“And an education component too. That’s considered critical, in fact.”
“Ain’t got my GED. Dropped out to have Tyler. Went back but couldn’t make it work.”
“We can help with that. You still want to get your GED?” asked Mace.
“Got to if I want to get out of here. Here’s just drugs or Mickey D’s if I ain’t got no school. Can’t take care of Ty good.” She reached out and stroked Tyler’s wiry hair.
As Mace looked at the little boy’s face it struck her that she recognized his features, but couldn’t remember from where. “Let’s go over the details and we’ll see if it’s something you’re interested in.”
“I’m interested in anything that’ll get us outta here.”
“You and Tyler, you mean.”
“And my brother.”
“Your brother?” Mace said questioningly. That had not been in the report.
“He just got back.”
“From where?”
“Prison.”
“Okay. How about Tyler’s dad?”
She hesitated, her gaze darting to the floor.
Mace had seen that same maneuver a million times. The lady was about to lie.
“Dead probably. I don’t know. He ain’t here, that’s all.”
“How about your parents?” asked Roy.
“My daddy’s dead. He sold heroin on the corner a block over from here. My momma left me with my grandma.”
“Why did your mother leave you?” Roy asked.
“Had to. She in prison for killing my daddy.”
“Oh,” said Roy.
“Ain’t like he didn’t deserve it,” she said defensively. “He beat her bad all the time.”
“And your grandmother?” asked Mace.
Alisha’s big eyes became watery. “Drive-by. She just walking down the street with her groceries and got caught between two damn crews. But she got to see Ty born. He got to see his great-grandma.”
“That’s pretty rare,” said Roy. “Four generations.”
“She was only forty-nine when she got killed. My momma was thirteen too when she had me.”
Mace was about to ask another question when the door to the apartment opened. When Mace saw who it was she realized where she’d seen Tyler’s facial features before.
“What the hell you doing here, bitch?” the man at the door screamed.
Darren Rogers, a.k.a. Razor, the guy Mace had pepper-sprayed, stood in the doorway. A moment later the “crappy” semi-auto pistol was pointed right at her face.
CHAPTER 59
WHAT THE HELL you doing, Darren?” said Alisha as she jumped to her feet.
He pointed at Mace. “This the bitch what sprayed that shit in my eyes last night. I told you ’bout her.”
“Well, in all fairness, I wouldn’t have if you weren’t pointing a gun at me.”
Alisha stared at him. “Did you do that?”
“Hell no. The bitch just shot me with the shit while I was walking by. I never pulled no gun on her ass till right now.”
Mace turned to Alisha. “He’s also got a .22 caliber revolver in a left ankle holster. And his street name is Razor ’cause, as he told me, he’s so sharp.”
Alisha put her hands on her hips and scowled at Darren. “How she know all that if you just walking by and ain’t pulled your damn gun?”
Darren’s face screwed up in frustration. “How I supposed to know that?”
Mace turned to Alisha. “Is he your brother?”
“Hey, you talk to me,” snapped Darren.
“Okay, are you her brother?”
“Yeah, so what?”
“What were you in prison for?”
“Who told you I was in prison?” Darren glanced darkly at his sister.
She said, “Darren, put that gun away before somebody gets hurt. Look at Ty, he’s scared to death.”
Unnoticed for the last couple of minutes, Tyler had crawled into a corner and tears were dribbling down his chubby cheeks. He was holding up his spaceman, apparently as a shield. Darren’s hostile look instantly melted away. “Ah hell, Ty, I’m sorry, little man.” He put the gun in his jacket pocket and hustled over to pick up the child. He held his cheek against Tyler’s and talked softly to the little boy.
“He’s not crying,” said Roy curiously.
Alisha started to answer but Darren beat her to it. “He ain’t crying, ’cause he can’t talk. Can’t make no sounds or nothing.”
Mace looked at Alisha. “Have you had him checked out?”
Tears again filled Alisha’s eyes. “It was ’cause I doing drugs. Ain’t even know I was pregnant. Doctors say that messed up something in Ty’s head.”
“I’m sorry,” said Mace.
Alisha rubbed her eyes. “My damn fault for getting pregnant.”