On the Other Side by Michelle Janine Robinson

to do with him. So, I of course, told him there was no way it had anything to do with me. Well, Derrick was able to get the plate number of the person following us. He ran the plates. Damita, the car was registered to Neal.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œYes. You don’t seem all that surprised. Did you even know Neal had a car? You never mentioned to me that he had one.”
    â€œI knew he had a car, but he usually keeps it parked in a garage downtown. He doesn’t use it often.”
    â€œDo you have any idea why Neal would be following Derrick and me?”
    â€œI don’t know, Carmella. I didn’t know it when I married him, but Neal has a drug problem. He gets real paranoid at the drop of a hat. He’s also very insecure about my friends. That might have something to do with it.”
    â€œHow insecure?” Carmella asked.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHow insecure is he? The day of your wedding, I watched Neal watching you all night. When he wasn’t watching you, he was watching Brandon. The look he had on his face was one of complete hatred. I couldn’t figure it out. I kept thinking he’s probably possessive and Brandon was such a cutie, and so charming. But, it was more than that. At one point Neal’s jaws were clenched so tight I thought his teeth might shatter.”
    â€œCarmella, what’s the question?”
    â€œNeal is your husband and you love him, but is there any chance at all that you might not know him as well as you think you do? Is there a chance he had anything to do with Brandon’s death? I’ve gone over it in my mind again and again and it doesn’t make any sense. At first I thought, hey, this is New York; crime happens every day. But, then after really thinking about it, I realized Brandon’s death was way too random.
    â€œOf all the people running in Central Park, why would they choose him? If it were a robbery, do you really think they would have chosen Brandon over all the other choices available? The demographics don’t make sense. So, out of all those potentially wealthy white folks out there running, they decided to hit Brandon.Not only that, the police aren’t even sure it was a robbery. There didn’t appear to be anything missing. The three of us knew each other’s routine inside and out. Brandon never had that much cash on him, especially when he went running.”
    â€œWhat makes you say that?”
    â€œCome on, Damita. Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve known you since we were little bitty things, passing notes to the boys we liked in elementary school. In all the years I’ve known you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear so much makeup. What did he do to you?”
    Damita finally let go and broke down and cried.
    â€œHe’s abusive Carmella, physically and emotionally. In a short period of time, I’ve seen what he’s capable of. I know what I need to do. I am going to leave him, eventually. I need to figure out how much of what he has told me is him using fear to control me and how much of it is the absolute truth.”
    â€œDamita, I don’t understand what difference it makes? Go to the police and report his ass. Get yourself an order of protection and get the fuck out of here. Part of it may be the drugs, but you and I both know most of it is who he is. I’ve dabbled in my fair share of substances, and they’ve never caused me to be violent. The things he’s doing are part of his character. The drugs only lower his inhibitions.”
    â€œYou’re the one who told me that you think Neal may have followed you and your date. If that’s true, don’t you think I need to tread very carefully?”
    â€œI’m not afraid of Mr. Neal Westman. So, I hope you’re not worried about me. I’ll get some of my boys from the hood to tighten him up real quick.”
    â€œWow! You can take the girl out of the hood, but you