“Hit the ground!” he said.
Vernon without resistance placed his hands in the air, and then locked his fingers behind his head. “Fuck,” he hissed.
“I said hit the ground!” the detective repeated loudly and then radioed to his partner. “I have the suspect.”
“10-4, I’ll get the car.”
“Your name, what’s your name?” the detective said with a knee in Vernon’s back as he cuffed him.
“Vernon Fowler, Jr.”
The detective then reached in Vernon’s back pocket for his wallet. He opened it and inside was Vivian’s credit cards and a few more hundred dollar bills. “Yeah, you’re who we’re looking for,” the detective confirmed looking at Vernon’s driver’s license that expired six year ago.
***
Vernon now in custody was being questioned.
“I’ll ask you again. Where were you Halloween night?” Officer Grayson said standing across from Vernon who was handcuffed to his seat.
Officer Bradford was seated with his feet atop the table and hands clasped behind his head as to give Vernon the impression that they had all day.
“Can I get a few toothpicks,” Vernon said.
“Toothpicks, why not,” Grayson said and left the room. He returned with a box of toothpicks. “It’s on the house,” he said and pushed the box to Vernon.
Vernon looked at the box and then at the police with his mouth twisted.
“I take it you need a little help getting one in your mouth,” Grayson said.
“It certainly looks that way,” Bradford interjected.
“So why don’t you give him a hand,” Grayson said looking over at his partner then at Vernon.
“Me. I only help a man that helps himself,” Bradford replied.
“Oh, y’all got jokes,” Vernon said.
“What we have is all day and night. You ready to answer the question.”
“Yeah,” Vernon said.
“Then you deserve a toothpick,” Bradford said rising from his seat. He walked over, reached for the toothpick box, opened it then shook a few from the box onto the table in front of Vernon.
Again Vernon looked at Officer Bradford with his mouth twisted.
“I guess I’m supposed to pick it up with my mouth. Man there’s germs on this table.”
“There are germs on my hand, which do you prefer.”
Vernon extended his tongue as if it were a magnet and picked up one of the toothpicks. He rolled the toothpick with his tongue until it was positioned in his mouth the way he wanted it.
“Where were you on the night of Halloween?” Officer Grayson said.
“I was at my sister’s house.”
The officers glanced at each other, a bit surprised by the truth.
“Were you invited?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you go alone?”
“Nope.”
“Who went with you?”
“It’s more like who I went with?”
“Explain.” Officer Bradford interjected.
“I was invited by my girlfriend.”
“You’re saying that your girlfriend invited you to your sister’s house? Why would your girlfriend invite you to your sister’s house?”
“She said she never received her last paycheck and she wanted it. She wanted me to go with her and I told her I didn’t think it was a good idea because my sister and I weren’t on good terms. I told her it would be kind of strange since she didn’t know I was dating you. Tracie said well, it’ll be payback for her firing me. If your sister has money like you say she does and owes you some, maybe this could be an opportunity for you two to patch things up. So I went along with it.”
“What’s your girlfriend’s name?”
“Tracie Allen,” Vernon said expressionless.
“Tracie seems to have a different story,” Bradford said.
Vernon shrugged his shoulder. I knew she had talked.
“Who else went with you two to your sister’s house?” Officer Grayson asked.
“Reggie Morrow and Richard Green,” he said then thought, screw Reggie. Had he not put me out I wouldn’t be in this position. Richard, fool you raped my sister…we all going down. I’m gon’ murder you!
“Whose friends are they Tracie or yours?”
“Mine,” Vernon said and spat out the toothpick he had roughed up in his mouth and went for another one still angry about what Richard had done to his sister. He turned his nose up slightly at the officers then picked the toothpick up the same way he did the other.
The officers ignored his actions.
“Why would you invite your friends if your girlfriend was just going to pick up her check?”
Vernon waited a few seconds before answering then said, “We were all going to a Halloween party afterwards.”
“Which one of you hit your sister in the face?”
“I did. I was trying to apologize to her for the stunt I pulled on our father and she started screaming and shouting for me to get out her house. She pushed me so I knocked the shit out of her. I have a right to defend myself. I just didn’t know I hit her so hard. Reggie and Richard then rang the bell trying to act like kids saying trick or treat so they could get some candy. I opened the door and Richard because I owed him some money said he was going to take my sisters television and sell it. I told him not to and Tracie got scared and she ran out the house. I went after her. I don’t know what happened after that.”
“Wow, this guy should start writing fictional novels, he’s good,” Officer Grayson said and looking over at his partner. “There’s only one thing and that is somebody’s story is bull shit.”
“Yeah and I think I know which one it is,” Bradford said and removed his feet from atop the desk and stood. He and Grayson left the room.
Grayson said, “Yeah, somebody is lying.”
“You think the girlfriend ratted on him to exclude herself.”
“I doubt it. She was too shaken up. Let’s just bring her in to see if her story sticks,” Grayson said and they went back inside the room.
Vernon said, “What did she do, tell you it was my idea. I figured that,” he said and looked off to his side.
Grayson took a seat at the table. “Did you know your sister was sexually assaulted that night?”
“Yeah and I’m going to kill Richard if I get my hands on him!” Vernon said rising from the seat but was pulled back down by the handcuffs locked to it.
“What were you doing with your sisters credit cards in your wallet?”
“Nothing I took them from her wallet.”
“How did you manage to do that?”
“I had gone to see how she was doing. I asked her for some of the money our father left when he died and she said she wasn’t going to give me any. So I asked to use the bathroom and while she was cooking slipped into her bedroom and took them from her purse. I didn’t use them. I was going to use them as bait to get what she owed me. I told her I took them.”
“Maybe the fact is you didn’t have the chance to use them because she quickly had them cancelled.”
“Whatever,” Vernon said and he spit the toothpick from his mouth off to his side. “A brother’s starving. Do they have something to eat around here?”
Officer Grayson didn’t respond to Vernon being hungry he just looked at him and stated, “That’s two tickets.”
“What?”
“Littering, you just spit out another toothpick,” the officer said.
“Write it up then,” Vernon calmly responded and twisted his lips at Officer Grayson knowing they were not going to waste the time. He then said, “Well if you’re not going to feed me and you done questioning me, what you holding me for. The only thing I’m guilty of is hitting my sister. If she hasn’t filed charges against me then I should be free to go.”
Officer Grayson knew Vernon was right. They had no evidence against him at the moment. Richard had not implicated Vernon as an accomplice. Until they talk to Vivian and sh
e could identify him as the person that struck her, Vernon was a free man. They couldn’t even hold him for their suspicions; he was responsible for the break in at Jennifer’s house, but no fingerprints were found on the briefcase. Nor could they make out the numbers that were etched inside. As far as the feces that were left behind someone in the police department had inadvertently threw away the evidence. Still, the officer thought he’d try his luck.
“So, what do you know about the break-in next door to your sister’s house a couple weeks ago,” Officer Grayson asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Vernon responded looking at the top of the table they were sitting at with his mouth twisted, and now thinking about the briefcase he left behind.
“Do you own a brown briefcase?”
“Use to, tossed it after I was released from the pen.”
“You tossed it? Where did that occur?”
“Near the penitentiary the minute I got out. I scratched out my inmate number then tossed it. I didn’t want any reminders of where I been.”
“You don’t find it odd that your briefcase ended up in a house that is next door to your sister’s home?”
“Nope.”
“What’s your favorite candy bar?”
“What?”
“I didn’t stutter,” Officer Grayson said.
“Man, I don’t eat candy. It’s bad for my teeth. I can’t afford a dentist.”
Officer Grayson shook his head at the clever answer Vernon gave him. However, Vernon was not clear of the break in. They also needed to speak with Mrs. Kanjorski and have her come in and look at some photos. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kanjorski had taken a fall outside her home and was now residing with a relative.
The officers were left with the right to hold Vernon for a certain period of time before releasing him, which is what they decided to do.
***
The day after Vivian was released from the hospital she awakened drained of energy. She wrapped herself in her red robe and then removed her gun from under her mattress placing it in her robe pocket. She made a stop in the bathroom then headed to the kitchen to fix toast and have a glass of orange juice.
After her miniature breakfast she headed to the living room where she removed the gun from her pocket and sat it on the cocktail table. She then curled up on the sofa with Darren and Darling.
As Vivian lay with her poodles close to her she observed her living room and the things that were out of place. The black and brown entry rug that read WELCOME had been tossed aside. A few of her gold figurines that had been sitting on her mantle were lying over on it. She couldn’t help but notice her large screen television was missing.
“Look what they did to my carpet,” she said at the muddy footprints on it.
Vivian’s cell phone rang startling her. It was on the cocktail table where she left it yesterday while talking to Toni. Her favorite ring tone chimed again. As if she remembered placing it there, uttered, “Toni,” then reached for her cell phone.
“Hello.”
“Ms. Fowler, are you okay?” Patricia asked calling from Vivian’s office.
“Yes, I’m okay. What’s going on Patricia?” and Vivian shifted to sitting up. Darling and Darren moved to the end of the sofa.
“I hadn’t heard from you. Are you sure you’re okay Ms. Fowler?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. There just are some things I need to take care of.”
“I’m just concerned because I and two other stylists heard on the news that a woman was attacked and robbed in Olympia Fields yesterday and we know you live out that way. We hadn’t heard from you and we’re worried.”
“Thank you for your concern. Actually I’ll be in tomorrow. Is everything okay there?”
Vivian clutched her rob near the chest as if air was seeping through.
“A man called asking to speak with you. He wanted to know if you were okay. I told him you weren’t available at the moment and he hung up. He called twice this morning.”
“If he calls again tell him the same thing. Did a number show up?”
“No, whoever it was called unknown. Ms. Fowler I know you like to keep your business to yourself, but should I be on the lookout for your brother prowling around?”
“My brother?” Vivian uttered with a perplexed look. “I don’t think that will be necessary,” she said and with the feeling that Vernon had left her alone after she had an order of protection placed against him.
Someone knocked hard on Vivian’s front door and it caused her heart to race.
“Patricia, stay on the line,” Vivian whispered into her cell phone.
“Ms. Fowler is you okay, Ms. Fowler,” Patricia called into the phone feeling something bad was going on.
Darling and Darren after the hard knocks to the door had taken off to the basement.
Vivian rose from the sofa and scared moved over to the window.
“Ms. Fowler,” Patricia called into the phone again and then without hesitation reached into her smock jacket pocket for her cell phone and dialed 911. Patricia ended her call to the police and returned to her call to Vivian. “Ms. Fowler,” she said.
The two officers that knocked on the door observed someone peeping through the blinds.
“It’s the police, Ms. Fowler. We need to ask you some questions.”
It was apparent that Vivian was spooked by the knocks by the way her fingers vibrated against the blinds. Vivian let loose the blinds, blew out a gush of air, but was still nervous. Her right hand shook as she placed the cell phone back to her ear and said, “Patricia I’ll call you back,” and ended the call.
Vivian re-wrapped her rob around her tighter before opening the door.
The pistol on her cocktail table was quickly observed by the officers after they entered.
“I take it you have a permit for your weapon,” Officer Grayson said.
“Yes, I have a permit.”
“If you don’t mind securing your weapon,” he said.
Vivian nodded and removed her weapon from the cocktail table and went to put it away.
“How can I help you officers,” she said after returning and standing distant from them.
Officer Grayson stated, “We were told by the hospital that you were released. We apologize for not getting there before your release. We need to ask some questions about the night you were assaulted. Your condition at the time prohibited us from getting information we need to track down the perpetrators.”
Vivian took a seat on her sofa. She then looked around for her poodles and not seeing either of them crossed her arms as a safeguard.
“Do you recall how the perpetrators entered your home?”
Vivian gazed toward her carpet. “I was on the phone when the doorbell rang. I thought it was more kids trick or treating, so I opened the door.”
“Who were you talking to at the time on the phone?”
“Toni, he’s a male friend of mine.”
“What happened next?”
“I’m not sure it happened so fast. I opened the door and was punched in the face. I may have been unconscious a minute. I’m not sure what happened after that, but I know at some point that I was sexually assaulted.”
“Do you recall how many people entered your home or what any of the assailants was wearing?”
Vivian shrugged her shoulders. “I believe the one that struck me had on some kind of superhero costume.”
“Did they speak? Did you recognize the voice, if they were male or female?”
Vivian started moving her head no then said, “Wait, I believe the one that hit me disguised his voice. A woman was with him. It’s strange because she sounded like a stylist I had to let go a couple months ago. Yes, I’m sure it was her.”
“What is the name of the stylist that you terminated?” Officer Grayson asked, and then said, “Do you mind,” giving a nod to the sofa sleeper.
The officer sat after an okay nod from Vivian then continued with his questioning.
Darren
came up from the basement and sat near the entrance to the living room. As if he was getting weary of strangers entering the house, he gave a soft bark at the officers.
“Darren, Darling,” Vivian said a little surprised by the bark. It was rare her poodles barked.
Darren wiggled on into the room with a couple more soft barks at the officers and quickly jumped up on the sofa and into Vivian’s lap.
“Tracie Allen,” Vivian said finally answering Officer Grayson’s question about the name of the stylist she fired.
There was a few taps to the door. “Hey,” the officer said to the other.
“We received a call to check things out at this address. Everything’s good,” the officer asked.
“Everything’s good. My partner and I are here for questioning.”
“10-4, I’ll call it in everything’s good,” the officer said.
“That may have been my assistant that called. I was on the phone with her when you knocked on the door. She probably heard fear in my voice.”
“When was the last time you saw your brother, Vernon Fowler, Jr.?”
“Vernon?” Vivian quizzed and not understanding why he would be connected. “What does he have to do with what happen?” she asked and still looking puzzled when she thought about Patricia suspecting her brother was involved.
“We have reason to believe the assault on you was devised by him.”
Vivian wrapped her arms around her stomach suddenly feeling nausea. She then put her hand over her mouth and took off to the bathroom. Her abrupt sickness had nothing to do with her being pregnant. She threw up the toast and juice she had a little while ago. Hearing Vernon may have been behind the assault made her sick. Vivian flushed the toilet and moved over to the sink where she braced herself on the rim of it. “Vernon did this,” she told herself and turned on the cold water. She reached for her facecloth on a rack nearby and ran it under the water. She wrung the towel of water then placed it to her face a few seconds.
“Are you okay?” Officer Grayson asked from the living room.
“Yes, I’ll be right out.” Vivian placed the towel back on the rack then walked back to the living room.
“You were correct,” Officer Grayson said. “Tracie Allen was one of the intruders. She turned herself in yesterday. She claimed she didn’t know that Vernon, her boyfriend, was going to assault you or have your home robbed.”
Trickery & Envy Page 19
