by S. K. Hardy
“Nah, Marcus.” Darrell tried to go around him. “I want an answer. I wanna know what Tina found out. I wanna know what in the hell was so bad that they had to ki–”
“D.!” Dom caught his eyes and subtly jerked his head back to remind him that Gabrielle was listening. “Not now, bruh.”
Marcus turned around and pointed at Isaac. “You need to leave.”
The two bodyguards took a step towards Marcus, but King held a hand up to halt their approach.
Marcus’ eyes skidded over them dismissively. “Yeah, you best call ‘em off before I slap a muzzle on their rabid asses.”
King tilted his head. “You got a big mouth. I’m advising you to watch what you say before it gets you into trouble.”
“And who the fuck is you?” Marcus unbuttoned his jacket. “I don’t need you to advise me of a mu’fuckin’ thang, pot’nah.”
“Oh shit,” Aleesha whispered. “When he starts speaking ebonics, he’s pissed. Marcus please just let it go,” she mumbled.
Dom moved to Marcus’ side and stared King down. “This ain’t the time nor the place, bruh.”
“You need to step back…bruh.” Hawk frowned, his eyes flashed in warning. “Angel’s not here to save you this time.”
Outraged when she heard Hawk’s diss, Keisha glared, her hands balling up into tight fists. “Beat his ass, baby,” she whispered. “Beat his ass.”
Dominick’s face darkened in anger. “I don’t need my brother to save me. But you might.”
“Enough already!” Lorenzo spat out angrily. “Everybody needs to fall da’ fuck back and take a breath!” He divided his attention between all of them before letting his gaze rest on his father. “Pop, come on. Like Dom said, this isn’t the place for this. Not today.”
Isaac opened his mouth to deliver what would no doubt have been a scathing reply, but before he could, another car pulled up and stopped in front of the limousine. Everyone turned and watched as two men got out of the car.
Darrell cursed vehemently under his breath when he recognized Detectives Lowe and Thomas. “You have got to be kiddin’ me…”
As the detectives headed their way, they studied the group with expressions full of interest while whispering quietly to each other.
Jerra and Justin were by Darrell’s side in an instant. Placing a hand on Darrell’s arm, she whispered to Darrell, “Not a word, baby. Let us do the talking.”
Justin frowned at her. “No, let me do the talking. Not a word from either of you.”
Jerra grimaced, but nodded reluctantly. That’s when she saw Isaac’s gaze resting on her stomach. Jerra covered it protectively and stood immobile under his intense scrutiny, absently wondering whether or not Isaac had been aware of the fact that she was pregnant.
Justin immediately took control before either man could speak. “I’m Darrell’s attorney, Justin Sullivan. And you are?” After they introduced themselves, Justin asked, “May I ask why you’re here?”
“Yes, what is this about?” Jerra fired out. Justin sent her another look of warning to let him handle things.
Recognizing the razor sharp edge in Jerra’s voice, Detective Thomas barely suppressed a sigh. “Mrs. Monroe, we’re here to speak to your husband.”
“I don’t think so, Detective,” Justin said. “Please leave.”
Lorenzo frowned. “Are these the detectives investigating Darrell?”
“And you are?” Detective Lowe inquired.
“Don’t worry about it. You heard what his attorney said. You need to leave.”
Gabby had joined them as well by this point. All of her attention was on the detectives. “I’m Gabrielle Gibson. Are you the policemen investigating my mother’s death?”
The detectives looked at her in surprise. “You’re the deceased’s daughter. Our condolences on the loss of your mother, ma’am.”
Gabby nodded in acknowledgement. “Why are you here? What do you want to speak to my brother about?”
“Whatever it is will have to wait, Gabby,” Darrell said. “We’re already going to be late.”
Detective Thomas was quick to apologize for the interruption “As we said, it won’t take very long, but we’d prefer to do this in private.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Justin said with an underlying ring of authority. His blue eyes cool and calm, he pinned the detectives with a piercing glare. “I’m telling you once more to leave.”
“We’ve arrested the man who killed Ms. Gibson,” Detective Lowe said in a rush.
“What?” Darrell said glancing at his father.
“Thank God,” Jerra whispered.
Justin’s eyes narrowed. “Who? Has he confessed?”
“Did he say why he killed my mother?” Gabby’s voice was paper-thin. Cane slipped an arm around her in support.
Detective Thomas held a hand up. “Please. Again, our apologies, we didn’t know you were burying Ms. Gibson today, so we’ll be brief. The assailant was caught after he was brought in yesterday for trying to attack another woman. We ran his prints and got a hit. They matched the ones found in your mother’s hotel room. After interrogating him for several hours last night, he gave a full confession.”
Still unconvinced, Darrell glanced at Isaac and Joseph. “Are you sure he’s the one who did it?”
“We’re positive. He’s a career criminal, just got out of prison a year ago. Says he followed Ms. Gibson back to the hotel with the intention of robbing her the night of her murder. There was skin under your mother’s fingernails. We’re pretty sure that once the DNA results come back, it’ll be a positive match.”
“But–” Darrell still didn’t look convinced. He’d been so sure…
“Darrell, please. It’s over.” Jerra’s eyes silently begged him to let it go and just accept the fact that the police had definitive proof of who committed the crime and leave it alone.
“Your wife is right, Mr. Monroe. We stopped by to tell you you’re no longer a suspect.”
“A suspect?” Gabby gasped, grabbing Darrell’s arm. “What are they talking about?”
Darrell kept his voice as calm as he could manage. “It’s nothing. We’ll talk about it later.”
Gabby whirled around to face the detectives. “Are you saying you suspected my brother of…of…”
“Sweetie, it was just a stupid misunderstanding,” Lorenzo said softly.
“Of course I know that, Renzo. Darrell and my mother may have had their problems but I know he would never do anything like…like that.” Her face reflected anger, but mostly hurt when she turned back to Darrell. “But you shouldn’t have kept this from me, Darrell.”
“I was just tryin’ to–”
“I know. You were trying to protect me, but I’m not a child, so stop treating me like one.”
Darrell nodded. “You’re right, Gab. I’m sorry.”
She stared at him without flinching. “Is there anything else you need to tell me? Anything else, I should know.”
Darrell’s eyes flickered away from her trusting ones and briefly landed on Isaac. Returning his gaze back to Gabby, Darrell shook his head. “No. There’s nothing else.”
When he saw the relief that flashed in her eyes, Darrell knew he’d made the right decision. He couldn’t lay anything else on his sister, especially if he didn’t know whether or not Tina had been telling the truth about his father and uncle. That’s what was so messed up about the entire situation. He sure as hell didn’t trust Isaac, but…he couldn’t trust Tina either. She’d told him so many stories it was difficult to differentiate her lies from her truths. The police had found the man responsible for her death; for Gabby’s sake, he would leave it at that…for now.
Darrell glanced down at his watch and said quietly, “Come on. We’re already late.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “You ready? You okay?”
Gabby sighed and rested her forehead on his chest for a moment before straightening and nodding. “Yes.”
Keeping an arm around her
shoulders, he linked his fingers through Jerra’s. Reluctantly, he looked at his father. “Since you’re here, you might as well come to the service if you want to. It’s up to you. We’re meeting back here afterwards.”
Everyone realized the importance of Darrell’s invitation, however grudgingly it was extended. It was obvious Isaac did as well. His posture stiff, he nodded his acceptance. “Thank you.”
Darrell nodded once in acknowledgment. When Jerra squeezed his hand and lifted her lips to tell him something, he leaned down and bent his ear close.
“I love you,” Jerra whispered.
Darrell’s handsome face relaxed a bit. With just those three words, she centered him, brought him back to the here and now.
His lips came down and met hers for a brief kiss. “Love you back, Mrs. Monroe.”
They all started to disperse and move towards their cars. Jerra looked back and noticed that Justin still stood in the same spot. “Are you coming?”
Darrell came to a stop and turned to look at Justin as well. His brows lifted in silent inquiry as his eyes held Justin’s then slid to the detectives. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. You two go on, I’ll be right behind you. I just want to have a word with the detectives before they leave.”
After a brief hesitation, Darrell nodded and guided Jerra and Gabby to the car.
Justin watched them go then turned back to Lowe and Thomas. When he did, he saw something that made him stand still. If he’d been a millisecond later he would’ve missed it.
Justin’s gaze sharpened as he glanced at the limousine. Isaac Pattel was poised and ready to climb inside, but before he did, he paused and looked back at the two detectives. A silent message of sorts was exchanged between the three men. Justin frowned, silently correcting himself. No, not a message. More like a warning from Darrell’s father to the detectives.
The action only served to magnify Justin’s growing unease, because from his understanding, Darrell’s father and the detectives didn’t know one another. Justin and Jerra had both come to the conclusion that the police had been using Darrell as a way to get to Isaac and the rest of the Pattels. But the look he’d just witnessed said otherwise. For some reason, Isaac was not pleased with the idea of Justin talking to the detectives. Justin couldn’t help but wonder why.
“Mr. Sullivan, what can we help you with?”
Justin rubbed his chin and studied Detective Lowe for a moment before answering. He was the older of the two, and from what Jerra had told him, seemed to be the one in charge. A hint of impatience simmered in Lowe’s eyes as he waited for Justin to speak.
“I won’t keep you long. I just have a couple of questions about the arrest you made in connection with Ms. Gibson’s murder. It happened rather quickly, wouldn’t you agree?”
Detective Lowe raised a gray, wiry brow. “And that’s a problem for you? I thought you would’ve been happy that justice was served so swiftly. Your client is no longer under suspicion.”
“Of course I’m pleased, but I’m also curious about a few things.”
Lowe glanced at Thomas, his attitude arrogant and patronizing. “Forgive my confusion, but most attorneys would be jumping for joy upon finding out the person they’re defending is no longer being looked at as a person of interest in a murder investigation, not asking for an explanation.”
Justin laughed, but the sound had a definite edge. “I’m not ‘most attorneys’.” The smile disappeared slowly and his eyes dipped below freezing. “Humor me.”
Lowe studied Justin as if seeing a different side of him. Shrugging, he smirked and said, “Fine. What did you want to know, Mr. Sullivan?”
“You said the man arrested for the murder had recently been released from prison?”
“That’s correct.”
“He was apprehended after attacking another woman. Is that when you ran his prints and discovered they were a match to the ones lifted from Ms. Gibson’s room?”
Detective Lowe paused a beat. “Correct.”
Justin tilted his head to the side and held a finger up. “See, that’s what puzzles me. If he’d been to prison, that meant his fingerprints would already be on file. I assume the first thing you did was run the prints found at the crime scene through your database. Why wasn’t a match made then?”
His expression hardening, Detective Lowe folded his arms. “Just a fluke. Slipped through the cracks. It happens.”
“Oh, I’m sure a lot of things happen. All it takes is a little help to make it happen the way someone wants it to.”
The other man’s arms slowly dropped to his side as he took a step towards Justin. “Just what are you implying, Sullivan?”
“Oh, I think you and I are on the same page here. You know what I’m getting at.”
The silence stretched on until it became dangerously uncomfortable. The two of them squared off like gunmen waiting to draw their weapons. Detective Thomas stepped between them to try and diffuse what had quickly become a tense standoff.
“Mr. Sullivan, I assure you that everything is above board and by the books.”
“Hold on a second, Matt. You don’t have to explain anything to him.” Lowe pushed Detective Thomas aside and glared at Justin with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Ya’ know, Sullivan, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were disappointed that Mr. Monroe is no longer a suspect.”
Justin’s dark brow arched questioningly. “Really. Tell me why I would be disappointed about something like that.”
Lowe hunched shoulders. “Oh, I dunno. Maybe it has something to do with Monroe’s pretty little wife. She works for your firm, doesn’t she? Even pregnant, she’s a hot piece of ass. With Monroe out of the picture, that would give you an excuse to step in and offer her a little bit of comfort, along with a lot of tender loving care. Right?”
Fury darkened Justin’s eyes to a deep cobalt blue. He knew the son of a bitch was taking a shot in the dark, looking for a way to provoke him. Make him lose control. Justin wouldn’t let that happen because if a person was able to do that, they owned you. You would be little more than a puppet dancing on a string to whatever music they chose to play.
With great effort, Justin forced himself to calm down. He had a short fuse, a fact very few people knew about him. His anger could be explosive, but he’d learned to keep it on a short leash, something he prided himself on having mastered. However, the blatant disrespect Lowe showed almost succeeded in derailing all of Justin’s hard work. That, in itself, was enough to make Justin want to kick his fucking ass.
Justin took the steps needed to put him well past Detective Lowe’s comfort zone. A sense of satisfaction came over Justin when he saw the glimmer of unease that flickered in the old bastard’s eyes.
“I’m telling you now, that badge you’re wearing is giving you a false sense of security. You need to tread very carefully from this point on.”
“Sullivan, I’d advise you to step the fuck back. Now.”
“And I’d advise you to watch your fucking mouth and show some respect!” Justin snapped.
Lowe’s complexion turned an ugly, deep red. Justin saw the uncertainty on his face and knew the son of a bitch was trying to get a read on him, figure out what he was dealing with, but that would never happen. Lowe wasn’t smart enough.
Still, he tried his best to bluff his way out of the precarious predicament he’d somehow found himself in. “Don’t think I won’t haul your ass in for threatening an officer of the law.”
“We both know you won’t do that. I’m just taking a guess here, but something tells me Isaac Pattel wouldn’t appreciate you doing that. Am I right?”
Detective Lowe blanched as an emotion that could only be described as naked fear drained the color from his face. He looked at Thomas, who seemed just as disturbed. His throat working furiously, Lowe took a step back and straightened his tie.
“As my partner stated, this arrest was done by the books. We have the evidence, the perp’s confession, and s
tatements from witnesses who remember seeing him at the scene of the crime.” Lowe put emphasis on the next statement and made sure to keep eye direct eye contact. “This case is iron tight and now considered to be closed. If there’s nothing else?”
Justin’s eyes swept over both men with infinite care, taking great delight in seeing them squirm under his piercing scrutiny. “No, I think I have everything I need,” he answered in a bored tone. “Have a good day, gentlemen.”
He watched as the detectives scurried to their car like grateful mice released from a trap. Rotating his head from one side to the other in a controlled manner, Justin stretched and cracked his neck muscles to relieve the tight knot of stress.
Making a mental note to schedule a much-needed appointment with his chiropractor, Justin took slow strides to his car, his mind methodically reviewing the conversation he’d have to initiate with his client, who could be hot headed and difficult to handle. But Justin knew he appreciated candor and honesty. Even so, Justin had a feeling it wouldn’t be pleasant for anyone involved after he divulged everything he’d just found out.
CHAPTER 50
Hours after Tina’s funeral service, a small group of family and friends gathered at Darrell and Jerra’s home to partake in food, conversation, and offer support. Mrs. Henderson had everything under control in the kitchen by the time Darrell and Jerra got back. When Jerra tried to enter the kitchen to see if there was anything she could do to help, the older woman shooed her out and told to go and attend to her guests.
As soon as Jerra entered the living room her eyes searched the room of people until she found Darrell. Seeing that he was talking to Lucas and Dominick, she nibbled on her lip, gauging whether or not she could get him alone for a moment before things got too crazy. She really really needed to talk to him about something, ASAP.
Sighing, Jerra’s thoughts went back to the burial service. It had been as hard as she’d expected, especially for Gabby. Thankfully, Jerra and Darrell had convinced her to stay with them for a few more days before going back to New York. Once she returned, Jerra felt fairly comfortable that she would find the support she needed in Renzo. The sibling relationship they shared was strong. Not as binding as the one Gabby had with Darrell, but that would come in time.
