Read Online Cracked Dreams by Michael Daniel Baptiste - Free Book Online

nowhere near bedtime on the streets of the Bronx. What El Don and Poncho had planned, the streets wouldn’t even be ready for. As they sat in Poncho’s black Expedition on 227th Street between Barnes Avenue and Bronxwood Avenue, they were patiently awaiting the arrival of one of their workers, Roscoe. They’d been waiting almost two hours for him to show up, and there was still no sign of him. It had gotten as late as 2:45 a.m., and his ass was nowhere to be found. Then after a quick glance at the side-view mirror, without saying a word, El Don opened his door on the passenger side of the truck and exited the vehicle. He walked down toward Barnes Avenue and made a right at the corner. Ten seconds after that, Roscoe came walking past the truck. Poncho saw him pass, but waited for him to get three-quarters of the way down the block before making a move. He then opened the door, got out of the car and called to him, “Yo, Roscoe! What’s up, nigga!” Roscoe, a little tentative, turned around and tried squinting to clearly see whom it was that called his name. As he stood there uncertain, the figure that he saw from up the block uttered the words, “Let me holla at you right quick, nigga!” Still confused, he reached for his waist where he had a Glock .9mm tucked under his belt. Suddenly, all he saw was black. El Don came from behind him and covered his face with a black laundry bag. When Poncho saw his brother make his move, he made his way to where they were, and proceeded to assist in getting Roscoe in the back of the truck. Once they got him in the truck, they took the gun he had hidden underneath his shirt and struck him on the back of his head with a crowbar. Roscoe lost consciousness once he was hit with the blow and could give no more resistance as they tied his hands and feet, and gagged him. When they were done, they closed the back door and drove off.

    â€œMommy,” I said, trying to get Ginger’s attention, as she lay next to me peacefully asleep. “Gin, are you awake?”
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Daddy?” she asked as she yawned and turned over to face me.
    â€œNothing, I was just thinking; that’s all,” I responded.
    â€œThinking about what?”
    â€œI was thinking we should go away somewhere, just me and you. Like Bermuda, or Jamaica, or to the Bahamas. Just somewhere far, you know.”
    â€œBut, Daddy, you know how terrified I am of airplanes. Why can’t we just go to Miami or something like that?”
    â€œCome on, fuck Miami,” I said, a little annoyed at the familiarity of the conversation. “I want to see other kind of things, Mommy. I want to go somewhere exotic for a real vacation. I want to go somewhere that can make me completely forget about all this shit that happens every day in the streets of the Bronx. That’s how it was in Cali, but I still missed you. I want you right there with me.”
    â€œSo, Daddy, you can go to all of those places. Don’t let me stop you,” she said, trying to conceal the fact that she wouldn’t rather be without me.
    â€œListen, I ain’t goin’ nowhere like that without you, Mommy. That’s for real. If and when I experience that type of shit, I want you to be right there beside me. What’s wrong with that?”
    â€œNothing, I guess. But what about the flying part?”
    â€œMommy, don’t worry about that. You think I’d ever let anything happen to you?” I asked, looking directly in her eyes waiting for a response.
    â€œI know, Daddy. I know you’d never do anything that could hurt me. Well, just let me think about it, okay?”
    â€œThat’s good enough, Mommy. Just think about it and holla at me.”
    â€œI love you,” she said with an innocent little smile on her face.
    â€œI love you, too.”

    â€œYeah, mu’fucka. You thought that you could just rob us blind and never face the consequences,