22

Kaki

Friday, January 6

“Katherine, do you know why you’re here?”

“No.” Kaki sat in the school’s conference room across from Detective Jackson. The woman didn’t look the way Kaki would have expected a detective to look. She was really pretty and kind of young. But she was a cop. And Kaki knew that if a cop had pulled her in for questioning, it wasn’t good. Every minute she was there was dangerous.

Josh Wolf sat nearby—another reason for embarrassment. Now Molly would know all of this stuff. Kaki didn’t want Molly to think badly of her.

Detective Jackson sat back, looking very relaxed as she absently scribbled on a pad of paper with a pencil. “We’ve received some information about a party that happened about a month ago—a party we were told you may have attended. Do you have any idea what party I’m talking about?”

Kaki shook her head. Damien’s warnings echoed through her mind. She wouldn’t breathe a word.

Detective Jackson reached for a large envelope. Out of it she pulled some paper and some photographs. She slid the photos across the desk toward Kaki. “Look familiar?”

Kaki saw herself in the photo, standing next to Mattie. Her stomach lurched at how she was dressed for the purpose of the night. She looked out of it, too. Detective Jackson slid another photo across the table. She was standing in the background with a group of people. Sydney was at the forefront of the photo. The walls of the room pressed in on her.

“Remember this night?”

Kaki clenched her fists together and nodded.

The detective took the photos back. “Here’s the thing, Katherine. We’re trying to find out some things about that night. First of all, do you know a girl named Sydney Diaz?”

Kaki was glad she’d taken her little blue pill this morning. It was the only thing holding her together right now. Even so, her mind reeled. Should she deny knowing her? It seemed like the best course of action. “No.”

Detective Jackson’s eyebrow arched. “Really. You don’t know Sydney Diaz?”

“Katherine,” Josh broke in suddenly. “Actually, we think you do know her. There have a been a lot of reports that you know her—that you guys hung out together…a lot.”

They must really know something if they were pushing this hard. Slowly, she nodded her head.

“OK, so you do know her?” Detective Jackson asked.

“Yeah, I knew her.” As the words came out of her mouth, Kaki tensed. Knew. Past tense.

“OK. Did you see her at the party? I mean, you guys look like you’re standing pretty close together here.”

Kaki nodded.

“Did you know that she’s a member of a gang known as Masters of Sin?”

A trickle of sweat ran down the back of her neck. She shook her head. She’d said too much already.

“Katherine,” Josh broke in again. “I’m sure you know that Sydney hasn’t been at school in a few weeks. There’s some concern about what happened to her after that night. Do you know anything about where she might be? What might have happened to her?”

Kaki shook her head. She would not answer these questions. Her life—the life of her family members depended on her keeping her mouth shut.

“Are you sure?”

Kaki was done. She just wanted to get out of there. “No, I don’t know anything. Can I go back to class now?”

There was a knock on the door.

“Yes?” Josh called out.

A large, African American man, one of the school’s security guards, peeked his head in. “You ready for the next one?”

“Send her in.”

Jaida Harris. She wasn’t one of the gang’s girls, but she hung out with them sometimes. Her dark eyes barely grazed Kaki’s as she entered.

“Have a seat, Jaida,” Detective Jackson said.

Jaida slouched into the chair offered her, opposite Kaki. Jaida was a heavy girl, and today she was wearing a short skirt. When she sat, her hips spilled over the sides of the chair. Her black braids were piled on top of her head in the shape of a beehive.

Detective Jackson nodded at Josh, and he left the room. As soon as he was gone, she typed something into her computer and then turned it around to so that both of the girls could view it.

Kaki’s insides lurched. Oh, this was really bad.

~*~

The picture was from that night at the party. Kaki suddenly remembered taking it…on Sydney’s phone. A group of girls posing as though they were porn stars, completely naked, lips pursed, hands on hips. Jaida Harris was included amongst the girls. Underneath the photo, an array of responses—probably from students at the school:

I always knew she was a ho.

On the lo-down.

Isn’t that Ashley?

Detective Jackson turned to Jaida. “Isn’t that you?”

Jaida shrugged. “Yeah, maybe.”

“You were tagged in this photo too, Miss Jones. Are you in this photo?”

Kaki’s eyes were glued to the screen. She waited for Jaida to blurt out that Kaki had been the photographer, but she didn’t. Maybe she didn’t remember.

The detective turned back to Jaida. “Did you know this picture was being circulated all over social media sites?”

“I don’t care who sees it. I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s my body, and I’m proud of it.”

Detective Jackson appeared curious. “So tell me why you posted these photos.”

“’Cause we was havin’ fun. We were at a party. You know? We wanted to send it out to the guys we wanted to get with.”

“And this seemed like a good idea to you? This seemed like the best way to get their attention?”

“Sure. Why not? How else you gonna get their attention?” Jaida raised her manicured hands in sync with her manicured eyebrows. Metal bracelets jangled. The glitter on her purple nails sparkled under the fluorescent lighting.

Kaki thought she might throw up. She had to get out of this room. Maybe she could pretend to have a panic attack or something. Lots of kids did that to get out of tests and stuff.

Detective Jackson leaned forward, her fingers tapping on the table top just in front of Jaida’s hands. “How many kids you know that do this kind of thing? Send naked pictures of themselves to ‘get with’ the boys they’re interested in?”

Jaida shrugged, visibly surprised at Abbie’s question. “Everyone.”

“Everyone?” Abbie asked. “I’m sorry, Jaida, but I find that hard to believe.”

“Yeah, everyone sexts.” Jaida looked to Kaki as though expecting her to concur.

Kaki clenched her lips and her fists tight, dropping her gaze to her lap.

Detective Jackson’s mouth pursed, her eyebrows arched. “Everyone you know at this school sends out nude pictures of themselves?”

“Yeah. No one thinks of it as any big deal.”

Everyone? Kaki didn’t think it was everyone. Her friend Riley never did. Although sometimes it seemed like everyone. Thousands of followers on their social media accounts probably helped play into that delusion.

“All right, girls, let’s get down to business,” said the detective. “These pictures originated from Sydney Diaz’s social media account on December 10th. She’s missing now. We’re trying to locate her. I know you were both friends of hers, so this picture aside, I’m hoping you can help me out here. I know you were both at the party. Where did this party take place?”

Kaki would not say another word.

Jaida blurted out, “At a party. Back before Christmas.”

“Whose party?”

“Gio George’s party.”

Now she was going to faint as well as throw up. This was the worst thing that could happen. Damien would probably kill both of them now.

“Does he go to this school?”

“Yeah,” Jaida said in a tone that suggested surprise that Detective Jackson didn’t already know that. “He’s like the star football player, Gio George. You know.” She shot another glance at Kaki as if to say, can you believe this chick doesn’t know Gio George?

Detective Jackson turned her computer back around and typed information into it. “OK. Do you remember if Sydney took this photo?” she asked.

“Nah, that was a guy named Damien.”

“What?” Kaki shrieked. Defending Damien was instinctive. “No, he didn’t!” As soon as the protest rolled off of her tongue, Kaki slapped her hand over her mouth. Damien hadn’t taken that picture.

“Do you know this Damien?” Detective Jackson now turned her attention to Kaki. “Does he go to this school?”

Jaida sat back in her chair, a smug expression on her face. “Damien? No, he’s like, old.”

Kaki wanted to scream at her, you don’t know what you’ve done!

“How old?”

Jaida crossed her arms over her body. “I don’t know. Twenty-five or something.”

“What’s his last name?”

“I don’t know his last name.”

“How do you know him?”

“He’s a friend of Gio’s. He had a bunch of girls with him,” Jaida glanced over at Kaki as if to say, you know you were one of them.

Chills ran over Kaki’s arms even as sweat formulated at her brow.

“But…you know, like everybody be takin’ photos that night.”

“Who else was taking photos?” The detective asked.

Jaida threw up her hands again. “How am I supposed to know that? There were like, a thousand people there that night.”

“Really. A thousand people?”

“Yeah. You seen Gio’s house? He lives in a mansion.”

Detective Jackson turned her gaze back to Kaki.

Kaki looked away.

“And how about you? You know this Damien guy?

Kaki shook her head. “No. No, I don’t.”

~*~

When Kaki got home to her dad’s house that afternoon, she pulled all the blinds and double-checked the locks on all the doors. Her dad had taken Brandon out to dinner, and then they were supposed to go to some men’s group meeting at the church, and she was supposed to keep Micah and Celia. He had texted her earlier in the day. Don’t go anywhere tonight. We need to talk.

He probably wanted to talk about what had happened at school that day. But she couldn’t talk about that. She’d already spent thirty minutes on the phone with her mother evading questions and trying to make it sound as if this was all a big misunderstanding.

Every few minutes she checked her phone—waiting for a text from Damien, but other than her mom and dad sending her text messages and leaving voice mails, her phone had been silent. That was not a good sign.

Every time a car drove down her street, she rushed to the windows to make sure it wasn’t Damien’s electric-blue Mustang or Hubby’s black pick-up. And she was out of her little blue pills. She could already feel the beginning of the sweats starting. She didn’t know how long she could hold off before she sent a text—too desperate for a fix to worry about her safety. The only thing that was keeping her from doing it was Micah and Celia.

Kaki moved into the bathroom and looked out the window to see if Josh’s car was in the driveway. She was thinking about taking Micah and Celia next door, but not if she had to face Josh. Not after what happened today.

Molly’s car was the only one in the driveway. If Molly would let them hang out there, they’d all be safer for a little while. None of the members of MOS would come looking for them there. “Come on guys,” she said to Micah and Celia, trying to sound excited. “We’re going next door to see the puppies.”

“Yay!” Celia jumped up. “I want to see the puppies!”

“OK, but you can’t touch them or hold them or anything,” Micah warned her. “They’re too little.”

Celia pouted. “But I want to hold them.”

“You can’t right now.” Kaki pulled Celia’s arms into her coat. “In another week or so. When they get a little bigger.”

“Kaki, when is Mommy coming home?” Celia asked as Kaki zipped up her coat.

Kaki felt sorry for them. Even though her mother was crazy, she’d still had her around while she was growing up. “I don’t know. Soon, hopefully.”

Celia’s blue eyes filled with tears. “But I want her to come back.”

As though he sensed an emotional explosion coming, Micah rushed forward and took his sister’s hand. “Come on, Celia. Let’s go look at the puppies.”

Less than ten minutes later, Kaki was standing in the kitchen watching Molly spill Oreo cookies onto a platter.

Celia buried her head in Kaki’s shoulder, screaming. “I want my mommy!” She was so distraught her breath was catching, and her mouth yawned open in the shape of an O as she shook out a silent wail. Finally gasping in air, she let out a shriek that rattled Kaki’s ear drums.

“Look, Celia,” Kaki said, wrenching Celia from her neck and forcibly turning her so she could see Trixie sitting in her gated area surrounded by squirming puppies. The dog’s brown, soulful eyes rolled from Kaki to Celia and finally to Micah, who sat down on the other side of the gate and looked in at her. “Look, Celia, look. See the doggie there? That’s Trixie.”

As the dog came into focus for the little girl, her face changed, softening from the red, bunched-up mask. Hiccupping and sniffing, her face blotchy and slick with tears, Celia climbed off of Kaki and joined Micah in watching the dogs.

Kaki slumped with exhaustion.

Molly rushed over and pulled her into a side hug.

How much did she know?

“How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” Kaki said quietly. She wished she could tell her the truth. Her chest ached. The pressure of holding in all of these secrets…

Molly nodded and returned to the counter.

Celia’s crying quieted, and she and Micah talked about each of the puppies—their coloring, the names Celia thought they should have, which ones she wanted.

Kaki sighed. “I saw her, you know.” The words were out of her mouth before she even had a chance to contemplate them.

“Who?”

“Lana. I saw her out on the stoop that night—with her suitcase. She was just sitting there.”

“Did you say anything to her?”

“No.”

“Did she say anything to you?”

“No.”

“What time was that?”

“Like, around one in the morning or something. I don’t really know.”

“What were you doing out there?”

Kaki was risking everything. She was in so much trouble. Damien would probably kill her anyway. At least this way, if she did end up dead, someone would know something. “I was…I was uh…sneaking out to meet Damien.”

Molly shot her a disapproving glare. “Katherine.”

“I know. I shouldn’t do that.”

“No, you shouldn’t. And please don’t do it anymore. I don’t think your dad can take another thing. He looks like he’s going to collapse.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Promise me you won’t sneak out any more. It would really, really upset him.”

“I don’t know if it really would.” Kaki looked down at her feet. “I don’t know if Dad really cares about me that much, you know?”

Molly’s eyebrows raised. “Why do you feel that way? I know your dad loves you and cares deeply, but you’re obviously feeling that he doesn’t. Why?”

Kaki looked up at the ceiling, trying not to cry. “I don’t know. I’ve felt like that for years.”

“Since when?”

“Since I was like, thirteen. My dad used to talk to me all the time. We played games and had dates together and stuff. He used to call me Kaki. It was his pet name for me.” Pain radiated through her at the memory.

Molly smiled. “I’ve heard some people call you that.”

“Yeah. I always liked it. Some of my good friends still call me that. Some of my aunts and uncles, too. But not my dad.”

“Why do you think he stopped?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “He just stopped. I haven’t heard him call me that in years.”

“What about your boyfriend? Does he call you Kaki?”

Damien called her baby…but she didn’t think he’d ever used her name. The realization drove a cold, panicky feeling through her. “No, he doesn’t call me Kaki either.”

Micah and Celia suddenly laughed loudly at something the dogs did.

Kaki turned, momentarily distracted, but Molly continued her questions.

“So what is that you like so much about Damien?”

Kaki gritted her teeth. Today it was hard to remember. “I don’t know. He’s nice to me sometimes. I don’t know.”

“How is he nice to you?”

“He’s just like…he gives me a lot of gifts and stuff. He tells me I’m pretty. He takes care of me.”

“You’ve told me that stuff before. I want to know what Damien is really like. Does he ever hit you?”

Incidents flashed through Kaki’s mind—images of bruises and cuts—sensations of searing pain in her cheek from the back of his hand. “Not really.”

“Not really? I don’t like that answer. Does he hit you in any way? Because, Katherine, if he does, that’s abuse—”

“No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t,” she said quickly.

“And why does he make you wait outside for him in the freezing cold? And why does he make you sneak out? And why can’t your parents know about him? I’m sorry, but this just doesn’t sound like a healthy relationship to me.” She pulled her toward the table in the kitchen and motioned for her to sit. Molly sat in the chair beside her. Her voice was low as she spoke. “I have to be honest with you, too. Josh has told me about the photos…and about the party.”

A wave of emotion swept over Kaki. Like a rag doll, her head flopped onto the table. Her shoulders heaved with sobs.

Molly’s arm draped over her shoulders. “It’s OK. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

All the fear and terror and sorrow erupted inside Kaki like a volcanic blast. But she still didn’t think she could confide her deepest concerns—that Damien was coming for her whole family. She straightened and looked into Molly’s face.

Molly reached out and smoothed the hair from Kaki’s face. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”

Oh, yes, how she wanted to. But she couldn’t endanger Molly, too. Despair overwhelmed her again. She couldn’t share her secrets with anyone. “There are just some things I can’t talk about.” Her phone vibrated and she looked down at the screen.

Damien.

Her heart jerked.

Be ready at 11. Im picking u up.