Indecent Pawn: What price is too high to pay for another person’s debt? (21 page)

~

Derek never thought he would be back in his home town deep in the bottoms of Mississippi. He’d used his last few dollars to get him and Samantha down there. Her car was nice, so that would buy him some time to get established down there. After all he had to look the part of balling. There was no way he would allow those people to see he’d fallen off the way he had. He hated Mississippi, making it a point to leave the day he crossed the football field at graduation.

His parents lived in the poorest parts on the Gulf of Mississippi. Some would ask why he didn’t help his parents more but the truth was he was just waiting for them to die was well. He’d taken out life insurance policies on them years ago but they were still kicking. Besides updating their current home a bit more, he only sent them funds once a month. They would only deposit them into the church his father was the pastor at so he figured why bother to send any more than the little he did. In his eyes that was his way of paying tithes.

The only good thing about being back is that he was real close to the casinos. His luck was bound to change even in little old Mississippi. It was possible he could talk his mother into letting him use their house as collateral. She would do anything for her only son. His father was going to take a bit more finesse but overall he should be able to pitch them a good story that would sound like a good business venture.

“Mom. Dad.” Derek greeted his parents. They were sitting on the front porch when he pulled up.

“Derek, is that you?” His mother’s country accent could be heard down the block. She was so damn country, others in the neighborhood were watching their every move. “My baby is home.”

“Derek. It’s been a long time boy.” His father clapped him on the back. The old man was still as heavy handed as he remembered.

“Yes it has. I thought it was about that time to come back home. Where my roots are. The good Lord has lead me back.” Derek was laying it on thick but they both seemed to be eating it up.

“Indeed. The lost sheep has returned home. You were listening.”

“Yes sir.”

“Why is Allison sitting in the car?” His mother asked.

“Mom, that’s not Allison.” Derek answered weakly.

“Oh no sir. We will not allow you to parade your harlot around here.”

“Mom, mom… It’s not like that. Allison left me.”

“Left you?”

“She left me for another. My boss in fact.”

“Oh good lord. I knew that girl was no good.” His mother flipped the script just like that. He expected that type of behavior. This wasn’t anything new to him. His father however looked on skeptically.

“Then, who is in the car?”

“Since Allison’s departure, I was weak. I acted out my character, the way I was taught for a brief moment of weakness in the flesh. I have repented day and night.” Derek pretended to be in the spirit. His mother even joined him speaking in tongues. “The lord has finally blessed me with a child of my own after countless failed attempts with that woman.”

“I’m going to be grandmother?”

“Don’t keep us waiting any longer son, let’s see what we have here.” Derek motioned for Samantha to get out of the car. It seemed the whole neighborhood sat still when she stepped out completely. This was officially the tricky part. Getting them to accept her.

“You brung a white woman to my house.” His mother grumbled in broken Ebonics.

“We raised you better boy.” His father’s disappointment was clear.

“I was weak but now I see the error in my ways. We cannot crucify the innocent and my unborn is innocent in this all.”

“Let’s go inside. Everyone is already whispering.” His mother rushed off.

Through hours of conversations and pleadings they finally offered them a place to lay their heads at least. The idea of being grandparents persuaded them to give a very obedient Samantha a chance. They cut their eyes at her a few times but tried their best to accept her. Tomorrow he would work on his next part of the plan. His father was hell bent on appointing him as the youth minister at the church. All Derek could see was dollar signs. He saw the opportunity to use the revenue at the church to his advantage. This wasn’t such a bad move after all.

Later that night, once everyone was asleep, he decided to tip on down to the local bootleg house to try his luck at some pool. It had been a while since he used to hustle folks for cash but things hadn’t changed too much. Just like old times he was walking out with a nice chunk of change, leaving some pissed off good ole boys in his wake. Driving down the long dark highway to his parents’ house, he heard a loud boom. Upon further review he realized he’d had a blowout.

Standing outside the luxury car, an unmarked car rolled up behind him. One thing he remembered was to be careful around the police at night on the dark roads. He was hoping that things had changed since he’d been gone.

“There a problem boy?”

“I had a blowout sir.”

“This is a nice car boy. It yours?”

“Thank you.” Derek was getting agitated with this racist bastard. He had one more time to call him boy… “Yes it is.”

“You mind proving that?”

“What does that have to do with my flat tire?”

“Watch your tone. I need to see some license and registration.”

“This is some bullshit.”

“Continue to become irate and you will be detained.” Another car pulled up behind the car already there.

Derek had a bad feeling about this situation. He had to remember he wasn’t back in Illinois. The year may have changed but times were obviously still the same. While pulling his driver’s license, insurance, and registration out of his glove box he realized everything was in Samantha’s name. This may not end well.

“So are you Samantha or Derek?”

“Samantha is my fiancée.”

“Where is your
fiancée
?”

“At my parents’ house.”

“The car is coming back stolen.” The other officer reported.

“No it’s not.”

“Are you calling me a liar boy?”

“No…”

“Sir, place your hands on the hood of the car.”

“What?!”

“Remain calm sir.” Both officers went towards their weapons all too eagerly. Derek decided to show his ass that resulted in him being detained rather roughly. His logical mind knew he was doomed but his free mind continued to resist arrest as they continued to shout. Then, BANG!

Derek heard the bang before he felt the pain. The hot, searing pain in his back that had him gasping for air. All around him all he heard was the two men arguing over who was at fault. Time, mistakes he’s made, and the lies he’s told all played through his head. He knew then what real repentance felt like yet his memory bank couldn’t recall the words to say. Darkness took over in spurts, nothing was making sense. There were no sirens, just lots of rustling, and the pain of being moved around. And then fighting to free his hands. He had to try… He couldn’t breathe… Ropes… His eyes were bulging. And then… Nothingness.

Allison was at a loss for words. After the run in with Derek, she’d been spooked beyond words. It was clear he wasn’t giving up without a fight. Stephanie had rushed them back to the house, where Gio and Rob soon showed up. Allison was determined she was never leaving the apartment ever again. There was no way she could risk running into him again. Three days later she had calmed down enough to rest her eyes. Then there was a series of ringing of the doorbell and knocking.

At first the fear that Derek had found her slowly crept in, then the phone started to ring. It rung once and then hung up giving her the signal that it was Gio or Rob. Opening the door she saw Rob but the detective that took her statement when she first got back to Illinois was with him. Behind them there were two more uniformed officers. From the solemn look on their faces she knew something was wrong. The fact that Gio and Stephanie came rushing in before she could close the door didn’t help matters.

“What’s wrong?” Allison asked clutching the sleep shirt to her chest.

“Sit down Alli.”

“No. Tell me.” She demanded. “My God, is it…”

“No Alli, nothing like that. Carlina and family are fine.” Gio interjected with a stern look.

“Calm down Alli, your condition.” Stephanie stated in an evasive way helping her to sit down. Something was still wrong even if it wasn’t Antonio.

“Alright, I’m sitting now what’s going on?”

“When was the last time you saw or spoke to your husband?” One of the uniformed officers asked.

“Uh, he confronted me a few days ago. I assume he saw me leaving the doctor’s office. We went to a restaurant to grab lunch and he approached.”

“Did you file a report?” The other one asked while reading something.

“No.”

“Why is that? It says you have an active restraining order in place.”

“Out of fear, we came straight back here and I haven’t left since. Because he left without much fight, I didn’t see the need to call.” Allison answered all of the questions but they had yet to give her any answers as to why they were there. “What is this about?”

“We’re sorry to be the ones to tell you this but your husband is dead.”

“Dead?” The shock that registered on her face was real. The sinking feeling she had in her gut was real. The spinning room was all too real. Stephanie saw the signs and yelled for Gio to get a bottled water. “H-how?”

“It appears that he was murdered. His body was found off of a deserted road in Mississippi.”

“Oh my God. Murdered?” Allison clamped a hand over her mouth. “Wait, you said Mississippi. His parents. They must know, right? Are they alright? I should call them.”

“That’s actually why we’re here ma’am. They were the ones who identified the body and speculated we should question you.” The other officer who had been quiet said. “Calling them may not be such a good idea at the moment.” The detective added.

“Me? Are you kidding me? Why would I want him dead? It doesn’t benefit me in any way. I was planning to file for divorce.”

“According to sources, Mr. Myers was distraught over your infidelity. Claiming he lost his job because you were having an affair with his boss.”

“That’s absurd, Derek doesn’t have a job. Because of his gambling problem, he lost his previous employment.”

“What is your relationship with a Mr. Antonio Mucciono of Mucciono corporation?”

“A professional one.”

“What is your profession? According to the family you only finished high school and was a housewife up until you left your husband.”

“Does Mrs. Myers need to have a lawyer present? Because you seem to have it made up in your minds that these country bumpkins are on to something.” Stephanie said with lots of attitude.

“Ma’am it’s nothing like that. We are just doing our job.” Gio and Rob stood near the window watching intently not muttering a word. The look Gio gave Steph was to calm down, everything would be fine. Allison caught on and decided to cooperate. Plus she had nothing to hide.

“Secretly I attended the community college under my maiden name because my husband was against me bettering myself.” Allison confessed. “Am I proud I had to sneak to get a better education? No. Nor am I proud that my husband beat my ass and stuffed me in the basement of our
home
when I did something to anger him. At least that’s how he put it.”

“Let me get this straight. You have no family? You do or don’t have a degree worthy of a job? And you live in a place like this? It’s very easy for assumptions to be made.”

“Maybe…” Rob got a bit defensive before Allison urged him to stop.

“Let me assist you in getting it straight. I am a foster kid. I am in the process of finishing the studies for my degree. Yes I have a job and no it’s not a call girl nor any other words for whore. Thank you for admiring this place for I am only a house sitter. Is there anything else you need from me?” Allison addressed all of their concerns with a resounding sneer. “Derek may have been a monster throughout our marriage but I certainly never wished death on him. Mainly because I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy the things that man put me through. All including desiring the same pain on the man that dealt it in the flesh. I pray for his soul to solidify there are no hard feelings.”

“Miss Myers, we apologize for the inconvenience but we must follow all aspects of a murder investigation.” The detective decided to end the interrogation.

“So, she is under investigation?”

“Not exactly but we had to address the concerns of the family.”

“Well, up until recently she was family. Correct?” Stephanie asked.

“…” All three men nodded before preparing to leave.

“Until the case is closed, it wouldn’t be wise to leave the state.”

“So, I can’t attend the funeral services? I’m sure it’s in Mississippi.”

“It’s fine Alli, it’s just a scare tactic. You’re not under arrest or a real person of interest. Isn’t that right officers?” Gio reinforced and instead of responding they just left. “It’s going to be alright, Alli.”

“I feel horrible.” Allison confessed.

“Why?” Stephanie asked.

“I was more distraught when I thought something happened to Antonio than finding out Derek was dead.” She said staring off into space. “Does that make me a bad person?”

“Hell no. That bastard got what he deserved. Karma is a bitch.”

“Does anyone know what happened to him?”

“My sources tell me it is being investigated as a hate crime.”

“A hate crime?” Stephanie and Allison both questioned. Being the only black girls in the room it was fair to say they felt some type of way about that news.

“He was shot in the back. His hands were tied behind his back with clear signs of a struggle. The final cause of death was being hung from a tree.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Alli, this may not be the time but there is something you need to be made aware of.” Gio started and waited for her undivided attention. “There was a two point five million dollar life insurance policy for him just as it was for you. You are the beneficiary.”

“NO?!”

“No wonder those country bumpkins are sending the folks after you.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Whoa, girl are you hearing yourself?”

“Yeah, I don’t want anything to remind of him.” Allison was convinced she wanted to move on with her life. Finally there was some relief from her worries. The bastard that tormented her, held her captive, and the cause of so many years of unhappiness was no more. Once she paid her respects she would close the book on that chapter for the rest of her life.

~

The walk into the Southern Baptist church in the small Mississippi town was both hard and liberating. She felt selfish for she was freed from the bondage that kept her for nine years. Liberated because she could walk with her head held high unlike before when he was beside her. On the other hand it was hard because of the bitter folks with their hateful glares aimed directly at her. One person in particular stuck out like a sore thumb and that was the Samantha woman that approached him at the last event she attended with him. From the looks of things she was a bit bigger since the last time she saw her.

Although his mother acted to be repulsed by the woman she still comforted her during her breakdown. His other family members were itching to confront Allison that much was evident but they kept their distance out of respect for the church. Not to mention all of the press and state officials that attended the services. Derek’s murder had officially been ruled as a hate crime but with no witnesses nor much evidence there was nowhere to start. If she was still the timid woman of before she would have left directly after the service. Deciding not to look any more suspicious than they were making her out to be she decided to go to the cemetery despite the hatefulness around.

Flashback to the cemetery…

“You have some nerve showing your face here.” His mother seethed.

“Excuse me? Last I checked he was my husband.”

“The husband you left. And for what? To cheese in the white man’s face. You sicken me. To think I thought of you as a daughter.”

“First of all, I didn’t leave Derek.” Allison chose her words wisely so she wouldn’t reveal too much but just enough to be truthful. “He FORCED me out. There is no other man in my life. So sorry to disappoint you and your last memory of your beloved son. I came to pay my last respects, nothing more nothing less.”

“I wish my son had never met the likes of you.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Says the woman that holds all the cards. You inherit over two million dollars while we’re left holding the bill for burying our baby.”

“I never wanted any of this. Including any and all of his debt.” Allison stopped herself. Closing her eyes to regain her composure she took several deep breaths before continuing. “Look I didn’t come here to speak ill of your son. My late husband. I will be on my way.”

“You will reap what you sew. I still believe you had something to do with this. I don’t care what those people have to say. I blame you. If it weren’t for your whorish ways getting him fired he never would have felt the walls closing in on him.” She’d spat. “Don’t think I don’t know what type of people you are mixed up with.” The Samantha broad pretended to be oblivious to that part of the conversation. It was clear she knew where his mother got that information from.

“Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Myers.” The entire time she spoke nonsense his mistress sat off to the side with a smirk as if she’d accomplished something. Allison didn’t feel the need to constantly defend herself nor repeat herself. Instead she took the high road and vacated the premises. Being ever so thankful she didn’t bring any luggage. It was indeed a turnaround trip.

End of flashback…

Now Allison sat with an attorney and the insurance claim adjuster settling the payout for the policy. One hundred percent of the policy was left to the legal spouse. Allison was dead set on wanting nothing to do with Derek’s people or anything he left behind. Even with everyone trying to talk her out of it, she knew exactly what was best.

Out of the two and a half million dollars awarded to her, she subtracted three hundred and fifty thousand, plus whatever the lawyer charged. She chose to meet at the bank because it would be easier to handle monetary transactions that way. After the necessary deductions, Allison addressed a cashier’s check to none other than Mr. and Mrs. Myers themselves, sent by courier.

They’d asked did she want to send any type of note explaining herself but Allison thought it was best just to end all communication. She no longer cared what anyone thought of her. Well almost anyone… The one person that mattered didn’t see her in one way or the other. He was totally impassive.

An account in her name she deposited the three hundred and fifty thousand that she would transfer a bit at a time into the Mucciono account. Even in his death she chose to clean up his mess. The cruel reality is that Derek didn’t deserve Allison in life nor in death but at least her conscious was clear.

His family got what they were bitching and complaining about. The only thing hanging over her head, rumors of murder for the insurance money, was removed from her life completely. The reason she was
pawned
to begin with will soon be paid in full as well. Even though Gio was dead serious that she could keep her money and ignore the debt, she wasn’t taking no for an answer.

Antonio was still away on business and besides the conversation with Gio, he wasn’t in contact with anyone else. As to be expected, there wasn’t a need to call her for anything if he wasn’t handling any immediate business while away. That didn’t stop her from dreaming of him walking through her front door and enveloping her into a bone-crushing hug. She’s caught herself a few times checking the gossip blogs to see if he has been spotted out and about with the floozies that flock to him. For her comfort and sanity, thankfully there weren’t any sightings. Well none publicized anyway. For that small feat, she was at ease.

*****

Antonio had been traveling non-stop from area to area, organization to organization. It was a plethora of bosses and associates who were beyond eager to meet with him. At first he began to get a little apprehensive wondering what they really wanted. In the back of his mind he was thinking there was going to be flat chaos but was pleasantly surprised when they offered their services. Antonio went with every intention of showing who was in charge but was met with allegiance. Flexing his muscle ended up being unnecessary.