Piece Keeper (12 page)

“Please, Black. I don’t sugar coat and I don’t
coddle.”

“Not asking you to, but how about some professional
courtesy next time, aye?”

“Professional courtesy? You’re kidding me
right?”

“Am I smiling, Jordan?”

She stepped closer to his face so that they were
almost touching noses. “Are you a lawyer or an activist?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You know the law better than anyone.
I know your outline. Out of whack with reality and out of time.
There is no jury in the country that will convict those officers
and you know it.”

“So all of this was just for show?”

“No, Black. I was sincere when I said I wanted those
convictions but what do I have now?” Black began to speak but she
cut him off. “I’ll tell you what I have. A small town that’s more
than fifty percent White, three white cops, two of which are highly
decorated and one a war vet, versus a Black woman who for the
record was screwing one of D.A.s involved in her case.”

“We can’t give up. How will things ever change if we
just quit?”

She laughed. “You still haven’t changed. You should
have went into the private sector, Black, and worked pro bono cases
in the hood or volunteer for appeal cases on death row because this
bleeding heart kick you’ve been holding on to since college will
never work in the D.A.’s office. The two don’t mesh. They never
will. Our jobs are to get convictions and like it or not
convictions and justice rarely coincide.”

“Are you ordering me to not pursue this case?”

“Black, I’m telling you as a colleague you need to
pick a side and ride with it.” She walked to her door and held the
door knob.

He shook his head and snickered. “Yes, ma’am.” Black
walked out of the room at a casual pace. He was barely out of the
office before the door slammed closed. He laughed out loud but on
the inside he was pissed. This case was not closed as far as he was
concerned. Justice would be served if it was the last thing he
did.

***

There was no way Black was going to let this be the
end. He didn’t have it in him to tell Teresa that he’d failed. He
would start from square one: the evidence. There had to be
something that Waeltz was leaving out. He figured he’d do some more
digging into Waeltz as well. That was some sloppy police work he’d
done. Either he had to be purposely trying to get the case closed
or he was a complete imbecile. Black had been around too long to
believe the latter. Then there was what Brown said the other day
about the black cop. There were only four black cops on the force
including James and two of them were women. Teresa never mentioned
anyone else. If someone else was involved why did she leave that
out? Maybe the old man didn’t know what he was talking about.
Waeltz still hadn’t given him anymore information about James.
There were too many missing pieces to just give in. He would fight
until the very end.

At home he felt awkward around Teresa and Morena
even more so than before. He knew he needed to tell Teresa about
the case being officially closed. He had no idea how she would
react. Then there was Morena. He pretty much knew how she would
react once he told her he decided to stay in Danville and
investigate the case on his own time. She would blow a gasket. Hell
she might even leave, he thought. He had to ask himself was all of
this even worth it?

The three sat in the living room watching the news.
Ever since the case broke and the media caught wind of it the
social websites and online media outlets were ablaze with
supporters of Witherspoon and the other officers. They were calling
them the Danville Three. A website was put up for donations. Almost
two-hundred fifty-thousand was raised for their court fees. It was
the same with the supporters for Teresa. Protesters from across the
country travelled out to Danville to show their support and march.
Civil rights advocates, celebrities, women’s rights groups, and
countless rape victims’ support groups all came to show their
support. The incident went viral. It was getting support from rape
victims uploading testimonial videos from as far away as Russia and
Senegal. Danville had most definitely shaken up the world.

The news clips of the marching and attacks by the
police were being shown as usual just before being interrupted by a
breaking report. A moderately dressed field news reporter appeared
on the screen. She put Black in the mind of Kelly Clarkston. She
pushed her finger into her ear making sure that her earpiece was
secure. Standing in front of the government building where Black
worked, she spoke into the microphone. “Breaking news. We have just
found out from District Attorney Benton that there will be no
formal charges brought against Chief Witherspoon and the other
officers involved in the alleged rape and assault of Teresa Prince,
the young lady working as an intern at the police department where
the three officers are stationed. She has also stated that all
three would be returning back to work at the beginning of next
week. It is unclear if Ms. Prince will be returning to work as
well. We will see if this will be the end of this case that has
made this, not only for the people of Danville but people all
around the world, a month of madness. This is Janice Beverly
reporting live from Danville Channel 6 News. Back to you in the
studio.”

Black turned his head to face Teresa and Morena who
both had their eyes trained on him. They were fuming.

“What the hell, Black?” Morena spat out first.

Black stood up and held his hands up in a defensive
manner. “Let me explain.”

“Explain what, Black? The damn news reporter just
explained everything. You weren’t going to say anything? Why do we
have to find out the case was closed from watching the news?”

“I wanted to tell you just didn’t know how.”

“You never have a problem saying anything else.”
Morena spat out.

Teresa still had yet to speak.

“Officially yes… the case is closed,” Black
stated.

“And unofficially?” Teresa asked finally chiming
in.

“I’m going to crack this thing.”

“They’re going to get away with it aren’t they?”
Teresa asked staring off into the distance.

“No. My word as a man! All involved will pay!”

Teresa stood and began making her way towards the
stairs leading to her bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Morena asked standing up and
looking confused.

“I’m going to pack. I should leave.”

“Honey, no. You don’t have to…”

“I’ve intruded in your lives enough. The case is
over. It’s time I finally faced the world again and become a part
of society.” Teresa took a deep breath. “And the first step in
doing so is going home.”

“Black, tell her she doesn’t have to go,” Morena
pleaded.

She didn’t know why but she wasn’t ready for Teresa
to leave. She felt a bond with the woman that she wasn’t ready to
break.

“I appreciate it, girl. Don’t worry. I meant what I
said. We’re friends and that doesn’t end here… at least not on my
part.”

Morena smiled, walked over to Teresa, and hugged
her. “Not on my part either.”

Black left the room. He headed to the garage, got
into his truck, backed out, and sped down the block.

Chapter
Thirteen

Black cruised to a smooth stop at a red light. He
considered his next move. He had questioned all of the black
officers at the department except James. He purposefully waited to
interview him last. That was another can of worms he didn’t want to
open. There would definitely be added tension especially since he
and Teresa were getting along so well now. He was really hoping
that it would have been one of the other officers or even better if
Brown had been mistaken. He knew it was just wishful thinking. It
was all but a done deal. He just needed to speak with James and see
the reaction in his eyes when they spoke.

Waeltz had already phoned Black and told him that
James’ fingerprints were all over the shed. Black was so caught up
in his thoughts he didn’t noticed that the light had turned green.
The cars honking behind him jarred him back to the right now. Just
as he moved his foot from the brake to the gas and the vehicle
began to roll he slammed on the brakes abruptly seeing that someone
from out of nowhere had stepped in front of him. The brakes on the
car behind him screeched as they came to a sudden stop almost rear
ending him. Again horns blared. He looked into his rearview mirror
and could see the driver from the car behind him yelling. He looked
back to the person in the street discovering that it was Brown
standing there smiling back at him. Black waved at him
anxiously.

“What are you looking at? Get in here!” Black yelled
as Brown scurried over to the passenger door, opened it, and
climbed in. Black jerked away through the intersection before the
door was completely closed.

“What’s going on, baby? Heard you was looking for
me,” Brown said enthusiastically.

“Brown, my man, you are a hard man to track
down.”

“You found me. Now what you want?”

“I’m sure you heard about the case right?”

Brown leaned back in his seat, turned his glance
from Black, and looked out of the window. “Yeah I heard.”

“Well, you know I need your help then.”

“I gave you my help. I don’t even know if he had
anything to do with it or not. I was just talking man.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think, huh?” Brown asked sarcastically.
“Tell me what you do think, Mr. Big City District Attorney.”

“You need to point out who you saw that night.”

“Point out? Like in a line up?”

“Yeah.”

“No way, Jack! You won’t get me to sign up for none
of that.” Brown opened the car door as if he were going to jump
out.

Black never slowed down as he grabbed Brown by the
back of his jacket and pulled him back in. The door slammed closed
as he turned the corner. He pulled into a parking lot and slammed
on the brakes.

“What the hell is your problem, Jack?!” Brown yelled
out staring Black down.

“My problem?” Black yelled back just as loud.

“Yeah you! That door damn nearly took my leg
off.”

“You’re crazy ass was going to jump out! That’s all
I need.”

“What you need to do is—”

“Wrong!” Black interjected. “We’re not talking about
me. We’re talking about Teresa. The woman you claimed to care
about.”

“What can I do? I’m an old vagrant, outcast,
America’s vomit, the bowel movement of –”

Black cut him off midsentence. “Spare me the
dramatics, Brown. You’re from the old school you know right from
wrong. So shit or get off the pot.”

Brown stared at the young man long and hard. Black
never shifted his glare from Brown. The two were in a deadly stare
down. Once Brown saw that neither of them were going to concede he
banged on the dashboard. “You damn young people.”

Black grimaced.

“Don’t be smiling at me,” Brown barked.

“Lighten up, Brown,” Black said as he shifted the
car back into drive and pulled off.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

Black wanted to check the old man but decided
against it. He needed him. He would lose this particular battle in
order to win the war.

“Take me to get a drink and something to eat,” Brown
ordered.

“Not until we agree on some things.”

“Agree? I’ll point him out or whatever you need me
to do or say. Don’t worry about that. I’ll cover my part.”

“Yeah, well I need a little more than you’ll cover
your part. We can’t do this until tomorrow. How will I find you? I
don’t have time for another disappearing act.”

“I’m grown. I come and go as I please.”

“Thought you were going to cooperate, Brown?”

“I am. I don’t need no babysitter though. I say I’m
going be there, I’m going be there. Just tell me where and
when.”

“I’m going to go against my gut on this one. Don’t
prove me wrong, old man.”

“Yeah, yeah. Take me to get a fifth of Wild Turkey
and a sandwich.”

“The sandwich, yeah. Wild Turkey, I don’t think
so.”

“Sandwich and a drink or let me out right here.”

“Why you have to be such a hard ass, old man?”

“You live to be my age and we’ll see how much
bullshit you tolerate.”

“I’ll get the sandwich and the drink.”

Brown smiled. “My man.”

“Not a fifth. A pint.”

“A pint?”

“That’s it, Brown.”

“Man you—”

“And you have to stay in a room tonight. I’ll pay
for it.”

“I told you I come and go as I please.”

“And you still can. What do you have to lose? I pay
for the room, you shower, sleep on a bed, relax or you leave as
soon as I leave and rip and run the streets. I get it. You don’t
want a baby sitter and I don’t baby sit.”

Brown turned his head and looked out of the window.
They were both silent for several seconds.

“Fine I’ll do it,” Brown said as Black pulled into
the parking lot at the liquor store.

***

One problem solved, now on to the next, Black
thought as he went into his bedroom, pulled out his laptop, and
logged on. Morena was gone. She hadn’t told him where she was
going. They hadn’t spoken much since he told her that he would be
staying to keep digging into the case. He dismissed the silence as
her merely sulking. He figured she would get over it because she
always had in the past. He needed information and only one person
he knew could get him this type of data off the books. He logged on
to a popular gaming blog website and made a post under the screen
name The Piece Keeper seeking gaming tips to help seek out the
Blades of Chaos. It was a reference to the popular video game God
of War. He logged off of his computer, went down stairs, and fixed
himself a drink. Cognac in hand, he stood out on the patio near the
pool. Morena still had yet to come in. Moments later his phone
rang. Looking down at his phone the CALLER ID read unknown it was
the call he was expecting. He pressed TALK on the phone and
spoke.