Hood Life and Love: I Am What I Am

Chapter 27

The pictures did not do this place justice. It was nice in a rich people kind of way. Up close it was probably the largest house I had ever seen in person and looked out of place in the neighborhood. It looked like it should be in Italy or Venice. It just had that exotic vibe and looked like had never been touched by snow. 

Large doors, large open windows, tropical trees. The large stairs were framed by pillars with large lifelike statues of lions. The door had statues of gold people as if they standing guard. It was a beautiful home. 

"Why the fuck would anyone want to live here? Dales asked as he surveyed the house. It would probably take an hour to walk around the entire home. Instead, Dale looked around and took a few pictures as Joey and I approached the porch. 

"It's like a fortress," Joey said through clenched teeth. 

"It's an old museum," I reminded him. 

"You could get lost in there," Terrance said taking the position at my left. 

"I'm sure it happens all the time," I said smiling as I looked around for security. They were nowhere to be found. I hadn't seen a sole. Not even on the drive up that long ass driveway. That was weird. It had been enough to make me want to turn around. Every time we had someone watch this place there had been security. Real military-grade security. Tonight there was nothing. That alone set my nerves on edge. 

"Why is there no one here?" I asked Terrance. "No cameras or cars." 

"You right A," Terrance said, "this starting to feel like a setup."

Dale walked up as if he didn't have a care in the world. He pocketed his phone and proceeded to knock on the door. Loudly. "There's only one way we gone get answers and I don't know about y'all but I got something hot waiting for me at the crib and yeah I ain't got all night."

"That does not mean you should knock like the police," Terrance muttered because the front door was opening. We all turned and I was a little surprised to see Girard, flanked by two beefy men with ski masks on. They were strapped to the tee and moved towards us with no words from Girard. 

He stood there looking at his regular miserable self. I winked at him and took one step before one of the slabs of beef grabbed my arm. In the blink of an eye, Terrance had a pistol to his head. Due to froze and everyone else from. His hand is still on my Arm and I waste no time in shaking it off. 

"Wrong move bruh," Terrance said smiling at the dude. He moved around so that the man could see his face and told him again, "Wrong move."

I looked behind me to see Joey had the other one in a headlock. I looked to Girard and raised an eyebrow. "Really Girard, I thought we were closer than this."

For a second I could have sword one corner of his mouth twitch. It was gone too fast to tell and his voice was as dull as ever when he said, "They are following orders."

"Well tell your boss we ain't coming in," Montel said finally joining us. He came in through the back and it had taken him a little longer. "No searches and we keep our guns."

Girard looked like he was going to argue, his phone ringing in his pocket silenced him. He looked at the phone for two seconds and then pocketed it once again. Stiffly he said, "As you wish. No searches and you keep your weapons. Please release the guards and follow me please." 

The guy Joey was holding slumped to the floor and the one T had hostage backed away slowly. Together we followed a stiff and slowly moving Girard from room to room. Finally, he arrived at a dining room fit for a king. It had a table that could seat twenty. Red carpet from wall to wall and a fireplace that you could roast a pig in. The walls were littered with paintings and gold trinkets littered the room. It felt like stepping into the past.