“My name is—”
“I know who you are. What do you want?” she asked.
“I'd like to ask you some questions about James Martin and Rasheed Damali.”
“What's to ask, they’re both dead.” She said bitterly.
“I know that. We're investigating the death of Mr. Damali and Desireé Ferguson.”
“Yeah, well, like I said, they’re both dead. So if you'll excuse me.” Patty turned and started back to her room.
“Please, wait,” Carmen said. “I'm just trying to find out who killed my sister, that's all. Please.”
Patty looked at Carmen. “That was your sister, huh?” Patty's look softened a little. “I'm sorry about your sister.” Patty led Marcus and Carmen into the living room and made herself comfortable in the chair, while Marcus and Carmen sat on the couch. “Okay, make it quick.”
“What was your relationship to James Martin?”
“I used to live with him before he was murdered.”
“I thought he was killed in a carjacking?” Carmen asked.
“It wasn't no damn carjacking. James was murdered and it was set to look like a carjacking.”
“What makes you so sure?” Marcus asked.
“James was too smart, too careful, to let some nigg - - -” Patty stopped herself. She looked at Marcus and Carmen.
“Go ahead and say it. We're used to it,” Carmen said nonchalantly. “To let some nigger.”
“He was too careful to let somebody car jack him. He always rode with his gun on the front seat next to him. He would have shot them or at least drove off. For him to just sit there, it had to be somebody he knew. He would have never just rolled down the window.”
“Did you tell the police that?”
“Of course I did. But they said he just got careless. Said they had a witness to the whole thing.”
“What did the witness say?” Marcus asked.
“The witnesses name is Jamel Banks. He was in the car at the red light next to James. He said there were two guys in an off white 79 Caddy that was stopped at the light behind him. He saw one guy get out the car. He went to the window and told James to get out the car. Then he heard the shot. Then he saw him pull James out of the car and they drive off.”
“Okay,” Marcus said. “You used to live with him before he was murdered. Did you know Rasheed Damali?” Marcus inquired.
“Yes, he did some work for James sometimes.”
“I know that he worked for him sometimes as an escort. But what I'm interested in is the other business Rasheed had with him.”
“And what business would that be, Mr. Douglas?”
“Drugs.”
“I don't know anything about that. I think you should leave,” Patty said as she sprang up from her chair.
Carmen stood up. “Please, Ms. Morgan, we are not the police. We're not here to try and drag you into any drug charge. I just need to know who killed my sister. Nobody's gonna get hurt here.”
Once again Patty looked at Carmen and her look softened and she sat back down.
“Look guys, I know what you trying to do and I'm sorry about your sister and all, but I'm trying to get my life back together. When James died it left me in a bad spot. All the money he owed and the people he owed it to, it all came down on me. James ow
ed his people in Miami more than a quarter million dollars. I had to sell our house, the condo in Aruba, all my jewelry, and give them bastards all the money I had saved just to keep them from killing me. I lost everything. Everything but my clothes and that fuckin' car. And shit, that mutha fucka ain't even running.”