I wish I was there to see my little sister. I know she always feels left out because she wasn’t born when things turned bad. Her present is tied to a past that she was never a part of.

“Daddy’s got a good lawyer, baby,” Mama says.

“Daddy’s coming home? Jamal too?” Corinne’s voice cries out. The pain rocks me because this doesn’t mean much for Jamal’s situation.

“What about Jamal?” I ask Steve, hoping Corinne’s questions can be answered with a yes.

“I’ve been following what’s going on with Jamal. We might be able to lend some research, although he’ll need to have his own attorney. We focus on conviction repeal cases, not ongoing—”

“But Jamal.” My voice goes weak.

“Get him to come home. It doesn’t help your father’s case if he has a missing son as a suspect in another crime.”

“How long before my husband is free?” Mama doesn’t even touch getting Jamal home. We want him back, but not if it means they’ll take him away from us.

“This is a long process, ma’am. I won’t lie to you, one in forty of our cases ends up in exoneration. It’s a big commitment to take on a case, so we maximize as many as we can in the area. I’ll be positioned here for a year, focusing on a handful of cases.” Steve pulls the phone closer to him. “James is my first priority. I have a small budget, and I’ll need to fund-raise to get everything set up for an investigation and find an office space to work out of.”

“I have a few ideas for office space.” I hide my own doubt. I can persuade Mr. Evans to rent out the loft space above the antiques store, but Mrs. Evans…I’m not sure.

Every ounce of hope that Daddy would be freed was riding on Innocence X. With Jamal gone, I dug deep to keep that belief. Inside, I feared I wouldn’t have the stamina. I wouldn’t have enough to give Daddy and Jamal. Now I no longer have that fear. No longer have that burden of doing it alone. I stand straighter. My ancestors’ strength pouring into me, fully armored so I can fight to prove their innocence.

OUTLAWZ

I leave the Evanses’ store happy to have gotten Mr. Evans to rent the loft space above the antiques store as a temporary office for Steve. I dip out as Mr. Evans shows Steve around the space, a convenient alibi for Mama that I can use as I sneak out to meet up with Quincy at Herron Media.

I finally feel like we’re catching a break. I text Jamal before I meet Quincy.

Innocence X came through.

They can help you too.

Going to HM with Quincy.

Come home.