Hood Still Don't Love You (HDLY#2)

Chapter eleven

“Okay, let me make this real simple. Either explain your story to the cops or your injuries to the ambulance. Your call.”

Train didn’t mean to scare the old man with his ultimatum but he had no choice and he needed the guy’s car. It was a piece of crap Volvo but it drove and that’s what he needed, anything with wheels.

Train also relieved the man of his cell phone. It was one of those free cell phones the government gives you so he hoped there were some minutes on it.

The Volvo had no FM dial on the radio display of the dashboard. He had to listen to 1010 Wins as he drove. That’s when he heard the breaking News story about him and the supposed officers he murdered and injured.

“This is some bullshit,” Train said to himself hitting the steering wheels with his hands for a few seconds. “Niggas really trying to set me up on some Donnie Brasco shit. I got to a hold of someone. Shit!”

Train thought for a few seconds and grabbed the stolen cell phone off the dashboard. He tried dialing Tamel’s number and got the voicemail again. There was only one other person he could call after that.

He had to think hard to remember the number. He dialed it and waited. With one hand on the steering wheel, he used the other hand to place the phone between his neck and his shoulder blades. He cranked his neck to keep the phone in place as the other line rung.

He heard a low and uncertain ‘hello’ coming from the other end when someone picked up.

“Carmel?” Train asked not certain of the voice as of yet.

“Train!” the voice said more chipper. “Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s you! They got you all over the News. They’re saying…”

“Listen, baby girl, I don’t have much time to talk, I’m on an Obama phone,” Train said. “Where are you? Are you safe?”

“Yes, I’m safe,” Carmel responded.

“Listen, I know what they saying about me and you know it’s bullshit,” Train said.

“I know,” Carmel said. “But…”

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on but someone is trying to set me up and they are succeeding,” Train said. “I haven’t had my back this far up against the wall since the last time I was in Juvie and my unit wanted to play hot potato with a bar of soap. I got to find some answers but I need to find Drama. You talked to him?”

“No,” Carmel said. “I don’t know what’s going on?”

“Carmel, who are you talking to?” Train heard another familiar voice all of a sudden talking to Carmel.

“Wait, that sounds like…”Train swore that voice sounded like Charmaine.

“Train, you got to get low,” Carmel said. “The police are looking for you hard.”

“Is that Train?” the other voice asked and Carmel mumbled something.

“Is that Charmaine?” Train asked.

“Yes,” Carmel said. “I’m with her now.”

“What? How?” Train was confused. “I thought…Hey, what the fuck you doing with her?”

“It’s a long story,” Carmel said. “I…”

“You’re working with them?” Train asked furious figuring Carmel now had something to do with all that was going on. “You set me and my mans up.”