“No, I want to stay. We only have one night left here. Let’s not waste it,” she gave him a half smile.
“You sure?” he asked concerned. Mercedes nodded.
“Then we’ll stay,” he said pulling her in for a kiss on her forehead and a hug. Mercedes leaned into Raul and breathed deeply. She found strength in leaning on him. When she felt him wrap his strong arms around her, she let her head fall to his shoulder. They stood there, arms wrapped around one another for a while, Raul’s embrace giving her strength, and reassuring her that everything was okay. Whoever this stalker was, was trying to weaken her, trying to take everything from her, one by one. Instead, they were doing the opposite, making her confront the parts of her life she’d been trying to keep separated since she’d moved out of her parents’ home. She no longer had any secrets to hide. She wasn’t ashamed of who she was and she would not let anyone shame her. While this stalker had made her confront these issues, she knew it was the man who held her now that gave her the strength to endure it all. She picked her head up, and looked into his eyes. She saw so many emotions swimming in those deep brown pools. She found comfort in knowing he didn’t attempt to hide his feelings for her. They were right there on display for her to see. This incredibly handsome, strong, accomplished man who could have just about anyone he wanted, wasn’t backing out at the first sign of trouble or family strife. It made Mercedes want to be brave too. She leaned up and kissed him.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips. At his confused expression, instead of explaining she kissed him again. She’d known long ago that Raul wasn’t just some fling she was having. She knew whatever this was, she would no longer be the same person she was before it began.
Chapter 15
“Hey, boss. You got a minute? I think I found something you may want to hear.” Raul looked up when he’d heard the knock at his door. Matt, one of his top forensics guys stood at his door. Raul had lured Matt away from the Atlanta Police Department’s forensics department with a much higher salary, great benefits, and the promise of the freedom to work however Matt needed to. The man had his quirks, but Raul never regretted hiring him. It was a mutually beneficial hire that had been working out great over the last three years.
“You have something for me on Mercedes’ stalker?” Raul asked. Raul and Mercedes had returned from New Orleans two days before, and he’d given directives to a number of his staff members to turn up the heat in searching for Mercedes’ stalker. She was supposed to return to school the following day to begin organizing the teachers and trainings for the school year that would be starting the following week. Once the school year was back in session, Mercedes couldn’t remain as secluded to his home, in between trips to her performances. She had to get back to her normal life, and Raul was determined to make sure this person would not be able to do any more harm than they already had done.
“Yeah, boss. So, as you know we started going over all the records for everyone who works at the Black Kitty. Interesting name for a club, by the way,” Matt said looking at Raul. When Raul merely stared at him, Matt cleared his throat and continued on, “Right. So anyway, you know at first we just did some preliminary background checks. We were mainly focused on Mercedes’ exes, but they all checked out. Since then, we’ve gone back and taken a second look at all the employees at the Black Kitty over the last few years, since Mercede has been performing. That in and of itself, wasn’t easy since the club often has guest dancers and whatnot. We even expedited that background check on Stacey Coleman while you were in New Orleans. Somewhat sad background on that one, no?” Matt shook his head at some of the information he’d learned while doing Stacey’s background check. “Anyway, we decided to extend past the last few years. This time around we did much more extensive checks and almost everyone checked out.” This is when Raul’s ears perked up. Standing, he came around the front of his desk, to park himself in front of where Matt was now sitting. Raul leaned back on his desk giving Matt his undivided attention.
“Who didn’t?” Raul asked.
“Well, you know the one they call a uh, stage kitten, her stage name is Roxxy? Yeah, well the name she claims as hers is Roxanne Summers, but that name and Social Security number didn’t exist before 2007, and I…well, we know she’s not an eight year old child. Of course that got my attention, so I went back to do a fingerprint analysis. Lorenzo was able to swipe one of Mercedes’ gloves that Roxxy brought back to her room after a performance. Do you know how hard it is to retrieve fingerprints from clothing? It’s not easy at all. First you have to-”
“Matt,” Raul interrupted sternly. This was one of his quirks; Matt could get so wrapped up in the science of forensics that he’d want to share it with everyone. Raul was in no mood for any of that right now. “Get back to what it was you found,” Raul commanded brusquely.
“Right, sorry. I was able to pull a partial thumb print from Mercedes’ glove; one that did not belong to Mercedes. We searched the national database, and found there was a hit, but the records were sealed. Apparently this person was a minor when the crime occurred. Anyway, after getting one of the hackers here to do their thing, we were able to get into the records. Turns out, Roxanne Summers’ real name is Rochelle Roberts and guess where she grew up?” Matt asked confidently.
Raul didn’t even have to think about the answer. “Chicago.” Raul knew that was the answer because the hacker they’d found who’d tried to break into the hotel security system was based in Chicago, and he’d been the one who was paid to set up a fake online dating page to lure in the man, who was hired to rush the stage at the Black Kitty. The hacker was also paid to get information and addresses on Mercedes’ employer and the parents of her students. Lorenzo tracked the hacker down in Chicago, and his story was that a friend of a friend had hired him. He’d never met the woman, but apparently she had ties to Chicago.
“Yup,” Matt said nodding his head enthusiastically. “But that’s not all. Guess where she was born?”
Raul had a feeling he knew, but waited for Matt to answer his own question.
“Houston. She was born to one Thomasina Roberts. Father’s name was not on the birth certificate. Thomasina lived with her young daughter, Rochelle in the Houston area until she was about two, before moving to Chicago.” Raul’s mind immediately began conjuring up all sorts of questions. What was this Rochelle’s connection to Mercedes? Did their family have some sort of connection? Why was Rochelle singling Mercedes out? By now, Raul was sure that this Rochelle was Mercedes’ stalker. She’d been working at the Black Kitty for close to a year now, and within months of her working there, is when Mercedes began receiving the hang-up calls, then the break-in and ensuing forms of harassment. What was it about Mercedes that triggered this Rochelle? Raul felt it was deeper than just jealousy over Mercedes’ performing. He had the feeling Rochelle deliberately sought out the Black Kitty to work at because she knew Mercedes was a regular there.
“I need you to get me everything you can find on this Rochelle and fast,” Raul ordered. Matted nodded. “Will do, boss. For now, here’s some interesting reading material from the preliminary information I’ve got so far.” Raul took the folder Matt offered him and opened it. The first sheet was an image of Rochelle from the club, followed by an image of her mug shot when she was arrested at the age of fourteen. She had been arrested for shoplifting. Raul thumbed through the file before coming back to the first picture. The image struck him for some reason.
She looked...familiar.
Matt stood to leave, as Raul continued to look at the picture. He knew there was something there, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. A few seconds later it clicked.
“Matt,” he called. Just as Matt reached the door, he turned.
“Work with Lorenzo and get me everything you can find on Rochelle’s mother. I want to know all about Thomasina’s background and history in Houston. Get me anything you can find on who Rochelle’s father might be. And I need it yesterday. Understood?”
When Matt left, Raul rounded his desk in search of his cell phone. He knew Mercedes had gone over to Nikola and Devyn’s to have brunch with Devyn and the boys. He felt safe knowing she wasn’t alone. Nikola’s home, like his was in a gated community and just as secure. Still he wanted to check on her, though he wouldn’t tell her what he’d just discovered until he was absolutely sure. He decided to just send a text checking-in.
****
“Hmmhmm.”
Mercedes looked up from her phone to see Devyn staring at her with laughter in her eyes. “Hmmhmm, what?” Mercedes snapped.
“Nothing,” Devyn said smiling as she took a sip of her orange juice. The two women sat on Devyn’s back patio. They had just put Devyn’s two boys down for their mid-morning nap. Now, they ate a hearty brunch prepared by Devyn and Nikola’s chef, consisting of eggs, potato latkes, bacon, cut up fruit and orange juice.
“Don’t you dare nothing me, chick. What was all that ‘hmmmhmm’ about?” Mercedes insisted.
Devyn laughed. “Calm down. I can just tell it was Raul by the way you were all smiling and giddy looking at your phone.” Mercedes couldn’t fully deny Devyn’s words. She was happy whenever Raul took the time out of his day to check-in on her.
“Did you just call me giddy? See, you’re doing too much. Happy? Yes. Giddy? Not so much,” Mercedes retorted, trying to preserve some of the air of coolness she had when it came to relationships.
“Oh please. Try that on someone else who doesn’t know you. You were downright giddy, responding to that text. I should have taken a picture for all those times you made fun of me when Nikola and I were dating,” Devyn teased.
“Girl, whatever. That’s ‘cause you were damn near drooling over that man whenever you heard his name. Hell, you still do,” Mercedes laughed
“Yeah, well I’m not the only one drooling now,” Devyn countered.
“Don’t make me fight you,” Mercedes said, tossing her napkin at Devyn.
“You could, but you wouldn’t want to hurt your next Goddaughter or son, would you?”
Mercedes paused, absorbing what Devyn had just revealed. She gasped in excitement “You heffa! I knew it!” she yelled, standing to give her friend a big hug. She was just as excited as the first time she learned Devyn was pregnant.
“I should have known when I saw the bacon on the table,” Mercedes said remembering Devyn’s first pregnancy when she craved bacon, a food she rarely ate. Devyn laughed.
“How far along are you? How long have you known? Did you tell Nikola yet? I bet he’s excited,” Mercedes rambled off her questions. For the next hour or so, Devyn and Mercedes talked about the pregnancy. Devyn and Nikola had found out while they were still vacationing in Brazil. She was about ten weeks along, and of course, Mercedes was going to be the Godmother, again. Mercedes was truly happy for her friend, and for the first time she found herself wondering what it would be like to be pregnant. When she thought of the person she would want to be the father of her children, one face came to mind. The familiar handsome face of golden skin and warm brown eyes filled her head.
Mercedes’ phone rang, as she got in her car to leave Devyn’s home. Raul’s house was only about a ten minute drive from Devyn and Nikola’s home. She looked down at her phone to see it was Ron Sherman calling. She figured it had something to do with the following day’s training that all staff and teachers needed to attend.
“Hi Ron.”
“H-hi Mercedes,” he said clearing his throat. “Do you have a minute?”
“Yeah, I’m just leaving a friend’s house. Did you need something?” she asked.
“Yes, I need you come down to the school. We need to go over the agenda for tomorrow and I may need you to help me sort through some files before everyone else gets here,” he stated. Mercedes figured it had to do with the new student files they received every year prior to the start of the school semester.
“Uh, okay, Ron. Are you at the school now,” Mercedes asked looking at her watch.
“Yes, can you meet me here in twenty minutes? It shouldn’t take too long,” he assured her.
“Okay, I’m a little further out so I should be there within the next thirty minutes,” she said before hanging up.
Mercedes wasn’t aware that Ron hung up the phone and stared directly into the business end of a 9mm.
“Nice job, Sherman. You may make it out of this alive, after all. Unlike your assistant principal.” Ron stared at the woman who had a crazed look in her eyes. He knew this day would not end well for Mercedes if this woman had her way. He silently prayed they both made it out alive.
Chapter 16
“Okay, boss, we’ve been working and found a little more information,” Lorenzo said as Raul exited the conference room in his office. He’d been in a meeting with a high-level client on some important security issues his business had been having. Raul told his team that he wanted more information on Thomasina and Rochelle Roberts once he finished his meeting. Lorenzo was waiting on him at the door.
“Tell me what you got,” Raul said as he strode down the hallway to his office.
“Well, Thomasina was born and raised in Houston’s 3rd Ward. From the looks of it, her family was pretty much working class; her father was a mechanic. Her mother was a preschool teacher. She was raised in the church. As she got older she graduated from the local high school, and attended community college. It’s still fuzzy on who could be Rochelle’s father, but we found an original copy of her birth certificate. There was a father’s name placed on the certificate,” Lorenzo said as he pulled out a picture of an old birth certificate. The image was blurry, but Raul was able to make out the name of the father. He stood there stunned. It all began to come together, as Lorenzo told him more about Rochelle’s childhood.
“Apparently she’d had it pretty rough after moving to Chicago,” Lorenzo continued, “Her mother fell ill with Multiple Sclerosis and she’d spent a large portion of her childhood caring for her mother instead of being a kid. Turns out, she was caught shoplifting to get clothes for school and to make a little extra money to support herself and her mother. She was arrested, but was let off easy. Since then, she stayed out of trouble, as far as law enforcement knows. Rochelle finally had to put her mother in a home about eighteen months ago, and within a few months, Thomasina suffered a stroke. She died as a result of the stroke.”
Raul knew this was the woman. He knew he was reading the file of the woman who’d been targeting Mercedes. It must have been the death of her mother that triggered her. He still had questions as to why she fixated on Mercedes, but he fully intended to ask Rochelle those questions.
“What’s her current address?” he barked out the question to Lorenzo.
“Here it is. She’s been leasing a month to month apartment in the same complex as Mercedes.” In that moment, Raul was so grateful he’d insisted on Mercedes staying at his place this summer. This woman was practically living in the same building as Mercedes.
“You go over to see if she’s home. I’m going to call Mercedes,” Raul instructed. Lorenzo was headed out the door before Raul could complete his sentence. He took his cell phone out of the top drawer of his desk and saw he had a voicemail from Mercedes. He hoped she was calling to tell him she was back, safely at his home.
“Hi, Raul, it’s me. I’m just leaving Devyn’s and got a call from Ron Sherman. He needs help with some work files before we start our training tomorrow with the rest of the staff. I’m going to head over to the school. I don’t know how long I’ll be if you want to meet me there or I can just call when I’m on my way back home.” Raul listened to the message over again and a chill ran down his spine. It didn’t feel right. He knew Mercedes was supposed to return to work the following day to begin the training and set up for the new school year, so why was Ron calling her to come in today? Was Ron working with Rochelle to set Mercedes up? Raul asked thes
e questions and more, as he grabbed his keys, his gun out of his office drawer, stuffed it in the back of his waist and headed out the door. Raul was so certain something was amiss that on the way to his car, he called Lorenzo and diverted him to Mercedes’ school instead of Rochelle’s apartment. Raul tried to call Mercedes over and over again, but to no avail. Her phone was either on silent or she wouldn’t or couldn’t answer for some reason. He hoped he wasn’t too late. He immediately pushed those negative thoughts aside, knowing that he had to remain focused in order to help Mercedes.
****
“Ron, are you here?” Mercedes yelled as she entered the dark outer office of the school. The outer office is where the school’s secretary sat, and there was a long bench for parents who were there to meet with the principal or assistant principals. Off to the right was Mercedes’ own office along with the office for the other assistant principals. To the left was the larger principal’s office. Mercedes found it strange that the lights in the outer office were off, but the lights in Ron’s office were on.
“Ron, are you here?” she called again. She pushed through the small swinging door that stopped around mid-thigh, and that separated the parent’s waiting area with the secretary and staff area. She stepped through the doorway and made her way to Ron’s office. She saw him sitting at his desk with an unreadable expression on his face. When he saw her his eyes filled with relief and then worry. Mercedes felt the hairs at the back of her neck stand up.
“Ro-Ron what’s-”
“Hello, Mercedes,” a cold voice welcomed her. Mercedes didn’t even notice the face of the person who the voice belonged to. She was too busy looking down the barrel of the gun that was now pointed at her. When she finally took her eyes off the gun and looked up into the face of the person who held the gun, she was shocked at who was there.
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