Day 25

  Josephina Jujitsu found herself in a shopping mall. People buzzed around her. It was like no one noticed that she appeared out of thin air. Joe walked outside to see where she was. She was at the local mall near where she lived. Joe walked to her home. She unlocked the door and saw the old lady she rented a room from.

  “Dear girl, I was worried about you. I prayed for you every day. I have just finished making food. Sit and eat.”

  Joe sat and the old lady served her and spoiled her.

  Joe didn’t tell her anything and the old lady didn’t ask. The truth was she knew Joe was mixed up with bad people and so she never asked questions.

  Joe went to her room. Everything was as she had left it. She went in, the milk in her fridge was sour and her plant was dead. The dust covering everything showed how long it had been since she was last home.

  Joe went to the bank and got her cash from a safety deposit box. She also kept fake passports in there. She called her brother’s school.

  Her brother Azondre was excited to hear from her.

  “I was worried, you hadn’t called for so long.” He said.

  “I ran into trouble, but I am alright now. I just wanted to check on you.” She said.

  Azondre was only twelve and living in a boarding school. A very fancy boarding school. Joe used almost all her money to keep Azondre in that school. Safe from Eddie and their father.

  “I am going to be changing jobs soon. I might not be able to call as often but I will call whenever I can.” Joe told him.

  Azondre told Joe how things were at school, how well he was doing and that he planned on becoming a scientist when he grows up. Joe wanted these things for him. She had concerns that her plans were not sufficient to provide for Azondre if she died. But being in Chayim made her change. She needed more money, she needed less dangerous work. Or as lest much better pay.

  She went to see Eddie her boss.

  “The prodigal child had returned.” Eddie announced.

  “What happened to you? At first, I thought you were dead, then I thought you ran away. But Joe is more loyal than a dog, so I told myself you would never run away. Where have you been?” he asked.

  “Did you report me missing?” Joe asked.

  Eddie laughed.

  “The police in our business. People come to us when the police cannot help them. We are the final authority.” Eddie answered.

  “Is Sugar reported missing?” Joe asked.

  “No. Where is she?” Eddie asked.

  “Lost to the universe.” Joe answered.

  “Did you kill her?” Eddie asked.

  “No, I left her behind. She will not be coming home. Why do you want her alive?” Joe asked.

  “She is my cousin’s child.” He answered.

  “Why is she not working for you?”

  “Why so many questions? Where have you been?” he asked.

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  “I need more money. I am loyal but I need more money and I want to learn more than just how to kill.” Joe said.

  “You want to do business?” Eddie asked.

  “I want to be able to do everything!” Joe answered.

  “Ok, I will teach you. But you are not planning to learn from me and run?” he asked.

  “I am here, after being lost for twenty-five days. Shall I kill everyone here to show you I am still with you?” Joe asked.

  “Why do you need money?” Eddie asked.

  “I don’t like the little box I call a home, and I have back rent.” Joe answered.

  Eddie grinned.

  “My Joe is back. Boys beware she is different.”

  “I need money to give to the family of my friend who help me get back home. She died I couldn’t protect her.” Joe told him.

  Eddie now thought he understood what Joe was going on about. She wanted extra money so she could help a friend.

  “I will give you ten thousand. Go see your friend’s family and when you return, we will do great business together.” Eddie said.

  Joe took the money, and went to California looking for Natrica’s family. She found the club Natrica worked in.

  Joe asked one of the dancers.

  “Where can I find Natrica?”

  The dancer laughed.

  “A war has started over her disappearance. No one knows where she is. Business is bad. Her brothers come here every day asking the same thing. No one knows.”

  “When her brothers get here, point them out to me.” Joe said.

  “I won’t need to.” The dancer answered.

  Joe waited and waited. Around midnight a group of men came in, turning the tables and smashing things.

  “I see are not taking us seriously. Where is Natrica?” he demanded.

  Joe stood up. One tried to push her back into her seat. But she broke his hand instead.

  “Who is in charge?” Joe asked louder than the one making demands.

  “I am!” A big man come forward.

  “I want to speak with you alone.” Joe said.

  “I don’t want you!” He taunted.

  “I am not offering me.” Joe snapped “I will show you kindness because Natrica was my friend. But mind yourself as friendship will only spare you so much.” Joe warned.

  One came and tried to hit her. Joe twisted is arm behind his back and used him as a human shield.

  “Natrica was the only girl. She has ten brothers. Some are very young and she looks after them. Your mother is a prostitute. Natrica was twenty-five years old and she was afraid of horses.” Joe said trying to prove she knew Natrica.

  The big one came over.

  “Let the boy go.” He said.

  “I came to give you closure and give you this.” Joe passed him the bag.

  “She studied to be a book keeper. She was kind and full of love even for strangers. She would give a tenth of her earning to the catholic church on cross street.”

  The other dancers wondered who this woman they had never seen was. She knew things about Natrica that they didn’t even know.

  Joe pushed the boy away from her.

  Arron looked at the money. “What is this?” he asked.

  “Natrica is dead. I killed the man who killed her. His name is Christopher Blight. She was my friend. I felt I needed to tell you. She was given the burial of a queen.” Joe said,

  “I am sorry, she died.”

  Arron hit Joe across the face.

  “How dare you?” he said.

  Joe glared at him

  “She spoke fondly of you. She never mentioned that you were a bully. If you hit me again you will lose something. I will not kill you because of Natrica. But I will make you less.” Joe warned.

  Gorge came from behind and grabbed what was left of Joe’s hair. Joe stabbed a knife through his foot. Gorge screamed.

  “The money is yours. Now decided how you want to honor her memory. Right now, you are a disgrace to her name. You are all an embarrassment. I do not understand why she spoke of you so fondly. She believed in you and I do not see why.”

  Timothy pulled out a gun.

  “Put it down. You are pathetic!” Joe spat at them and left.

  One ran after her in the car park.

  “Wait!”

  Joe stopped. She looked at the boy.

  “Get better teachers.” She told him.

  “Thank you for bring the news. I know she wouldn’t want this but Arron is crazy in his rage. He believed our rival took her. If he is wrong then we killed many for no reason.”

  “You killed many for no reason.” Joe stated.

  “My name is Luke. Thank you for coming.”

  “Do better than your stupid big brothers. They cannot even protect themselves from me.” Joe said.

  “Will you teach me?” he asked.

  “No! Go do something Natrica would have wanted you to do.” She answered.

  Joe went to her motel. She was leaving for Finland at 10am. She lay down and fell asleep. After being in Chayim no bed was that bad.

  Joe woke up to a banging on her door.

  She opened the door. Arron stood there. He had been crying.

  “Is she really dead?” he asked.

  “I didn’t come all this way because she is alive and on holiday.” Joe answered.

  Joe was annoyed. It was 3am.

  “Whichever brother you are. Go!” she said.

  “How did she die?” he asked “Please.”

  “She was shot in the head. In front of me. She didn’t suffer it was instant.” Joe answered “I cut his throat out.”

  Arron started crying.

  “I am sorry. I didn’t want to believe. She was our light, my compose.” He said.

  Joe stepped out of the way and let him into her room.

  “Coffee?” she offered.

  Arron nodded.

  Joe made coffee for him.

  “Please tell me everything.” He asked.

  Joe sat on the bed, while Arron sat on the chair. Joe told him how she met Natrica. How she was so quick on her feet. Joe told Arron about Chayim.

  Arron left an hour later. He was far from alright. But the truth is what he needed.

  As he left Joe said “Stop being the first to strike. It shows off your weakness.”

  Joe caught her flight back to Finland and started learning business under Eddie. Whenever she found a situation to be confusing, she would ask herself, what would Natrica want? This was a guideline and it helped her respond in a way that was not just death and force.

  Joe often thought of Rosaleighm. She hoped things were going well for the child. It was all she wanted for Rosaleighm. A good happy life.

  Joe sometimes thought of the others too. T?ra was so sure that peace was achievable. She even thought of Autumn who was the strongest person she had ever fought.

  Joe stayed alert and grew in strength and smarts. She was determined to be more. As time went, she got more and more money saved up. Joe pushed all the money into Azondre’s school fees. She wanted to have him set up for the rest of his life. Then she started a fund for him so that he could go to varsity. She was determined not to be the only hope anyone had.