Hood Don't Love You (HDLY#1)

Chapter ten

He turned around. It wasn’t the detective. It was what he was afraid of.

“Hey, buddy,” Tamel smiled walking in.

“Hey,” Davids answered a little bit shaken.

“How’s it going?” Tamel asked strolling in farther into the store looking around. “Damn, they did a number on this place.”

Davids just nodded.

He spotted one of Tamel’s men, Bull, coming in behind Tamel ice grilling him.

“What brings you by?” that was all Davids could come up with to say.

Davids had to laugh in his head about the nature of this situation. Here Davids was old enough to be Tamel’s father and he was acting like he was the child getting chastised.

“Good question,” Tamel said clamping his hands one time. ‘’How’s business?”

“I’m working on it,” Davids said. “I managed to get some funds up. I can…”

“Nah, I’m a paid in full type of guy,” Tamel stated. “I don’t do payments or installments. Too much to keep up with. That’s why I never got the concept of layaway.”

Davids didn’t say anything.

Tamel did another look around the store. “I don’t know how people could do this. I guess people just see an open door and…”

“Act like hood people,” Davids finished.

Tamel nodded.

Bull moved back towards the door. Davids gulped some invisible spit back down his throat and clutched the broom he was holding tighter.

“I hear we had an eventful day,” Tamel said kicking a crushed up can of corn that was still on the floor.

Davids said nothing.

“Well?” Tamel said looking at the shelf that Davids just put an hour ago. He looked at it like he was examining it waiting for Davids’ answer.

“Yes,” Davids finally replied.

“And?” Tamel didn’t take his eyes off the shelf.

“It was nothing, he…” Davids was about to explain when Tamel cut him off.

Tamel put his index fingers to his lips indicating for Davids to be quiet.

Tamel walked up on Davids and mouthed the words ‘quiet’. Tamel did another perimeter check moving his eyes all around the store.

“Let’s take a ride,” Tamel said.

Davids was stumped for a second. Then it hit him. Oh Shit! Tamel thought Davids’ store was bugged now. Tamel knew about the cop stopping by and thought…oh no, this is bad.

‘Let’s go, I have something to show you,’ Tamel smiled then walked towards the door.

Davids reluctantly followed by him and all three of them exited the store.

Bull walked around to the driver’s seat of the Ford Escalade. Tamel stood beside Davids as Bull started the engine.

Tamel cleared his throat. Davids got the hint and opened the back door for Tamel. Tamel got in and Davids stepped in behind him and closed the side door when he sat. Bull checked the rearview mirrors and the side mirrors before pulling off the curb.

Tamel looked at Davids and mouthed the words ‘strip’. Davids was really nervous now. They thought he was wearing a wire. Davids needed Tamel to know he wasn’t a snitch and he didn’t call the cops. Davids quickly stripped down to everything but his boxers. Tamel nodded, gathered up all the clothes, and opened the side window. He tossed Davids’ clothes out the window even his shoes.