Thin Line

by Anthony Whyte

  She glanced back at me, tugged on the arm of Ramirez and they walked a few feet out of my earshot.

  A few minutes later, they walked back. I could tell that Ramirez was making every attempt not to stare at me. Maybe they all thought I was going crazy.

  “I was out of the loop. Now I’m back. Nobody will be taking potshots anymore. Right, Shareef?” he smiled at me.

  “Thanks partner. I know you’ve got my back,” Mother said as she patted him.

  “That’s how it’s supposed to be, right?” Ramirez turned and hugged her.

  “You’ve got that right,” mother responded triumphantly.

  “Why don’t we run down to the station house and do that paperwork?”

  “I want to be here when he’s through. I can’t afford anything else to go wrong with my family.”

  “I understand. Listen, I’m going to the station house anything you want me to tell the sergeant?” Ramirez asked.

  “No, I just got off the phone with him. I’ll be allowed to do the paperwork in the morning.”

  “Rita, I’ll catch up to you later. Remember now, partner, you don’t have to go through this alone.”

  Ramirez kissed my mother’s cheek, then slapped my hand and walked out of the court. Mother and I were left still waiting.

  CHAPTER 17

  That evening, my mother, stepfather and I returned to the hotel. They tried to keep it down, but I could feel the tension in the air.

  “I can’t believe those murderers did what they did!” My stepfather shouted, throwing the newspaper across the room. “Coming at you and Shareef, it’s just not right!”

  “The only thing that’s right is for you to cooperate with the prosecutors. Then all this can somehow come to an end,” mother said.

  She threw a cautionary glance at me sitting in front of the television. I was pretending my thoughts were buried in the sitcom. Our lives had become so dramatic that everywhere we went there were armed officers present.

  “Yeah, yeah just cooperate. ‘Just cooperate with the DA,’ you told Mozi and you see what resulted. His family buried him, his wife and his only child a week ago. You actually think that they’re going to let this end the way you want it to go?”

  “No I don’t, but I’m prepared to stay on the side of the law. It’s the only way I know.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, you haven’t—”

  “Don’t tell me what I haven’t done,” mother said. Then she looked at me. “Go to your room, Shareef,” she ordered.

  “My room…? Mommy we’re in a hotel,” I reminded her.

  “I don’t care. You know what I mean. Go in the bedroom and don’t give me any more lip.”

  “But mommy, I didn’t do anything,” I countered.

  “Shareef, if you don’t get your butt inside that room right now, I’ll come over there and you won’t like it.”

  “It’s not my fault that this is happening,” I said, looking defiantly at my mother.

  I ran in the bedroom when I saw her heading toward me. She followed me and slammed the door so hard it flew back open. She walked away leaving the door halfway opened. They were shouting loud enough and I didn’t have to do a lot to hear most of their conversation.

  “This was no fault of mine or my mother. But she was killed along with my sister and her son. Who have you lost? Your friend, Mr. Mozi? Remember he was the one who got you in all this mess. He is the one, if anyone, who should’ve suffered all the loss. My mother and sister were not involved—or her son. This morning, Shareef and I easily could’ve been murdered. My son was seconds away from his death through no fault of his. Did I run and tell you that it was your fault? No I didn’t. Now you’re telling me about reneging on the deal with the DA.”

  “Rita, I’m not saying I’m not going to cooperate. All I’m saying is that it is a difficult situation.”

  “Difficult my ass…! You should’ve thought it all out clearly before you went and did what you did. Everyday it’s something new. First, you had no idea of what was going on. You were involved with smuggling drugs into the country. You were a mule for these criminals, and it is your actions that spelled doom for my mother. She did nothing. Nothing! And was executed because of your irrational actions.”

  There was a continuous knocking at the door. The doorbell sounded. Mother opened the door and an officer stepped inside.

  “Is everything alright in here?”

  “Yes,” mother responded curtly.

  “I heard the ruckus and just wanted to make sure,” the officer said, an inquisitive grin plastered on his face.

  “We’re just having a discussion. Were we too loud for you?”

  “Well I could hear all that you guys were saying and…”

  “We’ll keep it down, thank you, officer.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right outside,” the officer said.

  “How many of you are on duty?”

  “There are two of us and we’re right outside.”

  “Thank you officer, we’ll keep it down,” mother said.

  She walked back to where my stepfather was sitting after the officer walked out. There was calmness in her voice but her expression registered anger.

  “Whatever happened doesn’t matter. We’re all in it now,” she said as the telephone rang. “Yes,” she said answering it. “Ramirez, what’s up? Yes, we’re all safe here in the hotel. Thanks for checking in. Yes, I’ll be at work in the morning. Huh-uh, yes…”

  She stayed on for a few more seconds then hung up.

  “Who was that?” my stepfather asked.

  “That was my patrol partner, Carlos Ramirez. I know good people. You want to run with the bad guys and that’s what caused all these problems.”

  “Do you think my testimony will correct all the wrong I’ve done?”

  “I think the least that can happen is your testimony will help send the criminals to jail.”

  “What about you and me, our family and life together?”

  “I don’t know what’s in store for you and I. Only time will tell…”

  “I mean is there any way for us to get back to where we were?”

  “I don’t know, Stanley. I really don’t know.”

  “It’s a high cost to pay for the price of justice.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  After that exchange, their voices went silent. All I heard was the news on the television. Her cell phone rang loudly.

  “Lenny, I told you not to call me unless…” her voce trailed.

  I kept my ears perked, but after several minutes, I too let it go. I fell asleep.

  CHAPTER 18

  A loud explosion rocked the building and awoke me. I jumped out of bed and ran to where my mother was. I met her in the midst of the rubble and ash in the hotel room. The sprinkler system was going at full blast and everything was wet.

  “Shareef, Shareef, are you alright?” she asked.

  “Yes, I am—”

  I was coughing and couldn’t see very clearly. Mother had her gun in hand and cautiously she went to what was left of the door. Before she could open it, gunshots were coming at her. She dropped to the floor and crawled back over to where I was.

  “Are you alright, son?”

  “Yes, mother.”

  “Stay down,” she said.

  “Mom, what’s going on? Are they trying to kill us?”

  I wanted to ask more questions but she was running to the bathroom. My stepfather was inside.

  “Open the door! Stanley, open the door now! It’s Rita!” She shouted as a few more shots came at us.

  The door to the bathroom swung open and my stepfather came out looking scared. He immediately got behind mother when another volley of shots came at us. Mother waited for a moment then she ran to the bedroom, grabbed her cell phone and dialed.

  “Ramirez, get your ass over to the hotel right now, buddy. Bring backup—we’re under attack,” she said and hung up.

  There were more barrages of gunfire. Mother
never returned fire but kept her gun in hand ready.

  “I think they’re sweeping the area,” she said.

  Another burst of gunfire and then someone kicked the hotel door down. Mother threw me to the ground and let off shot after shot. She kept firing until all that could be heard was the sound of bullets ricocheting off walls. Then there was a grunt.

  “Ooh ugh…”

  A few seconds later, the peaceful sound of the water sprinkler and the beat of my heart racing were all that was left going. I’m alive, I thought. Looking around, I could see that the white of my stepfather’s eyes were visible. He was perspiring like crazy, and he appeared to be paralyzed by his fear.

  “Shareef, where’s your mother?” he whispered.

  I glanced at him again, blinking hard to see if he was injured. Realizing that he was afraid and incapable of moving, I relaxed my stare. The confirmation that he was all right didn’t stop my heart from palpitating. I felt like I was about to pass out and tried to calm myself. I had to be fearless for Mother. Where was she? I anxiously glanced around the room, straining my eyes trying to find her.

  My breath was swept away when I heard footsteps and miraculously she appeared at the entrance of the doorway. Her gun was visible in her hand. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed.

  “Two officers down… Maybe killed. There are also two other unidentified bodies… I am alright,” she said and hung up.

  Mother hugged me close and stared at my stepfather as if he was pariah.

  “Rita, oh Rita, what’ve I done? I can’t go down for this,” he cried.

  I realized his was the voice I heard in the house that night! It was his familiar voice I heard saying, “I can’t go down for this.”

  A few more minutes of silence and the place was teeming with police officers. There were news people and cameras everywhere snapping pictures of this and that. Inquires came from all angles. The police and reporters were having a field day. Then the firefighters and paramedics rushed the scene.

  Mother remained calm throughout the ordeal. She answered questions with aplomb, despite the circumstances. My mother already did not want to believe what I told her about the detectives and she was not going to listen. My stepfather seemed flustered and agitated. He kept yelling at the reporters.

  “Get your cameras out of my face or I’ll break them!” he warned.

  It was easy to tell that he didn’t want to be here. It wasn’t my kind of wakeup either, so leaving my stepfather cursing at everyone. I stuck like glue to my mother.

  I remembered the question he had asked mother last night. It had to do with whether or not things would ever get back to normal. He was a murderer, a drug dealer and a coward—and I was the only one who knew the truth.

  Ramirez was by my mother’s side as she fielded queries from the lead detectives working on my grandma’s killing. There were uniformed and civilian-attired personnel sitting around us. I felt queasy, but safe by mother’s side.

  “What were they wearing? How many were there? Were you able to get a good look at any of them?”

  Mother answered and in an equally precise manner. She was confident and there were no glitches in her explanation. My stepfather was flustered and became agitated sitting around waiting for his interrogation.

  When the questions were aimed at him, my stepfather went into a rage.

  “What do I care what uniforms they were wearing? All I know is they were trying to kill my family and me. Your guards let us down. How can I feel safe?”

  Mother sat with members of the police from her precinct methodically breaking each step of the assault down. She pulled Ramirez aside.

  “The chief’s been asking who knew where we were,” she said. Then paused. “You were the only one who knew we had switched hotels.”

  “I was?”

  “Yes, you were. What did you do? You didn’t compromise security, now did you, Charlie?”

  “Rita, we’re partners I wouldn’t do anything like that. I called to see how you were doing then I hung up and went to have some drinks.”

  “You went drinking with one of your floozies? You could have said something to tip someone off.”

  “Rita, you’re wrong on that point. I went out with the boys from the task force, had a few drinks, then I went home to sleep.”

  “Oh sure, new friends, huh…? And that’s it?”

  “Yes Rita, that’s it.”

  “I wonder who could’ve let the location slip out.”

  “Why do you think that…?”

  “Charlie, can’t you see, if nobody else knew, then it had to be an inside job.”

  “An inside job, how can that be? Are you sure, Rita?”

  “C’mon, I really can’t be sure, unless I know for sure.”

  “Damn right. Think maybe there was someone else who knew your whereabouts.”

  “You couldn’t be more right. I’m starting to feel some type of cover-up.”

  “As soon as we left the therapist’s office, an attempt was made. How could anyone else know I was taking my son to the…”

  She looked at Ramirez. He looked at her.

  “Someone in the department has a copy of my itinerary.”

  “What about his father?”

  “You mean Lenny?” she asked.

  “I mean you never know, Rita. He might be doing this for revenge. He doesn’t particularly like you at this time.”

  “I’ve know Lenny since we were teens. He’ll try kicking my ass, but he won’t shoot at me, especially not while I’m with his son.”

  “Whoever is doing it definitely has you targeted to be murdered.”

  “Yeah, my son and I,” mother said, pausing to look at me. I could tell her mind was on overdrive. “I’m going to take every possible precaution from now on,” she turned to Ramirez and continued.

  “That’s a good idea,” he said hugging her. “And limit the people you disclose your location to,” Ramirez said, kissing her cheek. He waved and walked away.

  Immediately queasiness overcame me. I wanted to vomit and walked to my mother.

  “Mommy, I’ve gotta go.”

  I tugged on her sleeve and she gave me the ‘I’m too busy’ look. This only made me pull harder and before I knew it she was rushing off with me. She took me to another room.

  “Mommy, mommy I know who was in the uniform at grandma’s,” I said urgently.

  “Shareef, what’re you trying to say?” she asked, gazing with annoyance at me.

  “It was one of the officers that was with Charlie at the restaurant.”

  “Shareef, you cannot just go around pointing your fingers at people when you feel like it, accusing everyone. First, you told me it was the officer from the precinct, then now it’s Ramirez’s partner. The doctor is gonna help you alright.”

  She was frustrated walking away.

  “But mommy,” I said.

  “Shareef, clean yourself before coming out.”

  CHAPTER 19

  The next few days I didn’t attend school as a precautionary measure, taken by mother. It was good for me. I needed the break from all the attention. Mother kept me close to her but at the same time remained emotionally distant. She was still in denial about everything I told her. Under the cover of extreme privacy, we ate and slept in the hotel, changing rooms each night. Security was tight.

  Friday morning rolled around and we prepared to attend the funeral of my three relatives. It was a tough morning for my mother but she was determined to see us through this. My stepfather was still whining. On the day she had to see my grandmother, aunt and cousin put in the ground, he was agitated and anxious.

  “I can’t wait for this circus to be over.” He complained as he dressed.

  “It will. On Monday, you tell the grand jury all you know and that’ll be all.”

  “How can you be sure I’ll even live to see Monday, Rita?”

  “Have faith, Stanley,” mother continued while fixing his tie. “I think we’re all ready,” mother sai
d, turning and giving me the once-over glance. “All right, let’s go.”

  Four detectives appeared on cue and opened the door. They escorted us to the elevator. In the lobby, there were more detectives and police cars. Sirens blared and a convoy of cars proceeded to the church.

  From the streets all the way inside there were officers in uniform and detectives. I sat in awe next to mother and listened to the preacher. There were a lot of speeches from people who didn’t belong to the family. I think I heard all the politicians and everyone else running for city office. The killing had drawn local political support and there was a huge turnout. News reporters were sitting outside hours later when we came out.

  Dad was there at the cemetery. Dressed in a black suit, he looked fresh and clean. He nodded and walked over to me.

  “How’re you doing, Shareef?”

  He bent down and hugged me. There was no smell of liquor.

  “I’m all right, dad. How’re you doing?”

  “Fine Shareef. You’ve been looking after mom?”

  “Sure dad,” I answered as mother and my stepfather came by.

  The men shook hands cordially, and mother gave my dad a hug.

  “Hello Lenny,” she said.

  “Rita, I’m sorry about your loss. Can we talk privately for a sec?” Dad said.

  “I doubt that with all these officers around,” mother said, pulling him a few steps away. “I want to talk to you and I’ve got to have your absolute trust,” she said.

  They walked away and spoke for a minute before Ramirez joined.

  “Shareef,” he said, reaching out to shake my hand.

  “Hi,” I barely said. I felt like a lump had developed in my throat.

  “Stanley, I’d like to offer my condolences to you and Rita,” Ramirez said as my mother rejoined us.

  They stared at each other. It was clear now that Stanley was terrified of Ramirez. Dad tugged at my shoulder. I turned hoping not to hear what he was about to say.

  “You’re going to be staying with me until this whole thing blows over.”

  “No, I don’t wanna go…” I started to say and ran to mother.