Free Get It Girls by Treasure Blue

concerns. He clasped his hands and simply told them the truth. “Well, the other girls that were supposed to be involved were never actually substantiated. The only eyewitness remembered specifically seeing a total of four people and a deceased body on the floor. It all comes down to your words against theirs and the evidence that was left at the scene. And the other victim in this case claims that you were the aggressors that originally produced a knife.”
    Jessica jumped up and said furiously, “That is a lie! We didn’t start anything, and that was their knives.” She looked at her parents and pleaded, “Mommy, Daddy, you got to believe me. We didn’t start anything; they started with us by putting the knives to our throats and throwing us in the building.”
    Mr. Butler put his hand up and agreed. “I believe you, Jessica, but the fact remains that the State of New York found sizable and ample enough evidence to charge you, and now it comes down to her word against yours. That’s what bothers me,” he said. Then he added, talking more to himself, “They must have something more concrete.” He looked Jessica in the eyes before continuing, “Now Jessica,” he asked sternly, “is there something, anything that you haven’t told me about the case that might be pertinent for me to know before we move on? Because if you’re holding anything back, it may come out in court and blow up in our faces. I just need you to be honest with me to cover all the bases.”
    All three looked at Jessica, awaiting her response until she finally answered, “No, I told you everything. We had problems with them in the past, and they would always bother us coming from or going to school. We went to our prom, came home, and that’s when everything happened. That’s it.”
    Mr. Butler searched her face for a moment, smiled and said, “Ok, let’s move on. We’ll go through everything later.” He turned his attention to a folder that already had her name on it and opened it. “I received information on the victim by messenger service, just before you arrived.” He began scanning the papers and began to read the aloud. “The deceased’s name was Denise Jackson, twenty years old, some college and stable home with no prior arrests. Her mother was deceased since she was five and her father . . .” His sudden pause soon concerned them all. He finally looked up at the Jones and repeated, “Her father is district Councilman Jonathan Jackson.” He took off his glasses and began to rub his now weary eyes.
    Mr. Jones asked, “So what does that mean?”
    He looked at Mr. Jones and said, “It means he’s got a lot of political clout and that Jessica is in for the fight of her life.” He changed the subject and got down to business. “Mr. and Mrs. Jones, this would be a better time than any to discuss trial fees. And I can tell you right now that this will go to trial and could be very costly.”
    Mr. Jones sat erect. “Sir, my baby’s life is on the line here, whatever the cost is I will get it, even if it means taking out a second mortgage on my home.”
    Mr. Butler smiled, just so, and said, “Good, good. I’ll have my secretary give you some papers to sign later. In the meantime, Jessica, we need to go over everything from the very beginning again. Starting from the first time you ever had a run-in with the deceased and her friends.”
    Jessica exhaled and started from the beginning.
    **********
    The following evening
    Ring...ring...ring...
    Jessica picked up the phone and said, “Hello?”
    “Yo, Jessica.” It was Vonda, who immediately sounded as if something was wrong. “Turn to Channel 5. We on the news.”
    She dropped the phone and raced to the living room where her father sat, and she saw that he was already watching the news. She shifted her attention to the television and sure enough the corresponding reporter was in Harlem in front of the same building the incident took place in.
    “It was here, on a cool