“Wassup?” Priest asks as they walk inside of the office.
“Dem folks been hanging around the car washes and one of the bike dealerships, asking questions,” Digger announces.
“About what?” Priest asks.
“Our boy,” Digger answers, nodding at me.
“Fuck!” I mumble, rolling my head back and forth against the back of the couch I’m seated on.
“Why are they asking about you?” Sunny asks.
“They must have learned about the ties between Charisma and me.”
“Yeah, they’ve probably figured out she’s either with you or you know how to find her. Don’t worry about it. Whatever they think they’ve got, we’ll handle it,” Priest states. He picks up his cell phone and calls someone. “Aye, Geek. Get in here with ya gear.”
He ends the call, and while we’re waiting on Geek and his laptop, I ask, “What’s the word on Emmanuel Tennison?”
“He’s still in the hospital in critical condition. They’re not letting anyone in to see him right now,” Digger pronounces.
“Still doesn’t make sense how they linked the two of us. I just found this shit out about my kid, and y’all never even knew it,” I declare.
“Yeah. Makes you wonder who she’s been talking to,” Priest murmurs, pulling his drawer open and removing a mixed bag of Jolly Ranchers. He unwraps an apple-flavored one and tosses it into his mouth.
“I’ll get to the bottom of that shit when I get home.”
“Ya boy up in that guy playing house now?” Sunny teases me.
“Man, just trying to keep her li’l ass alive long enough to make sure my little jit got a mama.”
I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees before dropping my head into my hands.
“You good?” Digger asks as Geek walks in the door.
“Yeah, I’m cool.”
“Man, that little guy is the shit. He’s the coolest kid I know,” Geek states.
“Who?” Digger and Sunny ask at once.
“Chaos’s little man. He’s in there teaching people sign language, reading folks lips, and got the ladies falling all over themselves for him,” Geek explains.
“That’s because he fell from his daddy’s nut sac,” I reply, chuckling.
“Gotta give her some credit. She’s had that little man for four years, holding it down,” Priest states.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, but she didn’t have to do that shit alone.”
“Aye, man. I get it. You’re not feeling not knowing you had a child, but it’s not like she could get in touch with you. She didn’t know where the fuck you disappeared to.”
“Didn’t have to be that way. She could’ve called you.” I counter Priest’s statement.
“You knew she wasn’t ’bout to do that, boy. She wasn’t ever feeling us,” Sunny replies.
“Time changes shit. That’s one thing I’ve learned through the years. She’s matured some, and she might have a different POV now. All I’m saying is, don’t count baby girl out. She was a fresh twenty-five when you dipped up out of here, and we were some scary as hell bad asses,” Priest explains.
“Still are,” Sunny teases, laughing.
“Aye, Geek. Get in their shit and see if they got enough for a warrant for any of our businesses,” Priest orders.
