“Neal is your husband and you love him, but is there any chance at all that you might not know him as well as you think you do? Is there a chance he had anything to do with Brandon’s death? I’ve gone over it in my mind again and again and it doesn’t make any sense. At first I thought, hey, this is New York; crime happens every day. But, then after really thinking about it, I realized Brandon’s death was way too random.
“Of all the people running in Central Park, why would they choose him? If it were a robbery, do you really think they would have chosen Brandon over all the other choices available? The demographics don’t make sense. So, out of all those potentially wealthy white folks out there running, they decided to hit Brandon. Not only that, the police aren’t even sure it was a robbery. There didn’t appear to be anything missing. The three of us knew each other’s routine inside and out. Brandon never had that much cash on him, especially when he went running.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Come on, Damita. Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve known you since we were little bitty things, passing notes to the boys we liked in elementary school. In all the years I’ve known you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear so much makeup. What did he do to you?”
Damita finally let go and broke down and cried.
“He’s abusive Carmella, physically and emotionally. In a short period of time, I’ve seen what he’s capable of. I know what I need to do. I am going to leave him, eventually. I need to figure out how much of what he has told me is him using fear to control me and how much of it is the absolute truth.”
“Damita, I don’t understand what difference it makes? Go to the police and report his ass. Get yourself an order of protection and get the fuck out of here. Part of it may be the drugs, but you and I both know most of it is who he is. I’ve dabbled in my fair share of substances, and they’ve never caused me to be violent. The things he’s doing are part of his character. The drugs only lower his inhibitions.”
“You’re the one who told me that you think Neal may have followed you and your date. If that’s true, don’t you think I need to tread very carefully?”
“I’m not afraid of Mr. Neal Westman. So, I hope you’re not worried about me. I’ll get some of my boys from the hood to tighten him up real quick.”
“Wow! You can take the girl out of the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of the girl. And yes, after what you told me, I’m worried about you. I wish I could say all of this is ludicrous and there is no possibility that it’s true, but I can’t and that’s what frightens me. If my husband is going around following the people in my life, he’s an even greater threat than your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, abusive husband.”
“So what’s the plan? You know I’m down.”
“The plan, Ms. Carmella, Super Sleuth, Ortiz, is for you to keep a low profile and let me handle this. For some reason, Missy, you have gotten under my husband’s skin big time. So, it’s best that you and I limit our interactions. Do you believe he actually accused you, me and Brandon of having a ménage a trois?”
“So I’m supposed to stay away because he’s a nut job?”
“I need to figure out what I need to do. Think about it, if he’s following you, is it such a reach to think that he may be keeping an eye on my mother as well?”
“Do you really think he would do anything to hurt your mother? You need to go to the police.”
“There are so many reasons that could be a problem, not the least of which is with no proof, I won’t even be able to get the police to listen to a word I’m saying.”
“Show them those bruises under all that makeup and they’ll listen to you.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you? How many stories have you heard of women with orders of protection that ended up six feet under?”
“I know one thing; it’s not going to be you.”
“I hope you’re right. Carmella, I never thought I’d be that girl that would end up with broken bones and bruises. I should have listened to you and my mother. I married Neal for all the wrong reasons and I got exactly what I wanted. I wanted a powerful man and I got that.”
“Don’t get it twisted, sweetie. That husband of yours ain’t powerful. He’s another scared little boy, inside the body of a man. If not, he wouldn’t be a coward that beats women. I noticed that you’re moving a little slow and you haven’t taken those gloves off. What bones are broken?”