Never Fold

By Kingpin

After his murder case is reversed on an appeal, Aarco White is more than eager to show that he's no longer the petty hoodlum that recklessly meddled in mayhem, but now full fledged in his "Gansta-Boss" mentality, as he sets out to establish control over the same gritty streets of Dayton, Ohio that once consumed him.

At Aarco's side, staying true to the G-Code is his younger brother, Aaron, who's ready to prove that he's nothing less than
his Brother's Keeper. With nothing to lose and a conviction rate to improve, a newly assigned prosecuting attorney, Sheila Hopkins, has Aarco in her crosshairs as she looks to administer her own brand of justice, and all she has to familiarize herself with the man she'll be facing is his criminal file-which vividly plays throughout the journal entries as Sheila vicariously reads on.

The game isn't something that you win-it's something that you know. The twist and turns of street life are harsh enough to make concrete crumble, but Aarco has the heart of his mind set to Never Fold.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781499072815

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Kingpin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 01/06/2015

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Contents

Acknowledgement

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Acknowledgement

All praises are due to Allah without him nothing would be possible to achieve. To my son, Sonny, I thank you for your great source of pride and patience you are a King! To my girls, Danielle and Jalin, all of your unconditional love strengthens me everybody, and I look forward to seeing the women that you will one day become. I’ll be there! Momma you called it before I even seen it, and you made me the man that I am today. We’ll be on top soon.

Thank You! Antonio, my brother BE MY KEEPER rise above all that’s in your way. I’ve had the most challenging time of my life while bringing this novel to fruition. When facing any and every obstacle, I thought of the astounding character that my deceased uncle, Darryl was emblazoned with. I was motivated by him, I was inspired by his spirit, and continued to march forward with progress on my mind. Sacrifice isn’t going without, simply because you don’t have it. Sacrifice is going without, while you have it, but refrain from enjoying the pleasure it may bring, because you have something better to do with it. I had to make many sacrifices along the way, and I fortunate enough to turn those adversities into advantages that allowed me to keep it moving. To accomplish it from within the belly of the beast, confined to a prison cell while doing it, touches upon the absolute essence of greatness. I feel humbled and huge at the same time!! To those on lockdown, stay on the grind and you’ll comp up.

Friends, I thank you for supporting me and believing in me when no one else did, and when I needed you the most. LaTosha, 23years later and we’re still here. (lol) I know that I gave you hell, but heaven is within our son. Greedy Greg, I heard every word that you said, and I want you to know that I listened. Finally! You going to ball again, fam. Bump, you snatched the sun out the sky when you done that deed that you did. From the bottom of my heart, bruh thank you. Let’s get it! B-Gotti, good looking out and keeping it raw! Shawntau and Jaquata, bare with me. We got this, ya’ll. And to my, Shortie Nikki G you are most definitely one of the blessings the most high has bestowed upon me. I know how demanding the situation can be, but with style, grace, and beauty you rise to the occasion. Umm love you too. Lol For the ones who think you should be listed amongst the elite stop it! Live, Laugh, Love and Learn. To my Trap Life Publications staff, the world is about to know what an unstoppable force you are. It’s a Trap Life World!!!

Absolutely, Kingpin

Chapter One

In a fit, Aarco tossed to-and-fro for a comfort that would never come. Tightly he closed his eyes and repetitively whispered a heavenly prayer for peace, until sleep overcame his, worried senses. The day had been long and tiring. Somehow, the deeds he performed looked effortless, but thought precedes the act—and his concentrated efforts depleted all of his energy.. The deeper he slipped away subconsciously; the color on Aarco’s mental screen became more and more vivid.

This shit is dry!. .. Put it on tha scale and weigh it up. Then bag it. Geno’s been blowin’ up my phone for an hour. I gotta get that money and get his ass outta da way. Aarco told his girlfriend, Janelle. As much money as she had been spending lately, Aarco expected her to move much faster, so he slapped her open-handedly.

Alright, muthafucka…I’m gettin’ it done. You didn’t have to hit me. That money ain’t goin’ nowhere. Tell dat flunky-ass nigga to wait! She responded back. She wanted to continue on in her tirade, but knew better than to do so right now.

While Janelle did her part, Aarco went upstairs to get dressed. Geno had been calling since 7:30 that morning. So he got straight up and started whipping the order in his boxer shorts. It took three hours to cook it to perfection and now Aarco was in a rush to deliver it. The hydro that he smoked to steady his hand, now had him lightheaded, as he picked up a pair of Evisu jeans that he wore yesterday, off the floor. With forty-bands waiting on him, he shook it off and got dressed.

Cold winter air bit into Aarco, once he stepped outside to get in his SUV. Remains from a two-day snow storm still covered the streets, but his 2004 Denali had no problems, as he made his way through the streets that he was raised on.

I’m on my way. He spoke into the cell phone, when he answered it. Give me ten minutes.

Aarco told himself that once he got face to face with Geno, they would discuss a higher price. Out of spite for waking him up and getting him out into the bitter-cold, Geno would have to pay twenty-two racks instead of twenty. Aarco hadn’t forgotten that before he started taking trips out west to Arizona—even out to New York to find a plug—everyone stepped on his neck. To him, the squeeze was so tight that he couldn’t breathe. And now, for the last two years, he was loving the fresh air.

Making the crossover from stick-up kid to a bird-man wasn’t easy. No one really wanted to deal with him out of the fear that he wasn’t to be trusted. He could never get a player deal on weight, and had it not been for the tripling-profits he made hustling out in Charleston, there was no way he would’ve elevated in the game. People back in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, had always known him for one thing-money. He was taking it or earning it. Either way, he was making it.

The driveway of Gena’s house was too packed for him to fit the Denali into. So he parked on the street. With a watchful eye-more out of paranoia than anything-he exited the truck with the dope in the sleeves of his RocaWear bubble-coat. Snow loudly-crunched beneath the heavy steps of his Gore-Tex, as he made it to the front door, giving it the ol’ three-tap knock. Gusts of icy winds unmercifully blew at his face and angered him. He knocked even hard this time, until it opened.

Goddamn, man!…You blowin’ me up all mornin’ and now you got me waiting in the fuckin’ cold?! He said to Geno, as he wiped his feet clean on the ‘Welcome’ mat.

My fault, my nigga. I was in the basement and didn’t see you pull up. You got them two-keys witchu, right??…" He quickly asked, as he hurriedly-shut the door behind Aacro.

Aarco didn’t answer such a dumb question, instead he walked off into the living room with Geno following close behind on his heels. The two had been cool growing up in the same ‘hood-but only to a certain degree. Gena’s mother was a strict, religious, ‘holy rolling’, born-again Christian…and for the most part, sheltered him from the streets. Aarco was committed to thuggin’ his way out of the life he saw others fall victim to, and was only welcomed at their house if he attended church services with them. At the time, this seemed lame to him.

Come on, man…you got them two on you or what? I got some runs to make and they been on hold for as long as you had me on hold all day.

What da fuck is wrong witchu actin’ all antsy and shit?…And since when do you call me all early in the mornin’ pressin’ me nigga? You trippin’! Where that money at?… Oh, and by the way…I gotta holla at chu too. Aacro shot back at him as he took his coat off.

He thought the dope was in the sleeves of his coat, but actually it was in the sleeves of the zip-up hoodie which he had on underneath. Taking the hoodie off, he threw it on the couch and put his coat back on while Geno rambled in the cabinet. Clumsily, a stack of money fell out of the pile and onto the floor. Aarco saw it. Had his eyes been elsewhere for a split second, he wouldn’t have believed that under Geno’s button-up shirt was a wire. If the money hadn’t fallen, causing him to bend over for it, Aarco’s eyes would’ve missed it. His heart fell to his feet, while his thoughts raced a million miles a minute.

He knew that half the police force waited outside ready to bust in at any moment. This double-crossing snitch! Aarco clenched his fists as he spun on his heels, biting down so hard that every muscle in his face flexed. In the living room, he tried to think of a way out of the situation, but saw none at the moment.

You got them two keys? Geno asked once more to his demise.

Grabbing him by the collar, Aarco pulled the P-89 Ruger off his waist and jammed it into Geno’s jaw. With eyes as big as fifty-cent pieces, Geno grabbed for the gun. They wrestled for a couple of seconds when Aarco came up with the idea that saved his life.

Help me! Somebody help me!… This muthafucka’s trynna shoot me!! Help!" Aarco screamed to the top of his lungs, and managed to fire a shot that ripped Geno’s chin off, just as the front and backdoor was violently burst through and knocked down. Police filled the room.

Shit! Aarco mumbled as he awoke from the reoccurring nightmare that haunted him since the day it happened. Living through the nightmare was worse than any summary anyone could give. Only two people could do that and one of them was dead. He got up from his bunk and looked around to bleak grimness of the ten by six-cell that held him prisoner. Doing this normally made him cringe as his skin crawled. Not anymore. The Ohio Attorney General ordered the Montgomery County Prosecutor Office to release him or retry him within ninety days. It took eight years of disadvantaged determination to win the appeal and he did it through unshakeable will and with the grace of God.

The alarm clock read 3:47A.M., and he knew there was no going back to sleep. He took his purple haze stash from under the television and used the filter papers to roll the weed. He shook his head in utter disbelief of the obstacle he had overcome. The C.O. walked past his cell to perform his last third-shift count, so it was safe to mill about in his cell freely. Homemade incense began to emit its fragrance when he lit it. He then blazed up the skinny makeshift blunt, blowing its smoke out the window.

Next to the alarm clock on the desk, Aarco spotted the letter his attorney sent from the Ohio AG’s office. It had been recorded in his memory from the countless times he had to read it to make certain of its accuracy. Still, he glanced over it once more time to see the charges he was accused of: Aggravated Murder and Aggravated Robbery w/ firearm specifications. His original trial attorney succeeded in getting the drug charges thrown out of State Court, and the Feds didn’t’ bother. Because it was winter when the incident occurred, Aarco had gloves on the entire time he handled the package. Janelle’s prints couldn’t be found either, because she always handled everything wearing latex gloves.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals in Ohio had erred in allowing the trial judge to suppress the tape from the wiretap Geno wore. Had the jury been introduced to it, the results and outcome of the trial could’ve been different. This was the reason for the reversal on Aarco’s conviction. Now that the fruits of the tape were on record, there could be no more hide-n-seek games with the prosecution or the judge. Aarco’s appellate attorney told him he didn’t believe that he would be retried in light of the evidence, but would be released when the ninety days were up. After all he went through to get to where he was at, the fact that they might retry him out of sheer vindication played a song in his mind with no hook.

Aarco was currently housed at the SOCF (Southern Ohio Correctional Facility) located in Lucasville, Ohio and the maximum security prison took extra precautionary measures to keep you there. Aarco had been bounced all around the state to other joints for disciplinary measures and punishment. He constantly found ways to get dope into the prisons. Desperation lightened up when he could make dollars to fight his case. This was his second time on maximum security since the bid started, and no matter what he had to keep making money.

For the most part, Janelle stood by his side, and the times she did waver, came when Aarco counted on her most. That’s why he wasn’t really feeling the new found affection she showed the past few days. He took care of the son they had, even while doing a 33 (thirty-three) year to life sentence, but he knew she didn’t appreciate it-not enough for him anyway. Janelle was scheduled to visit in a couple of days, and ‘boy-oh-boy’ did he have a surprise for her. He wasn’t flippin’ the script on her, but he sure planned on taking an inch of his power back. So much so, that the situation had bled out of him unwillingly.

Now that Aarco was full of good spirits from the blunt that he smoked, he did a two-step to the beat playing through his headphones as he paced the cell back and forth. He was getting busy, working up a sweat, when all of a sudden he stopped in his tracks. The reflection in the mirror showed him the same face and image as his father, and Aarco hated that he could see him within himself. They both were well over six feet tall and shared the same broad back, chest, shoulders and powerful arms. Aarco was a few shades darker in complexion than his father, and his rugged looks were a bit more handsome, but they had the exact same deadly stare. That was where all similarities stopped.

Lou, Aarco’s father, was a no-earthly good ass nigga, who went against the grain of self-preservation when it came down to being a man and taking care of his seeds. Aarco was the oldest of three sons that Lou had fathered by different women, and his disdain for Lou was rightly placed, because every chance that Aarco gave him, Lou not only fumbled the ball, but he also refused to pick it back up. Lou had gotten Aarco’s mother pregnant when he was only fourteen years old. She was thirteen. He started off on the wrong foot by cowardly denying that he was Aarco’s father. As Aarco grew older, Lou’s lie couldn’t hold up, because his son had too many traits that were identical to his. When it was convenient, Lou poorly punt-faked at attempts to come back around and play daddy, but it would’ve been better for Aarco if he’d never shown up. He wouldn’t have expected, and been denied the love from his father that all of his life never came.

When Lou did a petty crime and caught a five-year sentence in the penitentiary, he made contact with Aarco’s mother, and ran some weak rap to get her in the car by his side. Who was Aarco’s father to bid off of her?? Soon, Cheryl was taking Aarco to see him, along with the package of dope that Lou had arranged for her to bring. Aarco was only eight years old at the time, but his awareness was much older, and he knew that something wasn’t right about Lou. Still, Aarco acted like everything was cool and tried to be a son. There wasn’t an emotional bond between them. It was more mental, a thing of respect and understanding that made Aarco fall in line. It didn’t last long and it was only a matter of time before Lou exposed just how much of a snake that he really was.

Cheryl stopped taking Aarco to see Lou, after he refused to send her cut of the money for playing her part in bringing him the packages. Aarco didn’t know why he wasn’t going to see his father anymore, but it wasn’t something that he missed at all. Instead, Aarco slowly put the pieces of the puzzle together that explained how and why Lou was the lame that he was. Cheryl had a twin brother, Darryl, who Aarco had always been close to.

Darryl never concealed the truth from his nephew. Whatever Aarco wanted to know-Darryl told him. He pulled no punches, especially when it came to Lou.

A lot of people don’t like the truth, because it reveals the real nature of life. However, Aarco had to have it. He felt like there was no purpose in following a rainbow that didn’t lead to a pot of gold at the end of it. He also knew that there was no sense in loving a father who never wanted him in the first place. His uncle Darryl became Aarco’s father-figure and that was the way that Aarco had to have it. Darryl looked after Aarco and his younger brother Aaron, who Cheryl had by a different man, who held them down the best he could. He taught them how to fight, and more importantly Darryl made sure that they stuck together, no matter what.

When Darryl was killed in a case of mistaken identity, Aarco and Aaron were devastated. Aaron had never met his real father, so Darryl was the only father that he knew, and all he could do was turn to his big brother, who was only five years older than him for protection. Although Aarco was shattered by the death of his uncle, he was fed up with taking losses at the expense of loving somebody. He had to put the pain that he felt to the side, and hold his mother and brother down anyway that he could, because no one was coming to their rescue. All he knew for sure about life was that pain broke people down and he hit the streets hard with that attitude to get paid.

After all the highs and lows of the streets, Aarco stood in the mirror looking at himself and wondering what it was going to be like when he got back home. He had become too big for the cell that he was in, to hold him prisoner any longer and now that his murder conviction was reversed, Aarco couldn’t wait to hit the streets and get paid. Aaron had held him down for his whole bid, and Aarco was proud of him for staying out of trouble and surviving the game. That was all he wanted his brother to do until he got home.

Now it was time to get live and thrive with all that he’d learned since being away, and Aarco knew in his heart that with Aaron by his side, it would be all too simple.

Aarco laid back down on his bunk and went over all the plans that were in his head until he tired himself out. He didn’t fantasize about taking over the world, but Aarco wanted to zigzag across the country and put his feet down in all fifty states. Starting in his hometown was first, because he had some people to see, and a few that wanted to see him. Everybody who played the outta sight, outta mind game, would swear that they were seeing a ghost.

The next day, Aaron was impatiently pacing around the lobby in the law offices of Schmidt & Adams despite the receptionist’s request for him to have a seat. He was there to see attorney Charles Adams about the pending status of his big brother’s case. They had worked in unison as a team for the last two years to bring about a reversal of the conviction, and Aaron wanted to know what exactly came next. Charles handled the paperwork presentation while Aaron took care of footwork in the streets. Both of their intellectual abilities and insight blended harmoniously to get them to this point, and hopefully, Aarco would soon be free. Despite the clash of culture that brought them together, somehow a friendship formed and Aaron came to get Charles’ advice, as well as, an itinerary.

Aaron had specific instructions from Aarco and they would be carried out at all costs. There was absolutely no way that they would accept a stalemate in this war. As far as Aaron was concerned, whatever Aarco wanted, that’s what happened by any means necessary. All of his life, Aaron had been taken care of. Even from behind bars, Aarco seen to it that he was. Like he had been taught firsthand, Aaron was his Brother’s Keeper. Charles spoke with a smooth voice as he strode out to greet, him Hey Aaron, how’s it going, buddy? …Come into my office. Sorry to have kept you waiting, but I was on a conference call with Judge Smith concerning another matter.

They went into the richly furnished office, and while Charles sat behind his oversized mahogany desk, Aaron still stood standing. His no-nonsense attitude dominated the room as he glanced around in contempt, wondering just how much money he could be making, had he become a lawyer. Seeing Aaron’s usual reluctance to speak, Charles helped him out as always, and got to the heart of everything.

I don’t think that they’ll retry you brother, given the weak circumstances of the case. I haven’t had a chance to personally speak to the newly assigned prosecutor on the case yet, but I have left a message on her answering machine. I even sent an email requesting a meeting take place at her earliest convenience. Do you know what I’m saying, buddy? Hopefully that meeting can take place this week, so that we’ll have a clear understanding. We’ll be prepared either way, and you know I’ll do my best for Aarco’s sake, for all of our sakes.

Aaron had been forewarned what either way meant. He didn’t like it and had come up with an either way of his own to find himself a balance in the situation. It was time to bring his big brother home-period.

It wasn’t any eye witnesses to what went on in that house and the only existing proof is the audio-tape from the wire, which is in our favor. I don’t see what they can present that’ll damage us. I thought I hadn’t gotten any sleep over the years, but the last few days have kicked my ass… Aaron told Charles. I’m going to see my brother this weekend. When do you plan on taking that trip?

Mmmm, soon. Real soon, as a matter of fact, I’m gonna head over to the safety building now and see if the prosecutor is in. There really is no point in prolonging the meeting. I’ll give you a call once I make contact, and let you know the deal. Then, I’ll set up a visit for Aarco, so I can tell him personally. Now, go on and get out of here. Get some sleep and try to relax a little. You really look like shit.

Charles came from behind the desk to show Aaron out the door and grabbed his suit jacket to head out himself. As Charles straightened his tie and lapel, Aaron pulled out a wad of money along with an electric taped package.

This two-grand is for you, to kick it with tonight and to make sure that my brother gets this package. Call me as soon as you leave the safety building, Chuck. I won’t sit down until you do.

They exited the office, as the two men on a mission running along parallel lines. Jokes were traded on the elevator ride down to the ground floor like everything was normal, and they exchanged farewells when parting ways. Aaron felt a momentary relief now that the meeting was over, and rushed to his Dodge Charger, where the meter-reader pulled alongside it. With a smug grin on his face, he hit the key-alarm and start button before getting in and driving off. "Track number: three: American Dreamin’, he spoke aloud, to the Bluetooth technology which brought the latest jam by Jay-Z to a roar through the speakers.

After going through the blues with so many attorneys, Aarco ‘hipped’ his little brother onto a solution that he knew would work. People are people and even though they pretend to be different, we’re all the same, he explained to Aaron. So think of the best way to cut into you, and that’s how you’ll cut into the next person. With all that Aarco had told him and embedded into his spiel, Aaron attended the next graduation ceremony for the University of Dayton’s Law School. Out of everyone, he liked Charles demeanor. He walked right up and gave him a $5,000 retainer to take on the case. Just as Aarco knew, Charles had been diligent and worked rigorously from the start out of loyalty.

Aaron chanted along to the song’s hook as he drove to pick up Aarco, Jr. from school. He wanted so badly to tell his nephew about the good news that his daddy was coming home soon, but couldn’t until it was 100% sure. To his heartache, he had heard Aarco Jr. ask his daddy on several occasions when he would be coming home and almost cried every time his brother told him that they had to keep praying.

It was after witnessing one of these scenes that he got fed up with the slow drag and did a Google search on Charles. Aaron went to his house and beat the front door until it opened. Barging in like he owned the place, he caught Charles off guard, but nothing would’ve prepared him for what Aaron did next.

Make sure my brother gets this, Chuck. He said, as he tossed an electric-taped, wrapped package at him. If he gotta be in there while they takin’ they sweet-ass time on the motions, then we gotta make sure he’s gonna be a’iight. I’m sick of this bullshit, Chuck!

Wwwhat’s this, Aaron? Chuck hesitantly asked, while fear kept him from throwing this madman out of his house.

That’s a ‘1/2-ounce of ‘boy’-heroin…and a ‘1/2-ounce of ‘hard’-crack. Take it to my brother. It’s easier for you to give it to him, than it is for me. Handle that, Chuck.

The counselor was so scared, that if he refused, he might be shot dead right then and there. Nonchalantly, he shrugged it off and agreed to get it done with the utmost confidence. After three or four moves, Aarco told Aaron to start giving him a cut, so that he wasn’t intimidated to the point of stepping off the case. Chuck had since then learned to enjoy the extra two grand and blew it all on strippers and liquor.

This was the kind of brother Aaron was, and he represented to the fullest. Everything he did was purposeful to his brother and nephew. There weren’t any wasteful movements. Only for sexual purposes, did he entertain women.

And the betrayal Geno performed left him scarred with a sour-taste for nigga’s. Aaron felt that he didn’t need friends. As long as he had his brother and a chopper-that was enough.

Aaron parked in front of the school buses, as Rosa Parks Elementary School dismissed its students for the day. The cobalt-blue candy paint was hard to miss and the 24-inch Giovanni rims gleamed as his car sat tall. Aarco, Jr. spotted his uncle, as soon as he came out, and ran over to the car with the biggest and brightest smile on his face.

Uncle Aaron…can I get some ice cream??…! got a 100% on my test today.

Yeah…for that 100, you can get you some ice cream. You gonna stop workin’ me too, lil’ nigga. Aaron said laughing, as he pulled off.

Awww, mannn…I like working you, Uncle Aaron. You’re the best uncle ever!

The contrast between Aaron and Aarco was slim. The only thing that stood out was that Aaron was light-skinned and a few inches taller than his older brother. Whereas, Aarco would tell you what he was going to do (because he knew that you couldn’t stop it)-Aaron just did it. He enjoyed the element of surprise. They were cut from the same cloth in every way. Aaron was more vicious, because he had a complex and felt that he had something to prove. Aarco had learned to be a thinker and tried to take a more subtle approach, if possible.

Aarco, Jr. was the best of both his father and uncle. He was the splitting image of Aarco, but he had been raised by Aaron. Every field trip and school function his nephew had Aaron attended. He never missed a beat with his doctor appointments or football games either. Aaron never tried to take Aarco’s place, and he was always proud when he said This is my nephew.

When Aarco got locked up,