Broken Heart (Broken Heart #1) (21 page)

“Good luck…” she said as she walked down the corridor hastily. I stared at Margaret nervously as she walked away from me. I popped my head in the doorway and peeked in the room quickly to

see if Dave was sitting in his chair. I took a deep breath, then waited a few seconds, and then entered.

“Hey Dave,” I said nonchalantly.

“How long have you been behind the door, Jen?” he asked sitting at his desk with his eyebrows raised, his dark brown eyes piercing at me as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk.

“Not that long…really. I…just didn’t want to interrupt you guys,” I said apprehensively as I placed my pocketbook on his desk.

“Whatever…I gotta go. I faxed over your new resume to Veronica. You got the job. Congratulations. There’s a fresh pot of coffee on…and…I have more papers for you to file. Get it done,” he said harshly as he grabbed his jacket and walked out toward the door. 

My cell phone rang, and Michael’s name flashed on the screen. I hit the message, Can I call you later? And sat on the chair and looked around the room. The papers were piled high once again. The coffee cups and the cigarette butts reached a new high. I grabbed a trash bag and started to

clean up. Ewww…this garbage reeked of vomit. I placed the garbage can outside of the office waiting for Stevie to pick it up. I sat at Dave’s desk and started to go through the papers. Good. No cold case files tonight. My cell phone vibrated, and it was a text message from Michael.

Hey babe. Everything ok? I miss you.

Michael

I sent him a text back.

Everything’s fine. Can you stay with me when I get home today?

J

Yes baby, of course. I just want to lay down next you. Hold you and kiss your nose. I love your little nose.

Michael

You’re so silly, but I do love when you kiss my nose. Be here at 2:00, I’ll be waiting outside. J

Stay in. I’ll text you to come out. 

Michael

See you later.

J

I started to read the top of the file.

Annette Santiago (mother): convicted of 1st degree murder, Darius King (Father): convicted of 1st degree murder

Victim: Two year old boy, beaten to death, several blows to the head, torso, and chest 

I sat up in my chair as the hairs on my arms slowly stood on end. I glanced into the hallway as the light flickered. I was anxious, scared even. How can a mother and a father kill their own kid?

What’s wrong with this world? I decided to get a cup of coffee to see if it would calm my nerves. The coffee was very black, and it seemed as if the coffee maker was on the brink again. The coffee

grounds were still showing up in the coffee, making the taste bitter. I changed the filter and decided to make a new batch of coffee. I dumped the coffee in the sink and glanced over at the file. My

nerves were shot. The fight between Dave and Margaret was intense, and reading that file made me sick to my stomach. I stared at the coffee pot and got lost in a memory,

“Where’s my coffee?” my father shouted.

“The coffee pot is broken, Bobby. It just makes it hot, but it still has the coffee grounds in it. We need a new one,” my mother said calmly, but I knew she was dying inside. I was playing with my Lego set on the kitchen floor.

“How many fucking times do I have to tell you? We don’t have the money for a new one. Fix. The. One. That’s. There! Now, get me some fresh coffee! Now!” he said as he poured the hot coffee on my mother’s head.

“Arghh! Oh my God! What are you doing?” she yelled as she ran away from him. My mother scooped me from up off of the floor and held me tight as my little legs were dangling in the air as she ran into the bathroom locking the door behind her. 

“Open the door you fucking bitch! Open it!” he yelled as he struggled with the doorknob banging hard against the door.

My heart was beating rapidly, and I cried and cried as my mother placed her head under the cool water in the sink. 

“Mommy! Mommy!” I cried.

“Jenesis, shhhh…baby…shhhh…Daddy will be angry…I’m okay…I’m okay,” she said as she placed her hand gently over my mouth. I stared at my mother with fear in my tiny hazel eyes, tears streaming down my face, and I remember holding my breath as she covered my mouth. She

uncovered my mouth, and the banging on the door was unyielding. I thought he would break down the door. My mother tried to cover my ears as she wiped my tears. She hugged me tightly and

placed her finger on her lip, shushing me to stop my crying. The banging on the door finally stopped. She sat on the bathroom floor, and I sat on her lap. I kissed her hair as she wept holding

me tightly. She rocked me back and forth in her arms. I could see the pain in her eyes from the scolding coffee that was poured on her head. We sat on the floor together until the morning. She

was holding me tightly until she stopped and looked at the door horrified… the doorknob turned…it was him.  

“Jenesis...Jenesis?” I heard someone call my name, and as I quickly awoke I dropped the glass mug on the floor. It broke into a million pieces and scattered across the floor. I looked up at the person who woke me from my nightmare. “Holy shit! Jenesis, are you okay?” Cassandra said as

she jumped, backing away from the shattered glass. I stared at her for a moment, snapping back into reality.

“Oh…I’m fine…I was just reading some files…some of these cases are horrible,” I said, trying to convince her that I was okay. I took a deep breath as I shuffled the broken glass to one side of the room. “Hey,

Cassandra, where’s Stevie? I haven’t seen him tonight?” I asked concerned.

“You don’t know? Stevie was in a car accident this morning. He was hurt pretty bad, broke his back and a leg. They are saying he may never walk again,” she said as she was pushing a piece of glass with her foot toward the pile I made.

“Oh no! Really? Oh my God! Poor Stevie,” I said, shocked to hear the news.

“And, to top it off, Dave fired him last night,” she said as she shook her head. “Dave was in an uproar last night…no one knows what happened between him and Stevie, but we heard it had something to do with you.” She said as she curled her lips and raised her eyebrows at me.

“Why was Dave at work last night? He doesn’t work on Sundays. Me…not me…I don’t know anything about it.” I said as I gave her the same look. “He came in last night around six. He said

he had to do a resume or something. Well, that’s the word on the street…Stevie said something disrespectful about you and Dave fired his ass,” she said laughingly. “I mean, I feel bad and all,

but Stevie was a pervert. He did have the filthiest mouth I’ve ever heard…but, he was here for over fifteen years with

Dave…I never thought Dave would fire him. I guess I was wrong,” she said as she shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know what to say about that…All I do know is …I wasn’t aware of anything. Anyway, thanks for the heads up,” I said as I continued to shuffle glass with my foot.  “You know, Dave

really respects and cares about you. I think Stevie disrespected you…something about getting you pregnant,” she said jokingly, and that’s when I lost it.

“What? Do you think that’s funny, Cassandra? Do me a favor and get the hell out of my office! Now!” I shouted as I pointed towards the door.

Cassandra’s eyes opened wide, and it was clear by her expression she was shocked as shit. She looked away from me, embarrassed, and then turned around and walked out of the office. 

“Bitch,” I heard her mumble under her breath as she walked down the corridor.

Michael sent me a text that he was outside. He was waiting for me in his silver BMW x5 blasting the radio to the tune of Pearl Jam’s Black. He played that song in the car until no end. I walked out

with Nick and we walked over together towards the car. Michael got out of the car to greet us…I thought. 

“Hi, thanks for picking me up,” I said as I approached him to plant a kiss on his cheek. He tilted his head away from me as I puckered my lips and kissed the air. Michael walked around the front of the car grabbed my hand, opened the passenger car door and said,

“Get in.” His tone was harsh, and his eyes were icy with anger.

I lowered the window to hear what he was going to say as he approached Nick.

“Do me a favor…Stay away from Jenesis…okay?” he snapped at him. “Whoa…wait a minute…I’ve been taking her home for the last couple of months…every night…where the fuck did you come from? And who the fuck are you, anyway?”

“You know who the fuck I am? I’m her future husband…I’m not going to knock you out here because one, were in front of a precinct, and two, all of your little bitch cop friends in there might

have to come out here to save you! This is just a warning…she’s off limits…No. More. Rides. Home. Ever. Got it?”

I see Nick’s face fluster with anger, but the person I’m really surprised at was Michael. Why was he acting like such an ass? Michael’s eyes bulged out of his head. He wanted to strangle Nick. I slowly opened the door and walked over to them.

“Michael, please…you’re making a big deal out of nothing. He was just walking me to the car,” I said trying to get his attention but he was so fixated on staring Nick down, he didn’t even hear me. 

“Jen, I’m going to ignore your so-called future husband right now. I don’t want to have to arrest him. So, have a good night…and make sure you have cab money for the rest of the week.” Nick turned around infuriated and gave Michael a killer look. 

“Get in the car Jenesis…please,” he said softly. I stood there staring at him. He walked over to the car and got in the driver’s seat, put the window down on the passenger side, and motioned for me to get in.

I walked over to the car and got in.

“Michael…what’s going on?” I looked at his face as he stared straight ahead.

“Why are you so disrespectful? Why has that guy been taking you home?” He said seriously. His eyes were gleaming at me without blinking.

“Dave assigned Nick to take me home every night so that I would be safe.

You know I get out at two in the morning…not once did you ever ask me how I got home.”

Michael’s lips quivered with anger. His resentment was radiating towards me. I could feel him shaking.

“Don’t get in the car with any other man except for me…ever…do you understand?” He stepped on the gas and took off like a maniac, leaving a trail of white dust from the screeching tires. I was thrown back in my seat and I quickly latched the seatbelt on to me. 

I said absolutely nothing to him. I stared out of the window holding back my tears. I didn’t want to show him his stupid reaction to Nick actually got to me. He drove up to the apartment building

and clicked the button to unlock the doors. I didn’t look at him. I got up, got out, and walked into the building without looking back. He drove off after I entered the building. My heart fell to the

floor. He didn’t even kiss me goodbye. Between him and Dave they are both going to give me an anxiety attack, I thought to myself. 

I wanted to stop by Dave’s, but I didn’t think he would have appreciated company at two thirty in the morning. I took a shower and let the warm water fall all over my body. It was a rough day and I was still disturbed by the contents of those cold case files and the murder of that child. I’ve never

been so exposed to so much evil and it was downright scary. No, that was a lie. I was exposed to evil but at least, I was alive to talk about it. I sat on my bed and leaned back against the headboard.

I took a deep breath and decided to sleep with the light on. I slid down the headboard and propped up two pillows, laid down on my side, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was fast asleep.

***

The next morning, I woke up on the floor near my bed, again. I glanced up at the clock and it was one thirty in the afternoon. These visits with Dr.

Logan once a week weren’t helping and I needed to call her and let her know. I sat up slowly, walked over to the bathroom, and looked in the mirror. My forehead hurt and I had a bump on my forehead the size of a quarter. Dammit, not again. My cell phone rang and it was Michael.

“Hey” My voice was firm and cold.

“Hi, are you busy?” He sounded remorseful.

“No,” I said as I touched the bump on my forehead again and gasped. Ouch!

“What’s wrong?” Michael asked as he heard me gasp.

“Nothing, do you want to meet for lunch? I think we need to talk,” I asked desperately, hoping he would hang up so I can put ice on my forehead. “Yeah, we do; the diner on the corner?” he asked.

“That’s fine give me about half an hour,” I said rushing him off the phone.

“Okay…see you later.”

Michael and I met up at the diner. The diner was crowded and it wasn’t the best place to sit and chat. We sat and ordered lunch and I couldn’t help the heat that was burning in my veins. I was so angry and I needed to say something.

“Why did you act like that last night?”