Thank you, little brotha.In sharp threads, bald head shining, and ready to search these streets, I imagined myself as Shaft.
Location found.
I finished dressing and dialed Momma while sitting on the chair next to my shoe closet. If she answered, she was up praying. If she didn’t, she was sleeping well after seeing his trifling ass.
She answered, voice an echo of her tears. “He-hello?”
“Momma, you’re on your knees, I bet?”
“Praying for Texas since March,bébé. Do I need to pray for you?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Madison’s with you!”
I yanked the phone away as she launched into a full Sunday service. There was an entire praise break, scriptures, and a reminder to get my oil changed. When she paused to breathe, I spoke. “Listen, you’re gonna get that church wedding for me and Maddy. For real. And I’m bringing Texas home sooner than you think.”
“You are?” Her voice lifted, hopeful, warm, and excited. Momma’s hope was my love language.
I glanced at the blinking red dot that showed my brother’s location. “Yes, ma’am. I got you,bébé.”
After we hung up, I grabbed my keys and followed the little dot straight to my brother. Before my Rover slid to the curb, I muttered, “This man owes me money.”
Dude’s hideaway was a Victorianfamilyhome nestled in the West End. Less than twenty minutes from my spot in Algiers. Who was this man?
I banged on the door. “Tex! Texas, wake your ass up!”
The door snatched open, and my brother glared at me, dressed in jeans and a designer tee that cost more than some of the suit jackets in my closet. I’d worn the same one in navy blue on date night. He’d had his dreads tightened in a new style. What in the Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde was going on?
“How did you find me?” His voice was tight enough to tune a guitar. He peered outside before letting me in, then locked the door with the energy of a man who trusted no one.
I sank onto a khaki couch, casing the place like I might return later with glass cutters, a black turtleneck, and a heist plan. The place was clean.
Serial killerclean. As if he dusted the floorboards every Saturday to prepare for another victim.
My brow lifted. “Nice place. You renting? Youown? Do you gota whole-ass familyMomma doesn’t know about? If so, I may lower my voice!”
He pulled a gun from his back pocket and put it on the mirrored coffee table, then sat on the loveseat across from me. “You want some cognac while you explain how you found me. I’ma need details.”
I shrugged, glaring at the gun. “ Is that supposed to put me on my best behavior?”
“Nah, fool. Drink?”
I nodded. “No cheap crap.”
“The best. Trust me.” He slapped his hands onto his knees, then sat forward and opened a compartment of his mirror table.Impressive.He pulled out two glasses and poured us both cognacs, then handed one over.
I drank, brain doing a factory reset. The only remaining file read,Damn, that’s good.
“Bruh, you speechless?” Texas chuckled, watching me as if I might ascend.
Yeah. I could hear angels singing. But would I admit it? “It’saight.”
“How did you find me, Washington?”
I sipped my drink down. Poured myself more, then took a sip of that too before I spoke. “Momma’s at home crying her eyes out every night.”
“Whatchu mean she’s crying? You didn’t tell her you saw me?” He forced the words through snarled lips. “I went to Madison’s house, knowing damn well she’d snitch. By the time y’all got there, I figured you’d have your heads on straight. You’d think logically enough to tell Momma I was fine! You should’ve told her what I said.”
