"Look," Nia cut in, giving her partner a look. "We're not trying to make this difficult. We just want to know if you have any information about who fired the shots. Were you carrying a weapon that night?" I almost laughed.
"Y'all really think I'ma answer that?"
"So that's a yes," Morrison said.
"That's a no comment." I crossed my arms. "And unless y'all got something else, I think we done here."
Morrison looked like he wanted to argue, but Nia touched his arm. "Give us a minute?" she said to him. "Let me talk to him alone. Old friends, you know."
He looked annoyed but nodded. "Five minutes. I'll be outside."
Zurie looked at me, and I gave her a slight nod. She left too, heading toward the kitchen but I knew she was listening.
Once it was just me and Nia, the energy in the room shifted.
She walked over to the window, looking out at the view, then turned back to me.
"You really did good for yourself, Sosa. I heard your name around over the years, but I never thought this would be you, but here you are."
"Here I am," I said, staying standing, keeping some distance between us. "And you a cop now. That's crazy."
"Is it?" She smiled slightly. "I always said I wanted to help people, remember? You used to clown me for it. remember you use to say I was too soft for the hood."
"I remember." I did, vaguely. She had been one of those kids who actually believed she could make a difference. I'd thought she was naive back then.
"Sontae," she said, her voice dropping lower, more serious, "I'ma be real with you. Morrison wants to bring you in for questioning, maybe even charge you with something. He thinksyou're the one who pistol-whipped Darren Jackson, that's the guy in the hospital. And he thinks you might've been one of the shooters."
"And what you think?" "I think..." She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"I think you probably had your reasons. I know Zach McDonald’s reputation. I know what he's been trying to do by causing problems." I didn't say anything back I only listened.
"But here's the thing," she continued, taking a step closer. "They're going to keep digging. They're going to keep questioning people, pulling footage, trying to build a case. Morrison's like a dog with a bone, he doesn't let shit go. And eventually, they might find something that sticks."
"So what you saying?"
"I'm saying..." She glanced toward the door, making sure Morrison wasn't coming back in yet. "I'm saying I could help you. Make sure certain things don't get looked at too closely. Make sure certain witnesses don't feel pressured to say things that might not be... entirely accurate. I still got love for the for people I grew up with." I raised an eyebrow.
"You offering to help me cover shit up?"
"I'm offering to help an old friend navigate a complicated situation." She pulled out her phone, scrolling through something. "But I can't do it for free, Sontae. I got bills too. I got a life I'm trying to build. Being a cop don't pay as much as people think."
"How much?"
"We can work out the details later. Cash, obviously. But there's something else. It’s something that could benefit both of us long-term." She turned her phone toward me, showing me what looked like an event invitation.
“What’s that?”
"It’s a Captain's Ball coming up in two weeks. It’s a big charity event, with all the higher-ups. Everyone of importance will be in attendance, including the Police Chief."
"And?"
"And if you came with me as my date, I could introduce you. Get you in good with him." She put her phone away, looking me dead in the eye. "Chief Reynolds is the type of man who appreciates... let's say, financial contributions to the right causes. You scratch his back, he scratches yours. Suddenly your club gets reopened faster, investigations get closed quicker, future problems get handled before they become problems."
I studied her face, trying to figure out if this was a setup. But she looked genuine like she was really trying to help.
"You want me to pay off a police chief," I said slowly.
"I want you to make a strategic investment in your future." She smiled. "And look good in a tux while doing it. Think about it, you get your club back, you get protection from future issues with Zach or anybody else, and you get a direct line to one of the most powerful men in the police department. All for the price of a donation and one night in a suit."