Jeff squeezed her hand. “Judah means the praise of the Lord, so it’s like we’re giving God praise for allowing us to raise our son.”

  “Oh,” was all she said. The thought that God was allowing them to raise Judah sounded like a heavier weight than simply being a parent. Her mother was a parent, but Dana was positive God had nothing to do with the way she was raised.

  Dana tried to push her self-doubt to the back of her head and enjoy the moment. She and Jeff had done something amazing. They had brought a child into the world. She wasn’t going to be negative today or think about all the negativity in the world. She wanted to be happy and enjoy her new family. They laughed and smiled at the baby. Dana was beginning to feel their excitement.

  But later, when she was alone in her room watching the local news, a housekeeper entered her room at the very moment Lisa was being interviewed by a reporter. Lisa told the reporter she wanted to start an organization to help the little guys who had been victims of identity theft. It seemed to her far too many people only got a slap on the wrist after ruining other people’s lives.

  Then the reporter showed a picture of Dana, who gasped as the reporter said, “Dana Jones Williams is a wealthy woman. She made her money by creating a brand of hair-care products. But the face of Hair Fabulous has now been accused of committing identity theft against Lisa Coleman.”

  “Oh wow! That’s you, isn’t it?”

  Dana had forgotten housekeeping was still in her room.

  Dana picked up the remote and quickly changed the channel. She turned to the woman who was holding a trash bag in one hand and pointing an accusatory finger at her with the other. “Can you please finish up in here so I can get some sleep?”

  “That was cold-blooded, what you did to the other lady. She lost the election because we all thought she couldn’t pay her bills.”

  “Get out!” Dana screamed at the woman.

  Dana’s scream must have scared her. She quickly put the new trash bag in the trash can and rushed out of the room.

  One moment Dana was happy to finally be a mother, and the next she felt like her whole world was being destroyed . . . Lisa would never forgive her.

  Yes, Lisa had been victimized by Dana’s senseless act of identity theft, but didn’t people realize Dana had spent a lifetime being victimized by poverty and her mother’s drug abuse? Who would cry for her? It wasn’t so cut-and-dry as “the rich lady stole from someone.” Her back had been against the wall, and she had been trying to survive.

  But no one cared . . . No one would ever care about her pain. Tears ran down Dana’s face. She would never escape her past. She would forever be the Dana from Halsey Street and Lewis Avenue—the Dana with a drug-addicted mother and a criminal boyfriend. She would always be the lady who committed identity theft, and she didn’t know if she could face another day with the whole world pointing fingers at her.

  Chapter 29

  “Good interview.” Lisa pumped her fist in the air. “Oh yeah, she’ll get her just deserts soon enough.”

  John was seated next to Lisa in the living room, watching the news. He didn’t respond to her, and her mouth turned down in a frown. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Then why are your lips all . . .” She pursed her lips together, mimicking his expression.

  He hesitated, then clasped his hands together. “I don’t think we should be so gleeful about another person’s demise.”

  “Are you serious?” Lisa rolled her eyes as she got up and walked out of the living room. People in this city needed to know she told the truth when she claimed to be a victim of identity theft. And Dana Williams, the so-called success story, the same woman who received the Businesswoman of the Year award a few months ago, had stolen her identity.

  She was glad they arrested Dana and couldn’t wait for the trial. She didn’t care what John said—she was going to celebrate when they threw Dana back in jail.

  * * *

  Lisa had done the interview to set the record straight about people like Dana, but there was one more person on her list. The next day she went to see Mike Barnes at the city council. She needed to get the anger that was boiling in her off her chest.

  “You lied on me and destroyed my reputation.”

  Sitting behind his big mahogany desk, which looked to be hand carved with beveled edges, Mike rubbed his chin, then spoke in a slow, deliberate manner. “I should have checked my facts before accusing you of being irresponsible. I wasn’t thinking about how you might suffer. My mind was only on competing for this seat.”

  “Was it worth it? You won the election. But now everyone knows you lied.”

  He corrected her. “I didn’t actually lie. Those items were on your credit report. I had no way of knowing someone had stolen your identity.”

  Lisa doubted he was telling the truth. She still believed he received his info from someone at the precinct. She couldn’t prove it, so she didn’t mention it, but said instead, “How do you think your lies are going to play out in the next election?” Lisa smirked at him.

  “Are you planning to run against me?” he asked.

  Lisa glared at him. “You tainted my image in such a way that, even though the truth is finally coming out, there will still be people who believe that what you said about me is true.”

  Mike opened his desk drawer and took out a notepad. He uncapped his pen. “Okay then, what was one agenda item you really wanted to work with the council on? If you’re not going to run for office, I can at least put it on my agenda and try to make it happen.”

  Lisa gaped at him. Councilman Barnes had asked about her agenda as if it mattered to him. Being on the city council was not the most important thing in life; getting things done for the people in the community was always the end goal.

  “When I was a teenager,” she began, “I worked at my dad’s corner store with a woman who left her children at home alone while she worked. She couldn’t afford daycare or any after-school program being offered.

  “The youngest child started a fire in her apartment while I was away at college. The kids made it out of the house alive, but Child Protective Services took them from her, and she spent a year dealing with the system in order to get her children back.”

  Mike put his pen down. “You want me to fight the system? Might be too big a job for the city council.”

  Lisa agreed with him. “I understand why they took the children. I have a child, and I want her in a safe environment. But that’s why one of the initiatives most important to me is creating several after-school programs within the Bed-Stuy area. These programs won’t be babysitting zones but learning facilities to set our children up for higher education and scholarships.”

  “Where would we get the buildings to create these learning facilities, and who would run these programs?”

  Lisa’s mother had told her how in the sixties, Elsie Richardson had taken abandoned buildings, fixed them up, and turned them into thriving businesses. She wanted to use that model for the learning facilities. “Why not make use of three to four of these abandoned buildings we have in our community?”

  She didn’t know if she could really trust him, but she had no one else to turn to. “I have already written a plan for how this can work. You’ll have to get funding, but then things should fall into place nicely if you follow my business plan.”

  He stood up, stuck out his hand. “Bring me your business plan, and I’ll see what I can do. I promise you.”

  Lisa shook on it and then left Mike’s office feeling like she had done some good for her community. Before going home, she stopped at her church, went to the altar, and prayed that God would give Mike Barnes the wisdom to do the right thing for the community. She also prayed for Dana’s soul. When they were younger and she found out Dana had been arrested, she’d prayed for things to turn around for Dana. She had even prayed God would send a man after His heart to Dana.

  Obviously, her prayers worked. Dana was now very successful. But something was still wrong, or Dana wouldn’t have stolen her identity. “Fix her, Jesus. Help her to come to know You and not to ever desire to be criminal-minded again.”

  Lisa still wanted Dana to pay for her crime against her, but that had nothing to do with Dana’s soul. Her soul belonged to God, and as a Christian, Lisa’s responsibility was to pray for all souls.

  When she arrived home and checked her answering machine, she had a call from Karen, the manager who took her place in the social services department. She quickly called her back.

  “Hey, Karen. How are you doing?”

  “I’ve been good. We all miss you around here,” Karen told her.

  “Nice of you to say.” Lisa had always liked Karen. She was a hard worker, and she cared about the clients they served.

  Karen told her, “Of course. I also wanted you to know we have an opening in our department. I received your résumé from a temp agency, so I assume you’re still looking for a job.”

  Lisa was embarrassed to admit she was currently working at a department store to someone who used to work for her. But she had been stripped of her pride, and all that was left was the truth. “It’s been hard trying to get a job when so many people remember the newsclip of me saying I was a victim.”

  “But you were a victim,” Karen interjected, “and I’m glad your name is starting to be cleared. It must be tough knowing an old friend stole your identity . . . someone you trusted.”

  “I never would have guessed it was her in a thousand years. I’ll be thankful when the trial date is set.”

  “I hope they throw the book at her,” Karen said.

  “For all the heartache I’ve experienced since discovering what she did, I hope they do too.”

  “So what about the job?” Karen asked. “Are you interested?”

  * * *

  “Since when do we keep alcohol in the house?” Jeff walked into their bedroom holding a bottle of vodka in his hands.

  Their baby was now a month old. Dana was putting a diaper on him while he cried and cried and cried. Dana had cried too—watching Jeff’s family gush over Judah like he was the second coming but not being able to show him off to her mother had been depressing.

  “I needed something to take the edge off.”

  “Edge off of what?” Jeff’s face set in a frown. “You have a child to take care of.”

  “Yes, I have a child, but I don’t have a mother.” She laid Judah on her bed and started putting his clothes on. “I’m dealing with a lot, Jeff, so please leave me alone.”

  “The trial starts next month. You can’t be drinking . . . not now.” He went to the kitchen and poured the contents of the bottle down the drain. When he came back to the room, he said, “And not in front of my son.”

  Dana handed him the baby. “Not everyone can be as perfect as you.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m going to work.” She walked out and left him with the baby.

  * * *

  “I’m here to see Dana Jones.”

  Dana was heading toward the break room when she heard someone ask to see her. She turned and peeked around the corner, looking toward the receptionist desk. She heard Kim ask, “Do you have an appointment?”

  “Tell her Jasmine is here. She’ll see me. I guarantee that.” Jasmine grinned, showing rotted teeth.

  Jasmine looked like she’d found a laundromat since the last time Dana saw her, but she was thin as a rail and had the same sunken cheeks her mother once had.

  “Mrs. Williams has a very busy schedule, so if you don’t have an appointment, I don’t think you’ll be able to see her today,” Kim told her.

  Jasmine put her hands on the desk and leaned closer to Kim as she demanded, “Call Dana! I swear if you don’t pick that phone up, I’m going to go find her myself.”

  “I’m right here.” Dana stepped into the reception area. “How’s it going, Jasmine?”

  Jasmine turned in Dana’s direction. “Well, don’t you look like a million bucks.”

  Dana glanced at her watch. “I have a meeting in ten minutes, but I can speak to you now if you’d like.”

  “And all professional too.” Jasmine cackled, showing off her rotted teeth. “You sure aren’t the same girl I grew up with.”

  Dana wasn’t taking the bait. Jasmine had tracked her down for a reason. She was giving her exactly five minutes, for old times’ sake. “Follow me.” Dana turned and started walking back toward her office.

  Jasmine said, “Look at you . . . Look at the big rock on your finger.”

  Dana smiled. “Married, and I have a baby.”

  Dana took the seat behind her desk and directed Jasmine to close the door as she entered the room. Jasmine closed the door and then stood in front of Dana’s desk, looking around her office like she was staking the place out. “I can’t believe this. When I heard you were the owner of Hair Fabulous, I almost passed out.”

  “I’ve worked hard to build my business,” Dana told her while silently wondering how to approach the subject of Jasmine’s obvious drug problem. The girl was fidgety and scratching her left arm like fleas were attacking her.

  Pointing toward Jasmine’s itchy arm, Dana said, “My mother struggled with her demons until she overdosed. I don’t want you to go the same way.”

  Waving that off, Jasmine said, “I’m good. You don’t have to worry about me.”

  “Have you considered rehab?”

  Jasmine shook her head as she sat down in the chair in front of Dana’s desk. She leaned forward and spoke in a low voice while looking behind her like she was trying to make sure no one else heard. “I was sorry to hear about your recent troubles. From what I was told, the prosecutor is trying to figure out how you got hold of Lisa’s identification.”

  Jasmine turning up right before her trial began was no coincidence. The girl wanted something. Dana was silent, waiting to see where this was going.

  Jasmine made a cross sign in front of her chest. “He won’t find out from me, you can be sure.”

  Dana’s case was high profile in the New York area. Her attorney was expensive and very good at getting his clients cleared of all charges or at least getting them reduced sentences. So the assistant DA, Mark Stevenson, who was said to be a bulldog, was trying her case. Dana was a little nervous, but Jeff trusted their attorney.

  Now she had another problem. Even though she wanted to play dumb, like she didn’t know what Jasmine was getting at, Jasmine was the only person who knew exactly how she received Lisa’s identification. “Thanks, Jasmine. I appreciate it.”

  “I mean, just because I took pictures of Lisa’s state ID and her Social Security card and left them in your camera doesn’t mean anything to me.”

  Jasmine stood and lifted her arms as she turned this way and that. “But since you have come up in the world like this, and I had a hand in helping you, don’t you think I deserve more than the forty dollars you gave me?”

  Dana stood, glanced at her watch again. “I have a meeting to get to.”

  “And your trial starts next month. I doubt you want your baby visiting you in prison.”

  Dana’s hand went to her chest. “How dare you. I am not who I used to be. My child will not visit me in prison.” Dana went to her office door, then turned back to Jasmine. “And you need to be thanking me for not ratting you out back in the day. You could have been in prison with me.”

  “From the way you sound, I need to be thanking everyone who was on the block that night. None of them ratted me out either.”

  “That’s because New Yorkers mind their business.” Dana threw up her hands and then opened the door wide. “I would say it was nice seeing you, but it wasn’t.”

  Jasmine walked through the door. She handed Dana a piece of paper, then said, “I’ll be staying at my mom’s place this week, waiting on your call.”

  “Bye, Jasmine.” Dana pursed her lips.

  “Be reasonable, Dana. I can be like your best friend again—or I can be your worst enemy.”

  “You were never a friend to me. I learned that lesson the hard way, so please stay away from me.” Dana watched Jasmine walk to the front of the building, then she went into the conference room to conduct her next meeting. She looked calm, but deep inside she was nervous.

  Chapter 30

  “All rise,” the bailiff said as the judge entered the courtroom and was seated behind the bench.

  Dana stood, trying to calm her nerves. She glanced around the courtroom, checking to see if Lisa was in the gallery. She was seated in the second row behind the prosecutor. Dana wanted to rush over to her and apologize for all she had done, but the way Lisa’s eyes narrowed on her, she didn’t think her old friend would want to hear anything she had to say.

  Turning back toward the front of the court, she glanced at the seven women and five men who would decide her fate. Her attorney had suggested she purchase clothes from Walmart so the jury wasn’t constantly reminded of her wealth. Today Dana wore a white top with blue and yellow stripes and a pair of navy blue dress pants. Even her navy blue pumps were a discount special from Walmart.

  They were instructed to take their seats, then the judge said, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m calling the case of the State of New York against Dana Jones Williams into order.” Judge Monroe looked from the prosecutor’s table to the defendant’s table. “Are you ready to present your opening statements?”

  The prosecutor said, “Ready for the people, Your Honor.”

  Dana’s attorney said, “Ready for the defense, Your Honor.”

  The jury was sworn in, then the assistant district attorney stood and presented his opening statement. He smiled at the jury, gave them an I-know-something-you-need-to-know look, and then began. “Good morning, Your Honor and members of the jury. My name is Mark Stevenson, and it is my honor to represent the great state of New York as the assistant district attorney.”

  He then pointed at Dana and said, “The defendant has been charged with the crime of identity theft. In fact, she stole the identity of a woman who wanted to do nothing but good for this community, a woman who has lost job opportunities and so much more since the wealthy and successful”—he stretched out his arm toward Dana again—“Dana Jones Williams decided to take advantage of someone who once called her a friend.”