Criminal Minded Read Online Free

up and she said, “If these cornrows weren’t so tight I would be smiling like crazy!” That broke the ice and everyone laughed. Next, Papa shook Curtis’ hand and gave him a firm embrace. Then Aunt Inez stepped up and she held on to Curtis like she never wanted to let him go. She tried to fight her tears, but soon she was crying and Curtis was reassuring her that he was alright. Papa pried her off of him and consoled her. That’s when I decided to seize the opportunity to give my cousin a pound. Curtis seemed shaken by his mother’s emotional breakdown, so when he grabbed my hand and hugged me I whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry about Aunt Inez. I’ll make sure she’s okay.”
    My words seemed to comfort Curtis, and he nodded in response. We all sat down and Papa began the conversation by telling Curtis that things weren’t the same at home without him. Curtis smiled and joked, “Y’all miss me, huh?”
    Grandma smiled back and tapped him playfully on his nappy head. “Looks like you miss the barbershop, huh?”
    Curtis laughed at Grandma’s wisecrack and I was so glad to hear that laugh. Even Aunt Inez seemed to relax somewhat. Olivia asked the question that was on all of our minds.
    “Curtis, what’s it like in here?” she asked.
    Curtis shook his head and lowered his eyes. “It ain’t no joke, Olivia. Word. This place is nothing fun.” Looking at his mother, Curtis tried to sound more upbeat. “But, I’m a man now so I can handle it.”
    Papa spoke up. “Tell me this, Curtis. And tell me the truth.”

    Curtis looked nervous. Papa always meant business when he demanded to be told the truth. If Papa asked for the truth and he found out later that it was a lie, there were sure to be consequences and repercussions!
    Papa continued. “Did your Uncle Eli give you that gun to take to school?”
    Everyone was on the edge of their seat. So far, Uncle Eli had insisted that he had no idea that Curtis had stolen his gun and taken it to school. Aunt Inez wasn’t buyin’ it and Papa had his doubts as well. Uncle Eli had a reputation for being irresponsible.
    Curtis shook his head. “Nah, Papa. I just took it.” He cleared his throat. “That day, I was just determined to put an end to the drama with that nig … with that kid.” Curtis and I knew that our southern-born grandparents hated to hear anyone say the N-word, regardless of their skin color, so I was glad that he corrected himself.
    “Uncle Eli told me to handle my business like a real man. I wasn’t planning to shoot him, though. I honestly tried to walk away, but he kept following me. Uncle Eli let me know real men don’t pull a gun unless they ready to use it, so I pulled the trigger.”
    Curtis shook his head at the memory. “I wish I shot him in the leg or something. But at the time, I just reacted.”
    Papa nodded his understanding. “It’s hard to think when your life is on the line like that,” he said. “And your Uncle Eli shouldn’t be talking about what a ‘real man’ would do. Next time he gives you advice like that you tell him that ‘real men’ don’t live in their mama’s basement when they’re forty-two years old!”
    Aunt Inez managed to chuckle at that remark and I was glad to see that she was lightening up a little. The visit lasted a couple more hours and we all asked Curtis questions. Aunt Inez was concerned about what they were feeding him and he seemed thrilled when she told him that she had left him a bunch of food with the COs. At the end of the visit, while Papa went to put some money in Curtis’ commissary and Grandma, Olivia, and Aunt Inez went back to the car, I got a chance to talk to Curtis alone.

    “Yo, La,” he said. “This shit is for the birds, man. Don’t never get bagged for no major shit and have to come to this place.”
    “Are they fuckin’ with you in here?” I asked.
    “Nah, not really. This shit is just a bunch of niggas who swear they hard, trying to prove a point to