Page 42 of Quasim III: King Inferno

“Good. I wanted to give you a chance to speak with me… I know I’m very busy and the last time we sat down, my attention was elsewhere. However, I know that you wanted to discuss that missing girl.”

I didn’t have the chance to make up some bullshit excuse as to why I ambushed her at her office. That missing girl was the first thing on my mind after just meeting with that journalist that had been found murdered.

“No worries… it was something about that missing girl. It’s all handled now.”

DA Fern raised her eyebrow. “She’s found and reunited with her mother? If I remember correctly, it was your case.”

“I’ve been following up some leads that I’ve gotten regarding one of the motorcycle gangs in the city. We get reports about girls going missing, bodies, and fires all over the city. My hope is to bring that girl home.”

She took another bite of her hotdog and looked me over. I wanted to make her uncomfortable. As she looked at me, slowly chewing, I studied to see if she was becoming uncomfortable, and she never showed any signs of being nervous.

“Detective Parker, we both know the motorcycle gangs within the city would not take a random girl, and if they did, they would for sure let us know the reason. Do you have any more information on her? A Black girl comes to New York City and goes missing… we need more hustle when it comes to this case. We both know if her skin was as light as yours… she would be on the Today show.”

“She moved here from Kansas City last year. Her mother says communication was fine for a while, and then it fell off…I’ve been looking over all the case files while trying to become familiar with everything since?—”

“I think we should look into applying some pressure. Getting warrants for some of their stash houses… we know of the Inferno Gods, Brooklyn Reapers, and the Brooklyn Bullies. With the journalist being connected to the Brooklyn Bullies… the killer could be connected to them.” I cut Irie off because she was talking too damn much.

“Chrome Vipers and Del Devils have been frequenting the area often as well. I was speaking with a friend who works for a whole task force that deals with gangs, and they have included some of the motorcycle gangs within the areas. These days, they’re not only looking at the bloods and crips.” I wanted to reach out and punch her in the throat because she was speaking too much.

DA Fern wrinkled her nose like she smelled shit and tossed the rest of her hotdog away. “I have a meeting soon to meet the task force. Detective Parker, I am not putting my signature on a warrant for you to fish out your suspicions unless you have proof.”

“There’s plenty of proof. We’re out here in the streets and we hear things.”

She fixed her coat as her phone sounded. “We both knowhearingthings doesn’t hold up in court.Hearingthings doesn’t get the conviction. I like to think of this like football… you get me what I need, and I take it over the touch down line. Unfortunately, you have nothing for me to use… I do want something on this damn serial killer that is haunting this city. He has us looking inadequate, and I don’t like it one bit.”

“Most definitely.” I bit the inside of my cheek.

Irie went to take a personal call, leaving both me and DA Fern to stare at one another. “Also, I am concerned about a few cases I noticed that have been cold… both were kicked to yourdesk with no updates or follow through. When I heard that you have gone without a partner for some time, I pulled some strings to get you another woman…. I know exactly how it feels to have to run with a bunch of men.” She paused and looked. “Detective Hill seems eager to learn the ropes, and you have made a name for yourself, Parker.”

Irie decided to join us again. “I apologize about that.”

“Ladies, I have a meeting to get to across the city. I’ll have my assistant schedule something for us to touch base, okay? Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to meet with me.”

“Sounds amazing… thank you again, DA Fern, for even making the trip to Brooklyn to visit us.” Irie shook her hand, and I offered a weak smile.

“Looking forward to it.”

The rumble of an engine sounded as we watched a muscle car speed through the streets, causing all of us to turn to watch it fly by like a blur. “The street racing is another issue we’ve been dealing with as well. You got the Cruzari family ripping through Brooklyn like it’s their personal racetrack.” I mentioned.

She smiled. “Parker, if they’re not leaving bodies all over the city, then quite frankly, I don’t care. Let the uniforms handle them.”

DA Fern turned to leave, leaving me and Irie standing there watching her leave the park. “Welp, I’m going to have an actual lunch because she put some fire under our asses.”

Me: Answer me now, Red!

Me: DA Fern is going to be a problem… we need to handle her.

Blair

Recommendation: Listen to Grand Piano by Nicki Minaj

Imagine givingbirth to a baby that never took its first breath. Having to hold that baby and pretend you were nourishing that baby with your milk. The pain didn’t end once they carefully took the baby away from you, wrapping it in a receiving blanket while you sobbed so hard that the tears refused to fall.

They refused to fall because you had used every bit of water in your body. Cried for the life that you had to send back home. The one that you promised God you would protect and then failed. The pain didn’t end once that baby was gone.

Pain was having to walk back into your doctor’s office within the same week for a checkup to make sure everything was going well with your body. I didn’t get to push a pretty stroller in while waddling in soreness from giving life to the angel I pushed out.

There was no husband there to take over with the baby while I climbed up on the examination table and the doctor asked me lighthearted questions about sleeping and breast feeding. The reality was that I walked into this office with a black hoodie on, and oversized sweats that I had taken from the closet that were dirty.

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