Hush

by Amaleka McCall

  Chastity pursed her lips, and her eyes hooded over at the sight of Deidre’s face. She had trusted Deidre and let her into her life, only to be betrayed. “Your daughter was a fucking fed, and a lying bitch! I have nothing else to say to you!” she said, raising her voice and starting to stand up, which garnered stern looks from the CO standing guard.

  “Look, I know you may be upset, but my daughter was doing her job. All of you were set up. I have proof, but I need your help. That is why I am here,” Cassandra continued.

  “Tell me what the fuck you know!” Chastity barked, sitting back down. Their time was running out.

  “Do you recognize him?” Cassandra asked, furtively showing Chastity a picture of Ricky.

  Chastity’s squinted her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She was staring into the face of one of her drug connects. “What is going on?” she whispered. Shit was getting stranger by the minute.

  Cassandra had to speak fast. She filled Chastity in on how Ricky had set them all up. Cassandra confessed that she had forced Ramon to leave Donna, R.J. and Chastity behind, and that she knew about them all along. When Chastity found out that Deidre was her sister, she lowered her head to hide the tears that streamed down her face. Not only had her brother betrayed her, so had her sister.

  As Cassandra spoke, Chastity was immediately taken back to the last day she saw her father . . .

  “Junior!” Ramon called out.

  R.J. came running towards the front of their apartment with his pesky little sister right on his heals. “Yeah, Dad?”

  R.J. huffed, bouncing his basketball.

  “I’m about to go on assignment,” Ramon lied, bending down to meet his children at eye level. Donna stood up against the door with her arms folded, trying to hide her tears.

  “Awwww, I thought you said you was gonna be here for my game!” R.J. whined.

  “Yeah, Daddy. I thought you said next time you go we could go too,” Chastity followed up.

  “Listen. I’ll be back. I have to take care of you all. Junior, you will be the man of the house until I come back. You take care of your mother and sister. Beautiful, Daddy will be back soon. Remember, you are my favorite girl,” Ramon said, speaking to his children in his native tongue. He leaned in and kissed both of his children on the forehead.

  R.J. and Chastity looked at their father sadly. They’d never gotten used to him coming and going. “Oh. I almost forgot. Son, take this. Wear it all the time. You are a man now. My father gave it to me, and I’m giving it to you,” Ramon said, handing a silver chain link bracelet to R.J.

  R.J. grabbed the shiny piece of jewelry and looked at it closely. “But its too big!” he complained.

  “You will grow into it,” Ramon said, rubbing his son’s head. “Okay, I gotta go,” he lamented, fighting back tears. He stood up and turned towards Donna. “I love you, and I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, grabbing her and kissing her wet face. Using the back of his hand to wipe tears from her cheek, Ramon moved his face close to hers and kissed her deeply.

  Donna returned the passionate gesture as she felt her heart breaking. She always hated when her husband got called to military assignments. Her fear was that he wouldn’t return. “Call me as soon as you get there, and write every week,” she instructed.

  “Here, this is for you and the kids. Use it wisely,” Ramon said, handing Donna a black bag.

  She slowly unzipped the bag half way and peeked inside. Crinkling her eyebrows, she looked up at her husband, confused. “Where did . . .” she started.

  Ramon put her pointer finger over her lips and cut her off mid-sentence. “Just keep it and use it,” he instructed. She quickly re-zipped the bag and held it tightly.

  R.J. and Chastity grabbed onto their father as he headed out the door. “Remember what I said. I love you all,” Ramon said with finality. And with that, he was gone.

  “Visit is up, Smith!” the CO yelled, breaking Chastity’s train of thought.

  “So, we agree to work together on this?” Cassandra asked Chastity.

  “Yeah, I’ll do it,” Chastity said. Although she was angry, revenge seemed like the only thing that would make her feel better.

  After Cassandra received the package Deidre sent her, she sprang into action. The thought of the Bureau killing her daughter as they had killed her husband was sobering. Cassandra put down her “Easy Jesus” and set out to finally do something for her daughter.

  Ricky had used Deidre’s so called murder to get promoted to Deputy Director at the Bureau. And just like Ricky, he took it one step further and made a bid for the Senate. But Cassandra had other plans for Ricky. The day of reckoning had finally arrived.

  Cassandra contemplated stopping at the liquor store for some of her “Easy Jesus”, because her nerves were on edge.

  But she thought about the task at hand, and decided against it.

  Arriving at the site for the speech sent chills down Cassandra’s spine. The camera flashbulbs snapped ten at a time as Ricky flashed his bright white smile and waved at the throngs of news reporters posted up in front of the speaking podium. Flanked by his wife, Lorna and two beautiful daughters, Ricky stepped up to the microphone. The crowd cheered loudly, showing their support.

  “My fellow constituents, I am here to tell you that I will not tolerate crime, drugs, or corruption!” Ricky said into the microphones.

  The crowd cheered again. Red, white and blue signs reading “Blum for Senator” were hoisted in the air.

  Ricky looked around at all of the banners and buttons with his likeness posted on them, and felt a great sense of satisfaction. He was the town hero. In the public’s opinion, Ricky had single-handedly captured or murdered the most notorious female drug dealers, the F.A.B., solved the murder of Amber Reeves, and revealed a crooked agent, Deidre Aponte. All he had to do now was sit back and wait to win the Senate seat so he could finally seal the deal with Esperanza.

  Cassandra stood at the back of the crowd as Ricky delivered a captivating speech and the hairs on her skin stood erect. Taking a deep breath, she needed to calm herself down. Walking slowly, she inched her way towards the front of the crowd. She carried a sign in front of her face, trying not to be noticed. “Excuse me! Sorry, excuse me!” she said, as she bumped and pushed her way forward.

  Once she made it to the third row, she peered over the rim of her dark sunglasses at the sound guy. The man looked back at her and nodded his head. He had nothing to lose. The money Cassandra had paid him was more than he would make in two years of pushing those sound buttons.

  “I want to tell you that I will make sure that something is done about the drugs that plague our . . .” Ricky began.

  Suddenly, his voice faded out, and all people could see were his lips moving. The sound in his microphones had been deadened. Hushed murmurs echoed through the crowd, as everyone looked around to see what had happened. The next thing everyone heard were strange voices booming out of the speakers:

  “. . . Aponte, I’ve known you since you were a little girl. I just want you to know that I would’ve never done anything to hurt you. I respected your father a lot,” Bernard began.

  “What are you talking about, Bernard?” Deidre asked seriously.

  “Your father, Ricky, Lewis and I were into some things you wouldn’t understand. We got in over our heads, and money started coming in all directions. Ricky slowly started taking over things . . .” Bernard began, but Deidre cut him off.

  “Wait, are you trying to tell me my father was a dirty agent?” Deidre asked.

  “I know you may not believe it, but we were all a part of it. Aponte, the money came so easily,” Bernard replied regretfully.

  “No. No. I don’t believe you,” Deidre said.

  “We got in over our heads, and everybody started pocketing money on the side. It was supposed to be one time, but Ricky kept going further and further. Ramon, Lewis, and myself wanted out, but Ricky wouldn’t hear of it. So, your father and Lewis decided to take matters into their
own hands, and that is when things got ugly,” Bernard stated.

  “Are you saying Ricky murdered my father?” Deidre asked.

  “Yes,” Bernard answered.

  “I don’t believe you!” she sobbed. “Why?” Deidre cried.

  “I’m sorry!” Bernard cried.

  “So, what does all of this have to do with me?” Deidre asked.

  “Senator Reeves was a part of the original deal. Diego Esperanza funded his campaign, made sure he got the Senate seat, and in exchange, Reeves was supposed to keep the National Drug Control policy from being passed. Reeves reneged on the deal, under pressure. Ricky decided to take revenge, and used Amber Reeves as an example. The case was a setup from day one. I’m so sorry!” Bernard apologized.

  “The fucking criminals are more loyal than the feds!” Deidre screamed.

  “I know,” Bernard said.

  “What about the F.A.B.?” Deidre asked.

  “They were just pawns. Ferguson was a part of this, and she and Ricky had it planned to blow your cover so that the F.A.B. would kill you. They never fixed the tag or set up your identity. They sent gunmen in so that you would blow your own cover, but none of it worked,” Bernard said.

  “Did Ricky kill Amber Reeves?” Deidre asked.

  “No . . . I did. She bled to death,” Bernard confessed.

  The crowd was pin drop quiet. Ricky was screaming for the sound staff to turn off the recording, but no one moved. He turned a dark shade of red as FBI agents and uniformed SWAT team officers converged on the podium with guns drawn. “Police! Don’t move!” they screamed.

  Ricky’s mouth hung open in shock. There was nowhere for him to run.

  Ferguson eased out of her chair, hung her head, and attempted to dip into the crowd. She walked headfirst into a plain-clothes police officer.

  “Ma’am, you need to come with me! You are under arrest for the murder of Amber Reeves!” the officer boomed.

  Ferguson’s shoulder’s slumped down and she surrendered.

  The courtroom was packed. Throngs of reporters lined up at the back and around the side walls.

  Cassandra sat in the first row of hard benches, behind the prosecutor’s table, and Chastity sat right next to her. Sweat drenched Chastity’s entire body, and she shook her legs in and out, back and forth as the court officer made his slow amble to the front of the courtroom. Cassandra reached over and grabbed Chastity’s hand in support.

  “Please rise! The Honorable Judge Melinda Black presiding!” the court officer said perfunctorily.

  As the judge took her seat, she seated the crowd. “Order! Let’s come to order and begin,” she said, banging her gavel twice. A sickening hush came over the room.

  Chastity glanced over at Ricky standing shackled behind the defense table. Her heart immediately began pounding as he glared in Chastity’s direction. She avoided eye contact, and hung her head. Suddenly, the boom of the prosecutor’s voice startled her.

  “The prosecution calls State’s witness, Chastity Smith to the stand!” the short, balding middle aged prosecutor called out.

  As she stood up to walk to the stand, she could feel eyes burning holes in her back. The courtroom was pin drop silent.

  “Please raise your right hand,” the court officer requested.

  Chastity complied, raising her hand. She was sworn in, and as she took her seat, her eyes locked with Cassandra’s. Chastity knew what she had to do. Being a snitch under any circumstances wasn’t in her nature, and she felt like throwing up right there in front of all of those people. Instead, she was able to swallow the lump that burned her throat, and remember how Cassandra had kept her promise to help her.

  Chastity quickly turned her eyes away from Cassandra and decided to find something else to focus on throughout her testimony. Looking at the front row behind the prosecutor’s stand, she focused on the face of a three-year-old girl. It was Akayla. This little girl would give her the strength to do what she knew was right. Chastity thought that maybe God would forgive her for what she’d done to Tori and Leticia.

  “Ms. Smith,” the prosecutor began.

  “Yes . . . ahem! Yes?” Chastity replied in a raspy voice, trying her best to get rid of the ball of fear stuck in her neck.

  “Please tell us how you know the defendant,” he continued.

  “I bought drugs from him—he was my connect, as we say in the street,” Chastity mumbled. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ricky leaning in to his attorney. She moved uneasily in the burgundy leather swivel chair at the left of the judge.

  “Please tell the court where you met the defendant,” prosecutor said.

  “I got introduced to him through Amber Reeves,” Chastity said in a low, barely audible voice.

  “I’m sorry . . . Did you say ‘Amber Reeves’, as in Senator Daniel Reeves’ daughter?” the prosecutor asked for clarity.

  “Yes. She also sold drugs for him,” Chastity said in rapid succession, letting the uneasy words roll off her tongue.

  “Ohhh’s” resonated through the crowd.

  “Can you please tell us who the F.A.B. crew was, Ms. Smith,” the prosecutor said.

  “Yes ...Yes I can,” she replied.

  “Please begin,” he said flatly, taking his seat back behind the prosecution table.

  Chastity looked over at Ricky before she spoke. Ricky shot her evil looks; if looks could kill, she would have been six feet under. Averting her sight from him, she then looked at Cassandra, and filled in the missing pieces to the story.

  Ricky’s trial went on for six weeks, and throughout the entire court proceedings, Cassandra remained sober. She hadn’t indulged in the “Easy Jesus” since the trial had begun. She wanted to be sharp and astute when she avenged her husband and daughter’s deaths.

  Lorna Blum sat on her living room sofa in a daze, watching the breaking news. Her eyes swollen from crying and lack of sleep, she took a long drag of her cigarette as she awaited news of her husband’s fate. She hadn’t been to court for the last four weeks of the trial. She couldn’t stand to hear how her husband had slept with so many woman, murdered so many people, and sold drugs. Staring at the screen, she watched as the creamy-skinned African-American reporter began speaking:

  “After twelve hours of deliberations the jury in the murder, conspiracy and racketeering trial of former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Ricky Blum has returned a verdict. The twelve-person jury, made of up four African-American women and eight white men, returned a unanimous guilty verdict on all counts just after ten a.m. this morning. Ricky Blum is slated to be moved from the courthouse shortly. As you can see behind me, a crowd has formed outside of the courthouse. We will continue live coverage . . .”

  Lorna stared at the gun on her coffee table. It sat atop the asset forfeiture papers she’d been served with just the day before. She and her children would ultimately be left with nothing. The government had orders to seize her home, cars, clothes, jewelry, artwork and anything else of value. She was penniless. Lorna picked up the gun and slid it into her black leather Chloe purse. Inhaling, she rose from the sofa and left her front door. “He left me nothing to live for!” she screamed as she headed towards the garage.

  Cassandra and Chastity sat together in Cassandra’s family room, camped out in front of the television set. They’d been watching the news telecast since the verdict, and now they waited to see Ricky being hauled off to jail.

  “How are you feeling?” Chastity asked, rubbing Cassandra’s arm.

  “I’m okay. How about you?” Cassandra replied softly.

  “I’m okay too. Before you came into my life, I was lost. After my brother betrayed me, I felt like I had nothing to live for. But thanks to you getting me the immunity offer, I can start a new life,” Chastity said gratefully.

  “You also gave me a reason to live. You’re a part of Ramon no matter what, so therefore I can accept you. We will keep each other strong,” Cassandra said with tears welling up in her eyes. For the first time, she had trul
y forgiven her husband, which made life easier. She no longer had a reason to drown her pain with alcohol.

  “Look, they are bringing him out!” Chastity screamed, pointing to the television. They’d been waiting for hours to see Ricky handcuffed like a common criminal. Cassandra shifted her attention to the screen and turned up the volume:

  “. . . As you can see here a large crowd has gathered to see Ricky Blum off to jail. His lawyer is scheduled to make a statement shortly,” the reporter said, pointing to the courthouse steps.

  “Look at that dirty bastard! To think I had him in my home, around my family!” Cassandra screamed, banging her fists on the arm of the sofa.

  “There he is!” Chastity said, moving to the edge of her seat. They both watched as the detectives, uniformed police and several layers of people escorted Ricky down the courthouse steps towards the waiting Department of Corrections of van.

  “Back up! Back up!” one of the detectives screamed, extending his arms to move the crowd back. Ricky held his head down, hiding from the cameras.

  “Ricky! Ricky! It’s me!” Lorna screamed out, struggling through the crowd.

  Ricky lifted his head before he stepped into the van. He hadn’t seen his wife in weeks. “Wait! That’s my wife!” he called out.

  Lorna rushed forward, and the detectives hesitated letting her get close. As soon as she got near Ricky, she raised her hands in front of her. “I thought you loved me! You left me nothing to live for!” she screamed, firing the gun griped tightly in her hands. “Bang! Bang! Bang! The shots cleared the crowd.

  “Gun! Gun!” the transporting officers screamed as they drew their weapons and unloaded on Lorna.

  The media cameras captured the entire scene. When the smoke cleared, Lorna and Ricky both lay dead, and two officers wounded.

  “Oh my God! Did you see that?” Chastity yelled to Cassandra. They watched most of the melee on television, but weren’t able to see Ricky go down. The cameras all went black.

  “I think someone shot Ricky!” Chastity screamed excitedly.