Smooth Operator (4 page)
Authors: Lynn Emery
Twenty minutes later Charmaine walked out
between the two men. They went to a large room filled with desks.
Police officers came and went looking serious. A few talked on the
phone. When Jessi appeared accompanied by a policewoman, Charmaine
rushed over and hugged her.
Charmaine brushed down her sister’s tussled
hair. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
Two other detectives ushered in Keisha and
Lorenzo. Keisha glared at them. “This is a bunch of bullshit! What
do you mean I need to ‘go with this detective to an interview
room’? I’m not going anywhere.”
“They want to get our statements is all.
Calm down,” Lorenzo said firmly as his gaze darted back and forth.
“Starting a riot up in here is not a good idea.”
“They killed my poor husband. You need to
arrest those two,” Keisha yelled and brushed Lorenzo’s hand from
her arm. She pointed at Charmaine and then pressed a wad of tissues
to her eyes, even though not one tear had fallen. “James wasn’t a
saint, but he didn’t deserve to die because he picked up a psycho
prostitute.”
“Maybe they will arrest us for something,
but not murder. Thanks for the text and phone call, Keisha,”
Charmaine spat out.
“What?” Keisha frowned, an expression of
confusion twisting her face.
“I told you to shut the hell up,” Lorenzo
mumbled.
“I’m glad she’s so talkative. The police
wanna find out how you knew Jessi would be wanted for murder three
minutes after the 911 operator got the call.” Charmaine nodded as
Keisha’s mouth dropped open. “Yeah, and before the first cop found
the body.”
“She’s lying!” Keisha shouted as two police
officers led her away. “You gonna listen to her? Don’t touch me!
I’ve got friends, important people. I’m calling my lawyer.”
“Look man,” Lorenzo stammered and wiped a
large hand over his face. “I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’.
Okay? I’m just a friend who agreed to drive her down here so she
could get justice. All I’m doing is tryin’ to help the lady out. I
haven’t even known her that long,” Lorenzo protested frantically.
His voice faded as he was led away.
Jessi leaned her head on Charmaine’s
shoulder. “I’m so tired, Char.”
“We’ll be home soon, sweetie,” Charmaine
said quietly and kissed the top of her tangled curls.
“How did you know the Front’s house had
cameras installed inside?” Detective Harrison asked Charmaine. His
dark eyebrows went up giving him a suspicious expression.
“They live in a lovely home, nice area but
we have a high crime rate. Makes sense don’t you think?” Charmaine
kept her expression neutral.
“That thing about Mrs. Front texting you was
shaky, circumstantial, even if it was suspicious. The video of her
and Thomas hauling what looks like a body out of the house is going
to be harder for them to explain. You two dodged a bullet this go
round. I strongly suggest you help your sister change her
lifestyle, ma’am.” Detective Harrison said, bass voice pitched deep
with intensity as he made his point.
“Yes, sir,” Charmaine said and pulled Jessi
against her protectively.
****
The next morning Scotty and Diamond sat in
Charmaine’s kitchen at the table in an alcove. The cheerful yellow
and green decor contrasted greatly with the dark hours they’d spent
earlier. Sunshine streamed through the windows above the sink.
Scotty shoved a mound of eggs into his mouth. Diamond munched on a
slice of bacon. Diamond’s little girl sat in a chair with a fist
full of grits. She was happily getting more food on her face than
in her mouth.
“I’m glad to see the sun come up on a new
day,” Charmaine said. “That’s a blues song my last foster mother
used to sing. And that’s exactly how I feel.”
“Jessi is still knocked out. I mean she
looks like she’s in a coma,” Diamond said as she tried to wipe her
toddler’s cheeks clean.
“Once she finally felt safe, Jessi could
relax,” Charmaine replied calmly.
“She’s right, Diamond. I’ve seen big strong
dudes do the same thing. They just fall out after running on
adrenalin for hours, even days,” Scotty added.
“Don’t worry, Diamond. We’re all going to be
okay.” Charmaine wiped her hands on the kitchen towel. Then she
blew a kiss at little Indyah.
Scotty wiped his mouth with a paper napkin
and sat back. “By the way, Charmaine, how did you know that Front
had hidden video cameras in his house?”
“Humph, he knew Keisha was up to no good I
bet,” Diamond put in and continued swabbing down her squirming
toddler.
Charmaine leaned against the counter. “I
didn’t. Jessi told me.”
Scotty wore a baffled expression as he
digested her reply for a few seconds. “Wait a minute, Jessi knew
Front before?”
“No,” Charmaine said.
“Then how...” Scotty blinked exchanged a
glance with Diamond who shrugged.
“James Leland Front told Jessi. The dead
seem drawn to her, those who can’t move on and want to tell their
stories. I had to hypnotize her to get the details.”
“Damn,” Scotty and Diamond exclaimed in
unison.
“Keisha and Lorenzo will go to prison for a
long time. Too bad about Lorenzo cause he was good company. At
least I got that little bonus before I had to burn him,” Charmaine
said. She grinned at them and went back to washing the breakfast
dishes.
**************
Read another Charmaine and Jessi Joliet
story
A rich client in the Garden District of New
Orleans isn’t just more trouble than she’s worth, she is covering
up dangerous details. Jessi and Charmaine use psychic abilities and
good common sense to sort through the lies and double crossing of
the upper-class.
~~ About the Author ~~
Mix knowledge of voodoo,
Louisiana politics and forensic social work with the dedication to
write fiction while working each day as a clinical social worker,
and you get a snapshot of author Lynn Emery. Lynn has been a
contributing consultant to the magazine
Today’s Black Woman
for three
articles about contemporary relationships between black men and
women. For more information visit:
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