by H. H. Fowler
Candi walked off a little bit, overcome with envy. “I’m telling Daddy right now! This is totally unacceptable! Where’s Izaiah?”
“I’m here…” Izaiah opened the door wider so that he could stand next to Asia. He’d just gotten out of the shower and was comfortably dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t you act as if you have no part in this,” Candi said accusatorily. “I am ashamed that you have allowed my sister to contaminate you –”
“Oh shut up, Candi!” Asia hissed “You’re nothing but a hypocrite in a tight skirt! You knew where I was staying all along. Now, run along and tell Daddy exactly what I’ve told you. Because I know you couldn’t control that backbiting tongue of yours – even if it was glued to the roof of your mouth.”
“I’m disappointed in you, Asia!” Candi spat and then parked her fiery gaze on Izaiah. “I’m actually disappointed in the both of you! How disgusting!”
Izaiah was genuinely confused. “What did I do?”
Candi waved Izaiah off and made a hard U-turn. Her feet couldn’t move fast enough to get to her father. The nerve of Asia disrespecting her like this. Deep down, Candi knew that Asia had been putting her on, but it still hurt to see that Asia was in Izaiah’s lair, soaking up all of his attention. Intimate communication brought people together and it was exactly what Candi believed those two were carrying on with. Well, she wasn’t going to let Asia remain with the upper hand. Asia did not deserve Izaiah, especially after the cold way she’d been treating him. Like a hurricane breeze coming in from the east, Candi rushed into her father’s bedroom.
“Wake up, Daddy!”
Gregory pitched up out of a dream he’d been having about Ms. V and her plot to kill his entire family. It took a full five seconds before he was coherent enough to respond. “This had better be good,” he groaned.
“Did you know Asia slept in the guesthouse with Izaiah?”
“Yes…I figured that much when I saw the jeep parked in the driveway around 1:00 a.m. this morning. Izaiah was not going to let Asia spend the night anywhere else.”
“That’s all you’re gonna say? Why are you so calm about this?”
“And why are you so bothered?” Gregory fired back. “It was probably best that Asia spend that time with Izaiah. He’s a sensible young man and I know he would have set her straight about her attitude.”
“No, Daddy! They did more than that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Asia told me that they made out last night,” Candi deadpanned, “and rubbed it in my face – telling me how good it was.”
“Are you putting me on?”
“Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know.”
“I just left the guesthouse a few minutes ago. Asia answered the door, looking disheveled. Izaiah had just gotten out of the shower with hardly any clothes on…you shouldn’t have allowed him to accompany Asia to that funeral. She is very vulnerable at this time in her life.”
Candi’s words woke every sleeping bone in Gregory’s body. Candi could be melodramatic, but he did not want to simply brush her words aside. However, Gregory also sensed that Candi was attracted to Izaiah and that she could easily be speaking out of a heart of jealousy.
“I will check into it,” he told her.
“Please do, because it doesn’t look good to have the youth minister sleeping with your daughter beneath your nose.” Candi turned to leave, but changed her mind at the last minute. “But you know what I still don’t get? Why you’re not making a whole lot of fuss about this.”
“I told you I will check into it,”
“No, Daddy. Something’s up with you. When I was in Cayman, Dallis called me and told me that you went ballistic when you discovered Asia was in the toolshed with Jorge. You even made your men chased after Jorge with their guns…now your reaction is like night and day.”
Gregory admitted that he was upset to know Asia would give up her innocence for a straggler, but he did not give his men any instructions to use force against Jorge. More than likely, it was Ms. V’s influence actuating in the men. But he would not try to explain any of this to Candi. She, as with the rest of his family hadn’t any idea of his secret connection to Ms. V.
“Candi, you’re making a big deal out of this. If Izaiah has done anything inappropriate with Asia, I will deal with him accordingly.”
“Deal with Asia!” Candi yelled. “And stop showing favoritism between your daughters!”
“Girl, what’s the matter with you?”
“It’s you, Daddy! I don’t get it. It’s as if you want something to develop between those two. Asia of all people? You would never let her out of your sight – if you could help it. What did you do? Hire Izaiah to be a distraction for Asia? Because I know you couldn’t stand the sight of Jorge.”
Gregory tried to remain pokerfaced, but his daughters, especially Candi had learned to read his expressions very well. The biggest mistake he could have made was to turn away from Candi, because she would know it was a sign he had been accurately discerned.
“Oh my goodness…” Candi walked around to face her father as the revelation dawned on her. “Tell me I’m right or I swear I will walk over there right now and tell Asia what you’ve done.”
“You will do no such thing!” Gregory spat. “You are too meddlesome and filled with drama! I gave you my word that I will handle this situation and yet you are determined to question my competence. Excuse yourself out of my room and let me continue with my rest.”
“Fine!” Candi huffed. And just as quickly as she flew into Gregory’s room, she flew out.
When she got to her car, she let out a little chortle. Although she was still reeling from seeing Asia spending time in Izaiah’s place, she couldn’t believe her good fortune. Her father had practically confessed to setting up a plan to separate Asia and Jorge under the ruse of hiring a youth minister. It made perfect sense to her now. Her father was not keen on letting men get too close to his daughters, except they had amassed a healthy dose of material possessions. Izaiah simply did not fit the mold.
Candi’s determination had been renewed. Not only would she up her game and would continue to drill her way into Izaiah’s life, but at the right time, she would let Asia know that Izaiah was not the man she thought he was. When it came down to capturing a man’s attention, there simply wasn’t any competition between her and Asia. Asia was a spoil brat anyway, who had no clue that her bratty mouth drove men away. This time, however, it wouldn’t be Asia’s mouth that would do the damage, but it would be because of Izaiah’s deception. If it was a fight Asia wanted, it would be a fight she would get.
Chapter Twenty-Five
9:13 a.m.
“I need to go in to the swim complex for a few hours,” Dallis mumbled. “Coach Erin is becoming concerned about my absence.”
“Okay…don’t worry about me,” Anwar replied. He was lying on his back, watching reruns of Criminal Minds. If he was frightened that his hiding place could be discovered at any minute, he didn’t show it. “I will lock the door until you return.”
It bothered Dallis how nonchalant Anwar appeared, lying down on the carpet with a pillow under his head. Twice that morning her father had knocked on the door, inquiring about her well-being. It was only several minutes after nine, but by seven a.m., Dallis would have already been dressed in her track suit, heading out the front door to the Bliss Haven Swimming Complex. She walked in front of Anwar, blocking the TV so she could get his full attention.
“How could you be so comfortable with this arrangement?” she asked.
Anwar sat up when he noticed Dallis’ ill expression. “I’m sorry if I seem relaxed. It’s all I can do to keep my sanity.”
“Well, I can’t relax and I won’t even pretend,” Dallis said. “I feel terrible about what I’m doing. It’s been almost a week since you’ve been hiding in my room. I think it’s time you go to the police and tell them who killed Jorge.”
“It’s not that easy, Dallis. These guys are actively on the lookout for me. I may not make it to the police station alive. Besides, you saw my photo on TV. The police think I killed Jorge and made a run for it. Either way I’m screwed.”
“Then let me do it. Tell me who killed Jorge and I’ll report it to the police. They wouldn’t have to know that you told me.”
No way, sweetheart. Your father is heavily involved in this craziness and I don’t want you to hate me for exposing him. “Give me a few more days to think things through.”
“No, Anwar. I can’t do this for a few more days. Sooner or later, someone is bound to connect the dots. I’m stealing my father’s clothes for you to wear and loads of food for you to eat. No one is going to believe that I took a sudden interest in menswear or that my appetite has increased that much overnight. I’ve hardly been out of this room these past six days. Don’t think for one minute my family will leave me alone with their suspicions.”
Anwar stood to his feet and gently took hold of Dallis’ hands. “If this scares you so much, then I will leave by tonight. You’ve done more than enough for me already and I don’t want to push you beyond what you can handle. I care too much about you to do that to you.”
That last line lingered in Dallis’ ears. It shouldn’t have had any effect on her, but somehow those words were twisting her insides like a coil. She had wondered if Anwar held any genuine affection toward her, rather than his lies and his evasive manner. She was afraid to talk to him after he’d revealed to her his connection to a secret organization. The filth he’d gotten involved in was enough for her to kick him out of her bedroom and let him suffer whatever consequence awaited him. But she simply could not bring herself to do it. Anwar had poisoned her system with his irresistible charm. Admittedly, she was helplessly in love with him.
“Will you go back to your parents?” she asked, trying not to appear too distressed at losing the only boy who’d awakened every emotion in her. “I mean, they must be terrified of what has become of you.”
“No way,” Anwar said firmly. “I told you that I don’t want to bring my peeps into this. Weren’t you chased from my home in St. Elmo’s Valley? That’s a clear sign that my home has been placed under surveillance. I go back there, you might as well kiss me and my peeps good bye.”
“But where would you go?” Dallis sighed exasperatedly. “I can’t keep you here without raising alarm.”
Anwar squeezed Dallis’ hands and then released them. He sensed he was adding to her anxiety by being so close to her. “Dallis, I’m not trying to make you feel guilty for wanting me to leave,” he told her sincerely. “By me being here, I realize I’m putting you and your family in danger. I promise…I will leave as soon as I get a clear signal. It’s safer for everyone that way.”
“At least tell me where this secret organization is located. I could tip off the police –”
“Come on, Dallis. You are making this harder for me. You are too deeply involved as it is.”
“Let me make that the decision,” she insisted. “Just tell me where it is! You’ve trusted me with everything else. Why can’t you trust me with this?”
“Because it’s for your own safety. But I will tell you this much, it’s not too far from here and it’s so well hidden that it would be impossible to find unless you are a member.”
“Anwar, please –”
“No Dallis! That’s all I’m telling you.”
Dallis watched Anwar walk away toward the full bath that was in her bedroom. He shut the door, leaving Dallis to battle with her thoughts. So rattled had she become in that moment that she walked out of her room without remembering to lock the door behind her. She rushed past Miss Rose without saying good morning. She couldn’t understand why it hurt her so much that Anwar could be gone by the time she returned from the swim club. She was tempted to turn around and give Anwar a long kiss good-bye. Just in case she never saw him again. Instead, she continued swiftly through the main entrance door, tears threatening to crawl down her cheeks.
Not even two minutes later, a hand shrouded in a black leather glove, gripped the knob to Dallis’ bedroom door. Slowly, it twisted until the door was ajar. The leather-gloved hand belonged to one of Gregory’s men. He had recently left Asia’s and Candi’s rooms after having bugged the area with state-of-the art listening devices. Actually, the entire Beaufort compound was now bugged, except for the rooms belonging to Dana and Dallis. Those two rooms remained occupied, giving Gregory’s man little opportunity to fully execute Ms. V’s directives. Quietly, the man moved through the room, always on guard for the unexpected intruder. He identified two spots that were considerably invisible to the eyes, but powerful to the ears.
There he attached the bug, tested it and then made ready to turn his attention to the bathroom. However, a sudden noise from that area caused him to freeze his steps. It was almost as if a door had been closed shut. The man’s back had been turned, so he couldn’t be sure. He drew his pistol from his waist and pushed it in the air. He had left Rose at the stove, Gregory in his office and Dana in bed. Candi had gone to work and Asia was visiting with Izaiah at the guesthouse. He’d just seen Dallis leave her room, so he knew the noise couldn’t have been made by any of them.
Gregory’s men were well-trained in security protection. So the least bit of inconsistency was a red flag. The man moved toward the bathroom door with both speed and caution. He twisted the knob and discovered that it had been locked. Undeterred, he gave the door a few raps and waited to see what response he would receive. Nothing. He stood back and kicked the door in. The damage could be explained, but letting an intruder get away made him appear incompetent. And he was far from being labelled as that.
He carefully searched the bathroom, sliding the shower glass doors to one side. He stood on the toilet and looked out the window that was above it. He was certain he’d heard a noise. The confusion was evident in his steps as he slowly made his way back to the room. Moving near Dallis’ bed, the man noticed a small pile of men’s clothing, piled in a way as if someone was trying to decide what to wear. He picked up the pile and examined it. He was almost certain the clothes belonged to Gregory. But what were Gregory’s clothes doing in Dallis’ room? He doubted Dallis was doing laundry for her old man. I don’t think so, Miss Goodie Two Shoes. Something fishy is going on in here.
The man may not have caught anyone snooping, but that did not mean that he was settled. What else could he do but assumed that Dallis was involved in something undercover? His eyes roved around one last time before he decided to call it a defeat. Were there anymore clues he had missed? He sensed that there were. Dallis’ room just seemed out of sorts somehow. Even the smell was a bit off – too pungent for a female.
His gaze finally rested on a small garbage bin in the corner of her room, which was full of empty snack food packages and beverage bottles. He went back to the bathroom and took another look around. Two underarm deodorants, two toothbrushes and a pile of dirty towels. The man returned to the bedroom with a devilish smile on his face. Was Dallis inviting men into her room and trying to keep it a secret? Maybe it was Anwar. The man found that hard to believe. How would she even sneak anyone in without them knowing? Nevertheless, he was confident that the listening device he’d installed throughout the home was sure to expose the secrets hiding in the cracks. He now must visit Ms. V’s suite and confirm that she was receiving feed on her end.
With tiny beads of sweat on his forehead, Anwar stepped out of Dallis’ walk-in closet. It had been the closest running distance from the bathroom. He was surprised that the man hadn’t checked the closet. In any event, Anwar was relieved. He had been that close to being caught –again. These near misses were beginning to freak him out. Dallis must have been continuously praying for him, because he should have been dead a long time ago. But it didn’t matter now. Anwar knew that he had to leave as soon as he could, because that man would be back for sure.
From his vantage point,
Anwar had been able to observe the man for a short while. It was strange enough for the man to be snooping around his boss’ daughter’s personal space, but what was equally strange was the purpose for which the man had come. It looked as if he was hiding something in Dallis’ room. Maybe he was looking for me…Anwar was convinced more than ever that Gregory was working along with Ms. V to locate where he had disappeared to. What better way to target his own daughter? Gregory knew that Anwar was connected to Dallis through the swim club and that it was possible they could still be in communication with each other.
Anwar shook his head at the lengths that Gregory would go to mess with people’s lives – even that of his own daughter. And for what? Money? A dumb secret? Anwar was sorry that he ever met the bastard, because this was far from what he thought he’d bargained for. It was gradually dawning on Anwar that in trying to obtain financial freedom, giving up his integrity wasn’t worth the effort, especially if he had to live the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. Jorge had tried to warn him about Gregory and his manipulative ways.
“I am so disappointed in you…Dallis…the swim club…it all makes sense now.”
Anwar bristled. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Gregory, man! He got to you, didn’t he?”
“I don’t know –”
“Don’t lie, Anwar. He tried to reel me in, too. Does ‘I have a proposition’ sounds familiar to you? I bet he tells that to every young guy that he meets. Something strange is going on with that fellow.”
“Man, you’re crazy.”
“No, I’m not crazy. I’m right!” Jorge rested his hand on Anwar’s shoulder, in an attempt to turn Anwar to face him. “What did he offer you? Money? Cars? Women? It had to be something you want more than you value your own life.”
Anwar shuddered at how obstinate he had been with his friend. Jorge loved him like a blood brother and had simply wanted the best for him, but Anwar couldn’t see what Jorge was trying to explain to him back then. It was true. Lust, money and sex had filled Anwar’s heart – a lethal combination that was hard for Anwar to shake. His good looks and charming tongue had always been a huge stumbling block for him to live right.
