The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

Like a frightened kitten Lynnette crept into the semi-busy police station where a light stream of disorderly traffic swept through the floor; from officers escorting pimps and prostitutes, to drug addicts and homeless people being processed at various points throughout the area.

In Lynnette's mind everyone that surrounded her were shadows that were caving in on her. She held her boney arms as though she were freezing cold while trying not to make physical contact with any of the other undesirables that resided in the station's front lobby.

Ahead of her was a long podium that stretched at least fifty feet wide. At the very center of the podium was an older black lady who was dressed in full police regalia and steadily writing away on a piece of paper while successfully ignoring the rest of the world around her.

"Excuse me." Lynnette meekly gawked at the woman.

The lady, who was still scribbling away on her piece of paper, didn't remove her eyes from her duty.

"Can I help you?" She mumbled.

"My...my son has been kidnapped." Lynnette stammered.

At the snap of a finger the lady stopped writing and looked straight at Lynnette asking with a suddenly concerned look, "How long ago was your son taken?"

"I...I don't know for sure. Maybe about an hour ago or something."

"Okay, just hold on, I'll be right back," the woman said while getting up from out of her seat and walking away.

Lynnette stood by and watched as the unnamed shadows passed by her in a simultaneous chorus of blundering chaos. She didn't know whether to remain at the podium or simply walk away altogether. She couldn't stop shaking, and the more she thought of Isaiah the more she just wanted to break down and bawl all over the floor. It had been months since she had control over her own being.

"Can I help you?" A middle-aged, black police officer approached Lynnette.

Lynnette looked at the man and tried to speak. "I...my son has been taken away."

"Okay, follow me and we'll see what we can do."

The man led Lynnette away from the open floor and to a series of desks that were located in an adjacent area. Within the area were other officers who were either heading home for the evening or just beginning their shifts.

The officer pulled out a chair for Lynnette to sit in. Seated just three feet beside her was another desk where a white man who was disguised as a mime was arguing with an officer.

"Okay, my name is Officer Barron." The man said as he sat down behind his desk. "And what is your name, ma'am?"

"Uh, Lynnette Glover," she timidly replied. Barron paused for a bit looking as if he were trapped inside a thought.

"Glover, Glover. Why does that name sound so familiar?" He tapped his fingers on his desk. "It doesn't matter. Miss Glover, can you describe your son for me, please?"

"He's two years old. He has...he has." Lynnette tried and tried so diligently but could not seem to conjure a mere picture of her son in her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not thinking very clearly right now.."

"That's okay, but we need some kind of description in order to get this search underway. Now, what was he wearing when you last saw him?"

"I...I don't know for sure."

Barron placed his pen down onto the desk before sitting and studying Lynnette very meticulously.

"Miss Glover, are you sure that your son is even missing?"

"Yes, yes he is!" Lynnette hurried to say. "You see, I haven't been home in a few days. I've been...working a lot."

Barron continued to hand the young woman the 'square eye' before he picked up his pen and began writing all over again.

"Can you possibly give me anything to go on? Something about your son that we could latch on to in order to make this easier," Barron persisted.

Lynnette bore down as hard as she could before blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "He has curly hair and a scar on his left hand that his...father gave him."

"Curly hair and a scar on his left hand," Barron recited to himself while writing. "Is it possible that his father—

Barron right there stopped himself before taking his pen and nibbling on the very tip while staring on at Lynnette. "Now I remember that name." He said in a low voice.

Lynnette only turned her head and blushed the longer Barron looked at her. "Miss Glover, where was your son when he was abducted?"

"He was with my parents at their house."

"Okay, and what's your parents' address?"

"2167 Anders Road."

"Would your parents be able to give an accurate description of your son? It would help."

Shaking her head in a futile manner, Lynnette said, "No, they were both attacked this evening, too."

"I'm taking that this was a burglary?"

"Yes."

"Did your parents happen to get a description of the intruder or intruders?"

"My mother said that there was—

Lynnette's brain came to a complete and abrupt stop at that very instant. All she could think of was what her mother had mentioned.

"Miss Glover, are you okay?" Barron waved his hand in front of her blank, pale face.

At once, Lynnette started to tremble all over again. "My...my mama said that there were three?" She

the other two?" She

his hand out, Barron said, "Okay,

were three of them!" Lynnette sobbed

"Miss Glover, please

"But I don't know who the

know exactly how you feel. I have two sons of my own." Barron said. "But in order for

know one of them." She whimpered. "She had these brown eyes and afro puffs. She was

Writing on his pad, Barron asked, "Okay,

two." Lynnette tried to catch her breath. "My mother said that there were three of them, but I only know

gang?" Barron inquired. "We have been seeing a spike in gang activity in

her. The words she wanted and needed to say were right there

very calm voice, Lynnette explained, "I'm going to tell you something that you won't believe at first, but it needs

and personal to the young

"What I am about to tell you won't sound...real, but it's all I have. These animal killings that

clear on the other side of the area. It was two men

within the vicinity, from officers to victims and perps, stopped what they were doing and

Barron breathlessly stated as he shot up from out of his

numerous officers all descended upon the two unruly men in order to subdue the turmoil, while Lynnette sat by in her

all sorts of misery, from the spurts of profanity-laced mayhem clear on the other side of the room, to her

toe. She couldn't believe that he was gone. The same child that she hadn't seen in

a

Lynnette looked all around until her eyes connected with the man seated only three feet to her

"What?" She cleared

in his mime disguise casually remarked from his chair.

to gather herself, Lynnette sat up in her

up, too. That is until a good friend told

man and arrogantly said,

at Lynnette's scarred up arms for

"Look, I'm sorry your kid is missing, but the last thing you need is to be in here of all places shaking like a leaf. These cops see

with his makeup only appeared as a scary clown in her eyes, despite

mess over there." He nodded

her head to view the carnage that was

to most of them walking the beat after this wild animal that's running loose." The man explained. "That's why I'm here now. No, I take that back," he sniggered. "I'm actually here because I was harassing this elderly couple. They said they would give me five dollars for my routine, but once I was through, the old geezers just up and walked away. Next thing I know, I'm sitting here in a police station missing 'Welcome

that you're sitting in here and not out there." Lynnette found

"Maybe you're right." The man

arms wrapped around her body in the hopes that her shakes would end, Lynnette watched in silent comfort as the officers eventually brought the two men to their knees. In her drowsy eyes it was like

there, and there's nothing any of us can do to kill it." Her

"Wait a minute, you've actually

"Yeah, twice now," she replied. "Ever since then...I know what the devil looks like. He either has fur, or he tells me

"You sound like a poet." The mime

"No, I'm not, I just see people for who

for the past three hours, and in those three hours I've had the opportunity to see all sorts of characters besides myself." He indignantly stated. "You see that old, black lady over there?" He pointed. "She has a complaint about her neighbors' dogs that keep barking all night. Then you have that guy right there, the bald, white fellow. He's in here complaining that a hooker didn't give him the blowjob he paid for. Then there's that guy right over there in the cuffs. The black kid. This joker actually walked in here on his own volition a while ago. Apparently he's been running around town for the past few days harassing people. The cops have been searching for him ever since Henderson's speech the other day. Then suddenly he stumbles up in here looking for someone himself. What luck? Yep, the police station seems to bring out who we really are really quickly, especially when there's

came eye to eye with the aforementioned bearded, 'black kid'

possible, as if he wanted to reach out for her in the worst way, even though he

man, but the more she twisted and squirmed in her seat, that was

"God, I wish they would hurry and at least put me in a cell already."

until after so long she couldn't bear it any longer.

your missing kid, lady?" The mime tossed up his hands in

anarchy her brain had

man Lynnette couldn't help but to

floor trying to stop. When she gazed down all she could see was Cloyse looking

you?" She fumbled over

chair closer to her, Cloyse gasped, "You

feverish man as though he had a disease. "Who are you?"

to cry. His face and clothes were saturated in sweat, while

Lynnette could only see a fraught, pathetic man before her who could have been high on the same kinds of drugs she had been indulging in for

"Please...let me out of here."

turned

"I can see in your face

before turning back around and frowning, "Nigga,

Cloyse dropped his head for a moment before looking back up

"Who," Lynnette

"The two with

Lynnette's left foot tapped so hard on the floor from fear that she could hardly

are you and

have seen dem all of my life. Dey are here,

at that painstaking instant. She heard the words coming out of Cloyse's mouth, but she honestly couldn't believe what

"I don't know you!"

"Okay, fella, that'll do it for you." A male, white officer came up behind Cloyse and began to uncuff him from

to speak with

"Lady, I have to get this guy to a cell, pronto." The officer began dragging Cloyse away.