Piece Keeper by Antwan Floyd Sr. Read Free Book Online

Black stated. “It wouldn’t
matter though. The D.A. knows we were once engaged. She knew before
I got here.”
    “You have some juice then huh?”
    “A little bit. What’s your next move?”
    “Interview Teresa again. Love, I have to be honest…
she doesn’t give me any new information soon the chief’s going to
make me close the case and move on to the next one.”
    “What about you?”
    “What about me?” Waeltz was confused.
    “How was your relationship with Teresa?”
    “I don’t know… about the same as my relationship
with James. We were cordial.”
    “You’re not the type of guy I thought you’d be,
Waeltz. At least not on paper anyway.”
    Waeltz placed one hand in his pocket and rested the
other on his gun. “Looking into me too, Love?”
    Black shrugged his shoulders. “Force of habit.”
    “What you find out?”
    “Enough to know you’re being on the level with me
right now.”
    “Right now, huh?”
    Black placed a twenty dollar bill on the bar, stood,
and began walking towards the exit.
    “You know as well as I do, Waeltz, in this line of
work things often change.”

Chapter Six
    Black pulled into the garage at the house he was
renting and turned the motor to the truck off. He reclined in his
seat and closed his eyes. He wanted to see Teresa; just see her no
talking… just be with her. But he knew not enough time had passed
since they’d had their last fight. It was the same with Morena. He
wanted to go in and lay with her and just chill but she’d want to
talk about Teresa. He wasn’t in the mood for that. He had the right
mind to go to sleep in the truck. Thinking better of it he opened
the door, climbed out, and went into the house. Just as he expected
Morena was there to greet him in the kitchen. She was all business.
There wasn’t a smile or a look of happiness anywhere to be found in
her face.
    “What’s up?” he asked as he threw his car keys on
the kitchen counter. When he was close enough he kissed her on her
cheek.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him
softly on the lips. “Cariño, we have to talk. It’s about
Teresa.”
    He gently pushed her back and sighed. “Not tonight,
Baby Love. I’m not in the mood.”
    He stepped around her and down the three steps into
the living room where he paused and turned to look back at Morena
who was standing behind him. He turned back to look at Teresa who
was sitting on the sofa. Placing his hands in his pockets he
continued into the living room stopping in front of Teresa. “What’s
this all about?”
    Morena stood next to him, slid her hand into his
pocket, and held his hand. “She needs to tell you something. I’ll
go for a ride to give you two some time.” She kissed him on the
cheek, smiled subtly at Teresa, and exited the living room through
the kitchen then glided down the hall and out into the garage.
    Black didn’t say anything he just stood and
waited.
    “Can you not stand over me?” Teresa asked as she
patted the empty spot next to her on the couch.
    He loosened his tie and sat.
    She inhaled then exhaled before speaking. Black sat
in silence for the forty-five minutes of her explanation as to how,
where, and who raped her. He held it all in when what he really
wanted to do was run upstairs to get his gun and drive straight
over to the station and gun the three down. He knew that would be a
suicide mission. He was a lawyer. He fought his battles in the
court room and he won. That’s how he operated. He was determined
that he would not rest until all three never saw the light of the
streets again. He got what he wanted: to hear the truth. Now that
he’d heard it a part of him wished that he hadn’t. It was a hard
pill to swallow.
    ***
     
    He didn’t know if she was being strong for him or
had become numb. She didn’t shed any tears or show any sign of
hurt. After much arguing and back and forth, Black and Morena both
convinced her to stay there with them. Black knew that it would be
awkward