When Everything's Said & Done (23 page)

“One of those Gangster Disciples. Seems like he and a buddy of his got food poisoning.” Nebia looked at Faith. “Both of them got real sick, but the one that died had some complications.”

“I see.” Cora focused on the steaming cereal. She stirred them again.

“They say the authorities are trying to figure out where they got it from,” Nebia continued. “One of the places they went yesterday was to The Way Home, Cora.”

“Really?” Cora replied.

“Cora.” Laura spoke for the first time. “You don’t know anything about this, do you?”

Cora stopped stirring. “I don’t know nothing about nobody dying,” she replied, then added softly, “Maybe a higher power did what I couldn’t bring myself to do.”

“Cora.” Laura gasped.

Faith looked at her grandmother and then her mother.

“I didn’t intend for nobody to leave here. Mama.” Cora went and stood by her wheelchair. “If I had they would both be in the morgue today. Yes, I had revenge in my heart. I wanted them to suffer. I wanted them to think they were going to die, but, no...I couldn’t just take a human life.”

Nebia’s Story...

“Cora poisoned them,” Cynthia said, shocked. Nebia looked at the moon. “Cora used some herbs that she knew would make them sick. Awful sick. But Cora had no way of knowing there would be complications and one of them would end up dead.”

“Oh, my God!” Erica exclaimed. “That’s still like...murder. He died from the herbs she put in that potato salad.”

“Ends up he died from kidney failure,” Nebia replied. “He had taken some drugs, too.” Nebia looked at each one of them. “So who was to say?”

“But the police
had to come and question Cora. Did they arrest her?” Sheila pressed.

Nebia closed her eyes. “Things happened
so fast, it never got to that.”

CHAPTER 32

“What you need to do is remain calm,” said Reverend Benson. “Not keeping your head at a time like this will surely cause trouble.”

“Reverend, we’re done listening to you, old man. We simply came here to tell you this good-guy role that you wanted us to play ain’t gon’ cut it.” The young man stood up. “We’ve been coming around here playing the game the way you wanted it just because you were keeping a little money in our pockets. You said as long as we kept the violence down, you’d keep us employed. Well thank you for doing your part, but it’s all over now. That woman killed Thomas and now we gon’ take care of her. That’s just the way it goes.” He squinted. “Don’t the Bible say an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?”

Reverend Benson stood as well. “Please! You can’t be serious. You’re upset and you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Sit down,” the Disciple said. “I know what I’m say
ing. You’re the one that don’t understand. You’re the one that’s the big hypocrite.” He pointed in the reverend’s face. “Now that this woman has killed Thomas you want us to ignore the part of the Bible that says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. How is it, Reverend, that you pick and choose what you want to use out of that Bible ? ” His lip curled. “Naw-aw. I see how you want to play this. You just use that book any way that suits you so you can keep riding in your Cadillac and living in your big fancy house. ’Cause now when I tell you that we’re going to take that bitch, Cora Gray, out, you want to stop us. So what’s right and what’s wrong? Reverend Where do you draw your line when it comes to sin?”

“Don’t do this to yourselves,” Reverend Benson rea
soned.

“It’s a little late for you to say that. Because by tomor
row morning, she gon’ be gone.” The gangster walked backward. “And if you tell anybody that I said so, your next sermon might be a silent one, from a casket.” He opened the door. “Let’s go,” he said to his companion.

Michael’s heart jumped when he heard the threat against Cora, followed by footsteps headed toward the pastor’s office door. Quickly, he hurried across the hall into the men’s room and into one of the stalls. Michael waited several minutes before he rushed and opened the bathroom door. He nearly bumped into Reverend Benson.

“Reverend,” Michael said. They both looked startled.

Michael hurried on. “I was just going to knock on your door and let you know that I’ve got to cancel our
appointment.” He looked at his watch. “Can we schedule another time to talk about that investment? I feel it can really help the church in the long run.”

Reverend Benson ran a hand over his sweaty fore
head. “Sure, we can reschedule.”

“I’m in a hurry now.” Michael looked at his watch again. “But I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll set a time.” Reverend Benson nodded before he wiped his forehead again. He looked up the hall. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good afternoon,” Michael said as he walked to the stairs. Once out of earshot he ran outside to his car and jumped inside. “They’re going to kill Cora. They’re going to kill her,” he said as he started the car. “I can’t let that happen. I’ve got to warn her.”

Michael took off for the Robinsons’ building. Min
utes later he pulled up out front and ran up the walkway and up the stairs. He rang the doorbell several times. Cora answered the door.

“Michael.” She looked surprised. “Come in. I haven’t seen you since Warren’s funeral.”

“I’ve got to talk to you, Cora.” He looked around the living room.

“All right,” she said.

He went to the window and looked out.

“Who is it?” Laura’s voice drifted from the rear of the house.

“It’s Michael, Mama.”

Michael came back to the center of the room.

“What is it, Michael?” Cora asked as she watched him. “Did you hear about the young man that died this morning? It involved food poisoning.”

Cora looked him straight in the eye. “Yes. Nebia told us about it not too long ago.”

Michael didn’t seem to be able to catch his breath. “Well his friends think that you are responsible.” He shook his head. “They intend to do something about it.”

“Like what?” Cora folded her arms.

“God knows what, Cora! What difference does that make?” Michael leaned against the wall. “They intend to get you because they believe you’re behind it.” He held his head in his hands. “You threatened them. Two of them got sick after being at your place and now one of them is dead.”

Cora sat on the couch. She rubbed her hand down her thigh. “Well...we shall see.”

“No. This is not a we shall see.” Michael sat beside her. “This is what are you going to do?” He looked into her eyes. “If they get a chance they are going to kill you.” “They’re not going to get a chance. I’ll just go to the police and tell them I did not intend for anyone to die.” She looked down, then up again. “And that’s the truth. ”

Michael looked away. “You go to the police and tell them you didn’t poison them. What difference is that going to make to the Gangster Disciples?” He looked
back at her. “You don’t understand. I told you they believe you killed him. And they intend to kill you. I heard them say it.”

“What?” Laura exclaimed. She rolled her wheel
chair forward.

Cora looked at her mother, then down at Faith. “Faith, baby. Go upstairs and look at that book Mommy bought for you. I’ll call you and tell you when we’re through down here.”

Faith looked frightened. “I don’t want to—”

“Faith. Please, baby. Go upstairs and read your book. I’ll come up when we’re done.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, and ascended the stairs.

Laura waited until Faith was out of sight. “Now what did I hear you say?”

“I heard a couple of those gang members tell Reverend Benson they plan to get revenge for the death of that Gangster Disciple that died this morning.”

“Reverend Benson?” Laura said. “What’s he got to do with this?”

Michael squeezed his forehead. “It seems he promised some of the gang members honest work as long as they toed the line, but with that boy’s death this morning they told Pastor Benson that deal was off.”

Laura’s eyes filled with apprehension as she looked at Cora.

Michael shook his head. “I’ve seen different gang members coming in and out of the church before. Reverend Benson’s been counseling them, trying to help them change.”

“And you say some of those gang members are plan
ning to kill Cora?” Nebia asked.

“I heard it with my own ears,” Michael said. “I went to talk to the reverend, and I was coming up the hall when I heard loud voices. So I stopped and listened. That’s when I heard it. I heard them say she’s going to be gone by tomorrow morning.”

“This can’t be happening.” Laura’s face sank with worry.

“But it is,” Michael said. “And that’s why I’m here.” He looked at Cora. “You’ve got to leave, Cora. You’ve got to take your child and go.”

Cora sat back. “I’m not going anywhere. St. Petersburg is my home. I was born here and I’ve finally accepted this is where I belong. I’m not leaving.” She pointed downward. “This is the place I’m going to die.”

“You’re right.” Michael almost looked ashen. “If you don’t go, you’re going to die...right here. And it could be before tomorrow morning.”

Cora shook her head. “Warren was a policeman. They loved him down there. They wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

Michael took hold of Cora’s shoulders. “These gang members don’t work inside the law. What are you going to do? Go down to the police station and have them lock you up to protect you? Because that’s what
you’d have to do. But even if you did that, how long would you stay there? Those folks have long memories, Cora. If they don’t get you now they’d do it later.” Michael let go. “But guess what? If they can’t get you during a time that satisfies them, they’d go after your mother. Or Miss Nebia. Or your child.”

Cora’s eyes grew big. “They wouldn’t do that.” Michael simply stared at Cora. The room went silent. “They’d do anything,” Michael finally replied.

“You got to get out of here, Cora.” Laura rolled forward. “You’ve got to leave, baby.”

“Leave and go where?” Cora turned to her. “Where am I going to go?”

“I don’t know.” Tears rolled down Laura’s face. “But you got to get out of here. I can’t take another one of my children dying before me. I can’t.” She could barely speak. “You’ve got to go.”

“Oh, no. What have I done?” Cora clutched at her heart.

“You did what you thought you had to do,” Laura said. Nebia nodded.

“And this ain’t no time to stop,” Laura continued. “You got to get you and that baby out of here.”

“But what about you? Michael, you said if they can’t get me, they might get Mama or Nebia.”

“Your mama and me can take care of ourselves,” Nebia said. “We been around on this earth long enough that if something happens to us, maybe it will just be
our time. Our due. Don’t you worry about us. You worry about you and that child.”

Cora closed her eyes. “I don’t have anywhere to go.”

“Yes, you do,” Nebia refuted. “You can go back to Africa.”

“Africa.” Cora looked at her mother.

“You’ve lived there before.” Laura lifted her chin. “And you can live there again. It won’t be forever.”

“Even if I decided to go back,” Cora said, “I don’t have money for Faith and I just to jump up and go.”

“I’ve got the money,” Michael said. “I’ll help you.” His love was plain to see. Michael looked down. “I’m sure Brenda and I both will help.”

“Michael, I can’t ask you to—”

“Don’t.” He closed his eyes. “Let me do this one thing for you, Cora. Before you go. Please.”

Tears rolled down Cora’s face. She touched Michael’s arm. “All right. I’ll take the money.”

Michael exhaled.

“But we won’t be gone long.” Cora looked at Laura. “Just long enough for things to cool down.”

“Yes,” Laura repeated. “Time heals all kinds of things.” But her tears started up again.

Michael stood up. “You get on the phone and make all the arrangements. I’ll go right now and get the money from the bank.”

Cora stood, too. “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you.”

“There’s no need for thanks between us. You
—” his eyes filled with love “—have always been dear to me. All of you,” he added quickly. Then he went to the door and opened it. Michael looked at Cora again. “I’ll be back within the hour.”

Across town Brenda walked out of the doctor’s of
fice and up to the receptionist’s desk.

“So I guess we’ll be seeing more of you now.” The receptionist smiled.

Brenda smiled, too. “You sure will.” She handed the woman a twenty-dollar bill, took her receipt and walked to the office door.

It opened and Brenda stepped aside. “Hello, Mrs. Dawson.”

“Hello, Mrs. Smith. How are you?”

“
Doin’ just fine. I hope you’re well. You look good.”

“Thank you.” Brenda’s smile broadened.

“What a coincidence. I just saw your husband a little while ago.”