Page 18 of Surrogate For My Best Friend’s Man 2

He looked up. “It’s serious.”

I leaned back in my chair. “How serious?”

He slid the file toward me. “Conspiracy, money laundering, firearms trafficking. They ain’t playing with you.”

I looked through the paperwork and there were shipping records, bank statements, pictures with dates, company paperwork. Damn near my whole life was sitting inside that file. “They were watching me.”

Marcus nodded. “For a while.”

I looked back up at him. “So somebody is talking.”

“I don’t know.” He replied.

“Nah.” I shook my head. “Somebody opened their damn mouth.”

Marcus closed the file. “Maybe, maybe not. Right now, that don’t even matter. The only thing that matters is what comes out of your mouth.”

I looked at him. “I ain’t telling people shit.”

“They ask you questions?”

“Yeah of course.”I answered.

“You answer?” Marcus asked.

“Hell nah.”

He finally relaxed a little. “Good keep it that way.” He pointed at me. “Listen to me, don't call nobody talking reckless, don’t tell nobody to move money, don’t tell nobody to clean nothing up and don’t tell nobody what to say. You hear me?”

“I hear you.” I mumbled.

“I’m serious.” He responded.

“So am I.”

He stood up and buttoned his suit coat. “I’m gone handle the courtroom. You handle staying out your own damn way.”

“I can do that.”

Marcus laughed. “I’m still trying to figure out if I believe you.”

A deputy opened the door. “Carter.”

Marcus looked at me one last time. “I’ll see you after arraignment.”

I nodded, and then the deputy cuffed me up and walked me out. The county smelled like bleach, sweat and bad decisions. Every metal door slammed behind us one after another. They wanted a nigga to remember exactly where he was. They threw me in holding with three other dudes.

I ain’t feel like talking so I sat on the end of the bench and leaned my head against the wall. For the first time all day I sat back and thought about what happened at the baby shower. Kim done lost her damn mind. I still couldn’t believe she walked into that baby shower talking about twins in front of my whole family.

The more I thought about it the more pissed off I got. She ain’t just embarrassed herself, she embarrassed me too. The whole room looked at me crazy like I ain’t shit. Then everything happened so damn fast, Shante hit the floor. Folks were screaming. Then them damn Feds walked in. One minute I was at my sister’s baby shower, next minute I was leaving in handcuffs.

I rubbed both hands over my face. I loved my sister always would. She carried everybody else’s problems but wouldn’t let somebody carry hers. She’d smile in your face while the whole world was sitting on her shoulders. She better be alright, not just for her but my babies too. I know the situation fucked up but they still mine, and I’m gone stand ten toes down about my kids

“Carter.” I looked up and a deputy stood at the door. “Phone.”

I got up and followed him down another hallway. He stopped in front of one of them, old county phones bolted to the wall.

“You got ten minutes.” He stepped back.