Whitney
WHITNEY WAS PUTTING ONher earrings when she heard someone press the buzzer at their front gate. She affixed the gold backings on her diamonds, peered into the surveillance camera, allowed the sedan entry. When she opened her front door, Detective Revello was walking up her driveway.
“Detective,” said Whitney. She felt dizzy, put her hands on her knees, then righted herself.
“Are you all right?” said Detective Revello.
“I’m sorry,” said Whitney, trying not to faint. “Xavier has a lawyer, and any questioning you have will have to be conducted through him. Do you need the number?”
“I’m not here for Xavier,” said the detective. Whitney took a deep breath, her heart hammering.
He looked at her, his deep blue eyes calm and wise. Could he hear the thudding, the blood rushing in her ears? Here it was. Here it was. She tried to imagine him saying the words. He shook his head once, slowly.
She gazed into his eyes, thinking,Please.
In a barking command, Revello said, “Go ahead.”
From either side of him, two officers emerged. WasWhitney dreaming? They walked past her, into her house. Whitney said, “What the hell do you think you’re—”
But they were handcuffing Roma, who was standing in the hallway in pink pajamas. “You have the right to remain silent,” said a female officer, as Roma began to scream. “Anything you say can and will be used against you.”
“Mommy! No! Mommy!” shrieked Roma.
“We’re arresting your daughter for drug trafficking and possibly homicide,” said Salvatore.
“I’m calling our lawyer,” said Whitney.
“Feel free,” said Revello.
Roma had collapsed, shrieking. “I’m handcuffed!” she cried. “Mommy, stop them!”
Whitney picked up her phone from the counter. She dialed a nonsense number, pretended to be doing something to help her daughter. But she had already done everything she could to help her daughter.
This plan was the final plan, her last resort.
Pretending to wait for someone to answer, Whitney watched as the officers pulled Roma to her feet. Roma looked at Whitney, shaking her head. “I didn’t do anything, Mommy!” she cried. “At least let me get dressed!”
Xavier entered the hallway in his lifeguard shorts and T-shirt. “Mom, what’s happening?” he said, alarmed.
“Go back to your room,” she said.
The officers walked Roma to a squad car, helped her inside. She continued to cry and scream at her mother. “Why aren’t you stopping them, Mommy!” she screamed. “Mommy! Why aren’t you doing anything? Why are you standing there and letting them—” The officers closed the car doors, cutting off Roma’s voice.
Detective Revello watched Whitney. “You seem very…” he said.
“What?”
“You seem very calm,” said the detective. He turned and walked toward his car. Whitney put down her phone. When Detective Revello drove away, Whitney stood in the doorway of her home.
There was silence.
Finally, finally, there was silence.
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EVIDENCE FILE 202
THE STATE OF TEXAS VERSUS ROMA BROWNSON
