by Noel Obiora
“We are back in the matter of People v. Jackson. Let the record reflect counsel are present, defendant is present, and my cough is present as well,” said the Commissioner. Only the court reporter seemed amused by this comment.
Commissioner Barney briefly collected herself before she raised her head to look at Kenneth for the first time since she walked into the courtroom.
“I take it Mr. Brown has decided to join this proceeding after all?” Commissioner Barney asked as though she was talking to herself.
“Upon my invitation, your Honor. His presence is a source of encouragement for my client,” Cassandra said.
“Very well,” Commissioner Barney said, and turned to Amy. “You may call your first witness.”
Amy called Officer Fritz to the stand. Fritz described the investigation and what the officers discovered, but this time included a listening device and modem that was found under the bed. He introduced police reports and explained how they were prepared, including, for instance, why there were both handwritten and typed copies of the same police reports. Photographs of the items of evidence collected at the scene of the crime were introduced, but the items themselves were not brought to the hearing, as there were no jurors.
This examination of Officer Fritz took about half an hour as Amy meticulously presented one piece of evidence after the other, showing the manner in which it was collected and the chain of custody, which explained how the items were maintained in the manner they were collected until the hearing. The key facts in the case and the witnesses who provided them also came out of this examination. When she came to Goldie, she made sure the record had the most detail. “Please describe the body as you found it.”
“The corpse lay on the floor with one leg twisted under her body like it was broken, her face looking up at the ceiling, her hands spread to her sides.”
“Was she dressed?”
“No, not fully, ma’am. She was in her underwear, but no clothes, and she was found by the door of her master bathroom.”
For her examination, Cassandra picked the facts apart methodically. Knowing she could not defeat the district attorney on a finding of probable cause, she was only going to focus on the process the police used to collect the evidence, so as not to tip her hand at trial.
Cassandra examined Officer Fritz on the fact that the door was locked when the body was discovered and there was no evidence of a break-in. “What did the officers know of how Mr. Jackson obtained the key to the apartment before they arrested him?” Fritz said they did not have those facts at the time, but they knew he had been in the apartment from the testimony of the witnesses across the street and other evidence found in the apartment. “So, you surmised he must have the key from those facts, was that it?” Cassandra asked, and Fritz again said no. Many questions followed about how long Goldie had been out of the country and who was using her apartment at the time, even after she returned.
Finally, Cassandra examined Fritz on the information obtained from Ms. Ola before she rested.
“The People rest as well,” Amy said to Commissioner Barney.
The decision was swift, as if it was written before the hearing was held: “I find probable cause for the crimes alleged against the defendant and bind this matter over to the superior court for trial. I shall issue a more detailed ruling for the record in the coming week,” Commissioner Barney said and set the matter for superior court arraignment immediately.
28
What’s In The Name
The twenty-fourth of March became forever etched in Kenneth’s memory as the day his life changed for the better. The insurance company delivered the largest single check his office had ever received. He knew it was a check the moment the messenger handed the envelope with the insurance company’s return address and asked for his signature. His heart raced, wondering how much they decided to give him, as he signed the receipt. He got the check in Nancy’s office and solemnly carried it to his office, expecting a much-reduced amount than what he had requested. They gave him everything. He placed the check on the desk rather slowly, sat down, and looked at it again without touching it to convince himself it was not a replica of some sort or a sample check used to illustrate what the insurance company’s check looked like. Then he read the short letter that came with it.
The first person he told was Cassandra, who was of the opinion that the swift payment was “a contradiction of the insurance company’s business plan.” Kenneth told her to expand their search for experts and consultants to the best available.
Nancy was full of praise to the Lord for getting the check and genuinely oblivious to the irony that she had made the insurance company the handmaiden of the Lord, but Kenneth knew better than to say anything. “The Lord has answered our prayers,” he repeated after her. “Yes, ma,” he said when she shouted that “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn” and with many other verses, she exalted the Lord with hands raised up, eyes closed. When Kenneth returned to his desk with his door closed, he could still hear her singing, quoting the book of Isaiah and the Gospels Epistles, and reciting various Psalms. He decided to go to the bank.
Nothing could douse his spirit the rest of the day, but the fact that he could not call Amy to tell her. She had approached him after the preliminary hearing, in full view of Mr. Jones, Mallam Jackson, and his followers, which included two or three of the basketball rejects who had come to his house unannounced. Standing removed from everyone else in the court, she apologized for being so quick with him in the morning but reiterated that she could not talk to him or see him until the trial was over. He asked what had led to her abrupt change in behavior after their weekend together, and she said that perhaps she had come to her senses, and walked away before he could even respond to her. Later, he persisted in using the case as a pretext to call her, but she stopped taking his calls entirely and had them forwarded to Kate.
He went to Neda, and Neda explained that Mr. Jones and Mallam Jackson had gone to see Amy’s boss. They threatened to send Mallam Jackson’s followers to the courthouse to heckle Amy until she ended the relationship or was removed from the case. Kenneth was surprised that Amy could not give him that explanation, and Neda reminded him that Amy’s discussion of anything related to the case with her boss was privileged. Amy should not have disclosed it to any one because the only way Amy knew of the threat was through her boss. Thus, Kenneth’s tongue was tied as well. He could not confront either Mr. Jones or Mallam Jackson about the visit because it would mean that Amy had told someone, who told him, Neda reminded him.
Mr. Jones’ and Mallam Jackson’s threat explained why Amy put on a show for everyone to see that she had walked away from him. His stunned expression was their answer to what had transpired in his brief conference with Amy. Mallam Jackson had got his wish. Kenneth had been shamed in public and angry that he was not given an explanation for his disgrace. Cassandra had intercepted him before Jo could come to him, and brought up their arrangement to inspect Goldie’s apartment, which she had been discussing with Kate. This had calmed him and returned him to a professional demeanor.
•••
Nancy was in the bedroom reading the Bible and Kenneth was on the recliner switching channels on the television when loud banging on the living room door startled both of them to their feet. The next round of Big’s banging on the door came with his voice calling Kenneth with expletives to open the door. Nancy was in the living room before Kenneth got to the door.
Big pushed Kenneth aside and stepped into the living room as soon as the door was opened. Only then did he see Nancy, who stood by the passageway to the bedroom, looking at him with a bewildered expression.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t know you was home.”
“That’s quite alright, Big John.”
“Didn’t mean to curse,” Big said.
The aroma of the spiced fried chicken and curry rice Nancy had recently cooked still filled the house. Since Kenneth hired a secretary, all Nancy did in her spare time was cook and host people. There was always someone there from her church, for which Kenneth was grateful. The new experienced staff in his office also allowed Kenneth to set himself a time to return home, no later than 7:00 p.m., whatever there was to be done. All the windows were open and the ceiling fan was at full blast, but they were of little help clearing the air.
“What do you want?” Kenneth asked, still standing by the door.
“Is this how you welcome someone to your house?”
“I don’t recall you bothering to ask if you were welcome to begin with.”
“What the fuck’s the matter with you?” Big asked, lowering his voice.
“When you stab a man in the back, Big, you don’t come to their house unannounced and expect to be welcomed with open arms.”
Big appeared to reflect on Kenneth’s comment briefly, seeming unsure what to make of it.
“Who took those pictures at your nightclub?” Kenneth asked, and Big began to laugh.
“Nigga’ please —,” he laughed. “You trying to blame me for being all alone without your DA gal. Nigga’, when was the last time you had any woman that stuck around? Seriously. Your last gal took your permission Kenny, with your permission, spent Valentine’s Day with her baby daddy. Because…and nigga’, you bought this shit! Because she said it was her son’s birthday and she usually met with her baby daddy and her son on that day. And the one before that, where the hell was she from—the islands?” He laughed even louder. “Now that bitch was so smart, she made sure everything anybody knew about you two came from her, while you was promising her that you was gonna be discreet as she makes up her mind whether to date you or go back to her ex. And while you was being discreet and shit, she was going about town telling whoever would listen that you her puppy for now!” Big laughed some more as he sat down. Kenneth was convinced that Big was saying all these things about his past in such a loud voice for Nancy’s benefit.
“Nigga’, sit your ass down. We family. I don’t snitch on family. Mr. Jones cooked that shit up when he found out there might be insurance money to pay him, and Mallam Jackson went with it. Why you think Jo went all out to get rid of him, even threatening to report him to your damn lawyers’ association that day you was in court for the hearing?”
Mr. Jones, the conniving devil, had planned everything to ensure no one could speak about it, Kenneth thought, and finally sat down with Big.
“Make this quick, Big. I’m not in the mood.”
“So, you gonna be like that all night?”
“The longer you take, the worse I’ll get.”
Big considered Kenneth briefly.
“I got this visit today about Footsie. I just about ran out of the club to come here, Kenny. Because this shit is too important to wait.”
“Visit from whom?”
“Now, get this Kenny. They about to release her album.”
“How do you know that?”
“This guy Paul hires sometimes for studio sessions when we got money, he was working on some gig for Goldie’s agent, and the agent asked him what ‘Footsie’ means,” Big spread his arms wide with a grin, as though he had just said something Kenneth should be happy to find out.
“What does ‘Footsie’ mean?”
“The recording company doesn’t know, Kenny! And they about to name her record ‘Footsie.’”
“Is it a song Paul wrote?”
“That ain’t the point, nigga’. Goldie insisted the record company must call her first album ‘Footsie.’”
“So, why is that important? Was it a song he wrote?”
“Ain’t no song nobody wrote called ‘Footsie,’ at least ain’t none that I ever heard. Kenny, the record company didn’t wanna name the album ‘Footsie,’ but she put her foot down and threatened to sue before they backed off. Now she’s dead and they’re trying to change the title of the album.”
“But first they want to know all they can about why she chose the name.”
“Dawg-gone it. You smart, Kenny,” Big shouted excitedly, almost jumping up from the couch.
“What’s in the name for us?”
Big lowered his voice and leaned forward as though there were a third person in the room with them. “Paul gave her the name,” Big said and sat back with a sense of satisfaction. Kenneth looked perplexed. Big leaned forward again. “Kenny, she was making her first album a tribute to Paul. She used to tell Paul that whatever happened between them, she was going to name her first child after him. But one time she also said she didn’t see herself having any children. Why she gonna name her first album after the man they say killed her? That doesn’t show that she thinks Paul’s jealous, it shows she thinks Paul’s a good man and he should be proud of what he created.” Big lowered his voice for most of the discussion about why Goldie would name her album “Footsie,” and it seemed Nancy could not hear him any longer from her bedroom because she returned to the living room.
“Big John. I am gonna make some food for you to take home with you.”
“No, ma’am, I’m good.”
“I don’t care; I’m giving you my home-cooked meal anyway. The only reason I’m not serving it to you here is because I’m afraid you’re gonna fall asleep in the car with the food so heavy. Are you sure you are okay to drive?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Big left as soon as Nancy had packed some food for him.
Nancy closed the door after Big. Kenneth never stood up to say goodbye, but Big said what Mr. Jones did “was wrong as rain” and said that proved that Kenneth was the right man for Paul, “but Mr. Jones was right about the gal.”
Kenneth was lost in thought when Nancy turned to look at him after closing the door.
“Everything okay?”
Kenneth looked up at her.
“Yes. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Big might actually be right about this one.”
“Good,” Nancy said with a grin and went back to her bedroom.
Sitting alone in the living room, Kenneth thought of Goldie having Paul’s interests in mind even while making it clear that their relationship was over. She kept his name in the music contract as manager to enable him to get general liability insurance coverage and kept the promise she made him to name the record after him. Could the same be true of his relationship with Amy, who had severed all communication with him? His thoughts returned to Mr. Jones. He wanted to hate the man, but realizing now how it felt to have a hundred thousand dollars in the bank made him understand the extent the manipulative bastard would go to make money. Besides, the quickest way back to Amy was to please Mallam Jackson and bring Mr. Jones back into the case. At least, he would be our bastard now, Kenneth thought. And we can afford him.
29
There Was a Man
On the last Monday in March, Amy woke up with nausea and called the office to say she was sick. Without court appearances, hearings, meetings, or out-of-office visits, she did not want to take the chance she might throw up at the office. Rebecca, the division secretary, called her back. By then she had thrown up, rushing herself to the toilet in a manner she had not done before. There was not much in the retch except a slimy yellow puke with some semblance of what she ate the night before.
“Can you make it to the office briefly?” Rebecca asked.
“I think I’m really sick.”
“I believe you, but the woman who lived next to the musician that died, the one you have been trying to find since we filed the charges, is here, in the office,” Rebecca said.
“Rachel?” Amy asked.
“Yes, she’s here with her sister.”
“It’s okay, s
he doesn’t have to see me, just let Kate know.”
“Kate isn’t here, but they met with Melissa and said they will only talk to you. Melissa is not too happy with them. She’s ordered me to make sure they don’t leave before we slap a subpoena on them.”
“I can’t. I am really not feeling well.”
Amy had felt nauseated a few days last week but never vomited until today. The month of February had passed without her menses. While it was the first time since law school that had happened, she had told herself that it was not entirely a cause for alarm because she had just begun a new job and received the most important assignment of her career, during which she was blackmailed by a militant African American Muslim leader and his followers. She had finally consummated her relationship with the man who had courted her for three months, then met the first man she had been truly fond of in college, and allowed herself the dare of fantasies she had thought impossible with him, only to be paid a visit by his father who convinced her that the American Congress of Black Muslims would hurt him if she continued to see him, especially if he lost this case, which he was more likely to lose given the facts of the case, not to mention the realities of the American judicial system. Kenneth’s father had confessed that he had not seen or spoken to Kenneth in a while but had been in constant communication about him with his mother and if Kenneth found out he had paid her this visit, the path back to a relationship with him would be made worse. Even Nancy hadn’t wanted him to visit Amy; Nancy only asked him to speak to Kenneth. But he knew that only Amy could stop Kenneth from proving he was “man-enough” to stand up to Mallam Jackson, when he was not. At no time in her career had she been so challenged, and no other eight weeks of her social life had been so complicated. All of which understandably caused enough stress to keep the curse away. It was thus explicable that she might miss a period or two. She did not mind calling herself an old maid if it meant that her worst Catholic school nightmare had not suddenly come true.