The Runaway -Micah's Tale

I am presenting the second in a series of character studies for my up and coming novel, The Runaway.

These studies are a way for me to get to know the characters that are yammering away in my head. They have been very helpful both in terms of the story line and plot development.

This week, I am introducing Sgt Micah Langston Hughes. I have yet to meet the man who could provide an adequate response when asked to describe themselves. Sorry for the generalization, fellas, but in this area, y'all tend to just speak the facts. Women, we like some additional color, so, I've allowed Keisha to tell part of his story. At this point, Keisha is not written into "The Runaway" storyline (but she's kinda growing on me); I've just allowed her to help you understand Micah a little better.

So, to refresh your memory, here's the premise of the novel:

A young woman is found unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot in an alley. She has no identification and there are no witnesses to her assault. She is taken to the hospital where she eventually regains consciousness but has no memory for her identity.

With the help of a police detective and her neurologist, she works to regain the pieces of her missing life. Over time, memories begin to surface, leading to clues about her identity. The clock is ticking, however, for buried within her locked subconscious are the clues not only to the murder attempt on her life, but the details of an assassination plot on an African American candidate for the presidency of the United States.

Sgt. Micah Langston Hughes

I’m Sgt Micah Langston Hughes with the Memphis Police Department. I’m 38 years old and am a 10 year veteran of the police department. I’m currently assigned to the Missing Person’s Bureau, but I’ve also worked Homicide and Burglary. I’ve recently completed a temporary assignment in homicide, helping with the apprehension of a serial killer who had been active in the mid-south for nearly 5 years.

I’m a dedicated member of law enforcement, but I haven’t always been a cop.

My parents raised me in a secure loving and nurturing environment. Despite this, I can remember from a very early age having problems controlling my anger and rebelling against authority. When I reached puberty, unfortunately, I went the way of many African American young men, and started acting in ways against the teachings and inclinations of my family. I got caught up and then just caught right before my 17^th birthday. At that point, I was completely out of control at home and in the community; my parents were at their wits end on how to help me.

I drifted towards some very bad people in high school. And as is typical of me even today, I threw myself into that lifestyle wholeheartedly. One by one, I rejected each of the values and standards that had been instilled in me from birth and fully adopted the values of the street. I did my best to minimize all evidence of my privileged upbringing; not one of my new “friends” knew anything about my parent’s home in Central Gardens or my mother’s administrative position in the city school district or even my father’s corporate position in one of the largest transportation industries in the country.

I stood before a judge, a stern faced, no-nonsense man. I was the epitome of the angry black man, staring at him in defiance and disdain, almost daring him to try and stop me from doing whatever the hell I wanted to do. It’s ironic, it would be years later when Judge Thompson reached out to me again and became pivotal in guiding me not only professional but personally.

So, at my court hearing that day, knowing that most of my associates had either gotten suspended sentences or had received two or three month confinements, I was pretty arrogant about the outcome and more than willing to take the brief vacation to come, knowing full well I’d be back on the block as soon as I was released.

What I hadn’t counted on was the longstanding friendship between Judge Thompson and my father. That stern, old man looked me dead in my eye and spoke softly and yet clearly, as I stood before him, “you’re one we’re not losing.”

And in a louder voice announced my confinement of 11 months and 29 days, with no possibility of early release.

The first couple weeks of my confinement at the Criminal Justice Center, I was a little pissed. No, I was a LOT pissed. I fought anything and anybody who moved. I think I literally lost my mind for awhile. I refused all visitations from my parents and other family; you no doubt have guessed that I suddenly had an absence of friends. But, one of the traits I have inherited directly from my mother is her stubbornness, and despite my refusal to see her, that woman persisted in her weekly visits to me.

Ok, so as not to belabor this point, because this really is not one of the high points of my life, but yes, I experienced the clichéd jail house conversion. Fortunately for me, it stuck.

The day I walked out of jail, my father picked me up and drove me straight to the Army recruiting office and I enlisted. Ironically, my aptitude tests scores suggested that I was best suited for a career with the Military Police. Go figure.

Anyway, so this was the beginning of my career in law enforcement. I excelled during my 4 years in the Army. I believe that the structure and discipline helped to bring me back to myself and get comfortable with the man I was destined to become.

During my enlistment, I earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice. I quit active duty and joined the reserves after being accepted and enrolling into law school. I realize after that first year, however, that I was better suited to the apprehend and capture side of the legal system and so, I dropped out and joined the Memphis Police Academy.

Ok, now, that’s enough of that. Tell them the real story.

Hmmm. What are you doing here Keisha?

I knew you weren’t going to tell them about the real you.

Keisha!

That’s fine. I’ll do it. Hey everybody! **waves enthusiastically**. My name is Keisha Martin and I just turned 18 years old. I just started my first year at the University of Memphis and I’ve got the big, bad Sgt Hughes to thank for it.

Micah shakes his head and leaves the room.

Okay, let me tell y’all the real story about this 6’2”, caramel complected, broad shouldered, hunk of fineness. Ladies, he’s got dimples deep enough to swim in. I mean, he’s all old and stuff, but trust me, for an old man, he still got it going on.

For real though, I met Sgt Hughes the first time when I was 15 years old. My mother had put me out to work when I was 12. I approached him for a ‘date’, not knowing he was a cop. Anyway, he busted me but good. However, at the court hearing, he stood up for me before the judge and told me he would take responsibility for me from that point forward, and would keep me out of trouble.

Well, I figured that just meant that he had figured out how to get a teenaged hooker on standby, so I kept doing the do, y’know?

But he was serious. He kept showing up on the street where I was, really cutting in on my business. Mama started to get mad cuz I wasn’t bring it in like I used to. I don’t know what he said to her or nothing, but after awhile, she just left me alone. I figure he must’ve started paying her.

He made sure I went to school everyday. That part wasn’t so hard, though of course, I wasn’t gonna tell him that. It turns out I was all right in school and I started making really good grades. He made sure I got involved in school social activities and clubs.

He came by the ‘partment one night unexpectedly and tole me to get dressed and to come with him. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had always known that he wasn’t doing all this nice stuff for me for nothing! So, I assumed that he figured it was time that I paid up.

He stopped the car at a club, got out and invited me to follow. He took me to a side room where I could see the stage and told me to stay there since technically, I wasn’t s’pose to be there since I was all under age and stuff.

After awhile, the band got up to play and to my surprise, there was Sgt Hughes, front and center, seated at the piano! They played mostly that ol’ fogey jazz stuff, but, just between me and you, it was the most beautiful music I had ever heard.

I never would have expected someone as hard as Sgt Hughes could do something like that. For the next hour, I was transported to a place I had never been before. Afterwards, he explained that he wanted me to start taking music lessons and told me to pick an instrument because the club owner’s wife, who walked over to us as we were speaking, had agreed to teach me.

Sgt Hughes has been my life saver, although he really doesn’t like to hear me say that. I didn’t know it at the time, but my life ended the day my mother put me out on the streets. He saw something in me, still don’t know what that is, that made him take a chance on me. And look at how things turned out!

He has not once put his hands on me or said or done anything inappropriate. Most of the time, he treats me like an irritating little sister, but he quickly adopts a parental attitude when he thinks I’m stepping out of line. Mama died last year of an overdose; he took care of everything. His mama, Mz. Hughes, just moved me in with no question and life has just proceeded.

I love him; he’s the father I never had or knew. I want him happy, but I don’t think he is.

Did I mention that for an old dude, he was pretty fine? Well, women be pulling at him left and right. And don’t get me wrong, he ain’t turning all of them down; he’s a man, after all.

But, me and Mz Hughes was talking, and we agree that he always keep women at a distance; they can only get so close to him. We just ain’t sure why? None of them know about his music or his piano, or even about me. He just tells most folk that his parents adopted me or something like that. And, well, ok, I’ll guess I can tell you, also very few people know that he’s also a published author; he writes poetry, y’all, can you believe that? He keeps that side of him real private and heavily guarded. And talk or discussions about commitment or getting more in-ti-mate, typically signals the beginning of the end of that relationship.

So we, me and Mz Hughes, that is, have decided that we’re gonna find him a wife.