fronts and faces. She could be nice, sweet or ruthless. She could pass for a professional or play the role of hood rat. Sometimes she wondered if she hadn’t fallen into so much money would she have had the nerve to try her hand at acting. Either way, whether it was in Hollywood or on the streets of Chi-Town, she had a gift and she used it well.
The visit with Shay went well. Shay told Lisa that she was staying at a hotel right outside of town and that she wouldn’t be late in the morning knowing that her friend had spent fifteen months of her life caged and being told when to walk and when to talk. To stand in line and wait for food—to take a number to see the nurse when you were sick to only receive a few generic pills that rarely worked. Not one more second did she want her best friend to have to spend in Marion federal prison. So she would be there ready to go.
* * *
LaTanza Fuentes stepped into her Escalade. She turned the key and the coal black SUV came to life. She waited a moment then cranked up the air. She pressed play to the twelve-disc changer and Jill Scott’s collaboration began to play. She pressed the preset buttons in a certain order then the secret compartment in the center console opened. She took the expensive foreign made compact Walter PPK .380 automatic out and put it in her Dooney and Bourke bag. Once set, she was ready to make the trip back to the city. She had made a trip for her husband, Carlos, to see where Nessie’s head was. To see if she really was ready to get back into the game or was she just trying to get a quick handout which LaTanza and her husband never gave. Carlos’ motto was instilled in him from his dad, Freddie Fuentes, ‘work for all you receive’. His meaning of the motto was that ‘if a man is given something he won’t appreciate it. If a man works for something he will value it more.’ She also wanted to pick Nessie’s brain about her cell mate that she always talked so highly of. In the past Lisa was Slim’s main woman—the one he loved and adored and was a fool about. So even though she had broken his heart and he set her up for a fall to do prison time, the Fuentes’ knew she was getting out and they were going to keep tabs on her. Just in case she decided that she wanted to live the life she had before and she might lead them to Slim who was said to be out of the country, but no one knew for sure. Everyone in the game knew it was hard to go from living like a king to being an everyday average Joe that had to clock in a nine to five everyday and live damn near paycheck to paycheck. And they were counting on Lisa to be the same way.
Life Altering Moments
I t was Monday morning, LaTanza parked in front of St. Mary’s Catholic School. She walked with her daughter Carlita, who favored her daddy, up the walkway. The little girl, who was six, loved every minute of kindergarten. She liked being able to play with all the kids because before enrolling in school, she only played with cousins and kids whose parents were in the drug game. This meant she played with the same kids all the time since the Fuentes’ were selective of whom they let in their home.
After dropping Carlita off, LaTanza headed to the city. Michigan Avenue was her destination. She was seeing a therapist. Carlos had encouraged her to do so and had made the appointment for her. The doctor had known people in Carlos’ family for years so it goes without saying that she knew what Carlos did for a living, but she didn’t mind. The doc and her husband got their party favors from Carlos. Not directly but by way of Carlos’ right hand man and the doctor felt comfortable and safe to buy from so high on the food chain. It was less of a chance of getting caught. So the doctor and her husband were safe as were all of their Country Club friends who sniffed the party favors at the stuck up parties they often hosted.
It took a while for LaTanza to
The visit with Shay went well. Shay told Lisa that she was staying at a hotel right outside of town and that she wouldn’t be late in the morning knowing that her friend had spent fifteen months of her life caged and being told when to walk and when to talk. To stand in line and wait for food—to take a number to see the nurse when you were sick to only receive a few generic pills that rarely worked. Not one more second did she want her best friend to have to spend in Marion federal prison. So she would be there ready to go.
* * *
LaTanza Fuentes stepped into her Escalade. She turned the key and the coal black SUV came to life. She waited a moment then cranked up the air. She pressed play to the twelve-disc changer and Jill Scott’s collaboration began to play. She pressed the preset buttons in a certain order then the secret compartment in the center console opened. She took the expensive foreign made compact Walter PPK .380 automatic out and put it in her Dooney and Bourke bag. Once set, she was ready to make the trip back to the city. She had made a trip for her husband, Carlos, to see where Nessie’s head was. To see if she really was ready to get back into the game or was she just trying to get a quick handout which LaTanza and her husband never gave. Carlos’ motto was instilled in him from his dad, Freddie Fuentes, ‘work for all you receive’. His meaning of the motto was that ‘if a man is given something he won’t appreciate it. If a man works for something he will value it more.’ She also wanted to pick Nessie’s brain about her cell mate that she always talked so highly of. In the past Lisa was Slim’s main woman—the one he loved and adored and was a fool about. So even though she had broken his heart and he set her up for a fall to do prison time, the Fuentes’ knew she was getting out and they were going to keep tabs on her. Just in case she decided that she wanted to live the life she had before and she might lead them to Slim who was said to be out of the country, but no one knew for sure. Everyone in the game knew it was hard to go from living like a king to being an everyday average Joe that had to clock in a nine to five everyday and live damn near paycheck to paycheck. And they were counting on Lisa to be the same way.
Life Altering Moments
I t was Monday morning, LaTanza parked in front of St. Mary’s Catholic School. She walked with her daughter Carlita, who favored her daddy, up the walkway. The little girl, who was six, loved every minute of kindergarten. She liked being able to play with all the kids because before enrolling in school, she only played with cousins and kids whose parents were in the drug game. This meant she played with the same kids all the time since the Fuentes’ were selective of whom they let in their home.
After dropping Carlita off, LaTanza headed to the city. Michigan Avenue was her destination. She was seeing a therapist. Carlos had encouraged her to do so and had made the appointment for her. The doctor had known people in Carlos’ family for years so it goes without saying that she knew what Carlos did for a living, but she didn’t mind. The doc and her husband got their party favors from Carlos. Not directly but by way of Carlos’ right hand man and the doctor felt comfortable and safe to buy from so high on the food chain. It was less of a chance of getting caught. So the doctor and her husband were safe as were all of their Country Club friends who sniffed the party favors at the stuck up parties they often hosted.
It took a while for LaTanza to
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