“I want to tell Robert something,” said Bohan.
The room fell into silence. Everyone turned and looked at Robert with anticipation or surprise.
Yusef looked afraid for some reason. He adjusted the gun in his hand as Robert took a step closer to the condemned man.
“Me?” said Robert stepping forward a little. “What is it you want to tell me?”
“I don’t have to die with this on my conscious,” said Bohan. “I want you to know what happened to your brother.”
**********
Thomas was feeling good as he walked toward the federal building. He wasn’t nervous for the first time because he knew how this would turn out. He would go in and surprise the stone-faced feds by telling them what they suspected. They would be made speechless by his actions.
Cars rolled by noisily on Michigan Avenue. Not far away, Thomas could see Tiger Stadium, still draped in post victory garb. He smiled a little. Why did it feel so good?
He’d told his family about his planned testimony and got the expected reactions.
Frank yelled and accused him of being a disgrace and his mother had played referee in the short match.
Thomas left the house feeling good about himself but wondering if his father could be trusted to keep quiet. What meant more to him, his son or the brotherhood? The answer to that question would hurt his father one way or the other, he thought.
He hadn’t told Sarah about it. She would think he was doing it to get her back. In a way he was, he thought. He hoped that she would see his action as those of a man who had accepted the present and turned away from the past. It had been a long, painful journey and he had plenty of battle scars.
Thomas’ smile faded as he moved closer to the building. He saw a group of men standing in his way. They were far off but he was close enough to see that they all had something in common.
They all wore police uniforms.
**********
“I already know how Marcus died,” said Robert to Bohan. “One of the cops told me everything that went down.”
“They don’t know,” said Bohan, “but I do. I was there.”
“He’s lying!” said Vince. “Shoot his ass, Yusef. We’re wasting time.”
“Let the man speak,” said Robert moving between Yusef and Bohan. “It was my brother. I got a right.”
Yusef nodded and Robert turned to Bohan.
He’d lost some weight due to his incarceration but he was still bulky. His skin was ashen and his face looked grayish around his yellowed eyes. And his hair had grown back in, stubbly and flecked with gray.
“I was out that night,” Bohan began. “Your brother was making his way through a White neighborhood where I met my police contact. I saw him running from the cops and I didn’t want to be seen. So I ran, too.”
Bohan coughed violently for a second, choking on phlegm. He spat and Robert felt a pang of disgust. He looked over and saw Vince whisper something to Yusef. Yusef nodded, glancing over at Robert briefly.
“The cops started following us both,” Bohan continued. “Don’t think they really knew there were two of us. Finally, I hid in these bushes. Your brother, he just kept coming my way and then he ran into someone else. Linda. She started yelling at him about screwing some White girl. Linda pulled out a gun and shot him. When the White cops got there, they panicked, thought no one would believe they didn’t kill Marcus so they put his knife next to his hand and then the last cop showed up.”
“Linda, do you-—“ Robert turned and looked for Linda but she was gone.
**********
Thomas stopped on the street for a second. Would they dare come here in broad daylight and try to stop him? He had his service revolver on him and thought about reaching for it. But he was out-numbered. There were at least six men standing on the sidewalk about a block from the federal building.
Thomas started walking again. Whatever they wanted, he would not let them keep him from what he had to do. His life would never be his again if he didn’t—-
Thomas stopped suddenly again. Now that he was closer, he saw the face of some of the officers. It was Dennison and his partner, Zack Wilson and a few others he called friends. Thomas moved closer and they smiled at him.
“What are you guys doing here?” asked Thomas.
“Patrolling,” said Dennison.
“Yeah,” said Zack. “Nothing wrong with keeping the city safe, partner.”
“Just making sure you know we’re not all blind or assholes,” said Larry Weathers, a ten-year man.
Thomas wanted to hug them all. Instead, he saluted and they all stood at attention and snapped a salute back.
“Protect and serve, right?” asked Thomas.
“Damned right,” said Dennison.
Thomas went to the building and walked up the stone stairs. He went inside and through security. They took his weapon and held it for him.
Thomas had called back John Richards, the POA rep and apologized for his behavior. Richards had agreed to represent him. Thomas didn’t know what kind of trouble he’d be in for supporting Brady and Reid’s story but he wanted someone who would give it to him straight.
He got onto the elevator and went up to the fourth floor. Thomas promised himself that today would be the beginning of a new life. He’d sworn off drinking and was even thinking about going to one of those new groups for men with drinking problems he’d heard about.
He got off the elevator and walked toward the room where the hearings were being held. He saw John Richards there in his expensive-looking suit. Next to him, he saw his mother with Sarah.
He moved toward Sarah and it felt like a dream. He got to her and they kissed not needing to say the things that both of them being in this place meant. Esther just smiled and dabbed at her eyes.
“She insisted after I told her you were coming,” said Esther.
“It’s okay,” said Thomas. “I appreciate the support. This is John, my lawyer.”
“We’ve all met,” said John. “It’s great for you to come but I’m the only one who can go in,” said Richards. “You two will have to wait.”
“We don’t mind,” said Sarah.
“As long as I know they’re out here,” said Thomas.
Thomas didn’t ask where his father was. He knew. He was at home holding onto his old ways, and hoping that the world would never change. Thomas looked at Sarah and smiled.
“Good luck,” said Sarah.
Thomas and Richards went into the hearing room. It was more ordinary than he’d imagined. No great seals and expensive grandeur.
Thomas looked around and saw the familiar faces of the men and women who had reopened the investigation and the new faces of the Grand Jury.
“We are here in the case of Marcus Alexander Jackson,” said the U.S. Attorney, a straight arrow type. “Specifically we are to hear testimony from Officer Thomas Riley, one of the three Detroit police officers at the scene of the death. I’m Walter Lincoln for the government. Officer Riley, you may be seated.”
Thomas took the witness stand and was administered the oath. He looked into the faces of the gallery with confidence.
“John Richards representing the witness,” said Richards.
A stenographer got it all down, her fingers moving furiously.
“Now Officer,” began Lincoln. “This body has reviewed your report on the events of July 28, 1967. And we have also reviewed your statements to two different investigating committees subsequent to this report. You are now under oath. Do you still hold to the statements you have previously made?”
“No,” said Thomas.
The room buzzed and Lincoln seemed unprepared for this, the most unlikely of things, the truth.
“Well, which parts would you, uh, what sections would you like to repudiate?” Lincoln stumbled.
“My client has a statement,” said Richards. “You may examine him after he says what he came here to say.”
Lincoln looked at another man, an older White man an
d Dana Von, the pretty Black attorney who were in the back of the room. They both nodded and he turned back to Thomas.
“Okay,” said Lincoln. “Proceed.”
Thomas cleared his throat and began to speak.
**********
Robert hit the front door of the place and heard Yusef yelling something behind him about the detonator but he didn’t stop.
He saw Linda down the block. She had a big lead on him. Robert ran as hard as he could after her and soon he was closing the gap.
Now, it all made sense to him, Linda’s instant love for him, her asking him about forgiveness for killing someone in the revolution. Guilt for what she had done. She’d murdered his brother over petty jealousy. He would not let her get away.
Robert saw her running for a bus and increased his pace. If she got on it, he’d lose her.
Linda missed the bus, cursed the driver then cut down another street. Robert moved after her, keeping a steady pace. Soon he was close as she ran onto a busy street. There were lots of people and they were slowing her down.
Robert closed in on her and he heard Linda yelling to people to help her and pointing to him. Most people got out of his way but one man tried to block him. Robert sidestepped him easily.
Robert was in striking distance to her now and he leapt at her and tripped her up. Linda fell onto the ground hard. Robert grabbed her and pulled her to her feet.
“You... killed him!” Robert said breathlessly. “You killed him!”
“Let me go!” said Linda.
“Why?!” Robert was crying now and he couldn’t stop himself. He shook her and wanted to keep doing it until she stopped breathing.
“He was fucking her!” said Linda. “A White girl! All that bullshit about Black power and Black queens and he was doing it with her. And he loved her!” she hissed. “He told me. I followed him and I saw them together, my man between the legs of that whore. I felt like nothing, don’t you see? I was nothing to him.” Her voice cracked and her eyes overflowed.
“You’re going to answer for this and not to The Guard, to the police,” said Robert. “I’m going to drag you down there and turn you in myself.”
Robert yanked her hard then felt strong arms clamp his own to his sides. It was the man who had tried to block him, grabbing him from behind. Robert lost his grip on Linda as the man pulled him away from her.
“Goddammit!’ said Robert. “Let me go.”
“You okay?” the man asked Linda.
Linda didn’t answer him. She just looked at Robert and said, “I’m sorry.”
Linda turned and ran into the street still looking at Robert’s anguished face.
She never heard the yells of warning from the people on the scene. Linda was lifted from the ground by the speeding car. To Robert it looked like a sick ballet as her arms spread in an arc and her body tilted in the air, her feet replacing her head.
Linda crashed back onto the hard pavement, her beautiful face hitting the ground and the rest of her body’s weight falling down and breaking her neck and spine.
The crowd gasped loudly and someone screamed. The man released Robert who cursed at him and shoved the man away.
Robert ran to the fallen woman and saw her empty eyes. She was gone.
Robert ran off as the crowd gathered around the driver of the car, a middle-aged Black woman who screamed at what she had done.
Robert headed back to the new safehouse. He saw his brother’s face surprised by the killer who had been his lover and friend. He thought about Linda and the irony of it all, her hatred of the White girl fueled her rage, which was used to kill.
At the safehouse, Robert found Yusef and the rest of the members. He informed them of what had happened. Linda was gone. Yusef looked guilty for the first time and Robert let him stew in it a moment.
“Did you know?” he asked Yusef. “About the White girl?”
“Yeah,” said Yusef, “but I didn’t think Linda knew.”
“But you encouraged it, didn’t you?” Robert spat. “It was for the cause, right?” Robert glared at the man.
“Yes,” said Yusef with strength. “Robert, there are things here bigger than us. You know that. You fought in their war and look what they did to-—”
“White men didn’t kill my brother, a Black person did. What do I do with that?” His hand had raised and an accusing finger was pointed at Yusef.
“But if it wasn’t for them and their racist oppression, none of this would have happened,” said Yusef calmly.
Robert shook his head slowly. “They ain’t God. They can’t be responsible for everything we do. We can’t have it both ways, Yusef. We control what we do.” Then as if to make sure he knew it, Robert said: “A Black person killed my brother.”
Yusef was silent. He had something on his mind but he didn’t have the willingness to say it.
“Where’s Bohan?” asked Robert noticing for the first time that he was gone.
“Who’s that?” asked Yusef. “No Bohan in this organization.”
“And Vince!” Robert grabbed Yusef by his shirt. “Where are they?!” Vince and several of the others were gone.
“Let me go,” said Yusef.
Robert released him. “I get it now,” said Robert. “We kill, they kill. And it’s all justified by words, speeches and bullshit.”
“I know you’re hurting,” said Yusef, “but we have our cause and it’s just. Now, give me the detonator and let’s go.”
Robert looked around. There were still members present, about fifteen or so. They looked at Yusef, ready to assist him if he needed it.
Robert took out the detonator and handed it to Yusef. “I’ll be ready in a minute,” he said and he walked off. Robert returned to find Yusef and some of the others getting ready to leave.
“You might want to stay here,” said Yusef. He held the detonator in his hand like a toy. “I don’t know if I can trust you right now. When you get over this Linda business, I’m sure you’ll be better.”
“That’s not right,” said Robert advancing toward Yusef. “I made it and I deserve to see it go off. Besides, what if something goes wrong?”
“You made a back up,” said Yusef. “We can try it again somewhere else.”
Robert just kept moving toward Yusef. He was almost close enough now.
“Not good enough,” said Robert. “I want to see it.”
Yusef thought for a moment, assessing and then, “Okay, but I’m going to be the one to push the button.”
Robert got to Yusef and stopped. He would only have one chance at this.
“Thank you,” said Robert.
“You’re wel-—“
Robert’s arm flew out so fast that Yusef had no time to react. Yusef thought it was a blow but Robert grabbed the detonator from him and jumped away.
“What the hell was that?” Yusef laughed. “We’ll just take it from you.”
“I armed the other bomb when I went off just now,” said Robert. “I am going to blow up this place in thirty seconds. I suggest you and all these people get clear.”
Robert placed his finger by the black button.
Some of the members ran immediately. Several of the men stayed, looking at Yusef for guidance.
“I don’t believe you,” said Yusef.
“It stops here,” said Robert. “Bohan will be the last casualty of this war. But on the bright side, you can keep the money you owe me for the World Series.”
Robert pressed the red button then he began to count backwards. His face fell into the familiar look of the soldier/killer. Yusef had seen that look and it frightened him.
“Think about what you’re doing,” said Yusef. “What this means to the movement.”
“Twenty-seven, twenty-six....”
The men who were left were getting nervous and one of them ran. Yusef looked at the others and told them to go. They happily ran off.
“You do this and there’s nowhere to run from me,” said Yusef. “Nowhere!”
�
�Twenty-five, twenty-four...” was Robert’s answer.
Yusef cursed and then ran out of the building.
He was still running outside when the building blew up behind him. The place was on a short block and there were no occupied homes close to it. The explosion started in the basement and the building collapsed on itself in free fall, like a planned detonation.
Still, the blast shattered windows a block away and a yellow-red fireball rose into the sky like an angry god.
Yusef and the others were so shocked that they couldn’t move. It was the end of their home and there was a sense that something had been irreparably broken. The irony weighed heavily on Yusef. His realm had been shattered by a violent act in the name of nonviolence.
Yusef and the others mingled into the crowd as the fire raged and the fire trucks began to arrive.
Through the smoke and flames, none of them saw Robert one street over, calmly walking away, headed home.
32
RICE AND SUNLIGHT
Thomas was still not used to the scratchy beard he wore. He’d grown it as his hair grew longer. He liked the look but the damned thing itched all the time. He tried not to scratch as he stood before the minister with his new bride.
They had just taken their vows in the little church. Thomas wore a black tuxedo and Sarah wore the traditional white dress.
There were over a hundred people there, including Sarah’s parents, a couple so handsome, that they looked like the pictures that came with store-bought frames.
Sarah had surprised everyone by moving back in with Thomas. The attempt on his life had awakened her. And his confession to the Grand Jury proved that he was indeed a changed man.
But the thing that had impressed her the most was the day she and Liz stumbled across Thomas at a restaurant, laughing and joking and eating from the same plate as his new Black partner.
Dark Town Redemption Page 24
