Avenge Thy Brother

Chapter 3: Unexpected Arrival

"Good," I said. "We should have no problems reaching her."

"My partner and I will speak to Ms. Richardson," said Karen. "If you two could meet us at Kemari Whitlock's apartment later, we'd appreciate it."

"Why do you want to go to his apartment?" Saunders asked. "We've already been there and we didn't find anything."

"Fresh eyes, detective," I answered. "My partner and I want to see it for ourselves. You have our contact information and we have yours. We'll let you know when we're ready to meet up later."

Karen and I exited the conference room and as we took the stairs back down to the ground level, she smiled and said, "They really think they're still in charge."

"We were right to play it this way. Now we don't have to worry about them stopping our progress."

"Exactly."

"So, how do you think this woman we're going to meet factors into all of this?"

"If she's the last person he talked to and she's not a friend, it could be a lead to something. If not, it may be a dead end."

"I hate dead ends."

It took us a little while to get to the Department of Social Services. When we arrived, we learned that Ms. Richardson had gone to lunch with a coworker. Instead of waiting for her inside the building, we sat out in front of the building. I looked up her information on my secure work iPad and found a photo of her. Just after seeing her photo, I noticed her and her coworker exiting a Lyft ride.

"Kelly Richardson?" I asked as she and her coworker approached the entrance doors.

She stopped and asked, "Who are you?"

"FBI," Karen told her while presenting her badge. "We need to have a word with you."

Her coworker looked at her and then hurried into the building, leaving her outside with us. She nervously looked at us and pushed her braids out of her face before asking, "What do you need to talk to me about?"

"Kemari Whitlock," I answered. "How do you know him?"

"I don't know him that well. I only...it's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it for us," said Karen while taking a step towards her.

Kelly gave us a look and then led us away from the building entrance over to a set of benches. We sat down and she immediately told us, "I found out about them on my birthday."

"You found out about who?" I asked.

"Kemari and my boyfriend, well, my ex-boyfriend. Denzel, my ex, left his phone unlocked while he took a shower at my place before my birthday dinner. I wanted to know what he had planned for my birthday or get a hint at what present he'd gotten for me. I was on his phone when he got a text from someone asking what time he'd come by for sex. I called the number and a guy answered the phone."

"Kemari Whitlock?" Karen asked.

"Yes. I asked him if he'd texted the wrong number and he first tried to say he did until I pressed him. He told me that he'd met Denzel at some party and that they'd been hooking up since last year. I had no idea my boyfriend was into guys so I was more than shocked."

"Did you threaten Kemari or did he threaten you?" I asked.

"No. After he told me everything, I ended the call. It only lasted about seven or eight minutes."