The Book of Joshua I - Trust (The Gems & Gents Series 2)

by Iris Bolling

  Maybe she wasn’t ready for what was behind the door.

  ***

  Monique hesitated at the door. After the angry words directed at her last night, she did not want to be the messenger again. Prince LaVeré eventually settled down once Uncle JD spoke to him, but for thirty minutes his wrath was directed at her. If it were any other man, she would have taken his ass out. From him, it hurt, deep. Now she had to tell Joshua who was trying to kill Akande. She took a deep breath. “He better not yell at me,” she said, then opened the door.

  “MacGyver? Really?”

  Joshua looked over his shoulder. “Hey. Come join us while we watch a master at work.” He was fully dressed in one of his signature suits, with Italian loafers. It was good to see the old Joshua back.

  “I cannot believe a man as intelligent as yourself would look at such a show,” Akande shook her head.

  “What?” Joshua threw his hands up in the air. “MacGyver is the man.”

  “MacGyver don’t have nothing on Jack Bauer.” Monique waved him off, then picked up the remote.

  Joshua nodded his head. “I’ll give you that one. Bauer was the business. But MacGyver, he could blow up anything with a pen and a watch.” He laughed, “That is talent.”

  “That is crap,” Monique said as she turned the television off.

  “Hey.” Joshua pouted as he glared at her.

  “We need to talk.”

  Akande stood. “I’ll give you a few minutes.”

  “No, stay.” Monique took a seat. “This concerns you.”

  Akande sat back down as Joshua sat forward. “What’s up?”

  Monique sat on the edge of the table. “Yesterday Akande recognized Prince Raheem Ashro. He was the man who met with her aunt in Asmere.”

  Joshua jumped up. “What?”

  “Yes.” Akande nodded. “He was there when I was taken to speak with my aunt.”

  “Prince Raheem? Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I am certain.”

  “Why in the hell would he have his own sister kidnapped?”

  “That we don’t know.” Monique stood. “I met with Prince LaVeré Ashro last night to verify information I found. The money trail was well hidden, but it led back to his brother. He also identified two of the men killed yesterday. The Prince is not happy, but he is convinced, Raheem is responsible for the kidnapping.”

  “His people were trying to kill us.” Joshua was furious. “I rescued his sister and his people tried to kill me.” He grabbed his device off the table. “I’m going to kill him with my bare hands.”

  Monique jumped up and grabbed him. “Not you. He wasn’t trying to kill you. He was trying to kill Akande.”

  “It’s one in the same.” He looked at Akande. She deserved lazy mornings like this for the rest of her life. To have that, Tarik, Sermyera and Raheem had to die. He walked over, took her into his arms and kissed her long deep and passionately. He pulled away. “This has to end.” He turned and walked out the door.

  “Joshua, wait.” Monique ran after him. She stopped at the door. “Stay here, Akande. Lock the door.”

  Akande did as she was told and then walked over to the window to see if Joshua would appear. A knock sounded at the door. She opened the door. “Did you catch...” A pinch in her neck and the world went black.

  ***

  This was not what she had in mind for this weekend. A little bondage with role playing might have been interesting with Royce. However, it wasn’t Royce standing next to her with a gun to her head. She put her hands up. “Okay, look. I don’t live here. I have no idea where any valuables are, but I’m sure if you look around in some drawers, you’ll find something.”

  “Where is Davenport?”

  Screech. That was a female. Shelly turned to see a woman dressed in foreign clothes with a wrap around her head. There were two other men in the room, who looked to be of African descent.

  “Answer her.” The man next to her pushed her.

  Shelly had a low tolerance for bullies. She was pushed around all through elementary school until her friend Rocy came along. Rocy showed her how to stand up for herself. She didn’t know how to take a gun from an armed man, but she’d be damned if she was going to let him push her around. She raised her knee and with all the force she could gather kicked him in the balls.

  “Argh,” the man groaned as he fell to the floor.

  The other men pulled their weapons and pointed them at her. She smirked at the man on the floor then looked up at the woman. “I don’t know where he is, but I have a few choice words for him when he gets here. This isn’t the way to treat a guest.”

  “Tie her up,” the woman commanded. “We will wait for Akande to arrive.”

  Two men took her by the arms, dragged her into the dining room and sat her in one of the dining room chairs.

  “Who are you?” Shelly asked as she frowned at the men.

  The woman walked over and stood in front of her. “The person who will take your life if you do not do as I instruct.”

  The men tied her hands behind her back and her feet. “Somebody died and left you Queen for the day?”

  A chilling laugh came from the woman. “Not yet, but they will soon.” She took a seat. “We shall wait.”

  “And once this Akande person gets here, then what? I’m only asking because I had plans for the weekend.”

  “After you do what I ask, I will probably kill you anyway.”

  Shelly shook her head. “That doesn’t really give me an incentive to cooperate.”

  ***

  Monique reached Joshua in the parking deck of the hotel. “Joshua.” she ran to him and stood in front of his SUV. “Listen to me. I know you want to kill Raheem right now. But, think, is it the smart move?”

  “Get the hell out of my way Monique.”

  “I can’t because you are thinking with your dick and not your mind. You are too emotionally involved in this woman to think clearly. Raheem is no longer a threat to Akande. King Aswan has him in custody. The threat now is the contingency from Asmere. Locating them should be your priority. You will have your chance to confront Raheem. Just not now.” Now that she had his attention, she exhaled. “You told me never to allow emotions to rule my actions.” She shrugged her shoulders. “What are you doing?” She shook her head. “This thing is almost over. We know all the players. Don’t lose it now.”

  She was right and Joshua knew it. He had let his anger interfere with the job. He slammed his fist on top of his vehicle then looked up at her. “They whipped her. Did you know that?”

  Monique shook her head. “No. I didn’t know that,” she replied sympathetically.

  “They brainwashed her, kept her in a basement and beat her into submission.”

  “People are cruel, Joshua. That’s why the government hires people like us, to balance things.”

  He hung his head, then looked up at her. “You are learning well.” He walked towards her.

  “I have a good trainer.” she smiled. “Let’s go back up to Akande. She’s probably looking out the window for you.”

  “I’m keeping her,” Joshua said as they walked towards the elevator.

  Monique laughed. “Does she have a say in that decision?”

  “I’ll let her think she does by asking. How’s that?” he said as they entered the elevator.

  “Think about what you are saying. Are you ready to give up the life?”

  His cell phone rang. “Lassiter,” he answered as he glared at Monique. “Slow down Davenport.” Joshua jerked away from the elevator wall. "What? Which hotel?" He ran to the room as soon as the elevator door opened. "No."

  Monique heard his gut wrenching yell before she reached the door. He had the look of a tortured man as he raced through the rooms. Monique pulled out her cell. "Ned, we need security tape on the hotel now."

  "What's happened?"

  "They snatched Akande."

  Joshua walked from the back with his trench coat and did not say a word. She followe
d him out. "Send the footage to my device. Track their direction."

  "Done. Have it to you in five."

  ***

  A door in the back of the room opened and two more men carrying a woman walked in. They sat the woman in a chair next to her then tied her up as well. The woman was asleep, she thought. Shelly looked at the woman sitting across from her. “Akande, I presume.”

  The woman ignored Shelly and stood. “Wake her,” she commanded.

  One of the men who’d brought the woman in, pulled a syringe from his pocket, flipped the cap, then pushed the needle into the woman’s arm. A few seconds later Shelly heard the woman moan. The woman who Shelly determined was the leader of this little troop stood, walked over to the young woman and smacked her across the face.

  “Hey!” Shelly yelled. “Why did you do that?”

  “You dare to question me? You American.”

  “You say that as if it’s something dirty. Yes, I’m an American and damn proud of it, if for no other reason than it will be my American justice system that will crucify your ass when they catch you.”

  The woman raised her hand and backhanded Shelly so hard she almost tilted the chair over. “You Americans need to learn your place. You will lower your eyes when you speak to me.”

  “Oh, man.” Shelly shook from the pain in her jaw. She shook her head back and forth, then licked her lips. “When I get free, oh, it’s going to be on.”

  The woman was about to strike Shelly again when Akande’s weak voice called out. “My Queen.”

  Sermyera, turned to her niece and snarled. “You had one mission in this life. That was to lead us to Davenport. He alone, holds the key to Tarik’s future as the leader of Asmere. You have had days, yet you have not made contact with the Senator. Your purpose has ended.”

  “There is much I do not understand, my Queen.” Akande looked around to glance at the woman sitting next to her. She did not know the woman, but had to do what she could to keep Sermyera’s attention on her. Her focus returned to Sermyera. “Before you take my life, explain to me, why.”

  “It is no longer important.” Sermyera smirked. “Once you are gone and I have what I need from Davenport, everything will be as it should.” She nodded to one of the men, who pointed his weapon at Akande.

  “Look,” Shelly interjected trying to pull the woman’s wrath. “I don’t know you, don’t want to at this point, but the Senator will not negotiate with you. He has no reason to.”

  Sermyera tilted her head and smiled at the other woman. “Of course he will. I have you, Mrs. Davenport.”

  Shelly laughed out loud, then laughed harder. The woman looked at the two men who were standing guard at the door. “Whew.” Shelly sighed. “That was funny.” She looked up at the woman and the man standing next to her with his weapon pointed at Akande. “Do you see any pearls around my neck? I’m not Mrs. Davenport.”

  The woman’s head turned angrily to the man next to her. “What is the meaning of this? Is this not Davenport’s wife?”

  “She bedded him on several occasions. I assumed she was the wife.”

  “How do you know I bedded him?” Shelly sputtered. “I mean I did, and he is damn good. But how do you know?”

  “We have been following him for months now,” the man replied.

  “You’ve been in my house?” Shelly asked angrily.

  A hand came down hard across her face. “Silence,” Sermyera growled. “Is she or is she not the wife? Without the wife, we have no leverage over Davenport.”

  “Woman, I swear you are asking for it.” Shelly, groaned. “Look, I don’t know what your game is here. I don’t know why you want to kill this young woman. But if you are holding me to get something from Royce, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” She looked at Akande, then back at the woman she referred to as her Queen. “You may want to keep her alive.”

  Sermyera screamed furiously at her guard. “Is this Davenport’s woman?”

  The man nodded. “Yes, he cares for this woman. I have seen them together.”

  Sermyera turned narrow hate filled eyes back to Shelly. “You will call him.”

  “I will not.” Shelly had the nerve to smile. “You people need to learn how to use the word please. I am not one of your subjects you can just command. You are not my Queen.” Sermyera raised her hand. “Hit me one...more time and it will be the last thing you do.”

  Something in Shelly’s look stopped the woman. “Go through her purse. Get her cell phone.” She held Shelly’s defiant glare. “You will call him or I will order Tobyn to kill Akande.”

  One man pointed a gun to the young woman’s head. “I take it you are Tobyn.” Shelly sighed. Another man emptied the contents of her purse on the table, pulled out her cell phone and placed it on the table next to her. Shelly just looked up at him. “What do you expect me to do with that Sherlock, my hands are tied?”

  “It is going to give me much pleasure to kill you.” Sermyera nodded to the man. He picked up the phone, searched through it and found the number for Royce Davenport. He pushed the button then put the phone to her ear.

  Royce’s voice came through the line. “Hello, beautiful.”

  Shelly almost cried when she heard his voice. He sounded tired, strained. “I’m here, at your house to surprise you. Imagine me throwing my hands up. Surprise.”

  “You’re here, in D.C.?” She could hear the happiness in his voice. She closed her eyes. She would really rather die than set this trap for him. She swallowed hard, not knowing what would happen in the next minute. “You have visitors with guns,” she said quickly. The man hit her with the butt of the gun breaking her nose on impact. Shelly screamed.

  “Sermyera picked up the phone. “Good evening, Senator Davenport. It has been a while.”

  He recognized the accent and assumed it was the person they had just discovered was staying at the same hotel as Joshua. “Sermyera.”

  “You have one hour to bring me what I need or your woman and Akande will die.” She hung up the telephone.

  Akande had to find a way to keep the woman alive. She had nothing to do with the situation. She had to keep Sermyera’s attention on her. She prayed Joshua or Monique knew she was missing.

  “Please do not antagonize them more. They will kill you,” Akande said to the woman.

  “They are going to kill us anyway,” Shelly replied with blood running from her nose.

  “I will do what I can to keep them from killing you.”

  “The Senator will be here soon,” Sermyera stated, interrupting their brief conversation.

  “What does my father have that you would kill for?”

  “He is not your father,” Sermyera shrieked and laughed sarcastically. “You are truly your mother’s daughter. You are as gullible as she was before I killed her.”

  “What?” A shocked Akande murmured, forgetting about the woman. “What do you mean, he’s not my father?” Her voice began to rise. “You told me he was. Raised me to hate him because of what he did to our family. You told me our grandfather killed my mother because she allowed the American to have his way with her. You told me this all my life.” She pulled at her restraints as she yelled at her aunt. Tobyn pressed the gun against her temple.

  Sermyera, pulled his arm away. “No. She wants to know the truth.” The woman’s smirk was menacing. “Royce Davenport is not your father,” she hesitated with a smirk. “Your father is King Tochi of Asmere, my dear niece. My sister had his only child.” She smirked. “That’s right, enjoy this moment. You are Queen Sofiat Abdulrazaaq of Asmere. Well, at least for the next few minutes.”

  Sermyera laughed, as she returned to the chair and sat. “You see King Tochi befriended the American Davenport while in college. The fool believed he could trust the man with everything,” she snarled. “Upon his return to Asmere he was forced to marry Queen Maya. She could not bear him any children. Therefore, he was allowed to step outside the marriage. I was the King’s choice. Me!” She screamed. “My father, you see, h
ad other plans. Somehow he found out about Tarik, the King’s brother and I. He knew I was not pure and the King would doubt his bloodline. He then decided to place your mother, LaSheera before him instead of me. Like a fool Tochi fell in love with her. My sister and her damn innocence, won him over. Soon she was with child. All was kept secret only a few trusted servants in the palace knew. Even that Queen Maya liked LaSheera.” She frowned with hatred for her sister clearly etched on her face. “It was an insult to me to watch her carry the heir to the throne. Yes, a true insult. It should have been me. However,” her menacing smile appeared again, “My love, Tarik and I planned to make all of them pay. Tarik and his men took over the palace and killed them all. But not before your mother escaped with you. We searched and searched, but were unable to locate you. Tarik declared there was no heir, leaving him next in line to be King. Because of Davenport, the United States refused to accept him as the rightful leader of Asmere and placed sanctions against our country. It was then we learned of Tochi giving the proof to the American from one of the servants. For years he continuously protested the right of Tarik to sit on the throne. He always had the threat of exposing us with the documents about you. Once we discovered where you were, we killed the woman your mother chose to keep you safe and took you. We knew we could never tell you the truth of your birth. Davenport would not stop looking for you, nor with his relentless declarations about Tarik not being the rightful holder of the throne. Tarik thought to kill you and be done with it, but I could not bring myself to do it. I knew that Davenport would somehow find your body and take the throne away. For he was determined to avenge his friend’s death As Davenport’s popularity strengthened we feared him more.” She smiled at her own cunning. “What better way to get the information then to use the child Davenport has been searching for. Once he saw you, I knew he would recognize you to be LaSheera’s daughter, for you are the very image of her. Davenport would do all within his power to convince you of your true heritage. He would present you with the proof. Once the two of you were together, we could kill you both and destroy the proof. It was a good plan, was it not?” She released a wicked laugh. “Now Asmere and all that she has to offer will be ours.”