Page 103 of Dirty

“God damn it,” Crip snarled. “Get your ass back in the office.”

Hell, I had no idea who Crip was talking to. Still blown away over Lefty’s response, I think I may have gone into shock.

The next thing I knew, we were all walking back into the office, and Crip had Lefty’s gun in his hand.

“Sit down,” Crip growled. “At your desk.”

“Crip, I swear to you. I was gonna come to you and see if--”

“Shut the fuck up,” Crip roared. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up.”

While Crip pointed the pistol at him, Lefty walked around the edge of the desk and sat down.

I realized Lefty’s decision to take the money, and go against Pee Bee’s – and my – orders, had almost cost me my life.

I felt sick. The torture was starting all over.

“Look at Brother Cholo,” Crip snarled. “Motherfucker got tortured for two fucking days. Forty-eight hours of being burned, cut, beaten…” He paused and shook his head. “Give me the key to your fucking house.”

Lefty reached for his pocket. “I swear, Brother, I haven’t spent more than five grand of it. There’s $640,000 there. Take it.”

With it pinched between his thumb and forefinger, Lefty lifted the key.

“Toss it to Smokey,” Crip said.

Lefty did as he asked.

“Now,” Crip said. “Your lying back-stabbing ass is going to commit suicide. Either that, or I’m going to go down to 14th and hire a bunch of meth heads to torture your ass. You’ve known me long enough, and you know me well enough to know I’m not fucking around.”

“Crip. Brother. I…” Lefty pleaded.

“I’m not your Brother,” Crip said. “Neither are these fellas. And there’s no way out of this, Left.”

“Go outside, fellas.”

Pee Bee shook his head. “Boss, I’ll shoot the son-of-a-bitch.”

“Have to beat me to it,” Smokey said.

“I’m serious, fellas,” Crip said through his teeth. “Get on your bikes.”

One by one, we turned toward the door.

Crip nodded toward Lefty. “And you get busy writing a suicide note.”

“Crip, I’m beggin’ ya…”

“Shut the fuck up.”

We walked to the parking lot in silence. It was still hard for me to believe he’d done it. One by one, we got on our bikes and sat waiting for Crip. I situated my cast on the board, and gazed down at it.

I had four pins and two screws in my toes, and six bones in my foot were broken. I still didn’t have my teeth, and I wouldn’t for some time. The doctor said I’d never walk without a limp.

The burns on my arms were going to leave scars for a lifetime, as were the cuts on my head.

As the realization hit me of what Lefty’s selfishness had done to me, Pee Bee’s voice brought me out of my daze.

“Good lookin’ out,” he said.