“Alright, I can see why you like him, but you’re going above and beyond for this man.”
“My son’s father was killed. You know, the drug war. My son withdrew from everything. He was failing in school. Never went out to play or talk to the other boys. All of that changed when Jesse stepped in. One day me and my son were going to the store when we noticed the baseball game. For the first time my son’s eyes lit up. Next thing I knew he was on the team. His grades are good now.” Gloria pinned Jeffery with a penetrating stare. “How could I not go above and beyond for this man?”
“I understand.”
“So, you’ll give him the same lawyerly treatment that you give the uptown scum?”
“I’ll do even better, but you have to do something for me.”
Gloria’s face tightened. Inside, her anger was building. She figured all he saw was a poor, young, black woman who was desperate. One who would do anything because her money was real short.
“A roll in the hay? Jungle Fever? Is that what you want?”
Jeffery threw up his hands. “Stop. Hold on. Nothing like that. You have me all wrong.” A thin smile crept across his lips. “And I thought you said you looked me up.”
Gloria sat forward. “Well, what is it going to cost me for Jesse to get a fair shake?”
“You are about to become his fiancé and your child is going to be like his own son.”
Chapter 11
Ethan stood out in the courtyard, his hand resting atop the Glock holstered on his hip. His uniform had been pressed to an inch of its life. The camel colored Khakis were creased with such precision, they appeared to be penciled on. His drab, lightweight jacket ballooned out with the afternoon breeze. A summer storm was brewing, not just from the bleak sky above, but stemming from the plight of the new convict.
Ethan waited patiently for the arrival of Offender #811689. Gray clouds pressed down on the courtyard as if heavy with the evil lurking behind the walls of the Marston State Prison. He squinted above, with the brim of his hat pulled low, admiring the evil clouds.
Tire tread bumping across the gravel alerted him to the arrival of the newest offender. He propped the rear door open. Inside, he listened for the tell-tale sounds of the prison shutting down. Heavy steel entryway doors sliding across the floor and clanging shut. Offender cell doors banging shut and then the rattle of the guard’s double check that doors were secure. He heard them all.
The transport van stopped directly in front of Ethan. The door opened. A guard dressed similar to him stepped out.
“Captain,” the man greeted.
“How did it go with MSP’s (Marston State Prison) newest offender?” Ethan asked.
“Looks like he’s going to be spending some time with us,” the guard answered.
A second door opened. Heavy boots hit the ground. The door slammed shut. The guard ambled to the side of the van, keys rattling. He released the door and freed Offender #811689. He squinted against the light of day.
The guard reached in to assist his prisoner down. “Looks like you’re going to be spending a long time with us.” The guard cocked his head. “Up to twenty years, huh?” He led the offender inside. “You had better get used to this orange jumpsuit and the chains. Not fun, is it?”
The offender maintained his silence and his composure. He stood with his spine erect.
The guard led the man in orange down the corridor, past locked cell doors. Other offender’s faces peered through the small, square window in their cell, in an attempt to get the first look at the new inmate. The reception was quiet. No cheers welcoming him. No laughter. Just the flap of their shoes on the cement floor.
The guard said, “You play the good guy during the day, helping out the unfortunate kids, and then when the sun goes down, you pedal your drugs to destroy the lives of those poor unsuspecting boys.” He paused, sniffed as he pinched his nostrils. “Have I got that right?”
Ethan walked up on the guard with his prisoner in tow. “Enough of that. Just do your job.”
“Yes, sir, Captain. Didn’t mean to offend the convict.”
“Offender, not convict,” Ethan reminded the guard. Get him changed and in my office. And, Officer, watch your step.”
Chapter 12
Jesse was dressed in dark blue jeans and a sky-blue shirt. Although, the jeans were issued by the prison, they were as close to home clothing as he could come—plain, but comfortable. He waited at the captain’s door with his escort until the captain’s voice told him to enter.
“Have a seat, Owens.”
Each offender and all employees were addressed by last name. Offenders had plenty of free time on their hands to investigate the employees if given their full name. Lots of time to exact some type of revenge.
Jesse sat in the visitor’s chair facing the captain’s desk. His eyes lowered toward the floor.
“I suppose you are wondering why I called you here?” Ethan smiled at Jesse. “When someone is speaking to you, it is only polite to look them in the eye.”
Jesse raised his eyes. “Sometimes, looking a person in the eye can get you into trouble.”
“Well, in here, it will not. Owens, you are safe in my office. I would like to help you.”
Jesse slouched down in the chair. “Why?”
Ethan folded his hands on the desk. “I read through your file. You have never had any problems with the law; or should I say, the law has never had any problems with you—that is, until now. Ethan leaned back in his chair. “Tell me what happened.”
Jesse scoffed, sat forward and clasped his hands between his knees. “Not without my lawyer.”
“Hmm, good luck with him. Jeffery Brodsky, right?”
Jesse ignored the captain.
“Defender of the uptown scum. You know that, right?”
Jesse shifted in the chair.
“He gets them all off. But, there is one difference between you and them. They have cash. Long cash. Your money is in a piggy bank. Do you get what I am saying? You are a Pro Bono case. Do you really think he is going to work hard for you?”
“Give me one good reason why I should trust you.”
Chapter 13
At five p.m., Gloria was home in the kitchen preparing dinner. Her son, Andre, was seated at the table doing his homework. The television was on. Commercials filled the screen. Gloria was waiting for the evening news to start as she did each day while preparing dinner. Chicken sizzled in the frying pan. The television went quiet, the screen blank and then it switched over to the news.
The reporter looked more serious than usual. Gloria turned the fire down that was blazing under the frying pan and took a seat in front of the flat screen television. It was the best gift Andre’s father had given them before his murder.
She knew this reporter. He was good at his job. She thought back to the serial killer who had stalked Marston and scared the residents on both sides of the tracks. With his help, Marston was freed of the terror.
Across the screen, words scrolled—Nathaniel Pool reporting. Breaking News. Gloria increased the volume and leaned closer to the television.
“What’s going on?” Andre asked.
“Shhh, mommy doesn’t know, yet.”
The reporter was standing with the courthouse silhouetted behind. He was knee deep in angry onlookers thrusting their fists and banners in the air, and chanting. Gloria was unable to decipher their rants.
The reporter’s mic partially obscured his face. “This just in—Jesse Owens is being held without bail. He could face up to twenty years in prison for charges of drug possession with intent to distribute.”
Gloria gasped.
“Mr. Jesse sells drugs? Like Daddy did?” Andre squealed.
“No, baby, it’s a lie. Hush, so mommy can hear.”
Andre pulled up a chair next to his mother. He leaned toward the screen mimicking her.
The reporter swept his arm around the crowd. “These people are not at all happy about the decision. Maybe Mr. Owens has on
e thing going for him. He has the high-profile lawyer, Jeffery Brodsky, on his team. It has been confirmed that he has taken the case pro bono. Will he work as hard for Mr. Owens as he does his normally rich clients? There you have it, folks. Stay tuned. I’ll return with any updates.”
“Uptown scum,” Gloria said under her breath.
“What, Mommy?”
“Oh, sorry, honey. I’m just so frustrated by some of the things that go on in this world.” She draped her arm around her son’s shoulder. “Don’t you listen to any of that gossip about your coach. It’s nothing but lies.”
“How do you know?”
“I know. Take my word.” She looked her son in the eyes. “Have I ever lied to you?”
Andre shook his head.
“And I was honest with you about your dad. Remember?”
Andre nodded.
“Because of your father, I know a lot about the drug gangs in our community. It’s nothing I’m proud of. It’s just a fact. There is no way Mr. Jesse is involved in this drug scandal. We have to help him, ok?”
Andre nodded. His eyes widened. His little finger pointed toward the flat screen. Gloria followed his finger.
Breaking News was scrolling across the screen. Behind the caption, pandemonium had broken out. The reporter came into focus holding the mic up to his mouth. He yelled over the crowd’s screams and jeers.
“This just in. Mayor Harden, Chief Randall of the Marston Police, and two of his top detectives, Romero Griesenbeck and William Hunter were headed up the courthouse steps when the first stone was cast from the crowd and struck the Mayor. He was rushed inside the building as bedlam broke out in the streets. The crowd has become uncontrollable forcing Chief Randall to call out police in riot gear to control the anarchy.”
“Good gawd, this is awful.”
Andre leaned into his mother. “What’s happening,” he whispered in a small voice.
“Protests, baby. They are protesting Mr. Jesse’s arrest.”
Chapter 14
“The only reason you should trust me is Georgina Green.”
“Who?” asked Jesse.
“Let me rephrase. Maybe, you know her as Gina, big John’s girlfriend.”
The muscles in Jesse’s face twitched. “The white girl? Strawberry-blond? Freckles? Body like a black woman?”
“So, you know her.”
“I know of her. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what she sees in that dude. Why is she hanging out in the hood?”
“Soon, give it time. You will understand her.” Ethan scraped at his chin with his thumb and index finger. “She works here at the prison. Where you aware of that?”
Jesse shook his head.
“We run a group together. The higher ups believe it is a group for offenders who are having trouble fitting in. On the surface, it is, but, underneath, I have a different agenda. Or, should I say Georgina and I have another reason for the gathering of this group.”
“I don’t understand.” Jesse looked Ethan square in the eyes. “When we get here, we are put through this big class telling the jailbirds how to act. All this mess about respect. And then there’s the piece of only using last names. So, I don’t get it. Why are you using Gina’s full name?”
“You know her. I need your trust, and you obviously need mine. Go back to the cell block. Take a look at the news. Group is at seven sharp tonight. An escort will come for you.” Ethan narrowed his eyes, “If I were you, I would show up.”
Chapter 15
Jesse’s escort, dressed in guard attire was right on time. He followed the male guard to the door leading out to the main circular hall. Jesse waited in front of the wide, thick glass next to the door. The guard waved to another who was sitting out in the main hall.
Jesse heard a click, and then the squeal of metal scraping against metal as the heavy, steel and glass door began to glide sideways. It snapped into position when it was completely open. The guard prodded Jesse forward. The door clicked. Slid back to the closed position behind them. The second glass door in front of them began to slide sideways, clang into the open position. Jesse and the guard walked through. The door began to close behind them, screeching across the metal, clanking as it locked in place.
The guard and Jesse made their way down the long corridor. Offenders were lined up against the white, block, cement walls waiting for pill call to start. The guard stopped in front of a door, pushed it open, and ushered Jesse inside.
“Welcome to our newest member.” Ethan was sitting in a steel fold up chair at the head of a semicircle. Around him sat men dressed like clones of Jesse—dark blue jeans and sky-blue shirts.
“Don’t be impolite,” Ethan said. Welcome our new member.” Ethan held out his hand towards Jesse.
The men nodded at the new comer. Jesse noted that there were six existing members. The group was much smaller than he had expected. He wondered what the plan was for his presence.
“Come, take a seat.” Ethan smiled at Jesse.
Gina walked in with an armload of file folders. Her face lit up as if she had just arrived at a concert. She hurried over to the only desk against the back wall and dropped her load. Grabbed a folding chair by its back and dragged it over, opened it up and sat down.
Ethan said, “Now that we are all here, we can get started. I want to start by each of you introducing yourselves to our new member.”
The first member to speak was at the far left. He was a black man with a long black beard which stopped at his xiphoid. “Russell here. I was nabbed for a dime bag. They hit me with five years in the pen.”
The second man to speak sat next to Russell. He introduced himself. “Mark. I called the police about a woman’s body I found in the park. She was still warm and she took a breath every once in a while. I gave her CPR. In the end I was arrested. They said my DNA was all over her. I got life.”
Jesse wasn’t sure what the man’s race was. He was light skinned with high cheekbones, slick, black hair.
A third man spoke up. “I’m Jacob. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was inside the bank when the robbery went down. First chance I saw to run, I took it. Ran smack into a cop. I got ten years slapped on me.”
“I’m Mark.” The next man said. He was small, wiry, and pretty. His voice was soft and dainty, a feminine voice any woman would love to own. “I don’t usually look like this. I prefer heels and dresses. I love makeup. I’ve been told I make a beautiful Latino woman. That’s why I’m here. A cop propositioned me as I was heading to the market. When he stuck his hand under my skirt and felt something extra, he arrested me for prostitution. I got six months.”
The fifth member spoke. “I’m Miguel. A friend picked me up for a joy ride. We got pulled over for speeding. The car was stolen. I was collateral damage. Dos años. Two years.”
The last member stood. He was the only one to do so. “I killed a man. It was him or me. I chose him. He tried to rob me in broad daylight. Stuck a gun in my fuckin’ face. I knifed him good up under his ribs. When an unwanted audience started gathering like I was James Brown or some other icon, I took off running. I knew the outcome for me. Running was useless. All those cellphones snapping pictures. They matched my face with facial recognition to my Facebook profile. Imagine that.” He puffed out a sigh. “I’m Malik, brother. Good to have you here, on our side. Welcome.”
At the last statement, Jesse’s eyes widened.
Ethan chuckled. “No reason to worry, Jesse, we are all friends here. Did you notice we address each other by first names? We do this in here. Nowhere else.”
Gina spoke up. “It’s good to have you here, Jesse. I know you don’t like me, especially since I am dating a brother. But, when this is all done, you will understand and hopefully like me a little.”
“Yeah, okay,” Jesse said under his breath.
“Each of you has told a story which paints you as being falsely imprisoned.” Ethan looked at Jesse. “Your story falls along the same line, does it not?”
Jesse nodded. He stood up as tall as he could. “I’m Jesse. I did not and would never distribute drugs to anyone. I have been falsely accused, and imprisoned without bail.”
“Now, ain’t that a bitch? said Malik mockingly.
“Language,” said Gina. “That’s two expletives.”
Malik held up his hands. “Sorry.”
Gina looked at Jesse. “Have you seen the news?”
Jesse shook his head. “No, I’ve been pushed from place to place today.”
“Let me enlighten you.” Gina pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “After a reporter announced that you were being held without bail, civil unrest broke out. The first rock thrown, was at the mayor. Any ideas as to why the mayor was at the courthouse?”
“None,” Jesse said.
“Have you had any contact with the mayor, ever?”
“No, why would I?”
“Ethan and I hold these open sessions each time there is a new offender, or something happens. Most of the meetings are one on one. Question and answer sessions.”
“I don’t understand the purpose of this whole set up. Why are we here?” asked Jesse.
“That is the whole point,” answered Ethan. “Why are you here? Why are any of you here?”
Part III
One Week Later
Chapter 16
Chief Randall pinned his top detectives with a serious stare. “The mayor is going to be crawling all over us until we find his niece.”
Romero said, “And you know he wants credit for everything. Remember how he took all the credit for ending the serial killer case?”
Billy said, “Who could forget. All the hours and hard work we put in and the mayor just walked up and claimed all the glory.” Billy shifted in the chair. “I see a big problem with this one, Chief. The missing woman is a family member of his. Shouldn’t he have to be hands off? He’s too close to the case.”
The 13th Hour: A Marston Thriller (The Marston Series Book 4) Page 4
