Mama's Boy Read Online Free Page A

again. “I . . . I wasn’t sure. I was praying that it wasn’t Jamal and I . . .”
    â€œWhere is he? You said he went with Brian!”
    She opened her mouth, but nothing would come out.
    Gloria had been crying since Elton left. She had committed the video on the news to memory. Frame by frame, she knew it well.
    â€œHe didn’t come home last night,” Gloria confessed. “I didn’t discover it until this morning. I was just so scared. I was hoping that he’d fallen asleep over at Brian’s or something. I’ve been calling all morning, but I keep getting voice mail on his cell. Nobody’s answering at Brian’s house, either.” Gloria sank down into Elton’s favorite chair and sobbed. “Oh, my God. Where is my son?”
    She expected Elton to fuss some more, go ballistic, anything. But he stared at her for a moment, then walked over and grabbed the remote.
    â€œDeacon Wade said that it’s on every channel.” Elton flipped through the news channels. The first two were talking about something else. But the third, the local CBS affiliate, had just begun playing the video. Again.
    Elton watched in horror. “My God,” he muttered.
    When the part where Jamal turned the camera on himself came up, Elton pressed pause on the DVR, then spun around to face his wife. “You weren’t sure?” he screamed. “There is no doubt that’s our son.”
    Gloria cowered in her seat. Her whole world was unraveling and she had no idea what to do about it.
    â€œThey don’t know who he is, but it’s just a matter of time! ­Everyone in Jasper knows that is our son!”
    Gloria responded with more tears, but Elton wasn’t moved.
    â€œI knew I shouldn’t have listened to you,” he shouted as he paced back and forth across the living room. His six-foot-three frame was shaking. Gloria was sure that it was more anger than fear. “Always babying him,” Elton continued. “I’ve been telling you for years you making him into a mama’s boy.” She wanted to ask him what did that have to do with anything. Their son was wanted for killing a cop. What did being a mama’s boy have to do with that? He must’ve read the expression on her face because he continued yelling. “He needed a foot in his behind! But you were always taking up for him. ‘Go easy on him, Elton.’ ‘Just let him go with his friends, Elton,’ ” he said, mocking her from yesterday. “ ‘He’ll be okay, Elton.’ ” Elton jabbed the remote in the direction of the television. “Does that look okay to you, Gloria?”
    She flinched at his tone. But before he could say anything else, someone started banging on their door.
    For a moment, her heart fluttered, praying that it was Jamal. But that thought was quickly dispelled when she heard, “Police! Open up!”
    Elton shot his wife one last disgusted look, then walked over to the door. He swung it open. Gloria stood, her heart dropping at the sight of the two plainclothes police officers on her steps. In back of them were several uniformed policemen.
    â€œMr. Elton Jones?” the first cop, a short, stocky black man, asked.Jasper only had one black police officer on the entire force of thirty, so of course, they’d send him out.
    â€œYes, that’s me,” Elton replied.
    The second officer, who wore a scowl across his face, quickly stepped up. He was a bald man who looked like he’d spent two minutes too many in a tanning salon. His too tight polyester suit squeezed his robust frame.
    â€œWe’re looking for your son, Jamal Jones.”
    â€œHe’s not here,” Elton said.
    The scowling officer leaned in to try to look over Elton’s shoulder. “You sure about that?”
    Elton stepped aside, not bothering to hide his aggravation. “You’re more than welcome to come in and