Page 90 of More Than a Hero
“But I said no,” Robert added quickly. “I’m not about that anymore. I told Detective Pete. I told Jeremy, too. They got Lashawn now—but Tamarcus wasn’t there that day, but I know they’re looking for him.”
Jimmy let out a slow breath, everything shifting inside his chest. “And now he’s here. With Mr. Marty.”
Before Robert could respond, the sound of tires and chattering voices rolled in from the sidewalk.
Darius and Mike arrived first, kicking up bits of gravel as they dropped their bikes. Curly, Kyron, and Rasheem followedclose behind, then Jalen, Caleb, Tony, and David. The entire crew had biked over to see the grandparents.
Jimmy stood and waved them over fast. “Back here. Quiet.”
They ducked behind the building one by one, crowding into the narrow space between the hedge and the brick wall. They were a flurry of legs and arms as their voices dropped to urgent whispers.
“What’s going on?” Tony asked.
“Who’s in there?” added David.
Jimmy leaned in. “Tamarcus. He’s in with Mr. Marty right now.”
Robert crossed his arms. “He’s dangerous. I saw him with Lashawn. He’s part of it. The drugs, the gangs… all of it.”
That shut everyone up.
Rasheem frowned. “Why would Mr. Marty let him in?”
Jimmy shook his head. “He don’t know. He just thinks Tamarcus is some long-lost great-nephew.”
The boys all stilled as the sound of footsteps came from around the corner. Barely breathing, the boys all looked at Jimmy as though he was now their leader. He tried not to make a sound as he listened to the steps stop just around the corner. Then a knock on the door, and a familiar voice drifted through the air.
“Hey, Mr. Marty, it’s Angie!”
Jimmy’s eyes snapped to the walkway as he peeked over the shrubs. Ms. Angie was at Mr. Marty’s door, her tote bag slung over her shoulder.
“Wait!” Tony gasped. “She’s going inside!”
Robert surged forward a step but stopped, too far away to reach her in time without blowing everything.
The boys all froze, helpless, as the door opened again. Tamarcus was the one who answered it. And Angie stepped right inside. The door clicked shut.
“No, no, no,” Jimmy muttered, fists clenched. “She doesn’t know. She’s in there with him.”
Robert pulled out his phone fast. “I’m calling Pete.”
Everyone waited, watching him, holding their breath.
He frowned. “Voicemail.”
He swallowed hard, then left the message in a low, urgent voice. “Detective Pete, it’s Robert. Tamarcus is here. Um… not at my place but in Mr. Marty’s place. The guys are with me. Uh… and Ms. Angie just walked in too. You gotta get here. Please. Call me back.”
He ended the call and looked around at the others. The younger boys were wide-eyed, the older ones visibly rattled.
Jimmy’s heart thudded so hard it felt like it echoed in his ears. Angie and Mr. Marty were in that room with someone they knew wasn’t safe. They were crouched behind the shrubs at the end of the building, next to Mr. Marty’s apartment. Jimmy’s eyes kept darting toward the parking lot, visible through the small gaps between the branches. The black sedan hadn’t moved, but it was hidden in plain sight. “We can’t just sit here,” he said under his breath, more to himself than the group.
Robert looked up. “We called Pete. What else?—”
“I can’t wait,” Jimmy cut in. His jaw was tight. “Ms. Angie’s in there. She doesn’t know. She thinks Tamarcus is just family or something.”
He stood abruptly, brushing dust off his jeans. “I’m going in,” he said. “At least they won’t be in there alone.”
Some of the boys started to argue, but Jimmy was already pointing. “Darius, Robert—you two go back around, stay by the back wall near the end unit. That’s Mr. Marty’s place. I’ll see if I can get to the bathroom window to tell you what’s happening inside.”
