ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (40 page)

See I must get in contact with him somehow. You said bus 890 routes Bermuda Avenue in Torrance? Gary said after a short pause.

Yeah. I had this particular stand is at the corner of Bermuda and Eclipse. Naomi added.

Gary thought it was time to continue with his quest, so he thanked Naomi and was about to leave when she spoke again. If you ever get to see Freddy, tell him I love him very much and that I and the kids want him back home to where he belongs.

I will, Gary said and left. It was really hard for him locating that bus stand situated along obscure area that people seemed tired of seeing but determined as he was, he eventually found it.

As he got closer, Gary could make out the figure of a person whose body was covered head to toe in a dirty blanket lying down on a bench and he knew immediately he was at the right spot.

He approached quietly, sat down on the same bench the fellow was lying on and nothing else happened. After a short while, he touched the figure in a blanket but nothing beneath indicated sign of life. He waited for a short time before he tried again but without getting the response he wanted so he called out, Freddy! Some movement followed and nothing more. Freddy! He called out even louder. And like someone awaking from a deep sleep which was actually the case, he threw off his blanket and sat up on the bench living Gary to wonder how anybody could fall into deep sleep on a street with dangers everywhere. Now fully awake, Freddy took a look at the fellow sited by his side and asked in a casual manner, what do you want?

I’m here to talk to you, Gary responded

And who are you? Freddy said, staring Gary directly in the eyes.

I’m an officer of the LAPD, he responded with the air of someone in authority.

And what do you wanna talk to me about?

Some incidence that happened many years ago!

What incident? Freddy said and continued to probe this stranger he wasn’t really interested talking with.

A girl you used to know had a party, someone got shot then she disappeared and has not been seen since then. And as Gary said that, he noticed how Freddy suddenly light up but even then the response that followed wasn’t exactly what he expected. And why do you think I’m interested in that shit? Freddy reacted.

You used to hang out with this girl before the incident, Garry continued.

You must be talking about the bitch named Isabel for sure. If you must know I went to her place only once but I’ve not forgotten. Actually what took you guys so long? It’s this day I’ve been lying here waiting for all this time. You guys finally decided to pay up, ha? So I was right! I knew she did it! I hope you came along with my money.

What money are you talking about? I don’t understand what you are trying to make out of this.

What? Is that how you wanna play? Alright! Let the game begin! I don’t know what you are talking about either, okay? So get out of here and leave me the fuck alone ‘cause I need me some rest. If you think you can zero down on me like that, evade my privacy and toss me around like a coin ‘cause you are a cop, then you need to learn some-n about Freddy, okay? Bullshit! Freddy signaled to make a retreat but Gary shouted, please wait! I’m here to help you, Freddy!

The only help I’ll ever get from any of you LAPD guys is that I get paid what you owe me. Yelp! You and your pals had some money put to the head of that guy the bitch murdered, right? I came up with all the tips you needed some fucking years back to help you solve the case but up till this day I never heard anything more from your end. And now, all of sudden, you crept in here like the fucking snake and wanna talk to me some more like I’m some kind of idiot or something. Bullshit! Look at me! I said look at me! I may not have fancy clothes on, but I’m a grown man! I ain’t no butt licker, damn it! I ain’t crazy either! Listen, I don’t get in nobody’s business and I don’t want anybody get in mine so please get your ass of my bench and get out of here, okay? You need to leave me alone unless you have my money, then we talk man to man. Otherwise hit the street right away! And I mean every damn shit out of my fucking mouth.

I don’t have any money for you Freddy! Gary said. And you know why? Is because I don’t know what you’re trying to make of this. But if it’s what I’m thinking, then you need wait until a court of law proves she did what you said she did then LAPD may consider paying you any money. And if you ask me, this will happen quicker if we find Isabel. This is why I’m here to ask you help me find her.

I ain’t saying shit to you no more, okay? I already done my bit but if you guys are so slow with finding that bitch why am I gonna suffer the consequences, eh? You go ahead and leave me out of it ‘cause I don’t get mixed up with bullshit, feel me?

Freddy you may be helping yourself if you choose to pay attention to what I have to say to you.

I ain’t got nothing to do with you anymore fella! So why don’t you just leave, eh? Freddy continued.

I may have to ask you to come with me to the Police Department, Gary tried intimidating him.

You’ve got nothing on me, okay? And I ain’t going nowhere with you ‘cause I don’t wanna talk to nobody about nothing! All I did is lying down here on this bench, okay? So leave me the hell alone and get out of here! Freddy reacted and Gary could see he meant business.

Your sister says she loves you, Gary said thinking that will get` Freddy to cooperate.

Which one of them? He asked casually.

Naomi!

I love her too. She told you where to find me, didn’t she?

Yes, she did, Gary responded. She and the kids want you back home.

How can you say you love somebody and set them up with the damn Police? Get what I’m saying? It is all about treachery. Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about. I like it out here and I’m gonna live and die here. To hell with Naomi and her kids! I couldn’t care less! Bullshit!

Ok! I’m gonna cut you a deal, Gary continued.

What deal are you gonna cut a man you refused his money, ah?

I’m gonna get you to go for Rehab. I’ll do all the paper work and then come get you, what about that?

What for? You don’t get it, do you? The only conversation there will ever be between me and you guys will have to do with the money you owe me, otherwise, I ain’t sealing and ain’t buying shit from no body. Get it now?

You may wanna move into a shelter Freddy. Is not safe out here!

Alright! I think we are done, so good bye my friend! And Freddy withdraws into his blanket.

Gary tried the much he could to get him into talking some more without success, disappointed, he left and headed home. All through his drive, his mind continued to wonder about the gun in his car. If only he could find Isabel to confirm the information he got from Carissa that would settle the matter for him for good. But he is now beginning to fear that finding her on his own is something that will probably never happen. Once again, he considered turning in the gun to fellow officers but on a second thought he dropped the idea. Turning the gun in is not even good for him because a lot of questions will come up from that single act. How could he explain how the gun got to his house in the first place? And how could he say he was not aware that the object has been in his house all this time? Eventually he decided to keep the whole thing to himself and continued to work underground till he digs up something to shed more light on Isabel and her whereabouts and then other matters will be sorted out.

Chapter Twenty-Three
 

F
or the second week, Carissa stayed away from work. Most of the time, she would be in her room doing nothing in particular but lying on the bed and staring on the TV ‘cause she seemed to have lost interest in everything. Actually, she’s been in and out of depression many times and had eaten very little that she lost some weight. But then her latest friend Angela was doing all she could to talk her out of it all. Even then, Angela herself was convinced her friend was having real bad time.

Carissa more or less made up with Cindy years back so her problems right now are not strictly coming from the apartment she shared with the other two girls. Tasha is not even remembered so often so what she is going through is purely a Carissa’s thing. A conflict within self as she struggled to unravel the direction she truly wants to lead her life and how to go about realizing her actual intents. She is not the typical whore because her perception of the self is of something nobler than what life’s circumstances splashed on her pretty face. She has equally tried the best she could to make the necessary adjustments in this state of life she found herself, but how do you wear a shoe not your seize and want it fit? It just won’t. Yet in Carissa’s situation, she has been dragging a pair of oversized shoes a long time and coping till this time when she just couldn’t go further.

As she laid on her bed now and staring at the horror movie ‘The midnight meat train’ roll by, a text message came through and she didn’t waste time with a reply. Angela, I’ll call you latter so we can talk about it.

That was good enough for her friend who never expects much from Carissa these days. Angela was even thankful she showed some positive signs at all and felt a sense of satisfaction with all her efforts in preventing a downhill tumbling.

And like she said, Carissa gave a thorough consideration to the message before she dialed up her friend. Angela you know I’m not in the mood for night club dancing this time around, don’t you?

I know! But you need to get out of the house, Carissa. You can’t be lying there all day long permitting your mind wonder to who knows where. Let’s go dancing like we do every now and then or do something else. I mean anything that can take your mind away from whatever is bugging you this much will be ok. That’s not gonna hurt Carissa! Friday night dance is the recipe for every girl’s ill. You know that!

Ok, how do I go dancing without a guy? You know I broke up with Francis and I’m not actively dating right now.

You are never gonna dance alone, babe! My boyfriend’s buddy is coming with us.

I don’t really know if I wanna do this! She said but Angela was unrelenting and at the end prevailed. Alright! Alright! Carissa said. I’ll think about it and give you a call.

And it took Carissa few days to make up her mind to get out of the house and see how that could help so she put out the Call to Angela.

So you wanna go? Her friend asked excitedly.

I’ll give it a try!

After a short conversation, the girls settled for the coming Friday.

We go in my car. How about that? Angela suggested.

I always go in someone else’s car anyways. And is always someone to hook me up with some guy or something ‘cause I never do anything right for myself. I just can’t explain it.

It doesn’t matter Carissa, continued Angela. Everyone has his own chance. May be yours is soon to come, understand? I’m sure you’ll be ok but you need to stop worrying about everything.

I can’t help it! Things come up and you got to deal with them, get what I’m saying! Anyways I’m gonna go dancing with you guys if that will make you happy, Carissa said.

At 10pm on that Friday night, Angela called and Carissa was already waiting so she quickly added some finishing touches to her make up and ran outside to join her friend.

Edwin Angela’s friend who she recognized and another guy she is meeting for the first time, were in the car, so she just said hi and took her place before the drive began.

Carissa, the guy sitting beside you is Ray. Ray Anderson, the guy added. Ray, meet my friend Carissa! Carissa I’m gonna warn you first hand though, with Ray, hold your ribs with your hands ‘cause he’s gonna make you laugh real good!

As it turned out, in a short time the foursome was chattering away like old pals as the car sped towards the club and just like Angela promised, Ray had lots of tomfooleries up his sleeves and it was all laughter inside the car till they stepped into the floor of the night club?

Once in there, Carissa chose to inter her sorrows for the moment and joined the crowd. She danced, drank whatever she wanted, and was all over the place having so much fun like the rest till the end. But by the time it was over, there was no doubt something new was steeping for Carissa and Ray and before she got out of the car it was with a promise from Ray, “baby, I’m gonna give you a call.”

The calls started coming so early too. In the next few days Ray stayed with his phone and Carissa at positive receiving end ‘cause she felt something for him at first sight but that is a secret only her knows, at list for the instance.

I wanna see you again, Ray told her during one of such calls and she quickly accepted. When do we meet? He asked.

Right now I’m ain’t working and may stay home for another week so before the week runs out will be the ideal time.

“I’ll be at your place on Saturday so we can go watch ‘Jane Eyre ‘showing on Wilshire,” Ray suggested. And as it turned out, is like Ray read her mind by that proposition since the Movie turned out great for both of them but especially for her. Anything about a girl losing his parents, hit so hard by faith but endured and withered the storm was welcomed by Carissa. At the end of it, she could not but express her appreciation. You wanna come with me to my apartment for dinner? She asked.

Thanks for asking babe but that will be for another time. However I promise you we gonna have a lot to do together. He then drove her home and left right away.