Corrupt City. Tra Verdejo
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CORRUPT CITY
TRA VERDEJO
Praise for Tra Verdejo
“Tra Verdejo’s sophomore novel, Corrupt City, is such a great read. I haven’t enjoyed urban literature with so much suspense in a very long time. Tra has penned a phenomenal page-turner.”
Rukyyah J. Karreem
Author of Princess & Princess II
“Breathless, explosive, exhilarating. Corrupt City is the perfect combination of spine-tingling and heart-pounding suspense. Tra Verdejo is definitely an author to look out for.”
Silk White
Author of Tears of a Hustler & Tears of a Hustler 2
“A peek into the reality of the streets. Tra Verdejo will take you directly there. A man on a mission, he is determined and enthusiastic about ‘keeping it real.’”
Jennifer Robinson
Expressions Book Club
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this book to all the innocent
lives lost at the hands of police officers with quick trig
gers. Also to all the police officers killed in the line of
duty while protecting us. Rest in Peace.
Acknowledgments
Peace to the Gods and Earths.
I first want to thank everyone who purchased this book. Thank you for the support. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I will always put in 100 percent. Love is love.
Without a doubt I have to thank my mother, Mirta Davila. I hope you are resting in peace. I want to thank the second most important woman in my life, Purified Earth. You complete me, and thank you for two beautiful boys, Omighty and Destin. Everything I do is for them, my family.
I also want to thank my father, Pedro Verdejo, the man who taught me how to work hard. Next, I want to thank my sister Ana, who is holding it down on her own. Single parents, stand up. My little sister Nichole, I’m so proud of you, doing your thing and running your own business, too. My eldest sister, Tee, what’s good? I want to shout out the future of our family tree, my nieces and nephews Ray, Destine, Tyler, Nelly, and Kenya.
I also want to thank Freddy “Tone” Garcia. Many thank God for their second chances; I would like to thank this man for my second chance. Love you, Brah. You already know that. Melissa Edwards, I remember telling Eric when we were younger I would buy you a house. Trust me, I haven’t forgotten that promise. Thank you for stepping in there and providing shelter when I needed a home. I will love you forever. I also want to thank my entire family in Puerto Rico, especially my abuela, Carmen Alomar.
Now it’s time to show love to my other family, Remy Rich, Ray Rocca, and Daddio (Wagner Projects, stand up). Peace to the God-born Knowledge. I love you, Brah. My cousin Ruddy. My CNS family—Snypes, Ron, DB, Smoke, Last Breath, Buddha Bride, Ill Murda, Kauso, Lizzy Long, Boo Bizzy, Rob-U (RIP), and Gutta (RIP). And 119th Street and Lexington Avenue, stand up, baby!
Now the literary love. I first want to thank all the authors who believed in my vision and were part of the 2009 Sexy Scriptures calendar. Those authors are Kwame “Dutch” Teague, K’wan (good looking for all the love), Deshaun “Jiwe” Morris, Sexy, Julie Ojeda (BX Bookman, what’s good?), Kerry “Mr. Wagfest” Wagner, Dex, Shani Greene-Dowdell, and my Bronx connect, Iesha Brown.
I can’t forget all the beautiful models. I want to thank Mrs. January. Tish Love, for helping in finding most of the girls and our locations. I only had a few slots for the calendar, but there are a bunch of authors in the game I break bread with, and I have to shout them out as well. Authors Rukyyah J. Karreem, Silk White, Maxwell Penn (Peace God), Dex, Antoine “Inch” Thomas, Tenia Jamilla Conrad Glover (let’s make this movie). I also want to send love to authors like Ingrid, Winter, Robert T. Sells, Don, Dashawn Taylor & the many others who have done book signing at my spot in Baltimore.
To all my book vendors and distributors, good looking for the love, especially the ones that pay up front, Black & Nobel (Philly, stand up), BX Bookman, Purgo on 149th Street and Third Avenue, Black Star in Harlem, Charles in Baltimore (the Wise brothers), Shane by Lexington market, Cliff at Expression bookstore in Baltimore, African World Book, and the list goes on. I really appreciate the love.
On the other hand there are a lot of bookstores and vendors with bad credit and reputations. I’m not going to blast you, but please stop bull$hitting. I want to send a shout-out to all my co-vendors at the Patapsco Flea Market in Baltimore. Love is love.
I also want to thank two ladies, Jeannie Hooper and Helen Andrews. We spend a lot of time critiquing books. I gave these ladies the opportunity to read and review my book first. I also want to thank my weekly supporters who stop by the flea market. Thanks for the love.
Shout-out to Flowers High in Largo, MD, whose seniors did a book report on my first book, Born in the Streets But Raised in Prison.
I also want to thank all the people who have hated on me. Yah are the reason why I stay motivated and work so hard. I know it must burn inside watching my success blossom the way it has. Get used to the feeling because I’m just getting started. Many thought my first book was just a one-hit wonder. I’m sorry to burst your bubble. But please remember one thing—Yah could kiss my Puerto Rican A$$.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two Lucky’s Testimony
Chapter Three Lucky’s Roots
Chapter Four Cross-Examination
Chapter Five The Phone Call
Chapter Six The Meeting
Chapter Seven The Media
Chapter Eight Corrupt City
Chapter Nine The Manhunt
Chapter Ten The Protest Rally
Chapter Eleven The Shake-up
Chapter Twelve www.thesmokygun.com
Chapter Thirteen Lucky’s Daughter
Chapter Fourteen Headline: “Two NY Cops Found Dead in Cape Cod”
Chapter Fifteen The Final Tip
Chapter Sixteen Where Is Lucky?
Chapter One
10/22/2003
“Damn, we have been out here for like forty-five minutes, Toothpick. What’s taking them so long?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they changed their minds.”
“Changed their minds? We have a bag filled with money. How can they change their mind? It’s too late for that. They got fifteen minutes, or we out.”
Cash and Toothpick had placed an order for two kilos of cocaine and four guns, two of which were semi-automatic rifles. They were getting a bit nervous waiting for the drop. All kinds of scenarios ran through their heads, and they were hoping they weren’t being set up.
“I hope they’re not trying to pull any funny moves, ’cause I have a full clip,” Toothpick added.
They both took a deep breath and leaned back on their seat, both exhaling like two little bitches. They were in the Hunts