by Kiki Swinson
I looked down really quick to see how far away he was from stepping into the trap and when I realized he was only an inch away, I knew I had to get him to move one more time. So I said, “Why are you doing this to me? I wasn’t even going to go to the police to turn you in.”
“I ain’t trying to hear that bullshit. Just shut the fuck up and die with some dignity.”
“Please let me go. I promise I won’t say anything,” I whined, as I scooted backward.
“Where the fuck you think you’re going?” he asked. And then he took one step. He didn’t see the bear trap. So when he stepped into it, the jaws of it snapped around his right ankle and snatched him down to the ground. I guess he had no idea what he’d stepped in, but he did know that it caused excruciating pain. He screamed like a bitch and fell down on top of me and dropped his gun one foot to the right of me. I started kicking him in his face like I was losing my mind. He couldn’t fight me back because he was so busy trying to extract the jaws of the bear trap from around his ankle. It was evident that his ankle was broken because this guy was screaming bloody murder. “Oggggggh-hhh!” he screamed, lying in the fetal position. “Help me get this shit off my ankle!”
I ignored him and scrambled to get the gun. It took me about three seconds to grab it off the ground and when I did, I pulled back on the slide and pointed it directly at Maceo. True indeed, he was in a vulnerable position and had no way of getting out of it, but it was a prime opportunity for me to take that bastard out of his misery. While I watched him squirm like a fucking bitch, all I could think about was how many people he had killed throughout his entire life. My Aunt Sandra, Carmen, and Lil D were the only faces I could get a visual of. And just the thought of their lives being taken because of this fucking psycho made me furious. So without further hesitation, I aimed the barrel of the gun at the back of his head, closed my eyes, and fired. BOOM!!!! The explosion from the bullet made the gun sound like a cannon. And as soon as the bullet penetrated the back of his head, it exploded. When I opened my eyes, blood and parts of Maceo’s brains were splattered on my face, my shirt, and all the dried-up crops that were within three feet of us. I looked down at Maceo and he was out cold. Part of his head was blown off and I could honestly say that I was happy with my efforts. And when I got up to scoot around his lifeless body, I kicked him right in his face. “That’s for my family!” I said.
Knowing that he was dead and that there was no way he was coming back, I didn’t fear him anymore. I turned over on my hands and knees and crawled out of there without looking back. I stopped a few times because I heard a couple of crackling noises coming from behind me. I hoped it was Mario looking for me. But when I realized that it was probably field rats, I kept it moving. The ground was unbearable from the cold and damp dirt. I knew it was going to take some time for me to recuperate after this ordeal but at this point, it didn’t matter to me how much time it would take. I was just glad that it was over and he was one less person looking for me. All I had to do now was find Mario and get out of this godforsaken town. It was time for me to head back to Miami, where I could face Sheldon and the DEA. It might take me forever but I would die trying to clear my name once and for all.
Where to Go from Here
It took me forever to crawl back through that dried-up cornfield. The ground was rocky and cold and muddy, but I made it out. I came back out the side where I entered, so all I had to do was find a way to get back to the dirt road. I was tired as hell, but I knew I couldn’t let that hold me back. I was alive and that’s what I held on to.
Before I began to crawl to the main road, I turned my attention to the battleground. The headlights of Maceo’s car were still beaming. The car was still running as well. My first thought was to crawl over there and get inside so I could drive away in it, but I was afraid that I was going to run into something my heart wouldn’t be able to handle. I knew Carmen’s body was over there and I wasn’t sure how I would find Mario. I remember him taking one shot in his right arm, but anything after that, my mind drew a blank. “Lord, please give me the strength to endure what it is I am about to come upon,” I said aloud, and then I took the first step in that direction.
I needed that car because I realized there was no way I could crawl back to the main road in the condition I was in. While I made my way back, I noticed two bodies lying on the ground. I knew they were two large men but I couldn’t see the attire. My heart stopped because I was afraid that I would find out one was Mario. His body was the size of these two men, so to know that one could possibly be him made me want to cry out. I mustered up enough energy and willpower to get to them. They were lying perfectly still, so I knew they were dead. They couldn’t do me any harm. After taking hundreds of steps I finally came upon the two bodies and realized that Mario wasn’t one of them. And right when I was about to turn around to scan the area of where he fell, I saw something move through my peripheral vision. My heart jumped. I turned completely around to see what it was. And when my eyes landed on the object before me, I screamed, “Carmen!”
She was wiggling on the ground trying to sit her body up, while simultaneously trying to take the pillowcase off her head. I don’t know how I did it, but I stood on my good foot and hopped right over to where she was. My heart was so overjoyed when I realized that she was alive. Seeing her kicking and moving made my fight with Maceo well worth it. When I finally got within arm’s reach of her, I fell back down to the ground and struggled to untie the string around her neck. “Hold tight, cousin, I am going to get you out of this,” I assured her.
It took me about three minutes of yanking and tugging to get the thing loose. When I pulled it from her head, she threw her arms around me and held me so tight. “You came back for me.” She began to cry.
“You knew I couldn’t leave you like that.” I embraced her back.
“Do you know I thought I was going to die tonight?”
“Me too. But you will never have to worry about his ass again.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s lying dead over there in the middle of that fucking cornfield where he belongs.”
“Who killed him? How did he die? Where is Mario?”
“It’s a long story. I saw Mario run into the field, but now I don’t know where he is. Let’s get out of here.” I tried to stand back on my good foot. I was struggling my ass off, so Carmen got up first and then helped me. We were only a few feet away from Maceo’s vehicle, so it didn’t take us long to get inside. Carmen got in the driver side and I got into the passenger seat. She didn’t attempt to put the car in drive so we could leave. She just sat there and turned her attention toward me. “What are we going to do now?” she asked.
“We’re gonna have to call the police.”
“Do you think that would be a good idea?”
“We have no other choice.”
“But look at all of these dead bodies out here. They ain’t gonna believe our story.”
“Yes, they will. And besides, there are some other things I’ve got to tell them, too.”
Carmen looked at me strange. “What other things?”
I took a deep breath and then I exhaled. “Carmen, I’ve been living a lie since I’ve been here in Virginia and now it has caught up with me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Remember when I told you and Grandma Hattie that I left Florida to get a breather. You know, take a break from practicing law?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, the truth is, I am on the run.”
“What do you mean, you’re on the run?”
“Carmen, somebody murdered my best friend and they pinned it on me. Now federal agents and the DEA are searching high and low for me so I can answer to those charges.”
“Oh, my God! What’s going to happen to you?”
“I’m gonna turn myself in and try my best to fight the charges.”
“Oh, Yoshi,” she said, and threw her arms around me once again. “Are you sure you want to
do this? They may never let you out.”
“I know that. But I’m tired of running. I just want to get this over with.”
“Do you know if you turn yourself in here, they’re gonna have to extradite you back to Florida? You might as well take a chance and drive back down there yourself, because Virginia might keep you for at least thirty days before they send you on your way.”
I sighed. “Carmen, I don’t care about any of that. I just want all this mess to be over. Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“All right,” she said as she put the car in drive. “You know you’re gonna have to tell Grandma what’s going on. She ain’t gonna take it well if I tell her.”
“Let’s head over there first and then I’ve got to make that call.”
“Okay,” Carmen said, and then she pressed down the accelerator.
As we began to ride down the dirt road, I thought about Mario. Maybe he didn’t make it. I wanted to see his face before I left, but if he was dead, I didn’t want to remember him like that. He was a very good man and everything would have worked out as he had planned. I would have made him my man and perhaps after I got past my ordeal, made him my husband. He was the first guy in a long time that loved me for real. All those other idiots I used to mess with had motives, so our relationships didn’t last a hot minute. With Mario, he wanted me for who I was and not what I had. That alone made all the difference with me. I’m just so sorry to know that he had to lose his life behind me. I swear I would have made him a very happy man.
After riding over miles of dirt road, we finally got to the end. But when we got there, at least five police cars were waiting at the main road. Their lights were beaming very bright and their sirens were blaring like crazy. When I took a second look I noticed that every policeman was standing outside a squad car with a gun drawn and pointed directly at us. Both Carmen and I looked at each other without saying a word.
“Put the car in park. Turn off the ignition and get out of the car right now!” I heard one officer demand through his bullhorn.
“Oh, my God! What should we do?” Carmen whined.
“Do like they said,” I commanded, so Carmen did just that.
After turning off the car, Carmen got out first and told them that I couldn’t stand up on one of my legs, but they weren’t trying to hear her. They still wanted me to remove myself from the car. I struggled for a bit, but I managed to get out. As soon as I stood up, I fell to the ground. One of the officers rushed to my side with his gun still drawn. I guess he had to use proper protocol just in case I wanted to try some funny business.
“Show me your hands,” he demanded. I raised them into the air.
“You, too, put up your hands.” He looked over at Carmen.
After she raised her hands in the air, another officer rushed toward her. “Do you have any weapons of any sort on you?” I heard him ask.
“No, I don’t,” she replied.
He turned her around and handcuffed her that instant. “Am I under arrest?” she asked him.
“No, you’re not.”
“Then why are you putting handcuffs on me?”
“So we can figure out what’s going on.”
Frustrated by the way he was handling the situation, she said, “You ain’t got to figure it out, I can tell you myself.”
“She hasn’t done anything, officer. She was a victim of kidnap and the man who tried to kill us both is back there in the cornfield,” I interjected.
“Is he dead?” the officer standing by my side asked.
“Yes, he is,” I replied, as he pulled me onto my feet. Then he sat me against the hood of the car.
“Who killed him?”
“I did, because he was trying to kill me.”
His questions continued. “Who are you? What is your name?”
“My name is Yoshi Lomax.”
He looked at me strange. Then he looked back at his partner. “Are you the high-profile attorney from Miami, Florida, that the Feds are looking for?”
I nodded my head.
He smiled. “Oh shit, Bobby! We struck a gold mine tonight,” he commented. And from that point, he didn’t hesitate to handcuff me and escort me to his squad car.
“How many people are back there?” I heard the officer ask Carmen.
“Four.”
“All of them are dead?”
“Yes.”
“It can’t be,” I heard another officer yell. “The dispatcher said the person who made the call was a man.”
My heart lurched and I forced the officer to stop in his tracks. “Did you just say a man made the call?” I yelled.
“Yes, I did,” he replied, and then he turned his attention toward his fellow colleagues. “Where are the paramedics? They should’ve been here a long time ago.” He tugged on the small radio attached to his shoulder. “Dispatch, this is badge number five-two-four-nine-one.”
“Copy, sir, what do you have?”
“We have a one-four-seven and we need a paramedic out here. We also have victims of gunshot wounds.” He gave the dispatcher the address.
“All right, I copy that,” the dispatcher replied, and then she cleared the airways.
“Come on, let’s go,” the officer escorting me said as he tugged on my arm.
After he placed me in the backseat of the police car, I laid my head back against the headrest. I wondered to myself who could have made the phone call. While I sat there I noticed Carmen talking to the officer who had her detained, while the other officers got into their cars and headed back to the old house. I could see their flashing lights from where I was sitting. I took my attention off the police cars and looked back at Carmen. She seemed to be getting frustrating with the officer. By this time he had taken her cuffs off, so I assumed she was demonstrating the event that had just taken place, because her hands were moving right along with her mouth. This episode went on for at least ten minutes. He had his pen and pad out to write down everything she said.
The paramedics finally came and rode by. They didn’t even stop to see if I needed any medical attention. They whisked right by us and went down the road toward the house. There was so much commotion going on, I couldn’t think clearly. The radio in the police car was driving me crazy. The dispatcher would come on air, run down a few codes, and then a different police officer would respond. The shit was driving me bananas until I heard . . . something.... No. Could it be real?
I sat up in the seat and leaned over toward the fiberglass shield that separated the front seat from the back so I could decipher the police codes. “This is roger four-nine-oh-three-two. I’m located on the south side of the house. I found the gunshot victim that made the nine-one-one call. He needs medical attention immediately.”
My mouth fell wide open. I turned my body toward the car door and yelled to Carmen. “They found Mario! He’s alive!”
The officer who placed me in his car ran back toward me to see what my problem was. He opened the door in a flash. “What’s your problem, miss? You can’t be screaming like that,” he snapped.
I totally ignored his ass and turned my attention directly to Carmen. “Mario is alive, Carmen!” I yelled once again. “I just heard an officer radio another officer that he found Mario behind the house back there.”
The officer who stood before me slammed the car door in my face before Carmen could respond. She did, however, smile and wink her eye at me. I knew then that she’d heard me. I was fine now. My baby was alive and all I needed to do was see him for myself. Goose bumps spread over my entire body. Everything was gonna fall in its proper place and I was going to be all right.
I laid my head back against the headrest and before long, the officer who arrested me was in the driver seat of his car, escorting me down to police headquarters. Now I knew this sounded strange, but I was finally at peace with myself because the two people I just learned to love were alive and well. I couldn’t ask for anything more. My job here was done.
The Life I Chose
On to family matters. Carmen, Grandma Hattie, and Rachael have been up here to see me twice since this ordeal happened. They have been unbelievably supportive and I am constantly telling them thank you. I was told by Carmen that they had a wake service for Aunt Sandra, since the battery acid ate away at her body. There were no remains in the bathtub. The only thing the forensics team could go on were the blood samples they found mixed with the acid.
Mario came up here to visit me for the first time this morning. He was pretty banged up, but he assured me he was fine. He suffered two gunshot wounds to his shoulder and chest, but after an intense surgery effort, he came out all right. He still has to wear bandages for his wounds to heal but other than that he’s fine. Thank God he had a gun permit and that the pistol he had was registered to him, because otherwise he would have been locked up behind bars with me. We didn’t discuss his brother Maceo at all.
We did, however, talk about my plans to go back to Miami. I told him I was ready to face the music so I could get this whole thing behind me. He told me that he’d contacted both attorneys he mentioned a while back, but only one of them was licensed to practice down south and that he wanted one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to retain him and his partner. Travel and hotel was not included. I told him I had a little over one hundred grand stashed away but that’s all I had to my name. I did have money frozen in my accounts down in Florida. Mario told me that that wouldn’t be necessary because he already took care of it.