Astray

by Carlos King

  The young boy anxiously walks out ahead of his father. The boy’s father calls out to him. “Stop right there, Joey. I want you to stay behind me.”

  Following his father’s directions, the boy takes cover behind his dad. When the two are finally near the out-of-place blanket, the father orders his son to stay back while he moves in closer to investigate. Standing directly over the rain soaked blanket, he uses the barrel of his rifle to move the top layer of the blanket over. To his complete horror he finds a badly beaten, barely breathing young woman. Alexis is so physically drained her pleads for help can barely be heard due to the weakened state of her vocal cords.

  The man swiftly takes off his jacket and covers Alexis’ with it. He turns back to his son and orders, “Joey, run back to the car and fetch my cell phone! Call the police and tell them to send an ambulance and some cops out here, right now!”

  The boy dashes off. Meanwhile, the boy’s father remains by Alexis’ side, trying to comfort her as best as he can. “Everything is gonna be ok, Ms. We’re gonna get somebody out here to help. You just hang on, okay? You’re gonna be alright.”

  Just as the father promised, the entire area is covered with police officers and emergency medical technicians within a matter of minutes. Once the medics stabilize Alexis they hastily load her into the ambulance and transport her to the nearest hospital.

  CHAPTER 13

  A FAMILIAR FACE

  A couple days into her hospital stay, Alexis’ physical condition has greatly improved. The swelling in her face has reduced and she’s regaining her strength. On her way to a full recovery, Alexis’ doctor contacts the police and lets them know she’s okay to be questioned.

  Alexis is resting in her hospital bed, writing in a note pad she found on the nightstand. A couple nights before she woke up with one thought dominating her mind. She had an impulse to write this thought out onto paper and she did. She’s been writing ever since. A nurse suddenly knocks on Alexis’ room door, pulling her concentration away from the notepad.

  The nurse pushes the door open slightly and peeks inside. “Alexis, there’s two detectives out here who’d like to speak with you. You feel up for it?”

  Alexis adjusts her bed to an upright position. “Yeah, it’s cool.”

  “You got it,” the nurse replied.

  The nurse exits and seconds after her departure, two gentlemen march in. Both men are dressed in suits and both possess the aura of law enforcement. Aside from those two factors, the two men have nothing else in common. The older of the two is a rugged white male who’s probably in his mid-fifties. His out-dated suit is wrinkled and his jacket his unfastened, revealing his tan gun holster. His appearance is indicative of someone who lives a really stressed out life.

  In contrast, the other detective is the complete opposite of his much older partner. The attractive young black male is dressed in a very fashionable black suit and tie and is very well groomed.

  As the two men make their way towards Alexis, the older detective asks, “How are you doing, Ms. Robinson? I’m Det. Logan and this is Det. Davis. My partner and I have a few questions we’d like to ask you about the events that occurred the night of your attack. Now I know a considerable amount of time has gone by and your memory may be a little foggy, but we’d appreciate whatever information you can give us.”

  Remembering what Trina told her years ago, Alexis isn’t interested in disclosing the events of that night to the detectives. She believes that once they find out she’s a prostitute she’ll no longer be considered a victim. She believes the detectives will rule her attack as an occupational hazard.

  Alexis looks up at Det. Logan. “I don’t remember a thing.”

  “Look, Ms. Robinson,” Det. Logan started, “I know you’re afraid, but if you want us to catch this guy we’re going to need your full cooperation.”

  “I already told you…I don’t remember a thing,” Alexis stubbornly asserted.

  Disappointed by Alexis’ lack of testimony, Det. Logan lets out a sigh of frustration. He turns to his partner. “Come on, let’s get out of here. She’s not gonna talk.”

  Det. Logan angrily makes his way back to the door. His partner stays behind, calling out to his annoyed partner.

  “You go ahead, John,” said the younger Detective. “I’m gonna stay behind for a minute. Go grab yourself a cup of coffee and something to eat from the cafeteria…My treat. I’ll catch up to you in a little while.”

  Detective Logan retorts, “Okay, kid, but I’m telling you it’s a waste of time. She’s not gonna tell you a thing.”

  Detective Logan leaves his younger partner and Alexis alone. Det. Davis grabs a chair and pulls it up to Alexis’ bed. “You mind if I sit down?”

  “You’re the one with the gun and badge. Do whatever you want.”

  “That’s not how I get down,” said the attractive detective, taking a seat. “I believe in being respectful at all times. Well, as long as I’m shown the same respect in return.”

  “Good for you.”

  “You don’t remember me, do you?” Detective Davis asked.

  “No. Should I?” asked Alexis, staring at the wall-mounted television.

  “Kind of. We use to go to school together.”

  Alexis looks at the detective, trying to recall his face. He looks familiar, but she can’t quite place him. “You look kinda familiar.”

  “We really didn’t know each other all that well. We ran with different crowds. Plus, I was a senior and at the time you were either a freshman or sophomore.”

  “You really didn’t know me then, because I didn’t run with any crowds back in school. What’s your name?” Alexis asked.

  “Greg Davis. We had the same English class together. What happened to you? You were one of the smartest kids there and then one day you just up and disappeared. Did you transfer or something?”

  “No, I dropped out,” Alexis answered, redirecting her eyes back on the television. “School wasn’t really my thing no more. Any more questions?”

  “No, I don’t have any more questions. I just wanted to make sure you were the same Alexis Robinson I went to school with, that’s all. I figured it was you, though. You still look the same, only a little more mature.”

  Alexis turns to Greg and asks, “Aren’t you a little too young to be a detective?”

  “I guess you could say I’m a few years shy of being the average age of most detectives. I had a run of good luck as a beat cop and that got all the right people to recognize me. Maybe it was a public relations thing or maybe it was all the hard work I put in. Whatever it was, it’s what got me promoted, making me the youngest detective ever at my precinct.”

  “You look a lot different from back then. I see the rest of your body grew into that big-ass head you use to have. And you let the peach fuzz grow out,” she said in reference to his neatly trimmed goatee.

  “Yeah, I’m thinking about cutting it off and going with a clean-shaven look,” Greg joked, stroking his goatee. “I just don’t care for it ’cause it makes me look like a teenager all over again.”

  Before Alexis can gauge her words, she accidentally admits, “It looks good on you, though.”

  The detective smiles, clearly flattered. Desperately trying to push pass her last comment, she refocuses the conversation back on something more relevant. “So do you really think y’all can catch this guy?”

  “We’ll try as hard as we can, but with the little information we have to go on, it won’t be easy. It would really help our investigation if you could give us more to work with.”

  “I doubt it. If I told you what led to what happened that night you’d probably start persecuting me more than you would him.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because that’s what all cops do when they find out the woman that was raped is a hooker. Before too long, everyone will be saying I deserved what I got.”

  Greg gets up from his chair and takes a seat on Alexis’ bed. “Listen, I don’t car
e if you’re a prostitute hooking in front of a church….Nobody has the right to do what was done to you. I promise that if you tell me everything you know I will not stop hunting this guy until he’s in a five-by-seven jail cell.”

  Convinced by Greg’s determination, Alexis breaks her silence about what happened that night and tells the detective everything that happened.

  “It goes back to a few years ago,” Alexis started. Gregg takes out a pen and pad and begins to write, “I was out working when this white Yukon pulled up…”

  CHAPTER 14

  HOMECOMING SURPRISE

  Alexis has made a complete recovery from her injuries and is more than ready to leave the confines of her cramped hospital room. She’s moments away from being released and sent back out into the world, which to this point hasn’t been very good to her. On her way to the checkout desk Alexis realizes that she’s in a hospital located on the other side of town from where her apartment is. She has no money for a cab and none of her friends own a car.

  Preparing herself for walk across town, she walks through the hospital doors and is surprised to see Det. Davis leaning against the passenger-side door of his unmarked squad car. It almost looked as if he was expecting her to come out at that exact moment. After a short pause, Alexis walks up to the detective and jokingly asks, “Are you stalking me, Gregg?”

  “Yeah, right,” he answered with a grin. “I just figured you could use a ride back to your house. But if someone’s coming to pick you up already—”

  “No,” Alexis quickly inserted, smiling, “it’s cool. No one’s coming. I really could use a ride. I didn’t plan on going home just yet, though. I was gonna stay at my friend’s house for a little while.”

  “I understand. It probably would be best if you didn’t stay by yourself for a few days. At least not until we catch this asshole. So before I take you to your friend’s house did you wanna swing by your place and grab a few things?” he asked, opening the door for her.

  “I couldn’t ask you to do all of that.”

  “It’s no problem, Alexis. It’s my job to protect and serve. I wouldn’t be doing my duties as a civil servant if I let you go back to your house without proper protection. You wouldn’t wanna get me fired, would you?”

  Alexis smiles. “No, I wouldn’t wanna do that.” She takes a seat inside the sedan.

  Greg walks around the back of the car and climbs into the driver’s seat. He starts the engine and the two head off en route to Alexis’ home. A little while later, the unmarked sedan pulls in front of Alexis’ building.

  Alexis and Greg go into her building and head towards her apartment. As they near her apartment door, it quickly dawns on them both that something is definitely wrong. The yellow caution tape that covered her door has been torn off and her door has been left wide open. Without hesitation, Greg reaches inside of his suit jacket and pulls out his gun. He scoots Alexis behind him. He gestures to her to stay in the hallway as he cautiously enters the apartment.

  Alexis worriedly waits in the hallway for Greg to return. After an eerie silence, Greg calls out to her, letting her know it’s safe to enter. Alexis walks inside and observes Greg standing in the center of the living room, his weapon still drawn. He’s staring at a far off wall that’s out of Alexis’ point of view. She steps further into the apartment to get a better glance at what Greg is staring at and is instantly frozen in fright.

  Alexis’ apartment has been horribly vandalized. Scattered across her living room and kitchen walls are the chilling threats “YOUR DEAD BITCH!” and “I’LL BE BACK!” Adding insult to injury, the taunts have been posted on her walls with feces. The sickening odor hits Alexis’ nose like a punch in the face.

  “You shouldn’t be seeing this,” Greg told her. He gently grabs her arm and attempts to lead her out of the apartment, but Alexis isn’t a willing participant. Astounded by all the damage, she snatches away from him and continues to rummage around her demolished home. While she’s doing this, she can hear Greg in the other room calling for backup through his cell phone.

  Holes have been punched into her walls, mirrors have been broken, and paintings have been snatched from the walls and smashed. Every item of furniture has been slashed and their interior stuffing has been thrown all about. Her refrigerator has been flipped over and all the food inside has been thrashed around the kitchen. When she walks into her bathroom she discovers that the toilet has been destroyed and that all of her clothes have been placed in a bathtub full of bleach water. Urine covers the bathroom floor. She heads into her bedroom and discovers the same type of damage. The disgusting presence of fecal matter has been spread on her bedroom walls, also.

  Distraught by the disturbing vandalism, the only thing Alexis can think to do is break down into tears. Greg walks up behind her and wraps his arm around her shoulders. “You don’t need to see this. I’ve got some officers coming over. We’ll find the bastards who did this,” he vowed, escorting her out of the ransacked apartment.

  Sitting inside of Greg’s cruiser, Alexis stares aimlessly at the various officers that are going in and out of her building. Greg eventually walks out, stopping to talk to a few officers near the building’s door before making his way back to his car. Alexis’s anticipation on finding out what they discovered in her apartment causes her to hop out of the car and eagerly approach him.

  “What did you find?” she asked.

  “We pulled a few prints from different areas of the house. We also found a few specs of blood in the kitchen and living room that we’re going to run for DNA. Like I told you before, Alexis, we’re gonna catch whoever did this.”

  Greg picks up the strong vibe that his words of encouragement are falling onto deaf ears. “Hey, what do you say we go get you something to eat? My treat?” he offered.

  “I’m not hungry. All I want to do is lay down,” Alexis replied, a look of hopelessness and exhaustion on her face.

  “I understand. I’ll take you to your friend’s house then. You sure you don’t wanna grab something to eat along the way? You can save it for later.”

  “I’m sure,” Alexis answered. “Thanks anyway.”

  Without further delay, the two get back into the unmarked cruiser. Greg starts the car and shifts it into gear.

  CHAPTER 15

  SENSE OF PROTECTION

  Alexis is fast asleep on a couch in Tatiana’s undersized living room. She only awakens when the snap of the front door’s deadbolt startles her out of her sleep. Tatiana enters the apartment.

  “I’m sorry, girl. Did I wake you up?” Tatiana asked.

  Alexis wipes her eyes. “Nah, I was about to wake up anyway. How was it out there?”

  “Same as usual…Dead as hell. A lot of customers were looking for you, though. They keep asking when you’re coming back.” Tatiana locks the front door and tosses her keys and purse on a nearby table.

  “Yeah, I bet,” Alexis replied as she sat up.

  “You still don’t know when you’re coming back?”

  “I haven’t contemplated it too much. I guess I’m still a little paranoid.”

  Tatiana takes off her jacket and goes into the kitchen. She gathers up everything she’ll need to make a pot of coffee. “I don’t know why you still worried about that fool. I’m telling you, he ain’t stupid enough to come back.”

  “I don’t think I’d feel right getting into anybody’s car until he’s caught. I wouldn’t know if I was getting setup or not. I wouldn’t feel safe,” Alexis explained.

  Tatiana leaves out of the kitchen and takes a seat next to Alexis. “Look, Lexi, I know you’re not all that big on having a pimp, but maybe it’s about time you start considering it.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “I know how you feel, Lexi,” Tatiana inserted. “As long as you’re working on the streets you should really think about having somebody out there with you that’ll watch your back and protect you from people like that asshole that attacked you.”

  Alexis looks her be
st friend square in the eyes. “I was actually thinking it might be time to get out of this life.”

  “What? You’re thinking about quitting? What do you plan on doing with yourself? Going to work at McDonalds or Burger King? I mean, I guess that type of shit is cool, but that’s only if you don’t mind making six dollars an hour and listening to motherfuckers bitch at you for eight straight hours.”

  “I don’t know about all that,” said Alexis. “I never said I wanted to get into fast food. But I do know there’s something better out there than this…It’s got to be.”

  “Oh, there is. There are plenty of things in the world that beat hooking. It’s just that without a degree, references, or some kind of high-up connection, we’ll never see them. We’re not even high school graduates. Who the hell gone give a couple hookers a respectable job?”

  “I guess you’re right. Maybe I’m just tripping.”

  “So will you consider what I said?” Tatiana asked. “I’d feel a lot better about your safety if you took on somebody who’ll look out for you.”

  “How can I consider some shit like that? It’s not like I can just pick up the yellow pages and search for reputable pimps,” Alexis joked.

  “I can introduce you to my guy Rich. Ever since word got back to him about what happened to you that night he’s been constantly asking me if you’d want him to rep you. I never told you because I didn’t wanna bother you with none of that mess so soon.”

  “Rich? Ain’t he the one that whoops your ass if you don’t make a certain amount of money by the end of the night?” Alexis queried.

  “It’s not as bad as you think it is. He wants his girls to make at least four hundred a night. That should only take you a couple hours to make. Hell, with the high rolling customers you got, it probably wouldn’t take that long. No me, on the other hand, my ass be struggling to get them broke niggas to honk my way. That’s why I be out there all night.”