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Talk about pissed off, Poetic Pain had me fucked up if he thought he was going to talk to me any kind of way. He so lucky I didn’t have anything about him and Carol Peterson’s sick ass. See, I had been following Carol for years because of my brother. Trent Reece was my world, and his life was cut short at the age of sixteen. He was an up-and-coming star, and Carol Peterson got her claws in him. I couldn’t say what happened just yet, I had to wait til I got all my facts straight. I had my brother’s suicide letter that told me all I needed to know, I just needed someone else to tell their story, since my brother was no longer here to tell his.

My mama told me to leave it alone because she didn’t want to relive the nightmare, but I couldn’t, I needed to do this for my baby brother. I had Louis following her and he found out some things like her fetish for young men. She paid for their services online under an alias and would even meet them in disguise so no one would know who she was. I was sure they knew who she was though being one of the biggest actresses in the world. I just knew she paid so many muthafuckas off. I couldn’t wait to bury this bitch. I knew the way Poetic reacted that it was something he was trying to cover up and I was going to do whatever I had to do to get in good with him so I could find out everything I needed to know. I wanted this bitch to pay for everything she did to my brother.

A light knock on my office door brought me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I yelled, and my boss Josh walked in.

“Hey Tatum, have you heard the news yet?” He asked.

“What news?”

“Helen Ross was found dead in her home this morning.” I sat and looked at him with my mouth wide open in disbelief.

“What the hell happened?”

“They think it was a heart attack, but her husband wants an autopsy done.” I knew it wasn’t no damn heart attack since Louis saw her at lunch with Carol. This shit had Carol written all over it, see Helen was Josh’s boss and Carol was pushing her to have me fired. But Helen wouldn’t dare do no such thing since I was her top earner. I didn’t know what their connection was, but now since Helen was gone, I was going to do my research. I also was going to see if I could get dibs on that autopsy as soon as her husband got his hands on it.

“Damn that’s crazy I wasn’t expecting that. Why do you think the husband wants an autopsy?” I asked.

“Because he isn’t buying she had a heart attack. She has never had heart problems. He also said she had been acting weird lately and he want to get down to the bottom of this. So, you know I need you on this as soon as the results come back from the autopsy.”

“What do you think happened?” I asked to see where his head was.

“Carol Peterson has something to do with this. She had been fucking with Helen for months trying to get her to fire you and me, but Helen wasn’t having it. I don’t put shit past rich folks. They’ll do anything to keep shit covered up and I’m starting to believe everything you told me about that sick bitch. I just need you to be careful because as you see shit getting crazy out here.” Josh said being honest.

I knew for sure I was going to have to watch my back. I wasn’t worried about that too much because I knew how to hold my own. I also had a couple of hitta’s by my side. I could have had Carol killed by now, but I wanted that old bitch to suffer like all the young men who lives she fucked up.

“You know I’ma be safe, but I need you to do the same.” I said in a serious tone.

“I wish that bitch would try something.” He chuckled causing me to do the same. I knew Josh was about that life just like me, so I knew he would be alright, but Carol had money out the ass and I was sure if she wanted a muthafucka to disappear she would work on it. I talked to Josh a little more then decided to head out for the day. I needed to see my mama and give her a big hug since it had been a minute. I shot her a text and told her I would be there with dinner and some wine.

* * *

I walked in my mama’s house and was met by the big picture of me her and my brother. We lost our daddy a couple of years before we loss Trent’s daddy who died in the army. He wasn’t home much but when he was, he spent all of his time with us. I missed him and my brother so much. I hated how my mama was like a lonely old woman who lived alone since they both left. I wanted her to go out on a date and have herself a good time, but she never would. I made it to the living room and there she was sitting on the couch watching Law & Order reruns.

“Hey there lady!” I spoke with a huge smile on my face.

“Hey baby,” she said while getting up to give me a big hug.

“Come on to the dining room I brought us some Chinese.”

“OK, I hope you got me some shrimp egg foo young.”

“And you know I did with extra gravy and shrimp fried rice.” Once we made it to the dining room, mama already had the table set. I just needed to get the glasses for the wine. I made it back to the table and mama had already opened everything and fixed us a healthy plate.

“So, how has work been?”

“Work is work, how are you?”

“I’m good just been going to bingo with Tracy and Sheila. I’ve been on a dating app too.” She eased in really fast.

“Say what?!”

“Yeah, Sheila put me on, she’s been going out on dates and having her a good time.” I was all for her dating, but I didn’t know how I felt about online dating, but at the same time how could I fuss at her about dating and having a good time then complain about how she’s doing it.

“That’s good to hear mama.”

“Tatum cut the shit. I know you and I know you ain’t feeling online dating. I’ma be ok Shiela makes sure Semaj checks them all out.” I looked at her and burst out laughing. I should have known. Semaj was Sheila’s son that was a cop, Semaj and I went to school together. We used to be tight, but his wife swore I wanted him so our friendship kind of died down. I still made it my business to check on him every now and then. I made a mental note to reach out to him to make sure he was keeping me updated on whoever he was checking out for my mama.

“I feel better knowing someone is checking them out. How has bingo been?”

“I knew damn well you wasn’t feeling it, and bingo is fine. I hit a couple times last week.” It got quiet and nothing could be heard but chewing so I knew the questions about work were coming back up.

“So, how’s the big story going?”

“I’m still working on it.”

“I still don’t want you to do it, but I know how much it means to you. Just promise me you get that sick ass bitch put away for a long time.”

“That’s always been the plan mama, and I know you don’t want to bring all that hurt back up. But I feel like this will be our closure.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I went to go see Poetic Pain the other day and I could tell something happened to him as well, but he won’t talk. I know something had to happen with him he was one of her first child actors. I just don’t know how to get him to talk.”

“Tatum, promise me you’ll let that young man talk on his own time. Please don’t find out that man’s business and spread it all around. This is a touchy subject and that young man has a lot to lose he’s so successful. If those horrible things happened to him, I’m so happy to see that he’s come this far and didn’t let it take over. I wish my baby was stronger than what he was.” My mama said in between sniffles.

I stopped eating and got up and sat next to her and hugged her. We held each other and cried for what seemed like forever. We both needed this every once in a while. I knew this was a touchy topic, but we always talked to each other about it. I wasn’t going to rest until that bitch was in jail for life. After talking to my mama some more I decided to send Poetic Pain an email apologizing for popping up and asked him could we go on a lunch date. I knew I was pushing it but hell it didn’t hurt to try. I figured I would tell him the story about my brother to see where his head was after that.