“I have an informant in custody ready to talk now. It’s just a matter of using whatever intel he gives and adding it to what we find on the wire. You know how this game is played, Captain. Sometimes we have to pull the strings together in order for the shit to stick,” I tried pleading with him. I really want this case bad. Harrison needed to be brought down.
Munick glanced down at his watch and then over to me with an angry scowl. “You have twenty-six more days on the clock. Not a damn piece of paper will get my John Hancock until you have something substantial. You can ruin your career by trying to make things stick but I won’t be going down with you!” Munick stormed off kicking up dust along the way.
Mother fuck me! This shit is going to be harder than I thought. Back to the phone I went, having other sources to tap out before calling it quits. Daryl Harrison was going down and if this Azmir Jacobs was his pawn, he’d have to pay the piper, too.
~~~~~~~~~~
Rayna
I flew to visit my brother, Keeme in prison. Per usual, Michelle gave me a lift to the airport. As she hugged me goodbye she asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to get a room and stay just one night? Would you consider staying with your family? You could do both, you know? ” Michelle pleaded with me with her warm hazel eyes. “It pricks me that you take these quick turnaround flights when you visit Akeem. Then, you’re crazy enough to try and return right to work!”
I rolled my eyes and gave her a parting embrace. “Shelly, I’ll be fine. I’ll text you when I land.”
We went through the same ritual of questions every time she dropped me to the airport. And my answers never varied. She knew I only had one goal on my mission, which was to visit Akeem and resume my normal life.
Aside from that, I was holding a secret from her and it was eating me alive. This wasn’t the type of information I liked keeping from her. But my thoughts were that I’d bide my time and hold off on telling Michelle about my blow up with Azmir until I wrapped my mind around it myself. After all, I had to get through my visit with Akeem and didn’t need a double dose of guilt on my shoulders when visiting him. I’d tell Michelle when I was ready.
I caught the first flight out that morning and five and a half hours later I was arriving at Newark International Airport. I rented a car, stopped to get a bite and headed straight to Caldwell State Prison. I hated visiting my brother behind bars. The corrections officers were so rude, treating even visitors as criminals. As we entered a corridor leading to the visitation room they’d slam a cell behind us reminding me of where I was. This time I jumped and turned toward the cell door. The guard laughed, bringing unwanted attention to me. I reserved my feelings for my brother’s sake. I always felt that it was my fault he was in there. Had I not been involved with that damn O he’d have no reason to defend J-Boog that night because there wouldn’t have been a confrontation.
Akeem’s appearance had changed. He was thicker and had more hair on his almond shaded face. He had grown into a man. He resembled our father so much it scared me, the similitude was hauntingly uncanny. My mouth dried as though I’d swallowed a handful of cotton balls. I must have worn my feelings on my face because as he sat down he smiled in a blushing manner.
He picked up the phone, “What, woman?”
“Keeme, man, you look just like Eric!” I cried with widened eyes.
“Oh, yeah? It’s funny because I said the same shit to myself the other day. It’s crazy, right? What’s going on with you, little mama?”
“Oh, nothing.” I sighed, still reeling from his aging features.
“You know you got people asking about you and shit?”
“Who?” I hissed, trying to mask my paranoia. I’ve told him a hundred times to keep my affairs confidential.
“Moms, Pops, Grams, Nikki, Theresa…everybody.”
“And what the hell do you tell them?” I quizzed.