Page 71 of Just Like Summer

“Listen, I’ll be home in a minute, go with them. I’m cool. I promise. I’m coming back to you.”

The only thing running through Kamilla’s mind was Aunt J’s final words. She didn’t take her for a cop caller but the anxiety of it all made Kamilla’s mind race. Cairo put her behind him as he turned to face the group.

Hands up on the top of his head, surrendering with confidence. “I see y’all been looking for me. Let’s make this quick. I’d like to be home before my lady goes to sleep.”

The detective smirked. “I’m about to put you in a cell next to your friend.”

Cairo didn’t utter another word, just smirked as they cuffed and pulled him away.

“Nate, follow him,” Kamilla urged, pushing him in the direction behind the group of law enforcement officers.

Nate stopped mid-stride and looked at Dania and Kamilla. “Straight to the house. No bullshit.”

The minute he was out of earshot, Dania looked at Kamilla and asked, “We’re not going back to the house are we?”

“Nope. I think my aunt did this and I’m about to get to the bottom of it.”

twenty-seven

Forty-five minutes of nothing. Sitting in the hard seat coolly tapping his finger to a beat that formed in his mind on the cramped ride over. Cairo bobbed his head, tapped his finger, and bounced his feet. The longer he bopped, the more it locked into his mind so he could build it when he got home. That was only if the law enforcement officers hadn’t tossed his house in the interim.

“Yeah,” he muttered to himself and the camera watching. “That shit is going to be fire.”

Another ten minutes passed and he continued to tap and wrap his knuckles against the table. Only briefly pausing when the door opened. Cairo looked up and knocked his knuckles against the table harder.

“You’re interrupting me,” Cairo muttered, if not for anything else to irritate the detective as much as he’d irritated him.

Another five minutes of beating and glaring the detective in his eyes, daring him to make him stop. Finally, tired of playing with him and ready to get this over with, Cairo stopped and sat back. “What did you and your little bitches find?”

“Alright, C4,” the detective stated with emphasis on his street name. “Let’s wrap this up. You know, so I can get home to my lady.”

Cairo let an arrogant smile ease over his face. Even while cuffed to the table and shackled to the chair, he rested in the hard metal chair. The smile on his face teased the officers. He’d been down this road before. Same shit, different detective. What everyone in Los Oceania should’ve gathered by now – he was a methodical son of a bitch and he wasn’t going to get caught unless he wanted to get caught.

“We know you and Tiny ran together. In fact, he names you as the ring leader. Just tell us where the drugs and money are stashed and we might cut you a deal,” the detective continued to press.

“Might huh?” Cairo taunted. “Just like you might have some evidence, right? Right.”

“We’re raiding your trap house right now,” the detective spoke, causing Cairo’s smile to grow larger. “Pulling all the CCTV footage from the area. It’s going to show us you, Tiny, and the rest of those muhfuckas we’re about to bring in.”

“I have a trap house?” Cairo asked. “Since when?”

“You’re playing a game you won’t win. We’re going to find the drugs, the money, and anything else you’ve stolen,” the detective continued. “Save us some time and just confess.”

“Nahhh,” Cairo drew out as he leaned forward and looked the man in the eyes. “I’ll wait. Shouldn’t be too much longer though.”

A knock sounded off against the door, coaxing an arrogant smile from the detective.

“You hear that?” the detective asked. “That’s the sound of your freedom fleeting.”

Cairo watched him move to the door and open it. There was a presumptuous sway in his walk. One that was sure to be kicked from under him.

“Tell this Azul Heart nigga we got him.” The detective’s tone haughty with assumption.

“Uh, Sergeant Yates we…” the officer stammered.

“You found it. Everything Tiny said was there, right?”

The officer swayed his head just enough that if Cairo blinked, he would’ve robbed himself the satisfaction. “There’s nothing there. According to the fire marshal, the house had faulty wiring and burned down two weeks ago. There’s no trace of money, no drugs, no weapons. We can’t keep him.”