He didn’t know whether to answer and lie or just smash the phone right there. Either choice felt dangerous. What bothered him most was how fast the detective was pressing him. He had just gotten out of jail, barely had time to think, and already the pressure was on.
Boe let the phone vibrate again and again. On the third attempt, a voicemail alert popped up. He stared at the screen for a moment before pressing play and putting the phone to his ear.
“Borris, this is Detective Harris. It’s been twenty-four hours since we last spoke, and I’ve already called you three times. Silence tells me you’re panicking, and panicking people make mistakes.”
There was a pause that felt intentional to Boe.
“You were very clear about wanting the deal. I was very clear about what cooperation looks like. When I call, you answer. If I don’t hear from you by the end of the day, I’ll assume you’re nolonger interested, and we’ll proceed accordingly. It would be in your best interest to call me back.”
“Fuck,” Boe spat as the message ended. He snatched the phone away from his ear and made a mental note to call him back as soon as he could.
His chest rose and fell rapidly as a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat pulled into the driveway, breaking his concentration. His cousin stepped out, a blunt hanging from his lips and smoke curling lazily around his head. With a forced smile, Boe stood and met him halfway. He’d beat him there.
“Damn, cuz, wassup, nigga? It’s been a minute.” Maino greeted.
“Hell yeah, what’s good?” Boe replied as they slapped hands and pulled into a quick hug.
“I been coolin’. Gettin’ this money and stayin’ out the way.”
“I feel that.”
Maino leaned back, his eyes scanning Boe. “You look fucked up. We gon’ fix that, though.”
They both chuckled.
“I knew you’d get me right.” Boe ran a hand over his mini fro, eyeing Maino’s fresh fade.
His cousin wasn’t just in the streets; he was cold with the clippers too, cutting hair as a side hustle when he had the time. Growing up, before Maino moved away at nineteen, he was Boe’s barber. Out of all the cousins, they had always been thick as thieves. Close in age and even closer in bond. That was exactly why Boe had come to his doorstep.
If Boe couldn’t depend on anyone else in his family, which he couldn’t, Maino was the one person he knew he could count on. Everybody else just had their hands out, always looking to see what the fuck he could do for them. His mama was the worst of them all. Money-hungry, never satisfied, always calling when she needed something and never when he did.
“Come on,” Maino told him as he unlocked the front door. He passed the blunt before heading toward the back to let his pit bulls in, their barking echoing through the yard.
Boe took a deep drag, letting the smoke sit heavy in his lungs before exhaling slowly. “Damn, they done got big,” he said, bending down to pet the dogs as they rushed him. “Sup, y’all.”
Titan and Roxy both jumped against his legs, tails whipping back and forth. To strangers, they were a danger. But to the ones they knew and loved, they were soft as cotton.
“So, you really tryna dodge these niggas, huh?” Maino said.
“Yeah, my lawyer saying shit ain’t looking too good for me, so fuck that. Them niggas got me fucked up.” Boe dropped onto the couch, spreading out as if he were a boss… as if he believed his own lie. “Shouldn’t have let me bail out. Now, I ain’t going back.”
Boe wasn’t stupid enough to tell Maino the truth. The moment someone mentioned snitching, help dried up and loyalty disappeared. Maino had always had his back, but he was still a street nigga at heart, and street niggas lived by a code. One wrong word, one slip, and everything could change between them. Besides, he couldn’t have Maino or anyone else looking at him like he was weak.
Boe needed somewhere to land, not another problem on his back. Maino was a big part of his plan, so he couldn’t afford to fuck this up. He had mentioned helping him move some work. That money, plus the cash he got from Fabienne and Nivéa, would buy Boe some time until he figured out his next move.
Maino took the blunt back as he took a seat across from him.
“I hear you, fam. Fuck it. You know I got you. Like I told you, you help me move this shit, and I’ll look out for you, get you paid.”
“Bet, I appreciate it, cuz.”
“You family. Don’t mention it.”
They slapped hands again, and Maino nodded toward the door. “So where’s Nivéa and the baby? Thought you said they were coming with you. I was lookin’ forward to meeting Ny.”
Boe took another hit of the blunt and shrugged, slipping into character.
“You know how these bitches are. A nigga gets jammed, and they switch up. I pulled up to her crib yesterday to get her, and come to find out she’s been cheating, fucking with another nigga. So, I kissed my baby and dipped. I ain’t got time for that shit. I need a rider. Someone loyal. Especially when I’m moving how I’m moving.”
