Tareef (The Brothers Ali Book 4)

by Celeste Granger

  “I think the resurgence of her case has drawn a great deal of attention.”

  “Especially for me,” Naomi acknowledged.

  She didn’t need to say more. Tareef gleaned from her responsiveness what the common thread was.

  “Has there been any word about the deliberations?”

  “Not as of yet,” Tareef replied. “I expect it will take a while for the jury to sift through the mounds of evidence and try to come to a decision.

  “I hope they come to the right one,” Naomi added. “Jennifer’s suffered enough.”

  “From your mouth to the Creator’s ears.”

  They found a bench to sit down on.

  “I didn’t know you worked with the Legal Defense Fund. What brought that on?”

  “I have been very fortunate in my life,” Tareef replied. “It’s my way of giving back.”

  “That’s admirable,” Naomi observed.

  “Maybe, but for me, it’s just the right thing to do.”

  “That’s important to you, doing the right thing,” she speculated.

  “Yes, it is. When I see situations like Jennifer’s where the deck has been systemically and strategically stacked against her, I feel compelled to help in whatever way I can.”

  “There are so many people in that situation where the legal system has failed them.”

  “True; however, this system was never designed to afford us the same rights and liberties. This system wasn’t designed for us. That’s why there is a constant uphill battle to force a discriminatory system to do what is right and just.”

  “Ms. Williams is lucky to have you.”

  “No, I am the fortunate one,” Tareef noted.

  His humbleness wasn’t unexpected. From what Naomi knew of Tareef, of the Ali family, their philanthropic endeavors and humility were widely known. But there were a lot of wealthy people who engaged in philanthropic and charitable endeavors, for all the wrong reasons, the easy reasons like tax write-offs and to be more appealing in the public eye. But Tareef seemed genuine in his responsiveness to the plight of others.

  Naomi was enjoying the time she spent with Tareef. It was much more comfortable than she remembered it being before. Yet, with her vow not to be swept up by his charm, Tareef made it increasingly difficult as he more than catered to her every need. He listened when she spoke. Naomi could tell because of the way he responded. That wasn’t new, was it?

  “With everything you have going on, Tareef, I can’t imagine you don’t have something else you should be doing,” Naomi commented as they walked in the direction of Ali International.

  “That’s the beauty of entrepreneurship, beloved. You make your own schedule. I’m sure you’re familiar, considering you’re an entrepreneur yourself.”

  “That’s true,” Naomi agreed.

  “Why do I feel like there was more to the question than what you asked,” Tareef noted as he made sure to shorten his stride to meet hers.

  “Oh, you thought there was more,” Naomi chimed.

  “Well, to fully answer your partially asked question, I’m not seeing anyone. What about you?”

  “I was seeing someone, as you know, but that’s over.”

  “I can’t say I’m disappointed,” Tareef admitted.

  The duo re-entered the building and made their way to where Naomi’s portfolio had been left. They’d spent the better part of the afternoon together, and it was early evening when they arrived at the receptionist station. She wasn’t there, considering business hours were over. Momentarily leaving Naomi’s side, Tareef moved behind the receptionists’ desk and temporarily disappeared from view. When he reemerged, he had the portfolio in hand. As Tareef made his way back to where Naomi stood, she noticed his movements were stealthy, and his eyes were hooded. Tareef didn’t stop until he completely encroached on Naomi’s personal space. She was tempted to back up behind his frontal assault, but she didn’t. Naomi held her ground and eyed him as he moved.

  “When can I see you again?”

  “Presuming that seeing me again is a possibility,” she purred in response.

  “Presuming so.”

  “And, are you holding my portfolio hostage?”

  “Of course,” he crooned.

  “Did you consider that I might be willing to abandon it,” Naomi’s naturally thick lashes kissing her cheeks.

  “Did you consider this?”

  Before Naomi knew the ‘this’ Tareef referred to, her coy calmness was shattered with his hungry kiss. Tareef’s demanding lips caressed hers, coaxing Naomi’s mouth open until he could taste her tongue. His free hand fell claimingly to her waist, and Tareef pulled her form in against his. The kiss was so unexpected yet thrilling simultaneously. Naomi’s sequestered desire for Tareef’s touch could not be inhibited as she moaned against his mouth. She’d waited so long for this moment; her adulation refused to be contained. The vibration of her lips against his sent a surge of energy to Tareef’s core as he claimed her lips again, searing a heated path to Naomi’s very soul.

  As their lips parted, the intensity of their connection remained. Naomi breathed on a pant. Tareef’s chest rose and fell in quick succession. She needed to be the first to move, to separate from him so as not to be weakened further by him. Reaching behind him, Naomi removed her bag from his hand. Tareef felt the brush of her voluptuous breasts brush against him. With one last lingering gaze, Naomi twirled on her heels, turning her back to him and sashaying away. She pushed the button commanding the elevator's response. When she heard the signature ding, announcing the cars’ arrival, Naomi returned her attention to Tareef.

  She said two words. “Call me,” then disappeared behind steel doors.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  “How’s mom doing,” Naomi asked her father.

  “She’s doing really good,” Vance replied. “I think that last situation scared your momma more than she wants to admit. So, we haven’t had no trouble with her doing what she’s supposed to.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, dad,” Naomi replied. “She wasn’t the only one scared.”

  “True, true,” Vance agreed. “It scared me too, baby girl. And you know how much I love my Ruby D. I don’t want to have to live without her, so if making sure she takes that medication like she is supposed to will keep her here with me, then you know that’s what I’m gonna do. You won’t have to worry about reminding me or being the bad guy no more. That’s my job from now on.”

  “I like it when you bad, Big Daddy,” Ruby said as she entered the room.

  Naomi had heard enough. “TMI, you two! TMI!”

  “How you think you got here,” Vance chuckled.

  “Okay, that’s my cue,” Naomi replied, shaking her head. “I will talk to ya’ll later. Love you.”

  “We love you, too.”

  Just as Naomi disconnected the line with her parents, her phone buzzed. Seeing his name light up her screen made Naomi smile.

  Hey beautiful. We got the call. The jury is back. I thought you would like to know.

  Tareef was right. She did want to know.

  Thanks for telling me. I’m on my way.

  We’ll talk later. Be safe.

  Fortunately, Naomi was already dressed in something appropriate for court. She quickly grabbed her purse and her keys from the hallway table and made her way through the kitchen to the garage, making sure to set the alarm and lock up. Once in the car, Naomi activated the garage door opener, put on her seatbelt, and then started the car. She didn’t live too far from the courthouse, but it would take her at least twenty minutes to get there if traffic were favorable. As she backed down the driveway and hit the garage controls again, Naomi thought about how anxious she felt in hearing that the jury reached a decision. She could only imagine how intense that feeling was for Jennifer. Her life, her freedom truly hung in the balance, decided by people who only got a scripted glimpse into her life. All of a sudden, Naomi’s stomach went topsy turvy.

  She tried to adhere to the speed
limit while navigating through the side streets, but once Naomi got on the highway, she pushed the allowable speed past the limit. She wasn’t reckless, though, making sure to use her signal as she maneuvered through traffic. She reached the courthouse in exactly twenty minutes. Others must have gotten the notification as well. By the time Naomi reached the courtroom, a line had formed outside the closed doors.

  “Are they already in session,” she asked the woman in line in front of her.

  “Not yet,” the lady replied.

  Naomi made it just in time as right after the woman’s comment, the doors to the courtroom were opened. Officers from the sheriff’s department stood guard, ushering everyone in and reminding observers to take their seats quickly and quietly. There was no question which side of the courtroom Naomi wanted to sit on. For her, there was a clear separation – one side for the defense the other side for the prosecutor. As she took her seat midways on the defendants’ side, Naomi chuckled to herself. It was like picking the bride or groom's side at a wedding. But this was a much more serious matter. The attorneys were already in position. The sheriff was already on his post at the front of the courtroom. The lighthearted chuckle didn’t last long as the courtroom was called to order.

  “All rise,” the sheriff bellowed as Judge Franks entered the courtroom.

  “You may be seated,” the judge directed after sitting down.

  Resuming her seat, Naomi felt a surge in her gut again. It wasn’t butterflies. It was something more.

  The side door opened, and the defendant was ushered in. Naomi would never unhear the haunting clink of the chains that bound Jennifer’s hands and feet. One guard attended to Jennifer, firmly holding her arm while the other unshackled her. Although Jennifer was dressed in a modest suit, the chains were a reminder of her prisoner status. Once the guards were done sitting the defendant down, they exited the courtroom out of the same door they entered.

  “Bailiff, send in the jury,” Judge Franks commanded.

  Naomi was surprised that things moved so fast. She thought maybe there would be more precursory matters that had to be attended to, but from the looks of things, all the precursory stuff was over. Naomi’s eyes traveled to the prosecutors' table. From where she sat, all she could see was Malcolm’s profile. She couldn’t gauge how confident he was from his posture. He looked to be on pins and needles like everyone else, with the exception of Jennifer. Naomi watched her after assessing Malcolm’s posture. She looked the same as she did the first time she entered the courtroom, except that her head wasn’t hung as low as it had been before. Jennifer’s face was flat, seemingly absent of visible emotion. In contrast, Naomi found it hard to be still, her foot tapping in quick succession, her hands wringing in her lap. But Jennifer looked unfazed by the things happening around her. Maybe she resigned herself to what had been her fate? Maybe it was too hard to hope that she would be granted her freedom?

  Movement in the front of the courtroom demanded Naomi’s attention. The jury filed in, six people on the front row, six people on the back row. The jury pool was just about even, six men, six women, six Black, six White. Naomi tried to read their faces to see if she would gauge how the vote went from their expressions. She looked from one individual to the other. The looks on their faces were nearly the same – blank and expressionless.

  “Has the jury reached a verdict?” Judge Franks asked.

  The tightening Naomi felt in the pit of her belly seized.

  The jury foreman stood up. “We have your honor.”

  Nearly seventy-two hours from the moment Judge Franks gave their initial instructions, the jury had decided.

  The bailiff accepted the verdict from the foreman and carried it to the judge without looking at it. Naomi’s eyes were fixed on Judge Franks as he unfolded the single sheet of paper, examined it for a moment, and handed the paper back to the bailiff who returned it to the foreman.

  “Will the defendant please rise.”

  This was the moment of truth when it all would be decided. Naomi felt sick on the stomach. She was anxious with her nerves at an all-time high. Tareef stood with his client. Naomi could only imagine how he felt waiting to hear the decision. She found herself revisiting the arguments the prosecuting and defense attorneys made, both men passionate in their positions, even though they were dichotomously opposed.

  “Would the foreman read the verdict, please.”

  The courtroom was deathly quiet as the foreman unfolded the paper. Naomi closed her eyes, whispering a little prayer on Jennifer’s behalf.

  “We, the jury in the case of Jennifer Whitman versus the state of Georgia, find that the defendant shall be granted clemency under state statute 21.234 with her sentence to be commuted in accordance with the aforementioned statute.”

  “What does that mean,” Jennifer whispered. But her whisper was loud enough for the galley to hear in the perfunctory silence.

  “It means you’re free,” Tareef whispered back.

  Judge Franks sounded the gavel, quieting the courtroom even more.

  “Mrs. Whitman, the jury has found that sufficient evidence has proven that clemency is warranted. As such, you will be released from incarceration upon the finalization of the verdict. Do you understand?”

  “I think I do, sir,” Jennifer replied. She turned her attention to Tareef. “Does that mean I get back my name?”

  “Yes, Jennifer,” he answered. “You can get back your name.”

  “Court is adjourned,” Judge Franks announced.

  It was then that Jennifer responded. She reached up and grabbed Tareef by the neck, hugging him tightly.

  “Thank you,” she sighed as tears fell from her eyes.

  Naomi could barely see, as she shed tears of her own. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted. Tareef smiled as Jennifer released him.

  “I’ll meet you at discharge, okay?”

  Jennifer nodded her head to overcome to speak. This time when the guards approached her, they did so respectfully. The shackles were not put on her hands or feet. Rather, the guards politely escorted Jennifer out of the side door. Naomi wiped her eyes and witnessed Malcolm and Tareef in the aisle, shaking hands. The two men were cordial, but Naomi could see defeat written all over Malcolm’s face. Tareef had won not only the battle; he was on his way to winning the war. When they separated, Naomi rose to her feet. Malcolm looked in her direction as he retreated down the center aisle, his co-council looking as defeated as he did. Malcolm only nodded his head, acknowledging Naomi’s presence. He didn’t pause; he didn’t try talking to her. He surrendered.

  Tareef knew Naomi was in the courtroom from the moment she walked in. Feeling her aura near him shored him up during the tensest moments of the trial. He didn’t have to turn around and visually see she was there. He knew it. His heart knew her presence. Although the courtroom was still filled with people, Tareef made his way down the center aisle, his eyes never leaving Naomi.

  “You won,” Naomi smiled as Tareef approached.

  Enveloping her in his arms, Tareef whispered against her hair. “I hope so.”

  Tareef held her for a long time and held Naomi even tighter when she laced her arms around his neck.

  “What happens now,” she asked as they parted.

  “Now, I need to go to the prison and meet Jennifer for discharge.”

  “What’s going to happen to her? Where will she go?”

  “Thankfully, representatives from the Legal Defense Fund took her release into consideration. A few of the reps will meet me there. They will help Jennifer get reacclimated to life outside prison walls. They have a place she can stay while she gets on her feet.”

  “That’s good,” Naomi sighed, her heart still reeling from the proceedings.

  “Can I call you once I’m done?” Tareef asked.

  “I would like that,” Naomi teased. “We should celebrate,” she suggested.

  “I agree.”

  The two parted ways, but they both knew their separation was only t
emporary. As Naomi padded down the courthouse hallway, she heard the media calling for comment. Although their microphones had been shoved in the face of Malcolm the moment Tareef stepped out of the courtroom, all eyes and mics were on him.

  “Mr. Ali! Mr. Ali! How do you feel after winning this precedent setting case?”

  Naomi paused long enough to hear Tareef’s initial response.

  “This was a hard-fought victory, but I don’t take any credit for the win. It was a team effort, and Ms. Jennifer Williams should be credited with this victory today. I just hope this case helps to open doors that have been too long closed for other victims who had the audacity to fight back and were justified in doing so.”

  Whew, Naomi thought as she continued down the hall, wearing a brilliant smile. A man after my own heart.

  Tareef didn’t entertain the media long. Unbeknownst to Naomi, he watched her walk away. For Tareef, the sashay of her hips was glorious. But Naomi was so much more than her scintillating physique. She was smart and classy and beautiful. And as Tareef made his way out of the building, he thought to himself, a woman after my own heart.

  It took some time for Naomi to make it to her car. For as many media representatives inside the courthouse, there were twice as many littering the courthouse stairs. She weaved and bobbed through them, trying not to be caught on camera. Once inside her vehicle, Naomi remembered to turn on her cell phone. She connected it to the Bluetooth in her car and started the ignition. Naomi was in a good mood. Her mother was doing better than she could have hoped. Things had gone well in court. She was happy for Jennifer. With the trial over, Naomi could focus full speed ahead on revving up her business. There was nothing stopping her or standing in her way.

  When her phone buzzed, Naomi answered from her steering wheel.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Singleton. This is O’Shea Ali. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Naomi replied, reaching over and making sure her radio volume was turned all the way down.

  “I know a call from me today is unexpected, but do you have a moment?”