“Who is it?” I yelled, hoping that they’d stop.
“Ma’am, it’s the police. We need you to open the door, please.”
“The police?” I looked through the peephole and saw two male officers standing outside. One was black and the other was white. I slowly unlocked the door and opened it. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, we’re looking for Diamond Brooks, is that you?” the black officer said immediately.
“Yes, that is me, my last name isn’t Brooks anymore but how can I help you?”
“We need to take you down to the station for questioning. I need you to go get dressed.”
“Questioning? At three o’clock in the morning? What do you have to question me about?”
“The death of your deceased husband and one Mica Thompson.”
“What? Why would you need to question me now—that happened over a year ago.” My heart dropped to my stomach. What the hell was going on?
“Please ma’am, just get dressed so we can take care of this.”
“What if I say no?”
“You don’t have a choice, we can come back with a warrant if you’d like,” the white cop added.
I was pissed and I was afraid. I couldn’t go back to jail. I was pregnant. I wasn’t about to have my baby behind bars. The officers were pretty clear so I knew that the only option I had was to go along with it. I motioned with my hands to allow them in from the rain. They came in and stood near the door as I headed upstairs to throw something on. I was afraid to call Black since they were probably standing downstairs listening. Instead I sent a text message to his phone explaining what was going on. I hurried into a sweat suit and sneakers and ran back downstairs. I followed them out of the door and into the police car that was waiting at the end of the driveway. My heart was pounding and my entire body was trembling. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me at this point but whatever it was it couldn’t have been good. It took us about fifteen minutes to reach the station. Once inside they placed me in a room alone. The room was cold and small. The walls were painted dark gray with white around the edges. There was a small wooden table in the center of the room with one chair on each side. There was also a large mirror on the wall opposite the table, which I assumed they could view me from the other side. I tried to keep my cool and not look all nervous because I was sure I was being watched. If I looked guilty they’d be sure to use it against me when they had the opportunity.
Twenty minutes later a plainclothes white detective entered the room. He looked to be in his late fifties, early sixties. His hair was mixed with gray and he was dressed in black dress pants and a white button-down shirt. He had a smirk on his face that rubbed me the wrong way. I still remained calm.
“Hello, Ms. Brooks. Is it okay if I call you Diamond?”
“That’s fine,” I said, blandly.
“Okay Diamond, my name is Detective Hill.”
I sat silent.
“I’m sure you want to get down to business so I won’t keep you waiting any longer. We’ve recently gotten some information that indicates you as a suspect in the murder of your husband and one Mica Thompson.” He sat down in the chair opposite me.
“That’s ludicrous, I didn’t have anything to do with that. It was a home invasion and robbery, everyone knows that.”
“Well, we have a witness that tells us otherwise.”
“Well, your witness is mistaken. I wasn’t even anywhere near the house when it happened. When I came home the cops were already at my house.”
“I’m going to give it to you straight. They claim to have video that will back up their story even though we already have evidence to put you away as an accessory to murder.”
“An accessory? You just said that they said I was the murderer.”
“That’s not what I said, I said that you were implicated in the murder. The charges are against your boyfriend, Black.”
“What?” I yelled. Who the hell would try and put everything on him? He had nothing to do with it.”
“What we believe happened is you walked in on the murder and you ended up covering for him.”
“That’s so far from the truth it doesn’t even make sense.” My heart was pounding even harder than it had been a few minutes earlier. “Where are you getting your information?” I asked as if he would really give me the answer to that question.
“That’s confidential. The bottom line here is that if you choose not to tell us what happened, we’ll lock you up right along with him.”
“Neither him nor I had anything to do with it and that’s the truth. I don’t know why someone would tell you that. I loved my husband. I would have never hurt him and Black was his best friend.”
“His best friend that you’re now in a relationship with? That’s extremely suspicious, especially when you inherited all that he had.”
“I was his wife. Who else was it supposed to go to?”
“I’m going to walk out of here and give you a few minutes to think, okay? I’m not going to sit here answering your questions and you haven’t been able to answer any of mine.”
“But . . .”
“There is no but, you need to talk or you’re going to jail.”
“Well in that case, I need to call my lawyer,” I replied. I knew that they didn’t have anything concrete because my ass would have been in a cell rather than sitting here doing a damn survey.
“I figured you’d say that, that’s what all criminals say!” he said as he walked out and closed the door behind him.
I was pissed. What the fuck did he mean by that? Okay, I know that I was the one that committed the murder and I couldn’t let Black go down for that. I had to somehow let him know what was going on. I was praying that he hadn’t rushed down here to the station like I’d asked in the text because they’d probably never let him go. I didn’t know what to do but I knew that I had to get my lawyer on this if I wanted to walk out of here. After a few more minutes of waiting, they took me out to the desk so that I could call my lawyer. After I called and left her a voice mail they took me right back into the box that I’d been in for the past two hours. Black had to have been worried sick and I refused to call him. Then I thought about it—Kiki. I could call Kiki so that she could somehow get a message to him. Just as I was about to sit down I told him that I had figured out who I wanted to call. The officer looked at me as if I’d pissed him off but I didn’t give a damn, I needed to make my phone call.
The phone rang a few times before she picked up. “Hey Kiki, it’s D, I need you to do me a favor.”
“Girl, what the hell do you need me to do at five in the morning.”
“I’m down at the police station, girl, they . . .” I turned to look at the officer who was standing behind me. I gave him a look like Damn can I get a little privacy and he sighed as he turned his attention toward the other things going on around the precinct. “The cops came to the door this morning saying they have a witness that fingers Black as the one who killed Kemp and Mica.”
“What?” she yelled. “Who the hell is the witness?”
“I don’t know but I need you to get a message out for me, I can’t really say because they’re watching me like a hawk but I’m sure you know what I mean.”
“I got you, Diamond, don’t worry, girl, everything will work itself out.”
“Thanks Kiki, I love you, girl.”
“I love you too.”
I hung up and was then walked back into the interrogation room. I was tired, cold, and annoyed. I kept my fingers crossed and hoped that this would all go away as some type of misunderstanding. I had to figure out how to get myself out of this one. I waited and the longer it took for them to return the angrier I got. I heard the doorknob turning and prepared myself for the worst.
“So, have you thought it over?” the detective asked with a smirk on his face.
“Look, where’s my lawyer? I’m not talking to you anymore until she shows up.”
Just then Ms. Baker, my law
yer, walked through the door. I instantly felt a little bit of weight being lifted off of my shoulders.
“Sorry it took me so long to get here,” she said as she walked around to the side of the table where I was seated. “What are you charging my client with?”
“She’s been fingered as an accessory to two murders.”
“Fingered? So I assume that means you haven’t pressed charges yet?”
“Not officially, but we will very soon.”
“Well, then we’re finished here. Diamond, come on, you’re free to go.”
“Just like that?” I asked, shocked.
“Just like that!” she replied as she headed toward the door and motioned for me to follow.
I jumped up out of that chair faster than a cheetah. I wish I would have known I could have left because I would have done that hours earlier. I turned and looked back and gave the detective the same smirk that he had been giving me each time he’d walked into the room. He gave me a look that said a thousand words. Like this wasn’t over and I wasn’t going to get over that easy. I walked out of there and Ms. Baker offered me a ride home. I knew that she’d pick my brain on the way.
“Now, what’s going on here, Diamond?”
“They are accusing me of being an accomplice to the murder of my husband and my best friend. They’re saying that Black was the one that murdered them. There isn’t any truth to that whatsoever but they claim that they have a witness.”
“Witnesses can be broken so don’t worry yourself too much about that. Have you spoken to Black?”
“No, I didn’t want to call him and risk him being dragged down there with me.”
“Good, well believe this, if their witness was as strong as they claim they are, you’d both be locked up. They haven’t arrested you yet because they don’t have enough evidence.”
“Thank you so much for getting down there. I know it was before business hours.”
“Don’t worry about that, Diamond, I work for you and believe me, you’ll get through this, I’ll make sure of it.”
By then we were pulling up in front of my house. I got out and waved good-bye. I hadn’t even made it up to the steps before Black was coming out of the front door.
“Babe, what the hell happened?”
“The cops came and knocked on the door saying that they needed to take me down to the station for questioning and then when I got there they were saying that they have a witness that is fingering both you and me for Kemp and Mica’s murder.”
“What? A witness? How the hell could they have a witness?”
“I don’t know, but it probably has something to do with the person who’s been terrorizing us.”
“What did Ms. Baker say?”
“She said that their case must not be strong or else both of us would be in jail. She says not to worry about it.”
“Not to worry? Someone is trying to put us under and I’m not going to rest until I find out who the fuck it is!”
“Babe, don’t go out there and get hurt. Please don’t do anything crazy—we have a baby on the way.”
“I know that, but these muthafuckers are taking me for a joke. I’m not about to get knocked down and not get the fuck back up. This shit is getting way out of hand.”
“I’m just afraid, I’m not trying to have this baby behind bars.”
“You’re not going to. Look, if no one else understands, I do. I know why you did what you did and I never bashed you for it. Yeah, Kemp was my friend but all is fair in love and war. Shit happens and if you hadn’t shot him when you did, trust me, someone else would have.”
I stood there silent. I hadn’t even made it into the living room. I was still standing near the door. My heart was pounding. I couldn’t relax and I was beginning to feel sick to my stomach. My head was spinning and it was becoming hard to breathe. “I need to sit down, babe, I feel like I’m about to faint,” I said, placing one hand on my forehead.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing my hand and leading me over to the sofa. “You have to calm down. You can’t let this wear you out.”
I had reached the sofa and sat down but I was still feeling sick. “Babe, I feel like I’m . . .” I threw up right on him and all over the sofa and the floor. He didn’t even budge; he sat there next to me with his hand gently rubbing across the top of my back. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t have enough time to warn you.”
“It’s okay come on, let’s go upstairs so you can lie down and rest. I’ll clean this up in a little while.”
I agreed and got up from the sofa and followed him upstairs. My nerves had gotten the best of me. Once I got up to the bedroom I went into the master bathroom to wash the throw-up off of me. My shirt was soaked and the smell of it almost made me do it again. I sat down on the side of the tub and put my face in the palms of my hands. What the hell had I gotten myself into? If I thought things were bad in the past they were definitely only going to get worse.
Chapter Forty-three
Black
Falling
“What the hell do you expect me to do, just wait around and let them lock my ass up for some shit that I had nothing to do with?” I yelled at JB. I didn’t normally take my anger out on him but he was pissing me off.
“That’s not what I’m saying, I’m just saying the way that you are approaching the situation is only going to make things worse.”
“Well, this is the only way I know how to handle shit and if I have to keep shooting mothafuckers until somebody tells me who the fuck the culprit is that’s what I’m going to do. Nigga, I got kids and a woman to think about.”
“I know, but . . .”
“But what? There is no but, you said that you would ride for me and you had my back—now that’s what the fuck I need from you.”
JB sat across from me with a frown on his face. No man likes to be spoken to like a child, but hell, he wasn’t getting the point. I was angry, but I knew if I had to go around town putting a gun to people’s head for information I would. This shit was stressing me because I couldn’t go to jail—I had too much shit to live for. Money entered the room a few seconds later and he must’ve felt the heat in the room.
“Damn, is everything cool?” he asked, barely shutting the door before he spoke.
“Hell no, everything ain’t cool, someone is out here trying to sabotage me and I’m not having that shit.”
“Well, anything you need me to do, I’m here. It ain’t even going down that easy.”
I could see sweat building up on JB’s forehead. Money and I had gotten close since this partnership and slowly but surely JB was taking his self out of the equation. All of that you’re like my brother and I wouldn’t let anything happen to you shit wasn’t much more than words and it was just making me angry in times like these. Money had been stepping up to the plate the past few weeks and I respected that. JB continued to give him a stare of death while I continued to pace back and forth.
“Look, I’ll put every nigga that run with me on it for you. We’re going to find out who it is, I put my life on that.”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. “Thanks man, I really appreciate that shit.” I stuck out my hand to give him dap and he obliged.
“It’s no problem. You’ve looked out for me that’s the least I can do. I’m going to get on that right now and I’ll keep you updated.”
“Cool, thanks again.”
He walked out and even though I felt a little better knowing that niggas had my back I still continued to pace across the floor. It was quiet except for the sounds my boots were making on the floor. Without that you could hear a pin drop.
“Yo’, I know you’re going through it right now but you have to use your head on this one. I’m starting not to trust this nigga Money. I mean he just met you a few months ago and he’s ready to ride for you like he’s known you his whole life. I don’t like that shit.”
“Why, because you ain’t doing the same thing? Don’t hate on him now when you’re the on
e that was on his dick from jump,” I yelled.
“On his dick? I wasn’t on his dick, I just saw an opportunity that’s made you more money.”
“Me? Nigga, it made us more money, not just me.”
“Look, I’m going to let you calm down a little. I know how shit feels when the walls are closing in but you know I ain’t going to let shit happen to you. I just think that once you calm down and think about the shit a lot of the moves you want to make now won’t seem so smart.”
Maybe he was right, maybe I did need some time to calm down. Maybe I needed to get away for a little while to ease my mind. I didn’t know who to trust and which way to turn. I had to protect what was mine and that included my family.
“I’m going to take a trip for a few days, you think you and Tommy can handle things until I get back?”
“Of course, man, I think that’s a good idea. A few days away from this drama will do your mind good, I guarantee that.”
“All right, I’m going to bounce and get home to check on D. I’ll probably ride out tomorrow or Friday.”
“All right, let me know if you need anything.”
“All right.” I said before he got up to leave the office. I left out shortly after that to go home and check on Diamond. I had two workers sitting outside of the house to make sure she was safe. I pulled up in front and gave both of them a nod. I went in the house where Diamond was laying on the sofa watching TV.
“Hey babe, what brings you home so early?” she said, sitting up.
“I wanted to come and check on you plus I wanted to tell you to pack a bag so we can go to Vegas tomorrow.”
“Vegas? Tomorrow, why?”
“Because I need to get away from all of this bullshit for a few days. I need to make some precise moves and dealing with all of this is clouding my mind.”
The Black Diamond Trilogy Page 29