Free Indeed

  Free Indeed

  Bailey West

  Copyright © 2018 by Bailey West

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design by Cover Couture

  Photos (c) Depositphotos

  For Deira

  Contents

  Before you read…

  1. Samuel

  2. Averie

  3. Averie

  4. Averie

  5. Samuel

  6. Samuel

  7. Samuel

  8. Samuel

  9. Averie

  10. Averie

  11. Averie

  12. Averie

  13. Averie

  14. Averie

  15. Samuel

  16. Samuel

  17. Samuel

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Bailey West

  Before you read…

  This is the conclusion to Serving Time. If you haven’t read part one, get that one first because this one picks up where that one left off.

  Happy reading.

  Samuel

  “I have a meeting with my real estate broker tomorrow. I’m considering purchasing some property on the south side of the city. There is a block of two-family flats that are slated for demolition.”

  “What would you do with the property?” Xavier asked.

  Xavier and I were leaving the courthouse after a swift judgment on behalf of our client, a small pharmaceutical company that was being bullied by one of the larger drug companies.

  “I’m not sure. I’m thinking about building some affordable housing. Maybe put together a program to help families get into the houses at a low fixed interest rate.”

  “I like that idea. You could work out something with the small local banks to provide the loans. Then the firm could…”

  I was listening to Xavier, but something in my peripheral caught my attention causing my blood to rush and prompting me to action. A hooded person was running towards us pointing a gun.

  “XAVIER, GET DOWN!”

  I pushed Xavier down onto the courthouse steps just as I heard something whiz past my ear. That whiz was followed by a quick succession of what felt like fireballs ripping through my body.

  “AHHHH!” I cried out in pain. I knew I had been shot.

  Hearing commotion all around me, people screaming, car tires screeching and sirens blaring, I was paralyzed but could feel Xavier underneath me pushing to free himself. I wanted to move, but my body seemed…heavy. I was unable to lift myself.

  Xavier pushed hard enough to free himself, subsequently pushing me onto my back.

  “El! El!”

  I heard him calling my name, but the searing pain was utterly unendurable. It felt like someone threw a match after dousing me with an ample amount of an accelerant, setting my entire body ablaze.

  The intense, constant throbbing in my head made me dizzy and nauseous. I closed my eyes in the hopes that some of the pain would be relieved.

  My lips involuntarily shook with the tale-tale sign of being cold, but that sensation never reached my brain because the only temperature I felt was heat.

  A great deal of pain emanated from my right side. Moving my hand there to access the damage resulted in me seeing a dark red, almost black liquid covering my hand.

  Is that my blood?

  “It’s okay, El. It’s okay,” Xavier said as he held my head in his hands.

  “Yeah,” I strained. “It’s okay.”

  “What the hell! El?” I heard Ray say before he came into view. He kneeled beside me, pulling off his suit jacket and using it to apply pressure to the wound on my side causing me to wince in pain.

  “SOMEBODY!” Ray called out in a panic. “CALL NINE ONE ONE!”

  “We got you, El,” Xavier said while tears rolled down his face.

  I glanced up and saw blood coming from his shoulder. I couldn’t process it totally, but it appeared that he had been shot too.

  “El, man. Hold on. The ambulance is coming,” Raymond said.

  “Stay awake, El. Keep your eyes open. Breathe,” Xavier instructed.

  I nodded and focused on breathing in and out, keeping my eyes open and staying awake even though all those tasks were getting harder by the second.

  “X…” I said.

  “Save your strength, El. It’s okay.”

  “X…” I tried again. “I don’t know if I’m going to make it.”

  “We got you, bro,” Ray said.

  “Vee, Mom and Torrey, take care of them for me.”

  I made sure to look at both Ray and Xavier.

  “Naw man, you are going to take care of them yourself,” Ray said.

  I watched Xavier look up with wide eyes full of hope, “The ambulance is here, El. Hold on.”

  I didn’t recognize it immediately, but everything around me had lost its color. I only saw gray. Voices were not as loud anymore, and I was fighting to keep my eyes open. I was dying.

  “El!” I heard in the distance, “Open your eyes, Bro. Stay with us.”

  I wanted to stay, but I knew that I was going. I wasn’t afraid or sad. I was disappointed that there were some things I’d failed to do, but it was too late now.

  I lost the battle to keep my eyes open. It was too much work.

  I felt people pulling and tugging on me, but eventually their touches became lighter and lighter. After a while, I didn’t hear or feel anything.

  This was it…

  Averie

  Following closely behind Laila as she burst through the emergency room doors of the hospital, I could barely breathe. My heart was racing, my chest was tight, and my mind was full of all the worst scenarios possible.

  I needed information, and I needed it now.

  “We are here for Mr. Samuel Valentine. He was just brought in by ambulance,” Laila said to the woman at the front desk.

  I didn’t hear the woman’s response before she got up from her seat and went through a door behind her. I caught a glimpse of Raymond when she opened the door.

  “Ray!” I called out.

  His head shot up, and we locked eyes before the door closed blocking my view. I started around the desk to go through the same door the woman had just gone through.

  “Ma’am,” I felt someone touch me, “You can’t go back there.”

  I put my hand on the door to push it open.

  “Ma’am,” the person’s voice was sterner.

  “My family is back there,” I responded without looking in their direction.

  “I’ve got her. Please don’t touch her,” I heard Laila say. She directed me back to the other side of the front desk to wait for the woman to return.

  The front desk lady reappeared.

  “I can show you to the family waiting room.”

  “What does that mean? Where is Samuel?” I asked. “I just saw his assistant in the back. If I could just go back there and speak with him, I’m sure he will have some information on Samuel’s condition.”

  “No, he won’t. He’s with the police detective right now. We don’t have any information on Mr. Valentine because he is with the doctors. I can show you to the family waiting room.”

  “That doesn’t work for me. I need to know where he is now! If you can’t help me then find someone who can! These incompetent ass people that can’t answer a simple question! Where is your supervisor? Humph? Maybe they are better suited for the hard questions…”

  “Vee,” Laila calmly said, “Let’s just follow her to the waiting room.”

  “Sweetie, wake
up.”

  Sitting up instantly, I looked around to gauge my surroundings taking in the white walls with pastel colored wallpaper, seafoam green cushioned chairs and a television in the corner currently showing the evening news. I was still in the hospital waiting room.

  “Did something happen? Is El okay?” I asked while still looking around.

  “He hasn’t come out of surgery yet. I woke you up because you looked like you were having a bad dream. You were crying,” Keeva explained.

  I put my hand to my face and felt the moisture from the tears that had fallen while I was dreaming…more accurately having a horrible nightmare.

  “I was having an awful dream. Thank you for waking me. I don’t even know how I was able to doze off.”

  “Girl, sometimes your body will just shut down on you. You don’t have a choice in the matter.”

  “Was I asleep long?”

  “No, it was only a few minutes. Mommy and Daddy just parked the car. They are on the way up. Kenzie is in the studio, but I left her a message.”

  Keeva was the first of my family to arrive at the hospital. My father called me right after he saw the news report to ask where I was. He and my mother were on their way to me. I told him that Laila was taking me to the hospital so he said they would meet me there.

  Feeling an overwhelming amount of nervous energy, I stood and walked to the opposite side of the room choosing a seat next to Vivian and Torrey. I held Vivian’s hand while she quietly wiped tears away.

  Xavier walked into the waiting room with his arm in a sling, followed by Countee and Ray.

  “Xavier,” I stood to meet him, “How are you?”

  He reached out to hug me with his free arm. I hugged him, careful not touch the sling resting on his back. I examined his white dress shirt that he’d obviously changed into because I could see dried blood on his gray suit pants but none was on his shirt.

  Was that his blood or Samuel’s blood?

  “I’m fine. The bullet went straight through my arm. Any word on El yet?”

  I shook my head.

  “We’d just come out of the courthouse, and a guy walked up from out of nowhere and opened fire. El jumped and pushed me down…” He roughly wiped his tears with his hand, “He saved me and sacrificed himself. I stayed with him until the paramedics came. I asked to ride in the ambulance with him, but they were so busy looking at my arm! I should have stayed with him to make sure they did what they were supposed to do!”

  “Naw, bro,” Countee started, “You didn’t have a choice in the matter. You heard the doctor tell you that if they hadn’t stopped the bleeding on your wound, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

  “I’m fine,” Xavier objected.

  “No, he’s not. The doctors wanted him to stay overnight for observation, but he refused,” Countee explained.

  “Xavier, you should listen to the doctor and stay overnight just to be safe,” Vivian cautioned.

  “Momma V, I can’t. I honestly cannot sit in some hospital room nursing a superficial wound while my best friend is fighting for his life. I will take it easy, but I can’t stay here,” Xavier maintained.

  “I will keep an eye on him. His aunt and uncle are on the way,” Countee said.

  “Was Samuel awake when you left him, Xavier?” Vivian asked.

  “We, uh…I talked and told him it was going to be okay. He was in and out of consciousness, but when the paramedics loaded him onto the gurney, he was awake,” he scrubbed his face with his hand, then looked around the room.

  “Come and sit down, Xavier,” Torrey said while directing him to an empty seat.

  I wished this was part of a dream. I wished I could wake up and be in El’s arms telling him about my day. Listening to his heartbeat while I laid on his chest and he rubbed my back.

  Ray stood in the corner of the room looking down at his hands.

  “Ray?” I asked as I approached him. He too had changed out of his shirt. He had on a hospital scrub top with his suit pants. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  “No, I’m not hurt. I was just going around the corner to get the car…I should’ve been there for him the way he’s always been there for me.”

  “The timing was just off, Ray. That’s all.”

  “No, he’s never been late for me. I just…seeing him down like that…feeling his blood on my hands…I…this shit is ridiculous. Then the cops are asking me questions instead of me being in the room with him…”

  He let out a breath then slid to the floor and put his head between his legs.

  I got down on the floor with him and held him while he cried.

  “Ray!” Savannah, his wife, said when she entered the waiting room.

  “Are you hurt? What’s going on?”

  I stood to give her the space she needed to console her husband.

  Roc burst into the waiting room, looking around anxiously until he found us in the corner. Coco and two unfamiliar guys followed behind them.

  “Momma V!” Roc rushed over to Vivian, “What happened?”

  He pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her, “Have the doctors said anything?”

  “No, they haven’t,” Vivian cried.

  “I’m going to go and find out what the fu…heck is taking so long,” Roc moved away from Vivian headed out of the room.

  “No, Roc,” Countee stepped in front of him placing his hand on Roc’s shoulder.

  Roc slapped Countee’s hand off of him. Countee took in a deep breath and stepped back.

  “Let them do their work. They will come and find us,” Countee finished.

  “Who the fuck did this shit to my brother?” Roc looked at Countee waiting for him to answer.

  “I have my best guys on it. We’re looking…”

  “Naw, fuck that!” Roc yelled. He turned to speak to the guys that came into the room with him. “I want the street gutters running with blood until you find who shot my brother. If you ask somebody and they don’t give you enough information, take em out. If you ask somebody and they know the nigga but can’t tell you where he is, take ‘em out. If you can’t find this nigga find his momma, daddy, grandma, kids…if they share the same bloodline, kill all of ‘em.”

  The guys nodded their understanding.

  “No! Roc!” Vivian yelled, “This is not what Samuel would want.”

  “Somebody that shot my blood is walking around right now in my city, and they think they are safe? No, Momma V. This nigga and everybody that knew what he planned on doing is dying tonight!”

  “Roc, please! Coco, please tell him this is not right!” Vivian cried.

  “Roc, come on baby. This is not the time to make decisions like this. Didn’t you tell me not to make rash decisions when I’m hurting or upset?” Coco said.

  “Now is not the time for lectures,” Roc fumed, “I don’t want to hear that shit. If it was one of your sisters, you would blow a neighborhood up over them.”

  “That’s true, and I will do it for El too but, I’m asking you for right now, please don’t send them out there blind,” Coco pleaded.

  “What the fuck is y’all still standing here for?” Roc looked at the two men.

  They turned to leave.

  “No!” Coco yelled.

  The men stopped then looked at Roc then Coco.

  Roc turned to Coco with a look that should have frightened her but she stood her ground.

  Roc threw up his hands and turned from Coco and the men.

  “Gizmo, Big Al, stand down and give us a minute please,” Coco spoke to the two guys. They both nodded then turned to leave.

  “Roc,” I spoke up, “We are all hurting, anxious, worried, and scared.”

  “Somebody shot my brother, Vee, in broad ass daylight. I can’t just stand around and do nothing!” Roc pleaded. “If these niggas done took my brother from me, this whole muthafuckin’ city will burn! On my word!” he finished while roughly wiping the tears from his face. “This is bullshit!” Roc yelled.

/>   “I know baby, I got you. I promise,” Coco consoled while wrapping him up in a hug.

  My mother rushed into the room followed closely by my father. They both walked to me and hugged me at the same time.

  “Have the doctors said anything?” My father asked.

  “No,” I shook my head, “They haven’t said anything yet.”

  “Are you okay?” my mother asked.

  “No,” I answered honestly. “I’m scared.”

  “I know,” my mother said while hugging me again. “Where is Vivian?”

  I motioned to the side of the room where Vivian sat.

  My mother went over to Vivian and held onto her while they both cried. My father led me back to the seats near Keeva.

  “What do you think that means, Daddy? Why haven’t we heard anything yet?”

  “I don’t know sweetheart.”

  My mother came over and sat next to me. I sat silently holding both my parents’ hands.

  The room had quieted, and the only noise was from the television. The story of El’s shooting was on the news cycle. There was a reporter outside the courthouse standing in front of the crime scene tape that was stretched around the perimeter of the courthouse. There was also a reporter outside Ankh Towers where the Valentine Law Office was located, reporting on the shooting as well.

  One reporter interviewed the police chief who vowed to find the gunman. The reporters interviewed eyewitness who really didn’t see anything because their stories were generic and unintelligible. Reporters always seemed to find that one person in the crowd with the least amount of sense and couth. I’d watched these types of interviews for years and never thought about how irritating it must be to see people using a tragedy to get fifteen seconds of fame.