It had been five days since the search for Sevyn, and it seems as if the days were going in slow motion. One minute we think we’ve gotten close to finding her or being on a trail to where she may be, and the next we realize we are further than we were before.
“How are you feeling baby?” Michael asks touching my back
I shrug sitting on the edge of the bed. “Not sure…”
“Rita, you need to get some sleep. You haven’t slept for longer than an hour all this week.” He says sitting up in bed next to me
I sigh. “How am I supposed to sleep Michael? My friend is out there missing, and I don’t know what her condition is. She could be hurt, hungry, and even worst dead!” I raise my voice, and it instantly cracks. I can feel the tears straining to come out. I cry every hour on the hour, and every time Michael has been there to wipe them away.
“Baby…” He says pulling me to his chest. “I will find her, I promise. I hate seeing you broken like this.”
I shake my head. “No, I have a gut feeling, and I’m never wrong. She’s not okay, and I think Michael has something to do with her disappearing. You work for him baby. If you know something, you need to tell me.” I say sternly, turning to him. “If I find out you knew anything and didn’t tell me, I would personally kill you. I’d kill you and wouldn’t regret anything.”
He looks at me and back down to his hands. He grabs my hand, “Rita…..” His grip is now tighter, and he’s locking fingers with me. “I didn’t want to tell you or worry you, but Mike did tell me to find Sevyn and bring her to him the day before she went missing.”
“Michael, how could you!” I cover my face with my hands and the tears pour out. I get up from bed, and run to my bathroom locking the door behind me.
He’s right behind me, but I lock the door just in time. “Baby!” He says knocking on the door. “Rita, I promise I didn’t! I told him about us, and told him I didn’t want shit to do with that. I didn’t even work with him that day; I went to Canyon Run, baby I promise!”
I press my hands on the counter, looking into the mirror. It would be my worst nightmare to find out the bastard who has her is the one who is “looking” for her. If he did this, I promise I will be the reason he takes his last breath. I let out a deep sigh, unlocking the door. “I need to ask you something, and you better not fucking lie to me.
“I swear!” He says with his hands up. “You see how I am about you! I’m dead serious about us and what we have.”
I look him in his eyes. “Do you think he had anything to do with this?” He doesn’t step into the bathroom and he never breaks his gaze. He drops his head, and I don’t need for him to say a word. I shake my head, and the cemented tears finally fall. “I knew it…” I say lowly
“Rita I didn’t want concern you, but I’ve been on him all week trying to find out anything. All the clues you have gotten about her came from me. Somehow when we get close on his trail, evidence gets deleted or just disappears.” He steps to me. “Baby, I’m trying! He will not get away with this.”
I hug him as tight as I can. “Michael is she okay? Just think to yourself, do you think she’s alive?” I ask finally pulling away
He kisses the top of my forehead. “I’ll find her baby; I don’t need you worrying about anything. I got you!” He holds me tight and I actually feel safe. He’s been nothing but amazing to me these last few days, and although he held important information from me, I do believe him.
We both jump as our phones begin to ring simultaneously in sync.
I look down at my phone, and my mom is calling. I quickly answer…
She sniffles and my body stiffens…
Rita: Mom what’s wrong? Talk to me!
Mama: Rita, just get here now!
She hangs up, and I look over to Michael who is now getting dressed. I walk over to the drawer and grab a t-shirt and some shorts. “Who was that?” I ask in a panic
“My boss…” He says grabbing his gun, changing the clip. “Joe said something big just went down at the house, and I needed to be there ASAP!”
I walk over to him, grabbing his arm. “Baby, its 2am, what else did he say!”
He huffs. “Someone is getting arrested….”
We finally make it to my mom and Michael’s house, and the entire yard is filled with people and police officers running around. Neither of us know how to handle the situation.
“Rita!” I hear a familiar voice call out, and we both turn to make eye contact with Lauren. She doesn’t sound like herself, and her behavior is just as strange as my mom’s on the phone.
I run over to her, hugging her tight. “What happened?” I ask, but she just pulls me into the crowd. We finally make it into the middle of the scene, and my mom’s face and eyes are red. She spots me, and quickly pulls me to her chest.
“Baby, I’m so sorry…” She speaks in a hoarse voice. “They found her body Rita….” She speaks and I feel my body go numb. My legs feel like Jello, my mouth gets dry, and I can no long see.
“Hold her head up!” I can hear muffled screams, but I can’t move any parts of my body. “She’s still breathing, I think she just fainted.” He says cradling my body. “Baby, open your eyes, just follow my voice.
As soon as I pulled up to the house, I could tell the type of day it is going to be. My mama called me about 20 minutes ago telling me that I needed to hurry up and get to the house because they had found out some important information, but from the faces I saw in the front yard, the news couldn’t be too good. As soon as I parked, I saw my cousin Keeis.
“Man what happened?” I ask getting out the car full of anxiety
He shakes his head, wiping his red eyes. “Not good man, not good at all.” He speaks and his voice begins to crack.
I look around in the crowd, and my mind is only on one person. “Where is she? Is Rita here? How is she?” I begin to quickly panic
He grabs my arm. “Chris, man she fainted and…..” He begins to speak, but nothing after that mattered. All I wanted at this point was to find her, and make it all better.
“Rita! Rita!” I scream pushing through the crowd. “Rita! Where is she!”
“Chris!” I hear a small voice call, and I turn to see Lauren. She looks broken. Her face is red, her nose is runny, and her voice is basically gone. I run over and squeeze her tight. Her small frame melts to my body, and I can tell she is crying again.
I will not let her go until she tells me to. “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.” I repeat to her, rubbing her back
“She’s gone Chris. She’s fucking gone. That was my sister Chris.” She cries into my shirt
I squeeze her tighter. “I know, Lauren. She was like my sister and as hard as she was on me, I loved her for that.”
She pulls away, looking into my eyes. “She was pregnant by Michael, Chris. She told him that she got rid of it, and he got mad. Now she’s gone. Days later and she’s no long breathing, Chris.”
My face is blank. “…..Lo…” Is all I get out before….
“Chris, we need you in here!” My mom says grabbing my arm, pulling me into the house. I don’t know what is going on with anything right now, all I know is I can’t stop thinking about what Lauren just told me. Sevyn got an abortion with Unk’s baby? They were still messing around? What happened to him doing better for Mama E? Could he have done this shit? But he helped us look for her! What the hell is going on? Why didn’t he tell me this?
When we make it into the house, all eyes are on me. Rita is sitting on the couch in a daze, and that weak ass dude she’s talking to is trying to get her to respond.
“Chris!” Honey says running to me. I hug her, kissing the top of her head. “I can’t believe she’s gone. Rita fainted when mom told her the news, and when she came to, she wouldn’t respond to anyone or anything.
I look down at Honey. “Let me try…” I say letting her go. I walk over to the couch, and sit next to her. The guy that Rita talks to moves out of the way, but doesn’t take his eyes off of me for a second. Her face is pale, eyes bloodshot red, and her breathing is heavy. I know this feeling too well, because this was me when Ty took his life. “Rita…” I speak lowly, inching closer to her. “Rita, baby look at me…” I touch her hand, but she doesn’t budge. I move a small strand of hair out of her face and just talk to her as if she was paying attention. “Rita, I know I’m the last person you probably want in your face, but I refuse to leave your side right now. When Ty took his life you were right there for me, and I will do the same for you. Seeing you like this kills everything in me. Sevyn was my sister too. I remember when I first met her; it was at the benefit dinner. Not the best circumstances, but your girls always had your back when it came to anything. Sevyn would constantly get on my ass, telling me I wasn’t good enough for you.” I laugh as a tear falls from my eyes, onto my jeans. “She loved you Rita, and I can’t tell you not to be sad or to not hate the world right now, but I need you to just let me know how you feel. Say something to me.”
She grips my hand, but never turns to me. “I feel like a part of me just died.” A tear finally falls. “It’s like I can’t breathe because something heavy is lying across my chest.”
“That was your bestfriend Rita. Your sister, your homie for years now. I wish I could take this hurt from you, baby. My heart is shattered right now.” I speak and she instantly breaks down into my arms. I hold her body close to my chest, and I refuse to let go.
She pulls herself onto me. “I want her to come back!” She sobs “Chris, tell me I’m dreaming…”
Mama E comes over, sitting next to us on the couch. She touches Rita’s back, and she flinches. “Mom don’t… Just don’t…” She says now standing, not letting go of my hand.
“Y’all!” Keeis says running into the living room out of breath. “Get outside right now! They got a suspect…”
We all run outside, and stop when we see the blinding flashing lights. At least 6 police cars are scattered in the front of the house, and all you can hear is the chaos of 12 or more police officers running about trying to find information on Sevyn’s death.
“Who the fuck is he?!” Robb snaps out of nowhere. “Why would he fucking do this?!” His voice cracks and he throws his hands over his face. Auntie Christine grabs her son, and cradles his head.
I walk over to Rita, and she squeezes my hand. “I need to know….. I know Michael did this, and I need to know why…” She says in a low tone
“Let’s go…” I say in a tone matching hers. We walk over to the first police car and it is empty. We do the same with the second and third police car, but they are empty as well. My heart starts beating quickly when I look up and see a head slumped over in the fourth cruiser in front of us. We both walk hand in hand, inching closer to the window, until we are face to face with whoever did this.
“No!” Rita screams, kicking the cop car. “This can’t be right!”
My heart instantly breaks seeing a beaten Trey lying in the back seat. His limp body is covered with his tattered clothes, and blood stains cover his shirt. “Trey….” I whisper, hoping he’s still alive
“Let him go, he didn’t do this!” Rita snaps, grabbing onto the cruiser door.
“STEP BACK!” an officer screams, touching his gun
Chris grabs the both of us. “What is wrong with you? Why the fuck are you touching your gun?” He says stepping to the cop. “She just lost her best friend and you out here treating her like a suspect.”
The cop giggles stepping to Chris. “You might want to back the fuck up boy…”
“Boy?” Chris snaps getting in his face, and the cop pulls his gun all the way out, pointing it straight in his face.
He laughs. “Yeah, what now…BOY?!”
“Chris, no!” Rita screams trying to pull him back, but Chris doesn’t back down.
A car pulls up, and Michael quickly hops out of the car. “Hey! Get that fucking gun out of my nephews face. Put the fucking gun away! Did I tell you to come out here pulling guns on people? Fuck no! Get the fucking gun out of his face!” He snaps and the cop quickly puts his gun in the holster.
“I’m… I’m sorry; I didn’t know he was your nephew.” He stutters. “I’m so sorry sir…” Michael looks down at his hands as the rookie cop continues to apologize. Without notice, Michael pulls out his gun, pistol whipping the cop right in the face, knocking him out. We all jump back, gasping, in fear of what else could happen.
“When he wakes up, tell him he’s fired…” He says walking away as if nothing happened.
I hold on to Rita as tight as I can. “Come on, we need to find out what is going on. Something is definitely wrong with Michael…”
“Lo, Trey didn’t do this, Michael did!” She says looking at me with tears in her eyes. “He’s going to go to jail for life, and he had nothing to do with this.”
I close my eyes holding back tears. “I know… we have to do something!”
I walk up to my office, and Joe is right on my heels.
“So what do you want us to do about the cops, family, and Trey’s body?” He asks looking through his phone
I shrug, sitting back in my chair. “Set up a dinner for the close family and friends. Make sure to invite the Streeter’s. Tell the cops to go back to the precinct; I’m sick of them blocking my driveway. And as for Trey, they already have the drugs in his system and shit planted at their apartment. It’s taken care of…”
Joe chuckles. “Michael, you sly dog. You always come out on top.” He says dapping me up
I smile. “Yeah, but we still have to deal with this Amber situation. She’s not backing down, I’m still losing money, and she is carrying my baby…”
“Who else is carrying your baby, Unk?” Chris says walking into my office
I make a face. “Boy, what I tell you about coming in my office without knocking?”
“Well you up here laughing and shit, and the rest of us are downstairs fucked up. Just thought I’d come up here and find something to make me smile too.” He says closing the door behind him
“Naw, you stay!” Chris says pulling up a seat. “What are y’all up here talking about? I mean Unk, your wife and step daughters are down there broken! Rita passed out and everything. What is up here that is so important and keeps you away from your family?”
I sit up in my seat. “What is your actual issue, Chris?”
He smiles, looking from me to Joe. “Issue? Who, me? I’m just…. Trying to figure some shit out…” He says now standing. “If you need me, I’ll be downstairs comforting the love of my life. I’ll let everyone know you’re okay. I mean you deserve to relax, you did just crack a huge case against the one person who had no criminal history, supposedly never did drugs before since his mom died from them, and planned on marrying Sev in a few weeks, but hey, people snap. Sometimes you know people, but you really don’t know them. You know?” He says before walking to the door. “Glad we can finally sleep knowing a killer is off the streets.”
“What was that?” Joe asks looking at me in confusion. “Do you think he knows?”
I rub my goatee. “I’m not sure, but you know how I feel about people getting in my way.”
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