Chapter 32

I woke up to the sound of a loud banging on our front door. I looked beside me and noticed my mother was still sleeping soundly, and so was Jamaica. I quickly shook her to wake her up. When her eyes opened, I spoke, "Mom, get up. Someone's at the door." I came off the bed and ran out. My heart was beating a mile a minute, not only had my sleep been disturbed, I was asl very concerned about the banging on the door. Who would be doing that at just an ungodly hour?

I halt when I saw Valdo opening the door while rubbing his eyes. "How may I help you, officers?" he asked, his voice hoarse from his sleep.

"Are you Uvaldo Dakoda?" one of them asked. I moved closer to see which two policemen it was. It was Officer Robinson and Peters.

He nodded and answered. "Yes, that's me."

"You are under arrest for assaulting William Morgan. Please turn around." Officer Peters announced, his face emotionless.

"What?" I quickly move closer to the door. "That's not true." I shook my head. "William kept pushing Valdo; that's why he punched him. That's barely an assault."

Officer Peters gave me a blank look, "The victim was hospitalised with serious bruises on his face and abdominal area."

Valdo shook his head, "I only punched him once."

"That's not what he said."

"He's lying," I interjected.

"Of course, he is." Officer Peters said sarcastically. "Please turn around, sir."

"He didn't do anything." I defended.

"Turn around now." He warned.

Valdo calmly turned around.

"Hands in behind your back."

"What's going on?" I turned to look at my mother, who was walking out the bedroom rubbing her eyes.

"They're arresting him for assault" I answered, turning my head back to Valdo.

"Assault?" she questioned with a frown.

"William told them that Valdo assaulted him."

She looked at the Officers. "Jim, you know that boy is trouble. You really can't believe that he's telling the truth."

Jim, the second officer, shrugged, "I'm just doing my job, Gizelle."

"Is this how you do your job? Arresting an innocent man?" I questioned, looking at Officer Robinson.

"He's guilty until proven innocent. Let's go." Officer Peters roughly pulled Valdo towards him. It was no secret that Officer Peters was on Morgan salary. He would do anything if the pay were big enough. Officer Robinson wasn't like that, though, but Officer Peters was his senior, and so he had to do as told.

"Valdo," I whispered, looking at him.

"It's going to be okay. Check my phone for the name Eric, tell him what happened and then call my parents and then you call Marcos, tell him..." He started to talk but held his words back. "He's the one I was talking to on the phone earlier."

"This is not right. William is lying." I walked out on the pavement following them. I couldn't let them take him. Tears were threatening fall. How could someone be so evil?

"I'll be fine." I shook my head as the tears ran down my face. "I'll be fine," he repeated.

God only knows what they'll do to him in that jail cell tonight.

"I'm sorry," I said through my sobs.

"It's not your fault." Officer Peters placed him in the back of the police car, then shut the door.

I shook my head. This is not happening.

This can't be happening.

Officer Peters entered the driver's seat, then started the vehicle. Valdo smiled at me as the police car moved away with him in their back seat.

I turned to look at my mother with tears in my eyes. "It's all my fault. I brought him here."

She wrapped her hands around me, "No, honey. It isn't your fault. William is a sociopath. He doesn't like losing and that's why he's doing this. He's weak."

"What if Valdo goes to jail?" I mumbled in her night grown.

"Shhh..he won't go to jail for something that he didn't do. We're going to call, Eric, his parents just like he told us to and that friend of his, Marcos. They'll know what to do. We know he didn't do what William is accusing him of, we just have to prove it. He won't spend more than a night there. I promise." She pulled me away from her and then wiped the tears from my cheeks. "You need to be strong. Drink some water to calm down. I'll go look for his phone and call Eric."

I nodded. I need to calm down.

She held my hands as we slowly walked back to the apartment.

"Everything is going to be okay," she assured. We entered the apartment, and she closed the door behind us. "Go wash your face. I'll call Eric and Markos. You can talk to his parents when you've calmed down." I nod my head. She was right. I was no use to Valdo if my emotions were all over the place. We need to get to the bottom of this situation, and when we do, William is going to regret ever hurting me again.

I can't believe I liked him. I can't believe I had sex with him. I can't believe I got pregnant for him. How didn't I see these crazy tendencies when we were dating?

I wiped my eyes and started walking to our little kitchen. I took up a cup from the tray, then opened the fridge. I took out the jug of water and poured some in my cup then place it back in the refrigerator. I sat on the stool and watched as my mother spoke on Valdo's phone.

She was so calm, but it's only because she only met him today. She didn't know what he's really like, how sweet and adorable he was. She didn't think he stole my heart without even trying.

I stood from the stool and walked to the sink. I washed my face a few times then wiped it with a hand towel. I needed to be healthy. Nothing can't possibly happen with Williams false accusations. Everyone at the restaurant saw that Valdo only punched once and even if they didn't want to talk up and be witnesses, I'm sure there were cameras in the restaurants.

"Cameras in the restaurants," I repeated the thought. That's why Valdo wanted us to call Marcos because the restaurant cameras would prove that he was innocent.

I quickly walked over to my mother. She was hanging up the phone.

"Have you called Marcos as yet?"

She shook her head, "No. I just spoke to Eric. He's a lawyer. He says he'll be here in the morning."

"Good. I know why Valdo wanted us to call Marcos. The restaurant has cameras, Marcos will be able to send us the video clips to prove that Valdo didn't assault William."

Realisation dawned on her, "That explains why he cut himself off. He's smart." He is. He probably could tell that Officer Peters was working with the Morgans. If he knew about the cameras at the restaurant, he would try and get rid of the clip before we got a hold of it.

"Okay, I'll call Marcos, and you call his parents."

I nod at my mother. "I'll go on my phone."

I quickly walk into the bedroom to retrieve my phone. I look at Jamaica who turned slightly but was still sleeping graciously. I smiled at her. "We'll get your daddy back." William might be Jamaica's biological father, but he was in no sense her daddy. He wasn't the one who stayed up at the nights when she cried. He wasn't the only who changed her diapers. He wasn't the one she giggled at.

Williams hasn't been in her life. She didn't know him. He was nothing to her. Just like she was nothing to him.

I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and exited the room.

I dialled Hannah's number and waited patiently for it to be answered. It was 3'O clock in the morning; I'm sure no one would be too happy to answer their phones that late but Hannah answered on the first ring.

"Jakoby? Is something wrong? Why are you calling so late?" her voice was low. I felt bad for waking her up from her sleep, but I know she wouldn't have wanted us to wait until morning to call her. She loved her son, dearly.

"Valdo was arrested," I exclaimed. I didn't know what else to start with. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"What?"

"Valdo was arrested," I repeated.

"Honey, I heard you the first time, but why? Why was he arrested?"

I gave her the detailed on what happened earlier today.

She sighed. "Are you okay?"

"Not really. It's all my fault." If I hadn't asked Valdo to come with me, then he wouldn't have been in jail.

"Don't blame yourself. Valdo can take care of himself. It's not the first time he's getting arrested."

"It's not?" I frowned. Valdo wasn't a trouble maker, so how wasn't this his first time getting arrested.

"No, honey. It isn't. I'll tell you about it a next time. Kevin and I will be there first thing in the morning. Text me your address. Don't worry. Everything will be okay. Get some rest. I'll see you soon." then she hang up.

"What did they say?" my mother asked as soon as I put down the phone.

"They'll be here tomorrow."

She nodded, "Marcos will send over the file to Eric." she paused.

I nod, "Everything will be okay." I was trying to assure myself. Even though we had strong evidence that Williams was lying, we still didn't know what he was capable of.

"Can I be honest with you?"

I nod at my mother's question. "Of course."

"I don't think this is the end. Even if we get Valdo off the hook, William won't give up." She was right. William didn't like losing.

"I won't either."

"Then this is the beginning of a war."

"I guess it is."