Cops Are Too Close
1208 Words
Tamia and Jeremy felt weird, they were completely invisible to the mortal eyes as they walked in slow motion.
It felt weird as they weren’t a part of the time or anything for a moment. But they had no choice walking into a police precinct. Walking into an interview room, they stood and listened at the one-way glass. The ADA and two detectives on the case sitting with the infamous Reggie Banks.
Sitting in Gucci with a ten thousand dollar watch on his wrist, the handsome brother from the Bronx sat with his lawyer. A white man with tattoos coming from under his twenty-thousand-dollar suit, sat cynically detached beside him ready to fight if need be.
ADA Rhonda Sykes looked at Reggie annoyed as she asked, “If you cooperate this would be so much easier Reggie.” Smacking his lips, Reggie shot a look to his lawyer who leaned in and said something to him in his ear.
Nodding Reggie looked at Rhonda annoyed, “Look lady, I already told you. I don’t know who knocked off big homie. He was like family to me and if I knew, I’d have handled it my damn self. But this wasn’t no beef, ain’t no one on the streets talking like usual. The ones that had been bragging, were frontin'.”
ADA Rhonda Sykes was a beautiful African-American woman who stood curvy at 5’7. And with her black heels and fitted pants suit, the 37-year-old woman was a ball buster. And she could spot a liar for miles, and she could tell, Reggie wasn’t lying.
“Okay, so you don’t know who did this. Did you know who could or who would want to? Anyone he could have upset or hurt enough?”
Scoffing, Reggie’s jaw flexed and that’s when the detectives spoke up. Partners Detective Jason Munch and Rita Benson looked at Reggie annoyed with the run around they’ve been getting for almost two weeks. “Come on man we’re trying to get justice for one of your best men. You called him Heavy, but his name was James Eli, and he was a son and a father.”
Detective Munch goaded, “We can’t get them justice if you’re holding back on us. You’re letting his killer get away with it.”
The clogs seemed to be slowly turning for Reggie and Rita seemed to realize his hang-up, “If he did something, he’s already dead. He can’t be arrested in the ground man.” Detective Benson reminded him.
Reggie looked her dead in the eye. The handsome African American man looked the pretty white woman over closely. It was his turn to whisper in his lawyer's ear who nodded and then seriously said, “My client will like to disclose some information. He would like to make it known beforehand he had NOTHING to do with such information. And will like to not be implicated for it.” ADA Rhonda Sykes nodded slowly agreeing and Tamia couldn’t breathe as he did what she feared.
Pointed them right in her direction.
“There was this young thing in a neighborhood he was all bent out of shape for. She was a cute little girl but she was too young for him to be licking his lips at.” Rhonda’s left eye jumped as she gritted out, “How young?” Reggie hummed drumming his fingers on the table, “Fourteen, fifteen I think.”
Both detectives in the room were glaring daggers at Reggie, but he didn’t care. “So, what happened? What did he do to her?” Detective Munch asked having a bad feeling about this.
Reggie sighed and then admitted, “He told me he had spent four bands on her. Said he was bringing her home thanks to a client.” Tamia watched Detective Munch lean in, “You do realize you’re saying he bought a young girl. That’s human trafficking.”
Throwing his hands up, Reggie lamented, “I knew he had a thing for her. And girls her age usually throwing it back nowadays anyway. I didn’t see the harm since she skirted around him, but he was into her hard. And he went for it.”
Detective Benson made a noise of disgust as she hissed, “And you were going to be okay with him holding a fourteen-year-old girl against her will?”
Shrugging, Reggie admitted, “I couldn’t say I would have; I couldn’t say I wouldn’t have. He didn’t tell me he had done it until after.” Tamia felt disgusting as Detective Benson questioned, “And why did you want to disclose this information to us?”
Reggie leaned forward as he fessed up, “Well on the day Reggie supposedly bought her, someone got him from behind. And when he woke up, she’s gone, and he can’t find her for weeks.”
Sitting back, Reggie recalled thoughtfully, “He was pissed too. Went back to that junkie's house who gave her to him. But they’d been too high and didn’t know s**t. She was just gone, and he spent hours out the day looking for her up until I told him to cool it. He was getting too distracted from what was important.”
Reggie’s lawyer, Isaac Turner, put a hand on his client’s shoulder silencing him, “Well as you can see, my client is not the one you all need to be speaking to. If you have any other questions, you know how to reach me. Until then, good evening.”
And then they were leaving out as Rhonda growled at their backs. Running a hand through her hair, Detective Benson admitted, “I don’t want to chase down some scared little girl who might be traumatized and arrest her for murder.”
Rhonda nodded and told her, “Let me talk to Barry. I’ll see what he wants us to do.” And for now, the investigation was on pause as Rhonda went to talk to District Attorney, Barry Samuels. Exchanging looks, Tamia and Jeremy looked at each other before taking off.
"I'm so f*****g screwed." Tamia cursed feeling a heavyweight on her chest as they got down the street. Lifting the invisibility blanket on them, Jeremy promised, "Not yet, let me see what sis wants to do...if not." looking at him scared, Tamia asked, "If not?"
Jeremy breathed out, "I know the ADA." Tamia looked at him confused, "How?" Jeremy coughed as he awkwardly admitted, "She worked in my dad's office under him. She used to help me with my homework."
For Jeremy, his parents were still a touchy subject and Tamia felt for him. Squeezing his shoulder, Tamia looked as the air shifted. "We should head home." Agreeing, Jeremy led Tamia home making a mental promise to keep her safe.
- Writer
