Wifey 4 Life (3 page)

“I want to grow old with you too,” I said, not realizing I had
opened my mouth. My heart had overpowered my mind.

“Well, will you marry me then?”

I hesitated for a second, thinking about how long my engagement
had lasted with Fatu’. But then I thought about the fact that Donovan had assured
me that we didn’t have to get married right away, so I smiled at him and said, “Yes,
I will marry you.”

Donovan’s eyes became glassy as he fumbled with the black box.
He was having minor problems trying to take the ring out of the box. I sat there
patiently and waited for him to get control of the situation. When he finally got
it out and slid it on my finger, I looked at it about four or five times at different
angles, and then I said, “This is so beautiful. Thank you, baby!”

He leaned over to kiss me. “You’re welcome, sweetheart! Now let’s
go tell my parents the good news.”

I stood. “Let me freshen up in the bathroom, and I’ll meet you
downstairs.”

“All right. But don’t take too long.” He kissed me on the lips
right before he walked off.

I watched him as he left my presence. As soon as he left, I rushed
into the bathroom and took a seat on the chair in front of my vanity. I know I looked
down at the ring another fifty times. It was indeed beautiful, but I could tell
that it wasn’t as expensive as the rock Fatu’ had given me when he’d asked me to
marry him. Thank God, we never made it to the altar, because after all the shit
I found out about him, I would’ve probably been the one to kill him, and not his
cousin Bintu’.

Now I had to admit, this ring was quite nicer than the diamond
Ricky had given me, so I was satisfied. Hopefully if we tied the knot, Donovan would
get me an upgrade in a few years. I had to make sure I got with him on that
outing so I could help pick it out. I couldn’t see it any other way, since I had
no choice this time around.

I
should’ve listened to my first intuition when my realtor back
in Houston called me and told me everything was a go. But, no, stupid me went against
my better judgment and hopped on the next flight to Texas. What in the world was
I thinking? I didn’t need the money the so-called couple had offered. I guess I
just wanted to move on with my life. Well, thanks to my realtor, that didn’t happen.
I traveled with my Louis Vuitton carry-on bag so I wouldn’t have to make a stop
at baggage claim. I planned to fly into Houston, sign whatever paperwork I needed
to sign, collect my funds from my realtor, and head back to Anguilla the very next
morning. But Houston’s homicide detectives had a different plan for my ass.

As soon as I walked off the plane, two white men approached me
with their badges in hand and advised me to follow them to the airport’s security
office. Fear consumed me, and now my mind confirmed what my gut had told me a couple
days ago. I knew my bitch realtor had set me up, since she was the only one who
knew I was coming to Houston, but there was nothing I could do about it now.

I followed these white men like I was asked, and from there we
headed down to their headquarters. They took me to a small room with a metal table
and three chairs. There was one of those two-way mirrors on the wall like you saw
on those police detective television shows, but that shit didn’t faze me one bit.
I knew how the game was played. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been in this type of predicament
before. Shit, I’d been in interrogation rooms with some of the best investigators
the feds had to offer, so I was thinking,
These little puppies better come correct
with whatever they got, or don’t come at all.

It didn’t surprise me that those bastards left me in that room
for over two fucking hours. I was beyond furious when they marched their asses into
the room to start their little interrogation. And even though they hadn’t divulged
one word about why they were detaining me, I knew it was about my cousin Nikki.

Both detectives took a seat. The fat one was the first one to
speak. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

I sucked my teeth and gave him the most disgusted expression
I could muster. “Do I look like I need something to drink?”

“Ms. Walters, there is no need for the sarcasm. All we’re trying
to do is make you as comfortable as possible,” the fat man replied.

“You can’t make me comfortable by sitting in this little-ass
room. Let me the hell out of here, and then I’ll start to feel comfortable,” I roared.

“Ms. Walters, we will let you go as soon as you answer a few
questions,” the other detective said.

I sighed heavily. “Am I under arrest?”

“No, ma’am, you’re not,” the same detective said.

“So, why did you bring me all the way down here? Don’t you think
I’ve got better shit to do than to be locked up in some cold-ass room?” The fat
detective said, “I’m sure you do, Ms. Walters, but we are investigating your cousin’s murder, and—”

“My cousin’s murder? What are you talking about?” I asked, trying
to act as shocked and distraught as I could. I knew I had to put on my acting hat,
because these motherfuckers were looking at my body language and my facial expressions
really hard, so they were ready for me to slip up. I wasn’t going to let that happen.
I had too much riding on my freedom. I wasn’t going to let these bastards lock
up my ass for being an accessory to her murder. Not only that, if they had the slightest
inclination that I knew the motherfuckers who actually killed her, they would use
it against me and try to get me to rat them out. Now how the hell would that look?
I would be right back in fucking court testifying against another set of foreigners.
And those African cats seemed like they were a little crazier than Papi and his
boys. So I might not have the luxury of getting away this time.

And what made the shit even worse was that I wouldn’t be able
to get back into the Witness Protection Program. When I’d elected to leave that
nest the last time, I’d forfeited my chances of ever hiding under its umbrella again.
So if these assholes thought I was gonna start singing like a bird for the second
time around, they had another think coming. I was going to play the I-don’t-know-shit
card and see how far that took me.

“Your cousin Nikki was murdered,” the fat detective replied.
Thinking about the pain Nikki suffered before she was murdered by Bintu’ wasn’t
enough to bring me to tears. With all the unnecessary drama I went through behind
her, I could honestly say that she got what she deserved.

I immediately thought about the loss of my grandmother. This
was the only way I knew I could get emotional. “Oh my God! When did this happen?”
I asked.

The other detective cleared this throat and said, “We found her
decomposed body in an abandoned building two and a half weeks ago, but we just
found out a couple of days ago who she was. If it wasn’t for her parents reporting
her missing and then coming here to ID her body, we wouldn’t have known who she
was.”

“What happened to her?”

“The forensic report states that she was shot in the head at
close range.”

“No, that can’t be. Are you sure it’s her?” I became panicked.

“Yes, we’re sure it’s her. We used her dental records to get
a positive ID.”

“Oh my God! Who could have done this to her?” I screamed.

“We were hoping you would be able to answer that question for
us,” the fat detective chimed in.

I sat there wearing an expression of despair. Tears fell from
my eyes like a running faucet as both detectives examined my body language. About
ten seconds later, I covered my entire face with both my hands while I cried
uncontrollably. I knew I had to keep up this act. My freedom depended on it.

The fat detective handed me a couple of napkins to dry my tears.
I took them and began to wipe my face. The moment I looked up at him, he threw another
question at me.

“When was the last time you spoke to Nikki?”

I sat there and pondered for fear of fucking up and giving him
the wrong answer. I didn’t want it to seem like I was the last person that talked
to her. So I thought carefully and then I said, “I’m not sure.”

“Can you give me a more precise answer than that?”

“I don’t remember. Shit, I’ve been away in Anguilla for a little
over a month now.”

“Well, did you speak with her while you were in Anguilla?”

“No.”

“And why not?” His question cut like a sharp knife. “Were you
two on speaking terms?”

“Of course we were,” I snapped back.

“Well, if you two were on speaking terms, why hadn’t you tried
to contact her in almost a month?”

“I tried to call her, but she wouldn’t answer her phone. I figured
she had fallen in love with a man and wanted to be left alone.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it!” the fat detective roared.
“I spoke with two women who used to work for you at your salon, and they told me
a completely different story.”

“Who?”

“Rachael and Carmen.”

“I don’t care what they told you. Everything that comes out of
their mouths is nothing but lies.”

“Well, they were both interviewed simultaneously by two different
detectives, yet they still came up with the exact same story.”

“And what story was that?” I asked, irritated.

“They both said you and Nikki hadn’t been getting along for a
while and that you kicked her out of the shop and your house a couple weeks before
you left town.”

“Rachael and Carmen said what?” I screamed with fury.

“Knock it off, Kira! And stop wasting our time. We know you know
more than what you are telling us.”

“I don’t know shit!”

“Oh, you know something. Just like you knew about the drug dealings
and the murders your ex-husband was involved in. Yeah, we know you talked yourself
out of a federal prison sentence. Me and my partner got your entire file right here,”
he said, pointing down at a manila folder.

“OK. And so what? You would have done the same damn thing if
you were facing fifteen years behind bars.”

“But this is something different,” the other detective said.
“This was your blood relative. You and she came to Houston together to start a new
life, so there was a strong bond there. Carmen said you two were really close until
just recently.”

“I don’t give a fuck what Carmen said.”

“Well, you better care about what I say,” the fat detective said.
“Because this is a much more serious matter than that federal case you were in involved
in. I smell conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.”

“That’s bullshit! I didn’t lay a fucking hand on her.”

“Well, tell us who did. We know you know something.”

“Are you fucking listening to me? I just told you I don’t know
shit.”

“You can save that crap for a rookie. I’m a veteran in this game, and I feel
it in my gut that you know more than what you are telling us. And when I find out
that you do, I will personally make sure you won’t see daylight until you are eighty.”

“Am I under arrest right now?” I asked once again.

“No, you’re not,” the fat detective answered.

I stood. “Well, gentlemen, it was truly nice,” I said with a
half-smile. Both detectives stood simultaneously, but the fat detective had more
to say.

“You know, once you walk out this door, you’re on your own. There
aren’t going to be any plea bargains.”

“What the fuck ever! Go beat the street and find the real killer!”
I replied, and then I opened the door and slammed it as I exited the room.

It felt like a ton of bricks was lifted off my shoulders when
the detectives allowed me to walk out of that room. But as soon as I turned the
corner to enter the corridor that led to the main entrance, those same bricks were
thrown back at me. Standing before me as if they were waiting for my arrival were
my uncle and his wife, Nikki’s parents.

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my composure. Quickly, I
slid off my engagement ring and dropped it into my pocket. I didn’t want my uncle
or his wife in my fucking business, questioning me about whether I was with another
drug dealer.

Nikki’s mother was the first to speak. This bitch hated my guts.
It was even more evident when she spoke.

With watery eyes, she pointed her finger directly at me and gritted
her teeth as she said, “I knew you were bad news from the day you were born! And
now I see why your mother left you with your grandmother. You were like a bad seed,
a black cloud looming over her head, so she had to get rid of your ass!”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me!” she roared. “You are the reason my child is dead!
If you would have left her alone, she would’ve graduated from Norfolk State and
probably settled into a career. But, no! You had to drag her out here to this godforsaken
place! It wouldn’t surprise me if you encouraged her to hook up with another fucking
drug dealer.”

“Auntie, I didn’t encourage Nikki to do anything,” I replied,
trying to sound as polite as possible.

Apparently not noticing my tone, she leaned forward and smacked
the hell out of me. “Bitch, don’t call me auntie! I will never be related to you.
As far as I’m concerned, you are dead too.”

I placed my hand on the side of my face to suppress the sting
of her blow.

My uncle grabbed Auntie by her shoulders with both of his hands.
“Calm down, honey, before you have another attack.”

Totally ignoring him, she broke away from his grip and took two
more steps toward me, her finger pointing directly at me. “You are going to get
what’s coming to you! Now you mark my words, sweetie! Your time is coming, and ain’t
nobody gonna be around to help you. Remember, everybody you used to deal with is
dead! You are the only one left standing and breathing. Now I wonder why that is.”

“Come on, honey, that’s enough. We have to go!” my uncle told
her.

“No, I’m not leaving until she tells me why everybody around
her is dying.”