Season 1 Episode 2 – The Anonymous Trick
By Ricardo Butler
Written Saturday, April 15th, 2017
Law Offices of Mike & Eddie Gerunda
Four of the 5 brothers and their female partners arrive at the Law Offices Gerunda & Gerunda seeking advice and counsel for Rock’s case.
Rease: “So how’s it looking Mike?”
Mike: “Not so good Mr. Butler. And it’s not because of this case itself, or what’s on the camera, or just the witnesses, or even the fact that you all have obtained this video illegally. The real problem for Rock will be the fact that he has a very long criminal record. And …”
Melody: “Nope! That is not good enough! That is NOT what I want to hear! You mean to tell me that my man’s life depends on his past history? Now that’s a bunch of crap!”
Eddie: “Well ma’am, the issue about his past record will show to the judge or jury (if he has to go to trial) whether his own testimony and defense is believable. He’s not credible because he’s got a history with the law. They will believe the evidence, the police, or any witness statements that will be presented over the words of your boyfriend Ms. Brandy.”
Nydia: “Okay, wait for a minute! You’ve got to help me understand this. I work over at the department of corrections. I was a corrections officer, now I am the supervisor over the human resources department over at CFRC* and I have dealt with and had conversations with a lot of those inmates. There are ways to beat this.” [*Central Florida Reception Center]
Mike: “Look Ms. Lopez, all my brother is trying to say is how this could go depending on the judge that is currently sitting over this case. We just know how he is to certain cases he’s been appointed to. There are ways to beat this, but until we find our loophole, this is what it is at the moment. I’m sorry you all.”
Rameses: “Thanks Mike and Eddie. We greatly appreciate the help you have given us and the counsel as well. Let me and my family talk about some decisions that needs to happen.”
Melody: “You know this is BS Pastor!”
Rameses: “I understand your concerns Mel, but we got to stay cool when dealing with the people we have to work with. Bursting out in anger is not going to help yours or our cause.”
Destiny: “My husband is right. There is much to figure out and with all the tension running high it will be too hard for us to focus on making good decisions on next steps.”
Rameses: “What are you thinking Rease? My wife does have a point.”
Rease: “It’s whatever. I just want to put this past us.”
Raychard: “Oh we gonna put this past us! I got something for that.”
Reyna: “Ray, please don’t do anything stupid. We don’t need you and Rock both in jail.”
Raychard: “You don’t have to worry about me sis-in-law. Ray is a U.S. Veteran. I got connections in all the right places. They can play with it if they want to.” Raychard storms out of the office.
Destiny: “Let him blow off some steam. He and Rock are really tight among you brothers. He seems to protect him most and feels responsible for Rock as an older brother to his baby brother.”
WRIC Online Hip-Hop Radio Station – Rickie’s Apartment
Rickie: “This is DJ Scene here for W.R.I.C. Radio playing the best in underground Hip-Hop and Soulful R&B. We are about to go to the lines and see what’s really good. If you want to hear your favorite throwbacks, holla at ya boy at 407-555-7425. Caller you are live on the air. What’s good?”
Female Caller: “Yes, DJ Scene. I know this is not the police crime line for tips. But I have an anonymous tip to drop about your brother’s predicament. Don’t be a ‘stick in the neck’ because you already KNOW where to meet me at. Come alone.”
Rickie stands up out of the chair in shock and tells his audience that he has to cut his show short tonight. He knows that this must be the familiar chick that got the drop on him near the bar. So he goes back to Wing Shack to meet her.
The Wing Shack on Michigan and Conway
As he pulls his green hooked up ’93 Honda Accord into the Winn Dixie parking lot on the Wing Shack side, he is approached immediately by two big men who put a bag over his head. They take him to another car and the familiar lady begins to talk to him while the bag is still over his head.
Familiar Lady: “I brought you out here to tell you that I will be leaving a voice message on your answering machine with information on who is setting your brother and your family up. I already have all of you and your brother’s phone numbers so be by your phone.”
Shenandoah Station Apartment Complex – Rickie’s Apartment
The phone rings at Rickie’s apartment around 2:00 PM the next day while Rickie’s brother, Pastor Rameses is visiting their apartment. Rickie is outside, but Rameses hears the answering machine in shock and then decides to leave Rickie’s place fast.
Rameses: “Something came up brother. I got to head out. I will talk to you later. All right!”
Rickie: “Sure thing bro! Catch you later.”
The Fitness Center at the Solaire at the Plaza
Pastor Rameses arrives at the Fitness Center, the same location where his oldest brother Rease lives and works to meet where the recording told Rickie to meet her. He figured she was just running Rickie around on a wild goose chase. He didn’t think she was going to reveal to Rickie the threat to Rock and the whole family.
Entering the fitness center, where no one was there and the lights were off, Rameses yells …
Rameses: “Who are you and what do you want with my family? And who set Rock up?”
Familiar Lady: “Whoa! Whoa! Slow down. That’s way too many questions at once. First off, calm down so we can have an intelligent conversation. And second turn around. I don’t want you to see who I am. If you peek I will not reveal anything to you at all. I knew you would come.”
Rameses: “What do you mean by you knew I would come? You sent the message to Rickie’s answering machine.”
Familiar Lady: “Oh you pour soul. I have people watching your whole family 24/7. I know every move your family makes.”
She walks closer to Rameses with his back still turned to her.
Rameses: “Who are you?”
Familiar Lady: “The real question is who are you and why are you here?”
She moves close to Rameses and goes to whisper into his ear that set up Rock.
Familiar Lady: “The one you are looking for is …”
Then the light clicks on and the fitness center door open.
Familiar Lady: “Just in time!”
Destiny: “Rameses babe? What are you doing in here in the dark with Raychard’s ex-wife? And why is she kissing your ear?”
Roxy (the Familiar Lady): “Hello Destiny. I was just leaving.”
Rameses: “But you still didn’t tell me who set up Rock!”
Roxy walks out of the fitness center with a smile knowing that Destiny hits the fitness center at this same time every Tuesday and Thursday.
Roxy: “Bye ‘Pastor’.”
Destiny: “What the hell is going on in here?”
Rameses: “It is not what you think baby!”
The Solaire at the Plaza – Rease Butler’s Condo
Raychard: “Rameses, what the hell were you doing in the fitness center, alone, in the dark, with my ex-wife Roxy?”
Rameses: “Nothing! Nothing happened! Nothing went on. She was going to tell me who set up Rock!”
Rease: “Dude, you know you can’t trust a word that Roxy says. Now Destiny is at home right now packing and taking your daughters to stay with her Melody for a while. You are a pastor. You cannot be caught alone with any woman. You know you have lust issues man! What were you thinking?”
Rameses: “Look I wasn’t thinking at the time. I just wanted to get any information to get Rock out of jail bro.”
Raychard: “You know I should kick your butt right. That was my former wife!”
Raychard punches Rameses in the face. Rease reacts quickly to pull Raychard back. Rameses, while lying on the floor says nothing then gets up and leaves. A strain between the brothers has been wedged in for the time being.
Foxy Roxy’s Nail Salon in the SoDo District
The door opens to Roxy’s Nail Salon on Orange Avenue near Michigan Street in the newly called SoDo (South of Downtown Orlando) District.
Roxy: “Well. Well. Well. If it isn’t Nydia Rodriguez. I knew you would be coming soon enough. That was quicker then expected. I knew if you heard the voicemail I sent to your fiancé that you would come running. I did that on purpose.”
Nydia: “You listen up you b~~~h you stay away from my man and his family and what you did to Pastor Rameses and his wife as well as the tension between them and his brother Raychard was not right at all!”
Roxy: “Nydia. Nydia. Nydia. It’s not nice to come in someone’s place of business full of customers to make a scene during peak hours.”
Nydia, standing at 5’8”, slaps Roxy, standing at 5’1” to the ground. Then she turns around and walks towards the door.
Nydia: “Let this be a warning! I’m not playing with you nor am I playing your tricks and games. Stay away from my family.”
Roxy: “Please! They were my family first before Raychard divorced me! You are the ‘new girl’ not even married to Rickie yet!”
Nydia stops at the door, turns around, and throws up the middle finger to Roxy and all her customers.
Law Offices of Mike & Eddie Gerunda
Rease, Reyna, Rickie, Destiny, and Melody are back at the Law Offices of Mike and Eddie Grunda to hear an update on Rock’s case.
Mike: “Well Mr. Butler and the rest of Rock’s family and friends, I have bad news. It looks like the state is pushing for a life sentence for Rock.”
Melody: “WHAT! What do you mean? Why?”
Eddie: “Well ma’am it is because of his violent crime history and gang affiliation on the streets. It’s not helping his case. They are looking to just deal with him once and for all so the streets become safe again in certain high crime areas.”
Rickie: “Wait. You mean to tell me … us, that my baby brother is facing life–a life sentence for a murder, that we all know in this room, saw he didn’t do? We all saw the same video right?”
Eddie: “Again, totally understandable. We all did see the …”
Mike: “The point is, Eddie, you guys acquiring this tape illegally could pose a problem. You need some other kind of evidence to prove his innocents.”
Reyna: “Well how are we going to do that?”
Mike: “I suggest you start your own investigation. Maybe you should hire a professional private investigator. I knew a few people. I would love to give you their numbers as well as vouch for them.”
Rease: “I haven’t said much this visit; just been meditating on all this information. We will take in consideration all that you have recommended. Thank you for all your help Mike and Eddie. Talk to you soon.”
As they get down to the parking garage, Rease talks to Reyna, Rickie, Destiny, and Melody about doing their own investigation.
Rease: “I don’t know Rickie. Something doesn’t feel right. The way Mike kind of cut Eddie off from telling us something that probably could have helped us has got me thinking. And why are they visiting Rock without first coming to us as we directed them? This is not right at all!”
Melody: “You damn right something is not right. I’m telling you Rease, I feel it in my gut. I cannot explain it. Call it women’s intuition or whatever, but something bigger is happening behind the scenes in this city and I don’t like it.”
Destiny: “Well I’m sorry my husband couldn’t be here. You all know we are going through a tough time and I’ve been staying over at Melody’s with the kids. Please will you relay what is going on back to Rameses when you see him. He will want to know what’s going on..”
Rickie: “I got to go home and tell Nydia the same thing too.”
Rease: “Don’t worry fam. We are going to find out what is going on and we are going to use our own personal resources to do it if we have to. I will also let Raychard know what the 411 is. Love you and talk to you all soon.”
TO BE CONTINUED …
IN THE NEXT EPISODE: “Weightier Matters”
- Rease struggle to hold the family together.
- Why Raychard thinks that Rameses church has something to do with Rock’s incarceration.
- Rickie and Nydia rallies the local music scene behind Rock.
Tune in next time to The Kinsmen Calling
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