Alibi (12 page)

“Man, Dais, you fucking up, man. Listen, this shit is getting ready to get serious. You gonna have to be on call and ready
to rock and roll, dig me.”

“Yeah, I dig you, but me and my boyfriend is buying me a house and I got shit to do.”

“You got a man?”

“Yeah, and he’s buying me a house. That’s why I’m saying all this court shit ain’t cool and you calling ain’t cool either.”

“Listen, this court shit is your duty, you been paid and like I just said, you do what the fuck you’re suppose to and just
get me the list of everything you need and I got you. You take care of me, I take care of you. You got it.”

“Yeah, Sticks, I got it.”

“All right, I’ll call you back and let you know when we going to the lawyer’s office. Don’t have nothing to do either, no
more excuses, and boyfriend or not when I see you I’m tapping that ass, you understand. You know who the fuck I am, dammit.”

“Yeah, Sticks, whatever you say,” said Daisy, a little agitated.
I don’t know who he thinks he is but he ain’t tapping nothing here. He really got some nerve.

I don’t know who this bitch thinks she’s talking to, but if she don’t get that alibi straight with Nard’s lawyer that bitch
is gonna find herself never speaking again.
Sticks hung up the phone with a bad feeling.
She’s going to be a problem. I can just feel it.

He wondered would she come through for him with the alibi. If she didn’t, Simon Shuller would have his and Nard’s asses in
a sling and Sticks knew it. But for Daisy it was too late. She had to come through with the alibi, either that or she’d be
in the same sling as Nard and Sticks, but unfortunately for her, she didn’t know she had gotten herself in bed with a member
of the mafia and was the alibi witness for the Somerset Killer.

That afternoon Daisy went looking at all the homes for sale that the realtor had on her list. They must have visited eleven
properties in one afternoon. Daisy made notes, asked lots of questions about each listing, and fell in love with every house
she walked into. It was unbelievable, dynamic views, open space, large kitchens with eat-ins, master bedrooms with walk-in
closets, fireplaces, master bathrooms with oversized Jacuzzis, kitchens with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliance
packages, marble foyers, and two- and three-car garages. Daisy couldn’t believe that people actually lived in homes that beautiful.
She rode by this kind of home every day, but had no idea how people were living inside of them.

“So, did you see anything you like?”

“I sure did, and I can’t wait to show Reggie. I just know he’s going to love them.”

“Any one in particular caught your eye?”

“You know, actually, yes, the third house and the eighth house. I really like them, a lot, and I can’t wait to show my fiancé
as soon as he gets back. I just know he’s going to love them,” said Daisy, before thanking the agent and parting ways.

That night she went home and as usual she tried to call Reggie, but instead of his answering machine, she got something different—that
universal operator that advises you that the number you have dialed has been changed, has been disconnected, or is no longer
in service. Daisy figured she had dialed the wrong number and tried again, but got the same message.
Why is his phone off ? Maybe he didn’t pay the bill before he went out of town. Yeah, that’s it, he probably didn’t pay the
bill.

It had been three weeks, three long, drawn-out, stressful weeks of no Reggie. The number was still disconnected, he hadn’t
called, he hadn’t come back. He had said he would only be gone for a week or two, but it had been longer, and her heart began
to grow heavier and heavier. Every time the phone rang, it was Sticks.
What the fuck do he want now?
She had gone down to the lawyer’s office like he asked, but it turned out that the lawyer had another matter pop up, had
to go out of town, and had put Nard’s case on the back burner after getting several extensions filed with the court. Nard
didn’t know what was going on and was a nervous wreck. He was calling Sticks’s phone more than a young Puerto Rican girl in
heat.
Fuck, what’s he want now?
Sticks had to take his call. God forbid he not answer and the nigga turn state. No, whenever Nard called, Sticks made sure
he answered.

Just then a loud knock at Daisy’s door, more of a banging, rang out through the apartment.

“Who is it?” she hollered at the door.

“It’s the police, open up.”

The police, the police? What the hell are they doing here? What do they want from me?

Tommy Delgado watched as the door opened and a young girl with long hair and green eyes stared back at him. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, I hope so. I’m looking for Daisy M. Fothergill.”

“I’m Daisy.”

“Do you mind if we come in?” said Delgado, smiling, with Merva standing behind him grinning even harder.

“Umm, I guess so, sure.”

“We’re only going to need a few minutes of your time,” said Ross, her smile fading quickly. “We’re investigating the murders
of Ponado Fernandez, Jeremy Tyler, and Lance Robertson,” she said, watching Daisy like a hawk, looking for any sign that Daisy
was lying to them.

“What’s that got to do with me? I never heard of them people.”

“Well, let me tell you, the man that has been identified as the Somerset Killer and killed these people,” said Delgado, spreading
crime-scene photos of the Three Musketeers lying in pools of blood, “claims that he was with you the night in question. And
I got to tell you, I find it really hard to believe.”

“Why is that?” asked Daisy nervously.

“I’ll tell you why. He killed a nine-year-old boy and shot up his mother and right before she died, she identified Bernard
Guess from a series of photos. Now, I got an open-and-shut case, everything from fingerprints on down to a positive ID, but
then I get a report from Mr. Guess’s lawyer claiming you’re their star witness and my Somerset Killer was with you the night
in question at the Honey Dipper and therefore couldn’t possibly have been on the 2500 block of Somerset when the murders occurred.”

Delgado stopped and waited to see what her response was to all of that, and unfortunately she had none.

“So, about that night, do you think you could answer some questions for me?” asked Delgado, trying to figure her out.

“What kind of questions?”

“Just general, like what time did Mr. Guess come into the bar on November 5?”

“Umm, I don’t remember what time he got there,” she answered.

“Do you remember what he was wearing?” asked Merva.

“No, I don’t.”

“Was he alone?” she followed up.

“Yes, I think so,” Daisy said, wishing she had never let them in her house.

“You think so—don’t you know?” asked Merva.

“Yeah, I think he was alone,” said Daisy, trying to sound convincing.

“What was he drinking that night?”

“Umm…” Daisy sat still for a few seconds, acting as if she was really trying to think hard. “You know what, I don’t really
remember that either,” said Daisy, wishing Sticks or somebody had prepped her. And the bad thing was, she had let them in.
What was I thinking. Next time we talk outside. These guys are really getting comfortable and they’re asking me all these
questions. I don’t even know what this guy looks like.

“Are you sure you remember him there?” asked Merva, starting not to believe this girl one bit.

“Yeah, he was there. It was just so long ago, you know.”

“Do you still work at the Honey Dipper?” asked Delgado. “I swear you look like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

Daisy giggled, but honestly had never seen him in her life. “No, not no more. I was working at the Honey Pot, but I quit working
there about a month ago.”

“Why?” asked Ross, being a little nosy.

“I just wanted to do something else, you know. It gets hard after a while, or at least for me it did.”

“How long have you been dancing, in places… like that?” asked Delgado, trying not to use descriptive vocabulary. Detective
Ross immediately looked at him and quickly interceded.

“Yeah, Daisy, how long have you been a stripper?” said Ross, looking over at Delgado.
What the fuck is he doing, trying to be nice to her? She’s lying through her teeth and he’s showing her mercy. What’s wrong
with him?

“Umm…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know that either,” said Ross sarcastically, tired of playing games with Daisy. She was ready to take
her in, sit her in a room, and leave her there for maybe two or three days and then see if her memory got any better, and
that was exactly what she planned on doing.

“No, I know when I started dancing, it was like four years ago, after I turned eighteen,” said Daisy with an ounce of confidence.

“So, you’re only twenty-two years old?” asked Ross, as Daisy shook her head yes. “I think we need to take her downtown for
questioning,” Ross advised, looking over at Delgado, who seemed to be admiring the young girl, not taking his eyes off her
for one second. “What do you think?” she asked, wondering why he wasn’t responding. She looked again and he was still staring
intensely.

“No, I don’t think we should take her downtown. I think we should give her a chance to think about what she’s doing. Have
you thought about what you’re doing, Daisy?” asked Tommy, knowing exactly what was going on. She was being used for an alibi.
She wasn’t a real alibi.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Okay, let me explain to you,” said Delgado.

Ross interrupted. “No, let me explain,” she said, stepping in front of Tommy, who had really pissed her off, with his “No,
I don’t think we should take her downtown” bull crap.

“Let me be clear with you. These three men were murdered. This mother and her son were murdered, and you need to look at them
really, really good, because not only are you lying to investigators, you’re lying to me! And the guy who killed them needs
to be brought down, and your little daydream story you got going is going to crash all around you, and when it does, I’ll
be there and I’ll be charging you with everything from perjury to obstructing justice, do you got that? ’Cause when I’m done
with you, you’ll be figuring out everything that you don’t know in a nice comfy cell inside Muncy. So, you just think about
that, because if you keep fucking around with me that’s right where you’ll be! You got that, Honey Dipper?” asked Merva, leaning
over the table, her hands on the table supporting her weight as she bent down in Daisy’s face.

“Okay,” called out Tommy as Merva stared Daisy eye to eye before backing up off her. “We will need you to come down to the
Thirty-second Precinct. You might want to get a lawyer and have him present when you come in. Call me tomorrow, and we can
set up a time for you, okay?” asked Delgado. He felt really bad. She was going to make a horrible witness, probably end up
perjuring herself under oath and end up in prison just like Ross said.

Y
o, Daisy, open this god damn door!” yelled Lester Giles, the owner of the building, better known as her “straight from the
depths of hell” landlord. “I know you in there.”

Daisy couldn’t take the pounding on her door any longer. “What?” she said, agitated, as she flung the chain off the door,
unlocked the deadbolt, and pulled the door open.

“What? You asking me what? I know you ain’t getting nasty. You got my rent money? That’s what.”

“Look, Lester, I just need one more week, please. I’m waiting for my boyfriend to get back and once he get here I’ll have
that for you.”

“You say what, again?” he asked, making her repeat herself. “Is you out your god damn mind? I ain’t waiting on no nigga, is
you crazy? You sitting here waiting on a nigga. Shit, you might as well get to stepping to the nearest homeless shelter and
wait on this motherfucker over there. But not here. What is you doing? You ain’t even working no more.”

“How you know what I’m doing?” asked Daisy, frowning up at him.

“Don’t worry about that, I need my money, that’s what you gots to be worried about, rent.” Then he spelled it out for her.
“Ah-ra, eeee, annnn, teeeee! Now, you gots my money or not, and don’t play with me.”

“Lester, come on, please, seriously. Don’t I always pay you? Come on, I always take care of you. Don’t I?”

“Then you gonna have to take some caring tonight, baby. Whoo whee, just rock my world. You sure is pretty, you know that,
don’tcha?” he said, reaching up and rubbing his finger across her face and then down on her titty.

“Lester, stop playing,” she said, knocking his hand down.

“Girl, you think I’m playing with you. I’ll throw you and everything you got out on the street tonight. You understand, Daisy,”
he said in an evil whisper. “Now what you gonna do?” he said, sneering at her like the grim reaper and meaning every word
he spoke.

It wouldn’t be the first time she had had to give Lester Giles sexual services to keep a roof over her head. All she could
do was pray that it would be the last. She thought of Reggie.
Damn, I wish I didn’t have to. But, what he don’t know, won’t hurt him.
She hated it, hated the thought of it. She really loved Reggie and wanted their sex to be sacred, cherishable, and not tainted
by someone else. Not to mention that she hated Lester. He was dark-skinned, but you could still see a long scar on the left
side of his face. He had a bushy afro of dusty gray hair and the hugest potbelly you could imagine.
Reggie, where are you? If only you could just step right off that elevator right now and save me.
She looked at the elevator door, realizing it was merely wishful thinking. She opened her apartment door so that Lester could
pass by.

“That’s what I thought,” he said as she closed the door and watched him begin to massage himself.

A couple hours later, after she had satisfied her rent debt, Daisy sat in her living room alone. She turned on the television,
but her mind was heavy. She didn’t really watch the TV, just sat still. The phone rang. She looked at it, but didn’t answer
it. She knew who it was,
Sticks
. As much as she wanted to answer it, in anticipation of Reggie’s possibly calling, she didn’t answer it. She already knew
it wasn’t him. She just had a horrible feeling he was gone.
I can’t believe Reggie left me like that. What did I do? I don’t understand. Maybe I should go to his mother’s house.
It was very far away, somewhere out in Montgomery County on the other side of City Line Avenue. She didn’t even know if she
would be able to find her way back there. And Sticks wasn’t really asking her to do anything, he was more or less telling
her what she was gonna do.
He’s really ordering me around, and the police, they know I’m lying.
Poor Daisy, if there was one thing she wasn’t good at, it was lying. She had tried her best, but she knew in her heart that
the cops were looking in her eyes reading the truth.
What am I going to do? She said I’ll be in Muncy for perjury, and that poor little boy. Why’d he kill them people like that?
It was too much, not to mention she was flat broke. Daisy looked in her pocketbook and took out her wallet. She flashed through
the bills—sixty-seven dollars and some loose change. That wasn’t much when that was all you had to your name, with nothing
and nobody to help you.
What am I going to do?
She thought about it, hard.
Sticks did say to make a list of things I needed.
Truth was, Sticks was going to have to do something; he was all she had to help her out.
I better go back to the Honey Pot and get Calvin to give me my job back, and I know he’s gonna make me beg like a dog for
it, too. But what else can I do? I ain’t got no choice.
And truth was, she really didn’t, she had nothing and had no one.
Love sure don’t love nobody.
How could I be so stupid.