Push Comes to Shove (18 page)

The following morning, Nancy Pittman was being escorted by a plain-clothes officer to an address that the Department of Motor Vehicles had matched with the license plate number provided to her by Mr. Irvington.

“After you.” The chubby officer opened the vestibule door.

“Thanks…” Nancy looked into the face of a dusty black man steadying a flame to the tip of his glass pipe.

“Come in or close the damn door.” Smoke escaped Too Tall’s nostrils. “What y’all white folks doing down here?”

The door slammed shut behind the officer’s wide load. He shoved a badge in Too Tall’s face. “Break it or I’m hauling you in.”

“Ah, come on, man. All the dope I got is in here.” He held the pipe up, then bolted out the door, nearly knocking Nancy over.

“You okay?” The officer held her in his arms.

A strange feeling ran through her. She felt a connection that had abandoned her years ago. “I’m fine, Officer Howard.” She looked at the paraphernalia littering the building’s interior. “It’s on the third floor.”

Howard could just about tell what she was thinking from the expression etched on her face. “What you just witnessed and what you see…” He pointed to an empty crack vial. “…is almost considered normal in this type of area.”

“This is no place for children to be.”

Howard studied her slender frame as she climbed the stairs. “No one should be forced to live in an environment such as this, but unfortunately, this is the best some people can do.”

“Why doesn’t the police force come through places like this and rid it of people like…that guy who tried to run me down? That way the families who are economically challenged, that must stay in places like this, will have a halfway decent place to live?”

“Addicts aren’t the problem. They’re part of the equation, but not the majority of the problem. Sure, we can arrest them on bullshit charges, which won’t amount to nothing more than a county sentence.” He was really impressed with the way Nancy’s long legs performed in her business skirt. “From experience, my opinion is we shouldn’t concentrate on punishment for addicts; we should direct that energy into getting them help. And crack down hard on the dealers responsible for poisoning these people—starting with the government.”

They stopped in front of Apartment 302.

“Here we go. Uh…Nancy…”

She looked into his boyish eyes.

“I know this is bad timing, but would you like to go out some time?”

Jewels tugged her door open and was headed to the store. She was startled when she found two strangers standing there making goo-goo eyes at one another.

Nancy looked at the huge, brown-complexioned woman, and the people camped out on the living room floor. “Is Jewels Madison here?”

“Who wants to know?” Jewels became nervous when the uppity-looking white woman used her full name. “If you’re here to collect some money, she ain’t got it. The bitch still owes me.”

“I’m Nancy Pittman with the Department of Social Services.” She extended her hand. “This is Officer Howard.”

He flashed a badge.

Jewels eased the door up, blocking their view. She gestured toward Nancy’s hand. “It’s against my religion to shake hands. Jewels ain’t here. What y’all want?”

Secret opened the door before it could close all the way. “Aunt Jewels, Mommy said bring back a dozen eggs, too.”

“Good morning, Secret. Remember me?”

She slid behind Jewels for protection.

Both men hushed themselves when the eyesore waitress wobbled to the horseshoe-shaped table with their meals. “Can I get you anything else?”

Hector waved her off.

Well, fuck you, too
. She feigned a smile because policy said so. But
she was just about fed up with the customers-are-always-right cliché. Nine times out of ten they were wrong. And she was tired of dragging herself in to work every day to wait on ignorant people hand and foot. Not for one minute did she like plastering a smile on her face as if she approved of
their rudeness
.

Being that Hector was right-handed, and his right arm was resting in a sling, it was a difficult task to eat with his left. He stuck his chewing gum on the edge of his plate of tater tots. “If you would have let me waste Miles when I wanted to, the police wouldn’t be breathing down our necks. I can’t even take a whizz in peace.”

“Chill out, my friend.” Squeeze leaned forward. “They don’t have nothing; there’s no way for them to get anything.” He spooned a mouthful of scrambled eggs, then rinsed them down with a swig of Sunny Delight. “You act like you don’t understand that citizens honor a different set of principles than criminals. It’s no surprise that he went to the cops and told what he assumes. That’s what law-abiding citizens do. Our tracks are covered. Relax and enjoy your food.”

Hector jerked a thumb toward the parking lot. “Them cops tried to send me back to—”

“May I refill your drinks?”

Hector lost it. “Did we fucking ask for refills?”

The collective chatter of conversations and knives and forks scraping against plates came to a stop. The diner full of customers zoomed in on Hector.

“Don’t fucking bother us again unless I fucking ask you to.” He took a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and slammed it hard against the tabletop. “This is the only reason you’re proving to be a fucking pest. Take it and stay the fuck away!”

“Don’t take it personal.” Squeeze looked at the wounded waitress. “He hasn’t taken his angry pills yet.”

And I’m supposed to smile. The customer is always right
. “Kiss my ass.” She took her apron off, tossed it in a trash can, and walked out the front door. “I’m not putting up with that bullshit anymore.”

Hector pushed his plate to the center of the table. “I don’t need Crutchfield watching my every move, looking for an opportunity to make me violate parole.” He glanced through the window with contempt at a dark blue Caprice.

“You’re not gonna eat this?” Squeeze wasn’t the least bit bothered by the detective’s presence.

When Hector didn’t respond, he pulled the plate to his side of the table. “If Miles winds up on the missing list, the cops will really be on us. This here will pass if you let it. There isn’t even the slightest possibility that they’ll find Jap. It’s a cold case.” He sprinkled salt on Hector’s tater tots. “Go home and fuck your old lady; relieve some of that build-up, then meet me tonight at six. Cutty has a Maybach he wants me to check out. Lifted it in Solon. If I like it, I need you to drive one car back.”

Hector grunted. “We need to shake this nasty flea first.”

“Relax. He’ll shake himself. The more I talk to you, the dumber it feels like I’m getting.” He cut away the last portion of meat from the T-bone. “You have no understanding.”

“Understanding of what? Don’t start with your philosophical babble.”

Squeeze laughed. “You’re giving Crutchfield exactly what he wants. He’s fucking with you and you’re letting him.”

Crutchfield walked directly to their table. “Squeeze. Hector, I hope you’re taking care of that arm. Mind if I sit down and ask you two hoods a few questions?”

T
he ruckus echoed throughout the narrow hall. Nancy struggled to hold on to Secret.

Kitchie tugged Secret’s arm. “Let her the hell go, lady. What the fuck is wrong with you? This is my baby; you can’t take her!”

“I assure you I can, and I am.” She got a firm grip on Secret. “These children are custody of the state, and as it stands, you’re harboring runaways.”

GP stepped between Junior and Officer Howard.
“Runaways
, we’re their parents. My kids ain’t going nowhere.”

“Fuck that shit. That bastard, Reynolds, put his hands on my baby.” Kitchie pulled up Secret’s sleeve. “You see these fucking welts? I don’t whip her like this. I’ll be damned if somebody else is going to do it. Bullshit!”

“Look,” GP said. “Go back to your ideal worlds and get the hell away from us. My kids ain’t going nowhere. Not today.” He aimed his eyes at Officer Howard like a double-barreled shotgun.

Officer Howard unsnapped his side holster. “Don’t make this situation any worse than it is.”

“Get the fuck out of here, then. You’re making it worse.” GP punctuated his words with his hands.

“Mr. Patterson, please—”

“Please, my ass.”

“Mr. Patterson,” Nancy said, “think about the behavior you’re displaying in front of the children.” She had had no idea that she would be confronted with this much resistance.

“My
behavior
is because of my kids. Instead of concentrating on putting mine in a home, you need to get the rest of them kids out of that place. Y’all smart motherfuckers is the dumbest motherfuckers in the world. But y’all swear you got all the right answers for everybody else.”

A neighbor stood in her doorway, watching the commotion while relaying it to a third party on the telephone.

Jewels was ticked off and growing more vexed each time she flushed a portion of her drug supply down the toilet.

“Mr. and Mrs. Patterson, there is a right and a wrong way to go about this.” A spasm of irritation crossed Nancy’s face.

“Don’t let them take me, Daddy,” Junior spoke with bitter resentment. “I wanna stay with you.”

“Mrs. Patterson, get a hold of yourself.” Nancy pulled Secret free of Kitchie. “Is this the behavior you want reported to the judge? This display of aggression will not act in favor of you regaining custody.”

“Please, Mommy, I don’t want to go.” Secret bit down hard on Nancy’s arm.

“Ow! You’re hurting me!” She pried her arm from the set of teeth. “That wasn’t nice, Secret.”

“Enough is enough. I’ve had it.” Howard took out a set of handcuffs. “There’s room in the car for the two of you.” He pointed at GP, then Kitchie. “Whatever your problem is with juvenile court is not my concern. We’re here to do our jobs. The next
time either one of you interferes with Ms. Pittman or myself, I’m taking you in for obstructing official police business.”

“
Mierda
! This is bullshit. You—”

GP gave Kitchie a look that screamed out,
Would you please shut the hell up
?

“Here’s my information.” Nancy thrust a business card toward Kitchie. “I’ll personally see to it that you and Mr. Patterson see the judge tomorrow. If you want custody back, court is the standard operating procedure.”

Kitchie dropped to her knees, hugging Secret around her waist. “I love you.”

“Come with me, Mommy.” Secret’s lips quivered. “Don’t make me go; he’s gonna beat me again. Please come.”

“Let’s go, son.” Howard offered Junior a hand. “You’ll be back with your parents before you know it.”

Junior viewed the white hand as everything but friendly. He squeezed his father’s hand tighter. He looked into GP’s pained face, shaking his head. “Beat him up, Daddy. I wanna stay with you and Mommy. You…you said that you was gonna protect us.”

GP died inside. He lowered his head in defeat, dodging Junior’s gaze. “I’ll be there first thing in the morning to get you. I promise.”

Howard tried to cut the tension with a smile. “It’ll be fine.” He grabbed Junior while gauging what he could of the family’s hurt.

Junior snatched away from Howard and turned to his father. His eyes narrowed with contempt. “I hate you. All you do is lie to us. I wish I had another daddy.”