“Not this time, Garrett. I'm here with Carmen Taylor.”
“Hi, Garrett!” Carmen yelled.
“Hey, Carmen. I didn't know y'all had me on speaker. I'm glad I didn't say anything too off the wall. What can I do for you two?”
“I got a CD here that was most likely copied from Hudson Financials computer system and I can't do anything with it. So I was wondering if this was something that Jamara could help us with?”
“If it has anything to do with a computer, I imagine that she can.”
“When can we get with her?” Marcus asked.
Garrett gave Marcus directions to Jamara's house and told them to meet him there. When they arrived at Jamara's house, Garrett opened the door. He introduced Marcus and Carmen to Jamara.
“Jamara, it is nice to finally meet you. You are as pretty as your name.” Marcus said.
Carmen rolled her eyes. “Nice to meet you,” she said nonchalantly.
“It is so good to finally meet both of you,” Jamara said. “I've heard so much about you, I feel like we're all old friends or whatever.”
Marcus and Carmen both looked at Garrett. “Don't look at me. You know I ain't giving up much of nuthin',” Garrett pleaded in his own defense.
“It wasn't Garrett. If anything, Garrett cleared up a lot of the stuff I've heard about y'all.”
“Just exactly what have you been hearing?” Carmen said, copping an attitude. “And who have you been hearin' it from?”
“From the radio,” Jamara asked.
“The radio!” Carmen said louder than she needed to.
“That's what I was going to tell you, Carmen. Randa says we're the topic of discussion on the morning show on V103.” Marcus told her.
“Not just on V103. White folks talking about y'all, too.”
“What about us?”
“Mostly that y'all eat out a lot and y'all go dancing every night,” Garrett said.
“And Randa told me that she was listening when somebody called in and said that you killed Desireé and I made Roland step off for it, because I knew that I could get him off for it.”
“I heard that one, too,” Jamara said excitedly, until she looked at the angry look on Carmen's face. “I'm sorry, Carmen. I don't believe any of that stuff anyway. People with no business, got nothing but time to get off into other people’s business. They need to get a life.” Carmen went and sat down, without saying another word. “So, ahh, Garrett said you had something you wanted me to look at,” Jamara said, knowing it was time to change the subject.
“Yes,” Marcus said pulling out the CD and handing it to Jamara. “I think that it's from Hudson Financials computer system. I couldn't open it.”
“You're probably right. It is most likely data copied from there system. Unless you are running the application, it's useless.”
“So there's nothing you can do?” Marcus said sounded dejected.
“Maybe,” Jamara said. “Maybe not. Do they have a website?”
“I'm sure they do.”
“Well, let's see what we can do,” Jamara said and invited them to follow her. Marcus and Garrett followed behind her, but Carmen kept her seat.
“You coming?” Marcus asked looking back at Carmen.
“You all go ahead. I'll be alright.”
Jamara led Marcus and Garrett into the den which she had converted into a computer room. She logged into the Internet and went to Hudson Financials website. She created a fake account log in for herself and proceeded to cruise the site, looking for ways to get into the system. After about an hour of watching Jamara type and mumble, “Hmm.” Marcus went back out to the living room where Carmen was sitting. He sat down next to her and held her hand. The two sat there for the next half hour or so, with neither one saying a word. Then Carmen squeezed his hand.