by Kiki Swinson
“It was okay,” I replied once again nonchalantly. “Do you know how long I’m gonna be here?” I asked him. I wanted him to know that I wanted to be out of there as soon as possible.
“It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours,” he assured me. But I didn’t believe him. Every word that came out of his mouth was a lie. Agent Sims lied about everything. I’m sure he built his career on lies. And now I’ve been added to his list of dummies.
He escorted me onto the elevator and took me up to the third floor. After we got off the elevator he took me into a small room with a wooden table and three chairs. We sat down. A few seconds later, Agent Montclair joined us. He smiled at me and said, “Hello.” I spoke back.
“How’s your grandmother doing?” he asked me.
“Oh yes, how is she?” Agent Sims chimed in.
“I’m not sure. She put me out of her house right after you guys left.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Agent Montclair stated.
“Yeah, I’m sorry too,” Agent Sims agreed.
“So, what’s going on now with the case? What do I have to do?” I changed the subject.
“Well, Amir was released from the ICU, so we formally arrested him today. He’s currently handcuffed to his bed. We also have local police officers guarding his room around the clock.”
“Has his family tried to visit him?” I wondered aloud.
“His wife and kids. His parents too. But neither Ahmad or any of the mafia family showed up.”
“Think they left town?”
“Ahmad hasn’t. We’ve been monitoring him very closely after you slipped the wire into his car. And speaking of which, he knows that you had a hand in the robbery. He also knows that Jillian was your cousin, so he may come after you.”
“What do you mean, he may come after me?” I questioned. My entire body tensed up while my heart rate sped up.
“It means that you shouldn’t ever be alone. Maybe stay at your mother’s house. Anywhere but your apartment.”
“So, you think he may hurt me?”
“We’re thinking more on the level of murdering you.”
Boom! My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. It felt like my head was spinning around in circles. I couldn’t tell if I was coming or going. “Murder?”
“Yes, murder,” Agent Sims said.
I placed my right hand over my chest. “Do you think that if I go to my mother’s house that I will be safe there?”
“We’re not saying that you would be safe. But you would have a better chance of staying alive longer over there than at your own apartment,” Agent Sims continued.
“So, that’s it? You tell me that my life may be in danger and for me to go over to my mother’s house because I may be safer than my own apartment? That’s complete bullshit and you know it!” I snapped because what they were saying sounded ridiculous.
“Just stay calm. We’re gonna figure this thing out,” Agent Montclair said.
“How can I stay calm when you tell me that there’s a possibility that I could get murdered by that mafia family? Does that even make sense to you? Or am I overreacting?”
“Misty, if you cooperate fully with us, we’ll take you into protective custody,” Agent Sims said.
“Protective custody? Isn’t that a program for government witnesses?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, it is,” Agent Sims replied.
“So, I’m considered a government witness now?”
“Yes, you would be, especially if you testify against the criminals we’re prosecuting.”
“What the fuck did I get myself into?” I snapped, and then I stood to my feet. “Y’all motherfuckers trapped me and you knew it way from the beginning.”
“Have a seat, Misty. We’re gonna work through this,” Agent Sims said.
“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to give up information and testify.”
Agent Sims tried calming me down. “Look, we know you’re upset by the loss of your cousin and this case and all, but if you calm down and go at this thing a little more rational, then we would come out on the winning end.”
I took a seat back in my chair and covered my face with my hands. That didn’t stop Agent Sims from talking. “Okay, this is what we’re gonna do,” he started off. “We’re gonna get dates and details of illegal activities done at the hands of Sanjay and Amir on the record. Whatever we don’t have on those recorders we got from the camera you wore. And we’re gonna take it from your statements today. After that, I’m gonna type it up and have the US Attorney sign it. Once that is done, we’re gonna execute our federal warrants and then we’re gonna start the ball rolling. Are you up for that?” Agent Sims continued.
“Do I have a choice?”
Before I answered his question, someone knocked on the door. Agent Montclair stood up and opened it. Everyone looked at the female agent named Gail Horn. She was the IT agent that monitored all the wiretaps on this case. “Ahmad must’ve discovered the wiretap and GPS because we lost his signal,” she informed us.
My heart took another nosedive into the pit of my stomach. The likelihood that he knew that I placed the GPS device in his SUV moved up ten notches. There was no doubt in my mind that I was the first person on his list of candidates that could have done it.
“When did you lose him?” Agent Sims asked her.
“About five minutes ago and it looks like he was near the pharmacy when it happened,” she told us.
“Shit!” Agent Sims cursed.
“Do we have Amir, Sanjay, and their other relatives’ houses closely monitored if he decides to go back?” Agent Sims wanted to know.
“Yes, we do,” she told him.
“Well, put an APB out on his car right now. We can’t afford to let him slip out of our hands. I’m sure he’s notified other members of his organization about the botched robbery and arrests we made.”
“I’m sure he has too. But I’m gonna send out the APB now,” she told him and then she walked away.
Agent Montclair closed the door and then he and Agent Sims turned their attention back to me. “I don’t think it’s gonna be a good idea for you to go back to your mother’s house. He could be out there looking for you now, which is why we lost his signal near the pharmacy.”
“He doesn’t know where my mother lives, though.”
“But what if he does?” Agent Sims questioned me.
“Trust me, he doesn’t.”
“So, you feel comfortable making that assessment?” Agent Montclair interjected.
“Right now, I am. Because I don’t wanna be in a witness protection program. I heard that you won’t be able to see your family members anymore if you go in one.”
“Yes, that’s correct,” Agent Sims noted.
“Well, I’m good. I’ll stay at my mother’s house until I feel differently.”
Agent Sims let out a long sigh. “As you wish,” he told me.
After I made it clear that I wasn’t going into a witness protection program, I gave them information about how the pharmacy was run while Sanjay was managing it and when Amir managed it.
“When was the first time you knew he was selling prescription drugs under the table?”
“It was around the time when I first started working there. A couple of times, he had me delivering prescriptions to people that lived in the hood. And when I say people, I’m talking about young guys that looked like they were heathier than purebred horses. But that only lasted for a couple of weeks. And then after that, I noticed that when he ordered certain drugs one day, we were out of them within three days’ time. I knew something was off.”
“When did you start taking drugs from the pharmacy without his knowledge?” Agent Sims asked.
“Right after my cousin Jillian had surgery and her doctor stopped prescribing her Vicodin.”
“And when was this?”
“It started like three months ago.”
“Was that around the time Sanjay was receiving
his orders through the front door by UPS and then taking them through the back and piling them into his car?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me when you first noticed mafia member Ahmad Ali come into the store?”
“It was two weeks ago. Sanjay’s brother, Amir, brought them there.”
“During that visit did you see Ahmad take any of the drugs from the pharmacy?”
“Yes, I did. He and another guy took several boxes out the back door.”
“What was in those boxes?”
“One box contained huge bottles of Percocet and the other boxes contained high doses of Vicodin.”
“Have you ever seen Ahmad carry a weapon of any sort?”
“Yes.”
“And what weapon would that be?”
“On several occasions I’ve seen him carry a nine millimeter Glock.”
“And how do you know it was a nine millimeter Glock?”
“Because I know what a nine millimeter Glock looks like,” I told him. These questions lasted for almost two hours. And if I hadn’t asked for a break I don’t think I would’ve been given one. During that break, I was brought a sandwich wrap and a smoothie that tasted like crap. I didn’t complain because I was going to be leaving out of there in the next hour, so then I’d be able to get the food I wanted.
On my way out of the meeting, Agent Sims asked me again if I wanted them to put me somewhere safe, according to their standards. Once again, I declined the offer, but I did assure him that I’d keep it in mind if my situation changed. He said okay and then he escorted me to my car.
39
NOT MY FAMILY
The moment I drove away from the federal building I kept my eyes on every car that drove behind me. I had to be on high alert to keep those guys from finding out where I was, or anyone that was close to me, like my mother and my grandmother. They were the only people I had left that I loved. God knows what I would do if I lost them too. It couldn’t happen. That’s why I gotta stay on my toes. They can’t have my family.
I knew I needed to get more clothes to take to my mother’s house, but I couldn’t go home now. Not in broad daylight. So, I figured the best thing for me to do was to go by my apartment at night. That would be best. And in addition to that, I knew I needed to find out when and where my grandmother was going to have the funeral services for Jillian. No matter what, I had to be there. There’s not a mafia in the world that could keep me from sending my cousin off in love.
On the way back to my mother’s house I got up the nerve to call my grandmother. She didn’t own a cell phone. The only mode of communication she had was a home phone. Yes, she had a landline. I blocked my cell phone number just in case she recognized it.
The phone rang five times before she answered it. “Hello,” she finally said.
“Grandma, it’s me, Misty,” I said softly, hoping she wouldn’t hang up on me.
“What is it?” she asked. I could tell that she was still a little salty with me.
“Grandma, I feel so bad about what happened yesterday at your house. And I’m sorry for what happened to Jillian,” I started off, sobbing at the same time. “I love and miss her so much. And I don’t know how I’m gonna function on this earth without her.”
“Stop crying, baby. I know you miss her. Where are you?”
“Out driving around.”
“Well, come on over here. I made a pot of chicken and dumplings. And then we can talk,” she instructed me.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said. I was so freaking happy that she invited me back over there. I don’t know what I’d do without her sometimes.
After I got off the phone with my nana, I called my mother and told her about my conversation with my grandmother. “I’m so glad that she’s not mad with me anymore.”
“So, you’re gonna run back over there just like that? She just put you out of her house last night. And you’re gonna forgive her?” my mother asked.
“Mom, all I wanted from her was when and where the funeral would be. She’s the one that apologized to me,” I lied. I couldn’t tell my mother how I was crying to her mother for her forgiveness. She’d call me a punk. And she’d call me a sellout. Now I’m really seeing that she liked it when my grandmother put me out of her house. She wants me to be at odds with my grandmother because this would cut off the time I spent with my grandmother. My grandmother already had to divide her time up with me and Jillian. And now that Jillian was gone, she would prefer that I didn’t speak with my grandmother so she could get all the time with me. That might seem cool to other people, but it’s weird to me. It’s actually called manipulation.
“Mom, can we talk about this later? I’ve had a rough morning and all I wanna do now is clear my mind of all the negativity.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said and then she hung up on me.
“Oh Lord, now she’s mad at me. Can’t we all just get along? Shit!” I cursed while I turned my car in the direction of my grandmother’s house, because I’m over it.
Covering my tracks while I was en route to my grandmother was something I truly had to do. I didn’t want to bring no drama to her. She’s an old lady with some years left on her life. So I’m gonna make sure that she gets them.
She opened the front door for me after I rang the doorbell. She gave me a warm embrace and it felt good. The hug seemed genuine and she made me feel loved.
I started the conversation off as we walked down the hallway. “Have you talked to anyone down at the county coroner’s office?” When we got to the den, Nana took a seat in her favorite chair and I sat on the sofa across from her.
“Yes, I spoke with a gentleman and he’s gonna release her body to the funeral home today. I’ve taken care of all the expenses so we can move this thing along,” she explained.
“Have you decided what day to have her funeral? And what time?”
“Yes, it’s gonna be next Tuesday at eleven.”
“That’s in four days. Are you sure you wanna have it that quick?”
“Why should I prolong it?”
“I don’t know, Grandma. I guess I’m feeling this way because I’m not ready to bury her. When you think about burying people, it’s like as soon as you put them in the ground, you really know that you ain’t gonna see them again.”
“Well, I can understand that. But, once again, why prolong it? She’s gone to heaven, so let’s celebrate it that way.”
I sighed heavily. “If you say so, Grandma.”
While she and I were sitting there going back and forth about Jillian’s funeral, my cell phone started ringing, so I took it out of my purse and looked at the caller ID. The number came up Unknown again. This unknown caller could be anybody, so I elected not to answer it. With everything going on, I couldn’t allow anyone to get through to me. It’s not that kind of party anymore.
“You don’t wanna talk to whoever’s calling you?” she blurted out.
“I don’t know who’s calling. Whoever they are, they blocked their number so I can’t see it,” I explained.
“Think it might be the cops that brought you here yesterday?”
“I know it’s not them because I just left their office.”
“What did they wanna talk to you about this time?”
“They talked to me about Jillian’s killer and how they’re really close to picking him up,” I lied. I couldn’t tell her that I was going to be a fucking government informant and that I was supposed to testify in a federal case.
“Well, you let me know when they do. Because I wanna be at that hearing. I’m gonna tell the judge to throw the book at him,” she said with conviction.
“Me too, Grandma. I’m gonna do that same thing.”
She changed the subject. “What is your mother saying about all of this?”
“She’s upset and she says that she’s going to miss her.”
“Why hasn’t she called me to say that? I was like Jillian’s mother.”
“I know, Grandma. But I told her th
at you were mad with me and that you probably didn’t want to be bothered, so that’s why she didn’t call you,” I lied once more. I couldn’t tell my grandmother how my mother really felt about the situation. If I did, then they’d never bury the hatchet and move on from it. It was starting to get really draining. “Has Edmund called you since yesterday?” That stunt he pulled yesterday was grimy as hell and I couldn’t wait to see him again to straighten his ass out about it. Jillian and my grandmother were my flesh and blood, not his loser ass’s. So, he could keep all his lies and antics to himself. I would never let him cause another rift like that with my grandmother. Never!
“Yes, he called me this morning to see if I was all right.”
Before I could respond to her statement my cell phone started ringing again. I looked down at the caller ID and saw that the caller had blocked their number again, so I placed my cell phone back into my purse and continued on talking to my grandmother.
“They still blocking their number?”
“Yes, ma’am, and as long as they do it, then they won’t get through.”
“Why don’t you turn your phone off?”
“I wish it were that easy,” I told her, while thinking about how the DEA needs to keep in touch with me through this device. My mother needs me to keep my lines of communication open for her too.
“There it goes again . . .” my grandmother pointed out when my cell phone started ringing again.
I looked at the caller ID and this time a number appeared. I hesitated because one part of me was telling me not to answer it. But then the other part of me told me to do it, so I answered it. “Hello.”
“Is this Misty?” a woman said. But then her voice clicked in my head. It was Terrell’s mother, Mrs. Faye, again.
“Yes, this is she,” I replied.
“Have you heard from my son yet?”
“No, ma’am, I haven’t.”
“Are you sure? Because this is not like him. He wouldn’t just up and disappear.”
“Did he tell you that we broke up?” I asked, because she was beginning to get underneath my skin.
“Yes, he did.”
“So, then why would I know where he is?” I replied sarcastically. She didn’t like me and I sure as hell didn’t like her ass.