The Diamond Syndicate

“Tae, man, for real, we getting older now. We said that shit when we was kids. It was a dream we had when we was kids. That’s all it was—a dream. This is reality, man.”

“That’s not you talking, and you know it! That sounds like Trey to me.”

“Naw, bruh, it’s me. I’m my own man. I made this decision, not Trey.” Al-Malik hit his chest for emphasis.

“Word? A’ight, cool. It’s all good then. Do you. And you right, we growing up,” Dante said as he waited for the cars to pass so he could cross the busy street. He hunched his shoulders as the winter air blew.

“Yo, Tae!”

Dante looked back at Al-Malik.

“We still boys, right?”

“Oh, no doubt, kid.” Dante crossed the street, readjusting his backpack on his shoulders.

Dante was hurt. It seemed he was the only one still believing in their childhood dream. Was he wishing on a star? Was there something everybody else saw that he couldn’t see? Did he need to let go and grow up? He felt positive about finishing school and getting out of the hood.

Through the years, Dante had to endure watching his mother bring one man after the next in and out of the house. He was always locked up in his room and most times left at home alone. When Diamond couldn’t do something because of him, she made sure she told him every chance she got. Dante had to carry a lot of weight on his shoulders as a child, because his mother was so controlling, manipulating his small mind. But as time went on and Dante grew, Diamond seemed to lose the gift to pull men to keep her laced in the finest, causing her to go on welfare when Dante became a teen to bring in the extra money she needed to trick off.

Although his mother had come up with the crazy welfare fraud idea and talked about getting them a home out of the hood, he still wanted to finish school and make his own living legally. He had no intention of living with his mother for the rest of his life. But for now he would live with her—under her rules—so he could save his money.

TWELVE

Ready to Blow

Two Months Later

Shakeeda sat on her bed rocking back and forth. Diamond still hadn’t come up with her missing percentage of the money. Although Shakeeda had gotten used to the extra money and benefits she did get, she was starting to feel guilty about spending it, but it wasn’t until Diamond cut her off that she started feeling that way. While the getting was good, it was all good. She became dependent on the extra cash and benefits. She’d moved to a bigger and better apartment, furnishing it, and her children were much happier too, since they were able to go more places and get more toys and clothes.

Even after her encounter with Diamond at the restaurant five months prior, Shakeeda still managed to do all right with the one check that came in. At first she believed Diamond when she told her she was investing her money. She figured Diamond was putting the money in with drug money to flip it into an even bigger profit. Shakeeda was all for that, especially knowing the amount of money drug sales brought in. She had big dreams, and was even considering buying a home in Newark.

But all of that came crashing down when she wasn’t able to get in contact with Diamond yet again. She had been trying to get in touch with her to go out and have a few drinks like they used to, to make sure things were all right between them. The encounter at the restaurant had her a little afraid. So when she couldn’t reach Diamond, she decided to take her sister Tanya out. She needed to get out and clear her head. She was even becoming paranoid at work, thinking someone knew about the false claims. She checked on them periodically, making sure no one had been in the accounts investigating them, but she couldn’t be one hundred percent sure.

When Shakeeda and Tanya walked into Marlo’s Lounge, she thought she was gonna bust a blood vessel. Diamond, sparkling like a crystal ball from all the diamonds she wore, sat at a table surrounded by good-looking young men and two females, and they were laughing it up, clearly having a good time. Bottles of expensive champagne and liquor lined their table.

Shakeeda and Tanya walked over to Diamond’s table and stood there waiting to be noticed.

Diamond finally looked up to see them standing there. “Shakeeda, what’s up?” She half-smiled at her.

“Hey, Diamond. What’s going on?”

“Getting my party on. What you doing here? This ain’t your usual hangout.” Diamond took a sip from her flute, filled with champagne.

Shakeeda placed her hand on her hip, looking around at everyone, who was now looking at her.

“It looks like you got played,” her sister whispered. “You better check your girl. I’m going to get a drink.”

Shakeeda’s blood was beginning to heat up. “Diamond, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure, you can. Pull up a chair.”

“Alone, please.”

“What?” Diamond placed her hand next to her ear, letting Shakeeda know she didn’t hear her because of the music.

Shakeeda leaned forward and spoke louder. “I said, can I talk to you alone?”

Diamond got up from her seat and excused herself from the table. The two of them tried to find a place to talk privately, but it was impossible, since the establishment was small, and the place was packed.