The Game of Deception

by Victor L. Martin

  “I never heard about it.”

  “It’s out of your jurisdiction, I assume. It happened in a small town called Kenly. Mrs. Hartford, Kimberly, she stumbled across the clues of what was going on and for some reason she confided to my husband. She had stolen the medical information of all your true test results, which proved that nothing was wrong with you. My husband made copies, and then he did his own snooping around. Well, Kimberly caught a case of greed and felt she could blackmail your husband and your doctor. My husband attempted to stop her, but she went ahead with it—”

  “When did she tell your husband about her plan?” Amanda asked.

  “A few days before Thanksgiving.”

  “Why? Why haven’t you given this information to the police?”

  “My dear.” Mrs. Branscomb chuckled. “Are you not a homicide detective?”

  Amanda’s head started to ache again. “Ma’am, first you tell me that my husband has been deceiving me for the length of our marriage and that I’m not infertile. And now you are telling me that he might be involved in a conspiracy for murder.”

  “Yes, my dear. Life is full of surprises and to be honest, I’m surprised that you haven’t called me an old ninny and hung up on me.”

  Amanda turned the wheels in finding out the truth. She requested the medical reports to be sent via e-mail. She then asked Mrs. Branscomb if her husband was willing to talk to her. She was not surprised when Mrs. Branscomb said no. Her husband wanted peace.

  “I do have one name that my husband informed me to give up, a Mr. Theodis D. Wellman. Let’s just say this, he takes care of the dirty work for your husband.”

  Amanda spoke to Mrs. Branscomb for a few more minutes and then allowed the woman to go back to bed. As promised, Volanda’s computer announced it had an e-mail. Amanda knew no rest would find her tonight. Using the computer, she pulled up the newspaper archives dating one or two days after Thanksgiving. She found the article on the murder. It was nothing worth the front page. But a life had been taken. Her hands began to tremble when she thought about Matt. He was a stranger to her when he held her at gunpoint, so close to committing murder. The guy who was with him, she would bet her last that he was Theodis D. Wellman. Picking up her cell phone, she dialed the Johnston County Sheriff’s Department. In less than five minutes, she was given the homicide detective’s cell phone number that was on the Potter murder. Amanda identified herself then explained why she was calling.

  The Johnston County detective was young and eager to make a name for himself.

  Amanda told him everything, ending with Kimberly plotting to blackmail her doctor and her soon to be ex-husband.

  “This would explain why her apartment was ransacked,” he said. “I assume the suspect or suspects found those medical papers because the only room that was torn apart was the bedroom.”

  Amanda’s mind was on a single mission and it was a firm revenge against Matt. The issue of her possibly not being infertile was pushed to the back of her mind, for now.

  “Was there any evidence found at the crime scene?” she asked.

  “Very little, all I have to build a case on is a pickup truck. There was a skid mark left in the driveway and Kimberly’s next-door neighbor said it wasn’t there when she left for work. I’m saying it’s a pickup because a farmer that lives down the street said he saw a dark-colored pickup speeding away. He was out checking his livestock and said a pickup went by with no lights on. Remember, this is Johnston County, farming land so there are countless dark-colored pickups. Right now that’s all I have.”

  Amanda thought of the stranger that was with Matt. He drove a dark-colored pickup and going off what Mrs. Branscomb told her, he takes care of Matt’s dirty work. Amanda easily placed the puzzle together in her mind. Matt had the motive for murder and his friend, whom she now figured to be Theodis D. Wellman drove a pickup.

  Mance avoided any direct eye contact with Amanda when he saw her. He greeted her briefly then headed directly for Volanda’s bedroom. He had no idea if she was feeling as much guilt as he was still holding. Even now, he still allowed thoughts of “what if” to creep into his mind. Being able to face reality, he knew that nothing good would have transpired had he went through his wants of fucking her. Temptation was a beast.

  In the kitchen, Volanda was at the table with Amanda. Volanda had to reluctantly tell Amanda a lie about why she and Mance were there. Along the way from Goldsboro, Volanda spoke on a possible gas leak at Mance’s house. Just to be safe, she said they would spend the night until it was checked out. Volanda couldn’t tell her the truth, and it pained her to lie to her friend.

  Amanda was holding back as well. She said nothing about the letter that Vic or Ghetti had left at the motel. Ironically, she wanted more facts before she shared anything with Volanda. . . mainly the mystery dealing with Ghetti. What she did share was the entire issue dealing with her soon to be ex-husband. Any thoughts of going to bed were erased from Volanda’s agenda when Amanda started with her conversation she had with Dawn Branscomb.

  *Goldsboro, North Carolina*

  11:32 P.M.

  Poo-Man waited until he heard Mikki’s loud moaning from behind the bedroom door before he made his move. He rushed into the kitchen and snatched up the keys to the silver Mazda speed 6. It belonged to Jay’s female cousin that was out of town on vacation. Poo-Man also found $800 on the kitchen table. Mikki had set everything up. Once she and Jay came out of the bedroom she would act upset that Poo-Man had stolen the car. Poo-Man had a strong sense of premonition that he would never see Mikki again. She assured him that the car wouldn’t be reported stolen until tomorrow morning. Jay would have to end up telling his cousin to call it in and say it was taken from her home so no connection would be made to Mikki. Poo-Man had no place else to go. Using the prepaid cell phone that Mikki had copped for him earlier, he called his cousin Riff.

  “Yeah?” Riff answered.

  Poo-man felt a touch of relief when his cousin answered. “Yo, Riff, what’s up with ya?”

  “Poo-Man! Dis you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Man, where . . . hold up, lemme go to the bathroom right quick.”

  “Where you at?” Poo-man asked while staying with the posted speed.

  “I need to be asking you that. You know I saw that bullshit on the news.”

  “Shit is all the way fucked up, yo.”

  “Okay, I can talk now. Yo, what the fuck kid? You wanted for murder!”

  “It’s true. I fucked up.”

  “Where you at now?”

  “Um, on Highway 70, leaving Goldsboro. Where you at?”

  “At this hoe crib in Selma. Oh yeah, where my bike?”

  “Mikki got it. She said she gonna call you tomorrow.”

  “Damn bruh. How? Why the fuck you do that shit?”

  Poo-man switched lanes, making sure he stayed with the posted speed limit. He couldn’t tell his cousin the truth. He had killed Maria over some dumb shit. When he didn’t answer, Riff spoke again.

  “Listen yo. I can only help you so much. I’ma meet you at the Bojangles in Selma, okay? Can you do that?”

  “Yeah . . . and thanks yo.”

  “Aiight, hold it down and keep your head up, nigga.”

  Poo-Man turned the phone off and was met with silence. Only the drone from the tires gave him a sense of reality. He drove as if he was heading for a roadblock with no brakes.

  Back in Durham, Volanda eased back into her bedroom. It was ten minutes past midnight. Instead of joining Mance in bed, she was looking in the closet for a coat. Being a light sleeper, Mance was pulled from his sleep. He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

  “Go back to sleep, baby.”

  “Where are you going? It’s . . .” He glanced at his watch. “Midnight”

  “Work related. Amanda and I need to check something out.”

  “About Ghetti?”

  “No, another case.” She turned to him. “I’ll be back in two hours or less, it’s nothing to wo
rry about.” She kissed him on the lips then rushed out before he could ask any further questions.

  Outside, Volanda met Amanda with hopes that she was doing the right thing. After Volanda was told all the chilling details about what Matt was suspected of doing, Volanda knew she had to act. Amanda told her that Matt would be out of town or so she hoped. She had made the same assumption when she had invited Ghetti under her roof.

  Volanda drove, still in doubt, the possibility of Amanda not being sterile. Amanda had persuaded her to join her on a search of Matt’s computer files. When they arrived, Amanda instructed Volanda to ride past the house to make sure Matt wasn’t home. Making a slow pass, she only saw her Chrysler Aspen in the driveway. No sign of Matt’s Audi A8L.

  “Park in the driveway of the third house on your left. It’s empty,” Amanda said, looking over her shoulder. Volanda turned the headlights off as she pulled into the driveway. When she cut the car off, her doubts grew stronger. Amanda sensed that Volanda was apprehensive so she spoke her mind.

  “Don’t try to talk me out of doing this.”

  “I didn’t say anything,” Volanda replied, knowing that Amanda had judged her on the money.

  “You can wait here. I will be okay.”

  Volanda rolled her eyes. “You’re talking silly. Let’s just get this over with. I’m just hoping that this isn’t something devious that Matt is behind. Have you thought about that?”

  Amanda nodded. “Yeah, but Matt has done enough. Let’s go.” Volanda followed Amanda, keeping her doubt and fears to herself. She felt like a criminal as they walked up to the front door.

  “I thought you said he took your house keys?” Volanda stood on the front steps, looking around the front yard.

  “He doesn’t know about this.”

  Volanda turned to see Amanda picking up a rock, a fake one. Turning it upside down, she slid back a slot then dumped a key in her palm, grinning. Inside, they wasted no time to search for what they needed. Amanda reminded Volanda to treat the search professionally. She led Volanda up to Matt’s private study.

  “His password is: hook, seven, five, dash. Check the file list under his medical folder titled List. I’ll go up to our. . . I mean his room and see what I can find.” She looked at her watch. “We should be done by one thirty.”

  Volanda sat down, slipping on a pair of latex gloves. She felt she was in the wrong. No, she knew she was in the wrong. Doing the right thing would be for her to have a search warrant. Keying the password, she said a short prayer because for some reason she knew it was needed.

  Amanda found a surprise the moment she stepped into the bedroom. She knew her husband inside and out. Looking at the bed, she stood perplexed. Matt’s side of the bed was left unmade, as well as her side, the right side. It was obvious that two people had slept in the bed. Her anger was brief and pointless when she thought about it. Moving toward the closet, she found his backup laptop on top of his shoe rack. She moved quickly, searching through the files on the laptop. Anything useful would be downloaded on the memory stick she placed into the port. After five minutes, her search had produced nothing that could back up any wrongdoing. She became frustrated. She kept searching, hoping to come across something that would incriminate Matt.

  Volanda was having better luck. She was looking at an original medical exam of Amanda. From what she could comprehend, there was nothing wrong with Amanda that would prevent her from having a baby. With further searches, she also came across an e-mail to Matt from his personal doctor. She was about to open the file when she saw a pair of headlights outside. Rushing to the oval picture window she slowly eased the curtains back. Pulling up behind Amanda’s SUV was Matt.

  “Amanda!” she yelled, running back to shut the computer off. “Wrap it up! Matt just pulled up!”

  Volanda and Amanda managed to slip out the back door without being seen. With both keyed up on the moment, no words were exchanged until they were halfway back to Volanda’s apartment.

  “That was too close,” Volanda said, slowing for a stop sign.

  Amanda snatched her gloves off, clearly upset. She had found nothing. “I do not understand why this is happening to me.” Her voice quivered, she was close to tears. Volanda tried to console her. “Keep it together, Amanda.”

  “I’m trying.” Amanda rubbed her face.

  “What did you find?”

  “Nothing,” Amanda replied with a desolate tone. “I-I think Matt has already replaced me with someone else.” She then told Volanda what she saw. Volanda waited until Amanda was finished talking before she broke the news on what she had found.

  “I have a question for you.” Volanda glanced at Amanda. “That guy you told me about, did you ummm, practice safe sex?”

  Amanda looked down at her hands. She shook her head slowly from side to side. Volanda cleared her throat then reached into her coat pocket. She pulled out a small memory stick. Seeing what she held up caused Amanda to sit up. “You found something!”

  Volanda nodded yes. “I’ll let you see it for yourself when we get home.”

  “Tell me now!”

  Volanda handed the memory stick to Amanda. “Nope, if I told you now, you would not believe a word of it. Trust me on this because I’m still having a hell of an effort to believe what I saw.”

  CHAPTER 16:

  Officer Down

  Selma, North Carolina

  Saturday 10:11 A.M.

  Ghetti was awakened by the deep thumping from a car system. Getting up from the sofa he saw his cousin’s boyfriend, Hurk. Rubbing his eyes, he went to unlock the front door, greeting Hurk with a fist bump. “What’s the deal, Ghetti? Still don’t wanna sell that Chevy?”

  “Give it up bruh, you know I’m not sellin’.”

  Hurk took off his white leather parka, heading for the kitchen. “Where’s Latasha?”

  “I think she took her home girls to the store or something.” Ghetti sat down, slipping his feet inside his shoes.

  “Yo, you never hollered at me about that deal with your connect.”

  “Hurk, real talk, that hasn’t even been on my mind fam’. Shit has been real hot on me for tha last few days . . . and if you didn’t know, I’m retirin’ from this hustle. But I will put you on to my connect, but that’s it.”

  “I can respect that,” Hurk replied, twisting the cap off a bottle of malt liquor. “Hell, I need to consider the same myself.”

  Ghetti doubted that Hurk was serious. They made plans to hook up later next week. Ghetti could only hope that he would still be a free man. Hurk headed back to the bedroom, leaving Ghetti sitting in the living room. Alone, Ghetti thought about his predicament, wishing he had a chance to do it all over. He was dialing Mance’s number when he heard another thumping car system. Assuming it was Latasha, he got up from the sofa. Peeking through the blinds, his eyes widen. It wasn’t Latasha. Across the street, he saw Poo-Man standing on the curb with his cousin Riff. The music was thumping hard from Riff’s red and black Cadillac Deville. Ghetti was held back from blasting on Poo-Man by common sense. His temper rose immediately as he watched Poo-Man slip into a Mazda sedan. All of his troubles were behind that bitch ass Poo-Man! Rushing out the back door, he jumped into his M45 reaching under the seat for his gun. Just as he pulled from behind the house, he spotted Poo-Man and Riff rolling down the street. He had a murderous déjá vu as he followed them with the gun in his lap. This same scenario had him facing a murder rap and yet he continued. He maintained a measured distance when he noticed they were heading for Highway 70. Making the turn behind them, he pulled out his cell phone to call San.

  “Yeah, who dis?” San’s tired and drowsy voice answered after the fifth ring.

  “Wake up, yo, it’s me, Ghetti!”

  “I’m up . . . what’s up?”

  “Poo-Man, that’s whut up! I’m followin’ that nigga right now!”

  “Word! Where y’all at?”

  “On seventy headin’ toward Raleigh. Poo-Man is following Riff.”

&nb
sp; “Then they must be going to Chapel Hill.”

  Ghetti switched lanes to the right then slowed to increase the gap behind Poo-Man. He was taking no chances on allowing Poo-Man to spot him. If San were correct, he would have no problem tailing them. San told Ghetti to hold back from doing anything. He assured Ghetti that he would meet him in Chapel Hill, ready for whatever. Ghetti agreed. Maintaining a steady speed, he allowed his mind to linger on his revengeful impulses. His temperament had changed for the worse. He even held some anger from last night’s issue with Jay and being held at gunpoint in Amanda’s crib.

  *Durham, North Carolina*

  11:47 a.m.

  Amanda looked morose as she sat in a squad car with Volanda. She could not understand why her husband had deceived her. After viewing the original medical reports, she compared them with the ones that were e-mailed by Dawn. It was simple. There was nothing wrong with her. She could bear a child. Now she realized why Volanda had asked if she had practiced safe sex with Ghetti, who Amanda only referred to as her friend. Not only had Amanda discovered the truth about her health, she also knew the person who had taken her place in Matt’s bed. Last night things had moved at an alarming speed. After she viewed the memory stick, she called the Johnston County Detective and told him what she had found, but not how.

  Hours later, a Johnston County Sheriff made a slow ride-by of Matt’s lavish home. In the driveway, a dark-colored pickup earned his scrutiny. He parked a few houses down then slipped out of his car with a pen and pad. He had an idea. With a quick and clever look, he used his limited drawing skills to copy the tire marking, with hopes they would match the ones left in Kimberly’s driveway.

  The first break in the swift investigation came after the Johnston County authorities ran the pickup’s tag. The owner was listed as Theodis D. Wellman. The investigation took another turn when two Johnston County detectives along with Volanda, made a late night visit to see Doctor Konner. They came straight out with the facts, asking him why he was falsifying and changing Amanda Hartford’s medical reports. At first, he denied any such thing. That all changed when talk of him being accessory to the murder of Kimberly Potter was mentioned. Doctor Konner broke down over a shot of vodka in his living room with his wife at his side. He told the truth, starting with Matt approaching him six months before he married Amanda. He also spoke of his minor knowledge of Kimberly’s murder. Matt had come to his office to tell him about Kimberly coming across Amanda’s original medical records. When asked what would be done about it, Matt assured him that Kimberly would be dealt with.