Asia and a stream of other female inmates lined up to use the phones. She waited patiently listening to a girl standing in front of her having phone sex. She prayed that the number she’d been reciting over and over in her head for the past few minutes was the right one for Divine. She’d spent one night in jail and desperately needed to reach him before her arraignment in a few hours.
As soon as the judge grants me bail, I need him to be here with some cash so I can take off these hideous orange scrubs and walk outta this fucking place, she thought to herself.
When it was finally her turn, Asia stepped up to reach for the phone, but a tall, manly looking woman with a short buzz cut, and big lips blocked her path.
“It’s my turn to use it,” she snarled.
Knowing this was her only time to call Divine, Asia wasn’t about to back down, especially since this was her first time being able to call someone due to overcrowding the night before. “You better back your big burly ass the fuck up. Don’t let the pretty face fool you, bitch!” Asia responded back.
The woman stood there for a second looking Asia up and down. She then smiled. “Oohhh, talking shit turns me on. I likes the fact that you didn’t back down like all these other weak ass women,” she said, blowing Asia a kiss and backing away.
Asia eyeballed her as she grabbed the phone receiver off the wall making sure the woman wasn’t up to anything. The woman smiled again, this time it was so wide you could see several gold teeth in the front of her mouth.
“And you’s a smart cautious bitch, too. I likes that. Until we meet again sexy,” the woman said, pimping away like a dude.
Asia shook her head thinking, I gotta get the fuck out of here A.S.A.P.
She quickly dialed Divine’s number. When she heard the female recorder say, please enjoy the ringtone while waiting for your party to answer followed by his new single Get Money blasting in the phone, Asia knew she had the right number. It was her first glimpse of hope.
“Hello,” Divine answered on the third ring.
“You have a collect call from the Dade County Jail. To accept this call, press five,” the automated operator spoke.
Asia waited patiently, hoping Divine would accept the call. As soon as she heard him say hello once again, she let out a small sigh of relief.
“Hey, Divine, thank God you picked up your phone. Listen, I’m in trouble and really need your help. As you can see, I’m locked up and I was wondering if you could please come bail me out? I don’t know what my bail is gonna be yet since I’m about to go to this arraignment, but it shouldn’t be that much. I can pay you back once I get out. I’m about to come into a lot of money,” she pleaded.
Divine was quiet for a minute. “Asia, I’m not bailing your sorry ass out of jail. The only reason why I even answered was because I thought the call was from my cousin. I heard all about what you did to my boy, Zoe. Me and that nigga go way back. We like brothers, actually. I can’t believe you robbed him then had the nerve to invite the nigga to your hotel room after you turned me down.”
“What? I didn’t invite him to my room. He followed me to my room. He raped me Divine!” Asia screamed into the phone.
Divine laughed, “Yeah right. Y’all money hungry bitches are all the same. When you can’t get any money from a nigga, first thing you do is holla rape. Get the fuck outta here, you bum bitch!” he said, laughing as he hung up the phone in her face.
Asia held the receiver in her hand. She was shocked at the way Divine had talked to her. Even worse, she knew Divine was the only person she had to call to help her out. There was no one else. She also wished she had enough money to hire Toni Vaughn, or another top notch attorney to represent her. Possibly facing child abandonment and endangerment charges, Asia knew she was gonna need a good attorney to help her get out and regain custody of her son.
“Are you finished? Other people need to use the phone,” a female inmate yelled out.
Instead of getting into any type of altercation, Asia hung up the phone and stepped away with her head hung low as she proceeded back to her three-walled concrete cell.
I got to get out of here so I can go get my son. I was so close to getting my money and being set for life. Her chain of thought was suddenly broken when she bumped into the Amazon woman again. I’m definitely not in the mood to keep dealing with this dike bitch.
“Pretty girl, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Moe and I runs this place. Anything I wants I gets in here,” she said, rubbing Asia on her face.
Quickly moving her head back, Asia displayed a look of disapproval. She almost threw up in her mouth from the strong, rancid scent coming from the woman’s body, and Asia wanted to tell her so badly that she didn’t need to keep adding an extra “s” to most of her words.
“Let me know if you needs anything in here. I’m known to make shit happen,” the woman stated just before tapping Asia on the ass.
At that moment Asia became furious. In her mind it was the ultimate sign of disrespect for someone who wasn’t gay. It was about to go down as Asia clenched her fist and prepared herself mentally and physically for a fight. But just as she attempted to confront the woman, a C.O. walked up.
“Inmate 941207Asia Jones, let’s go, it’s time for your arraignment.”
Saved by the bell, Asia thought as she watched the C.O. cuff her hands, then followed him down the hall to the elevator. While waiting, she admired how cute he was and noticed that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.
“Why isn’t a handsome man like yourself married?” she asked.
He looked back at Asia. “Who said I wasn’t married?”
“I don’t see a wedding band on your finger,” Asia flirted. Even though she was locked up some things would never change.
“I am married. I just don’t wear my ring to work,” he responded as the elevator doors opened and they walked inside.
“Well, she’s a lucky woman. I wish I had run into you on the outside. You would’ve been asking her for a divorce,” Asia joked.
“Is that right?”
“That’s right. I got what’s called platinum pussy baby.”
This time the C.O. didn’t respond. The expression on his face made it obvious that he believed the conversation was getting out of hand. Once they finally reached the lower level and the elevator doors opened, he escorted Asia out of a back door and into a van where several other inmates were also waiting to go to court. She sat in the van looking at the other women wondering what crime they’d committed. Asia didn’t consider herself a criminal and couldn’t believe she had to be in such close quarters with possible murderers.
During the short ride to the court building, her mind was fixated on a plan to get out. But with no money, it was beginning to look like a difficult task. Even the money she’d stolen from the white guy might not have been enough. Not to mention, the police hadn’t allowed Asia to retrieve her purse from the hotel room the night she was arrested, so she was sure it had been stolen by now.
When the van pulled up at the courthouse a few minutes later, Asia along with the other female inmates were escorted inside on a back elevator and up to a waiting room until it was time for them to see the judge. Several agonizing minutes later, Asia was the first to be called. Her stomach did all sorts of somersaults as a court officer escorted her into the courtroom and sat her down at a table.
Asia lowered her head in disbelief.
The entire time she’d been in Miami, Asia was determined to get inside a courtroom, but not this way. She was supposed to be on the plaintiff side with a huge smile on her face once the judge told her the amount she’d be getting from Sandino. Now, Asia was the defendant, facing possible jail time for something that she knew she was guilty of.
“I just need my bond to be as low as possible, so I can have a chance at getting out,” Asia said with her head still lowered. She was too embarrassed to look up.
Suddenly the baliff blurted out, “All rise, this court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Randolph is presiding.”
Asia stood up, still focusing on the old wooden table as the judge entered the court room and took a seat at his bench.
“You may be seated,” the judge responded.
Another court officer then called out a docket number and yelled, “People versus Asia Jones!”
The officer escorted Asia up in front of the judge as he took a minute to review her file. When he finally looked up, his facial expression immediately changed. His face seemed completely flushed.
“So, we meet again, Ms. Jones.”
Asia looked like she’d seen a ghost when she realized the judge was the man she’d robbed two days prior. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and weak at the knees when beads of sweat quickly formed on her forehead.
Oh my God. I’m fucked, she thought.
The judge smirked before continuing. “Ms. Jones, you have been charged with one count of child abandonment, one count of child endangerment and one count of child neglect. How do you plead?”
Asia wanted to say something, but couldn’t get the words out.
“How do you plead, Ms. Jones.” he asked again.
She cleared her throat. “Umm…not guilty, Your Honor. I didn’t do anything wrong. I really need to get out so I can go get my son.”
“Is this the same son that you left alone in a hotel?” the judge asked.
Asia looked at him with a dumbfounded look on her face. “It didn’t happen the way those people in the hotel are saying it did.”
Several of the people in the courtroom looked at her with disgust. Regardless of what her reason or excuse was, when cases involved children, bystanders were usually non- forgiving. The judge obviously wasn’t buying it either.
Moments later, the clerk interrupted by passing the judge a piece of paper. After reading it, he blurted out, “Bail denied, Ms. Jones. You will be held in Dade County until your next court date.”
Asia freaked out. “Are you serious? Why? I need to get out of here.”
“And so does every other inmate who appears before me,” the judge shot back. “Do you have a criminal defense attorney?”
“No,” Asia mumbled.
“Well, a public defender will be assigned to your case.” At that moment, the judge saw one of the worst lawyers in the state of Florida walk into the courtroom. Once again, a smirk appeared on his face.
He never wins any of his cases. After what that bitch did to me he would be perfect to represent her, he thought to himself.
“Mr. Currie, are you representing anyone today?” the judge questioned before placing the piece of paper inside her folder.
The lawyer looked around surprised by the question. “Yes, but my next case isn’t until noon, Your Honor.”
“In that case, I’ll need you to represent Ms. Jones. We can deal with all the proper procedure paperwork later.” He pointed to Asia. “Please discuss these charges with her,” he said, holding up Asia’s file.
“Okay, Your Honor,” the lawyer replied with a puzzled look, but didn’t ask any questions.
The judge looked down at Asia. “Normally you get your court appointed attorney before your next court date, but I’ve decided to bend the rules a little and appoint one to you now. Besides, it looks like you’re really going to need it.”
Asia was shocked as the officer escorted her out of the courtroom and into a small back room. After sitting down, the lawyer introduced himself.
“Hello Ms. Jones, my name is Chris Currie and it looks like I’ve been assigned as your court appointed attorney.”
Asia shook his hand with her cuffs on. She looked the man up and down. Wearing a cheap, pin stripe suit, and black wire frame glasses, it looked like he was fresh out of law school. Still wet behind the ears.
I hope he knows what he’s doing. But then again who am I to be picky. It’s not like I can afford anybody else anyway, she thought.
“Okay, Ms. Jones, so…” the lawyer attempted to say.
“Wait, I have a question. Do you know if the judge has a wife?” Asia asked as she suddenly thought about her blackmail scheme. Even though her phone was also left inside the hotel, Asia thought it might’ve been someway her cell provider could retrieve the pictures. It was a long shot, but worth looking into.
“I’m not sure how that information is beneficial to your case Ms Jones.”
“It’s not, but since you’re my lawyer now I need you to do what I say,” Asia demanded.
The young attorney seemed intimidated. He stared at Asia before pushing up his glasses. “Judge Randolph’s wife died two years ago.”
Asia lowered her head once again. Every plan she had, seemed to fail.
“How the hell could he not give me a bail? Isn’t it something you can do? Are you going to be able to get me off on those charges?” she asked.
Chris looked through the file handed to him from the judge then grabbed a pen from his briefcase. “Well, Ms. Jones, it seems like you have a much bigger problem now.”
Asia sat up straight in the chair. “What are you talking about?”
“As you know when you were arrested and processed they took your fingerprints.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it looks as if your fingerprints came back as a match to an ongoing murder investigation.”
Asia frowned. “Murder Investigation? What the hell are you talking about? No, Mr. Currie, I’m afraid you may have it all wrong. You heard the judge. I’m here for child abandonment, endangerment and neglect.”
“Yes, originally you were, but now it looks as if you might be facing a first or second degree murder charge.”
“Whoa, whoa, what the fuck did you just say?”
The lawyer paused, scratching his head. “Ms. Jones, it looks like your fingerprints were found at the scene of a murder for a…” He fumbled through the papers in front of him. “Yes, sorry about that… here we are, for a Keon Moore. He was found dead in his home almost a year ago.”
Asia closed her eyes as visions of the night she killed Keon flashed in her mind. She then rubbed her temples in a circular motion. Stress crept up on her within seconds.
“Are you okay, Ms. Jones? Did you know this man?” Chris questioned.
“Yes, I did. We dated for a short time, but I’m just taken back by the news that he’s dead. We were really good friends. We would probably still be dating if I hadn’t moved away. I spent a lot of time at his place so of course my finger prints would be there,” Asia tried to convince.
The lawyer jotted down some notes, “I see… so it sounds like you… I mean we are gonna have to prove this.”
“If I just told you that I used to date him and spent time over there can’t you tell them that my fingerprints will probably be all over that crime scene? Aren’t you supposed to be my lawyer? Do some damn work and get me off on these bullshit charges,” she said, grabbing him by the shirt. An officer pulled her away within seconds.
The lawyer’s face turned beet red as he quickly began stuffing papers back into his briefcase. He then rose from the table and walked out of the room without saying another word.
Asia immediately broke down crying. Oh God, what if they give me the death penalty? I didn’t mean to do all the bad things I’ve done in my life. I regret mistreating my son, killing Keon, and stealing money from so many people. I just ask for forgiveness because it looks like my life is over and I’m about to rot in this place.