Joel Goldman - Stone Cold

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. What happened? Did Dwayne find a conscience and confess, or was he just gloating that you got his guilty ass off?”

She pulled away from his supporting hand, straightening. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Tell you the truth, it would make me sick too. But I’m willing to take that chance. Tell me what he said.”

“Did you forget about attorney-client privilege?”

“Fuck that, Counselor. We’re out here on the street, middle of the night, not another soul in sight. Can’t get much more off the record than that. Besides, we can’t charge him again even if he stood on the courthouse steps and shouted for all the world to hear that he murdered Wilfred Donaire.”

“That’s not what the jury found. Why do you think Kyrie Chapman forced Jameer Henderson to testify against Dwayne?”

“Who knows? And it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t prove Dwayne didn’t do it,” Rossi said.

“I didn’t have to prove Dwayne was innocent. Only that there was reasonable doubt.”

“I was there for your closing argument. You said Kyrie killed Wilfred and used Jameer Henderson to lay it off on Dwayne.”

“And the jury bought it.”

“And it’s a load of crap. It’s more likely that Jameer was telling the truth about Dwayne. Kyrie found out what Jameer knew and made him testify against Dwayne.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Who the fuck knows? Maybe he had a beef with him and maybe it was just his idea of fun.”

“Except Jameer said Kyrie told him what to say, not the other way around.”

Rossi shrugged. “Like I said. It doesn’t change a thing for me. Dwayne was guilty, and if you didn’t know it before the jury verdict, you sure as hell know it now.”

Alex took a deep breath, her stomach still churning. “You’ll never hear that from me.”

Rossi smiled. “I already did. Your statement is lying there in the street. ” He touched his finger to his forehead, giving her a mini-salute. “Have a nice day, Counselor.”

A week went by and then another and nothing terrible happened to Jameer Henderson or his family. Alex knew that because she drove by their house each morning on her way to work and again on her way home at the end of the day, finding an excuse to swing by on the weekends. What began as an impulse born in a moment of panic became a ritual that eased her worry.

Though checking the Hendersons’ house was reassuring, she began to fear what might happen if she broke her routine, that her daily drive down their block was all that stood between the Henderson family and catastrophe.

Two weeks into her routine, she saw Detective Rossi parked across the street in his unmarked car. She felt her burden lighten for a moment, glad that she wasn’t alone in her vigil, until she realized that Rossi wasn’t there to protect Jameer Henderson. He was there because he was hoping Dwayne Reed would go after Jameer Henderson, and when he did, Rossi would be there. She slowed as she passed him, exchanging nods, Rossi giving her another salute.

“You’ve got to stop driving by the Hendersons’ house,” Bonnie said after she came home that day.

“Why? I’m not bothering anyone.”

They were doing the dinner dishes. Bonnie cooked, Alex cleaned, and Quincy got to keep anything that fell on the floor or was left too close to the edge of the table.

“You have to stop because you’re getting obsessed. You’re practically stalking them.”

“How can I be stalking them? I haven’t seen a single one of them. At first I thought I was going by too early in the morning. Since it’s still summer and the kids are out of school, I figured they were sleeping in. But I’ve left the office early a few times and I’ve never seen them playing in the yard. And the blinds are always down on all the windows.”

Bonnie looked at her, eyebrows arched. “And that’s not stalking?”

“Okay, maybe a little bit. But it’s not enough for a restraining order. Still, it’s weird that I haven’t seen any of them.”

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying they’re afraid to leave the house.”

“Afraid of who? Dwayne Reed or Kyrie Chapman?”

“Either one or both.”

“If Dwayne had nothing to do with Jameer’s testimony, aren’t you worried he’ll go after Chapman? Why aren’t you checking up on him?”

“Oh, spare me, Bonnie. Jameer and his family are the victims here. I’m not going to lose any sleep over Kyrie Chapman.”

“So it’s okay if Dwayne kills Chapman but it’s not okay if he kills Jameer?”

Alex wrung out her sponge and threw it on the counter. “Of course not! That’s not what I meant!”

“But it’s what you implied. Look, in the ER we don’t care who the patient is. We only care about what’s wrong with them and how can we make them better.”

“My world isn’t the ER. Right and wrong, guilt and innocence matter. No matter how you slice it, Kyrie Chapman is one of the bad guys. Jameer Henderson is one of the good guys, and I helped put him in harm’s way.”

Bonnie sighed, unable to dissuade Alex. “Jameer has to work. You said he’s a barber. Have you tried his shop?”

“I drove by a couple of times, but I couldn’t get a clear look inside.”

“Talk to that detective, what’s his name, Rose or something like that. You said he’s still going after Dwayne. Ask him if he knows what’s going on with the Hendersons.”

“His name is Rossi and I saw him today. He was parked across the street from the Hendersons’ house.”

“There you go. He’s looking out for them. That’s his job, not yours. Let him do it.”

“That’s not why he was there. All he cares about is finding some other way to nail Dwayne because he killed Wilfred Donaire.”

“What? Are you saying Dwayne was guilty? When did that happen?”

Alex’s face reddened as she stammered. “I. . I. . I never said that. Rossi said it.”

Bonnie studied her, one eyebrow raised.

“Don’t give me that look!” Alex said. “Besides, Rossi’s a homophobic asshole. I told you how he arrested Dwayne on a bogus murder charge the day Dwayne was acquitted just to send him a message.”

“And got you out of bed in the middle of the night. I remember. I woke up to go to the bathroom and you were gone and I panicked. When you finally came home, you looked like the dog had died.”

“I told you what happened. It was something I ate. Dwayne had nothing to do with it.”

“Of course not. Why would I think that and why would I worry about you trying to protect the Hendersons from him? What will you do if you see Dwayne attacking Jameer or his family on one of your drive-bys? Jump out of the car and beat the crap out of him? Or shoot him with your finger gun? I don’t think so. From what you’ve told me about Dwayne, he scares the crap out of me, and even if you won’t admit it, I know he scares the crap out of you too.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because I know you. I see how you tense up whenever you talk about him, how your voice gets a little shaky. And if you really think he’d do something to the Hendersons and not to you, you’re a fool, and you are nobody’s fool. So do both of us a favor and drop it. Please.”

Alex didn’t answer, picking up a dirty pan and scrubbing the bottom like she was trying to wear it out.

Bonnie asked, “Are you listening to me?”

“No, but I like the sound of your voice.”

It was how they fought, knowing how far to push each other before using humor to cover their retreat.

Bonnie kissed her on the back of the neck. “At least think about it.”

“Okay.”