“Yeah.” Brandi wiped at her eyes with a crumpled tissue. “That’s all we can do, right? One day at a time.”
She was quiet for a moment, and I thought maybe she’d let me go. Let us escape from this nightmare and drive far, far away.
But then she grabbed my arm. Squeezed it.
“We’re gonna find him, Z. Whoever did this to my baby. We’re gonna find him.”
My heart stuttered. “The police are?—”
“Fuck the police.” Her voice was hard now. Angry. “They ain’t doing shit. But Zoo…” She glanced back toward the church, where Zoo was standing in the doorway, still watching us. “Zoo’s gonna handle it. He’s got connections with the Brick City Crew. You know them?”
I shook my head, even though the name made my stomach drop.
“They don’t play,” Brandi continued. “When they find out who did this, it’s over for them. Zoo’s gonna make sure whoever killed my son pays for it.”
I felt like I was going to throw up.
“That’s…” I swallowed hard. “That’s good, Brandi. I hope you get justice. I really do.”
“We will.” She hugged me, tight and fierce. “Take care of yourself, Z. And take care of that baby.”
“I will.”
I pulled away and walked toward the car on legs that felt like jelly.
The walls were closing in from every direction.
We drove in silence for ten minutes before anyone spoke.
We were all silent before Prime spoke up. “After winter break, Yusef goes to a different school.”
“Okay,” I said quietly. “Yeah. That makes sense. I’ve been wanting that for him anyway.”
“Good.” Prime reached over and took my hand. “We’re gonna get through this. All of us. Together.”
I wanted to believe him. I really did.
But as we pulled away from Greater Hope Baptist Church, I glanced in the side mirror and felt my blood turn to ice.
Zoo was standing at the curb, watching our car leave. Not moving. Not talking to anyone. Just standing there with his hands in his pockets, eyes locked on us like he was memorizing our license plate.
Like he was memorizing Yusef’s face through the back window.
I’ll be in touch.
The words echoed in my head, cold and final.
This wasn’t over. Not even close.
12
BRANDI
I watched that black Bentayga pull off from the curb, and something about it made my stomach twist.
Zahara was in the front seat, that big fine nigga with the pretty eyes, Prentice, behind the wheel, and Yusef in the back looking like he’d seen a ghost. They couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Damn near ran to that car soon as they finished talking to me.
Zoo came up beside me on the church steps, hands in his pockets, watching the same thing I was watching.
