SUFFER WITH ME

by ROBERT LABOO

  “Thanks, Sonya. Do you remember the murder on Ridgewood Avenue?” Lee Lee watches Sonya perched on the end of her seat like a cat about to pounce on a mouse. Her expression is that of a predator. Lee Lee looks at Sufee to see if she notices it. It was obvious from the hope in her eyes that she didn’t. She decides right then to pay close attention to this woman.

  “Of course. The first victim with your card. What about her?”

  “It’s going to sound crazy but you know me so you should believe me. Twenty minutes before the call came in, I already knew about the murder.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Sweetie. Slow down and take it from the top. How could you?”

  “Someone called my extension and told me a woman was suffering on Ridgewood and I should hurry. I asked who was calling and he said ‘the murderer’. I thought it was a prank and dismissed it. So when I heard it was a murder on Ridgewood I rushed out. After my card was found on the scene how could I explain the call and why I was just reporting it?”

  “What happened after that?” Sonya hopes she doesn’t sound as anxious as she feels. Her heart is beating so fast she’s surprised they can’t see the vibrations through her blouse.

  “He called me before every murder except the stripper and also threatened to kill Lee Lee if I sought help. He even stabbed her tire to convince me. I know this is a tough pill to swallow but I swear it’s the truth. Being that you took over the case I was wondering if you could review the evidence and see if I missed something? Whoever is behind it is closer than I wished to believe.”

  “Are you saying a cop?”

  “I don’t know but I wouldn’t write it off.”

  “Okay. I’m with you. We’re going to figure it out. Trust me.”

  Essex County Correctional Facility

  The dayroom of the maximum pod is alive with activity. A mischievous energy fills the air as a room full of young men suffering from a mixture of stress and boredom search for an outlet. No news is being watched. One TV shows reruns of reality shows, while the other shows music videos. At a table sits a group of four men playing dominos. Insults are hurled across the table in good nature, for now.

  “Marshon Welch!” the C.O. yells from the desk. Munch stops playing dominos and approaches the officer.

  “Waddup?”

  “Put your greens on. You have an attorney visit.”

  “Aight.” He returns to the domino table and tells them to get a replacement. He had no idea his lawyer was coming down today. He’s praying for good news, hopefully it’s the bail reduction. He shimmies into the green jumpsuit and grabs his I.D. band. As he sits in the sally port awaiting floor control to open the door, thoughts of freedom dance around his mind. The door opens and he walks down the corridor to the room used for attorney visits. To his disappointment it isn’t his lawyer after all. His face hardens immediately as Detective Lewis stands to greet him.

  “Hey, Mr. Munch.” So much enthusiasm lays within the greeting that it sends a shiver through Munch. He can’t imagine any good coming out of this encounter. “That’s no way to look at a man bearing gifts. Makes you seem downright unappreciative.” Munch says nothing, so Lewis continues, “You’re always so silent around me that it’s hurtful. I think if I was a female you’d speak to me. You talk to a lot of girls on these phones. A lot of girls. But it’s one that it seems you paid little attention to. When you first place the calls a female voice says ‘All calls are subject to monitoring and recording’.” Lewis’ smile disappears. “By the time you leave this room, you’re going to wish you heeded to that woman’s warning.”

  CHAPTER 24

  A little girl cowers in the corner of the attic, as the monster frantically searches for her. She silently prays to God that he doesn’t look behind the boxes of clothes stacked in front of her. ‘Suffer! Suffer!” He screams as he flings objects out of his path. “Here you are!” But his voice is coming from across the room, directed at someone unseen. “Now you must suffer with me.’’ The girl peeks from behind the boxes as the monster lifts someone by the collar. “Where is she?” the monster barks. She sees a little finger point I her direction. The monster turns towards her with eyes the color of heated coal. The scrawny boy, in his massive hands, squeezes his eyes shut tightly. “You ruined a beautiful home, a beautiful family.” Tears drip from his eyes and enhances the madness within them. His lips curl into a sinister grin. “So much pain, I suffer. Honest I do.” He practically drags the boy behind him as he comes towards the girl. His grin disappears. “But I won’t suffer alone,” he growls as he reaches for her hand.

  “Suffiyah, Suffiyah!” Suffiyah blinks multiple times as she hears a snapping sound. Dr. O’Malley’s face is only inches from hers as her eyes adjust to her surroundings. “Are you okay?” Dr. O’Malley asks her.

  ‘‘Yes. Why did you bring me out of hypnosis?”

  “Sweetie, you’re drenched like you’ve just finished swimming, and if the perspiration wasn’t enough, you look like you were about to go into a seizure. I thought you were going to crap your pants on my sofa. You don’t pay me enough for that.” Dr. O’Malley smiles.

  “Did you get anything from me while I was under?”

  “Actually I did. Up until the point when the man reached for you, you were calm. I don’t believe this is a dream at all.” After running into a dead end at Child Services, Suffiyah decided to try her hand at being hypnotized. It couldn’t hurt.

  “So put me back under,” she insists.

  “No, that’s not healthy. I don’t have a machine to monitor them, but from your facial expression I can only tell your stress levels were dangerously high. Just rest for a minute.”

  Irate. That’s the only word that fits the killer’s mood as he follows his next intended target from one pointless destination to the next. His movements are so erratic now it brings a new excitement to the hunt. Right from the beginning he assumed he’d be caught for the murders, so he prepared for it. Carefully plotting out his every step in each crime was his way of staying under the radar for as long as possible. But after Storm’s murder, which was done in broad daylight, he tossed caution into the wind. They are no closer to him after her death than they were after the multitude of premeditated acts he committed. His target number was three deaths before his face was plastered to every paper and local news station. Yet here he stands today, untouched. He feels the hand of God guiding him through this insanity. There is no need to plan when the plotter of all plotters is using him as a vessel. This is the closest any man can come to invincibility. He could jump out right now and kidnap her, and no one would look twice. But he won’t do that. God always hid his miracles under the guise of secrecy and he won’t be the one to do otherwise. In the movie “The Terminal”, Tom Hank’s character coined phrase was “I wait.” And so will he. Slow and steady wins the race.

  Since leaving Dr. O’Malley’s office, Suffiyah has been in the house in heavy contemplation. All her gut is telling her to do is trust Benji. Out of all her suspects he’s the weakest. He’s only really a suspect because the other Detectives placed him there. A fat lot of good their opinions have brought thus far. Her phone ring breaking her train of thought.

  “Detective Adams?” the voice spills through the earpiece. She hasn’t heard this voice in so long it pauses her. “Hello?”

  “Oh, sorry. Hello.”

  He laughs. “For a moment I thought I had the wrong number. I was going to be beyond upset. It took me eons to build up the heart to finally use your number and to have it changed on me would have been tragic. But here you are. How are you?” She ponders that. How is she? Is she fine? Is she distraught? If she isn’t fine does she tell him that or does she lie?

  “I’m making it,” is what she manages to put together.

  “Do you need to talk? I can arrange something for you, Detective.” Images of their run-in flash through her mind.

  “No, I’m fine Dr. Jackson and please call me Suffiyah. I believe my Detective
days are behind me.”

  “You will always be my favorite Detective.” She can hear the smile in his voice. “However, I understand how idiotic this system is and the peons they strategically place in the positions of power. Teetering between success and homelessness. Their next move dictating the final outcome. So everyone is expendable to them, especially a bright, beautiful, ambitious, black sister such as you. You’re an unknown factor with so many capabilities it’s scary to them. You are a representation of everything they fear, competition.”

  “You have me in here blushing. I can’t say I agree with everything you said, but they felt good while you were saying them. They should bottle your voice up and sell it, everyone can us a little bit of Dr. Jackson. You’d be a millionaire,” she jests.

  “Thanks for your vote of confidence. I’ll keep that in mind. Don’t worry your dose will always be free of charge. Also, it’s Shawn. You fired Dr. Jackson apparently. So If I can’t be your therapist then I’d love to be your friend.”

  “Check out who has a human side.” She laughs. “But I would love to be your friend, Shawn. I’m glad that you decided to call.”

  “No problem. But I have appointments coming up. Try not to lose my number and I’d appreciate if you use it.”

  “Okay, I will. Later.”

  “Good bye.” Her smile right now can illuminate an entire housing project. She feels reassured in all her beliefs. Most importantly, speaking to him only reaffirmed her feelings for Benji. She missed him now more than ever. Scrolling through her phone she goes to his name and calls.

  “You’ve reached Benjamin Cooper. Sorry I’ve missed your call. If you…” the answering service carries on but she just listens to his voice.

  Smack!

  Lee Lee’s head is still buzzing and her tongue feels thick as she pushes it against the gag. You couldn’t have convinced her in a million years that she’d be tazed. The acrid taste of bile fills her mouth, she wonders if she vomited? All these thoughts passing through her head doesn’t diminish the pain from where she was just slapped. She can still feel the imprint of his fingers on her face. After her normal Saturday morning stops, she decided to grab something from her mother’s garage. This turned out to be a bad decision. As soon as she entered all she remembers is intense pain and flopping like a fish. What makes matters worse is being blind folded, she has no idea what’s going to happen until it happens. So she can’t even prepare for the hurt. The cool air on her body tells her she is nude. If not for that, then the feel of his hands fondling her bare breast or his fingers grazing her stomach were a clear indication. Mentally she kicks herself for wearing a sweat suit with no underwear. Her destination was the spa so she chose the easiest outfit to slip off. Never thinking, until now, how easy it would also make it for someone else to slip off her. Like this lunatic. She doesn’t know what she’s handcuffed to but it isn’t budging. Her legs are free, but after the force of that slap, she’s second guessing kicking out at him again. Fear grips her as she awaits feeling his penis being forced into her. Not many rapist use condoms so her brain keeps screaming “AIDS!”, making her heart race.

  “I wish you wouldn’t make this so hard.” He whispers as he rubs her thigh. She cringes under his touch. He’s told her every stop she’s made over the past few days and outfits she’s worn at exact times those days. When she added a stalker to her catalogue baffles her, but here he is. Suddenly something cold is placed on her vulva. “This was the sharpest knife I could find.” He claims while turning it on her flesh methodically. “What do you feel about a hysterectomy?” A whimper escapes her gag. “Good girl.” He’s sure he’ll get answers now. “I think we understand each other now. So I’m gonna remove the gag. Don’t scream. There, isn’t that better.” The gag is tossed aside. “You and Suffiyah went to Child Services, why? Before you answer that. I believe you now know who I am and what I’m capable of. Now determine if you wish to be a victim or a conspirator. You have three seconds.”

  “Hurry up and come get me from my mother’s house. I’m hiding in the garage, please hurry!” The text message flashes across Suffiyah’s screen. Hiding from what? She thinks as she scrambles to get into her jacket.”

  “You could have been anything you wanted to be right? Aint that what you preach?” asks Drama.

  “Yeah that’s what I preach.” Benji agrees.

  “So you telling me everything you’ve been in life is what you wanted to be?”

  “You always tryna finagle the bagel,” Benji replies laughing. “But the answer is no. I was too weak to be what I wanted to be, especially where we’re from. So I became everything I needed to be to survive. You get the difference?”

  “Yeah, but I just can’t see you as weak. It don’t fit you.”

  “Maybe not physically, but I was spiritually weak. I couldn’t be a sellout. What would my peers think? But eventually my spirit was strengthened and I discovered that the only person I needed to be was this dude you look up to. Every time I get around y’all I realize this is who I should have wanted to be the whole time.” Drama nods his head understanding.

  “Wait. Hold up, Coop. So if this isn’t what you always wanted to be, what was it?” Benji looks forward smiling.

  “You ready for this? No bs though. I wanted to be a cop.” They burst into laughter.

  “You aint no cop J. Reed!” Drama mimics LL Cool J’s character off In Too Deep. “That don’t even fit you.”

  “I know. They never had to live our lives, I did. I just understand that it’s more help in knowledge than incarceration. That’s not going to fix our neighborhoods, it will only continue to be the divisive factor it’s been. I believe keeping you with me every day is more beneficial than sticking you in the youth house. So I count that as a win. This way when you marry Lenae and build y’all family it will be strong. Because it’s a strong man there to lead them.”

  “What made you say Lenae of all people?”

  “I know how love looks, kid. What you thought y’all was a secret?”

  “Yup.” He laughs. “But you right. That’s baby squirrel. She make me want that life.”

  Benji laughs at the memory as he walks back to his car. These young boys call they female “baby squirrel” as a term of endearment instead of “baby girl”. This is a crazy generation. He grabs his phone from the armrest and sees a missed call from Suffiyah. Baby squirrel. This made his day.

  The color drains from Suffiyah’s face as she runs over to Lee Lee’s limp body. This was her nightmare all over again. The rise and fall of her chest brings relief. “Lee, wake up baby.” She smacks her face while removing the blind fold. Lee Lee begans to come around. Her eyes flutter open and land on Suffiyah, tears instantly fill her eyes. She wraps her arms around Suffiyah and sobs incessantly.

  “I’m sorry,” she whines.

  “Shh. It’s okay, Lee.” The two lay on the ground rocking back and forth latched to one another. After consoling her and finding her clothes they go inside the house so they can talk.

  “How’d you know to come here?” Lee Lee asks, the mug of tea trembling in her hand. She gained her composure for the most part but is unable to steady her nerves.

  “You texted me, sweetie.”

  Lee shake her head. “I was handcuffed,” she tells her tale as she remembers it.

  “…he placed the knife to me and I had to tell him or I think he would have killed me.”

  “It’s okay. I understand.” Suffiyah sits in disbelief. Could he have been parked somewhere watching her arrival? Or was this his way of getting her where he wanted her? What’s to stop him from coming in right now and killing them both? Nothing. She gets a hold of her senses and calls Sonya.

  CHAPTER 25

  “He’s one of the founding fathers of Cali Block,” Munch says as Lewis points at the picture. “But he squared up to my knowledge.”

  “We’re speaking of this man, Benjamin Cooper?”

  “I guess.”

&
nbsp; “What do you mean you guess?”

  “I’m saying I don’t know bruh government.”

  “So what did you call him?”

  “Benji Ru.” Lewis jots the name down before continuing.

  “What is his status under your set? Wait, what set are you?”

  “Piru.”

  “Okay and his rank?”

  “He got double OG.”

  “I thought he squared up?”

  “I’m saying Lay Low said they was in control and they both held the double. Maybe he was just allowing Lay Low to be the face.” More writing.

  “So you carried out the orders of your superiors, correct?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Mr. Cooper and Lay Low, correct?”

  “Yeah.”

  In his stack of paper he finds a picture of Lay Low. “This man Laywan Thomas is who you call Lay Low?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He was recently murdered, correct?”

  “Yeah,” Munch replies guilty. He feels like a traitor at this moment.

  “So with Laywan dead, who are your superiors?” Munch looks in Lewis face. His eyes dance in delight in anticipation of the answer he knows is soon to part Munch’s lips.

  “Benji Ru.”

  Excited, ecstatic, elated and any other word which is synonymous to these three words combined, couldn’t describe the feeling coursing through Detective Sonya Fields right now. When she received Suffiyah’s call she immediately dispatched a marked car to the residence until she arrived. When she walked in she found Suffiyah and her sneaky friend in the sitting room giving a report to the uniformed officer. She waved him off to take a look in the garage and patrol the area. It’s very coincidental that after being released from the force, Adams has all this information on a case where she was clueless while working it. Now this invisible murderer magically appears and abducts her best friend? Amazing. Then of all people he texts Suffiyah to come rescue her. No other witnesses? If they were selling this story for one cent and an all-expense paid trip to Dubai, she wasn’t buying it. They can go to all the extremes they want. Upgrade from the taser and use a handgun, but they won’t convince her they’re innocent. The way she has it figured, Lewis is smitten by Suffiyah and is leaking information to her about Sonya’s investigation. So Suffiyah sought her assistance in an attempt to allay suspicion. But little does she know that no one cons Detective Sonya Fields. To catch a dummy you have to act like a dummy and Sonya can be as dumb as they come. While they think they’re playing on her intelligence she’s just collecting evidence to strengthen her case.