Finding Grace

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Ok what was your reason for coming over?" Jess asked as Grayson got himself together.

"Well, I want your help in solving who killed Ronnie. I know you do some fancy cop shit."

"Yeah, but I've never solved a homicide before." She said. "Catch me when you want something done that I can do."

"How will I know?"

"When you ask I'll do it." Jess said shrugging. She already knew who killed Ronnie and helping could create problems. "Who you got on it already? The cops?"

"No way. It's a personal friend."

"What she came up with so far?"

"She came up with some crazy story that I killed him, but I know for a fact that he was murdered by an enemy."

"I know you didn't kill him." Jess said with a smile.

"Thank you." He said.

"What was the story?" I asked.

"We were just chilling when this super bitch dropped in and shot us up."

"That's not the kind of story I was hoping for."

"Well I'm not telling you the whole story until you agree to help."

"Well then I guess I'll never know." She said walking over to the door and opening it. "Bye. Tell Jerome to call me."

"Why can't you call him yourself?"

"I like to play with niggas." She said closing the door after he walked out. In reality she knew Jerome had the goods and she wanted more.

Jerome took his phone out and looked at Grayson's name appear on top of the screen. He thought about it before putting the phone down and turning to Deira. Saint knocked on the open door scaring the two.

"Sorry. Jerome can we talk? I finally have some free time."

"Um. Now?" Jerome asked. He really didn't feel like being bothered.

"Yeah, I've been putting it off and I really think you should know." He said scratching his head.

"Well put it off for a little longer. I'm in a good mood right now.' Jerome said sitting back. "Lock the door behind you."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, but did as he was told. "Asshole."

"Jerome I think you should listen to him."

"I already know what he wants. He wants to talk more about college and his dimly lit future."  Jerome mumbled.

"It sounded important." Jerome shrugged.

"Your pussy's more important. Now come on." He said kissing her.

Three days later

Jess made sure Rome was prepared for tomorrow because his dad was keeping him for the week. She was happy because she has work to do and now she doesn't have to worry about her son.

"Ma, I don't wanna stay at his house. He has that stupid girlfriend and there's like two other people there."

"Well it's not like you're not used to sharing a house."

"But they're so ghetto." Jess ignored him. "Moooom."

"You're going. It'll be great for you. You get to really meet your dad and get to know him better. See him in action."

"Um no. I don't wanna get caught."

"What?"

"He sells drugs."

"I know."

"I don't wanna sell drugs."

"Who said anything about selling drugs?"

"Oh. Well I still don't wanna go."

"Go you will have fun. There's not another option."

"Whatever." He said.

"Be happy it's not for the summer. Most kids mom's send them away for the summer. I'm sending you away for a week."

"What are you going to do anyways?"

"Well I won't be here." She told him. "This is great timing on my part. I don't have to worry about coming home and taking care of you or what you're doing because you'll be in good hands."

"Good hands?" He laughed. "K."

"What you don't trust him? He brought you into this world." Jess pointed out.

"How do you think I would've been raised-"

"You'd be the same person." Jess said. "I know you would. A little different, but the same."

He sighed. "Yeah sure. If I did I'd never have met Riley."

"And what has Riley done for you that makes you say that?"

"She's a great bestfriend. She's always been there for the 13 years and she's a big part of who I am. So I don't think I'd be the same person if you weren't kidnapped. I think I'd be completely different."

"Like what?"

"Ok, you remember that time when Chaz and Chase got in trouble for playing ding dong ditch?" Jess nodded. "Well I was my idea and I was supposed to go with them, but Riley threatened to tell you, so they went ahead and got caught. A lot of the pranks my friends get in trouble for are things I come up with and Riley talks me out of. Like when Bon almost got charged, but you had it dropped, that was something we got should've gone down for."

"I see."

"I'd probably be just as bad as my dad. Except getting in trouble all the time."

"I don't think he would've went for that." Jess said with a smile. "He keeps Cam on a leash."

"Well I'm not Cam. I mean, we'd have a better relationship."

"I wonder if Grace and Jerome would've ended up together." Rome froze.

"Yeah, I haven't though about that. Personally I think they would've."

"Why?"

"Well they loved each other, and Jerome still lives Grace even though he's let her go. He talks about it all the time."

"Oh." Jess said nodding.

"Ok so I didn't wanna yell Grayson this, but I searched the vents like he said and my team found a hair."

"Ok who's hair was it?" He asked.

"It belonged to a female named Trinity Thompson, but the catch is she's been dead for two years." She said. Jerome forrowed his eyebrows and looked at her like she was crazy. "Yeah. Same. But we found her forensics report and her obituary. This lady died in a drug deal gone wrong in Harlem. How would her hair and up here?"

"We should tell Grayson."

"No! This evidence just makes his story more invalid. There's no way to confirm that our suspect ever had contact with Ronnie and the type of relationship they'll might have had. The hair could have accidentally gotten there. Besides there wasn't a single fingerprint or shoeprint. This person did their homework."

"So you really think he didn't do it?"

"Honestly I don't know. I can't pick sides. I'm getting paid to solve a murder." She said standing up. "But if Grayson really did it would he have pressed for an investigation for. I'm sure he was nothing to worry about."

"Mhm." Jerome said eyeing her.

"I believe the killing and robbing are connected. Somebody's playing with you guys. I'd take better measures. Diamond isn't too happy, and you know how she is about her money."

She left and Jerome sighed shaking his head. "This is too much. Now Diamond got problems and she's more a a threat then Smiles."