by Nikki Brown
“Ohhhhh nooooo, Chelsey.” I cried out as I watched her lifeless body sprawled out across the bed. I ran to her and lifted her head into my lap. She was already cold which meant that she had been here for some time. “Who did this to you baby?” I said. “Just wake up and tell me.”
I cried my eyes out, and the more I cried, the more hate grew in my heart for the fucking Barnes Brothers. I knew this had their names written all over it and I was going to make sure that they paid for this.
After I got myself together, I called the authorities to come and get her body. I answered all of their ridiculous questions. I pulled the lead detective to the side and told him what my theory was. He looked at me like I was crazy.
“Don’t look at me like that Detective—”
“Charles.” He finished my sentence.
“I’m telling you they are the only ones with motive to do something like this; you have got to believe me.”
“So, they snuck out through the tunnels under the jail came over here and killed her then took the tunnels back to the jail?” He looked at me incredulously. “I think you’ve been watching too much TV, Agent.” He laughed and then walked into the house with the rest of the force that was there to gather evidence.
Just then I noticed that DA Sharon Short had arrived. I didn’t know that she came out to crime scenes, but I guess that was a good thing it would save me the trip to her office because that was my next stop.
“Ms. Short,” I called out, and she looked at me, and I could have sworn I saw her smirk, but I could have been just tripping, and with the recent events, I went with that.
“Agent Milgram, correct?” She offered a warm smile that you couldn’t help but take in. This woman was beautiful, but this wasn’t the time to admire her, so I had to snap myself out of it.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I didn’t know this was a DEA case.” She gave me a questioning look.
“It’s not, me and the deceased were—she was—I was kinda.” I stuttered trying to figure out how to say it without putting myself at risk. She raised her eyebrows waiting for me to finish. “She was the mother of the witness in the Barnes’ case.”
“Okay?”
“I think they had something to do with this.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“Yes I am, you know just as well as I do that they have reach and they may not have physically done it, but I can bet you that they called this hit.”
“Do you have any proof of this alleged hit?” she asked.
“Well no, not yet, but I plan to look into it.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, this is not a DEA case, and my detectives are very capable of doing their jobs, I think you need to go and report to your supervisor.”
“I think you should listen to me, nobody knows them like me, and I can help you.”
“I think your thought process is warped, and you are seeing tunnel vision. There is no evidence that would point this tragedy to the Barnes Brothers, Agent Milgram.” She said, and I was about to interrupt her, but the bitch threw up her hand as to tell me to be quiet. I had to take a deep breath before I lost my credentials. “Where’s the husband, because the call that I got said that the husband was MIA and so was all of his things.”
“They staged that, for all we know he’s somewhere floating in Lake Norman.”
“And for all we know, he shot her and hit the road.” She retorted.
“He wouldn’t do that.” I shook my head because I didn’t believe for one second that Roman had one inch of killer in his blood. I mean I slept with his wife, in his bed, while he was out in his shed. What kind of man wouldn’t be watching who was coming in and out of his house? A man that didn’t give a fuck and that was Roman.
“And how would you know this Agent Milgram?”
“Because Chelsey was going to leave him for me.” I blurted out and then hated myself for it the second it came out.
“So, you were involved with the victim? And the husband knew about it?” She raised her voice just a little.
“It’s not what you think.” I held my hands up. “He didn’t care about her; he wouldn’t do this.”
“The Medical Examiner said that it looked that she died around midnight last night, so where were you between twelve and one last night?”
“You can’t be serious.” I looked at her like she had lost her got damn mind. I was waiting on her to crack a smile or say that it was a joke, but she never did. She waited on me to say something, “I was at home with my wife.”
“Does she know about your affair with the victim?”
“Don’t try and turn this around on me, this was them and I know it,” I yelled.
“DOES YOUR WIFE KNOW ABOUT YOUR AFFAIR?” She yelled in my face.
“No, she doesn’t.”
“Well, I need to get your statement down at the station. I will call your supervisor and your union rep. I will also need to get your wife down to the station to check your alibi.”
“You have got to be shitting me.” I placed my hands on my hips and just stared at her, and again she just looked at me. “I will meet you down there.”
“I’m sorry but this is a murder investigation, and one of the detectives will escort you.” She said matter of factly.
I didn’t even bother to argue because I knew that I had just got myself in a world of shit. I knew who did this though and I was gonna make sure they paid one way or another.
Chapter Eleven
Perry
I was pacing back and forth in the living room of this small ass cottage listening to Krista go on and on about not being able to get in touch with her parents. I had half a mind to kill her ass and take off by myself, but my heart wouldn’t let me do it. Somewhere I actually fell in love with her ass, but I would never let her know that. She took advantage of shit like that, so for now, I would continue to be an asshole to her and get banging ass sex in the process.
“Perry, are you listening to me?”
“I hear you, but what the fuck do you want me to do about it, Krista?”
“Do something, shit!” she yelled. I picked up my phone to call Agent Milgram again and got no answer.
“He’s not answering the phone, but I say we get the fuck out of here. Something ain’t right, we need to go, or we gonna end up dead.”
For once she didn’t say anything because I think that she agreed with me. She knew that all this shit that Milgram was preaching to us was a bunch of bullshit. We had been calling him all day and got nothing, and now we can’t get in touch with Krista’s mother.
“No, they are probably together somewhere, Mother does that. If he is with her, she is not going to let him answer the phone.”
“Fuck that, our lives could be in danger, Krista.”
“We’re fine Perry, just chill.”
“No fuck that, I’m about to get the fuck out of here and you gonna be on your fucking own,” I yelled at her and she just looked at me like she was trying to figure out if I would actually leave her here. If I didn’t hear back from Milgram soon, I was out of here, with or without her.
“Let's just wait and see if he calls.” She looked at me, and I sat on the bed and nodded. “I’m starving.”
“I could eat.”
“Let’s go to the little diner down the street. They have the best food, and they serve breakfast all day, I could really go for some pancakes right now.” She said rubbing her stomach that had a little pudge in it.
“You getting a little thick.” I tried to lighten the blow of what I was trying to say.
“Really Perry? Fuck you, I mean what do you expect all we do is lay in here and fuck and eat. That’s it.”
“I know, I wasn’t saying it like that; I was trying to ask if you were pregnant again,” I said that last part kinda low. I looked up at her, and she was gazing out into space like she was trying to think of something. I hadn’t seen her buy a tampon in quite some time.
“Nah I don’t thin
k so.” She shrugged, but I could tell that she was unsure of what she was saying.
“When was the last time you had a period, Krista?”
“Can we not talk about this and go get food? I’m starving.”
“You’re always starving.” I moved my hand down my face. “We stopping by the store so we can grab a test and make sure.”
“Whatever.” She said and walked out of the room.
“Whatever my ass, and if you are, we are out of here tonight, period!”
I leaned on the counter of the bathroom while she stood there and debated with me about taking the test. I don’t know what her problem was about taking the fucking test, but at this point she didn’t have a choice.
“Take the fucking test and stop fucking talking. You said yourself that all we do is fuck and eat, that should tell you something right there.”
“I don’t think I am; I know my body, Perry.”
“And so do I, so take the fucking test. If it says no, then oh well.” I shrugged.
“You just looking for a reason to leave.” She yelled.
“I’m leaving either way.” I looked at her in her eyes. “I’m not testifying again, and I mean that shit. We can run off to some small town somewhere; I got enough money to survive off of. We can set up shop wherever we go and live happily ever after.” She sat there and thought about what I was saying. Finally, she dropped her pants and pissed on the little fucking stick. Once she was done, she threw the stick on the counter and before she got her hands washed good the stick was already saying pregnant. “I knew it,” I said, and she looked at me shocked and then looked down at the stick.
“Oh my God!” She covered her mouth in shock and just stared at the test for what felt like forever. Then she snapped out of it and hugged my neck and kissed me on the cheek. “Let’s go.”
“Seriously?” Before she could answer, my phone rang, and it was Milgram. A part of me didn’t want to answer it in fear that she would change her mind, but I also felt the need to know what was going on. “About fucking time you decided to call us fucking back.” I barked as soon as I answered.
“Chelsey is dead.” Was all he said and I looked directly at Krista, my heart went out to her because I knew how close she and her mother were.
“What did he say? What’s wrong?” she panicked.
I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at her sympathetically. I walked over and grabbed her and hugged her really tight and whispered in her ear.
“It's your mother; she’s dead.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” she let out a gut-wrenching scream that was so loud I was waiting on the mirror to shatter. “How could you let this happen?” She screamed at the phone.
“Tell her I’m sorry. I’m on my way to get y’all in the morning so I can get y’all moved for the trial. Y'all have to appear in the next two days.”
“Nah fuck that, I’m done! We won’t be here.” I said.
“Perry don’t fuck with me, you will go to jail for murder if you don’t cooperate and you know it.”
“I already did my part so you can go to hell; I’m taking Krista and getting the fuck away from here. You can’t protect us. You couldn’t even protect her mother, and you were fucking her.” I yelled at him.
“We don’t even know if they had anything to do with it.” He struggled to get that out which let me know that he knew they had everything to with it.
“That’s a fucking lie; you know how far their reach is just like I do, and it’s only a matter of time before they come after us, and I can’t have that. Krista’s pregnant, and I’m getting us up out of here. Come after us if you want and you will regret it.”
“Listen please, the case is falling apart, and I need y’all’s testimony.”
“Not my concern,” I said and then hung up the phone. I went in the room and packed all our shit and loaded the car. I was not taking any chances with that shit. Once I was all loaded, I went and got Krista off the floor of the bathroom where she was still sitting. I got her in the car and we were out. I was not about to wait around for them muthafuckas to send people to slaughter us.
Chapter Twelve
Yameka
“Your honor, this has gone on long enough. The defense has proven that all of the evidence that the state had was corrupt and insufficient and now their witnesses are in the wind.”
“Or maybe your clients had them killed.” The Assistant District Attorney yelled.
“Your Honor!”
“Enough.” The judge banged his gavel. “Is the state prepared to hand over its witnesses?”
“No your Honor, we are still trying to get in contact with them; if I could have another continuance until tomorrow morning I—”
“I’m sorry, but I have already granted you three continuances with the same results. I am prepared to give my ruling.”
“Your Honor please.” The ADA begged, but it was no use. I don’t know what happened with Perry and Krista, but they just made my job that much easier.
“With the recent evidence presented by the defense, I have no choice but to overturn the ruling from guilty to not guilty. This is the worst display of prosecutorial misconduct that I have ever seen in my 30 years of serving on the bench. I will be speaking to your superiors.” He said to the ADA who immediately put his head down and glared back and Agent Milgram whose face was all tore up. “And you young men, I hope that you can begin to repair your life from this. You will be released immediately with my sincerest apologies.” He nodded in our direction. “Court is adjourned.” He hit the gavel and cheers erupted throughout the courtroom.
“Thank you, Jesus!” Ma Ann cheered from behind me. She hugged all of her boys, and I couldn’t be happier that I was a part of this joyous occasion.
“Daddy’s coming home,” Jaako whispered in my ear as he eased up beside me. My panties drenched instantly, and I couldn’t help but think about all the things I wanted to do to him. The minute we got to the house, I promise it was on.
“This is far from over,” Agent Milgram walked over to where we were standing. “I will see all of you behind bars, or I will die trying.”
“You better get yo’ thirsty ass on somewhere before you make me mad.” Ma Ann fumed. We were all standing there celebrating when he walked up talking his madness.
“You should be ashamed of yourself raising such fucking animals.”
“If you know what’s good for you, you would get the fuck on before I give them a reason to lock my ass back up,” Kayson yelled from the other side of the row we were all standing in.
“Was that a threat?”
“Muthafucka that was a promise.” Kayson started moving in his direction, and the bailiff grabbed him.
“Agent Milgram.” The ADA yelled breaking up the crowd. “You are needed at the Charlotte headquarters immediately.” I smiled because I could tell that it wasn’t gonna be any good news for him. They were gonna get in his ass about throwing this case away and falsifying a lot of that evidence. He was more than likely gonna lose his credentials, and maybe his job. “Agent Milgram, please don’t make me repeat myself.”
“I’m going!” He said frustrated.
“I will be filing a lawsuit against the department for wrongful imprisonment.” I winked, and both the ADA and Milgram scoffed and stormed out the courtroom doors. “Well, now that that’s over, I guess we will see you guys shortly.” I smiled back at the brothers, and they winked at me and headed back with the officers to prepare to be released.
I walked out of the courtroom with Ma Ann, Jenacia, Zemia, and Kaylin. Everyone was in good spirits. I just needed to go down and make sure that they weren’t gonna take their precious time releasing them. I knew how the court system could be, and I felt like they had been in there long enough.
Once I got down to the magistrate, I was informed that they would be released from the FCC Butner. After a while of going back and forth with them, they told me that there was nothing that they could do. The ADA had put that in mot
ion, and they would be released from there later today. I would make sure that I put that in my lawsuit.
“Well they are on some bullshit, they have to transfer them back to the prison and release them from there.”
“Why? That’s backwards as hell.” Ma Ann fussed.
“I know, but they are already back on the bus and headed that way. So y’all ready to make this ride?”
“Anything for my boys.” Ma Ann said, and we piled in two different cars to have room enough for them and headed in the direction of Raleigh to bring our men home.
Chapter Thirteen
Omari
“Yo, today is the best fucking day ever!” I said to no one in particular. We were on the bus riding back to the prison. On the way there, the guards wouldn’t let us talk and shit but now they didn’t give a fuck, we were home fucking free.
“I can’t wait to get home to see my kids,” Kayson said smiling and looking out the window.
“I just wanna make shit right with Zemia and make another kid.” I rubbed my hands together.
“She ain’t fucking with you, bruh.” Jaako laughed.
“Nigga got all of us in some shit.” Kayson looked in my direction, and I smirked. “Shit ain’t funny dog, had me wanting to reach through the phone to get my hands on her for talking slick and shit about something yo’ ass did.” He shook his head.
“Man, I was just trying to look out for us.”
“Fuck that.” Jaako and Kayson said in unison.
“I done told yo’ ass about putting that shit on me.” Kayson pointed at me. “I ain’t had shit to do with that.”
“But I did it to make sure we were comfortable, hell you can kinda say a nigga gave up because I just knew that’s where my ass was gonna be for a while.”
“You didn’t have no faith in my woman?” Jaako jumped in.
