“Bye,” Ex said, then hung up. He picked up the phone and dialed another number.
“Yes, Exodus?” His grandmother, Madea, greeted him. “What can I do for you?”
“Krude is over there betting those kids again,” Exodus snitched.
“Oh, I already know and called Nine. He’s already transferred money from Krude’s accounts into the kids’ accounts. Whatever they lose and pay him will be his money, not theirs.”
“Look at you ahead of the game, Mary DeCorte,” Exodus laughed. “It’s a reason you are the heart of this family, huh?”
“Something like that,” she laughed. “Now let me go fuss at that fool for trying to be slick. I told Judah to come in here and pretend to cry when they were almost done playing.”
“Later, Madea,” he said, then hung up the phone. “Alright now, let’s get back to this shit with Yale. She’s back?”
“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “She doesn’t know I know yet, but I’ve been having Rage keep an eye on her.”
“Rage as in Yeti’s sister?” Exodus asked, and I nodded. “How did you get her to agree to do that?”
“Pyrite promised to keep Infinite away from her,” I answered. “And no, before you ask, I don’t know how he did it.”
“I’m not going to.” I sat back and watched the people around us move. We were sitting on the patio of the restaurant in Citrine’s hotel. Last week was hell, and we were all on edge for Hood and Legacy’s engagement party tomorrow night. “I don’t know what to do, though.”
“I gotta go check in with Judge,” Ex said as he stood. He dropped a stack on the table for a tip because he knew that his food was taken care of. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow.” Citrine and I stood. I gave him a brotherly hug, then sat down once he was gone.
“I don’t know what to do,” I said once Ex was gone.
“About what?” Citrine asked.
“About Sunshine,” I sighed, then ran my hands over my face. “I miss the fuck out of her. Like it’s taking everything in me not to show up to Mama and Pop’s house to see her.” My leg started to bounce from the irritation I felt. “Her being in another state was one thing, but to have her here? Nah, that’s something different.”
“Then go see her,” he suggested. “I saw her this morning.”
“You did?” I questioned him, and he nodded. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“The fuck was I supposed to say, Am?” he laughed. “I went to see Mama about something, and she was there. We chopped it up for a minute, and then I left. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“The next time I saw her, I wanted to have all this shit handled with Quincy.”
“Still can’t find that nigga huh?” he asked, and I shook my head. “When’s the last time anyone has seen him?”
“We got a hit like two weeks ago of him near the airport, but that’s it,” I answered. “I’m about two seconds from putting a missing persons report out for him.”
“What the fuck is that going to do?”
“Have people on alert, put his face out there. I don’t know, I’ll say he needs medical attention or is having a breakdown because of his family situation.”
“That shit won’t work,” Citrine said, shaking his head. “Nobody is going to turn him in.”
“They will if the DeCortes do it.” I sat forward, resting my elbows on the table. “We can make that shit look like it’s a religious thing. The DeCortes’ name holds weight, and they have ties to the Kilmores. Paul’s death was just announced. Corinthians can make a statement regarding Judah.”
“You know she will never mention Judah’s name,” he cut me off. “Try something else.”
“Alright, so she won’t mention Judah, but I still think it’s the best bet. He’s going to have to show his face as the only surviving member of the Kilmores.”
“He’s not the only one left.”
“Who is left?”
“Yale.”
