They were all criminals, which meant I wasn’t just getting revenge. I was serving justice. I started with the anonymous tips.
A call to the IRS about Jerome’s unreported income. A message to the DA about Marcus’s cash transactions. A letter to the family court about my mother’s hidden assets.
Within three weeks, their perfect little world started cracking. But that was just the warm-up. The real fun was about to begin.
My first public appearance was at Jerome’s workplace. The auto shop where he’d been claiming disability while working under the table for cash. I walked in wearing a tailored business suit and expensive heels, looking every inch the successful woman they’d tried to murder.
Keisha. His wrench clattered to the floor. What? How I thought you were.
Dead? Sorry to disappoint you, brother. Jerome’s face went through about six different emotions in ten seconds. Shock, fear, guilt, anger, then back to fear.
Keisha, about what happened at the lake. You mean when you helped Marcus push me into water you knew I couldn’t swim in? When you stood there watching me drown. The shop went dead quiet.
His co-workers had stopped what they were doing to listen. And I could see Jerome calculating how much this conversation was about to cost him. It wasn’t like that, he stammered.
We were just messing around. We didn’t know. You didn’t know what? That eight minutes underwater would kill me? That hypothermia would put me in a coma? Or did you not know that attempted murder is a felony? That’s when his boss Mr. Rodriguez came over.
Jerome, you want to explain what your sister is talking about? I turned to Mr. Rodriguez with my most professional smile. I’m not his sister anymore, but I am someone who’s very interested in why you’re paying a man claiming disability insurance to do full-time auto repair work. Jerome’s face went white.
Mr. Rodriguez, I can explain. No need, I said, pulling out a manila folder. I’ve already explained everything to the insurance fraud division.
They should be here within the hour. And they were. I sat in my car across the street and watched Jerome get handcuffed while his co-workers shook their heads in disgust.
Disability fraud was a federal offense. He was looking at five years minimum, plus having to pay back three years of fraudulent claims. But the beautiful part wasn’t just the criminal charges.
It was what happened after. Stacey called me that night, hysterical. Keisha, please, I know you’re mad at Jerome, but he’s got kids.
He should have thought about his kids before he tried to murder their aunt. It wasn’t murder. Y’all were just playing around.
Playing around? I was in intensive care for two weeks, Stacey. My heart stopped twice. But sure, let’s call it playing around.
He was crying now. The lawyer says he needs $20,000 for bail. I know you and Jerome got issues, but please.
I wouldn’t give you $0.20 to save his life. In fact, I’m just getting started. I hung up and made a note in my file.
Jerome’s wife still doesn’t understand the severity of what they did. She still thinks this is about money instead of attempted murder. Time to educate the whole family.
Tomorrow was harder to reach. After Jerome’s arrest made local news. Auto shop worker arrested for disability fraud.
She’d blocked my number and avoided all our usual places. But I knew her weakness. That son of hers, Jayden.
The private school I’d been paying for? They were very interested to learn that the tuition had been funded through what they now knew was a criminal enterprise. Private schools don’t like being associated with fraud, money laundering, or attempted murder. I scheduled a meeting with the headmaster, Dr. Matthews.
A distinguished black woman who’d built the academy from nothing over 30 years ago. Her story reminded me of my own, actually. Ms. Williams, thank you for coming in.
I understand you have concerns about one of our students. I do. Jayden Matthews is my nephew and I’ve been funding his education here for the past 3 years.
Unfortunately, I recently discovered that his mother Tamara has been using those tuition payments to hide income from the IRS. Dr. Matthews frowned. That’s a serious allegation.
It’s also a documented fact. I handed her copies of the tax documents David had uncovered. Tamara claimed poverty on her tax returns while receiving over $36,000 annually from me for Jayden’s expenses.
She also failed to report income from her boyfriend’s business, a landscaping company currently under federal investigation for money laundering. I see. Dr. Matthews reviewed the papers carefully.
And you’re bringing this to my attention because? Because Jayden is a good kid who doesn’t deserve to suffer for his mother’s crimes. But I also can’t continue funding his education through what’s essentially a criminal conspiracy. I wanted to give you advance notice before the IRS freezes all of Tamara’s assets…
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