When I wrote my newest, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) I had an idea and it came from the ending of a previous book of mine, Caught in a Web. Web was named by BestThrillers as “One of the best crime fiction books of 2018” and it quickly became one of my readers’ favorites. I think in part because it introduces a character, Brian, who briefly appeared in the last book of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives. In Web, however, Brian arrives and the reader can see glimpses of the young man who is central to each of my books that came after.
But I had no idea when I wrote Caught in a Web that it would give birth to another book. But happily, it did.
The premise of Caught in a Web was a drug ring run by amateurs, three high school kids looking to make quick, easy money. However, they run afoul with MS-13, a nasty gang that runs the drug trade in Milwaukee and the surrounding suburbs. The gang sends an enforcer up from Chicago to find out who is cutting in on their territory, put an end to them, and to teach a brutal lesson.
In order to protect three boys, George, Bobby and an acquaintance, Angel, and Angel’s mother, a lie was concocted by three cops. Each of those cops, but especially Detective Pat O’Connor, cares about the Evans’ boys, my fictional family of adopted kids. Much of it deals with O’Connor’s youth and upbringing, and because of it, he sees himself in the boys, who struggle with their own demons.
The lie is explained in the following snippet from Caught in a Web, which is the premise of my newest book, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One).
Caught in a Web
Chapter 99
O’Connor held up a hand and ran it through his long hair.
“What?” Eiselmann asked.
“We. We have an opportunity,” he answered.
“George, can you help Bobby get dressed. Angel, can you and your mother go into the kitchen, please? Paul, stick your head out the backdoor and tell Nate and Jorgy to hold their positions.”
That done, the three officers huddled.
“What are you thinking?” Graff asked.
“If MS-13 finds out George shot members of his gang, regardless of who killed Fuentes, they might want revenge. Possibly. Maybe.”
Graff frowned at him and Eiselmann picked up Pat’s train of thought.
“So George didn’t shoot anyone. Manny had second thoughts and he not only defended his mother and brother, he protected George and Bobby.”
“That way, George didn’t shoot anyone,” O’Connor added. “And we shot Fuentes.”
Both officers waited for Graff to come around to their thinking.
Graff was as solid as granite. He didn’t like to fudge on honesty because he believed that once you travel down that road, you can never get back.
“I want to call the Cap. I think he’ll be okay with it, but I want to run it by him.”
“You sure you want to do that?” Eiselmann asked.
“No, but I need to.”
The longer he waited and thought about it, he might change his mind, so he stepped away and called Jack O’Brien, explained what had happened and what they had in mind and why. Graff listened. He added a “Yes, Sir” and “No, Sir” a couple of times, but mostly listened.
He dialed off, took a deep breath, faced the two other officers and nodded. “Let’s get everyone back in here.”
George and Bobby were in the bathroom.
“I need to pee, George,” Bobby said, his voice shaking as much as his hands and legs.
He relieved himself as George steadied him. After, because he trembled so badly, George helped him lift his legs to get them into his boxers and jeans. He sat Bobby down on the toilet so he could put on Bobby’s socks and shoes and finally, his shirt.
Still shaking, Bobby stayed seated. He was sweaty and pale and George thought he was going to be sick.
‘Hey, Bobby, it’s over.’
Bobby nodded.
‘Look at me, Bobby.’
It took a little time, but eventually Bobby raised his head and stared at Brad through teary eyes.
‘It’s over and you and George lived. That’s important.’
Bobby nodded.
Brad smiled at him and said, ‘Bri loves you and I know why.’ He smiled again and touched Bobby’s chest.
To Bobby, he didn’t feel a hand, but rather a warmth that a touch might bring.
‘You’re pure. You’re honest. And there’s no one like you.’
Bobby didn’t know how to respond, maybe couldn’t respond.
‘Can you let Bri know I was here? And if he needs me, I’ll be,’ he touched Bobby’s heart. ‘Right here.’
Bobby and George were alone. Bobby looked up at George and blinked. George smiled at him and hugged his little brother and they held onto each other until Graff called to them to come out.
“George, don’t tell anyone I was a baby, okay?”
George hugged him again, kissed his forehead and said, “You are not a baby. You were scared and there is nothing wrong with that.”
It took a little convincing to get Lina Benevides to come around to it, but with Angel’s help, she agreed. George remained stoic and Graff knew he wasn’t happy. If Graff was honest, George was even more so.
O’Connor wiped Manny’s handgun getting rid of George’s fingerprints and placed it back in Manny’s hand.
“I want to make sure everyone has the story straight,” Graff said.
Each took part in the retelling except for Bobby who couldn’t bring himself to look at anyone. He sat next to George on the couch with his head resting on George’s shoulder. George had his arm around him.
George’s grandfather stood quietly by the front door. George would look up at him and his grandfather would nod and smile approvingly.
‘Grandfather, it is a lie.’
His grandfather nodded.
‘You taught me to live in truth.’
His grandfather nodded again.
‘You want me to speak a lie?’
‘Shadow, there is one truth and there are shades of what is truth.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Your brother, the one you hold. Would it serve him if you spoke the truth and he should die?’
George brushed Bobby’s forehead with his lips.
‘Would it serve your father and your brothers if you spoke the truth and they should die?’
George brushed Bobby’s forehead with his lips again.
‘There is only one truth. There are shades of truth, Shadow. The bigger truth is that you can save your father and your brothers.’
‘But it is a lie.’
Grandfather smiled at him and said, ‘It is good that you struggle with truth and untruth. It shows your goodness, Shadow. Your goodness is who you are. It grows in your heart and your heart grows stronger because of it.’
And Grandfather disappeared.
“George, what are you thinking?” O’Connor asked.
George looked at him squarely, at Eiselmann and finally at Jamie and said, “It is a lie. But it will save Father and my brothers. It will save Angel and his mother.”
“Okay, it’s settled,” Graff said. “Mrs. Benevides?”
She nodded and said, “Si.”
“Angel?”
He nodded and said, “Yes.”
“Bobby?”
Bobby nodded, but kept his head on George’s shoulder. In a tiny whisper he said, “Yes.”
“Paul, run George and Bobby back to North. The game should just about be over by now and Jeremy and Vicki will be anxious.”
“Pat, bring in Nate and Jorgy.”
He took a deep breath and called Albrecht and Beranger.
“Take them to the station. Book them on first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping, use or possession of a handgun and an armor-piercing bullet during crime, battery and if you want, throw in the pot. I’ll touch base with you when I get there.”
“Is everyone okay? George? Bobby?” Beranger asked.
“All’s good. No collateral damage.”
He hung up and thought, ‘Except truth and honesty.’
—
You can find Caught in a Web at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696
In Black Yéʼii, someone told the secret and now, MS-13 is back in town to find out the truth and teach a lesson, regardless of how many lives are at stake.
There are actually three story lines in Black Yéʼii which blend nicely. Honestly, I hadn’t planned on it when I wrote it, but happily, they worked and dovetailed with the main story. As always, expect a coming-of-age thread in it, that my readers enjoy.
You can join a podcast I’m taking part in with Writers Inspiring Change. You can find it here: https://www.writersinspiringchange.com/author-shout-out-podcast on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 3:00 PM EST. I hope you can join in.
You can find Black Yéʼii here: on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685135374
and at Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379
I would love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. As always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …