A Hate Crime in Brooklyn by David Secular

Author:David Secular
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-956452-66-2
Publisher: Arts Ink Ltd DBACentral Park South
Published: 2024-10-23T00:00:00+00:00

Thirty-Six

April 13, 2018

Brooklyn

The city was a cauldron, more on edge than after the Florida killing of Trayvon Martin. Because Sylvester’s shooting was in New York’s own backyard, without an arrest soon, the urban volcano was sure to erupt. Tense demonstrations clogged streets in every neighborhood.

“Not here, not now, not anymore. Not Sylvester!” was a chorus heard day and night in all five boroughs.

The repulsive racist epithets hurled at Sylvester Stanley were attributed to two people with Slavic-sounding accents. Even Trump people were joining in to shout about how the shooting was another example of what happens when bad people invade America.

While Novak and Mikhail remained hidden in a basement apartment off Pelham Parkway in the Bronx, a joint task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies searched everywhere for the shooters. The license plate seen on Novack’s Mustang had been traced to an Albanian man in Fort Lauderdale in his sixties who had his car stolen years ago when he lived in Brighton Beach. It was also reported that a confidential witness had identified two of Victor’s men as the shooters. But documentary proof established that they were visiting family in Albania on the day of the festival. Several witnesses said there was a woman in a traditional ethnic costume at the scene.

After Angela’s hostile rejection, Sofia lay all day in bed, fully clothed, her eyes bloodshot from sleepless nights and never-ending tears. Ilka pounded on her door to the point of exhaustion, trying to rouse her mother. Fearing her mood stemmed from their fight in the park, she implored her father to find Victor to settle things. Edward had seen Sofia devastated by Ajola’s death, but she was in an even worse state now. His Sofia lived to be there for Edward and Ilka; now she couldn’t even care for herself. Edward knew all too well the signs of PTSD.

Ignoring his own pain and the comfort of his medication, Edward stayed by his wife’s bedside. Stroking Sofia’s hand, he would tell her that whatever the problem was, they would find a solution. His words unavailing, he desperately awaited Victor’s return from his unexpected trip to Albania.

Flying back to New York, as he reclined in his first-class seat, free from disturbances by adjacent passengers, Victor reflected. Fucking Novack and Mikhail. Was there no end to their stupidity? Shooting a zezak in plain view with Sofia there. Calling him after it’s too late. He hoped they at least listened to him and ditched their goddamn cell phones and guns along with their car.

Less than an hour after arriving at JFK, Victor walked into Sofia’s apartment, shocked to find Edward clean-shaven and more alert than he had been in months. Ilka came out of her bedroom rubbing her eyes, looking exhausted but as beautiful as ever to her uncle.

“Uncle Victor, thank God you’re here. Mom’s losing it. She won’t speak to anyone. She just mopes around and even cries during the day for no reason. Nobody can get through to her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.