by Jade Royal
I didn’t know how long I’d held my breath, but it wasn’t healthy. I staggered over to a cement wall as high as my thighs and sat down. I leaned forward, trying to give my chest the room that it needed to expand. I didn’t feel the need to run anymore, but my brain was racing a mile a minute, refusing to slow. Flashes of Danielle invaded my mind and anger replaced my fear. I couldn’t get a hold of any one emotion for any extended amount of time, but I felt it all. The anger that I was feeling quickly turned to sorrow. Run!
Just as I was about to jump down off the wall, my phone rang. I reached into my blazer pocket, expecting Master J to be calling me with worry. When I looked at the screen, the call was from Mama and instantly I grew worried.
“Máma, is everything okay?” I answered.
“Nessa G, it’s me, your princess.” The relief that flooded my system surfaced full throttle and I couldn’t help the sob that escaped. Her voice was the very thing that I needed at the moment.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry. Would you like for me to get Nana for you?”
“No!” I took a minute to calm my voice and tried to reel in my emotions before speaking again. There was no chance of that, though. My tears poured from my face and my voice quivered as I spoke. “Talk to me, princess.”
“Why are you crying?” I could hear Mama in the background trying to ask her questions.
“Mi hija, I miss you so much. I wish I could have a hug, so you could make everything OK.”
“Mommy, I’m right here.”
The word hit home on so many different levels. For the first time, the word that I’d given so much power felt like a warm embrace. A homecoming. The tears continued racing down my face as I held my mouth to prevent the sobs from being heard. My hands trembled as I pictured Angelica’s smiling face. I missed her more than I thought I would, being so far away.
“I love you so much, princess.”
“I love you too! Are you still crying?”
“What did you eat for breakfast?” I changed the subject hoping that my little angel would give me the courage I needed to make it through the next few hours. I wiped a tear from my eye and waited.
“Nana made me and the nice men sausages and pancakes! My favorite breakfast. She said that today is a special day and special girls got special breakfasts on those days.”
“Nice men?” I froze.
“Mr. Marcus and Mr. Aiden. Mr. Jamar sent them to bring us to his house. They played Uno with me.”
I let out the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. Master J informed me this morning that he’d put a few security precautions in place. He’d asked for my address, but I had been too nervous to ask for details. “Máma’s right, princess. You do deserve a very special breakfast today.”
“When are you coming back?”
“As soon as I’m done with my meeting, I’ll rush home.”
“Why is your meeting so far away? Couldn’t they make it closer?”
“No. I had to make sure that the people I love stay safe.”
“We’re safe. Nana said that you always make sure that we’re safe.”
I nodded, quickly wiping more tears from my face. “And I always will, sweetheart.”
I saw movement coming towards me and I looked over to see Master J approaching. He wore only his dress slacks and tennis shoes. Clearly, he’d rushed to find me. I jumped down off the wall just as he neared me. He embraced me tightly and tilted my head to him. He searched my eyes for answers that I couldn’t give. I didn’t know if I would be alright, but I did know that I had to stay strong for my family. They would always be my anchor and support system. I reached up and kissed him on the lips, offering him the only affirmation that I could. I poured all the love that I was feeling into my kiss, hoping that he understood just how much he meant to me.
“Vanessa...” Mama had taken the phone.
I pulled my lips from Master J’s. “Yes, Máma.”
“Are you okay?” The worry couldn’t be mistaken in her voice.
“I’m good. Just a little anxiety. Hearing Angelica’s voice was just the right cure.”
“Make sure to call me when you’re done. Jamar made sure that we are nice and safe. Besides Aiden and Marcus, he has patrol cars monitoring us. I don’t know who he knows but I’ve never felt safer and more cared for. Thank you for always taking care of us, mi hija. I love you and I’ll see you soon.”
I nodded although she couldn’t see me. “Yes, Máma. I love you too.”
I hung up the phone and Master J held me tighter. “You alright now? You worried me.”
“I’ll be just fine, Daddy. Thank you for taking care of Máma and Angelica.”
“It’s my job. They’re my family too.”
My heart swelled, and tears spilled all over again. I swallowed the lump and hugged him tight. Jamar rubbed my back, slowly easing me.
I spoke against his chest. “Let’s go get you dressed so we can get this over with.”
“You sure you’re okay?” He pulled away a little to see my face again, searching my eyes for any signs of trouble. I nodded. He paused a minute, tucked me into his side, and led me back upstairs with my armor chink-free and ready for battle.
THE HEARING ROOM WASN’T what I expected it to be. It was a large room that held a table for the commissioners, a table for the defendant and his counsel, a gated area for the witnesses and family, and three guards who stood in position around the room. There was no judge. No jury.
Inside the room, there was a man seated toward the back who looked very familiar. The man who sat at a small lone table beside the commissioners’ table stood and approached me immediately.
“You must be Isabella Garcia.”
I nodded yes, and Master J looked a bit confused. “I am Isabella Garcia.”
I guess I’d left out the secret identities and my real name.
“I’m so glad that you made it in today. I’m sorry that you have to relive everything that happened almost 7 years ago.”
“Thank you.” I responded.
“The way that this will work is: we’ll go over the facts of the case, get the testimony of the prison warden, hear Alphonso’s reasoning for being released, and then, if you want to give a statement about the damage that he’s caused to you and your daughter’s lives, that’ll conclude most of the hearing. Afterwards, the commissioners will take a vote and make a decision. Easy as pie. OK?”
“Understood.”
“And you are?” He looked at Master J.
“I’m Isabella’s fiancé, Jamar Henderson.” Master J said, shaking the man’s hand.
“I’m glad that you can be here to support her. I’m glad that you’re both here.”
“Who is the man in the corner?” I asked, suspicious of his presence. He looked depressed and detached.
“That’s Danielle’s boyfriend at the time. He seemed to take her loss pretty hard as well. Did you know him?”
I opened my mouth to respond but Detective Brown walked into the room. He looked around and looked shocked to see the man claiming to be Danielle’s boyfriend. He started to walk towards him when he noticed me standing in the room. His expression changed to a big smile as he approached me instead.
“Isabella, I’m so happy that you made it. I know the request was last minute, but you understand how important it is for you to be here.”
“I do.” I wouldn’t admit it to them, but the constant use of my legal name made me uncomfortable. The girl who was once Isabella was dead and gone. Her innocence died on the day when her best friend was murdered before her. I was here as Vanessa Rodríguez, a strong woman who would do anything for her family. What I couldn’t do was voice my alias in case I had to go on the run again. It was a security measure that I wanted to keep in place for my safety.
We took our seats and waited for the rest of the attendees. I didn’t have to wait long. The door toward the front right opened and in walked two officers flanking the notorious Alphonso Bates.
&nbs
p; “All rise,” the official announced. We stood as the commissioners walked in and took their seats along with a court reporter. Once they sat, everybody other than the defense attorney and Alphonso did as well.
The court hearing examiner began recounting countless facts about that day. Most of them I recalled, some of them I didn’t. The most shocking was the picture that I hadn’t noticed of Danielle. It was propped up on the side of the table, tilted towards Alphonso. I tuned him out as I stared at the picture of Danielle. I remembered that picture all too well. It was taken just after she found out that she was pregnant. I didn’t know it then, but it was the last photo that we’d take together. The actual shot that they had was a solo picture of her. It was an amazing picture. I smiled, thinking about how we had gone shopping for hours to find the right matching outfits. We wanted to wear the same thing but in different colors. We’d finally decided on polo shirts and jeans which made out for an awesome set of photos, especially the ones we were in together.
Detective Brown offered me tissues and I took them, for the silent tears that fell. I sniffed and tuned back into what the court hearing examiner was saying. “The amount of anger that requires a man to take six innocent lives isn’t washed away in 6 years of prison, regardless of the number of good deeds he’s accomplished there. I’m clueless as to why we’re here today, when the man before us tried to escape prison not even three months ago. Yet the warden of the State Prison at Carreon, Amber Wilson, states that this man has helped to start a group for mentally incapacitated prisoners. She goes on to say that the group has helped to cut down on violence in her prison. She also states that this man is an advocate of trials of medications to ensure that the right medications are administered in the right quantity, preventing psychotic episodes. She thinks that he’d be better fit in a psychiatric hospital environment, without the security level that is entailed now.”
I flinched at the sound of the warden’s statement. Since when is murder excusable? I grew restless, waiting for my turn to speak. The amount of anger that surged through me was hard to tame. If they thought that putting this animal back into society was going to be a good thing, then they had another thing coming. I would not sit by while innocent people got hurt. Master J began rubbing my back, but I could feel the tension radiating from him as well.
Up next, the defense attorney spoke. His introduction was nothing but hogwash as he talked about how Danielle led Alphonso on, knowing his mental capacity. He also spat out a bunch of stats that labeled Alphonso as being unable to form healthy relationships. Without consistent medication and therapy at the time of the murders, he shouldn’t be held responsible for his actions because he’d been misdiagnosed. He also noted that Alphonso’s emotional developmental level was shockingly low, causing Alphonso to latch on to people and things that healthy people wouldn’t. When he was finished, he cleared his throat and signaled for Alphonso to speak.
Alphonso turned to me and offered an apology for his actions before he went into detail about the things that he had been doing in prison to help the other inmates. When he turned toward me, I wanted to fire round after round of bullets into his skull for the bull crap that he and his attorney were spewing out. I understood that the attorney was doing what was required, but it was obvious to me that he disagreed with the whole charade that he was putting on.
The room went silent and I felt a nudge from Master J. I looked at him and he whispered to me. “They want you to give your testimony.” Apparently, the examiner had called my name to get my attention.
“Oh.” I stood and looked at Alphonso wanting to end this all right here and right now. I couldn’t do that for more than one reason. I’d left the gun at home that I’d learned to shoot several years ago. I’d promised a special little girl that I’d come home to her and there was no way that I’d be able to keep that promise if I murdered Danielle’s killer. I turned toward the picture that sat on top of the table with Danielle’s face on it.
“I remember that picture. We spent hours preparing for that day. She’d just found out that she was pregnant and had complained of getting fat. She told me that her body would never be the same again. I insisted that we take pictures so that she would always have it to remind herself of why we needed to go to the gym together.
“Danielle was more like a sister than my best friend. We did everything together and that’s why 6 and a half years ago, I was ready to die with her. When Alphonso Bates held the gun to my head and pulled the trigger, I knew that Danielle and I had fulfilled our destiny on earth. We would prosper together in heaven, but I was wrong. There was another plan for me. I was to raise her 3-month-old daughter and give her faith that the world wasn’t full of horrible people like the one who promised to come back to murder me because he’d failed to count the bullets in his gun.
“I don’t know all of the good that he’s done lately, and frankly, I don’t care. Why is taking the life of six people so easily dismissed? There are three of us in hiding, waiting for the day that we can be free. We’ve left behind family and friends to be safe. All of that should be enough to throw away the key. We’ve all suffered enough. We shouldn’t have to worry about escapes, parole hearings, psychiatric placements, and how he manages to live around other people. Danielle, her daughter who is almost seven, and her family didn’t deserve what happened to them. She’ll never be able to see how beautiful our daughter is. She’s lost the opportunity to live a full life because of his ‘emotional developmental level’ and lack of a ‘consistent medication therapy routine’.
“I’ve lost more than enough because of his actions. He promised to kill me. He wants our daughter. He sent people to hunt us down. I’m tired of living in fear that he’ll keep his gruesome promise. Princess doesn’t deserve to lose both of her mothers. Moving him to a low security psychiatric facility gives him the ability to finish what he started. His ‘therapy’ won’t cure what he’s done and what he plans to do. There’s not a pill that can fix the past. Treatment won’t purify his future actions. So, excuse me if I think that this is all a waste of everybody’s time.”
I sat down, and Master J hugged me, kissing my forehead. “My good girl. I’m so proud of you,” He whispered. His arms made everything feel better as he held me. I was safe and going to be okay. I hoped that the words spoken today gave justice to my heart.
“Detective Brown, did you have something to say?”
“No, Sir. I think that Ms. Garcia has spoken for the both of us.”
“Fine then. Mr. Brown?”
I looked back, and the man labeled as Danielle’s boyfriend stood. He walked toward me but paused a few feet away. He removed his glasses and put them into his pocket. He was a spitting image of Angelica. He was about 6’4” and Spanish descent. Despite the sorrow that was shown through his gaze, he looked physically healthy. I took in a deep breath, trying to remember his face. He looked so familiar. I squinted, trying to place him. I saw the scar on the right side of his face and it all came back.
“You’re Antonio Brown.”
“Yes.”
“Danielle had the biggest crush on you. Y-you stood her up that night.”
Antonio shook his head. “I didn’t.”
“She waited in the rain for you! You never showed. She had to walk to my house in the pouring rain.”
“Isabella, that’s not the truth.”
“Don’t!” Alphonso spat. I turned to see Alphonso glaring at Antonio.
Antonio resumed speaking, bringing my attention back to him. “Danielle approached me saying that she’d wanted to talk to me. She’d asked me to meet her at the park, just before dark. I was late but when I got there, I didn’t see her. I waited for a bit but when I didn’t see her, I decided to walk through the woods to get to her house since it was quicker. I wanted to explain that I’d been held up at practice and that I didn’t stand her up.
“As I was walking through the trees, I heard grunting followed by the roaring of shouts from an angry man. When I neared the
m, I was sick immediately. Danielle lay on the ground as he thrust inside of her. He was proving a point that she’d never understand. You see, my brother was convinced that she was nothing but a whore who would cause havoc in my life. He had to show me how right he was. He resorted to raping a girl who was only after my heart. At the time, I saw only what he wanted me to see. She was out cold, compliant. He called her all kinds of names but the one thing that he’d chanted as he took her was that she was his ‘dirty slut’.”
“Oh... my... God!” My hands trembled as I remembered the cuts on her thighs that she claimed she’d gotten from running in the woods. All the blood that I’d found that morning in my bed, blood I’d assumed was menstrual. It was all evidence of rape.
“I didn’t think anything of it all these years until I talked to my brother recently. I’d decided to try to find some kind of closure for myself after all these years. I’d never forgiven myself for not saying anything before the murder trial. I thought of the little girl who had been the result; she shouldn’t have to know that her father was a rapist and a killer.”
I flinched and looked up at Antonio. What I saw reflected there was nothing but pure hatred and rage as he looked past me. I looked over at Alphonso who had the same look on his face as Antonio.
“You don’t know how to shut your fucking mouth, do you?” Alphonso spoke, through his teeth.
“We are tired of trying to fix the mess that you left years ago. Mom is nothing but a shell. She hasn’t spoken in years. All because of her fucking son who is a no good bastard!”
“Gentlemen!” The commissioners tried to get their attention but failed miserably.
“We?” I asked, looking at Antonio.
“I’ve gone out of my way to make sure that my brother and the crazy men that he calls friends could never find you and Princess, Isabella.” In shock, I turned to see Det. Brown speaking as he neared me. I must have misheard. There was no way that the man who was helping to protect my family was related to Alphonso as well.
Det. Brown stood beside Antonio and what I couldn’t see before was staring me in the face. The three men were clearly brothers. Separately, they held their own, not giving away their bloodline. Together, the three of them resembled one another greatly. The missing link was Antonio. Somehow, he brought their features together like a missing puzzle piece. The reason that Angelica looked like Antonio was because he was her uncle.
