierre nodded.

“I feel you, dawg. Hear me out. What if it’s not Chevy that ruined the relationship, but something that you’re not seeing? Bishop, she’s an addict or was one. She’s probably going through things you don’t understand, so even if Chevy didn’t come into play, it is possible that this would have still happened. You both are going through something, and I hope it works out.”

I didn’t think of it like that. Hell, I didn’t even know if Indigo would be able to fully recover. I figured her being with me would resolve everything, like somehow the urge to use would disappear. Then I remembered Amelia. Thinking about how Khas destroyed both of them made me want to kill his ass all over again. I wanted to talk to Indigo because just as I felt she was missing the bigger picture with the beef between Chevy and me, maybe it was I who was missing the picture between her need to use and finding happiness.

We got out of the car and headed inside. The sounds of loud cackling cause me to look at Pierre.

“Who the fuck is that?”

I tried whispering.

Pierre laughed.

“Tuesday’s mom. She’s a little extra but harmless.”

I hoped he was right because I didn’t have time for anything extra, and I loved Best, but she could be a little long-winded. I came around the wall to a lady in a wheelchair and Best sitting on the couch. When Best saw me, she stood.

“Bishop, you get more handsome each time I see you. Naheem’s twin.”

“Best with all due respect—”

She held her hand up.

“Oh, I get it. Come on, follow me,”

she said, and walked toward the kitchen.

She pointed toward the chair, signaling me to sit. I sat down as she began moving around the kitchen.

“How much do you want to know?”

“Everything,”

I told her.

She sighed loudly.

“The Cove has a history that has been bringing storms before you were even thought about. Your grandfather and Clark Mercier tied themselves into a deep mess. Your grandfather was in the business of destroying and trying to build a community and the two weren’t working, he—”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Best give it to me straight, no chaser,”

I said, annoyed.

She wanted to give me some Once Upon a Time picture, and all I needed was the truth. She poured hot water into her mug as she shook her head.

“James Avery found himself in a deal with the Devil. He tried fixing his mistakes by giving back and investing in something that didn’t exist. All that money he had given to Clark helped build Lake Hill. By the time he realized what was happening, the city turned on him. While the rich were getting richer, the middle class was becoming poorer.”

“My grandfather truly owns most of Lake Hill?”

She came over and sat in front of me.

“Something like that. He wasn’t the only person investing. Anyways, James went downhill after that and,”

she paused.

“He began dabbling in his own product and began messing with my sister, and Quinton then came along. By this time, your father found out, and he is the one who killed his father.”

What type of family history did I have? How did we get here only for me to have to kill my father as well? I glanced back at Best as she continued.

“Then your mother came along. She was one of the evilest people I’ve met. She—”

Pierre jumped into the conversation, “Nigga she was cheating on yo pops and slept with his best friend.”

Best shot him a cold stare.

“She did, and Naheem was hurt. He was so hurt that he killed him. Listen, Bishop, it’s a lot, sweetheart, but know that your father is an evil man; he’s hurt and he’s destroyed. He is determined to be on top because in the past he has always gotten fucked over.”

I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to feel bad for Naheem, I did, but I couldn’t. Had he decided to move the fuck around, Anthony and I could have had a different life, one that included a parent who truly loved us. I would have been willing to accept a regular life with loving parents rather than two parents who didn’t give a fuck about us and treated us the way they did.

I stood to leave because now I needed to tell Bleek that it was true. I wanted to ask Best something else, “Do you know about the Black Prestige?”

She looked at me curiously, “Pierre asked me the same thing. I’ve heard rumors, but that’s about it. Supposedly, Angela and Grace were a part of it, but I don’t know, honey.”

“Well, how did you know about Naheem killing Ishmael and my mother?”

She took a sip of her drink, “Because baby, a woman in love is willing to do whatever, find out whatever, and sacrifice whatever if it means at some point she can get her first love back. Then you learn that a person you love with the depth of your soul can be loved from a distance.”

I walked out of the kitchen and toward the door. As soon as I stepped outside, Pierre was on my ass.

“See nigga I told you yo bitch ass daddy was smashing my mom’s. Man shit!”

All I know is Naheem was fucked up, but those Merciers were worse. I know all that money didn’t go into Lake Hill, so where the fuck was it?