IBO - Brian R. Lundin (100 books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📗

juveniles it’s no big deal.”
“You said that the Board of Governors makes gang policy, what kind of policy?” Boni asked.
“The price of the drugs to be sold, how pure it is, penalties for violations and things like that.”
“Did Mr. Fairchild or Mr. Gates ever give you any drugs to sell?”
“Yes sir, they gave me drugs twice a day.”
“For how long?”
“Three or four years, I guess.”
“I have nothing else you honor,” Boni said returning to his seat.
“It’s getting late, why don’t we start your cross in the morning Mr. Eli,” the judge said.
“That’s fine your honor,” Eli answered.
“Court is in recess until 9:30 am tomorrow morning,” the judge said.
“All rise,” Jack said as Judge Miller left the courtroom.
When Eli returned to his office there was a message from Malik with a phone number. Eli called the number.
“How’s it going counselor?”
“It’s tough; the government got a pretty strong case against your guys. Those guys Edward and Owens hurt us today.”
“Yeah I heard that he had turned.”
“With the deal they cut with the Feds, they will probably get twenty years, that’s beats, the hell out of life.”
“Yeah, it does but you will figure something out.”
“Well that’s what I will be doing for the rest of the evening.”
“Ok, I’ll let you get to work, talk,” Malik said hanging up.
“Talk, Eli responded.
Eli spent the rest of the evening going over his notes, reviewing the government evidence with the professor, and discussing strategies. He fell asleep at his desk and the next morning he was back in court. Also in court was a young woman with two young children and another older couple. They sat directly behind the prosecution table with a muscular looking man. Billy Edwards recognized the young woman as his girl friend and the two children were his son and daughter. The older couple was his parents. He also recognized Cinque who gave him a big toothless smile.
“All rise this court is now in session,” the court officer announces as Judge Miller took her seat.
The judge sat down and everyone in the courtroom sat down. Boni approached the bench and had a brief conversation with the judge.

“Mr. Whitney, will you approach the bench please,” the judge said.
When Eli approached the bench the judge said, “Mr. Boni has just informed me that both of the government witnesses has recanted their testimony of yesterday, they claim that they were forced by the federal agents to confess, and there is nothing he can do to make them change their minds. Mr. Boni also stated that the government case was based primarily on their testimony and he doesn’t think the government has enough, even with the video and audiotapes to get a conviction, what do you suggest?
“I have no choice your honor but to request that the charges be dismissed.”
“Mr. Boni?”
“As much as I hate to your honor, the government will drop all of the charges.”
“I request that the $25,000 that was confiscated when my clients were arrested be returned to them,” Eli said.
“I will sign an order to that effect Mr. Whitney.”
The judge briefed the jury about the dropping of the charges without going into any detail, thanked, them for their service, and dismissed them. The judge and her Court Security Officer left the courtroom. As soon as Judge Miller disappeared, the court reporter began folding up her machine and the court clerk left the room. Eli remained at the bench, dumbfounded. What had happened, why did the government informant recant their testimony?
On his way, back to his office Eli was still shocked. What had made them change their stories? They were now looking at life in prison, by the time they came up for parole; they would be old men, if they survived prison life. Eli told the professor what happened and he had no idea of why the informants had recanted. Eli thanked the judge for his help and gave him ten thousand dollars to cover his expenses. The professor returned to Harvard. Two days later Boise came by his office.
“Good morning Attorney Whitney
“Good morning Boise, everything ok?”
“Right as rain counselor, here is something for you,” Boise said handing Eli an envelope.
Eli looked into the envelope and saw the money.
“What is this?”
“Just a little bonus for your good work, talk.”
Boise left and Eli sat down to count the money, it was the confiscated $25,000.
Eli did not hear anything for a week until one day he was having lunch at a small Amish restaurant when Malik walked in sat down at the table and got a biscuit out of the covered basket.
“What’s up counselor?”
“What are you doing here?” Eli asked.
“I came to see my old college buddy,” Malik responded, taking a bite of the biscuit.
“How did you know where I was?”
“I guessed,” Malik said smiling.
“You know you are strange, don’t you?” Eli said pouring Malik a cup of coffee.
“Yep, let’s walk and talk,” Malik said.
Eli and Malik left the restaurant and started walking down the street. A cool breeze was blowing from the south. Couples, mainly older white men and women were strolling down Center Street, the main street in Warsaw, hand in hand, window-shopping, or inspecting antiques. A street cleaning machine was slowly moving down the street picking up nothing, a young woman pushing a stroller was talking to another woman when Malik noticed the two young white girls approaching him and Eli. When they got close, they gave them a very, very friendly “Hello.” Eli returned the greetings for him and Malik and as the girls passed; Malik turned and looked at them.
“They got nice little asses for white girls,” he said, they both laughed and continued walking.
“Are there any black people in this town?” Malik asked.
“Not to many,” Eli answered.
“Everything went ok in court, huh,” Malik said.
“Yeah, I guess so, when all the government witnesses reneged on their deal, which I don’t understand why, that blew the government case out the window. Do you know… wait, that’s a stupid question, tell me what happened, they now face life in prison by refusing to testify?” Eli said.
“Let’s say they testified, and got twenty years instead of life. They and all of their family, mother, father, children, uncles, aunts, cousins and any one close to them, girlfriends, friends would all one day wind up missing, they violated the code, they just had to be reminded that’s all. It wasn’t like they were going to get out of jail anyway, they still were looking at twenty years in prison, and anything can happen in prison. So even, with the life sentence, they will probably get out in twenty years anyway and they will not have to hold their asses when they take a shower. Now they do not have to worry about their families or themselves. See what you have to remember, Eli is these people are used to prisons and jails, it is no big thing to them. They get three hots and a cot, plus they have many friends in the joint and besides we will take care of their people. We just made them an offer they couldn’t refuse,” Malik said mocking Brando in the Godfather movie.
“And older couple and a woman with two young children were in court the day that Edwards recanted and there was a mean looking dude with no teeth sitting with them. Do you know who they were?” Eli asked.
“Yep, that was Billy’s girl and his two kids, the older couple were his parents. That mean looking dude was Cinque, head of the Simbas,” Malik said.
“I guess they were friends of somebody.” Malik said.
Quickly changing the subject, Malik said, “I heard from Diki the other day, his father died and he has taken over the business.”
“You mean the opium fields?” Eli asked.
“Yep, I guess so, what they call that plant?”
“God’s Plant,” Eli said.
“He wants us to come to his funeral and there are other things I want to talk with you and Diki about.”
“What’s up Malik?” Eli asks suspiciously.
“We’ll talk about it when we get there. How about going next week Diki said he will sends his plane for us, he said it bigger and better than the other one.”
“That will be hard to do, Ok, let’s go, I could use a vacation,” Eli said.
“Me too,” Malik said, as he thought about his plan.

Chapter 28

Diki met Eli and Malik at the private airport when they arrived in Nigerian.
Hugging both of them at once, Diki said, “My brothers, it so good to see you.”
“You look great Diki, what sup?” Malik ask.
“Hanging in.” Diki responded.
“Sorry to hear about your father,” Malik said.
“I miss him; he was a very special man,” Diki answered soberly.
The three men got into a stretch limo and driven to Diki’s home, which was as eloquent as ever. During the drive, Malik notices the fields.
“I see your fields are still going strong,” Malik said.
“Oh yes, my brother, it is the lifeblood of my people.”
When they arrived at the house, Eli said, “You kept the house, huh?”

”Yes, I just made a few moderation’s, cable TV, enclosed the pool, little stuff really. My father loved this place so much; I wanted to keep it just about the way he had it. Why don’t you guys freshen up and we’ll have lunch.”
A strikingly beautiful young woman led Eli and Malik to their rooms and after a couple of hours she came and got them and escorted them to the dining hall beside the pool where Diki was waiting.
“Ready for lunch?” Diki asked.
“Yeah, this looks good,” Malik, answered.
A well-dressed older black woman had set the table and began removing the lids from the platters and bowls. The first platter contained smothered chicken and pork chops. A large colorful bowl contained rice mixed with a mound of yellow corn and covered with onions and green peppers. Collard greens with pigtails and ham hocks were in another large colorful bowl and sitting on a hot plate was a skillet full of steaming cornbread.
“Where do you get all this food, collards greens and stuff and who cooked it” Malik asked.
“When I heard you’ll was coming, I hired a cook from Chicago, told her what to buy, and she brought it and cooked