“No Moses,” she whispered, unsuccessful at stopping him from undoing the front fastening of the flare leg pants. “Stop,” she urged, when he was tugging down the zipper. “Nooo, oh no please,” she begged when his middle finger was thrusting past the crotch of her panties. After delighting herself in a few of the deep thrusts, she tugged away his hand. “No,” she told him.
Moses’ double dimples appeared, as he studied her face for a sign of insincerity. Finding none, he glanced at his wristwatch. “One a.m. A visit at this time of morning only means a couple of things. Clearly you don’t want me to take you to bed so…you must be here to talk.”
Jo moved past him, taking great care not to brush against any part of his bare, molasses black torso. “When you dropped me off at the hotel, Ken was there in my room,” she announced.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Moses questioned his easy demeanor evaporating. “Did he do anything?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. You promised to give me time to talk to him beforehand, remember?”
Again, Moses glanced at his watch. “You’ve been talkin’ since yesterday morning Twig?”
Jo rolled her eyes and took the short stairway to the elevated living room. “It took me so long because after what Ken told me, I needed time to process it all.” She turned to face him. “And…I just didn’t know how to tell you that this entire thing reverts back to your father and his friends.”
Moses hid his hands in the pockets of his black sleep pants and appeared frighteningly calm. “Tell me,” he said finally.
Much later, Jo was barefoot and curled on the sofa. Moses stood across the living room, his dark stare focused out over the incredible Seattle skyline.
“Are you okay?” she dared to ask.
Moses bowed his head. “As okay as I can be having just heard even more stories about how sick my father is.”
“Do you think he always knew Yohan wasn’t his son?”
Moses shook his head. “I really don’t think he ever had a clue.”
Johari chewed her thumbnail. “I wonder why Cufi wouldn’t tell him? Sounds like something he’d get off on.”
“No idea. Right now, all I want is to bring the son of a bitch down right alongside Marc. Where’s Shaw?” he asked suddenly.
“He wants to help, to take what he knows to the authorities. I left him at my suite.”
“Alright,” Moses was saying as he started to head out of the room. “You stay here while I secure Shaw. Don’t need the bastard turnin’ up dead before I can get my hands on Cufi.”
Jo was slipping back into the wedge-heeled espadrilles she’d worn. “Going with you,” she decided.
“Forget it,” he said, already picking up the phone to dial Carlos McPherson. “Get Shaw on the phone-tell him I’m sending my partner over there now,” he told Jo.
They each parted ways to handle the calls. When Moses returned to the living room, he’d exchanged the sleep pants for gray nylon sweats and a black BOSS sweatshirt.
“You’re not goin’ Twig,” he said again, seeing Jo with her purse in hand. “I don’t need to be worried about you while I’m trying to get Shaw somewhere Muhammad and his crew can’t touch him.”
“I told him I wouldn’t leave his side,” Jo argued, closing the distance between she and Moses. “He’s not gonna go anywhere with Carlos if I’m not there.”
Moses shrugged. “He won’t have much choice once he gets there.”
Jo shrugged as well, tossing her bag to the sofa. “Well good luck in getting him to cooperate. On the phone, he said he wouldn’t do it unless I was right there. So if you’re thinking he’d give away his only bargaining chip and to Marc Ramsey’s son no less, forget it.”
“Dammit Jo, do you really understand how nasty these people are?!” Moses snapped his handsome face contorted with anger and worry. “Go have another chat with Zara if you don’t!”
“Why do you think I want to be a part of all this?! It was my sister they took and used like cattle, not yours. I want Cufi and his men to pay and I damn well intend to be there to see it!”
“Stupid,” Moses said, pointing an index finger in her direction. “You’re playin’ around with shit that could get you killed. I didn’t do all this just to lose you anyway!”
“To hell with you Moses! Dammit if you hadn’t been so bent on handling all this yourself, I never would’ve lost our-” she gasped then, her silver stare widening in light of what she’d almost said. She turned away, one hand covering her mouth as she headed back into the living room.
Moses forgot about leaving and followed her. “Finish,” he said. When she offered no response, he walked up behind her. “Finish,” he ordered more coldly, while turning her to face him.
Jo could only shake her head. Her eyes were blurred by tears. “I’m sorry,” she finally managed in a wavering whisper.
“You wouldn’t have lost our what?” he hissed, releasing her when he kept chanting that she was sorry. He stepped back, watching as she clutched her belly.
“God,” was all he could say. His legs were drained of their strength. “A baby? Our baby?” he asked, now trembling as badly as she.
Johari ran from the condo like the devil as at her back.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Johari returned to her hotel in time to find Carlos escorting Kennedy through the lobby. As it was almost three a.m. the place was virtually empty and the two men spotted Jo easily.
“Are you alright?” Jo whispered, when he and Ken met for a hug.
He nodded. “I just pray I’m doing the right thing.”
“You are. You can trust these guys,” Jo assured him, glancing towards Carlos.
“What about Floyd and Lucas?”
“They won’t be a problem,” Jo promised, tugging on the collar of his denim shirt. “I smoothed things over with them for now. Don’t worry about them.”
Ken hugged her again and Jo could feel the desperation in his embrace. “Don’t worry,” she whispered when he pulled away.
“I’ll be along in a minute, man,” Carlos called, watching Ken move on. “What’s wrong?” he asked Jo the moment Ken was out of earshot.
Johari began to shake her head when he pulled her close. “Nothing,” she lied, looking up at him at last.
“Need I remind you how long we’ve known each other? Talk to me,” he ordered, giving her a slight shake.
“He knows,” was all she said after a couple more seconds of silence.
“The baby?” Carlos asked, watching her nod and close her eyes. Of course he wanted details and stood there while she gave him the condensed version.
“You knew this would come out sooner or later,” he said, cupping her face in his huge hands.
Johari let her lashes flutter. “I was banking on never,” she confessed with a wavering smile.
“So what now?” Carlos asked.
“Well I’m sure he’ll be coming to see me soon,” she predicted, massaging her shoulder as she spoke. “All he knows is that I lost the baby. He’s got none of the details,” she shuddered then and rolled her eyes. “I’d be surprised if he ever looked at me again.”
“Hey don’t do this,” Carlos urged, pulling her hands into his. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You don’t deserve it.”
“Humph, I’ll tell Moses you said so.”
“You won’t have to. He’ll know it.”
“Thanks,” Jo whispered, truly appreciating his concern. She kissed Carlos’ cheek and they shared another hug.
“You’re dreaming ‘Los,” she said, once he’d walked on to meet Ken who waited at the entrance. She found her cell phone then and was searching for the number in her directory. She waited for the connection and sighed when she received James Grace’s voicemail.
“Mr. Grace, Johari Frazier. Forgive me for contacting you so late-or so early in the morning. I thought you’d like to know that I’ve decided to accept your job offer. I’ll await your call and we can discuss it further. Thank you. Goodbye.”
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***
The next afternoon, Taurus was greeting City Councilman Grayman Sessions for drinks at a downtown club.
“Been a long time, Gray,” Taurus bellowed, while shaking hands with the man. “Usually I’m the one asking to see you,” he jibed.
Gray smiled. “It’s never a problem Taurus. After all, Ramsey does incredible work for the city and state and beyond. I’m glad to help whenever I can be of assistance.”
Taurus unbuttoned his wheat-colored suit coat. “Mmm, but you asked to see me. Should I take that to mean you’re in need of assistance this time around?”
Gray’s easy look faded and his brown gaze appeared troubled. “You have no idea,” he confessed.
Taurus grew serious then as well. “Talk to me Gray.”
Grayman took a sip of the gin he’d been nursing and then glanced across his shoulder. “As the director of Ramsey Enterprises legal division, Taurus, you’ve created a powerful alliance of friends. Ramsey does fine work-yes, but you of all people know that fine work doesn’t always get the deal closed. There’s a certain amount of finesse that’s called for among the city officials, congressmen and senators you hold in your pocket.”
Taurus was smiling, but a frown began to mingle with the expression. “I have no idea where you’re going with this Gray.”
Gray cleared his throat. “Your father and uncle aren’t the only men who’ve had dealings with Cufi Muhammad.”
“Muhammad,” Taurus parroted, his frown clearing. “I think you should get to the point,” he advised his amber stare like stone.
Gray appeared faint and used the handkerchief from the pocket of his navy suit coat to mop his forehead. “While I and a great many of my colleagues spend long hours working to protect the public from foreign, environmental and even…domestic predators, a great many of us are just as guilty of the crimes we were sworn to punish. There’s a certain…demand for Cufi’s services. Your uncle knew that and he utilized our desire for those services to get deals closed in various areas of the Ramsey organization.”
“Son of a bitch,” Taurus breathed, his anger so far past the boiling point, he waved off the waiter who’d come to take his drink order.
“Taurus please stay calm and listen to me,” Gray urged with another glance across his shoulder.
Taurus almost laughed. “You tell me that the highest level of contacts we work with to close deals and fund projects are pedophiles and you expect me to stay calm?”
“Taurus please!” Gray hissed, slamming his fist to the table. “You must let me finish.”
Taurus only waved his hand and looked away.
“Certain material exists that could put us away for a very long time.”
“To hell with all of you,” Taurus muttered.
“God man, do you realize these are prominent figures from all over the country?” Gray snapped. “Men who’ve all done great things?” he added.
“Right…like having sex with little girls?” Taurus spat.
“Please listen to me. Now we only want the material and that’ll be the end of things. Then this’ll all go away-just like Cufi and Marc…most, if not all of us will go into counseling-“
“Bullshit,” Taurus seethed, leaning across the table. “How the hell do you know this is all of the material? That they haven’t made copies of whatever videos or photos exist-”
“These aren’t photos or videos,” Gray interrupted. “It’d be easy to have those tossed out as fake and Cufi’s word isn’t worth spit.”
“Funny, now you and he have something in common.”
Gray looked sick, but nodded to concede the truth in Taurus’ words. “The items are identification badges-impossible to duplicate but encoded with a thumbprint of each visitor to that mansion in Nice. It was the only way to gain access to any part of the estate during…a visit.” He took another sip of his drink. “When the visit was over, the keys were returned. Cufi’s wife handled it. The badges were placed in a vault for safe keeping.” He laughed at how preposterous that sounded. “We’ve got to have them.”
Taurus grimaced. “Why don’t you just go after Muhammad?”
Gray shook his head. “He doesn’t have ‘em. He’s been trying to bum funds off everyone he knows. If he had the card keys, he’d have used them for blackmail by now.”
“His wife?”
Gray ran a shaking hand across his balding head. “The keys were encoded with her prints as well. She values her freedom too greatly to use them yet.”
“Then what the hell are we havin’ this conversation for Gray?” Taurus raged.
“Oh she will use them. If necessary, she’ll definitely give them up as her own bargaining chip out of jail. Of course, this all depends on how your father’s and uncle’s trials go.” Gray looked away quickly when Taurus’ eyes narrowed. “Regardless of all this, neither she nor Cufi are dumb enough to keep those badges with them. There’s only one person they’d entrust them to-their daughter.”
“And you don’t know where she is?” Taurus guessed.
Gray clasped his fingers atop the table. “We don’t even know her name. She lived in France, but not at the mansion. Rumor is they shipped her off to the states when she was eighteen.”
“And you’re sure she has this?”
“It’s the smart move. Besides, it’s all we have to go on. If it doesn’t pan out, we’ll have to come up with something else.”
Suddenly, Taurus chuckled full and honestly. “This is definitely a fascinating story Gray and quite a pickle you and your sick friends have gotten yourselves into. But even after all this discussion, I still don’t know why in the hell you wanted to talk to me.”
“We don’t want to bring in anyone from the outside to look for the girl,” Gray explained, leaning back in the chair he occupied. “Especially when we have a professional hunter right in the foal.”
Taurus felt his chest constrict and he froze. “You don’t expect Moses to go for this?”
“I’m certain he will.”
“Forget it Gray. Find another way for me to pay back all of your favors.”
Gray’s palm hit the table with a loud smack. “Dammit, it’s because of those favors that you and your family will do everything you can to help us. Take a moment to think about all those Ramsey Group land deals that have gone off without a hitch-without all the usual red tape most folks have to deal with. It’s gonna look like Marc’s …side business was just an added benefit of closing a deal for Ramsey.” Gray stood, deciding he’d left Taurus with enough to mull over. “Cufi’s wife’s name is Yvonne Wilson,” he said while pulling a few bills from his pocket. “She had family in LA-Compton before she moved on. Tell Moses to start there.” Gray advised, his features losing a bit of the tightness then. “I am sorry for this Taurus. But the sooner this is handled the sooner all our lives will be back on track.”
***
“So she seems okay to you?” Johari was asking Melina when they spoke by phone one evening.
“You want a lie or the truth?” Mel asked after remaining silent a few seconds.
Jo closed her eyes and leaned back on her bed. “Will the lie make me feel better?”
“Oh yeah,” Mel drawled, smiling sorrowfully when she heard Jo sigh across the line.
“Gimme the truth.”
Mel looked past the study doorway towards the group of people filling the living room across the hall. “I honestly don’t know how to say it except to tell you that something’s not right. She’s from one end of the spectrum to the other. One minute she’s laughing and cracking the funniest jokes and the next, she’s… she looks like she wants to cry.”
“Dammit…yeah that sounds about right,” Jo admitted, having witnessed the same behavior in Zara over the last few weeks. Mel had already told her about Quay’s talk with Zara, who’d received the scoop on the visit through Tykira.
“I still think we did the right thing having Quay go see her,” Jo said as though she were trying to convince herself.
Mel pushed her hand into the side pocket of her trousers and looked away from the happy scene across the hall. “I still wonder about the consequences of us being so up front with her so soon after…”
“I won’t have second thoughts,” Jo decided, tugging on the hem of the rose colored tank top she wore. “All this would’ve come out sooner or later-everything does.”
Mel pressed her lips together. She wouldn’t push her cousin to talk, knowing all too well what it felt like to have a secret you couldn’t share. “Have you eaten?” she asked instead, forcing lightness to her voice. “You know you’re more than welcomed to join us over here,” she offered, referring to the dinner party Josephine was giving for Yohan and Crane that evening.
“No, I’m fine. I don’t feel like a lot of socializing anyway. Besides, I ordered room service. It should be here soon.”
“You know I’m here for you,” Mel reminded in a tiny tone.
Jo smiled. “I know girl.” She sighed, thankful for the ringing bell that sounded just before tears blurred her eyes. “Listen I need to go. Food’s here.” She told Mel, exchanging ‘I love you’s with her cousin before the call ended.
Johari set aside the cell phone and brushed her hand across the black cotton draw string pants she wore. She headed for the front door, prepared to meet the server. After three days of no contact, the last person she expected to open her door to was Moses Ramsey. Her hands and everything else went weak. She could only maintain eye for a few moments before her gaze fell to the floor.
She stepped aside and he entered without a word. His cologne lingered when he moved past her and triggered the shocking image of them making love in the bedroom of her suite. The memory practically rendered her motionless. Shaking away the vision, she closed the door and slowly returned to the living room.
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