“Herbert Milton owns this piece of shit,” Atticus announced, putting his phone back in his pocket. “But now we got other issues.”
“I know.”
With Devi’s purse at the scene, and not knowing what Kim’s told the police, Alvin going missing was a case the police would look into if Kim told them he took Devi. Devi’s purse at the scene was more troublesome than anything Kim might say, though. We could always poke holes in Kim’s story by pointing out that she’d been hit in the head hard enough to knock her out. It was harder to explain Devi’s purse scattered around with Devi nowhere in sight.
“We need Devi to call Kim and find out what she told the police.” I looked at my brother. “You know I’m right, Cass.”
As much as I hated pressuring Devi more, Atticus was right. “Let me go talk to her.”
“Hurry, man,” Xavier added. “We can’t keep this body warm for long.” I nodded because he was also right. This shit wasn’t like the movies, as Devi had pointed out. You didn’t have time for conversation and decision making when a kill wasn’t planned.
Devi was still sitting in the backseat when I approached the car. Opening the door, she slid over to give me room, but I just crouched outside the door. She looked wary, tried, beaten up, and it fucking broke my heart.
“Baby, I need you to call Kim and find out what she told the cops.”
She gave me a tentative nod, but said, “Okay, but…knowing Kim, she hasn’t said anything.” Devi gave me a tired, sad look. “She’s more street smart than I am.”
“Devi…”
“I feel like a fool,” she went on. “Like…I thought I knew a thing or two, but I really don’t.”
“You do realize that not knowing anything about stuff like this is a good thing, right?”
“Even if we’re going to be together?”
The question felt like a slug to the chest because she had a point, and it made me wonder if this entire experience was going to make her walk away and never look back. And could I blame her?
“Nothing like this will ever happen again, Devi,” I told her, swearing it on my soul. “I could have handled this shitshow better, but I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“This isn’t your fault, Cassius,” she automatically replied. “This is Keith’s.”
“Let’s agree to disagree right now,” I said. “I need you to call Kim. Do you know her number by heart?”
Devi nodded. “Yes. It’s one of those crazy things Kim had insisted on when we had become friends.” A small smile appeared at the memory. “She said you never know when we’ll have to call each other collect.”
“Smart woman.” I pulled my phone out, unlocked it, and handed it over. “Call her.”
It was only a few seconds before Devi grabbed onto the phone with both hands. “Kim?” I listened as patiently as I could while they talked. “Are you okay? Yeah…no…I am. I promise. Where are you? Yeah. No, I…what? Okay. No. Okay.” My chest thumped when quiet tears started forming in Devi’s eye. “No. That’s perfect, I think…yeah. When are you going home? I…I’m not sure what I’m doing…”
I grabbed the phone from Devi. “Kim?”
“Cassius?”
“Devi can’t show up to the hospital because she’s got some bump and bruises that might cause some suspicion,” I told her. “But if you can let me know when you’re being released, I can send my brother to pick you up and take you home.”
“I’m stuck here for another two hours, at least,” she said. “They want to make sure I don’t have a concussion.”
“And the cops?”
“Like I told Devi,” she said, but her voice was now a whisper, “I was hit from behind.”
“And Devi’s purse?”
“I told them she had left it at work, and I was taking it to her,” she answered. “They’re assuming my assailant must have flung it aside when he discovered no money in it.”
“You’re a doll, Kimberly Alba.”
She snorted. “No, I’m not. I’m just not stupid. Besides, I knew it could be Alvin, and I knew you’d go after him if it was. I wasn’t saying shit.” And those were the kind of friends everyone needed. One good, loyal, smart friend.
