Authors: Darrien Lee
Precious Stones (29 page)
“What are you going to do?”
“All I can do. Face them,” she answered before disappearing into her room.
He followed her into the room and said, “Well, we'd better come up with stories that match, just in case they catch us together and interrogate us.”
“Like what?” she asked as she started packing her clothes in a small bag. “We don't know why they want to talk to me yet.”
He picked up her bra and said, “Nice, Andy.”
She snatched the bra out of his hand and tossed it in her bag and said, “I'm scared, Rico.”
“I know I shouldn't say this, but that's what you get for being obsessed with that man. You keep trying to hurt him, and what is it doing for you? Nothing! I hope these little games of yours don't get your ass sent to the pen.” Rico left the room, packed his bag, and he and Andria hit the Sunrise Highway out of the Hamptons.
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T.K. Rockwell paced the floor after the unexpected visit from the two police detectives. He had no idea what Andria had gotten herself mixed up in, but whatever it was, he knew he would have to head it off by involving his attorney, so he picked up the telephone and got him on the line. He studied the detective's business card as he waited for his attorney to pick up.
“Steve, its T.K. I have a problem and need your help.”
Andria's father went ahead and told his attorney about the detectives and asked him to contact them to find out the nature of visit and get back with him as soon as possible. His attorney agreed. After hanging up, a lightbulb went off in T.K. Rockwell's head.
“Oh damn!” he yelled. Then he picked up the phone and dialed his daughter once again.
“Hello, Daddy. I'm on my way home.”
“Andria, please tell me you didn't have anything to do with the disappearance of Ramsey Stone's baby.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “I'm over him,” she whined.
He didn't believe her. He knew how obsessed she was with Ramsey, and could always tell when she was lying. “Where are you?”
She let out a breath and said, “I'm in New York with a friend, Daddy. Don't worry. I'll be home in a few hours.”
“Our attorney is going to accompany us to the police station so we can get to the bottom of this. I'm not going to have them going on a fishing expedition and dragging our family name through the mud.”
“I understand, Daddy. I'll be home soon.” She hung up the phone and glanced over at Rico and said, “Daddy's pissed.”
He fumbled with the radio and asked, “What now?”
“Daddy's rushing me to get back so him and his attorney can take me to the police station to see those detectives.”
Rico reclined in his seat and said, “Maybe Ramsey gave you up after you went ballistic on him down in Richmond.”
“Screw it! I can handle Ramsey too.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
Neil couldn't believe his eyes when he saw one of the detectives working the kidnapping case escorting Andria and an unidentified man into an interrogation room. He quickly got on the phone and called Ramsey, but he made a mistake and called their house telephone, and as expected, Keilah answered the telephone.
“Keilah, it's Neil. Ramsey told me about your loss. I'm so sorry. How are you feeling?”
“I'm okay. I appreciate your concern. What can I do for you?”
He hesitated and then asked, “Is Ramsey home?”
“No, I put him and the rest of the men out of the house for the day. They've been hovering over me for the past few days, and I needed a break. They've gone to a Georgetown basketball game.”
“I see,” he replied as he wondered what to do next. “I'll call him on his cell.”
“Can it wait? I really want him and the guys to enjoy the game. Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked.
Neil held the telephone in silence as he contemplated if he should tell Keilah the update or wait for Ramsey. With all that she'd been through, he didn't want to upset her even more, but then again, Keilah deserved to know.
Keilah sat on the sofa and said, “You can tell me.”
“I don't want to worry you about this, Keilah. It would probably be best if I told Ramsey and your brothers.”
Frustrated, she pounded her fist on the sofa cushion and yelled, “Goddamn it, Neil! If you don't tell me what the hell is going on, I'm going to hurt you!”
“Okay! Okay! Calm down, woman,” he answered. He took a breath and said, “I saw the detectives working the case taking Andria Rockwell into an interrogation room.”
“Andria? Why her?”
“I don't know. For all I know, it could be related to a different case. Listen, Keilah, I'd feel better discussing this with Ramsey. You've been through enough.”
With her teeth clenched and fist balled up, she said, “Give me your best guess on why they would be talking to Andria, and don't lie to me, Neil.”
Feeling the heat from his friend through the telephone, he relented and told Keilah about the altercation between Ramsey and Andria in Richmond and how they suspected that she was the one who keyed his car. Keilah couldn't believe her ears. Ramsey had kept some very important information from her, and it upset her.
“You mean to tell me that woman could've kidnapped my daughter because she was pissed at Ramsey?”
Neil said, “I don't know for sure, but I guess that's a possibility.”
“I'm on my way,” Keilah announced.
“You're on your way where?” he asked inquisitively.
“Down to the precinct,” she announced. “Stop playing dumb.”
He chuckled nervously and said, “I don't think that's a good idea. You should wait until I know what's really going on.”
She walked over to the closet and pulled out her coat, ignoring his advice, and said, “That's not going to happen. I'll call you when I get there so you can meet me in the lobby. Those detectives should be keeping us informed on the case, anyway. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.”
Keilah hung up the telephone and yelled for Valeria. Valeria walked into the room and noticed that her daughter-in-law was wearing a coat.
“Where are you going?”
“I have some business to take care at the police station. I'll be back shortly.”
Valeria took Keilah by the hand and said, “Maybe you should wait on the guys to get back from the game. The doctor told you to take it easy.”
“Valeria, this is something I have to do. This ordeal is driving me crazy, and I want justice.”
“I know you do butâ”
She kissed her mother-in-law on the cheek and said, “Neariah's napping right now. I won't be gone long.”
Valeria watched Keilah pull out of the garage and down the long driveway.
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At the police station Keilah made her way inside the building and then called Neil to meet her. Minutes later he stepped off an elevator and walked across the lobby and greeted her with a hug.
“You're going to get me in a lot of trouble for doing this,” he said as they walked toward the elevators.
She waved him off and said, “If you're talking about Ramsey, he'll get over it.”
“He's my best friend. I'm still going to catch hell for letting you come down here without bringing him up to speed first.”
She smiled and said, “Tell him I twisted your arm.”
Neil laughed out loud.
“Is that she-devil still here?” she asked as they waited for people to get off the elevator before entering.
After stepping inside the elevator, he said, “As far as I know, she is. They have her down on the major crimes floor. Her father is here too. I can call down there to see if she's still being questioned.”
“It must be serious if T.K. is here. I haven't seen him in a while. Are you sure you don't know why they're here?”
They stepped off the elevator, entered the patrol room, and went into a break room area.
“I'm sure,” he answered as he hung up Keilah's coat and pulled out a seat for her. “Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, Pepsi, anything?”
She sat down and said, “No, I'm good. Neil, I'm not leaving here until I know what's going on.”
“Do you want me to see if I can go get one of the detectives so they can talk to you?” he asked.
“Yes, please,” she answered as she fumbled with the salt and pepper shakers on the table.
Neil left the room, and a few minutes later he returned with one of the detectives. The detective shook Keilah's hand and apologized for not being in touch but assured her that they had been working hard on the case. He admitted that they were questioning Andria to see if there was a possibility that she was involved in the kidnapping because of a tip they received.
“What kind of tip?” Keilah asked.
“I can't go into details right now, but do you know Andria Rockwell?” the detective asked.
She nodded and revealed to him that Andria was an ex-lover of Ramsey's and that she had been bitter when he broke off their relationship and married her. Neil also told the detective about Ramsey's altercation with Andria in Richmond.
The detective jotted down all the information and said, “I can't reveal anything to you right now, because the investigation is ongoing, but I will tell you that Miss Rockwell has some explaining to do.”
“Are you saying she could've had my daughter?”
He sighed and said, “It's possible, but we won't know until we get forensics results back from the lab.”
“What kind of test?” Keilah asked.
“I can't really say, Mrs. Stone. I don't want to jeopardize the case.”
Keilah ran her hands through her hair, slightly frustrated, and said, “I'll try to be patient, Detective, but you're going to have to keep us more informed with the case.”
The detective shook Keilah's hand again and said, “I will, Mrs. Stone. You should go home. There's nothing for you to do here, and I promise I'll call you as soon as we have some promising information.”
“I'm going to hold you to that,” she replied as she stood and slid into her coat.
The detective left Keilah and Neil alone. She covered her face and said, “Neil, I feel like I'm about to explode. Get me out of here.”
He took her by the arm. “Come on. I'll walk you to your car.”
“I swear to God, Neil, if that woman had anything to do with my child's kidnapping, you're going to have to arrest me, because I will beat her ass down.”
“I feel you,” he replied as he walked her to the elevator and pushed the button.
They stepped onto the elevator, and two floors down the unthinkable happened. The doors opened, and Andria, her father, and a man that appeared to be their attorney stepped onto the elevator, completely ignoring their presence. It took every fiber in Keilah's body for her not to lash out at Andria, and she was cool until she overheard something T.K. Rockwell said to his daughter.
“Andria, what I don't understand is how your credit card ended up in that cottage with a garbage can full of dirty diapers.”
“I told you, Daddy. I didn't even know it was missing.”
He shook his head and said, “You had better be telling the truth. I don't need this kind of stress right now.”
Neil glanced over at Keilah and could see that her breathing had changed and that sweat had broken out on her brow. Andria glanced over her shoulder at the pair, and before she could react, Keilah punched her in the side of the head, knocking her onto the floor. She immediately jumped on Andria and started choking her as she screamed obscenities at her husband's ex-lover. It was chaos in the small quarters of the elevator.
“Keilah, no!” Neil yelled when he was finally able to pull her off Andria. “What is wrong with you?” he asked before checking to see if Andria was injured.
“How dare you attack my daughter?” T.K. Rockwell yelled as the elevator doors opened.
“Your daughter took my baby!” Keilah screamed at her former client.
They stepped off the elevator and into the lobby, causing a huge scene. Other officers started over in their direction, but Neil held his hand up to alert them that he had everything under control.
T.K. looked Keilah in the eyes and said, “That hasn't been proven. I'm sorry you and your family had to go through that unspeakable situation, but you can't go around attacking people, especially my daughter.”
Keilah pointed her finger in his face and said, “Your daughter is psychotic, and I already know she's guilty, and as soon as the police get the rest of their evidence, everyone else will know too. When that happens, I'll be back and I won't be so nice.”
Neil turned to Andria and asked her if she wanted to press charges against Keilah.
With her hand on her swollen jaw, Andria shook her head and whispered, “No.”
Neil pushed Keilah toward the lobby doors and out into the parking lot. “What the hell were you thinking? I could be locking you up right now! Damn, Keilah! You can't do shit like that! If Andria is guilty, she'll pay, but if you don't watch yourself, you're going to be locked up before the case is solved!”
Keilah shook her head and said, “I should've snapped her damn neck.”
He grabbed her arm and asked, “Are you listening to me?”
He opened the car door for her, and once she was behind the wheel, he said, “Go home to your daughter, and let these detectives do their job.”
She looked Neil in the eyes and said, “I'm going home butâ”
“No buts, Keilah. Stay out of this before you screw up the case. Understood?”
Keilah leaned out the window and kissed Neil on the cheek and then started her car. “Thanks for letting me come down here.”
“Hell, after what you did, I regret it now,” he answered. “Drive safely and go straight home, please?”
She smiled and said, “I will.”
Back inside the precinct, Andria's attorney and her father were adamantly trying to get her to reconsider filing charges against Keilah for assaulting her, but due to circumstances unknown to them, she continued to refuse.
She made her way into the restroom, where she inspected her swollen face in the mirror. She pulled a paper towel from the dispenser and wiped the blood off the corner of her lip and whispered, “Touché, Keilah. Touché.”
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Instead of going home like she promised, Keilah detoured to the hospital to see Tori, who was doing much better and was scheduled to be discharged tomorrow. Convincing Kyle to go home to shower and rest was difficult, but he finally gave in and went home for some much-needed rest. Keilah updated her best friend on everything, including the loss of her child.
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