Queen Hustlaz Part 2 Page 6

  Jeryca smiled as she realized who Dana must’ve been looking for. “Are you looking for Zack? He’s down in the car. He sends his regards. Oh, and this is Valerie and Desiree. I met them down in Florida where we decided that you were a liability and needed to be dealt with. I’m running the show now with Orlando and Zack. Together, we are going to take over the East Coast and make some money. You thought you were the head bitch, but you haven’t been for a while. You have been playing right into my hands! I’ma make sure that Farrah gets the perfect headstone, and Travis eats every day. I’m going to make sure that Shirley has the money she needs to take care of him, worry-free. You said you were going to look out for them, but you haven’t once reached out to them since the last time we were all there. You are a liar, and you are disloyal,” Jeryca sneered.

  Valerie and Desiree walked forward and began pouring gasoline around the warehouse. Dana began shouting for Zack to come and help her, but in midscream, Jeryca slapped her. “Bitch, shut the fuck up! You are about to feel the heat of hell in a few moments, something you deserve, Dana, and trust me, Stephanie is next! I loved you and Stephanie. Shit, we all grew up together. How could you let your hate and greed destroy you? Destroy us?” Jeryca cried as she put duct tape across Dana’s mouth.

  As Valerie lit the match and Desiree poured the last drop of gasoline near the door, Jeryca looked at Dana, who was twisting and turning in her seat. She shook her head and walked out the door, and as she walked away, Valerie dropped the match, and the room lit up with flames.

  Jeryca walked out of the warehouse and got into the burgundy Hummer with Orlando, Valerie, and Desiree. When they drove away, she looked in the rearview mirror at Zack and smiled. “It’s almost over. We got one more stop to make. You okay, babe?” Jeryca asked Orlando, who was seated in the passenger seat, looking at her sideways.

  “Yeah, I just didn’t know you had it in you to do that to your homegirl. I’m proud of you. I knew you could be that ride or die chick for me.”

  Zack sat in the back, listening to Orlando and Jeryca, and he felt somewhat disappointed that he had to turn on Dana as he did. He had to do what he had to do to make the millions that Sergio and Ramon assured him he could make if he followed suit. They had stayed in Florida a few days, and somehow they had taken a liking to Jeryca immediately. He wished that he had gone on and taken Dana with him, because he knew they would’ve liked her, but it was too late to think about it. Dana was dead, and he had to keep his mind focused on what was important: the money!

  Valerie, who was seated next to him, smiled as she placed her hand on his lap. “You can do a whole lot better than Dana anyway.”

  He laughed. “Oh, yeah? How so?”

  “Shit, I can show you when we get to the hotel,” she whispered as her hand slid up his thigh to his dick.

  He couldn’t believe how forward she was, but he would definitely fuck her. His phone started vibrating, and when he looked down at it, he saw a text from Brittany: Is everything good?

  He looked at Valerie, smiled, and texted back: Everything is excellent.

  He then turned his phone off and laid his head back against the headrest and enjoyed the dick massage that Valerie was giving him.

  The group hit the highway, heading to Maryland for a couple of weeks to let the smoke clear. Jeryca felt a calm wash over her that she hadn’t felt in months. She was now happy and was finally about to get what she always wanted: a life away from the hood. She could hear the knocking coming from the trunk and Toby screaming. She turned the music up to drown out his cries.

  * * *

  Detectives Rone and Harris rushed toward the warehouse after Jeryca’s wire had been disconnected. They were only a few streets over with several other squad cars, waiting for their signal to enter. Once they arrived, they noticed gray clouds of smoke pouring out the windows of the warehouse.

  “Officer Craig, you and Thomas secure the back while we secure the front. And get the gotdamn fire department out here now!” Detective Rone shouted.

  “We’re on it, sir!” Officer Craig replied, running full speed around to the back of the building.

  “Dammit, Rone, what the fuck do you think happened?” Detective Harris asked as they waited for the fire department to arrive.

  “I really don’t know, but I don’t think we’re going to be happy with what we are about to find. That girl ran a scam on us, and we fell for it, man. Maybe I’m too old now for this line of work,” Detective Rone said angrily.

  The fire trucks and paramedics arrived after a few minutes, and the scene went from wired to chaotic. There were a lot of officers running around, both police and firemen. Curious onlookers pulled over to see what was going on, and soon there were mobs of people standing around looking.

  Once the fire was extinguished, the fire chief escorted Detectives Rone and Harris in. The smell of gasoline was strong, but thankfully, there wasn’t a lot of damage to the warehouse. It was mostly the walls and windows that were destroyed.

  “Detective Rone! There’s something you need to see over here now!” Chief Gillespie yelled.

  Detective Rone rushed over, and the ghastly scene that was before him almost caused him to vomit. The smell of burnt flesh filled his nose. “Get the paramedics up here now!” he shouted over to Detective Harris.

  Detective Rone bent down on one knee and looked over the body that was still partially bound to a chair. He couldn’t make out the face, but there was something familiar about the scene.

  As the paramedics arrived, one of them gasped as they assessed the body. “She’s still alive! Let’s get her stabilized and out of here!”

  After they stabilized Dana, they prepared her for transport. The paramedics rushed Dana’s burned body out of the warehouse, with Detective Rone close behind. A few reporters had gathered around the perimeter, snapping pictures and shouting questions. Detective Rone knew he would have to answer them, but he wouldn’t do it until after they knew what the outcome was going to be with Dana.

  Before Detective Rone could give out his orders to the other officers, Fire Chief Andrews halted him in his tracks. “Detective Rone, there’s something else inside that you need to see.”

  “What now?” he whispered to himself. As he walked back into the warehouse, which they had learned belonged to Orlando Graves, he saw a few of his officers taking pictures of what appeared to be a corpse. As he got closer, it was confirmed. The body was burned beyond recognition. The crime scene unit was already collecting forensic evidence from around the area and on the body.

  “I hope this isn’t the woman we were led here to rescue. Dammit, get the helicopters in the air and dispatch a few units and find Jeryca Mebane!” Detective Rone shouted.

  As the officers scattered to do as they were instructed, Detective Rone felt a bit saddened. He didn’t know why anyone would torture the two women he had just seen burned in that warehouse. Although the cause of the fire hadn’t been officially determined as arson, he knew it was. He knew that Jeryca Mebane was behind it, and he was going to prove it. Whatever was going on, he wasn’t going to rest until he put everyone involved behind bars.

  “Rone, don’t beat yourself up over this. You didn’t know that this was going to happen. Let’s do our job and find out who did this and put them behind bars,” Detective Harris said as he patted Detective Rone on the shoulder.

  “I’m two steps ahead of you! Let’s finish up here so we can get to the hospital. Call over there and let the hospital staff know that no one is allowed in to see Dana Crisp, period,” Detective Rone commanded.

  “All right, I will make the call myself. What about the other body that was found?” Detective Harris inquired as the second coroner wheeled the body past them.

  “Well, there isn’t much we can do there but wait for the forensic pathologist to send us their findings. Make sure they collect as much evidence as they can to identify the body,” Rone stated.

  “Yes, sir.” Detective Harris walked off to talk with the coro
ner and sign the coroner’s paperwork, and make the call to the hospital.

  Detective Rone walked back into the warehouse. He didn’t know what he was expecting to find, but he was searching for any evidence that could point out the person responsible for the fire and murder. He knew who his culprit was. He just needed evidence. He was going to take Jeryca Mebane down if it was the last thing he did.

  After an hour, Detectives Rone and Harris left the warehouse and went straight to the hospital. As soon as they walked in, they were directed to the burn unit on the fourth floor. They were taken to unit 15, where Dana had been stabilized and taken to surgery.

  Dr. Schmitz pulled the detectives to the side and whispered, “The next forty-eight hours will be critical for Ms. Crisp. She flatlined once, but we were able to get her back. Her heart is still weak, and we aren’t sure if she will pull through this. We had to induce a coma so that the swelling tissue around her face and head can go down. She is on a ventilator, and once the surgery is over, we will make sure that she will rest comfortably. We have our top burn surgeon in with her, and they will remove all the burnt skin and tissue from her face and neck area. She sustained third-degree burns, and most of the scarring is located on the left side of her body. The worst of the damage is up toward her facial area.”

  “Well, here is my number, and you call me if there are any changes. We will leave a guard outside her door and no one, I repeat, no one is allowed to enter this room without my approval. I don’t care if it is Saint Maria! I will stay until the officers arrive and they will alternate rounds,” Detective Rone instructed.

  “Understood,” Dr. Schmitz said.

  Once the officers arrived, Detectives Rone and Harris left the hospital and agreed to meet at the hospital the next day. They weren’t going to rest until they arrested someone for murder and the heinous crime against Dana Crisp.

  Once Detective Rone arrived at the precinct to do his report, he was approached by Officer Jackson. “Sir, may I assist you with this case?”

  Detective Rone frowned as he looked at Jackson and asked, “Why do you want to help?”

  “I have experience in these types of cases, and I think I can be a great asset to you,” she explained.

  Officer Jackson was a plump woman in her mid-thirties. She had short hair, and she kept it tied up. She was a natural beauty, and she was good at doing her job. Detective Rone didn’t realize that she had experience with arson cases, but he would use any and all resources to solve his case.

  “Let me see your credentials, and in the morning, I will talk to Captain Atwater and see if he will let you join us for this case,” Rone said tiredly.

  “Thank you, sir!” Jackson replied, before walking to her cubby and grabbing her file. She placed it on Rone’s desk and walked off.

  Detective Rone looked over her file and was extremely impressed with what he was reading. She had over twenty successful drug busts, seven solved murder cases, and nine solved arson cases. She was exactly what he needed for this case and possibly others that he was and would be working on. He was going to see if he could get her promoted to his department.

  He typed up his report and clocked out. He knew he wasn’t going to get much sleep, but he wanted to take a good shower and relax. He thought about how Dana looked before the fire and after. His heart went out to her more than it should have. He was really taking her assault personally. No one knew how he felt and he couldn’t tell anyone, or he’d definitely be released from her case, and he couldn’t let that happen.

  He was determined to find Jeryca Mebane and whoever else was involved in the attack and attempted murder of Dana Crisp.

  Chapter Seven

  A year and a half after the tragic fire that Jeryca Mebane and her newfound crew set, Dana Crisp was still recovering from the wounds she had sustained from that fire. She couldn’t remember a whole lot about that night, but one image haunted her nightly, and that was Jeryca’s evil grin. She was also haunted by the knowledge of her lover Zack’s betrayal. Nevertheless, to her surprise, Brittany and Stephanie were there with her every step of the way through her rehabilitation.

  After Jeryca attempted to kill Dana, Stephanie was concerned that she was going to be next and decided that the best thing for her to do was move away from the city and out to the country with Dana and Brittany. Jeryca wouldn’t be able to find them there. At least, Stephanie hoped she wouldn’t. Never in a million years did she ever think that shit would turn out like it had. She was out to do what she had to do to stay alive.

  Detective Rone was still working to keep his vow to find and arrest everyone involved in the horrific crime committed against Dana. With his team of detectives, who were as determined as he was to find Jeryca Mebane and her crew, how could they lose?

  Thad was struggling to keep his head above water. His life took a drastic turn the day his brother went missing, and soon after, he received a tape in the mail of Toby being beaten to death. He had also learned that Tiffany had been in the same warehouse fire that Dana was found in. He had never felt so angry in his life, and he didn’t understand where they went wrong. Thad had no idea that Tim was connected to Sergio and Ramon, but what really didn’t register was how they knew it was Toby who killed him. Only one person registered in his mind as a possible snitch, and he was going to get even with that person: the person responsible for his brother’s death.

  * * *

  “Okay, Dana, take a deep breath and we will do ten leg lifts. Are you ready?” Roy, her therapist, asked.

  “Yeah, I’m ready.” Dana sighed. She had suffered severe burns to her face and over 65 percent of her body. Some of her muscles were damaged, which was the reason she couldn’t walk. As she sat in her wheelchair, her therapist squatted down and lifted her leg by her calf to the count of ten, during which Dana gave minimal assistance. After an hour with her therapist, Brittany would be there to transport her home.

  They had found a nice, secluded area near Poughkeepsie, New York. Brittany closed her practice to help Dana during her time of need, and Stephanie tagged along to help as well. She’d called it quits with Robin after she found her with Chris, and she decided to focus on getting her life on track. With Jeryca being the prime suspect in Tiffany Royster’s murder and Dana’s attempted murder, Stephanie knew she needed to disappear until they found her. She didn’t know why Jeryca did what she did, but as long as she was free, no one was safe.

  Stephanie and Brittany had discussed Zack’s possible role in everything. Brittany remembered that night. Dana was supposed to meet with him. Zack had called her and told her that he only wanted to meet with Dana, because he wanted to surprise her with a special gift. He explained that the last time he and Dana talked, it ended on a sour note and he knew that Dana wouldn’t meet him if he hadn’t told her it was about the money.

  Brittany couldn’t believe she fell for his lie. She had once viewed Zack as a real friend and for him to try to take someone from her who he knew she cared for was unforgivable.

  “Hey, mami, you ready to go?” Brittany asked as she walked into the therapy room.

  “Yes, I am,” Dana replied with her head down.

  “Don’t do that, Dana. What did I tell you? You keep your head up. Don’t be ashamed of your scars. You survived something that most haven’t. That makes you a strong bitch. Your scars prove that,” Brittany lectured her.

  Dana smiled, but she knew that her friend was being nice. Her face was hideous, and she wasn’t going to pretend it wasn’t. Any time Dana was out, she felt the piercing glares from people. Brittany, Stephanie, and Dana’s nurse, Rebecca Leary, who was hired by Brittany three weeks after Dana was released from the hospital, would confront anyone they caught staring at Dana. Brittany liked Rebecca right off the bat because, of all the nurses she had interviewed, Rebecca was the only one who didn’t cringe at Dana’s appearance. All her references checked out and Rebecca seemed to bond with Dana very quickly. Dana, on the other hand, felt useless and that her life was now mean
ingless. She felt she had no reason to smile anymore.

  “How did she do today, Roy?” Brittany asked.

  “She did okay. I could feel slight movement in her muscles today when we did our leg lifts. She was really trying to help as much as she could. I know she has an appointment with Dr. Gilmore next week, so I’m going to fax my recommendation for another surgery on her legs,” Roy replied.

  “Is another surgery necessary?” Dana looked up and asked, annoyed.

  “I think it is necessary. Do you want to walk again? This chair isn’t becoming on you. It’s a prison for you, and I know with the type of surgery I’m suggesting and your willpower, you will walk again. Your muscles were contracting when we were doing your leg lifts today. You need this,” Roy answered.

  Dana shrugged her shoulders uncaringly and dropped her head again.

  Brittany and Rebecca looked at each other with a knowing glance. They both realized that Dana was giving up and they had to help her gain self-confidence somehow.

  “Thank you, Roy. We will see you next week,” Brittany said as she opened the door for Rebecca, who was wheeling Dana out of the room.

  Once they were outside and had Dana comfortably in the car, Rebecca stood at the side of the car, looked at Brittany, and whispered, “She has got to snap out of this funk!”

  Brittany agreed with her, and they got into the car and drove away.

  * * *

  Detective Rone was sitting in his office, looking over a case he had been working on for less than a week. He was writing his observation notes when Detective Jackson walked in.

  “What’s going on, boss? Are we heading out today or what?” she asked.

  Detective Rone looked up at his calendar and realized that it was time to go check on Dana. He had been keeping a very close eye on her since the night of the fire. Jeryca had left a cold trail, but he was determined to find her and arrest her for murder, attempted murder, and arson, as well as several other charges.