by Briana Cole
“You tell me.” I paused and when he made no further move to speak, I went on. “So, when is your deadline?”
“What deadline? What are you talking about?”
I rolled my eyes. So that’s how he was going to play it? Dumb? How insulting. “Heard your little talk with Tyree. It’s pretty clear what deadline I’m talking about.”
That had him freezing, and I could tell my statement had caught him off guard. He sighed and took another step towards my bed.
“Stop,” I said. “I don’t trust you.”
“Kimmy,” Kareem’s voice was gentle. “It’s not what you think. I swear.”
“You sure about that?” I asked. “Because what I am thinking came from what I heard. So, tell me the truth Kareem. Are you and Tyree really trying to set me up to have an affair with you?”
Another pause, and his lack of an answer was answer enough. I shook my head. Pafuckingthetic. “Get out,” I said.
“Not until you hear what I have to say.”
“Oh, believe me. I’ve heard enough.”
Kareem ignored me, instead walking closer while holding out a tablet. I didn’t want to look, but curiosity compelled my eyes to fall to the screen when he just stood there waiting patiently.
The image was slightly fuzzy and disoriented, but I could make out what looked to be a bedroom. And looking closer, a man moving around the room while on his cell phone. My eyebrows drew together, and I looked up at Kareem. “Is that Tyree?” I asked though I already knew the answer. Just like I knew his voice, I knew that man’s walk anywhere.
“Yeah,” Kareem answered. “I’m trying to explain to you that I needed to find a way to put a camera in his room. He didn’t have one in there and hopefully now we can catch him with Leo.”
I looked closer as Tyree stepped out of his shoes and continued pacing the room, his cell phone to his ear.
“What is this I’m looking at?” I asked. “Is this like a live feed? You have access to the security cameras?”
“Something like that,” Kareem said. “A friend of mine taught me how to tap into the feed so I can see the same footage from the cameras.”
Now I was confused. In one breath, it looked as if he was helping me but what about what I had just heard? “So, what’s this thing you were talking about with Tyree?”
Kareem sighed. “Yeah, about that.” A pause. “It’s a little complicated, but to make a long story short, yes, Tyree approached me about setting you up to have an affair with me, so he could tape it and show it to Leo. He’s trying to push you out of his life. And it’s obvious he’s just tolerating you because of Leo.”
“But still,” I shook my head trying to make it make sense. “You agreed to do it? Why?”
“Tyree had a point. Not sure if you heard but remember I told you he knows some things that could get me in a lot of trouble. Whether I was going to go through with it or not, I needed to agree to it to keep myself alive for the time being.”
For some reason, Kareem’s rationale seemed believable. In addition, I was having a hard time understanding this man trying to hurt and help me at the same damn time. So far, he had been so helpful, and part of me did not want to believe it had all been a lie.
“Kimmy.” Kareem stooped down until he was eye level with me. “You can trust me. I promise I got you.”
And I believed him. His words broke through my tough exterior and touched me in a reassuring way. I felt his sincerity and I nodded my understanding. At least I wasn’t completely by myself in this. When he inched closer, we both heard my quick intake of breath.
“Look at you, Kimmy.” He fingered the dangerously low neckline on the T-shirt I wore, smiled when he felt my reflexive shudder in response to the absent brush of his knuckle against my skin. Damn, my body was responding to him without my permission. “Lying here in bed. Picking a fight. Most people would say you were flirting.” I felt his fingers graze my bare shoulder and kept my eyes level with his.
“Is that what you want Kareem?” We both knew the simple question had been a dare, and I would be damned if he would continue to taunt me. It was just a test, I assured myself. I would like nothing better than to prove him wrong. He didn’t have that control over me like he thought. I let my eyes fall to his lips before grabbing his collar and dragging him to meet mine.
Peppermint. I relished in the flavor on his tongue, used my own to caress the roof of his mouth and swallow his moan in response. His grip tightened on my arm, seemingly urging me for more, or demanding it, I wasn’t sure. But, he seemed to be not only reigniting that passion I had long since buried, but coaxing it, propelling it, until it was erupting into new sensations that made me feel like a stranger in my own body. He sucked on my bottom lip, and I quivered. His body hummed against mine. I felt the power I had over him as much as I was weakened by the power he had over me.
It was Kareem who broke contact first, pulling his face back to rest his forehead on mine. We remained quiet for a minute, our jagged breaths in perfect unison as we struggled to slow them down and eventually, even out.
“Now what?” I spoke up first, letting the simple, yet complicated question hang in the air between us. I saw Kareem shut his eyes, his face reflecting the clear confusion that I felt. After the first time, we had promised we wouldn’t sex each other again. It was too dangerous. Too risky. Too complicated given the circumstances. But, it was more than obvious neither of us would be able to resist the temptation.
“Sooner or later, we may have to go for another round,” he answered finally. I noticed he had yet to remove his hand from cupping my heated cheek, just as I realized mine was still at his neck, his bunched collar still clutched in my fist.
“And now?” I asked, lifting my face to read his expression. He drew in a shaky breath.
“Now, I think we need to check out this video,” he said on a laugh.
I relaxed into a chuckle, torn between relief and flattery at his statement. “Fair enough,” I agreed. I released his shirt and made a weak attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. I didn’t know why I felt suddenly embarrassed. We were both adults. We had made our boundaries perfectly clear. To avoid the inevitable would only heighten the tension between us and complicate our relationship since we continued to leave issues unexplored, right? A little friendly . . . what was it between us? Fling? Well, that wouldn’t hurt, would it? It was better to tackle it all now instead of letting it fester, hoping it would fizzle and die out. That would surely not be the case. We just had to make sure we didn’t get caught.
When I was sure we had both calmed down, I gestured to his tablet. “So, what else can you do on that thing? Send emails?”
Kareem tossed me a sarcastic glance. “Yeah, I would love to. Let me just ask ole’ boy for the Wi-Fi code. And try to make sure he doesn’t see this thing connected to it.”
I nodded. Worth a shot.
“It’s pretty basic,” Kareem went on. “I have some e-books on it for reading. That’s about it.”
Now it was my turn to give him a doubtful look. “Really? Reading? You?”
“Yeah. It’s an outlet. Some of us simple, educated brothers do exist. You can borrow it if you ever want to check out some of my stuff.”
I eyed him a moment longer, decided he was completely serious. “I used to write,” I revealed after a brief moment of silence. “I actually picked it up from Leo’s second wife, Lena. She used to write the most beautiful poetry. My stuff never came out like hers, but that was my outlet.”
“Why did you stop?”
My sigh was heavy. I didn’t know enough words in the English language to describe the turmoil I had been feeling since I left Atlanta. And putting pen to paper sure as hell didn’t make me feel better, nor did it make my circumstances any more tolerable. What was the point? But instead of spiraling deeper into my sorrows, I just shrugged.
“Show me this footage you were talking about,” I said, changing the subject. It was obvious Kareem wanted to push the issue, but thankfu
lly he didn’t apply pressure. He just tapped a few buttons on the tablet’s touchscreen in silence and held it between us so we could view the image together.
The position of the camera looked like it was from a dresser. Tyree’s room was huge and though the camera didn’t capture every inch of it, it did a great job of keeping most of it in view.
Tyree was now perched at his desk on a laptop. By the angle of his screen, we could make out a woman’s face. It seemed like he was talking to someone via video chat. Interesting. I didn’t even know Tyree had any friends, or anyone for that matter, outside of Leo. To be honest though, I didn’t know a damn thing about the man at all.
“Is there some kind of audio?” I asked.
“Yeah, one sec.” Kareem began punching the touchscreen buttons, fiddling with this and that until Tyree’s voice seeped through the phone’s speaker. It was very low and nearly muffled by static in the background, but still I nodded, thankful to be able to hear something as opposed to silence.
“This is as loud as it can go,” Kareem said, which to be honest wasn’t very loud but still it was something. He held the device closer to us and we both angled our ear to the speaker.
“. . . not supposed to be like this,” Tyree was saying. “I mean, damn, how long am I supposed to give him before he gets himself together Gina?”
“You made the bed,” the woman he called Gina answered. “You told him you were okay with all this. So now you’re not?”
“Hell no, I’m not okay with it.” Anger was evident in his voice. “I’ve put up with a lot of shit from him. And it’s not fair to me. Don’t I deserve better?”
“I’ve been told you that.”
We continued to watch as Tyree began pacing in front of the desk. “I do what he asks, I don’t say anything, and I still get the shitty end of the stick. While he continues to play between me, that Kimmy bitch, and now Naomi.”
Gina sighed. “Why do you put up with it Tyree?” she asked. “Why don’t you just leave?”
The question had Tyree stopping in his tracks and he shook his head. With his next comment, the anger was gone. Now replaced with angst and sorrow. “I can’t Sis,” he said softly. “I love him too much.”
Sis? Kareem and I glanced at each other, both of us clearly surprised by the established relationship. Since when did Tyree have a sister?
“You’re wasting your time on Leo,” Gina said. “And I get it. When you love, you love hard. That’s always been your blessing and your curse. You love so deep you become obsessive.”
I had to agree, thinking back to all the events that had transpired with this man. All in the name of “love.” Shit was crazy.
“Didn’t those months in rehab teach you anything?” She went on, and I had to take a breath at how right on the money I had been. She seemed to be speaking my own thoughts but when I actually digested this man and his actions, his underlying mental issues were more than evident. His behavior almost irrational. Spending time in a mental health facility was right up his alley. But it wasn’t like it helped, that’s for damn sure.
“You told me what you had done,” Gina said at his continued silence. “About the kidnapping, the whole thing with Kimmy’s friend. And Tina. Does all of that seem like a sane person?”
“You think I’m crazy?”
“Yeah. Crazy in love,” she clarified and I had to shake my head in disagreement. Nah. Ole boy was just crazy-crazy. Period.
“I just love and care about you so much and I hate to see what this is doing to you. You’re not even the brother I know anymore.”
Tyree sank back down into the chair and placed his head in his hands. “Do you feel different about me, sis?” he asked. His tone was almost pleading. “After . . . everything?”
“Of course not. I’m just worried. When mom died, she told us to take care of each other because we’re all we got left. I failed our brother. When he died, I beat myself up for a long time, wondering what I could have done to get him out of that lifestyle.”
I glanced at Kareem’s profile, wondering what he was thinking. I remember he mentioned that Tyree’s brother had been killed in the whole operation to takedown Obi. Did he feel guilty about it? Or, was he so used to killing that it didn’t even faze him anymore? Kareem kept his eyes trained forward and I looked back to the phone.
“I just want to take care of you,” Gina was saying.
“Then what should I do?”
“Give all of that shit up,” Gina said quickly. “Give Leo up. Just walk away and leave it all behind you. You’ve already spent nearly twelve years of your life invested in this man. Don’t waste anymore.”
I held my breath, listening and waiting for Tyree’s response. He didn’t answer her directly. Just said he loved her and would reach out to her later before clicking off the computer.
I began to pray that Gina’s words took effect and he did what she suggested. Maybe if he was gone, Leo would have no need to keep me. He would no longer have anything to hide. But of course, I never knew what to expect with either of them. That would’ve seemed too much like right. Too logical of a thought process. And both men had made it more than clear they weren’t logical. So, Tyree leaving, would it help my cause? Or hurt it?
Chapter 17
Adria
The police station was abuzz with activity that whirled by with such urgency and chaos I felt like I was in a circus. The place made me nervous because it seemed like no good ever came from here. Not to mention with the rapid increase of cops killing our innocent black youth, being in the same atmosphere seemed almost hypocritical on the heels of the Black Lives Matter movement. But, as much as I hated to admit it, I needed their help, specifically one cop in particular. So, I bit the bullet and stepped up the brick staircase leading me right into the pit of it all.
The lobby reeked of sweat and cigarette smoke. All around, officers shuffled along either escorting prisoners in handcuffs or clustered in groups chatting about some business or another. I made my way to the front desk, waiting patiently for the receptionist to finish her call. When she did, she eyed me wearily and turned to her computer. “May I help you?”
“Yes, I need to speak to Detective Terry, please.” As I spoke her name, the woman from the prior year’s investigation came straight to mind. The blond-haired, badge-wearing chick whom Kimera and I had agreed looked more like a cheerleader than an officer.
“Is she expecting you?” the receptionist went on.
“No, but I have some information on a missing person.”
The woman didn’t break stride, leaning over to snatch a form from her files and placing it down in front of me. “You need to fill out a Missing Person’s report,” she said. “It can take an average of—”
“I really need to speak with Detective Terry,” I reiterated, almost pleading. “She is familiar with my case as she was investigating a murder that happened with my family.”
The receptionist seemed completely unimpressed. “I’ll let her know you’re here. What’s your name?”
“Adria Davis.”
I waited while she dialed a few times before she spoke briefly into the phone receiver and hung up. “She’ll be right out.”
The lobby was full, people scattered in the pastel blue plastic chairs, each looking like they were trapped in their own little world of sorrows. I don’t think anything could be pleasant from being in a police station so the atmosphere was definitely weighted with tension.
I was able to snag a seat between a woman who looked like she’d had a number of rounds with Mayweather, and a woman who looked like she was so burdened with stress she was going to have a stroke right there in the center of the floor. I turned my attention to the reason for my visit.
Kimmy’s words were still fresh in my mind. For some reason, in my heart of hearts, I knew it was completely true. But knowing that, I feared for my friend and her circumstances. Hell, the letter had been dated a few weeks ago, what if he had already gotten to her? I shook the though
t from my mind as quickly as it came. I couldn’t afford to think like that. I had to hold on to that hope that my friend and her son were alive and I would do everything in my power to bring them home safely.
I hadn’t bothered telling Mama Davis how right she was about the note. The added worry was not what she needed to be focused on right now. Nor had I told Keon yet, but that was partially because he still was not answering my calls. I had debated if I wanted to call Jahmad and let him read it for himself, see what we needed to do next. But, given the severity of the circumstances, I needed to see what Detective Terry said first. And though the case had gone cold, she knew what had gone down with the murder of my father-in-law and everything that had happened to me. She had to realize this was no coincidence.
“Mrs. Davis?”
I rose to greet Detective Terry as she strolled up and offered me her hand to shake. She hadn’t changed much at all with the exception of chopping her hair off. I guess she figured it gave her more of a “grown-up” look.
“Thank you so much for meeting me on such short notice,” I said taking her hand.
“My pleasure. I have to admit, I was surprised to hear from you. I’m sorry for your loss.”
I nodded my appreciation, not really knowing or caring how she even knew that information. I was just eager to get to the matter at hand.
We entered her cramped office with its oversized desk, wall plaques, and tiny window displaying a view of the parking lot. Boxes were stacked everywhere, and Detective Terry had to move a few just to give me a place to sit.
“Forgive the mess,” she said, rounding the desk to plop down in her own seat. “We are currently in the process of moving to another, larger building.” She sat back, picking up a mug and lifting it to her lips. When she finished her sips, she smiled in my direction. “Now, how can I help you?”
I removed the envelope from my purse and passed it in her direction. “My mother-in-law got this strange letter,” I started, watching her unfold the paper. “I wanted you to take a look at it and tell me what you think.”
