No Pit So Deep: The Cody Musket Story by James Nathaniel Miller II Read Free Book Online

herself again, she would not look Cody in the eye.
    Cody collected her purse, cell phone, and flip-flops from bystanders who had picked them up. He walked toward her and reached out his hand, but she moved away, lowered her head and wrapped her arms around herself.
    Because a large crowd had gathered, Cody became uneasy. Curious observers were now perilously close to three dangerous men. The police were still minutes away, and only one security guard had arrived, so Cody remained with the attackers, who were injured but conscious. He would help guard them until the authorities came.
    Soon, the police entered the hallway. Multiple witnesses came forward. As they described the events, it was clear that Cody had heroically prevented the abduction of Brandi Barnes, local talk show host and editorial writer.

She’s Not Too High on Men
    “Sir, could I see your ID please.” Detective Terrance Dupree was chief investigator at the crime scene. Cody reluctantly obliged and gave the detective his driver’s license.
    “Mr. Musket, I see you’re from Houston. What’s your business here in Pittsburgh?”
    Cody breathed a sigh of relief. The detective had not discovered his celebrity status. “Well, sir, I’m a martial arts instructor, and I’m here for the weekend.”
    “How do you happen to know Ms. Barnes?”
    “Ms. Barnes?”
    “Yes, sir. The victim.”
    “I don’t know her at all. What exactly does she do?”
    “So you did not know her prior to this evening?”
    “I was behind her. I happened to see what was going on and couldn’t just stand by and, uh, you know. Afterward, I gave her shoes, her purse and phone to one of the female officers.”
    “Brandi Barnes is a writer and local sports talk show host. You’re here just for the weekend you say?”
    “Planning to move on by Sunday night. Uh, Detective, do you know the motive for the attack?”
    “Still trying to determine that. We should know after we ID the suspects.”
    “Well, sir, I overheard an officer mention a possible organized crime connection. If that’s the case, may I ask that you not release my last name to the press?”
    “We don’t know if — Stand by a moment please, Mr. Musket.”
    Dupree walked about thirty paces and gave Cody’s ID to an officer in a dark blue uniform. The two had a brief discussion. Cody could clearly read two words from the lips of the officer in blue — human trafficking.
    Dupree then walked briskly to Brandi, who stood with two female officers just a few feet away from Cody. The detective told her she should consider hiring a bodyguard.
    “I need to get out of here. I am not feeling well. I’ve told you all I know.” She shivered and fought back tears. They had given her a wraparound blanket to wear. One of the female officers accompanied her as she left.
    While Cody waited for his ID, he had the urge to call out to Brandi as she departed, but couldn’t bring himself to make a sound.
    Cody asked a nearby observer about Brandi.
    “She has a Sunday night sports show,” the young man responded. “She also writes in the paper.”
    “What does she write about?”
    A young woman wearing a gray University of Pittsburgh jersey emerged from the crowd and spoke up, “She’s been writing exposé articles on human trafficking here in Allegheny County. They’ve been published in the Gazette.”
    As she walked toward Cody, the words “This Sista Luvs Jesus” became visible on the front of her pink baseball cap. Charming, soft-spoken, presumably in her early twenties, she offered Cody a pleasant smile and warm handshake, but her soft and tearful brown eyes told him she had been crying.
    “I’m Sasha. I’ve been following Brandi’s career since she played basketball at Stanford. She also played one year in the WNBA until —”
    “Stanford?”
    “That’s right. I’m in law school here at Pitt. My older sister Latisha played with Brandi in college. If it hadn’t been for Brandi, my sister wouldn’t have