Eventually, they called Marcus Hale ol’ bitch ass.
I sat up straighter the second he walked up there. I already knew what time it was with him, and just seein’ his face had that heat buildin’ in my chest all over again.
He got sworn in and took his seat, lookin’ calm like he wasn’t sittin’ on some dirty shit.
The prosecutor started askin’ him questions about the crime scene at my shop, and he answered like everything was normal.
He talked about the shell casings, the blood, the damage, and how everything looked when he got there. He spoke like he was just doin’ his job, like he ain’t make no choices that could affect my life.
My lawyer stepped in after that, and I knew what was comin’.
He leaned forward slightly. “Was there any other footage from the scene that hasn’t been presented to this court?”
Hale ain’t hesitate.
“No,” he said, just like that.
That shit hit me hard, ’cause I knew he was lyin’ like a muthafucka. I knew it for a fact, and I had to sit here and listen to it, not able to do shit about it.
I kept my face straight, but inside, my shit was boilin’.
I wanted to get up, walk straight over there, snatch that nigga off that stand and beat his ass in front of everybody in this bitch, but I ain’t move.
Renza and Kelli told me to chill, and I trusted them, so I held it in, even though every part of me was tellin’ me to crash out.
The rest of the questionin’ went on, but I ain’t hear half of it. My focus stayed locked on this nigga, watchin’ the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, and the way he lied like it was nothin’.
Eventually, court wrapped for the day, and everybody started movin’ out. Toni grabbed my hand again, holdin’ it tight, and I knew she felt that tension on me.
We walked out together with my family, headin’ toward the elevators, and that’s when I saw this fuck nigga again.
Hale was walkin’ past us, holdin’ a stack of papers and some files, movin’ like he ain’t have a care in the world.
My blood started heatin’ up all over again. I slowed down just a lil’, my eyes locked on him. Toni’s grip tightened on my hand like she already knew what I was thinkin’.
Then, outta nowhere, Kelli stepped in.
He bumped right into Hale, just enough to make everything in his hands drop to the floor.
“Damn, my fault,” Kelli said calm, already bendin’ down to help him pick everything up.
I watched the whole thing close.
Kelli moved smooth, pickin’ shit up and handin’ it back like it was an accident.
Hale muttered somethin’ under his breath, irritated, but he ain’t think nothin’ of it.
Kelli patted him on the back once. “You good,” he said, then stood up and walked off like nothin’ happened.
He passed right by me without even lookin’ at me, and I ain’t say shit. I just watched him go, and I already knew…
That nigga just did somethin’…
I ain’t know exactly what yet, but I knew Kelli, and I knew he ain’t move like that without a reason.
I let out a slow breath and looked back at Hale for a second before I turned away.
Whatever Kelli just did…
