“Well, damn. Y’all stay in some shit.”
Joi pushed out a long sigh. “No, actually we don’t, but he has some family stuff going on. Like some extremely deep stuff. He found out something about his mom that he never knew and took it real hard. He literally walked out of her house and won’t take her calls or mine. She’s in a really bad place, they both are, and I feel bad. I go by there every day just to sit with her. The whole thing is crazy.” Joi flashed back to that night. After East’s mom admitted she had been raped, they went back and forth about how she should have told him and how crazy it was that she married him. East couldn’t accept the fact that his father was a rapist and his mother stayed with him, so he walked out and nobody had heard from him.
“Oh, so you’re all in with the family, learning family secrets and shit. See, I told you that man was into you, but that’s messed up. I hope they figure it out.”
“Me too.” Joi shut her eyes briefly then shook away the thought. “I miss him, Ny.”
“Aww, boo. Sounds like he just needs a minute. If it’s as bad as you say it was, then he’s probably trying to wrap his mind around it without outside noise. Just be patient.”
“I’m trying.”
“You want to come hang tonight?” Nyelle knew she had plans with Vega, but her girl would always be a priority.
“No, I’m exhausted. I haven’t been sleeping well so I think I’m going to go by to check on his mom then go home to try and get some sleep.”
“Well if you change your mind and want some company, let me know. I got you, boo, always.”
Joi smiled hard, nodding. “I know and I love you for it.”
“Love you more.”
While Joi ended the call and prepared to lock up her shop for the day since she had finished her last client, Patterson sat outside in the parking lot, anxious and annoyed as he finished his call.
“I’m starting to think you’ve been lying to me this entire time. How the hell did you let the man disappear on you? I’m running out of time, which means you’re running out of time. Your brother will go to prison for the rest of his life and you’ll also do time for your role in it. Find him,now!” Patterson yelled to Asako before ending the call and throwing his phone against the windshield of his car. He was so angry that he didn’t care that both the phone and windshield were damaged in the process. Instead, he got out of his police issued vehicle and started toward the small shop he knew belonged to Joi. Patterson was desperate and that caused him to make mistakes he normally wouldn’t have. Patterson had been given two days to come up with the money he owed or his life was canceled.
Just as he hit the sidewalk, Joi walked out and was startled by the visual of a male figure behind her. She turned quickly, presenting a scowl at the sight of Patterson. She remembered everything about him from the night he arrested East.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Patterson gritted, wrapping his hand around Joi’s forearm so tightly she knew him being there was going to be a problem.
“Home and get your hand off me.”
Patterson smiled quickly in a cocky manner before he pushed the door to her shop open, shoving her inside. “I don’t think so. We need to talk.”
Joi didn’t trust him and knew he was a dirty cop, but she kept her cool, snatching away from Patterson. “I don’t have a damn thing to say to you. You can leave.”
“Not until you tell me where your little boyfriend is. He and I have some unfinished business, and if you don’t tell me how to find him, then I’m just going to have to stay on your ass until he shows up.”
“That’s cute but I have no issue filing a complaint if you attempt to ‘stay on my ass’. It’s called harassment, asshole.”
Patterson gritted his teeth. The last thing he needed was Joi at his job filing a report, so he lied. “You do that. I already have paperwork on you. Both of you. It’s only a matter of time before you’re served with it. I’ve been trying to help you out but clearly you don’t appreciate it. Even ifyourefuse to press charges, the state will. Your little boyfriend is going to jail whether you like it or not. Maybe for more than just assault too. I know all about him and what he does, sweetheart. It might be in your best interest to play nice with me. Maybe I’ll cut him a deal if you ask me the right way.” Patterson’s eyes swept Joi’s body as a slow smile surfaced.
“Fuck you and your deal. East doesn’t need me protecting him from your fake ass charges, and as for anything else you think you have on him, I’m sure he would have me tell you to suck his dick.”
Patterson was livid. So much so that he moved to his left and swiped his hand across the counter that held her desktop and promotional items. He then moved around the room, knocking things off the walls and shoving over what little furniture Joi kept in her waiting area.
She was caught off guard by the outburst and his rambling and froze, watching him go through what looked like a tantrum until Patterson finally faced her and yelled at the top of his lungs, “Where the fuck is he?”
“I... I’m not telling you.” Joi tried her best to sound confident but truthfully she had no clue where East was. She hadn’t talked to him in the past two days and wasn’t sure when she would.
“Fine, then let’s go.” Patterson reached for his cuffs, unhooking them from his waist as he took long strides toward Joi. She backed away and only stopped when her door chimed.
“The fuck going on in here?” East looked around the destroyed place then at Joi who had a horrified look on her face. In a matter of seconds, darkness took over.
“Ah, just the man I want to see. I was about to take your little girlfriend downtown and throw her into a holding cell until she fessed up about your whereabouts.”
East looked past Patterson at Joi, not bothered by anything that he was saying. “Come here.”
When Joi’s eyes left his and moved to Patterson, he demanded her attention once more. “Joi, don’t worry about him. Come here.”
