Purify My Heart (Chicago Love Series Book 3)

Chapter X (Middle of July: Hot Summer)

Middle of July: Hot Summer

The station was cold…too cold and it smelled damp as if there were mold growing behind the drywall. The room for questioning was stale and the water they offered luke warm. Seven sat there, picking at his nails wondering how he ended up here after simply trying to take Chase to school. He didn’t know what to expect, but like his father told him ‘expect the worst’ and hopefully you’ll end up with the best. He hoped that not only for his son, but for him and his wife that they’d end up with the best. While he sat there deep in thought and trying to focus on anything but where he was, the two detectives from the hospital walked in and sat looking directly at him.

“Mr. Perkins, how does a man such as you end up in a situation like this? Your wife isn’t the biological mother of your child, but she’s raising him as if he were her own…and on top of that it’s been reported she has a romantic relationship with his biological mother. Care to explain?”

“My wife has a fetish for things that are different and Aniyah was a “project” of hers so to speak. A few years back we began dating her and she wound up pregnant. At the time it was more economically feasible for us to raise him and be the primary caregivers. He was raised to believe Asia was his mother and Aniyah as a mother figure, but he was smart and eventually found the truth out. My wife loves that little boy and would give her life for him,” Seven said not looking in their eyes, but down at his nails. He was instantly drawn back to that first day Asia introduced him to Aniyah and how he was drawn into her aura. He knew she sensed danger, but for the sake of love and lust they ignored the writings on the wall.

“So your wife has control in the home,” the more burly of the two men asked him.

“Officer I don’t know what that has to do with my son lying up in that hospital with a brain aneurysm. Now I’d appreciate it if you asked relevant questions or else I’m leaving,” he said biting back. He’d always hated when people alluded to the fact that Asia was the more dominant one in their relationship. It wasn’t that he was necessarily a weak man, but Sev knew which battles to fight and which ones weren’t left entertaining.

“Sure Mr. Perkins, did you know that your son had some slight bruising on the left side of his skull,” the quieter of the two officers asked him.

“No sir I wasn’t aware,”

“Were you also aware that he had some bruising on his left shoulder, and welts on his legs,”

“No sir I wasn’t aware,”

“Mr. Perkins do you or your wife believe in corporal punishment, such as spankings and that sort of thing?”

“If you’re asking do either myself or Asia beat Chase then the answer is no. We may raise our voice sometimes, but he’s usually punished with time outs and reduction of privileges,”

“So you nor your wife have ever laid a hand on the child,”

“Not with the intent to harm,”

“So how do you explain these photographs given to us from Dr. Young that shows extensive bruising on his legs, shoulder, and the bruising on his skull? Do you honestly mean that you didn’t notice any of these things before you dressed and took him to school?” the more burly of the two questioned, slightly raising his voice with each question.

“No I did not; I just came back from a conference on the west coast for investors. I was a guest speaker, so by the time I got Chase up and ready for school I’d only been home for about five hours. Asia and the house keeper have been in charge of the house for the past few days, so I wasn’t aware of any markings. He didn’t mention anything and only complained of a headache, and from there we’re here,” he was becoming more and angrier at the fact they were accusing him of being a negligent parent. He tried to keep his calm but anymore questions about whether or not he tended to his son and he was going to blow.