"I'm not catching no case."
"You pistol-whipped one of his guys, Sosa. The fucking camera’s caught everything. You don't think they trying to use that?"
Before I could respond, there was a knock at the door. Three sharp raps that cut through our conversation.
Zurie and I looked at each other.
"You expecting somebody?" she asked.
"Nah."
I stood up, automatically reaching for my glock tucked in my waistband as I walked to the door. I looked through the peephole and saw exactly what I didn't want to see, two people in suits.
"Shit," I muttered.
"What?" Zurie was up now, her voice went low.
"Detectives."
"Fuck. You want me to—"
"Just stay cool."
I took a breath, composed myself, and opened the door just enough to lean against the frame.
"Can I help you?"
The man pulled out a badge. He was a white dude, maybe early fifties, with gray hair and a permanent scowl etched into his face. "I’m Detective Morrison. This is Detective Williams. We're investigating the shooting at Club Bleu. Are you Sontae Maddox?"
"Depends on who asking."
"We are," Morrison said flatly. "We have some questions for you. Can we come in?"
"You got a warrant?"
"We're not here to search your property, Mr. Maddox. We just want to talk."
I looked past them at the unmarked car parked in my driveway, then back at their faces. The woman, Detective Williams was looking at me with this expression I couldn't quite read. Like she was trying to figure something out.
"My lawyer told me not to talk to y'all without him present," I said.
"We're not accusing you of anything," Williams said, her voice softer than her partner's. She was black, probably early thirties, her hair pulled back in a low bun. "We're just trying to get information about what happened. Multiple shots were fired, people were injured.
“We're trying to find out who was responsible."
"And you think I know?"
"It's your club," Morrison cut in. "You were there. So yeah, we think you might know something."
I was about to tell them to get the fuck off my property when Williams stepped closer, tilting her head slightly, and something in her face changed.
"Sosa?" she said, and there was recognition in her voice now. "Sosa from Dunbar high school?" I looked at her closer, really looked at her, and, her face finally registered for me.
"Nia?" I said, surprised.
A smile broke across her face, genuine and warm. "Oh my God, it is you. I thought that was you in the file photo, but I wasn't sure. Your hair is so long. You look different.”
"Yea somethin’ like that." I was still processing.