by Dynah Zale
Garrett didn’t know what Raquel was trying to do, but he wasn’t going to play games with her. “No comment.” He stepped away and made his way over to the polling stations.
“So, you’re not willing to discuss how you had me falsely accused and arrested.” Raquel’s intention was to put Garrett on the spot.
“No comment.” This time Garrett had a look in his eyes that said beware because she was about to push him over the edge.
“Well tell me this, Why did you skip out on Blair’s custody hearing?”
“What?”
“You never showed up to the custody hearing for Blair a couple months ago. The court never legally appointed you his guardian.”
“What difference does that make now? The boy is dead and buried.” Garrett was annoyed by Raquel’s presence.
“Oh!” Raquel held up one finger. ‘“He may be dead, but he’s not buried. As of yesterday I had his body exhumed from out the ground.”
“Are you insane?” Garrett said.
Even though there were plenty of reporters around, no one said a word because they wanted to be the first to report what was about to go down.
“Then I had his body cremated, and these are the ashes.” She picked up the box and hugged it close to her bosom.
“Cremated?” Mecca said from across the room. “Please tell me Blair is not in that box.”
“He sure is.” Then Raquel spoke to Garrett. “Now I know for sure there is no way you can ever take him away from me.”
What did you do?” Garrett was livid and seconds away from strangling Raquel. “You must’ve dug him up yourself, because there’s no judge in their right mind who would give you the right to exhume a body.”
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” Raquel sang with vindictiveness. “I sat and had a nice long talk with Lady Lanier.” Raquel turned her back to Garrett and faced the crowd of reporters so they could hear every word she had to say. “I explained my side of the story to her and she seemed pretty convinced that I was telling the truth. Once Detective Hart verified a few things she pushed the paperwork through and authorized that Blair’s body be handed over to me.
Garrett was furious. How could she disturb his son’s final resting place? Garrett acted off of impulse and grabbed Raquel by the throat and pushed her up against the wall. They fought, and in the midst of their struggle, Raquel lost hold of Blair’s ashes and the box flew in the air. A huge cloud of dust composed of Blair’s ashes filled the air around them.
“You want to know the truth.” Garrett screamed one inch away from Raquel’s face. “Yes, I told that cop to have you locked up and to throw away the key. You didn’t deserve Blair and you still don’t.” In his anger, Garrett revealed his true self.
The realization of what he had just done didn’t come to light until he saw all the news cameras filming him live. This was being broadcast all across the region. He let Raquel go; she quickly fled from Garrett’s wrath.
Garrett looked around, and he saw Mecca on the floor trying to gather as much of Blair’s ashes as she could. The circle of reporters that had once surrounded him opened up and allowed Garrett to leave without any interference from them.
When he walked back into his office he released all his rage. He pulled banners and posters down from off the walls. He pulled telephones wires out the wall. He fired every one of the volunteers who had worked earnestly on his campaign. He told everyone to pack their things and go, including his secretary.
Once everyone was gone and Garrett was tired from destroying everything in his path he staggered back to his office and took a seat in his leather office chair. Then he kicked his computer monitor off his desk as his final deed. From his bottom desk drawer he pulled out a bottle of vodka and guzzled straight from the bottle.
Once the room turned silent he was startled by the single applause of hands clapping. He looked up and it was Richard.
“Bravo.” Without reservation Richard strolled into Garrett’s office and took a seat in the only chair that was left sitting right side up. “Today, justice has been served.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in jail?” Garrett calmly mimicked the tranquility of the mood in the room.
“No, but you are.”
Garrett chuckled in response to his ex-friend’s joke.
“Why are you laughing? This is not a joking matter. They released me today because the police said they had evidence that exonerated me. Do you know what that evidence is?”
Garrett never answered Richard. In fact he really wasn’t listening to a word Richard was saying. Instead he focused his attention on the cop car that had just pulled up outside his office.
“It really doesn’t matter anyway. The damage has been done. Because of your accusations, the correctional officers nearly killed me. They kept me in solitary confinement for nearly three weeks without any food, water or sunlight. Then once they did retrieve me from hell, they put me right back into another hell. They made me clean every inmate’s toilet in general population, by myself without any officer protection. Do you know what happens to accused child molesters in prison? I’ve been stabbed with a shank at least fifteen different times.” Richard pulled a silver plated gun out the waistband of his pants and tapped Garrett’s desk to get his attention. “But now I’m here to return the favor.”
Garrett saw the crazed look in Richard’s eye and knew his friend had been pushed over the edge.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you suffer like I did.” Richard gave him an evil grin.
Then two police officers entered Garrett’s office. “Councilman, we need to speak with you a moment.”
Richard had his back turned towards the officers so they couldn’t see the gun, but when he heard their voices he quickly stuck the pistol back in his pants.
Richard leaned over the desk and whispered to Garrett. “By the way, that stellar performance that Raquel just put on. You can thank Detective Hart and me for that. Although, I’m sure the detective won’t be getting out of jail anytime soon, he wanted me to let you know that just the thought of you owning up to your part in Raquel’s arrest will make him sleep better at night.”
Richard walked out, passing the two officers.
“Councilman Dunn.” The taller of the two men walked up close to Garrett’s desk. This is for you.”
Garrett looked suspiciously at the outstretched paper as if it were a poisonous apple. Once he glanced over it, he realized it was the second half to Blair’s letter.
I wonder if my dad would have still wanted me to hang out with my best friend Dontayé if he knew Dontayé was the reason K’mar slit his wrists. Dontayé was never really my friend. He hurt me. The same way he hurt K’mar, Demetrius, Markell and even Lady Lanier’s grandson. Dontayé touched me in my private parts and made me do things that I knew weren’t right. That’s why I have to leave. I have to get out of here and I hope my dad can forgive me because I can no longer be here. I have to go be with my mom.
Garrett wept as he read the letter. He crumpled the paper in his hands and moaned loudly.
“Mr. Dunn, Dontayé has been taken into custody and our chief needs for you to come down to the station first thing in the morning to answer a few questions.”
The two officers left Garrett to wallow in sorrows. Garrett felt horrible. He didn’t think anything could make him feel worse than what happened with Raquel, but learning that his son was sexually abused by his best friend sickened Garrett, and the worst part was that it happened right under his nose.
When Garrett lifted his head he saw Mecca standing outside. She was frantically searching through her purse. The children stood close by watching her.
Garrett got up and went outside to talk with her.
Chapter 67
“Mecca.” Garrett pulled his suit jacket off and covered up the children. The thirty-mile per hour wind gusts blew dirt in Garrett’s face. He could barely see ten feet in front of him.
When she heard Garrett’s voice she franticall
y searched harder for her keys. The contents of her purse fell to the ground. Garrett stooped down to help her and that is when he noticed her hands were covered in ash. He looked down at her clothes. She was filthy and covered in Blair’s ashes. He turned to the children. They were also painted in gray ash.
Mecca found her keys, unlocked the car and began strapping the children in their car seats.
“Mecca, let me drive you home.” Garrett could see how hysterical she was acting. Her hands were shaking, she was crying uncontrollably. “You shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car.”
“Leave me alone!” She pushed Garrett away from the car and she jumped into the driver’s seat.
Once she was inside, she locked all the doors. Garrett knocked on the driver’s side window. “Mecca, come on and open up the door.”
Mecca wouldn’t listen. She fumbled to get the keys in the ignition.
Garrett knew that if she ever got that key in the ignition she was going to take off with the children. He ran around to the passenger side door and pulled hard on the handle.
“Leave me alone!” Mecca hollered.
The children cried for their father to save them.
Mecca had finally gotten the key in the ignition. The engine started up, but before she could put the car in gear and press down on the gas pedal, Garrett punched straight through the passenger glass window. The glass shattered. Garrett stuck in his hand and pulled on the handle. He got in.
“Get out.”
“No. The least I can do is make sure you and the children get home safely.” Garrett’s bloody hand was stinging with pain.
She pulled off and a huge banner that extended the full length of Garrett’s campaign headquarters building fell to the ground. Huge rain pellets belted away at the banner until the ink ran off and down the sidewalk. The fierce winds eventually pushed the banner into the gutter marking the end of Garrett Dunn’s run for mayor.
Mecca focused hard on the yellow lines painted in the middle of the street. It was hard for her to see and as a result she kept swerving over into the other lane.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?” Garrett offered.
Mecca pushed down harder on the gas pedal in a hurry to get home. She had enough. This was it. She was leaving Garrett and their marriage; she vowed to never return. Between all the lies and deception, she had no idea who the real Garrett Dunn was. She wasted a majority of her life loving a man who was not who she thought he was.
“Mecca, slow down.” Garrett warned.
“Stop talking!” She couldn’t think with him talking.
***
Satan’s dragons circled the sky above the car. They landed on the street and danced upon the ground. The more they danced the harder the rain fell from the sky.
“Satan’s angels?” Garrett said.
“I told you they are everywhere.” Kiel replied.
***
The demons persuaded a bunch of latch key kids to throw stones at street lamps.
“Hey I betcha I can knock that light out.” A tall lanky boy said. He picked up a rock and hit it on the first try. “I told you I could do it.” The boy bragged.
***
This was all a part of Satan’s plan. The demons laughed at how easily humans were used liked puppets on a string. For the seeds of mischief they just planted would bring about plenty of misery.
***
Mecca’s mind was full of so many different thoughts that she didn’t slow down when she came upon a dark road with one of the street lights busted out. She sped around the street corner without stopping at the yield sign, and because the road was so slippery, the car veered off the embankment, soared through the sky and slammed into a huge oak tree.
The blaring of the vehicle’s horn could be heard in the distance. All passengers were knocked out cold. Garrett was the first to regain consciousness. Groggy and unsure of what happened, he touched his head. The sight of blood when he pulled his hand back startled him. He looked to the left and the sight of Mecca’s lifeless body left him screaming mercilessly. Her head was detached and had fallen into her lap.
Garrett lunged to get out of the car. He panicked and started pulling at the door. He had to get out of there. That is when he noticed that the children weren’t in the back seats.
“Where are the kids?” He looked around. Then he saw a small body lying over close to a tree. He fumbled with his seat belt. It was stuck and he couldn’t unlatch it. He finally got the seat belt to go over his head and wiggled out of the passenger side window.
He rushed to the body and saw that it was ‘Lil Garrett, “Baby” he shook his son. “Lil Garrett, wake up.” The boy didn’t stir. He held him close against his body like he had done so many times before, but this time he couldn’t feel a heartbeat. “No, he screamed. When Garrett opened his eyes, he cried out, “God why?”
***
God called the angel of death for duty. Garrett watched as the angel cradled his son’s soul in his arms and carried it back to heaven.
On earth, Garrett was left holding nothing but the shell of what use to be his child. Then another angel took his wife and did the same with her soul, but when a third angel went to Imani’s body. It left without taking her soul with him.
***
Garrett spotted Imani’s pink and purple car seat on the opposite side of the wreckage. He gently laid ‘Lil Garrett down and limped over to see if he could find Imani. When he reached her she was still strapped to her car seat. He felt for a pulse. She was still alive.
“Okay, baby girl, I have to get us help.” He picked up his daughter, climbed up the embankment and began the long journey of walking down a dark desolate abandoned road alone. He had no idea what direction he was going in, but it didn’t matter because his only desire was to find help for his daughter.
The longer he walked, the harder the rain drops fell around him. It rained until he was drenched and his clothes were soaked all the way through. He looked down and kissed Imani on the cheek. Strands of hair were plastered to her face from the rain.
“God!” Garrett cried out in anguish. It felt like he was carrying huge boulders in his arms instead of his seven-year-old daughter. “I need you! Please I need your help. Wash away my sins.”
***
The moment Garrett asked for God’s forgiveness the rain that poured down around them began to cleanse his soul. In heaven, on the golden floors of the Throne Room the black soot that spun around like a tornado in the center of Garrett’s soul bled out of him. It settled in a puddle on the ground, and after a few minutes, evaporated into thin air. Garrett looked down at himself to see what was left. It was a sparkling clean soul; now covered with the blood of Christ.
Chapter 68
Downtrodden, badly worn by the weather and very shaky Garrett finally made it to the hospital.
A doctor saw them first and immediately called for assistance. A bunch of doctors and nurses took Imani from his arms just before Garrett collapsed to the floor. The doctors placed them in separate cubicles.
The nurses revived Garrett, but he kept refusing any medical attention. He only wanted to know how his daughter was doing.
“Councilman Dunn, the doctors are still working on your daughter and as soon as they’re able, they will be in here to talk to you about her condition.” One of the nurses tried to get him to relax so she could take his temperature.
“He has to save her.” Garrett rambled. “She is the only family I have left. She is the only one left.” The only thing Garrett wanted was for his child to survive. “What have I done?” Garrett cried.
In order to calm him down the nurses gave him a light sedative that made Garrett sleep through the night.
The following morning Garrett woke up alarmed. “Where’s my daughter?” he screamed. A couple nurses ran into his cubicle. “You told me a doctor would come and talk to me about my child. I want to see my daughter, right now!” he demanded.
Several nurses offered him water while
another rushed to go get the doctor. Almost immediately, a doctor wearing green hospital scrubs and a blue and white stripped surgical cap entered. The nurses left them alone for privacy. By the grave expression on the doctor’s face, Garrett could see he didn’t have good news to report. The doctor sat on a stool by Garrett’s bedside.
“I’m sorry.” The doctor couldn’t bear to look Garrett in the eye. The worst part of his job was telling a parent their child was dead. “We weren’t able to stabilize her. There was too much internal damage. Her organs started failing through the night and we lost her.”
A huge gaping hole left in Garrett’s heart by those he lost just kept getting wider. No tears. No remorse. Garrett couldn’t grieve any more. Barefoot, Garrett got up and left the hospital, leaving his shoes behind.
***
Garrett sobbed hard; watching that scene was like pouring salt on an open wound. The pain was excruciating the day he lost his family. Everything he had ever loved or cared about was gone and he was left all alone.
“Why?” Garrett wept angry tears. “Why couldn’t you have just let me die?” The veins in Garrett’s temples pulsated and his face turned red. “Why take my family away from me?” Garrett’s breathing was labored.
“It wasn’t your time.” God replied. “It was not time for you to leave; you still had a purpose on earth.”
***
Garrett walked out the hospital and aimlessly traveled the streets of Camden. For more than five hours he walked. Then his blistered feet finally got tired in front of Reverend Tomlin’s church.
A black hearse was parked at the curb and inside the sounds of a full choir sung hymnals.
A strong gravitational pull drew Garrett inside the church. Once he stepped into the sanctuary, Garrett was under hypnosis by that old rugged cross. Ignoring the casket set before him, Garrett limped down the middle aisle.The church was full of family and friends mourning the deceased, but Garrett saw no one, except Jesus standing before him with outstretched hands.