“He’s listed as critical but stable. They have him in a medically induced coma. Your mother and Arnessa are at the hospital now. So what happened the other night? The jakes are saying y’all killed dude execution style.”

“Baby, we didn’t even merk that nigga!” Sincere exclaimed. “His own man laid him out!”

“Well, they have a witness that says otherwise.”

“Who is the fucking witness?” Sincere questioned, feeling as if this was only becoming worse by the second.

“I don’t know yet. I’m waiting for Santangelo to get back to me with the info.”

“Where did you see Santangelo?”

“He came to the hospital. He’s on some type of narcotics-homicide task force now.”

“There was a girl driving the car that the dude got in. She looked so familiar, but I can’t think of where I know her from.” Sincere paused, attempting once more to recollect. “Anyway, has Nichelle been back to the hospital?”

“Not at all,” Kisa replied. “Ain’t nobody seen that bitch since that night; for all we know she could be the witness.”

“She might be, but besides all that, she got Butta’s paper, and half of it needs to go to his connect. That bitch was tryin’ to say Butta had already got his money out, but Shawn told me that’s what Butta went there for when he got shot.”

“Sin, I told you that bitch was greasy a long time ago. She can be bought too easy, and people like that don’t have loyalty to nobody. Only loyalty that chick got is to money. There’s no telling how deep she tied into this shit.”

Sincere sighed. “You right. Have anybody seen that punk-ass nigga Suef?”

“The streets is still quiet on that nigga. Mannie’s funeral Mass is in two days.”

“This shit is so fucked up, we can’t even be there for my people’s funeral. Ma, I’m sorry to put this on you, but I really need you to straighten this out so we can get back.”

“Sin, you don’t have to be sorry about nothing, and you know I got you.” Kisa assured her husband, while simultaneously trying to assure herself that she was ready for this uphill battle. “I already took some paper to your lawyer. You need money?”

“Nah, I got some from the house before we got on the road.”

“I figured I knew them stacks looked a little light. It’s straight where you laying your head?”

“It’s not home, but it’ll do. Did Terry come through?”

“Yeah, he’s got two guys watching over Butta. He got dudes at both ends of our block, and he’s coming over soon so I can take the kids out to Jersey to that fun center place.”

“Yo, I forgot the kids was coming up. They been asking for me?”