by M. T. Pope
“What are the odds of finding my daughter alive?” my father asked, turning the attention back toward the detective. He had the look of a desperate father on his face. One that was hoping to get a good response. A glimmer of hope. I had to say that I was anticipating the same.
“Mr. Black, right now it is fifty-fifty. The rest of this week I will be very busy handling interviews and calls. There is plenty of investigating to do. This has been a busy season for us down at the precinct. Young ladies being murdered is on the rise.”
That information made my mother yelp again. My father lowered his head again.
“Sir, that is information you could have kept to yourself,” Ashley said with a mean mug on her face. “How in the hell is that helping the situation right now?”
“Ash, calm down. It’s all right. He is giving it to us straight,” I said as I tried to calm her down by rubbing her back. It didn’t help that the detective had a red shirt on because Ashley was like a bull seeing red right now. She was ready to charge right now.
“Well, lie to me then next time, mutha—” she said and then I quickly covered her mouth before the rest could get out.
“Ash, let’s go get some water for Mom.” I quickly got up and pulled her right along with me until we were in the kitchen.
“Did you hear him in there? He was so insensitive. How was he gonna be talking about murdered girls and shit? Miss me with that shit,” she said as she pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.
I walked to the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. I sat down across from her and then slid a bottle of water her way. She really needed to cool down. She was cursing like a sailor and it wasn’t like her as of late to be doing such. I needed her to calm down before we went back into the other room. Mom and Dad didn’t need any added tension in the room.
“Ash, he was being honest. I heard about some of what he was saying recently.” The thought of the three chicks being murdered and me being in the precinct a few days earlier flashed through my mind. It was not the best image I needed right now.
“Honest,” she said and then she huffed in frustration. “His ass was being morbid. There’s no hope; that is what he was saying on the sly.” She banged on the table and startled me in the process.
“Ashley, that is not true. There is hope. We are going to find Diana alive and well. We will, I promise.” I reached over and grabbed her by the hand.
“You think so?” She looked at me in the eyes. A few tears fell down her face as she stared at me. The anger was a front for the pain that she was feeling. She was trying to be tough as usual but she was holding up the front as good as she thought she could.
“Yes, we have God and faith. That is all we need,” I said sincerely.
“She’s alive. I can feel it,” she said as she perked up a bit. A small smile came across her face.
“I know she is too,” I said as I smiled too. Our family had been through some great stumbling blocks and made it through. This too would pass. “Besides she has some James Parks in her, too.” I laughed lightly. She did as well.
“Yeah, we are survivors.” She nodded her head.
“Are you ready to go back in there?” I asked her.
“Yes.”
“Are you going to behave?” I said teasing her.
“I promise.” She put her hand over heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” She laughed lightly again.
“Okay, let’s get back in there,” I said as I got up from the table and waited for her to do the same. We walked back to the other room but before we both could sit back down the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” I said as I exited the room and made my way to the front door.
Chapter 23
Jasmine
Baby, Baby, Baby
I stood at the door and waited for someone to answer. I was curious as to what was going on because there were so many cars parked in the driveway. I had my shopping bags in hand. Mainly, my Motherhood Maternity bag. I wanted to gush about the fact that I was expecting. I couldn’t wait until Mrs. Black found out about the baby, which would be her first grandchild. I knew she was going to be excited as I was. I was finally going to have a mother and a father again. All I had to do was murder a couple of chicks and, voila, I was pregnant and about to have some in-laws. Life was grand.
The front door popped open and my baby daddy was standing there with all of his finesse oozing out of his pores. He had on a nice shirt and tie set that made him look so dashing. Damn, I was a lucky girl. Shit, looking at him for these brief seconds I could still feel his dick like he was inside of me right now. I wanted to ride him again. I had to. I was waiting for the next opportunity to do so.
“Hey, Jazz,” he greeted me. He looked a little down in the face.
“Hey, baby dad . . . boy. Baby boy,” I said catching my slip-up for the like the millionth time. I was going to have to get my shit together before he thought I was crazy or something. “How is everything?”
“Okay, but it could be better,” he said as he stepped back and let me in the house. “Everybody is in the living room.”
“Okay.” I smiled at him as I took my jacket off and handed it to him. He looked at my ass on the sly. I smiled at him letting him know that I had seen him. Then I made my way into the living room.
As soon as I got there, there was a depressed-looking crowd who filled the seats of the nice furniture. It made me even more curious. I walked over and sat next to Ashley with my interest bubbling.
“Girl, you okay? I came as soon as I could.” I looked at her with concern and then looked around the room again really quickly. There was a suit-and-tie type of guy sitting across the room. He had a serious look on his face.
“Jazz, my sister Diana is missing. She been missing since Saturday.”
“Really? Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry to hear that. I can’t believe that.” Concern filled my voice. I couldn’t imagine have a missing family member. With all the things going on right now in this city, I knew they were thinking the worst. Who wouldn’t?
“Yes, girl. We all are shook right now. The detective over there is in charge of the case. We are praying and hoping for the best possible turnout. We have hope.” She smiled. It was a light one. One that was filled with optimism and some doubt. A natural response to this type of situation.
“Yes, girl. She probably ran off or something. These young girls are something else. She’s probably snuggled up with her boyfriend somewhere.” I tried to sound reassuring.
“He’s dead. They found him dead in his car,” she said with as her eyes began to water up.
“Really?” I covered my mouth is shock. That wasn’t a good piece of information to know. He was dead and her sister was missing. That sounded like an open-and-shut case of murder and kidnapping or, worse, murder/ murder. “Oh no.”
“Yes, girl. That was my first response too.” She shook her head. I looked around the room once again and it was still kind of quiet. Ashley and I had been talking in a hushed tone the whole time, trying not to disturb anyone or the situation.
“Mr. and Mrs. Black, I don’t want to take up anymore of your time. I have to get back to the station and work the case. Time is of the essence. If you hear of anything please feel free to contact me,” the detective said as he rose from his chair and walked over to where they were. He shook Mr. Black’s hand and then turned to make his way to the door. Mr. Black followed him.
“Mona, let’s get you upstairs and into bed for a few. I am staying over to help you with the house and the kids,” Ashley’s grandmother said as she helped Mrs. Black up from the chair and across the room. Mrs. Black was a strong woman but right now she was a blubbering mess. She didn’t fight nor did she argue. She sobbed and walked toward the steps. They both disappeared up the steps out of sight. It made me feel some type of way to be in the house with such a sad scene going on.
“Girl, you want to see the shirts I got from Motherhood Maternity?” I perked up and asked A
shley.
“You went shopping already?” she asked. She seemed shocked by the gesture. I almost went off on her like I did the chick at the store earlier but I didn’t. I held my tongue and thought before I spoke.
“Yeah, girl. No time like the present.” I was almost bouncing in the chair.
“You pregnant?” Alex startled me as he came back into the room. He had a sandwich on a plate. It looked good.
“Yes.” I beamed brightly. I was like a Mrs. Sunshine right now.
He looked at me strangely before he went and sat down on a chair near where we were sitting.
“Something wrong, Alex?” I asked him.
“Well . . .” He paused. “Oh, never mind.” He waved his hand. “It’s nothing.”
“Go ahead and say it. You surprised, right?” I looked at him confirming the look he gave me.
“Well, uh. Yeah. I never really saw you with anyone. You know, a guy.”
I was a little pissed at the statement but I let it slide because he was right. I really wanted to tell him he was the daddy, but that would be out of line at the moment for me. Besides his younger sister and brother, Brittany and Li’l Shawn, was in the room, but she was on some type of game thingy and he was on his phone. They were paying us no mind whatsoever. It was hush-hush news at the moment.
“I keep my business pretty private, Alex, if you must know. But yeah, I have a bun in the oven and the baby daddy and I are happy with our soon-to-be bundle of joy.” I rubbed my stomach and smiled.
“Well, that is good to hear. I am happy for you.” He smiled and then he pulled half of his sandwich off of his plate and took a bit. He moaned in satisfaction.
“Alex, you have a good-looking sandwich going on over there.”
“Yes, it is good.” He smiled. “You want a piece?”
“Sure, why not.” I got up and made my way over to where he was. I picked up the other half of the sandwich and made my way back to my seat.
Ashley looked at me and then smiled. “Girl, you are really extra with the baby stuff.”
“Shoot, I’m hungry. I’m eating for two you know.” I laughed.
“Yes, that is true. But you better watch your figure because you may be eating for two but end up wearing clothes for three. Slow your roll, chick. You got plenty of time for all of that. Right now I need you to help me do some digging to find my sister. I can’t leave her fate in the hands of some bumbling cops.”
“Girl, I got you. I’m going wherever you are.” I spoke earnestly.
“Glad to hear that because we have a lot of work to do.”
“What work are you going to be doing?” Mr. Black asked as he entered the room again. He was a fine man himself and if his wife wasn’t the feisty one I heard about I would have tried to get a baby out of him first. He has some good genes; then again he wasn’t really their father but looking at Li’l Shawn I could tell he had some strong genes.
“Oh nothing, Dad. I was going to do some investigating myself.” Ashley looked at her father with a little fear on her face. He didn’t have a nasty look on his face but one of total seriousness.
“I need you kids to stay out of this. Let the police do their job. I don’t want y’all messing this up. Promise me that you will stay out of this.” He looked at all of us in the face. He made me nervous.
“Yes, sir,” we all said in unison.
“Good, because I want my daughter back here safe and sound. I don’t want anything happening to any of you in the process. We have enough to deal with now. I’m going upstairs to check on your mother. Lock up before you all leave. Li’l Shawn, I need you to take out the trash; and, Britt, load up the dishwasher for me.”
They both followed the instructions that were given while Ashley, Alex, and I sat in the living room in silence. The look on Ashley’s face said that she said okay to him, but she was still going to do things her way anyway. She was headstrong and talking to her sometimes was like talking to a brick. I thought her father knew that as well because he came back into the room once more.
“I mean it, Ashley. Stay out of it.” He looked at her intently.
“I will,” she assured him.
As soon as he left the room she said, “Meet me tomorrow so I can go over a plan with Troy in the room for advice.” She whispered it as she looked at me and then at Alex. We both nodded our heads in agreement.
We left the house about an hour and a half later and went our separate ways.
Chapter 24
Troy
Playing the Part
“Missing?” I looked at Ashley in shock as she told me that her sister Diana was missing. Of course I was acting and acting quite well I might add. We were sitting in the living room of her house. She had called yesterday and told me that it was important for me to come and see her today. So here I was sitting with her, Alex, and Jasmine.
“Yes, and there is no time to waste,” Ashley said and then looked at me with urgency covering her face.
“True.” I nodded my head in agreement.
“So can you help us, you know, get the people involved in this case to make my sister a priority and not a black loose chick who has gone missing?”
“That is going to be hard to do.” I looked at her and then Alex and Jasmine. “I don’t know who is on the case or what district has it. And even if I did, there wouldn’t be anything that I could do about it. Once a case is assigned to a person or persons, interference can be treated harshly. I will look into it but that is about it.”
“You’re not serious are you?” She looked at me as if I was going to recant my last statement.
“I’m very serious,” I answered. “I want your sister to be found and found alive but there is a conflict of interest here. You are my girlfriend. We have been seen together by other officers so it is a definite no-no.” In actuality I really didn’t care; shit I was the kidnapper. I knew the whereabouts but that was for me to know and them to find out. And they would find out, when I wanted them to find out. And by then it would be too late for them all.
“Ain’t this a bit . . .” Ashley hopped up out of her chair and stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door. I looked at Alex and Jasmine because this behavior from her was new for me. I had never seen her this animated with anger or frustration.
“What did I say wrong?” I asked as I looked at Alex and Jasmine with bewilderment covering my face. I wasn’t moved by the big outburst. This question was all a part of the act that I was putting on.
“Well, she gets like that sometimes. She is a little frustrated right now. She is used to being in control of situations and this one is testing her. I mean it is our sister you know. You sure that there is nothing you can do?” Alex asked.
“I will try my best to look into it. But I have my hands full with my own case. Which brings me to the next situation.” I paused and looked toward Ashley’s bathroom to make sure Ashley wasn’t coming out. I needed to keep what I said right now between the three of us. “I need to see you two back down the precinct again. We have another murder on our hands and guess who was listed as the last contacted in her phone?” I looked at Alex intently.
“Who?” He looked a little nervous.
“I think you already know. But we can’t discuss this here and this stays between the three of us.” They both nodded their heads in approval.
“Let me go check on Ashley,” I said as I got up from my chair. I walked down the small corridor that led to the bathroom and main bedroom.
“Ash,” I called out as I knocked on the door. There was a brief silence before I knocked again. Still no response. I tried the doorknob but that too was a lost cause.
“Ash, babe, open the door. I want to explain myself some more. You have to know that I care greatly about your sister and I would do anything to get her back.” There was still silence on her behalf. Her newfound attitude was pissing me off but I didn’t want to deter her from thinking nothing but happy thoughts about me.
I heard the unlocking of the
door and then slowly it began to open. I had on a bright smile as I peeked in and then walked in.
She sat back down on the side of her tub with her legs crossed and a perplexed look on her face. One thing about females that bugged me the most was the moodiness and uncontainable spasms of emotion.
“Ash,” I said as I walked over to her and sat next to her. I was in very close proximity to her. I wanted her to feel and know that I was for her and all of her interests. “I’m sorry for being so stubborn and close-minded. I was a jerk a few minutes ago and I should have thought before I answered.”
“True.” She nodded her head as she looked at me with an expression I couldn’t figure out.
“Look, I will try to pull a few strings to get a look at the evidence and who is working on the case. That is the best I can do right now. If there is more, then I will try my best to get that too. The last thing I need for you to be is mad at me right now when your sister is a priority.” I loved that last sentence because it made her smile a bit. I was such a great actor that I was shocking myself.
“You were right.” She nodded her head and then put her hand on my knee. “I should have been more considerate of your job and their protocol instead of getting pissed off because you didn’t say what I wanted to hear. I’m sorry for being such a hothead.” She laid her head on my shoulder.
“Don’t worry; if it was my sister who was missing I would be feeling the same way. We are going to get her back alive, believe me.”
“Yes, I know.” She nodded her head, but there was a little gloom that was mixed in with it.
“I said we are going to find her alive,” I spoke with pep in my voice as I was trying to motivate her because she looked like she was carrying the world on her shoulders. “Say it with me.”
“We are going to find her alive.” We both said it with life and alertness. She was now smiling as she normally would smile.
“You feel better now?” I asked as I stood up.