Five Steps Ahead

TEN

I felt complete knowing that I had just beaten the case. I was so joyful and full of amazement that I figured it wouldn't hurt to share my excitement with Joe. It turned out he didn't lie to me, and he was not the type of person to frame someone to kill them. He was genuine. However, I still had another case to solve: a problem involving the illicit exchange of a substantial amount of money. I felt safe around Joe, though, and decided that maybe we could establish an actual friendship after this. But who am I kidding? If I would've lost the case, I'd be dead.

Nonetheless, I decided to pay him a surprise visit. The idea of this was as bad as it sounds. But I figured he wouldn't have to be lonely today after telling me he was lonely the other night. Plus, I enjoyed his company and imagined that if he earned my trust, he would be someone I would want to have around and vice versa.

*knock knock knock*

"Who is it?" He yelled through the door.

I covered his security camera and knocked once again.

He flung the door open and held me at gunpoint, and I instantly threw my hands up before unknowingly pissing my pants. I should've known better than to go joking around with a gangster.

"Oh," he quickly hid his gun. "Just forget that happened." he smiled.

"I'm here to congratulate you, Joe. How does it feel to be free of charge?" I smiled and invited myself in.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm a black man who has murdered a lot of people; I'm Peoria's most wanted, so I'll never be free," he answered while leading me into his living room.

"Correction, your people, is Peoria's most wanted. If the Feds realized it was you they had been looking for, there would've been swat cars surrounding the building and people in helmets coming to escort you out of the courtroom. Josephere is just another commoner in Peoria." I replied, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks, Amia. I really and truly appreciate what you did for me in there. I know it's your job and all, but if I were in the situation you were in, I would've preferred to die. There's no guaranteeing a win against white people." He nodded. "That was brave of you."

I sighed. "I didn't do all of it for me, you know," I started. "I don't know if anyone has told you this before, but I'm proud of you. You may not be doing God's work, but you're doing good work-- something you think is for a good cause at least; to help the environment."

He paused. "You won that case because you want me to keep up the 'good work'?" He joked, "If I knew a pretty woman like you would've risked her life for me from the jump, I would've prepared a ring."

..............

That's when it hit me: It was her.

Step 3: Assimilation

FLASHBACK

Without a career, I had no clue how I was going to raise three children. I was homeless and destitute, but the thought of them growing up without a family hurt my heart. The cops never pursued them. It was only them in their car seats in the rear seats of the car, surrounded by their parents' lifeless bodies and the aroma of death. I slept for three days behind a dumpster, watching and waiting for someone to come for them, providing them water and food scraps that people had left behind, but no one ever came for them. My duty was to protect them adequately and make sure they made it through the streets as well as I did. I was nineteen years old at the time. That was no justification, though, for not doing what needed to be done.

I stowed my pistol in my back pocket and wrapped a black blanket around the children, who were toddlers at the time, as I rushed along Ray Street, the street where I hustled for items when I was sixteen years old. I knew what I had prepared to do, and there was no going back. Approximately three blocks north from here was a city bank. I had a gun and no means of validating an identity. Everything was ideal. I had no intention of shooting anyone. I only needed the money to support my new family and myself. After the long trip, I walked into the bank, opened the doors, and drew a big breath. I slipped my hand into my back pocket, slowly but steadily, and closed my eyes to pray, "Lord, please forgive me for what I'm about to do."