Episode 11 Caught in a Trap

Flex Willingham ran his hand through his sandy colored hair, trying to determine what he did wrong. The document that he looked over had his name under the word "Investigation". Andre stood by, watching Flex's reaction to his fake document. The bank was emptying out, say for a few who were talking around the water cooler, and the security guard who was pacing the floor by the entrance.
"Sir, if you'll allow me to explain," said Andre. He walked into the office, and shut the door behind him. Flex took off his jacket, and placed it on his chair. His brown skin was starting to glisten from nervous perspiration.
"Yes, please explain this to me, because I've done nothing wrong. Why am I being investigated?" Flex stood with arms folded, starting to breathe more rapidly. He saw the name on Andre's ID card, pinned to his jacket..."Johnnie Sutton".
"Mr. Willingham, I'm with the Financial Crime Investigation Unit, part of Atlanta's Homeland Security, and we are investigating possible money transfers to terrorist organizations. Since you are the Financial Advisor for this bank, we're obligated to check with you on any transactions that were made overseas within the last two months." Andre played it cool, seeing Flex breathing a little easier.
"Oh, so this is throughout all the banks in the area," responded Flex. Andre nodded yes, then pointed to the computer.
"Sir, I'm going to have to check the records of the transactions. I should only take half an hour or so," Andre said as Flex frowned up.
"Half an hour...I don't know," Flex started. Andre took his jacket off, and walked over to the computer.
"Mr. Willingham, the sooner we start, the quicker I can be on my way. Now, this is normal protocol. Most of the time it's a dead end. This is my fourth bank today, sir, so if we can just get started..." Andre stood in front of the computer, waiting for Flex to log on. Flex paused for a second. The sparse crowd by the water cooler dwindled down to two. He wanted to get home, and prepare for a night out with his girlfriend Shanese. Then, without anymore reservations, he went and punched a few keys, and got the computer back up again.
"Make it quick," said Flex, as he stepped out the office. Andre went to work in a hurry, confirming Carlos's bank account was there at the bank. He saw all the recent transactions, where every few days a deposit was made. Andre shook his head at the amount...over $400,000 stashed away, with more to come. With just a couple of days left til the job was complete, Andre was expecting a lot more to come in. He sat back on the chair, and was contemplating his next move. Something was sticking him in the back. He turned around, seeing Flex's jacket in the back of him, with his ID badge in the pocket. Andre watched the office door, while removing and pocketing Flex's ID badge. He quickly logged off the computer, and left the office...watching out for anyone watching him. Walking to a security area of the bank, Andre slid the ID badge into the slot, granting him access to another room. A computer sat on a desk in the empty room. Andre quickly got on it and used Flex's ID badge to unlock its security code. Andre smiled, and pulled out a piece of paper with his off shore account number on it. In a matter of a few minutes, he set up a transfer to have every single dollar of Carlos's money to go into his untraceable off shore bank account in Grand Cayman, including any automatic deposits made in the next day or so.
Leaving the room, Andre headed towards the bank's entrance, where Flex was conversing with the last couple of people at the water cooler.
"Mr. Willingham, thank you very much for your time. Everything is good to go, sir. You are in the clear," said an overly ecstatic Andre. Flex nodded his head at Andre as he bounced out the door.


THE FINAL DAY...

Sleeping in on his day off, Flex finally got up to get ready for a picnic with Shanese and lil Mark. Things have been looking good for their relationship since Shanese was finally letting go her obsession with her ex, Mark. Today was going to be the day he finally asked her to move in with him, and talk about the future. Then, the phone rang.
"Mr. Willingham, this is Doug Palmer, Head of Security at Bank Of America, and you need to get down here to the bank this minute." Flex's appetizing thoughts of a great day just turned sour.
"Well this is my day off. What's this all about?"
"Willingham, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way, and you wouldn't wanna know what happens with the hard way. So get your ass down here this instant!" Palmer ended the call, leaving Flex totally confused. He rushed to put on his workout sweats, and hurried down to the bank...thinking, this must be some kind of joke.
He arrived at the bank in ten minutes flat, looking like he ran here all the way, with perspiration staining his sweat top. It was quiet...too quiet, with everyone staring at him as he walked towards his office. Once there, he saw three bank officers, including Palmer, who was sitting at Flex's desk. When Flex entered the office, he saw another person...a monster of a man, who had the meanest look he had ever seen: Carlos Jenkins.
"Wh-wha-what's going on," asked Flex, staring at Carlos as he stepped closer to Flex. One of the officers stepped in between the two, before blood was shed.
"This gentlemen here is Carlos Jenkins, and he is not a happy man as you can see," said Palmer, who stood up and handed Flex a copy of a transaction from the other day. "According to our records, you granted a transfer of Mr. Jenkins' funds to an unknown destination. Now, you wanna explain to me or to him want the hell is going on?"
"I never granted anything of the kind! All I know is that the other day someone named Johnnie Sutton came to me to check on overseas transactions for terrorist funding." Carlos's ears perked up when he heard the name Johnnie Sutton...the third bank robber who was killed most likely by the hands of Keith. He was seething inside, knowing that once again, Keith left him high and dry. This wasn't gonna be settled by these officers, thought Carlos. He knew this Flex dude was set up, but let security think it was this guy. Carlos was gonna settle things his own way.
"We've got surveillance of you using your ID badge to enter an unauthorized area in the bank...YOUR ID badge," emphasized Palmer.
"What?! I'm telling you, you've got the wrong guy!" Flex checked his keys for his ID badge, where he has always kept it on. It wasn't there. "Hey, wait a minute...my badge is gone! Look you gotta believe me, I know nothing about this transfer. I was set up by that Sutton character!"
The officers looked at each other, with Palmer finally walking up to Flex.
"If I were you, I'd call my lawyer," he said. He left the room along with Carlos. The other officers blocked the door once closed. Flex ran his hands through his hair, and sat down at his desk. He knew Shanese was waiting on him. First he had to tell her the deal.



It was around noon and Lil Mark and I were waiting on Flex to call and say he was on his way. I got a sweet little text from his morning saying he loved me and hope we were ready to move forward in our relationship. Mark had finally come a thing of the past and I was letting him have his life with his new girlfriend Trina and daughter Mariska. He came through every now and then to see Lil Mark but I paid him no attention. I’d finally let him go and live his life while I lived mine with Flex.

I put Lil Mark’s shoes on after he finished making a mess with his crackers on the floor in front of the TV. I looked myself over in the bathroom mirror. My long weave was now gone. I had a cute little short doo that fell to my chin. My Brown skinned looked flawless in the tan and black sundress I wore. I grabbed my cell to see what was holding Flex. But as I was about to call him, he called me.

"Hey baby, I...there's been a situation here at work. Doesn't look like I'm gonna make the picnic," said Flex as he looked at the two dudes blocking the office door.

“What! Why?”

“Well I am being excused of doing something that I know wasn't my doing. Ah...they told me to call my lawyer. Looks like I was set up, but these guys don't seem to believe me when I tell them that. Shanese, I might be in big trouble. I need you there for me, baby. I stuck it out with you...you think you can do the same for me?" Flex didn't know what else to say to Shanese.

I hesitated before answering. Flex could be going to jail. Who was gonna take care of me and Lil Mark? I couldn't be with a man that was locked up. I had a mouth to feed. "Of course I'll be there for you." I lied. There was no way I'd be by his side if he went to jail. No way!

"Hey, I think I need to make that call now. Thanks babe, I needed to hear you say that," said a nervous Flex. He ended the call with Shanese and called his lawyer.

Be sure to read "Crimes of Passion in the ATL" with Keith, Kareem, Carlos & Andre. http://provocatived.blogspot.com

Dominique Watson and Darryl Mims are bringing their series together. Watch as the action unfolds and the characters come together!