At the Crossroads Read Online Free PDF Page A

backyard?” Nigel asked his brother.
    “Nah,” Rico said as he walked up on his little cousin. Franky was taller, but he was a bag of bones. Rico was short, compact, and strong as an ox. “And it wasn’t no three hundred dollars—it was three thousand dollars, so where the rest at?”
    “What?” Franky said, feeling a little threatened.
    “You heard me,” Rico growled.
    “Man,” Franky said, “I don’t know what in the world you’re talking about. If I found three thousand dollars, I wouldn’t be asking Nigel to buy me some school supplies. I could buy ‘em myself.”
    “Yeah, you would,” Rico said as he slung open the closet and started throwing Franky’s clothes out. “ ‘Cause you think you’re smarter than everybody. You think you Einstein. Now where the money at?” Rico yelled.
    “Hey,” Nigel barked at his brother. “Cut it out and put those clothes back in his closet. What’s wrong with you?”
    “Nah,” Rico said. “This fool holding out, and I want my money.”
    “Rico,” Nigel said in a low and threatening tone. “I’m not going to tell you again.”
    Rico continued to pull things out of drawers and closets as if Nigel was talking to the wall. Nigel went to his room and left Franky alone with Rico the madman. He stood watching his cousin, and it was as if something evil had taken over his body.
    “Empty your pockets,” Rico said, turning to Franky, his chest rising and falling as air fought to get into his lungs.
    “Rico, you trippin',” Franky said, pulling out his empty pockets.
    “Take your shoes off,” Rico said.
    Nigel walked back in the room with a baseball bat. “Rico,” he said. “You are my little brother and I love you, but ifyou don’t get out of here right now with all this foolishness, I’ma try my best to Barry Bonds yo head across this room.”
    “This fool playing games, ya heard,” Rico snapped. “He holding out, and it’s my money.”
    “First of all, he paid the rent, which is more than you’ve ever done in all the time we been here. Second of all, how is it your money?”
    “ ‘Cause me and Stick had this fool set up last night. One of those car-sale deals. Old boy took off running. He must’ve dropped the money while he was getting up outta here. And he had three thousand dollars, not three hundred.” Rico poked his finger at Franky’s skinny chest.
    “So you think because you and Superdummy’s plan didn’t work out and the dude got away that you are owed some money?”
    “Yeah,” Rico said with a straight face. “If he dropped the money, then it’s mine.”
    “And what makes you think he dropped all three thousand dollars? Why couldn’t he just drop three hundred?” Nigel asked.
    “ ‘Cause he didn’t and Franky holding out,” Rico said, glaring at Franky.
    “No, I’m not,” Franky said, on the verge of tears. “I gave everything I found to Nigel so we wouldn’t be put out on the street.”
    “Man,” Nigel said, dismissing his brother. “Clean this boy’s room back up. I swear you gotta be the dumbest dude I know. If you weren’t my brother, I’d knock you across your head for this. Now, you know Franky ain’t even like that, and even if he was, you missed your lick. Get over it.”
    “I’ll clean it up when I get home. I don’t want him all in my stuff,” Franky said.
    “ ‘Cause you holding out, and you know I’ll find it,” Rico said. “Go on. Take your lil lame butt to school. I’ll have all the time I need while you’re up there getting your brain worked on.”
    “Even if you find it, it’s not yours, idiot,” Nigel said. “But I know you better not step foot in this boy’s room.”
    “Yeah,” Rico said. “Picture that.”
    “Get out,” Nigel said, walking up to Rico. All bets were off now, and Franky knew that Rico was about to get a major beat-down. Rico must’ve known it, too, because he put his hands up and backed out of the room. “And don’t you come back in here no more. This