Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
“So he doesn’t live on R Street, does he?”
“He don’t, no. He ain’t no murderer, though.”
“But he might know who is.”
He just keeps on shaking his head, not knowing what to do.
“I understand now,” I say. “If my cousin Jeffrey were still alive, I’d be doing the same thing to help him. But he doesn’t have a chance now. He’s fucking dead. And like Biddy was more to you than just a nephew, Jeffrey was more to me than just a cousin.”
“I’m truly sorry for that, but Biddy would never harm anyone. That ain’t no lie, either.”
Am I losing my touch? I shouldn’t believe him, but I do.
“Let’s start with me finding out where he took the rest of my property. The records and the CD collection. The laptop and flat-screen.”
“He never been locked up before.”
“You can’t protect him from that. Crack’s a monster, and it don’t care.”
“He get locked up it’ll change him. Like his mother.”
“Your sister.”
“Yeah.”
“If he didn’t do the murder but knows who did, the cops will work with him. I’ll make sure of that. I got a friend who’s a great lawyer.”
“He can’t go to jail.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m no social worker. I can just assure you that I will help keep him out of jail.”
There he goes with shaking his damn head again.
“You’d give up your livelihood and go to jail for him?”
“Yeah, I probably would.”
Didn’t want to hear that.
I could beat it outta him, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t work, either. Family goes deep, and somehow he feels responsible for how it turned out with his nephew. That gives him strength and an upper hand. I know guys like Diamond. Hell, I’m one of them.
Forty-Three
Forty-Three
If Biddy hadn’t stolen my fucking laptop, I’d run a background check on both him and Diamond through LexisNexis. Thing is, my password is saved on my laptop, and I can’t remember it. Fucking ridiculous. Can’t ask Leslie. Can’t bring her into this mess. I can’t go to my buddy Luna, ’cause he’ll know I’m working the case, and he won’t step out like that, even to help me. Diamond’s the only worthy lead I have, but he won’t budge. He’d probably take a bullet in the teeth for that nephew of his.
“Take me home, Diamond. You know where I live,” I say all of a sudden.
“I’ll take you to the corner I picked you up at.”
“And you’re comfortable with this? Because I am going to give the police everything. They’ll get warrants on you and your nephew.”
“No. I ain’t comfortable with any of this.”