Page 35 of The Devoted Husband
The Next Day
He smiled as he stood, but he frowned when he noticed the restraints. “Is all that really necessary?”
Officer Mitchell chuckled. “Seeing as she just got out of the hole this morning, I’d say they are very necessary.”
“You wanna tell me what the hell happened for you to be in solitary for three days, Smiley?”
Though his tone was serious, Sade couldn’t help but smile. “Hi, handsome. I missed you.”
His eyes rolled playfully. “Don’t try to flatter me. I’m upset with you.”
“What did I do?”
“I don’t know! That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
“How’d you find out I was in solitary?”
“I had Richmond call for a wellness check since I hadn’t heard from you. The warden looked into it and told him you were in solitary.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. So explain, and please tell me you weren’t fighting while you’re pregnant with my baby.”
“I didn’t really have a choice, Dante,” she grumbled, avoiding his eyes. “She attacked me, and I had to defend myself. The baby’s fine. They checked me out before putting me in the hole.”
“Jesus. I gotta get you out of here.”
“Since I missed my court date, I have to wait until next Wednesday.”
“Well, I have some really good news. If I’m right about this, I may be able to get you out that day or even before then.”
That caused Sade to perk up. Her back straightened as she smiled and sat up in her seat. “What did you find?”
“It’s only a hunch at the moment. I’m still working on getting proof...but I think Jones paid someone to attack Imani so she’d have to get outside care. You said you saw him at the hospital, right?”
“Right. Yeah. Well, at first, I didn’t think it was him, but when you said he’d been following me, I assumed so.”
“If he was at the hospital, I think he was getting your sister’s DNA. That’s the only thing that can explain how they all of a sudden have enough evidence to arrest you.”
Sade rubbed the center of her chest, her heart, as she sat back in her seat. “If that’s the case...” She looked around before whispering, “I’m done, Dante. They literally have my DNA at both crime scenes. There’s no way I’m coming home.”
“If Jones illegally obtained that evidence, it would be inadmissible.” Her eyes fluttered, and her mouth went slack.
“That would be all the evidence they have; without it, there would be no case. Plus, how would they prove it’s actually a match?
We could argue that he doctored that too. You’d be free, Sade.”
“Don’t play with me, babe.”
He chuckled and sat up in his seat. “I’m serious, Smiley. I just have to prove that he stole Imani’s DNA to match it against yours.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“After I leave here, I’m returning to the hospital to see if I can get that camera footage.
If I can’t, I’ve already looped Richmond in.
By law, a detective must retrieve and record it as evidence, but I don’t want to wait that long.
Even if we had to wait, if we can show Jones in her room, that’s enough to cast reasonable doubt. ”
“I don’t want to get excited prematurely, but thank you for this. It makes me feel good knowing you have my back.”
“Always, bae. Like I told you when you first got here, as much as you’ve done for me, I’ll do absolutely anything for you.”
Finally . . . Sade was starting to believe that.
Sade’s Journal
On the off chance a guard stumbles across this, I’m going to write carefully so nothing I say can incriminate me.
If I get out of here, I’m never doing anything to put myself in a position that takes away my freedom.
Not that I have already. I am not saying I killed anyone.
I’m just saying if I get to go home, I won’t even risk getting a ticket.
I hate being confined. I hate being told what to do.
I hate the food. I hate the smells. I hate the people—everyone except Simone.
Just a little while ago, this girl pooped in the quad and started tossing it at people.
Needless to say, that did not end well for her.
She was left a bloody mess and taken to the infirmary.
I don’t know what she did to get in here, but they say she has mental issues. If so, I would think she should be in a mental hospital, not jail. My heart broke for her. I wanted to protect her, but there were too many of them. All I can do is pray it doesn’t give me nightmares.
Being in here has given me time to reflect.
I don’t think anyone would ever doubt my love for and loyalty to Dante, but now, I question my love and loyalty for myself.
I question if I’ve ever truly known how to prioritize myself.
Even now, I’ll have a baby to put first. Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life?
Loving others more than I love me? Doing things I don’t want to do in their name?
Is that love? If so, is it really worth it?
Maybe I’m overthinking and being dramatic. On the bright side, knowing Dante can match my energy feels good. Good and bad. I guess if I had to give up my freedom for someone, I’m still glad it’s him.