Trickery & Envy (26 page)

“Let’s just say he’s in custody
,” and Officer Grayson let her weep. When Tracie appeared to be collecting herself he stated, “So I take it you didn’t know that was part of your boyfriends plan, to let his friends sexually assault his sister.”

Tracie
shook her head no and continued to cry. “No. He said Reggie and Richard were going to pick us up in case his sister called the police. He didn’t say anything about them robbing or raping her. He tricked me officer. God I feel so bad. I didn’t want Ms. Fowler to get hurt, he promised me no one was going to get hurt.” Tracie again lowered her head and began to cry into her hands.

“I’ll get you some tissue,”
Officer Grayson said and left the room. As he moved down the hall he called for his partner using his radio. “Bradford, get in here.”

“10-4,” his partner responded and exit
ed from waiting out in the patrol car.

Officer Bradford enter
ed the station and saw Grayson reaching for a box of tissue on the process counter.

“What’s going on Grayson,” he said walking toward him.

“You know that case from last night where the fool dressed like a vampire and raped the woman in her home.”

“What about it?”

“The victim’s brother set it up.”

“
The brother, he actually set his sister up to be raped…what an idiot.”

“That’s the way it appears. I have the girlfriend of the brother in briefing.”

“Are you speaking of the woman that stopped you?”

Grayson nod
ded. “She claimed she had no idea the victim was going to be robbed; that her boyfriend must have planned it with his friends to have his sister’s house raided. I actually believe her. Come on,” he said and they headed to the briefing room.

Officer Grayson hand
ed Tracie the box of tissue. “This is my partner, Officer Bradford.”

Bradford
dipped his head to Tracie.

Tracie
returned a look of gloom. “What’s going to happen to me? I have a daughter,” she said.

“
When was the last time you’ve talked to your boyfriend?” Officer Grayson asked.

“Right before I ran out of Ms. Fowler’s house.
When I saw that his friends came there to rob her, I ran out her house. I didn’t want to be a part of it. Vernon then came by last night but I didn’t let him in. I then saw him standing outside my apartment this morning trying to get me to open the door.”

“Has Mr. Fowler ever been violent
toward you?”

“He’s pushed me around and
slapped me a few times, but nothing like the way he hit his sister.”

“The two guys that showed up, did you know them?”

Tracie moved her head, no. “Vernon would sometimes mention their names,” she said.

“
Are you aware that he was in prison before? Bradford, have an APB put out for Vernon Fowler’s arrest...possibly armed and dangerous,” Grayson said and then looked at Tracie for her answer.

“No, he never mentioned he was in prison. What did he do?”

“Forgery,” Officer Grayson said. “How did you get here? Is there someone that can pick you up in case he followed you here?”

“He doesn’t know where I am. I left out the back door and drove my grandfather’s car here.”

“Well, we are not going to charge you with anything now, so you’re free to go. But I must warn you to stay alert. If you see Mr. Fowler or anyone else that was involved call the police immediately. By the way, can you tell me where Vernon lives or spends his nights?”

Tracie
shrugged her shoulders. “I let him stay a couple times at my apartment. My sister doesn’t care for him and preferred he not be in the building. I think he stays more at his friend Reggie house than Richard’s.”

“Do you know Reggie’s last name?”

“No.”

“
I need contact information from you,” Officer Grayson said.

Meanwhile as
Fran waited for Tracie she looked at her wristwatch again. Nearly thirty-minutes passed. She then looked at her rearview mirror and moved her head from side to side at the trouble Tracie got herself in.

“Come on Tracie,
God, please let her go,” Fran uttered and deciding to leave started the car. She took one more look in her rearview mirror. “Tracie,” she said surprised they let her go. She could see Tracie walking fast down the street to the car.

“
Fran I was so nervous,” Tracie said getting in. She strapped on her seatbelt then wrapped her arms around a chill that had whipped over her. “I didn’t realize how cold it was out here.”

“What did they say,” Fran asked and pull
ed out of the parking space she was in.

“I told them everything that happened and they said they didn’t have a reason to keep me and put an APB out for Vernon’s arrest. Fran, Vernon is evil. His
two friends that he let rob his sister’s house raped her.”

“
Somehow Tracie, that don’t surprise me.”

“
The police also said Vernon’s been in prison before. How did I get involved with someone like that?”

Fran ma
de a right turn.

“You’re going to have to be careful Tracie
and observe your surroundings. Don’t think he won’t hurt you.”

“That’s what the police said,” and Tracie reache
d and turned the heat on. “I’m not coming out the house until they catch him, Fran.”

Fran glance
d over at the fear in her sister’s face and voice. “I can’t say I don’t blame you, but you can’t stay locked up afraid of him.”

Tracie nodded repeatedly. “Yes I can Fran and I’m going to. I’ll going to keep doing hair in my apartment until they catch him.”

***

Vernon
rang Reggie’s doorbell uncertain as how to handle Tracie ignoring him and possibly snitching on him. He needed to figure out what his next move would be.

Reggie
was on his way back to the living room with a ham sandwich when the doorbell rang.

“I think Tracie i
s about to dime us out,” Vernon said as he walked into Reggie’s house.

Reggie glanced at Vernon before
walking over to a seat on his sofa.

“Man that broad’s not stupid
,” he said.

“I don’t know
she’s acting scared.”

“Is that where you went earlier
? I heard you leave.”

“Yeah,
she won’t open the door or answer her phones. What does that tell you?”

Reggie reache
d for the remote control near his leg and cut the volume down on the television.

“Just because she’s scared doesn’t mean she’s going to
rat us out. Did you tell her what Richard and I were going to do?” Reggie said and took a bite out his sandwich.

“Na
h,” Vernon replied and walked away and to the kitchen for a toothpick.

“Na
h,” Reggie repeated. “What the hell you tell her we were coming there for?”

“It doesn’t matter
what I told her.”

“
It does matter. That’s probably why she’s scared. What did you tell her?”

“I told her you and Richard
was our back home,” Vernon said walking back into the living room and taking a seat on the edge of the lazy boy.

Reggie
looked at Vernon like he couldn’t believe him.

“
That’s it? Man you probably freaked her out. You knocked the shit out of your own sister in front of her and then you let your boys rob her crib. Why wouldn’t she be scared if she didn’t know any of that was going down?”

“R
eggie man, forget all that. Her ass better not have rat us out.”

“Man, she can rat all she want to. No one has proof that I was
in that house. I’m sure I wasn’t the only Vampire walking around Halloween night. You on the other hand, your girl know it was you.”

“What
are you saying,” and Vernon narrowed his eyes at Reggie began moving the toothpick in his mouth around with his tongue.

“I’m saying if they find out we had something to do with it, then they gone have to prove I was there
,” and Reggie took a huge bite from his sandwich.

“Oh, so you think you
’re in the clear. Didn’t you say the police was chasing you?”

“The police was chasing a
vampire. Do I look like a damn Vampire? What you should be worrying about is whether Richard gone rat us out. The fact we haven’t heard from him says he got caught, and which means he just collected strike three on top of violating his parole. What does he have to lose?”

“I’m not worried about him
talking. Damn!” Vernon hissed. “I should have never brought her in on this,” and Vernon stood.

“
So what now,” Reggie said and focused back on the television turning it back up. “Man, I didn’t get anything to drink when I got up,” he murmured.

“I got to find out if she
opened her mouth.”

“What makes you think she’s going to
anyway?”

“I saw her with her kid and sister sneaking down the street.
They must have sneaked out the back door. I bet her sister talked her into turning me in. I can tell she thinks low of me.”

“
Well if you don’t want strike number two you need to find out where she went.” Richard then began flipping through the channels. After he heard, up next, suspect sought after a home invasion on Halloween night, he said, “Check this out. This might be your sister’s crib they’re about to talk about.”

“Turn it up, turn it up,” Vernon
fast said, his eyes inflated with anticipation of what they were about to hear.

“I did man
. Calm down, they went to a commercial...and take a seat you’re blocking the TV.”

“Man I need to see
and hear this,” Vernon replied, but moved over so Reggie could see. “It’s back on, it’s back on,” Vernon said focused intently on the television.

“Police are searching for two suspects in connection with
the home invasion and the rape of a woman in Olympia Fields last evening on Halloween night. The suspects were in costumes dressed as Batman and the other a Vampire to hide their identities. Another suspect, who was also dressed as a vampire is in custody. If you’ve seen or know who the other suspects are, consider them armed and dangerous, call the police. In other news...”

“I’m gone kill him! I’m gone kill him Reggie.
This fool raped my sister...he raped my sister,” Vernon said with such rage and began strolling back and forth from the living room to the kitchen. “He’s lucky the police got him. Man he raped my sister. I’m going to castrate him Reggie.”

“I told you he was contemplating it.
You know you can’t trust a criminal.”

Vernon
stopped his pacing. “Man that was my sister! I’m gon’ murder him, Reggie,” he said.

“Vernon
what you need to do is ditch this city. If the police find out that you know Richard and you were part of her house being robbed, then there’re going to suspect that you allowed it to happen. Man, that’s a conspiracy to rape. I’m sorry, but you can no longer stay here.”

Vernon
placed his hands on his hips and looked over at Reggie with his eyes wide.

“What
, man, you’re putting me out your crib.”

“Look
, after what you just told me and listening to the news, I think she snitched, so that makes you hot. It doesn’t make sense to bring the heat here,” Reggie said with remarkable calm. “All the police have to do is run your name and they’re going to see that you and Richard both served time at Statesville at the same time. Vernon you know I’m not going to rat you out, but dude I’m not in the system. Unless Richard talks, which I doubt, the chances of them coming here is zero. Even if they do, like I said, I wasn’t the only vampire out last night. As far as my costume, they’ll find OJ guilty before they find it. I went back after you left this morning to get it. And if they run your mug on the news I don’t want anyone pointing in this direction. So I’ll ask again, what’s your plan?” and Reggie’s five ten frame, two hundred-forty solid pounds stood as if he was about to go to battle with Vernon.

Vernon wasn’t afraid of R
eggie, but he knew if they physically fought Reggie would have the advantage.

“
Whatever Reggie, you just remember my rent is paid up until January.”

“
It’ll still be here,” Reggie countered looking straight into Vernon’s face. He then walked toward the door to let him out.

Vernon
left mad, but his mind was more on eluding the police. He took in everything around him. He then thought about Reggie’s advice about ditching the city.

“I should have gotten a couple extra toothpicks,” he
mumbled then narrowed his eyes even further at a dull bronze unmarked car that just turned the corner. Vernon moved his head a bit to the left to hide his face.