Baltimore Chronicles (8 page)

Day sat there in shock, but stayed stone-faced throughout. This was exactly what he wanted and was much easier than he thought it would be. In fact, he couldn't believe it was actually happening.
I need to play this right
, he thought. “I don't know. I'm kind of a lone wolf. I do my best work alone,” he said, trying not to sound too eager.

“Word. I hear that, but why be a lone wolf, when you could have the protection of the whole pack?”

Day nodded his head like he was really giving it some thought.

“Look at it this way. You could have the whole pack with you or against you. Do you want to be the hunter or the hunted?”

Just what Day wanted to hear, a threat from Sticks. He already knew he was going to hook up with the crew, but he needed Sticks to feel superior and in charge. He wanted Sticks to feel as comfortable as possible around him, and thought one way was to let him feel smarter and tougher.

“You make a persuasive argument. I'm no match against you and your men. Seems to me the only smart decision here is to say yes.”

Sticks smiled. He wanted to keep this dude close. He envisioned big things for the two of them together. Every boss needed a right-hand man, and Sticks thought he might have just found his. “I like your thinking. Now, let's smoke a blunt to celebrate,” he said, pulling out a bag of weed and dropping it on the desk.

Day smiled at Sticks. “I think that's a good idea.”

As Day sat there calmly watching Sticks roll a blunt, all he could think was,
This is the beginning of the end for you, you dumb mu'fucka!

Mayor Mathias Steele stood at the podium, signaling the beginning of the press conference. It was time to announce the Baltimore County judgeships. He was confident in the appointments that had been made. The media had cameras started rolling, and he was ready to proceed. “It is my honor to present the newly appointed justice of the Baltimore County circuit court, Ms. Tiphani Fuller.” The mayor flashed his winning smile.

Flashbulbs sparkled in the crowd as Tiphani took her place next to the mayor on the stage. Dressed conservatively in a navy blue Anne Klein suit, she already resembled a government official. Smiling from ear to ear, she put her hand up and waved to the crowd. She was amazed at how smoothly things had been going for her.

“First, I'd like to thank God and my children for giving me the will to live and to fight through my ordeal. Fighting my captors off wasn't easy, just as I know helping the city of Baltimore fight crime will not be easy either. I am honored to be appointed as your circuit court judge. I plan to serve you with integrity and dignity. Surviving a violent kidnapping has made me a stronger person. I promise you, I will enlist justice to a system that has been broken and marred with corruption. I just thank you again for trusting me,” she said, smiling and waving again like a newly crowned beauty pageant contestant.

More bulbs flashed as Tiphani and Mayor Steele posed for the perfect photo op. He pulled Tiphani close to him, a fake smile plastered on his face. Tiphani and Mayor Steele had history, and in order to keep what they shared in the past, he'd agreed to grant her whatever she needed.

Mayor Steele was expected to win the state senate seat, but he knew one wrong move or one bit of dirty information being leaked could cost him. He was just hoping that his support for Tiphani didn't backfire on him.

Tiphani was also in full support of Mayor Steele's bid for the senate seat. She knew that if he won she would definitely be able to help Scar become the biggest, most connected player in the game.

 

Tiphani had four gowns laid out on her bed for her victory celebration. She planned to be the center of attention at the party being held in her honor. Sometimes she still couldn't believe how her life was going. It seemed that everything just fell into place for her, and she was the first to admit, she deserved every bit of what she got. She picked up a lavender-colored Badgley Mischka from the bed and held it up to herself. She twirled around in the mirror like a little girl who had just gotten a new dress for Easter. She would be stunning, and she knew it.

Tiphani's personal hair stylist put her jet-black hair up into a neat bun, and her makeup artist gave her a very natural look, which accentuated her high cheekbones. The pair of professionals had made Tiphani look and feel like a million bucks.

After her assistants were done making her up, she slid into her dress and examined herself carefully. She hadn't felt this good about herself in a long time. Staring at herself in the mirror, she thought she looked gorgeous. She kissed her kids good night and headed out to the party.

When Tiphani arrived at the city's largest catering hall, she made a grand entrance. There were hundreds of people in attendance—politicians; high-profile attorneys; several of her former colleagues from the DA's office, and a small group of police officers and state troopers. Everyone was there to support her, but more importantly to make sure they got face time with her. The private attorneys and prosecutors wanted to make sure she liked them, so things would go their way in the courtroom; the cops wanted to make face with her, so she'd always sign their search warrants, even in the middle of the night; and the politicians needed to keep Tiphani as an ace in their pockets, not knowing when their dirty dealings would be exposed.

Tiphani smiled and waved and made her way through the crowd. She felt better than she had on her own wedding day. As she worked the crowd, saying hello and accepting congratulations, she noticed Rodriguez, who was standing alone watching her.
What the fuck is she doing here?
she thought to herself, but she kept her plastic smile plastered on her face as she dodged bodies, making her way across the room.

Tiphani always had the feeling that Rodriguez never really cared for her. At first she thought it was because of Rodriguez's loyalty to Derek, but when Rodriguez had gotten down with her and Scar to set Derek up, she knew that wasn't the case. She just couldn't figure out what it was about Rodriguez that gave her the creeps.

One thing was for sure. Tiphani wasn't worried about Rodriguez revealing anything about her and Scar right now. She and Rodriguez both had secrets about each other that could easily destroy one another. The difference now was that Tiphani was not aware that since Danielle's death, Rodriguez was at the point that she did not care if her corrupt behavior was made public. Rodriguez was ready to face the consequence of her actions. She just wasn't ready to tell on herself.

Tiphani was smiling and speaking to some of the other judges when she noticed Rodriguez making her way toward her. She kept the fake smile plastered to her face. “Excuse me,” she said to the group of people she had been speaking to, her face becoming serious.

“Tiphani, how are you? Congratulations. You look great,” Rodriguez said, grabbing her into a rough, awkward hug.

“Rodriguez, I'm surprised to see you here.” Tiphani giggled.

Rodriguez let her out of the hug and looked into her face. Her expression was serious. She moved her face closer to Tiphani's. “I hope you're finished with your little affair with Scar Johnson, now that you are a big-time circuit court judge,” she whispered, leaning into Tiphani's ear.

Tiphani's body stiffened, and she pursed her lips. The air swirling around them was thick with tension. “I am glad to see you, Rodriguez. Thank you for coming out to support me. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you ever need anything,” she said, straightening out her gown. She started to turn around as several more of her supporters approached her.

“Funny you should ask. I will be contacting you real soon about a person we both have in common,” Rodriguez called out loudly, garnering stares from others in the crowd. “Do I need to make an appointment, Judge Fuller?”

“Just get in touch with my clerk,” Tiphani replied, rushing away.

Tiphani spent the rest of the night showing good face with her supporters. She even danced a few times.

Although Tiphani seemed fine, Rodriguez' visit and words were gnawing at the back of her mind. She left the hall and climbed into a waiting black Lincoln Town Car. She eased into the backseat, pulled off her shoes, and leaned her head back. The driver already knew where to take her.

I could get used to this
, she thought to herself.
I just wish Scar was here to celebrate our work.
Her cell phone began buzzing inside her clutch. She hadn't looked at her phone all night long. She lifted her head off the backseat and retrieved her phone from the slim bag.

“Hello,” she answered in a sultry voice, a mixture of happiness and exhaustion. “Hello?”

Still there was no answer on the other end. She looked at the screen, and the call disconnected.

She placed the phone up against her chest and smiled. She knew immediately it was Scar calling to let her know that phase two of the plan was about to go into effect. Scar was about to reappear, and before she knew it, he would be sitting in front of her in her new courtroom.

Tiphani felt like she owed Scar everything. Not only did she feel a great sense of loyalty to him, she loved him. She vowed to do everything in her new judicial power to help Scar clear himself of the charges against him.

 

Scar hung up his cell phone and turned his attention back to the beautiful woman lying in his bed. He walked over and gave her a deep kiss. She returned his kiss and opened her legs to allow him into her. Scar thought about Tiphani briefly. He knew he didn't love her or want to be with her, but he was hoping that she believed that he did.

As Scar moved his dick in and out of his newest beauty, he only hoped that he had Tiphani wrapped around his finger as much as he thought he did.

Sticks and Trail embraced Scar with a hug, pat, and pound. “Damn, nigga! You look relaxed,” Sticks commented, giving Scar the once-over. Trail was smiling at Scar just for good measure, but he was seriously biting his tongue. He was waiting to get Scar alone, to fill him in on his boy Sticks' power trip.

“Lots of good sun, good food, and good pussy will do that to a nigga,” Scar said, laughing at his own joke.

“I'm glad you back, my dude. Shit has been different without you,” Trail said, casting sidelong glances in Sticks' direction.

Scar climbed into his Escalade and allowed Sticks to drive. As they rode down the highway, Sticks blabbed on and on about how the Dirty Money Crew was on the serious come-up under his direction, painting a picture of himself like he was the hardest gangster since Pablo Escobar. Trail just listened and laughed to himself, feeling like Sticks would eventually get his.

Scar, listening to Sticks' grand stories, suddenly spotted a trooper's car hiding in the bushes. He quickly reached over and grabbed the steering wheel, causing Sticks to swerve.

“Oh, shit! Nigga, what you doin'?” Sticks screamed out.

Scar knew exactly what he was doing.

The next thing they knew, blue and white lights were flashing behind them, just as Scar expected. He was extra calm and collected, mentally prepared for what was next. He had purposely not alerted his little henchmen to his plans, thinking they would try and stop him, and he didn't feel like dealing with their bullshit.

“Awww, fuck! What's up with this shit, Scar?” Sticks asked, his entire body shaking.

Trail was calm. He knew Scar must've known what he was doing.

“Give me y'all burners. Hurry the fuck up!” Scar instructed.

Sticks and Trail quickly took their guns and handed them to Scar, who put one gun in his waistband and one in the back of his pants.

The state trooper finally approached the car and knocked on the window. Sticks slowly rolled the window down. Before the trooper could ask for the registration, he noticed Scar in the passenger seat and fled back to his patrol car, where he went over the radio and called for backup. He didn't even have to say why he needed backup once he said he had Scar Johnson pulled over. Scar was back!

In less than five minutes his truck was surrounded by state troopers with their guns drawn and ready. Scar was called out of the car with at least fifteen guns trained on him. Before his feet could fully touch the ground, he was wrestled to the ground and searched.

“Gun!! Gun!!” one trooper screamed out.

All of the other troopers got on high alert. Soon helicopters hovered overhead and the cast iron SWAT truck could be heard in the distance. They were not playing this time. Scar was going back to jail.

Sticks and Trail were detained and released. The cops didn't really have anything on them, and besides, the one they really wanted was Scar, who gave his boys orders to continue running the business until his permanent return, of which he was very confident, this time cleared of all charges against him.

 

Derek got word of Scar's return and arrest. Watching the media coverage had made his day, giving him a pep in his step. He went back to his cell and retrieved a very important phone number. Then he used his daily phone call to call his new ally.

“Hi, may I speak with Mayor Steele please?” he whispered into the phone, leery of his surroundings. He didn't know who to trust up in the jail and he wasn't taking any chances. He was placed on hold.

When the mayor picked up the line, Derek's heart jerked in his chest with excitement. “Scar Johnson is back,” he said. “I want you to watch it all unfold. When you're ready, I will give you the location of my safety deposit box key with the tape,” he whispered. “But first I need your assurance that you will make me a free man once I hand over the evidence you need to bring her to her knees.”

“Yes, you have my word. If you have what you say you have, I'm going to need it if I am to take her out once and for all. I love it when a plan comes together. Especially when somebody thinks you're the one in the dark and in fact they are the ones walking blind,” Mayor Steele commented.

Derek could feel the mayor's huge smile through the phone. “So we got a deal then?” he asked, himself smiling.

“Yes, we have a deal,” Mayor Steele said before disconnecting the call.

“See who gets the last laugh now, you bitch!” Derek mumbled as he walked back to his cell. “I'm back!”

 

When Rodriguez saw the news report on Scar's return to Baltimore, she was beside herself with anger. She had almost wrecked her car speeding down the streets and highways to the stationhouse like a maniac. When she arrived, she haphazardly parked her car and stormed into the stationhouse. Panting and out of breath, she busted into the cell area and began searching up and down the rows of cells. She didn't see Scar anywhere, which angered her even more.

“Where is Scar Johnson?” Rodriguez huffed, speaking to the little skinny rookie trooper who sat guard at the cells.

“He already went to see the judge for a bail hearing,” the little trooper answered.

“A fuckin' bail hearing? There is no way he should get bail! He is a fuckin' flight risk. For God sakes, he just came back into town after being on the run!” she screamed.

As she turned to head down to the courthouse to catch Scar's hearing, she ran headfirst into Chief Hill. The chief had overheard her rant and knew exactly where she was going.

“Rodriguez, I'm warning you. You need to mind your fuckin' business on this one,” Chief Hill gritted.

“This is my fuckin' business. My fuckin' sister is dead because of this bastard. You wanna expose me, go right ahead, but believe me, I will not be going down by myself, if you know what the fuck I mean,” Rodriguez growled in the chief's face. She pushed past the chief and stormed out of the stationhouse. She wanted to see the whites of Scar Johnson's eyes.

Rodriguez arrived at the courthouse and found out that Scar Johnson's bail had been denied. She sighed.
Maybe Tiphani is done with Scar and she is going to be on the up and up with this case against him
, she thought to herself.

 

District Attorney Anthony Gill had a permanent hard-on since he'd gotten word of Scar's arrest. Anthony saw this as a golden opportunity to finally bring Scar Johnson to justice for years and years of crime. Anthony had already made it up in his mind that he was not assigning the case to any of the assistant district attorneys that worked for him; instead, he planned on prosecuting the case himself, which was almost unheard of. Anthony knew he'd take some flack from the media, and that his assistant DAs would be mad with him, but he didn't care. His appointment as DA was on the line, and he couldn't risk another foul up with Scar's prosecution.

Anthony sat at his desk studying every single detail and piece of physical and documentary evidence in Scar's case. He wanted every stone turned before he got into court again. His goal was to have so many charges stick that Scar would be in prison for life.

“Mr. Gill, we have just received word from the court on which judge you're going to have for the case against Stephon “Scar” Johnson,” his paralegal said in a light voice. She saw Anthony's face and suddenly became nervous.

“Who is it?” Anthony asked, almost holding his breath. He was so nervous, he almost started hyperventilating.

“I'm afraid the judge is going to be Judge Tiphani Fuller,” the paralegal said, looking at Anthony.

“Fuck! This shit is ridiculous! Either this bastard Johnson has nine lives, or he is paying out a lot of fucking money to stay on the streets!” Anthony slammed his hands on the desk, knocking over the case file and all the stacks of papers in front of him. Tiphani hated him and had only tolerated his presence at her party because of the mayor.

Anthony's stomach began hurting. This was the worst possible news he could have heard. He was sure Tiphani would let all of the calls in the courtroom go for the defense just to spite him. But one thing was for sure. Anthony would not waste anymore time. He instructed his paralegal to call the courthouse and put in for an immediate start to the trial. He planned on giving new meaning to “the right to a speedy trial.”

 

Scar slipped into his suit jacket. The jury selection for his trial had taken almost two weeks. He had heard through his attorney that Tiphani was being extremely tough on the prosecutor during the jury selection process. He just had to smile to himself after hearing this.

Today Scar was being transported to court to face the revenge-hungry district attorney and, most likely, more than half the residents of Baltimore, who all hated him with a passion. He had gotten word that Tiphani was a little pissed at him for getting himself arrested as soon as he returned, instead of coming to see her first. She had wanted him to sneak around and hit her off with some dick before he made his presence back on the streets known. But Scar had other plans. Frankly, he'd grown tired of fucking Tiphani to get what he wanted. Scar was a man who couldn't be held down, and he could tell that Tiphani wanted more out of their “thing” than he did. She had even mentioned marriage one time when they had just finished getting busy. Scar thought she was straight crazy for even considering that shit.

Scar wanted to start distancing himself from her, but he couldn't cut her completely off and out of his life until he was a free man.

“Let's go, Johnson,” a CO called out.

Scar got his game face on, shrugged his shoulders to shake off his little bit of nerves, and headed out of the cell, confident things would go his way.

 

Tiphani sat in her chambers preparing to see Scar for the first time since they'd separated from the yacht. She examined herself in the mirror for what must have been the fiftieth time. Kind of nervous about seeing her man after so long, she kept checking her makeup and hair closely to make sure not one hair was out of place. She put on her black judge's robe and struck several different poses. She smiled, made serious faces, then practiced banging her gavel. Tiphani chuckled at herself, behaving like a high school teenager about to go on her first date with a boy she'd had a crush on for years. Finally satisfied that she looked great, Tiphani took one last look in the mirror and winked. She thought she looked very good as a judge. She just hoped that Scar thought she looked as sexy as she thought she did. “Showtime,” she whispered to herself.

 

Rodriguez mixed in with the crowd and settled in on a bench at the back of the courtroom. Her plan was to be present at the trial every single day until she saw Scar get what he deserved. When Sticks and Day walked through the courtroom doors with a few other members of the Dirty Money Crew, she had to count to twenty to keep herself from jumping over the aisle and beating Sticks until he was unconscious. She knew he was the mastermind of the bank heist that got Danielle killed and she had something for him, but first she needed to see Scar get his.

Sticks noticed Rodriguez. He looked over at the crooked cop and smirked. He hated Rodriguez for turning Danielle into a snitch. He just didn't know that Rodriguez hated him just as much. It was definitely a volatile situation in the courtroom that could explode at any minute.

“All rise. The Honorable Judge Tiphani Fuller presiding,” the court officer called out.

“Let the games begin,” Rodriguez whispered, eyeing Sticks.

 

Tiphani slid onto her chair. She swallowed hard and tried to calm down. As hard as she tried, she couldn't keep from looking over at a very calm and relaxed Scar, who looked sharp in a charcoal Brooks Brothers suit.

Tiphani had long since stopped seeing Scar's ugly scars. In fact, in her eyes he was gorgeous. Just looking at him and thinking about his dick was turning her on right there in the packed courtroom. She then looked over at her former boss, District Attorney Anthony Gill, who looked frazzled, like he hadn't slept in days. She smirked to herself. She could definitely tell that he was nervous. All the same, she planned on making his life a living hell in her courtroom.

“Shall we begin? Mr. Gill, you have the floor.” Tiphani looked over at Scar and spoke to him with her eyes. The message was,
You don't have anything to worry about
.

Scar confidently folded his hands on the table in front of him like he was about to watch a dramatic play or some sort of sideshow attraction. The back and forth between the prosecution and the defense was amusing, to say the least. Even more amusing was the way Tiphani practically abused Anthony on every objection he made, and kept him from asking the state witnesses a lot of pointed questions. Even the reporters in the courtroom had to moan at her overruling of some of Anthony's objections. Tiphani was having a field day.

At the end of the day's proceedings Tiphani raced back to her chambers and locked the door. She ripped off her robe and began touching her clitoris. Her pussy was drenched. She slid her fingers into her own wetness and pleasured herself while she envisioned Scar's muscular body and his thick dick. Tiphani masturbated off the images in her head until she came.

“Oh God. I don't know how I'm going to stand seeing him every day like this. I need him,” she mumbled to herself. “I have to make fast work of this trial shit. I need this to be over, so I can get my gotdamn fix,” she grumbled under her breath.

 

Rodriguez had left the courtroom that day sure that she had fulfilled her suspicions about Tiphani's and Scar's relationship. She was very alert to the little glances and smirks Tiphani floated Scar's way. Rodriguez also noticed that Scar and his attorney were unbelievably calm, even though he was facing enough charges to send him to prison for life. Rodriguez, hell-bent on destroying Scar, was going to continue her hunt to get to the bottom of things, and if Tiphani got in the way, she'd just be a casualty of war.