white-passing- jamal turner

twenty-three

The bag was lifted from our heads, and we were in front of a woman in a big chair with a big bun. 

"Please," she said, "Take a drink. Hydrate."

We all grabbed our glasses and started drinking.

"Let me know if it's too strong."

"Is what too strong?"

"The poison."

We all spat it out, and I rubbed my tongue to make sure there was nothing left.

She laughed, "I'm joking!"

We sipped it again. 

"Poison doesn't have a taste."

We spat it out again before she laughed.

"Maurice, please, get my guests more water. I was being mala."

"We appreciate your sense of humor, but in all seriousness, whatever your husband thinks we did, we can explain."

"My husband?"

"Boyfriend?"

"I answer to no one," she said, "Let alone a man."

I'm not gonna lie. I liked this woman. 

"I am Cu-

"Cuchillos," Cesar finished for her, "Heir to the Santos."

"So, you're smarter than you look?" Cuchillos smirked.

"Cuchillos?" I said, "As in knives?"

"I brought you all here to thank you."

"For what?" Ruby said.

"For helping to take down the Prophet$!" she said, "We thought we might get a handful, but to wipe out the entire operation? What a feat! I thought who are these kids? How clever they must be, to find the Rollerworld money! Let me tell you a secret. I was with Benito, Frankie, and Lil Ricky that night."

"No!" Jamal said.

"Who do you think came up with the plan?"

"Lil Ricky wasn't the mastermind?" Jamal said, dumbfounded, "I don't buy it. There was no trace of you in my investigation."

"Yeah!" I said, "Neither of us knew about you AT ALL."

"Of course not!" Cuchillos said, "And you know why? Behind every good man is a better woman."

I looked at Jamal. Not to brag, but there was no way in hell he could've done it without me. He was ready to quit for good before I went to town on the field and dug with my bare hands.

"So, now I need your help again."

She put our money bag on the table and promised to give the money back to us under one circumstance.

"Lil Ricky is alive," she said. My jaw dropped to the floor. 

"And you're gonna find him."

I looked at Jamal, thinking he'd look dumbfounded again. That he would be at a loss for words, but instead, there was a huge smile on his face. 

______________________________________________________________

Cuchillos took us inside her mansion. Her absolutely gorgeous mansion.

"How do you know Lil Ricky's alive?" Cesar said.

"He has a grave!" Ruby said.

 "Do you really think all graves have bodies? Or that all bodies have graves? It's called female intuition. I just feel that he's alive. Always have. I just don't know where he is."