wasnât that serious as far as the chick was concerned. She straightened up her dress and went on her way. She brushed by Dollar, but not without him getting a free feel of her fat ass.
âWhat the fuck you doing?â Dollar asked, turning his attention to Ral.
âNothing, now that you two cock-blockers are here,â Ral replied.
âIâm serious, man,â Dollar said. âIs this what you doing with your loot? Is this what you call your muthafuckinâ come up?â
âI was trying to get up and cum, but you two foolsââ Ral attempted to joke before Dollar grabbed him by his throat.
âYou think Iâm playing? You think this shit is a game?â Dollar shouted as Ral began to turn blue.
âYo, D, let him go, man,â Tommy said as Ral began his attempt to peel Dollarâs fingers from around his neck.
âAll those years of dreaming on the playground. We finally get just a little bit of loot and this is what you do with it,â Dollar said becoming emotional. âMan, donât you want shit out of life? Or do you wanna end up like your mother?â
Suddenly Ral found the strength to escape Dollarâs clutch. He tried his damnedest to take Dollar on but his little ass was no match. They tussled until Tommy managed to pull them apart.
âDonât ever talk at me about my mama!â Ral shouted.
âWill you two fuckinâ stop,â Tommy said. âYou supposed to be boys. This is bullshit!â Tommyâs eyes welled up with tears. Her frozen spirit wouldnât allow her to cry in front of anyone. She angrily pushed Dollar and Ral and stormed out of the bathroom.
Ral and Dollar remained in the bathroom breathing heavily from the energy they had used up tussling with one another. Finally Dollar spoke. âIâm sorry I talked about your moms, man,â Dollar said, holding out his hand in apology.
âItâs cool,â Ral said, shaking his hand.
Dollar pulled Ral toward him and hugged him. He then pulled away. âLet me know now if this is the life you want,â Dollar said. âTommy and I are putting our lives on the line to get out of the muthafuckinâ projects. We donât want to have to leave you behind, man. But if this is where you want to be, just say the word. If we know to expect this shit, then it wonât be as disappointing.â
âI want shit, man,â Ral said, getting choked up. âI want out too. I want out too.â
âThen the drugs, the hoes, man, you got to give it up,â Dollar said.
âIt ainât that easy, Dollar, man,â Ral said, putting his head down.
âShit ainât never been easy, but weâve managed to overcome it, right?â
Ral nodded his head in the affirmative.
âCome on, letâs go find T,â Dollar said.
Dollar and Ral found Tommy waiting outside for them in her car. Dollar got in the front seat and Ral got in the back seat. None of them spoke a single word. Dollar put his hand on Tommyâs knee. She tried to ignore him, but no woman, not even Tommy, could ignore Dollarâs touch.
Tommy sighed and looked up into Dollarâs radiant brown eyes. Still, no words were spoken. None had to be. Their eyes said it all.
Just as easy as the money came, it was going. The three couldnât resist spoiling themselves with some name-brand fancies such as shoes, clothing, and jewels. FUBU, Gucci, Lugz, and Figaro became necessities.
Before Dollar could start working on setting up their next job, the police were beginning to link the trio to the killings in Columbus. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the rental car leaving the scene of the crime. The plates were traced back to Budget Car Rental, where the vehicle had been borrowed.
A couple of detectives made their way to Indiana to question Bubbles, the girl who rented the car from Budget for Dollar. They shook her up so bad, threatening to charge her as an accessory and
Margaret Weis;David Baldwin