Marisol DeJesus: The Bruja (Book 2)

Tamia's Meeting

She had to go alone. She didn’t want them tying Brianna back to her and after Jeremy got her the number, Tamia had told them when and where. Tamia looked both ways before ducking out of the alley she stood in. Walking up to the car parked on the dead street of dark houses, Tamia jumped in the back and made sure to take the child lock was off.  

Settling in the backseat, Tamia looked in the front seat at ADA Rhonda Sykes and Detective Rita Benson.  

“Evening,” She greeted quietly. Rhonda glanced back at Tamia through the rearview and Rita sighed, “Hi Tamia sweetie, how are you.” Tamia lowered her hood. Her hair that she’d dyed once having been brought back to its natural bounce thanks to Brianna.  

She’d actually made these really good hair products with herbs and magic. It was f*****g amazing.  

“I’m fine. Safe.”  

Rhonda held up a tape recorder, “It’s for the DA. I’m going to spin this right, but I need the truth. All of it. Start from the beginning and leave nothing out. Including everything about Heavy.”  

Swallowing hard, Tamia sat back and began as Rhonda hit record, “My grandma died when I was thirteen. I went into the system and two drug addicts fostered me. Helen and Shawn Williams on Fenris street, in a little walk-up. James Eli, or Heavy as I knew him, was who Shawn bought his drugs from. I saw multiple drug transactions between them, and Heavy kept trying to give me drugs. He thought I wanted them for release of my situation, to make me need him. But I never wanted them.”  

Rita looked over her shoulder at Tamia afraid, “His boss, Reggie Banks, said he had information that James Eli purchased you for four thousand dollars from your foster father. Was that true?” Tamia nodded, “Yes. Shawn had been trying to r**e me but I kept fighting and he could never get me alone. When he couldn’t have me, one day he comes home with Heavy. They're telling me, he bought me, and soon he dragged me out of the apartment.”  

Disgusted at how the young woman had been treated, Rita confessed, “We know you got away, Reggie confirmed so. Did a friend help you?”  Tamia smiled remembering what felt like decades ago. But it was really only three months ago. “A guardian angel. Appeared out of nowhere and she became my source of survival, my sister on the streets. She’s been keeping me safe.”  

Rita c****d her eyebrow curious, her detective nature showing as she questioned, “Someone we know?” Tamia smirked as she answered easily, “No one I can name.”  

Breathing out, Rhonda asked carefully, “What happened the day James Eli caught up with you? What did he do?” Tamia scoffed at the redundant question, “What do you think? He caught me in an alley and pinned me against a wall. Dude was out of his mind saying I’d “gotten pretty” for him. When he tried to force me to my knees, I took my pocket knife and stabbed him in the thigh. And then I ran.”  

Closing her eyes, Rhonda begged to know, “Why? You were defending yourself! You wouldn’t have been in trouble. It’s just that now that you’ve run, people are suspicious. But if you come with us. Go to trail-.” Tamia shook her head immediately, “Nah I’m not taking a gamble with my life. Not when I have a for sure way out of not going to jail or going back to another home.”  

Rita turned to face Tamia afraid. Her heart hurt seeing the fifteen-year-old girl who had the eyes of an adult. “Sweetie being on the streets isn’t safe. Wherever you are, you’re not going to be safe there forever. And if you don’t turn to drugs, you turn to other horrible things that will kill you. All in the name of survival out here.”  

Licking her lips, Tamia’s mind went left as her powers bled through, “If I go with you detective, I know what will happen.” Knowing that fear, Rita tried to promise nothing would happen and Tamia would be taken care of. “Reggie’s already replaced Heavy. And while he might be pissed he lost his best runner, he’s not that bent.” Tamia deduced as she looked at the future of a drug dealer totally over the death of a man, he called a brother.  

“But if I go with you, I’m putting a lot of light on his business. And he’ll try to shut me up. And even worse? Your DA might still go after me in court and I’ll do time in juvie plus be sent back into the system. I won’t go through another foster home.”  

Rhonda closed her eyes, “Sweetie I promise. We can get you off on these charges, but they won’t go away if you run.” Tamia sniffled as she whispered, “I’ll never be safe putting faith in you right now. I’m sorry…but thank you. For trying.”  

And when both women tried to stop her from getting out of the car, Tamia’s eyes turned purple. Taking over their minds, Tamia made them see what they wanted the most.   

Rhonda immediately saw herself in the kitchen cooking dinner for her daughter. Her husband beside their beautiful little girl as he listened intently at whatever she was saying. And for a moment, she let herself believe it was real, that her family was still together.  

But it faded and when she blinked too long, she was back in the car with Rita. The detective, Rhonda had witnessed stare-down pedophiles and sickos of every litter was now in tears. And as her heart grieved for the beautiful image she’d just been shown, she kept the memory close.  

Her, her sister, and their family dog Smoke. All together and safe.  

Not strung out fighting rehab. But clean and sober.  

Both women were too beside themselves to go after Tamia, who felt guilty using that particular mind trick on them. She’d been practicing, and as she’s come to realized, making people think of the thing they desired the most was cruel.  

She knew better than anyone most of the time, it was something that couldn’t be obtained. Disappearing into the shadows, she kept her hood low as she kept a firm grip on the fully charged stun gun. Her mind now hung up on if she did the right thing telling them her story.