A prickle runs up my neck. Jamal breaks the stillness to take a small bag from Corinne and lift her up.

“You’re back.” Corinne hugs around his neck.

“I been here this whole time, Bighead. Where you been?”

My eyes water. I inch closer to Mama and Corinne all loving on Jamal. Warming myself with their happiness. It doesn’t seem to matter that this moment won’t last. We fool ourselves into thinking that as long as we’re huddled together and Beverly holds those bags, we can go on like this forever. I eye Steve, willing him to fix things. He gives me a nod. He’s going to try.

Steve approaches Beverly. “I’m from Innocence X and will be representing James Beaumont. Jamal is my newest client, though. Did they find the gun?”

“Jamal also?” Beverly’s heard about Steve, but for Daddy, not Jamal. We all know this is big. She’s too shocked to speak. She nods, confirming they found the gun.

Beverly turns to us.

“I have to take Jamal in.” She puts the grocery bags down. “I came by to question Tracy about the gun, but I can’t walk away after seeing Jamal.”

The room changes the moment Beverly’s hands are free.

“Beverly, let’s listen to what Jamal has to say.” Mama has her arms wrapped around Jamal, pleading.

“I ain’t going in!” Jamal raises his voice for the first time, and that quietness that kept everything calm vanishes.

“I’ve known you forever.” Beverly extends her free hand to Jamal. “I’d never want to hurt you, but I took an oath. You know you can trust me.”

“Like my pops? Like how yours went down? I ain’t going in. You’re gonna have to shoot me.”

I can’t help a gasp escaping.

Beverly shakes her head. “It doesn’t need to be like that. I’ll call in some of my guys I trust. Newer ones. Have enough people to—”

“No.” Jamal stays firm. “I ain’t going in. I don’t trust your people, Bev.”

“If you won’t come with me, I’ve got to call it in.”

“Then call it in, Officer Ridges. Because I ain’t leaving this house.”

Beverly winces at Jamal’s formality. Corinne clutches Jamal as we all watch in disbelief. It’s like the world is ending right in front of me. Jamal trusted me, and I failed him.

“But what about that gun? Chris and Justin at the Pike.” Quincy waves her off. “Now what’s he gonna do? Every officer out there’s looking for him. You think they’re going to bring him in alive, like they did Dad?”

“Don’t talk about Dad.” Beverly grimaces.

“I know exactly what officers do when they think somebody’s guilty. Even if it means taking down everyone around them.” Quincy taps his leg.