Harlequin Historical September 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Christine Merrill

  “Of course there is,” Lorenzo said with a sigh.

  “I think Evelyn is in some serious danger. You shouldn’t let her leave.”

  “There’s nothing I can do. You’ve met her. She’s very determined.”

  “Hire her back, then.”

  “I can’t do that either.” Lorenzo ran his hand through his hair. “She’s leaving town, Tommy. She’ll be safe as long as she’s away from me.”

  “I hope you don’t regret this.”

  Tommy left and slammed the door behind him.

  Lorenzo would let that breach of respect go. He could tell Tommy was really worried about Evelyn.

  And Lorenzo already regretted pushing her away.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Evelyn

  Evelyn paced in her living room after Lorenzo left. Her nerves were on end and she couldn’t sit still. She had to sing at the Avalon in an hour, and she really didn’t know what to do about the fact that the owner was a racist. She hoped she wouldn’t have much interaction with him or his customers. She just wanted to go, sing and get paid.

  The club in Denver sounded tempting. Lorenzo had paid her very well, and to think she could make twice that was enticing, but she didn’t want to leave Kansas City. Her grand needed her to be close, and the music scene was larger in Kansas City. She had more of a chance of meeting the right people if she stayed.

  She wouldn’t let Lorenzo run her out of town. She would get to the bottom of the secrets he was keeping and show him that she wasn’t some damsel in distress. She could and would take care of herself.

  With that fire in her heart, she went to her wardrobe and pulled out her most seductive dress. She needed to feel strong, and the dress with the red fringe and beading down the bodice made her feel like she was already a star. She’d been saving it to wear on a special night at Blues Moon. That night would never come.

  She stopped her thoughts before tears filled her eyes again. She couldn’t believe she’d almost let Lorenzo see her cry. Never again.

  She decided she didn’t want walk to the Avalon knowing the KKK was after her, so she went downstairs to hail a cab. She had a little extra money, thanks to working at Blues Moon.

  The night air chilled her face, but her coat kept her warm. Cars honked, and the city throbbed with excitement. People bustled about in beautiful coats, hats and gloves. Evelyn loved the winter because everyone wore gloves and she didn’t stand out as much with her gloves always in place.

  “Miss Evelyn, what are you doing?” Jerry stood on the sidewalk, gawking at her.

  “I’m going to catch a taxi to the Avalon. That’s where I work now.”

  “I’ll run and get the car. I’ll take you. Mr. De Luca would have my head if he knew I’d let you get in a taxi.”

  “No, Jerry, really.”

  “Miss Evelyn, I must insist. I know the boss, and he won’t like this one bit.”

  Jerry ran off in the direction of the garage where Lorenzo kept his cars. Evelyn sighed and walked back inside, glad for the warmth. She hoped Lorenzo wouldn’t come out of the club at that moment. She couldn’t bear another painful conversation with him. She needed to conserve her energy to sing.

  She tapped her fingers on the glass door, waiting for Jerry to pull up. She wondered what car he would drive. She hoped Lorenzo had something less ostentatious than what she’d seen of his cars so far.

  Her heart dropped when Jerry pulled out front in the Rolls.

  Rolling her eyes, Evelyn walked outside. “Jerry, I don’t think I should pull up to the Avalon in this car.”

  “Miss, this is the kind of car a star like you should be in. Besides, I’m technically off tonight, so I’m at your service.”

  “I don’t know when my set will be over.”

  “Then I’ll wait.”

  “Jerry, that is not necessary...really.”

  “It is my pleasure to ensure you arrive safely—and not just because I know the boss would want me to, but because I consider you to be a good person, and you need to keep yourself safe. I can help you do that.”

  Evelyn squeezed Jerry’s hand. He opened the door for her and she slid in. She rubbed her hand across the red interior and took a deep breath. The car smelled of spices, just like Lorenzo.

  Her heart sank at that realization. Perhaps going to Denver wasn’t the worst idea. If she stayed in Kansas City she would never truly escape Lorenzo. Maybe she could convince her grand to come with her.

  Trapped in an automobile that was filled with Lorenzo’s scent, his laughter, his captivating eyes and perfect hair, Evelyn didn’t notice when Jerry pulled up in front of the Avalon.

  “We’re here.” He got out of the car to open her door.

  The parking lot was filled with trucks. This was a very different club than Blues Moon. There were no fancy cars or fur coats here.

  Evelyn looked at Jerry. He had concern etched in the lines between his brows.

  “I’ll be fine,” Evelyn said, and gave Jerry a big smile.

  She walked into the club, clutching her knife in her coat pocket. The cold steel of the handle pressed into her palm.

  The smoky air hit Evelyn like a slap in the face. She cleared her throat, which immediately burned from the tobacco and sweat-thick scent. Bodies pushed together on the dance floor, music blared and glasses clanged. This club was so different. Where Blues Moon was all elegance and prestige, the Avalon was crude and sticky.

  She hadn’t been dropped off in the back, like she’d been told. She refused to act as a second-class citizen when she’d arrived in a Rolls Royce and was obviously the best dressed person in the place.

  She held her head high and walked to the stage. There was a pianist and a microphone.

  “Hello,” Evelyn said to a man with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He was the only other brown-skinned person in the speakeasy. “I’m Evelyn, the new singer.”

  “Pleased to meet you, miss. I’m Ezequiel. You can call me Eazy. You ready to get started?”

  Evelyn nodded. “Is there somewhere I can put my coat and pocketbook?”

  “I’d keep ’em as close as you can in this place. They don’t like to see colored folks have nice things.”

  “Thank you for the tip.”

  Evelyn climbed onto the stage and put her coat and purse on top of a box right by the piano. She was determined to prove her strength. She wouldn’t allow anyone to tell her where she belonged.

  Walking over to the piano, she placed her glove-covered hands on its black shiny top. “Do you know any Mammy Smith songs?”

  “Do I?”

  The older gentleman changed songs with such precision Evelyn was impressed.

  She decided that when she opened her own club—and she would—Eazy would be a part of her entertainment. She wanted Benny and the band at Blues Moon too, but she wouldn’t steal them from Lorenzo.

  She walked over to the microphone and cleared her throat. The dancers stopped to look at her. Some glared, some smiled, but she didn’t care about any of that. This was about her proving her talent and her worth to herself.

  The first note came out stronger than she could have hoped, with her nerves on edge like they were. And after the first note, the second and third followed easily. Before she knew it the crowd had started moving again, and once the song was over some people cheered. Music had the power to bring people together, and she held that power in her voice.

  Looking back at Eazy, she laughed.

  His smile filled the stage with brightness. “Let’s keep going,” he said, transitioning to another song.

  He did that so well. She stared at him for a moment, before turning back to the crowd. She could make out some of the faces closest to the stage, but in the back by the bar everyone was blurred together. The small club was dark, with spotlights throughout over the tables and the ba
r area. She hoped she would get used to the smell of the place... Her stomach churned a little.

  After Evelyn had sung another ten or so songs she looked at Eazy, and he announced that they would take a break. She and Eazy worked well together already. Just a look and he knew she was getting tired.

  “Where do you go to rest?” Evelyn picked up her coat and pocketbook.

  Eazy laughed. “You must come from a nicer club than this one, miss. There ain’t nowhere for us to go except out back.”

  “What? What about when it’s too cold to be outside?”

  “I usually just play through the night, so I can stay in the warmth, but you looked really tired so I called for a break. I don’t mind going outside with you, though. I wouldn’t want you out there by yourself anyway.”

  Evelyn sighed and followed Eazy to the back door. She’d got about five steps when someone grabbed her arm. She turned to see the blotchy red-faced owner, Mr. Martin.

  “Where d’you think you going, girl? My customers don’t want you to take a break.”

  “I’m sorry,” Evelyn said, yanking her arm from his sweaty grasp. “But I have to rest my voice. You want me to be able to sing again, don’t you?”

  “You better be quick about it.”

  “I need at least thirty minutes, Mr. Martin. At Blues Moon—”

  “This ain’t Blues Moon. Remember that.” He spat on the floor and walked away.

  Evelyn fought the urge to throw something at the man’s retreating figure. She turned to see Eazy eyeing her.

  “You handle yourself well, miss. Let’s get outta here. I’ll walk outside with you. Where you from?” Eazy held the door for her.

  “I’m originally from Louisiana, but I live in a small town not too far away.”

  Once she was outside, the chill in the air whipped across Evelyn’s face.

  “Wow, it’s getting cold already. It’s early.”

  “Oh, you mean West Eden? Yeah, I’ve been trying to get there, but they ain’t opened a club yet, so I gotta stay where the money is. Yeah, seems like fall is fading away. It goes straight from summer to winter around here.”

  As they stood on the steps outside of the Avalon. Evelyn felt a wave of nausea overtake her and she stumbled a little.

  “Miss Evelyn, are you all right?” Eazy grabbed Evelyn’s arm to steady her.

  “We need to get back in there, but I’m feeling a little dizzy.”

  Eazy directed Evelyn to sit on the steps. He took his coat off for her to sit on. The cool air hit her once she was seated, and she immediately felt better. Her heart had raced unexpectedly, which had made it hard for her to breathe. But now she took several long, deep breaths and her head cleared.

  Eazy stared, with concern etched in his gaze. “You want to go back into the Avalon?”

  “Not right away. I’m just going to sit here for a moment longer. I’ll be right in. You should go in, since I’m using your coat. It’s too cold out here.”

  “I don’t want to leave you by yourself.”

  “I just need a moment. Please, go inside. You’ll catch your death out here without a coat.”

  Eazy looked up and down the street. It was empty. “Are you sure you want to be alone?”

  Evelyn nodded. “I’m okay. I’ll be right in.” Evelyn had her fur and gloves.

  Eazy hesitantly walked away. He looked back at Evelyn several times before disappearing through the back door to the Avalon.

  Evelyn blew out a sigh of relief. She needed just a moment alone before going back in to finish singing. She would tell Mr. Martin over the phone tomorrow that she wouldn’t be back. She was probably forfeiting her pay for the night, but she didn’t care.

  She was about to stand when out of the darkness appeared a figure, covered in shadows. It looked like the person could manipulate the light and stay hidden.

  “Who’s there?” Evelyn asked, getting to her feet, gripping the knife in her pocket. “Let me see your face now.” Her voice sounded fearless, but she was terrified.

  Mr. Simmens spat tobacco on the street as he emerged into the light of the streetlamp. “You really should be more careful, Miss Laroque. Being in this part of town all by yourself...well, that’s just not smart. We don’t take kindly to colored folks over on this side of town—but you might not have known that.”

  Evelyn took a step back, trying to get closer to the door. “You stay away from me.”

  “But you’re so pretty... I just want a taste. I’ll save the rest for my boys back in the truck. We got mighty plans for you and that mouth of yours.”

  Evelyn gripped the knife in her pocket more tightly.

  “Now, come here so I can see what that mouth feels like when it’s put to good use.”

  Simmens kept advancing, until he was only a foot or so from Evelyn. She needed him close enough so he wouldn’t see her pull the knife out of her pocket.

  “I haven’t done anything to you. You need to leave me alone.”

  “It’s because of you that some of my boys are sick. Whatever happened to them in Blues Moon still ain’t worn off completely.”

  Simmens grabbed Evelyn’s neck.

  She shoved the knife into his stomach. She had to push hard to get through the layers of clothes, but she knew the moment she broke his skin and the knife plunged into the soft tissue of his abdomen.

  He stumbled back and looked at her. He put his hand to his stomach. It came away covered in fire-engine-red blood. He staggered back into the street.

  A figure somersaulted into Mr. Simmens, kicking him to the ground, forcing the knife in deeper as his body fell face forward to the concrete. Dred.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, stepping on Mr. Simmens’s back.

  Evelyn couldn’t tell if the force from the kick had knocked him out, or if the knife wound had killed him. She hadn’t meant to seriously injure him. She’d just wanted to protect herself.

  Dred, not appearing at all fazed by the possibility that the man was dead, looked back at Evelyn. “Are you okay?”

  Evelyn nodded.

  Dred turned Simmens over on his back, pulling Evelyn’s knife free. “We have to get out of here,” she said, with urgency sharpening every word.

  Evelyn nodded. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to make sure you were okay, and I need to talk to you about Lorenzo before it’s too late. Come with me.”

  Evelyn followed Dred, staring at the bloody knife in her hand as they headed away from Avalon toward the alley.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Lorenzo

  Lorenzo drove slowly as he approached the Avalon. The Klan would be sauced and easy prey. They needed to know how powerful the mob was and that it wasn’t worth losing their lives. Not to mention Lorenzo’s own power, which was starting to become solid outside of the influence of his father. Lorenzo had networked and made some pretty serious connections that would shape the future of the city. His father’s ways were of the past.

  Lorenzo had already demanded that no one was to die tonight, but he couldn’t ensure what would come in the future if the KKK continued to terrorize the city. All he knew was that he would protect Evelyn no matter what.

  His roadster led the line of fancy cars driven by members of the De Luca family. There were twenty cars in all. He pulled around the back of the club and saw, as promised, that the governor had the street blocked so there would be no escape for the Klan.

  The governor had brought with him the police officers he trusted, and was putting them into places of power to ensure the city got clean of dirty cops. Lorenzo’s father wasn’t exactly pleased with that idea.

  To his horror, Evelyn stood in the middle of the alley, flanked by Dred and surrounded by at least ten Klansmen.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jeb asked, exiting his car seconds after Lorenzo.

/>   “I’m about to find out.”

  Lorenzo led the massive group of De Lucas, along with Tommy and Jeb. He had asked Dred to go ahead and make sure the street was cleared of everyone with the exception of the Klansmen who were planning to destroy Blues Moon.

  The Klansmen were so consumed with whatever was going on with Evelyn and Dred they barely noticed Lorenzo and the men approaching. The few who had noticed started backing away.

  Lorenzo cleared his throat when he was about a few feet away and a number of the Klansmen started at the sight. The De Lucas, Tommy and Jeb were all dressed in black. They probably looked terrifying to these backwoods country bigots.

  “I’m going to give you an opportunity to turn your back on the Klan,” Lorenzo began. “It might just save your life. If you walk away now, you won’t be hurt. If you choose to stay, then I’m sorry to inform you but the city will know all of your names by morning, and the governor has assured me that anyone involved in harming young women will be promptly fired from his position and arrested. That would be a shame, as I know some of you are doctors and police officers. Oh, and, hey—a detective. Nice to see you again. How much will your family suffer if you are in prison? How about those criminals you’ve put behind bars? Will they be happy to see you in a cell with them?”

  “This whore killed Simmens!” one of the men shouted.

  Lorenzo looked at Evelyn. She stood tall, but he could tell she was frightened. On the ground in front of her was Simmens.

  Lorenzo sighed. “And I’m sure he deserved it. If he attacked her, like he’s done multiple times before, then what she did was self-defense. He caused his own death. Do you really want to die for a man who couldn’t have cared less what happened to any of you?”

  “We don’t have to listen to you Italian dogs,” another man shouted, with spittle flying from his mouth. He was obviously drunk.

  A man stepped from the shadows. It was a Ricci boss—a young one. “Is that what you think of all of us?”

  Upon closer inspection, Lorenzo realized that this Ricci was the same man who had shot Holly all those years ago. The man still walked with a slight limp.