“Not a problem,” Agent Grant said as she made her way toward I-20. “Mind if I ask you a question, Ms. Taylor?”
“Sure go ahead.”
“I overheard parts of your conversation. You know, the part about not wanting to say over the phone. I know that you were very disappointed by what Agent Ward said. But please, don't do anything you might regret later.”
“Believe me, Agent Grant, I won't do anything stupid. There's just something that I need to get.”
When Agent Grant arrived at the park Denny was there waiting. He was sitting on the trunk of his car enjoying a drink and people watching. When he saw the black Crown Victoria stop behind him, he got up and started walking away. Carmen jumped out of the car. “Denny Boo!”
“Damn Carm, you scared the shit outta me.”
Carmen stuck her head back in the car. “Thanks for the ri
de Agent Grant.”
“Do you need me to stay and wait for you?”
“No, Agent Grant, I think I'll be safe with him. Safer with him then most places in the world,” Carmen said looking out at Denny. “But I want to thank you for everything.”
“Alright, Ms. Taylor. But please, take my card,” agent Grant handed Carmen her card. “Promise that you'll call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you. Agent Grant.” Carmen replied happily and accepted the card. “If I see anything out the way you'll be the first person that I call.”
“I'll be checking on you,” agent grant said and she drove away.
“What's going on, Denny Boo?”
“Waz up, Carmen. Who was that? Looked like a cop.”
“That's because she is a cop. That was Agent Azizah Grant of the FBI.”
“FBI! What you doing with the FBI? Better question, why you bring the FBI anywhere near me?”
“She was assigned to protect me. But I told her that I would be safe with you.”
“Why was she assigned to protect you?”
“Somebody tried to kill me.”
Denny listened as Carmen explained to him what she and Marcus had been working on and how she came to need the protection services of Agent Grant. “Marcus huh? That the stiff you brought to my mom’s house?”
“Yes, and he is not a stiff. Marcus is a very nice man.”
“Nice man, huh? Bet he ain't nothin' like me?”
“No, Denny Boo, he is nothing like you.”
“You probably ain't never got with a thug nigga like me. Have you, Carm?”
“To be honest with you boo, there was this one guy I used to date in New York that makes you look like a habitual J-walker.”
“Oh really. Habitual J-walker, huh? How you run up on him?”
“I met him when I first moved there after I left Spellman. You remember Jackie, stayed in the room next to me and Desireé?” Denny nodded. “She didn't go back to school in the fall, so I was staying with her off Jackson Avenue. So me and Jackie were hanging out in the valley one night and we took the train home. I looked up and there he was, standing over me. So he sat down next to me and we were talking. He was wearing a long black coat and I know he's got a gun in the pocket, because I could feel it bump against my leg every time the train stopped. And he was with this other guy. He was standing by the door and he's got a gun, too. Only his is in his hand, but he's holding his coat over it. So he asks me where I was going and I said to Jackson Ave.”
“I'm getting off there too.” He said.
“Do you live around there?”