Brooklyn Secrets (20 page)

Zora let go and stepped back to me, breathing hard.

“Come on, Jackie.” Tyler shook him. “You know I could beat you down into the sidewalk without breaking a sweat. Or having a second thought. Done it before. So give it up and save yourself a world of hurt.”

Jackie shook his head. “Beat me if you have to. You going to beat me if I tell and beat me if don't tell.”

Tyler slapped his face. Hard. The sound rang out into the air. “Why don't you save me the trouble?”

“I'm your little brother. You thinking about hurting me? We brothers, man!”

“Should have thought of that before you messed up hurting my girl!” Tyler's cool was slipping now. “And we only half-brothers. Mom givin' me your dad's name don't make us kin. You just like him, too, sneaking around.”

At that, Jackie tried to kick Tyler but Tyler never lost his grip.

A crowd was gathering. A low hum of “Look! Look!” and “Yo, Tyler's over there.” A few encouraging shouts, soon followed by more, louder, closer, meaner.

A girl's voice came screaming out of the crowd. “Tyler, you get your hands off.” A short, round dynamo in a turquoise jacket launched herself at Tyler, fists pounding. “You. Let. Go.”

He held Jackie with one hand and grabbed the girl's neck with his other. “You ready to stop now? You know you ain't gonna win in a fight with me.”

“Let her go, bro! She just being a stand-up girlfriend.”

Zora grabbed me. “That's Tammy. I'd like to have a few words with her myself, but looks like Tyler got it for now. I feel like I am going crazy here.”

“You called it. Me too.”

I turned just enough to see the crowd behind us and it scared me more than the fighting. It was surging closer.

“Fight!” they shouted. “Fight him!” “Show him! Show us!”

When Tyler realized his life was becoming entertainment, he dropped his hands, looking a little shocked. “You? Come on! With him?”

Tammy wrapped her arms around the younger boy.

“Hey!” Jackie shouted it. “Why the hell not?” He stood up straight, but he still looked like a child next to his brother. “She sees something here she wants.”

“That so?” He pushed his face into Tammy's. “Then why you keep bothering me? Drunk texting? Sending me those snaps? Girl, ain't you got no shame?”

Jackie shouted, “What? What you been doing? You whoring around behind my back?”

Tyler whirled back to him. “She still meaning to get back with me. What the hell matter with you, taking up with my sloppy seconds?”

Tammy shoved off cursing and yelling. “I ain't nobody's sloppy second. I do what I want, when I want, for myself. And you don't even care? Aw, Ty, you know you the one. I'm hooking up with your brother and you don't even care?”

I was shaking. We had gone from watching
The Wire
to watching
Game of Thrones.
A smack on the head reminder that these violent young adults were, after all, still kids.

He eyed her up and down for a long minute. She looked rough, her flashy jacket wrinkled, her hair messy. The giant earrings were too big for her short neck.

He finally said, “I keep telling you we are done. Been done a long time. Jackie, you want her, she's all yours. Good luck with that.”

“Now I been disrespected right here in public.” Jackie squared his shoulders. “Girl, if you want to stay hooked up with me, some things got to change.” He was trying to seem manly, but the growing black eye and the way he cradled a wrist in his other hand undercut his effort.

She slapped his face. “I don't give two cents for you, stupid little moron. Never did. Trying to make my Ty jealous.” She kicked him and then started to sob. “After all I did…after all I did…bad things to keep you…”

Tyler grabbed her by the arms. Jackie slid down to the ground, hands over his face.

“YOU did? You did? What did you do? I can put a lot of hurt on you, here and now. And ain't nobody here think it's wrong either.”

Just the opposite. The shouts from the crowd were encouraging him to teach her a lesson. Vile words described Tammy and what he should do.

Tammy kicked Tyler and pounded on him with her free fist. He didn't even seem to feel it, putting her in a hammer lock till she finally stopped moving.

He didn't let go, but he loosened his hold.

“What you know about Savanna? Spit it out.”

“Everybody know. Some men showed here and beat her up.” She radiated resentment like a hot stove. “I didn't do a thing to that skinny skank. Not her.” I felt Zora, still holding my arm, tighten her fingers. She froze, as the battling teens yelled at each other.

“She had nothing to do with her.” Jackie spoke as he pushed up from the ground. He faced his brother. He even put his hands on Tyler's jacket, but quickly pulled back, seeing his hostility. “You got it all wrong. She didn't do nothing, Ty-bro.”

“Don't call me that.”

“Okay, okay. But you been getting it all wrong. Savanna bad for you. We all got big dreams waiting on you. Mama counting on you to make life better.”

“Don't you bring mama into this.”

“Okay, okay, okay.” It was a nervous stutter. “But see what I'm saying? You looked like throwing it all away, talking about school and whatnot. Over what? She just a girl. Dime a dozen. You can have your pick. Have the whole dozen at once if you want to.”

Tammy gasped at that, smacked Jackie one last time and walked away, a little unsteady but determined. As she went, with her back to all of us, she threw her hand above her head and lifted her middle finger in contempt.

Beside me, Zora was shaking. I was too. In front of me, Tyler crunched his brother in headlock again.

“Tell. Me. Now.”

“Let me go.”

“You think you got anything to bargain with? I could tear your arm off right now. Beat you over the head with it. Enjoy doing it, too. ”

“How you explain that to Mama?”

“I told you to leave her out of this.” He gave an extra shake. “Since when you caring about her anyway? She up all night, worrying about where you at?” The hold tightened. “I'd be doing her a favor.”

“I'll tell you. Let go.”

Jackie sneaked a look, calculating what his chances were if he ran. He went limp when he saw they were zero.

“I see you going down the wrong road. So I told some people…told them…where they could find her…they said, they said, only scare her away.”

Tyler punched him in the face, so hard Jackie's body vibrated before crumbling. Tyler kept at it until Jackie broke free and ran, limping. Tyler was on him in a minute. He threw Jackie to the pavement and straddled him. He pummeled him like a punching bag, rhythmically, with a focus that made his fury even scarier. I thought he might kill Jackie right there in front of us.

By then the two boys were sprawled on the ground, surrounded by a circle of other young men—and some not so young and some not men—cheering them on.

Then the cops showed up.

Chapter Twenty-two

They had to pull the boys apart and hold them. They shouted to the bystanders “Break it up! Move on!” No one moved until more cops arrived and waded into the crowd shouting and shoving. Myself, I could not take my eyes away from the brothers.

“We need to be there.” Zora had a firm grip on my arm. “Let's go.” She whispered, “And not get stuck in this crowd.”

“You boys got to break it up.” A cop was shouting it. “If we let go, you gonna behave?”

“I'm gon' tear his head off, that's what I'm fixing to do.” Jackie was thrashing around, trying to get free.

“On your best day, your BEST one ever, you little cockroach, you couldn't get close to me.”

Jackie's struggles became even more frenzied as we got closer. Sergeant Asher, radiating authority, approached from the street. She glared at all of us.

“Get these two baby gangsters subdued. Now.” She turned to us. “You have more to say about my case? That you didn't already tell me? I don't like having my time wasted.” She turned back to the uniformed cops. “Cuff the boys if necessary but bring them in.”

“No, no, no.” Jackie was still twisting and turning. “I can say it here. Ain't much but my big shot big bro needs to hear it.”

Asher made a “hold off” gesture to her men. Zora and I stopped dead in our tracks.

“I told some men where they could find Savanna.” He staggered to his feet, his face oozing blood and eye already swelling and purple. “I told them. That's all. Didn't mean no real harm.” He looked at Tyler. “In your interest, man, that's all it was. They your people, not mine. They didn't say it would be a beat down.”

You could have heard Zora all the way to Manhattan. “What did you say?” She broke through the little knot of cops and was right in Jackie's face. At that moment I wouldn't have given him any chance at all against her. “You led those monsters to my baby? And you still are not saying who they are? I could rip you apart.” She was panting. “I would like to.”

“No, no, leave him to me, Miz Lafayette,” Tyler said. “My half-brother, my girl. That's my job.”

“No, it is not.” When Sergeant Asher spoke she somehow became the person in charge. Just like that. How did she do that? “It's
my
job, you young fools. See that?” She pointed to her shield. “That says so.”

“You spit it out, Jackie boy.” Tyler ignored her. “Who these men you keep calling mine? I got no gang, only my home boys, and none of them would even think to lay a finger…”

Jackie smiled, swollen eye and all. It was a vindictive grin, both evil and pathetic.

“You so busy being the good boy, you don't know who your own people are. Never knew their names, but they sent from people paying for your training. You think it comes for free? Cause they like your pretty face? See, they saw same as me—she distracting you and they worried about their investment.”

Under his smooth tan skin, Tyler flushed an angry dark color. Zora turned on him. “You made this happen?” She looked ready to give him his own medicine.

“No.” He shook his head. “Hell, no. Not possible they would do that. Knowing she means everything to me?”

“You still the cause. Your life.” She poked him in his chest with each word. “Your friends.”

“Stand down, Ms. Lafayette. And I mean now.” Asher was signaling to her men.

“Not my friends. They are not. Not now. Not ever, really. They are…they are kind of….”

Sergeant Asher grabbed Jackie by the back of his neck. “Explain. Now. Or we are taking a ride you won't enjoy.”

Seeing with only one eye, and bleeding, Jackie said “They had a lot of money in you. The beaters work for them. Sent to give a message to her, like, stay away, and to you too, like, keep your eyes on the prize.” He spat a mouthful of blood. “You not going back to school, boy, no matter what honey she whisper in your ear. You sticking to your training and you gonna make big money for them. And us all.”

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Asher looked to be at the end of her rope. “Take this idiot in.” She turned to Jackie. “And no more problems from you, either. Hear me? You are in big trouble.” Back to the uniformed cops. “Use cuffs. And give him an ice pack. I want him able to talk. I have a whole lot of questions for him.”

She looked at Tyler. “You. You are coming along. I have plenty of questions for you too.” She snapped her head back to the cops. “In a different car, not anywhere near each other. I want them alive and conscious.”

She looked us over. “Ms. Lafayette, you need to go away now. None of this concerns you.”

“None of this concerns me?” She could have singed Asher with her glare. “Who else you know is
more
concerned than me? I am not letting those two little SOBs out of my sight until someone is behind bars.”

Then I learned that Sergeant Asher was a smart cop.

“Ms. Lafayette,” she said softly, “I know when it comes to involvement, no one cares more than you, not even close. But we are taking these two knuckleheads and we are going to get everything they know. I do mean everything—they're going nowhere until they give it all up and Jackie's not going even after that. No way. I promise. With each word, her voice grew softer but more emphatic.

By the time we are done we will know what the thugs had for breakfast and what car the boss drives. And we'll be right on top of every single detail, I promise.” She stopped. “After you, we are the people who most want to nail the bastards. And we might finally be on that road. Sounds good?”

“Yes, but…”

“Why don't you go hug your daughter and tell her we are making some progress here?”

The lieutenant shouted at the last stragglers to move on now, and headed for her car.

Zora suddenly looked a few inches smaller and thoroughly exhausted. Myself, I was still shaking. She shocked me by putting her head on my shoulder.

“I can hardly take it all in,” she whispered. “I don't even know who to be most mad at now.” She stood up and looked at me. “What do you think? Can I trust that woman to go after them like she said?”

“Her? Oh, yeah.”

Zora pulled herself straight and gave a little shake.

“Lord, lord, what now?” She looked all around, not seeming to see anything. She closed her eyes. “I believe I do need to take her advice and just go hold my baby. You going in that direction?”

“Yes, I'm going home. I'm exhausted, just watching all that. All that…all that…”

“Craziness?” Zora's voice shook. “But their stupid drama almost got my baby killed.” She took some deep breaths and stood up straighter. “I don't feel like saying they're just stupid kids and stopping there.”

We were out of the project by then. She pointed down the city block to a doughnut shop.

We fueled up, drowning the shakes in comfort food—coffee all around, a chocolate glazed doughnut for me, and Boston cream stuffed for Zora.

“Make it a double.” Zora said. “One for now, one for the road. Caffeine and sugar, two of my favorite food groups.”

My smile trembled, heartfelt. My pulse slowed, my breath evened out. I was calming down from the shakes from the burst of violence.

She said, “I'm serious. They are. Savvie loves the doughnut holes. She could eat a whole bag in a flash.”

“Someday soon you'll be buying her some.” I patted her arm.

“Your mouth to God's ears. When that day comes, I plan to buy the whole party size box, all for her.”

A woman in layers of dirty sweats pushed past us as we were leaving.

Zora stopped and turned around. “I do believe that is Deandra's mother. I haven't seen in her in forever. She looks in a bad way.”

We went back in, me following Zora's lead as I had all morning. Her world, not mine. The woman stood at the counter, wheedling. No, the right word is begging.

Her speech was slurred as she tried to persuade the older woman behind the counter to give her a doughnut.

“I am so hungry and I ain't got no money today. I'll pay you back when I get some. That's a promise, me to you.”

“Ma'am, I can't. I'd lose my job.”

“You can just pour me a coffee then. I'll fix it up with a whole lot of sugar.”

“Ma'am?” The woman looked desperate. “Please. I have to ask…”

Zora stepped to the counter. “Give me a small bag of doughnut holes and a coffee.” She turned to the woman next to her. “Why, Alice Ann, is that you? It's Zora. You know, Savanna's mother.”

The other woman's eyes filled with tears. “They took my baby. Did you know that? You have Savanna but my girl is gone. Gone.” She started rocking back and forth. “Never gon' see her again.”

Zora guided her to one of the few seats. She promptly put her head down on the table and didn't move.

“My order is ready, Erica. Bring it here?” Zora was shaking the woman's shoulder. “Come on, Alice. Wake up. We've got doughnut treats for you and smell that coffee.”

“Ha. Wake up and smell the coffee. Ah.” She wrapped her hands around the warm cup. “Still cold out. Spring but not warming. I been up most of the night, wandering around. Cold.”

“Drink up. You still have a home?”

She glared at Zora. “I ain't living on the street! But I don't like being home now. Never did, really. Even before…before…walking at night kept the devil away. It's a comfort to be out and around.”

“I know. But now you need to go home and shower and then get some sleep. Take the doughnuts.”

She was holding a doughnut hole as if she hadn't seen one before. She licked her sugary fingers and then ate the munchkin in one bite. And ate another. She was not ready to move.

“My sweet little Didi. Did you know her?” She peered at Zora but I'm the one who answered.

“Yes, ma'am. I met her a couple of times. She was…she did seem…very sweet. And nervous? Like something on her mind?” I stopped myself before I blurted out that I had found her body. Not an image I wanted to lay on this woman. Instead I said, irrelevantly, “I liked her sneakers.”

She smiled sadly. “She loved those pink sneakers. She did.” A pause. “I don't remember how she got them.” Another two munchkins and she sighed. “Yes, she was a nervous little girl. But more now. One time…one time, a nighttime, she came to find me when I was wandering, my sweet girl, and she was real upset. Something she saw… she wasn't supposed to see…and I didn't listen. Wasn't quite myself that night.” She was crying again. She stood up, hugging her coffee and putting the bag into a pocket.

The woman at the counter opened the door for her to stumble out.

“You know her? She comes in a lot looking for free food. Sometimes I have day olds I can give away.” She shook her head. “She must have some demons chasing her.”

We watched her shuffle across the street, mid-block, ignoring the traffic. She stopped to eat a doughnut hole from the bag, then walked off aimlessly in the wrong direction. She stopped to talk to someone. Would she ever get to her home?

“Yeah, those demons have got her good.” Zora rubbed her eyes. “No way to get her help if she doesn't want it. Haven't slept much myself lately.”

That was the truth. She fell asleep in the car. I woke her when we reached the hospital.

“We're here? Already?” Before she went in, she added, “Thank you. Good to have you along today.” She smiled the faintest of smiles. “Later today I'll start harassing those cops for some results.”

“What are you going to do if Tyler comes back to the hospital?”

“Cross that bridge when I need to. What I am hoping is, he is too afraid of me to try it.”

“Afraid? Really? He gets beat up for a living.”

“Yes, but he's still a kid. And there is nothing as scary as an angry momma with attitude. Don't you know that?”

I thought about it the whole rest of the way home. Could I learn that from Zora? As Chris moved ever deeper into teenager-hood, it could come in handy.

For a little while, it displaced the other question I had been running in my head. Tammy. She said, “After all I've done.” I was sure of it.

What did it mean? When she said it, it looked to me like something more significant than loving Tyler. That she had actually done something.

And as I thought about it, I realized the cops had not arrived yet, when she was ranting, so they didn't hear it.

When I finally got home I found mail from my advisor, both e-mail and a paper letter. At the sight, all conflicts from this morning flew out of my mind. I only wondered how much trouble I might be in, how far behind in my academic work I was.

I didn't open either of them. Not yet. The argument in my head split me right down the middle. Half of my brain said, “I don't care. I need a break. I don't care.” Okay, maybe that was not my brain talking. The other half said, “So many people have helped you with jobs, fellowships, and encouragement. You owe it to them to be responsible and dedicated.” I had no idea who was talking there, but I didn't want to listen.

This called for chocolate. I suspected Chris had some stashed away.

How much snooping could I legitimately do in her room? Ah, probably none. And if I did it anyway, would I find things I don't want to know? Risky.

So I texted:

Chocolate emergency. Got some?

Ten minutes later, she was back with:

Shelf next to bed. Touch NOTHING else! I'll know!!!!

A bag of M&Ms, all for me. After a handful, I had the courage to open my advisor's e-mail. She was changing her phone number. That was it? That's all? And the letter merely confirmed the same and explained the overall building communications upgrade. Like I cared.

All that angst for nothing. Although I did get the M&Ms out of it.