Dontae’ giggled a bit but stopped short of a full laugh, being that it hurt when he did. “Vazquez doesn’t want to be found,” Dontae said.
“Which is why I found this,” She shows Dontae' the address.
Dontae’ whispered the address, then looks up, thinking.
“Yes, you are reading it right. It’s in the boonies,” Jessi confirmed. “He also had the goddamn doll from the crime scene in his closet. Cremated my ass; the damn thing nearly suffocated me.”
Dontae’ stands, “This goes deep. We got to get to Vasquez and find out who’s helping him manipulate evidence. He’s on the run so either he has something stashed at this place or he’s going there to hide away until he can leave town.”
“We need to make that trip asap. You Okay to get back to work?” She asks.
“Let me grab a shirt,” Dontae assured her, just as a set of keys rattled in the door. They heard the keys fall then go back to rattling in the door.
The two look at each other, knowing exactly who it was.
Sandy walked in to see her bare-chested boyfriend and his very sexy partner sitting on her sofa eating her cake. This was unacceptable. She knew all along that something was going on between them. Now she had confirmed it. He had the audacity to cheat on her while she was out buying groceries for this injured motherfucking asshole.
“What’s going on?” Sandy asks in an accusing manner.
“Talking about the case?” Dontae’ answers as he walks over, taking the groceries from her arms while placing a kiss on her cheek.
“Hi, Sandy,” Jessi said in an exceptionally sugary sweet voice. She knew Sandy didn’t like her, so she took the whole, kill them with kindness to a new level.
An “Eh” with an up-nod was Sandy's response. Her focus wasn’t on Jessi; it was on Dontae.
“Why don’t you have on any clothes?” she asked him as he placed the bag on the kitchen table.
“I got on clothes bae,” He answered innocently. He could tell Sandy was about to be on some bullshit, so it was time to shut this down. He gave Jessi the “it’s time to go." Look.
“I'll be in the car,” She snickered and headed for the door.
“Good idea, I'll be down as soon as-” he looked at Sandy. “Throw on some clothes.”
“Bye, Sand. Y- ea-h- okay.” She said as she transitioned out of the door. Dontae put his face in his hand, shaking his head. He didn’t have to worry about someone else trying to kill him because these two would be his death.
Sandy looks at Dontae, rolls her eyes, and storms into the bedroom.
“What?” Dontae laughed as he followed her.
“Baby, what? Why are you mad?” He snickered. “You said she was gay anyway,” He was now in an all-out laugh.
She slams the bedroom door in his face before he could cross the threshold, almost catching his nose.
“Heyyy. Don’t be like that.” He leans with his back against the wall next to the door. “Really though, I need you to go to Suwanee and stay with your mother for a while. I think it’s dangerous here.”
She finally opens the door, looking at him with fear in her eyes.
“I’ll go if you go with me.” Sandy could be feisty, spoiled, and a little bit jealous. Okay, a whole lot of jealous, but she was also smart, witty, beautiful, and caring. Dontae never doubted her love for him. She always worried about his safety, and Dontae’ loved her for it.
“I will come get you as soon as this is over. I promise.”
“Dontae’ I think you just need to let it go. Baby they tried to kill you!” Sandy argued.
“That’s exactly why I need to find out who’s behind this.”
“So, what I say doesn’t matter?”
“Yes it does, baby,” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “How about this, when this is over, we take that vacation we’ve been planning? Just you and me.”
Sandy wasn’t swayed but decided to let it go. “Just be careful. You don’t owe anyone anything. Especially your life.” Dontae nodded; bending down, he places a chaste kiss on her soft lips.
“I love you; I need you to trust me.” He whispered. Sandy nodded.
“I love you too.”
CHAPTER VII
Dontae and Jessi pull up at a modest house in a secluded area where he thought only farmers resided. The rain had subsided, but the night air was still a bit chilly. The light-colored brick house had a small garage just to the left of a large bay window left of a small wooden front door. The exceptionally green grass was manicured to perfection. This looked like a good old fashion family home. What was a Vasquez doing at a place like this?
Dontae’, looking at the house confused, “is this the right place? I was expecting an abandoned barn or something.”
“If Vasquez can afford two houses on his salary, I need to renegotiate my contract,” Jessi remarks.
“It's the police department, not the NBA,” Dontae’ corrects her.
“Hey, I'm just saying. That would be dope. You know like, bust a few motherfuckers with a minimum guarantee, whoop a few asses with two three-year options.” She says excitedly.
Dontae’ couldn’t help but laugh. Something was seriously wrong with his partner. “Come on rookie.”
They get out of the car and walk to the front door, but upon approach, Dontae’ notices a broken windowpane and the smell of gasoline. They pull their guns and slowly step onto the porch. They can hear someone moving about the house. It appears that the person is thrashing the home and pouring gasoline all over. He nods to Jessi before kicking the door open.
Dontae’ shouts. “Put your hands up! NOW!”
A man who is facing the wall stops cold. He drops the gasoline can and raises both hands.
The house was homely decorated with what you would expect from an ordinary family home. The small brick fireplace was decorated with simple what-knots and family pictures. Dontae’ could barely see one of the
