Black Obsession

by C. J. Thomas

  “Oh, my.” Madam covered her mouth with her hand. “My apologies for interrupting. Has it been long ?”

  I watched her long lashes bat beneath the rim of her large hat as I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn’t feeling myself. For a woman who always had something to say, I was unnaturally quiet, unable to look at her without wondering what else she might know about my past—and how she might eventually use it against me .

  “You haven’t seen him, have you?” I asked .

  “Can’t say I have.” Her voice sang in the melody of her southern accent .

  It was like she had forgotten completely that she’d turned my life upside-down. Her mood lighter, more casual than what I knew her to be like when at the office. And as I stared at her, wondering what happened to the Madam I had grown to know, I couldn’t stop putting the pieces together. My uncle’s surprise visit was not a coincidence .

  “However, sweetie,” Madam brushed shoulders with me, “we both know that man well enough to know he’s probably charming a client or preaching social justice to some unlucky patron.” Madam guffawed .

  Forcing a laugh, I knew Kelly couldn’t have gone far. But with the crowd growing by the second, I knew that finding him wouldn’t get any easier. Now was my time—if only I could find a way to move on from Madam without it seeming like I didn’t want to talk to her .

  When I let my gaze travel to the other side of the room, I quickly found Angel flirting with Timothy Parker. My skin crawled at the sight of her hand smoothing down his arm. It was enough to send a chill up my spine. She was unbelievable and I hated myself for not assuming she would be here tonight. The nerve she had, I thought, gritting my teeth .

  When I noticed Madam following my gaze, I asked, “Do you know her ?”

  She shifted her weight and unfolded her arms, deciding that it was best not to answer me. Instead, she turned to Jerome and beckoned him closer so she could whisper something in his ear. She covered her mouth, hiding any chance of me reading her lips, and soon he was nodding. And no matter how much I tried to hear—even just a snippet of what she was saying—it was impossible against the murmur from the conversations that surrounded us .

  Without saying goodbye, Jerome left me alone with Madam. She sidestepped and filled the space next to me. My eyes were still fixed on Angel, and I was surprised that Timothy hadn’t bothered to acknowledge me tonight. We hadn’t seen each other since our date, and despite how that night ended, we’d shared a wonderful night together. There was no reason to give me a cold shoulder .

  Squinting my eyes, I was sure he knew I was here. But perhaps he also knew who I’d come with, and because of Kelly, Timothy didn’t want to add to the drama between them .

  “So, you don’t know who she is?” I asked Madam again .

  Madam tilted her head as if trying to place Angel’s face .

  “Because she seems to know you,” I said, letting my eyes fall to the Madam .

  Madam’s lips thinned into a straight line just before she denied it. “Can’t say I do .”

  I wanted to believe her. I really did. But I couldn’t .

  Without hinting my doubt, I knew Madam well enough to know she wouldn’t dare reveal her secrets to me. And that was what Angel felt like—Madam’s hidden agenda. With what Angel led me to believe from our conversation tonight—and the fact that Angel knew exactly who the Madam was—I remained skeptical that Madam didn’t at least know who she was. Madam knew everyone—especially women with the kind of beauty Angel possessed .

  “She’s dating Oscar Buchanan,” I added, hoping to spark her memory .

  “Is that right?” Her voice was quiet, void. Then she turned back to me, bringing her usual flare back. “Forgive me for what I’m about to ask, but did you hear ?”

  My lips pursed as I searched her expression for any kind of clues to what it was she was referring to. With her, it could be anything. And I had to be ready for whatever she was about throw my way .

  “Kelly.” She paused as her eyes raked over my face. “He was arrested. Charged with assault .”

  Letting my gaze travel across the room, I watched Timothy lean in and whisper something in Angel’s ear. She tipped her head back and laughed as they continued their own song and dance. “I heard,” I murmured. Then I rolled my eyes back to Madam. “But that was part of your plan all along, wasn’t it ?”

  Her eyebrow lifted and arched into a perfect angle. There wasn’t the slightest facial tick of irritation and I considered whether or not I should continue while I was still ahead. But in the end, I decided I needed to know just how deep her actions dictated what happened around me .

  “To set me up with Timothy just so Kelly would react.” My muscles quivered with nerves, not knowing how Madam would react to my accusation. But it had to be said—if not in defense of Kelly, then for me .

  She pinched her lips together as she stepped in front of me. Lifting her hands, she began fixing my hair, smoothing out the wrinkles in my dress, straightening my necklace until it was perfect. Then she said in a calm tone, “Sweetie, you should be thanking me .”

  “For Kelly ?”

  “Yes. For giving you, Kelly.” She lifted her head and revealed her dark, manipulative eyes hiding in the shadow of her hat. “Girl, I can feel your anxiety.” Her brow wrinkled with concern .

  My temperature spiked, along with the pulse ticking in my neck. Refusing to look her in the eye, I turned away, hating how well Madam could read people’s emotions. This wasn’t about me. This was about her. But, somehow, she’d turned the tables back and had my thoughts all tangled up until I didn’t know which way was which .

  “Kendra, baby,” she held her hand over my racing heart. “What has your emotions running so high ?”

  Staring down into the glass of white wine I was holding, I finally curled my lips over the rim, pulling my first full sip over my tongue. The sweet flavors warmed my insides but did little to calm my mind from knowing how best to respond without completely revealing the hand I was holding .

  “I understand what a man like Kelly Black can do to a young and vulnerable woman like yourself.” Madam’s voice droned on, sounding more maternal by the minute. “And with what you learned last week about him, I can only imagine the pain and injustice you must have felt at him representing a possible murderer—and rapist.” She nodded, working her fingers into my tight shoulders .

  Swallowing down the lump forming in my throat, it was like Madam knew everything that I was going through. Perhaps even better than myself. And as much as I hated to admit that she was right, she was. “I was there this morning,” I murmured. “At the precinct .”

  Madam fixed her gaze on mine. Her eyes were wet with compassion, along with a rare hint of trust-worthy glimmer sparkling somewhere inside them. “Tell me, darling,” Madam leaned closer, “if Kelly is treating you badly, I can stop it right now .”

  “Something is happening with him,” I finally admitted .

  “Would you like it to end ?”

  Shaking my head, I said, “It’s not that .”

  “Then what is it, dear ?”

  “The charges being brought against him.” I wet my lips. “His obsession with bringing Maria Greer justice,” my eyes fluttered closed as I sighed, “and he can’t seem to tell me the reason why his wife killed herself.” My heart stalled in my chest at the thought of what Nora did, and why .

  Squeezing my shoulder, Madam told me not to worry about any of that. “It’s none of your concern, sweetheart.” Her cherry red lips curved into a smile. “Let the man solve his own problems .”

  I nodded just as I felt a warm hand press to the small of my back. I turned to find Kelly smiling, sending my heart flying to my throat. “I thought I lost you.” His deep voice prickled my skin .

  Dropping my gaze to the floor, I laughed. “I did, too .”

  He stepped forward to greet Madam before reaching for the sparkling water he’d requested what felt like forever ago. “Cheers.” He smiled to the b
oth of us .

  “Cheers,” I said .

  I was happy to have my hand back, but that didn’t even out the feeling of shame I felt tightening my chest, knowing my confession to Madam was probably more than I should have said .

  “Hope I didn’t interrupt something.” Kelly shifted his gaze between us .

  “Nothing at all.” Madam fixed her eyes on me. “Just telling Kendra how great she looks on your arm .”

  “Is that right?” Kelly’s cheeks shined as he raked his eyes over me .

  With flushed cheeks I watched Kelly get greeted by another man. Not a second later, Madam was leaning close to my ear and whispering, “Be the arm candy you were hired to be. Nothing else matters. Got it ?”

  I nodded, nervous Kelly would hear .

  “And I think it’s time you and I had a talk at my office. Stop by tomorrow.” Her hands were still clamped on my waist as she pulled away just as Kelly turned his attention back to us. It was clear he wondered what he had missed but Madam beat him to it, saying, “And if you would be a doll and go fetch Jerome for me.” She smiled, shifting her eyes to Kelly. “He tends to get himself lost at functions like this.” She winked .

  Glancing at Kelly, he pulled me in for a quick kiss, agreeing to let me go find Jerome .

  And as I turned my back, grazing the heat still lingering on my lips from Kelly’s searing kiss, I listened to Madam’s cackle crack the air behind me, scared to know what Madam was about to tell Kelly .

  22

  Kelly

  L etting the fizz from the carbonated water pop on my tongue, I turned to Madam and said, “I don’t like how this looks .”

  Together, we watched Kendra get swallowed by the crowd. Madam was right, she looked fantastic on my arm. Even when she wasn’t hanging off of me, she was royalty. And I knew that was the reason why it seemed she couldn’t go two feet without getting stopped by someone wanting to talk .

  Madam turned to me with a questioning look on her face. “What don’t you like?” Her grin spread to her ears. “Ty Lemon’s parties are always gorgeous .”

  Her eyes sparkled with delight, but I knew she was only being pragmatic. Pulling my glass away from my lips, I said, “All of us in the same room, together, conspiring against one another. Ironic, isn’t it ?”

  “Conspiring against one another?” Madam huffed out a laugh of disbelief .

  “If we’re not careful, the media will connect the dots,” I said in all seriousness .

  “Honey, listen to yourself. You’re speaking as if we aren’t in this together.” She turned to me to find some kind of confirmation, but when I didn’t react, she said, “Maybe Kendra was right about you ?”

  My arm froze halfway on its way back to my mouth .

  Madam’s eyes widened .

  I arched a brow and flashed her a sideways glance, keeping my glass firm between my fingers .

  She angled her head to me. “She’s worried about you, Kelly .”

  All the blood pumping in my body froze as what she said sank in. It couldn’t have been what they were talking about, but I knew how today had gone, how distracted I was with trying to figure out who killed Maria and what to do about my assault charges. I was in denial, and the last thing I wanted was for Kendra to seek Madam’s advice when it came to complications in my relationship with her .

  Dropping my gaze, I pulled a quick sip off the top before saying, “Did she tell you that ?”

  Madam reached up and straightened my bowtie. “Would you rather she hadn’t ?”

  My tongue darted over my bottom lip, wetting it. None of this was making sense. Especially after Kendra specifically said that she wanted to find a way to push Madam out of our relationship. Now it didn’t seem likely to ever happen if Kendra couldn’t come to me with the worries she was having—especially when they concerned me .

  “Kelly, I encourage all my girls to express their concerns with me.” Her eyes blinked rapidly .

  My heart beat hollow in my chest as I raced to understand what it was that had Kendra so concerned. I hated that she turned to Madam when it should have been me she’d come to. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours, it was difficult to pin-point an exact time when it could have begun. It could have been anything. But when I followed Madam’s gaze across the room, I knew that he , Timothy Parker, could be the cancer threatening to destroy my relationship with Kendra .

  He blindsided us both, and because of him, my—our —future was uncertain. Anything could happen at this point, and despite my unwillingness to let on that the charges being brought against me were anything more than a bump in the road, I knew that it was much more than that. We all did. Even Madam knew how deep this trench went .

  But, what I couldn’t believe, was that he was in the same room and flirting with the same woman I thought was dating Oscar .

  “You know,” I dropped my gaze to Madam, “I would have thought it would have been you to come rescue me from the interrogation they put me through this morning .”

  She lifted her hand and let it slowly smooth down my upper arm. “If you hadn’t already convinced me that you could handle anything tossed your way, I would have .”

  Her eyes were sincere, and though I appreciated the confidence she had in me, I remained skeptical, choosing to believe that she might very well be the reason Parker was pressing charges in the first place. No matter how much she tried to make me believe we were on the same team, I was smart enough to know that Madam was out for herself .

  Rubbing my hand over my face, Madam turned to me with a condescending smile. “What’s wrong, darling ?”

  I blew out a heavy sigh .

  “You’re not doubting your ability to get yourself out of this pickle, are you?” Her brows pinched. “Oh, dear,” she turned away. “Just like Kendra. When does the drama end?” She laughed .

  Then it hit me .

  Kendra was expressing her worries to Madam about my future. But what Kendra didn’t realize was that Madam wasn’t one to tell your secrets to, and that had my gut tying itself into a painful knot, knowing that a move like that could be lethal .

  “I’m afraid I am,” I shamefully admitted. “Oscar is going to make an example out of me .”

  Madam spun around. “Tell me, when has the Madam ever let you down ?”

  “Never.” I shoved my hands in my pant pockets .

  “And I won’t do it now.” She nodded and smiled before turning back to Parker and Angel. “Would you look at that?” Madam said in a playful tone as we watched Wes make his introduction to Timothy. “I wonder what it is they’re talking about.” Madam cooed as Angel floated away, leaving the two men to talk alone .

  I wanted to ask if she’d done this, if she had Wes confront Parker in the hopes that Wes could convince Parker to drop the charges. But, truthfully, I was afraid of her answer, knowing that if Wes wasn’t diplomatic in his pursuit, we were just asking to start a war .

  “It’s about Angel, I’m sure .”

  Madam turned to me. “Wes would never do such a thing. Before he met that fiancé of his, yes. But not now .”

  “She’s a beauty,” I said, rounding my shoulders back. “And isn’t it always about the girl ?”

  “You’re right about that.” Madam turned her head in search of Angel. “And, yes, I’m sure all the straight men here tonight would like to bed her .”

  Leaning close to her ear, I said, “She’s yours, right ?”

  With pinched brows, I had my suspicions she was, even when Madam shook her head. “Though she would be a great addition to my list .”

  Without thinking too much into it, I had to give her the benefit of the doubt and also safely assume that maybe Angel was competition to Madam. That had to be her reason for keeping a close eye on her .

  “Kelly,” she turned to face me with a storm brewing in her eyes, “I know this isn’t the place, but what happened with Mario ?”

  “He took the plea .”

  “And I’m not happy abou
t that,” she whispered. “You failed me, Kelly. You failed everything we agreed to.” Her face paled as she frowned. “Now all that information we were after is gone .”

  Shaking my head, I said, “The judge hasn’t signed off on the plea .”

  “So all hope is not lost?” Madam’s eyes sparkled .

  “There is still a chance.” I nodded .

  “Whatever you need to do, do it .”

  Thinking of my visit with Nash, I knew that finding the real killer wasn’t going to be easy. But there was still a chance I could redeem my failed attempt to help Mario and save him before it was too late. “Why is what he knows about Stone so important to you, anyway ?”

  Madam refused to look at me .

  “What does Mario know that we can’t find out ourselves ?”

  “Why don’t you ask him?” She glanced over her shoulder, fixing her eyes on mine .

  As I stared into the eye of the hurricane, I knew that this time it was different. She looked at me with a hint of doubt creeping into the corner of her eye. And I didn’t like the feeling of losing her trust, knowing that once that was gone it would be harder to bring her down later .

  “I will. But I need to know what to look out for .”

  “You’ll know when it comes,” she said, just as Kendra arrived back with Jerome. Smoothing out the wrinkles in her white gloves, she gathered her composure and leaned close to my ear. “Do your job, Kelly, or I’ll be forced to find a more reliable source. Someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty .”

  23

  Kendra

  I didn’t know what the Madam had said to Kelly, but it was clear that whatever it was had him bothered. And I feared that I may have been the reason for our sudden departure from the gala .