59
Phyllis’ story jibed with Sheila’s. Not much was gained from her interview that would incriminate either her or Sheila in Victor’s death. Obtaining Sheila’s gun would help to rule her out completely, but then there was the gun found near the scene of the crime and registered to Setrina Bailey that disturbed Marshall more.
Detectives Marshall and Samuels trailed Sheila to her condo. The area south of North Carolina Central University and across Interstate 40 had become a thriving community in the past five years. Small corporate offices, a large mall considered to be one of North Carolina’s premier shopping and dining places, the spattering of medium to luxury condos and not to mention the proximity to the Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh/Durham Airport sprung up from out of nowhere and made the area an allure for people newly coming to the area.
“Fifteen, twenty minutes at the max,” Marshall said as they turned into the entrance to the condos where Sheila lived. “Nice place and I’m sure she couldn’t afford it on her salary.”
“She was someone’s sugar baby all right,” Samuels put in.
They followed Sheila until she pulled her car into a small garage, and by the point of her finger, pulled into a space marked VISITORS. Marshall and Samuels got out of their vehicle and followed close behind Sheila, taking in the landscape and its manicured vegetation that smelled of money.
“That must be Miss Pomeroy’s place,” Samuels pointed. “Can’t miss much at the Atkins’ condo from her vantage point.”
“Got that right!” Marshall hollered back over his shoulder, as he paused to get some air as he climbed the stairs.
Sheila opened the front door and ushered the detectives inside.
“You can sit, if you like. Don’t be scared. I’ve got lemonade if you want something to drink,” Sheila offered.
Marshall rolled his eyes and looked at Samuels. “I’ll pass,” Marshall said.
“Me, too,” Samuels chimed in.
Sheila turned to look at them. “It’s not because I’m HIV positive, is it?”
“No,” both Marshall and Samuels said simultaneously. They looked at each other and smiled when Sheila turned her back.
“I’ll be back with the gun,” Sheila said.
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Marshall said as he moved from where he stood to the wall in front of him. Just as Sheila had so colorfully told them, what looked to be four bullet holes dotted the wall in an abstract way, almost as if it was the intention of the person who put them there.
Marshall reached in his pocket and pulled out a pocketknife and a plastic baggie and began to dig into the wall. Samuels walked over to the wall to see what Marshall was doing. One, two bullets were uncovered, and Marshall dropped them into the baggie. Before he was able to excavate any more, both Marshall and Samuels turned in the direction of the shrill voice.
“Hey!” Sheila screamed. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“Saving your ass from the gas chamber,” Marshall mumbled. Samuels snickered.
“I heard that and it’s not funny. You’re going to have to pay for enlarging that hole in the wall,” Sheila said, swinging the gun at the trigger on her middle finger.
A frown formed on Marshall’s face. “Ms. Atkins soon to be Ms. Billops, the wall was already in need of repair when we entered your dwelling. Why don’t you let me have the gun before you shoot any more holes in the wall.”
“Suit yourself,” Sheila said.
Sashaying to where Samuels stood, Sheila reluctantly dropped the gun into the plastic bag Samuels held open. The weight of the gun made the plastic bag sag, causing Samuels to almost drop it. With a smirk on her face, she watched as Samuels recovered from his clumsiness. “And you call yourself a detective?”
Marshall laughed and patted Samuels on the back. “Stay close, Ms. Atkins,” Marshall said, trying to control his laughter. “We appreciate your cooperation, and you will be hearing from us again. Now, let me get the rest of the bullets out of the wall so we can analyze them and the gun and clear your name, if indeed that’s the case.”
Sheila looked in the detectives’ direction, but it was almost as if she was staring straight through them. And almost as if she’d reconciled in her mind what had her in a daze, she looked at them with pointed eyes. “I didn’t kill Victor. I should have but I didn’t… I couldn’t. It wasn’t in me, although I wanted him to feel the pain that I was feeling after receiving that notice in the mail.” And from out of nowhere, she burst into tears. “Why me, Lord? Why me?”
AFRIKA WAS SOUND ASLEEP WHEN MIMI AND RAPHAEL ENTERED her room. They stood on either side of the bed and hovered over her, allowing somber faces to turn into a smile. As if on cue, Afrika began to stir, stretching her arm slowly upward. Then she opened her eyes, blinking and batting her eyelids until recognition set in. Mimi was the first to reach over and kiss her on the forehead, followed by Raphael.
“Mommy, Daddy, where have you been? Mommy, I waited for you to come back, but you never did.”
Mimi’s eyes shifted to Raphael and back to Afrika. “I had every intention of returning to the hospital,” Mimi said, “but your father needed me in a worse way last evening.”
“Why, what happened?”
“Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over,” Raphael chimed in. “We want you to focus on full recovery.”
“How can I accomplish that when I’m worried about you guys?”
“Why would you be worried about us?” Mimi asked.
Afrika wasn’t sure how to respond. She licked her dry lips and focused on the blank screen on the television set that was perched high up on a brace in a corner of the room. Her voice was soft when she finally opened her mouth to reply. “Are you and Daddy mad at each other?” Afrika made herself say.
Raphael leaned against the wall and glanced at Mimi. He kept his mouth shut, probably in anticipation of Mimi’s answer.
“No, baby, we’re not mad at each other. Your father and I have discussed things…” Mimi looked at Raf, who dropped his head. “We love each other and we love you. You will always be our baby.” Mimi paused, not exactly happy with her choice of a word. “We’re going to be fine; we only want you to get well.”
“Is that true, Daddy?”
Afrika caught Raphael off-guard. He looked at her, came over and sat on the bed, offered her a smile, and kissed her on her forehead. “Your mother is right. You’ll always be our baby, and… we’ll always be a family.” He picked up Afrika’s hand and squeezed it. “I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.” Afrika turned toward her mother. “I love you, Mommy.” Mimi smiled. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
Mimi and Raf looked at each other, alarm written on their faces. “What is it, Afrika?” Raphael asked.
“Stop frowning; it’s good news.” Afrika smiled as her mother and father’s countenance changed. “I wiggled my toes today.”
“Thank You, Jesus!” Mimi hollered. Tears of joy immediately ran down her face.
“Thank You for answering our prayer,” Raphael mumbled, clasping his hands together as if he was about to pray. “Thank You.”
A faint knock at the door caused the trio to turn their heads toward the sound like a precision drill team. Raphael got up to answer the knock just as the two detectives pushed the door in. Tears of joy were interrupted.
“Detectives Marshall and Samuels,” Marshall said as the two flipped out their badges for the obviously surprised Raphael.
“Okay,” Raphael said apprehensively.
Marshall and Samuels moved further into the room and nodded in Mimi’s direction. “Mr. and Mrs. Bailey?” Marshall asked.
“Yes,” Raphael said, his lone word short and blunt.
The detectives looked at Afrika, covered by the thin white and blue bedspread whose eyes were transfixed on them, waiting to hear like her parents the cause for the interruption.
“We need for the both of you to come to police headquarters with us and answer some questions,” Samuels said to Mimi and Raphael.
Raphael looked at the pair with suspicion. “What is this about?”
“If you have to ask, Mr. Bailey…”
“Daddy, what is he talking about?” Afrika asked, trying to sit up and digest what was taking place.
Mimi watched Raphael as he contemplated what to say. They hadn’t told Afrika yet about Victor, but the time had come. She held Afrika’s hand, wanting to shield her from all the pain she’d experienced in the past week, but the truth was the light—it was what it was—and there was no way of getting around it. She believed Raf had nothing to do with Victor’s murder, and she would stand behind him no matter what.
“Mr. Christianson, Asia’s father, was found dead late last night according to the news,” Raphael said. He looked up and saw the detectives analyzing him, no doubt checking his body language, what he had said and how he had told Afrika that Victor was dead.
“Dead? How? First I get shot, and then I find out that…” Afrika paused. She looked at the two detectives, who were watching her.
“What did you find out, Ms. Bailey?” Marshall asked in a calm, reassuring voice.
Mimi and Raphael stood still. Afrika searched for support from her parents, and then turned back to face Detective Marshall. She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. “I found out that Mr. Christianson is my biological father.”
Marshall and Samuels looked at each in amazement at the new bit of information they had been thrown. “When did you find this out, Ms. Bailey?” Samuels asked.
“Yesterday.”
“Yesterday as in yesterday morning, afternoon, early evening?” Marshall pushed.
“Okay, detective,” Raf cut in. “She said she found out yesterday. My daughter is ill; please be a little more sensitive to that fact. “
“It’s routine, Mr. Bailey. “
Afrika sighed again. She didn’t even look Detective Samuels in the eyes. She pushed the answer from her mouth to be rid of it. “Yesterday morning.”
“Thank you for being so cooperative,” Samuels said.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bailey,” Marshall began, “if you go with us now, maybe we can have you back with your daughter before long.”
The moment Mimi dreaded had come to pass. Deep in the back of her mind, she knew the police would be knocking at their door. There was the matter of her car and her gun. Both were still missing. Even after reporting it stolen, somehow she knew it might be tied into Victor’s death. She and Raphael had stayed awake most of the night talking about it.
Raphael kissed Afrika on the forehead and whispered something to her. Mimi did likewise, and they followed the detectives out of the room.