Forever the Taylors?

41

**

Zac couldn't breathe, hearing Fatima on the other side of the phone crying. He kept her on the phone as he grabbed his work cell to dial the police. He spoke with the dispatcher and ran to his car.

"Fatima listen to me. Put the gun down and stand far away from it. The police should be arriving any second. Make sure the door is open and your hands are in plain view. Put me on speaker and put the phone down. Zac said making sure that he spoke calmly and clearly. Fatima did as she was told making sure that she put the gun on the table in plain view in the center of the dining room table.

Zac heard the commotion of the police entering the apartment as he rounded the corner to her block. He threw the car in park not bothering to ok for a parking space and ran up to the apartment. Two officers noticed him racing to the apartment and attempted to stop him.

"Excuse me Sir. You cannot come in here." One officer said stepping into Zac's path blocking him from entering.

"This is my house!" Zac said trying to step around the officer. The other officer intervened as the first officer and Zac got into a heated exchange. "ok ok ok. You have any id on you that says this is your house?" The second officer asked. Zac tapped his pockets realizing he'd left everything at his house. " My wife. Fatima Taylor is inside. I am the one who called you!" Zac said trying to regain his composure.

The second officer spoke some words into his radio and Zac was allowed to enter. Fatima was seated on the couch with a detective taking her statement and several other officers littered her apartment taking photographs and marking bullet holes and blood stains. Zac made his way to Fatima.

"Hey, I got here as soon as I could are you ok?" Zac said looking Fatima over from head to toe.

Fatima didn't speak. She simply nodded her head yes and held Zac's hand.

"Ok Ms. Taylor. We will be in touch soon pending any updates or further questions. Here is my card. Feel free to call me if you think of anything that may help us identify these suspects." The detective handed her a card and excused himself.

Zac pulled Fatima into his arms and held her tight. "Are you sure you're ok?" He asked. His heart was beating out his chest with anxiety.

"Can you believe this shit?" Fatima said angrily as she looked around her apartment.

Another detective walked over to where Zac and Fatima stood and began speaking with them. "Ms. Taylor, the officers are preparing to leave shortly. Do you have a place to stay for the night until you can get your locks changed?"

Zac spoke up first. "Yes. She does."

"Ok, well as you know we will be taking your gun into evidence. We need your signature on this. It's just stating that you were made aware and this is the record number." Fatima signed the document and was given back her firearm permit. The officer thanked her and left. The house cleared out finally about ten minutes later and Zac went into Fatima's bedroom and began packing her a bag to stay with him. He opened the closet and saw that some of Rich's clothes were hanging there and the same with his clothes in the dresser.

"You don't have to do that. I'm fine. I can do it." Fatima said coming into the bedroom. She noticed Rich's clothes on display and a wave of guilt washed over her.

"We haven't spoken to arrange for him t o get his things." Fatima said answering an unasked question.

"I didn't say a word." Zac said

"You think you can get the locks changed in the morning?"

"Yea. But don't worry about it. Just grab what you need so we can get outta here." Zac gave her space to finish packing and took pictures of the apartment's damage. From what he could tell they didn't get anything of much value. The house was kitchen and dining area were a complete mess. Plants were overturned, mirrors broken and small appliances tossed around the room. There were bullet holes in the cabinets and hallway walls learning to the front or. Fatima managed to empty the clip on her 17 round capacity Glock 17. Zac smiled proud of her. The girl was really about that life. But the smile was a quickly replaced by the reminder that three men broke into her house and they all made it out alive.