Surviving the Chase

by Lisa Renee Johnson

  “How is he?”

  “He’s still in surgery.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. I’ve been trying to find my sister—”

  “Najee is here. I don’t have a lot of information, but the police officer mentioned they found her at the motel in Pittsburg and she was a part of some sex trafficking ring.” Before Payton could explain further, she was interrupted by the detective.

  “Excuse me. Tony Barnes?”

  Tony nodded.

  “I’m Detective McGrady. You were contacted by the SART team—”

  “Take me to my sister.”

  Payton grabbed Tony’s hand to follow, but the detective stepped in front of her.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Jones, but only immediate family allowed.”

  * * *

  On the elevator ride up, Tony used the confined space to get answers.

  “Detective, can you please tell me what is going on, and exactly where did you find my sister?”

  “She was held up in the motel room of a deceased Raymond Carter, at the Mar Ray Motel in Pittsburg,” he said, referring to the name scribbled on his spiral notebook. “By chance, do you know the deceased?”

  The thought of somebody violating his sister’s innocence made his skin crawl. She was a goddamn baby.

  “Deceased? Fuck the deceased! Look, did Najee kill this dirtbag?” he questioned, his entire body riddled with guilt. He would never be able to forgive himself for this.

  “How did my sister end up at this motel? And are you saying she killed this Ray?”

  “The evidence does not support that. Miss Barnes was locked in the restroom when police arrived on the scene. And good thing she was. The victim was sliced up in a way that made him unrecognizable. I’ve never seen anything like that before in my life,” he rambled on.

  “Did he hurt her?”

  “From what I have gathered thus far, they drugged her to get her to the motel, but ironically, the person whom we believe did the handiwork with the scalpel actually saved your sister from a lifetime of trauma.”

  “Who are the ‘they’ who drugged her?”

  “I’m working on that.”

  * * *

  The two men exited the elevator, and Tony followed the detective to a set of secured double doors. He picked up a handset, identified himself, and they were buzzed in.

  Najee ran into her brother’s arms and began to sob uncontrollably. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”

  Tony hugged his sister, able to breathe a little easier. He stroked her hair and wiped away her tears, which were laced with regret that she thought she knew better. He was grateful she wasn’t hurt physically, but mental trauma could sometimes be far worse. Tony sighed heavily and squeezed Najee a little tighter.

  “Shhhhhhh, baby girl. You’re safe. I got you.”

  CHAPTER 45

  After talking briefly with another detective, Payton located Sydney, Tyrese, and Donathan’s parents in the ICU.

  Tyrese and the elder James were huddled around a woman in a white lab coat.

  “Mr. James came through the surgery fine, and we’re expecting a full recovery. We were able to remove the bullet, but it did cause some minor damage to one of his lungs—”

  “When are you going to take that tube out of his mouth?” Sylver questioned.

  “Ma’am, he’s only working with the capacity of one healthy lung right now, so we’re keeping him on the ventilator to help him breathe a little easier. Once he wakes up, we will assess him further.”

  Sydney was standing next to the bed holding Donathan’s hand. Payton reached out to touch Sydney’s arm and noticed her lips were trembling.

  “Hey, you okay?” she asked, scrutinizing her friend for a long time before wrapping her arms around her in an emotional embrace.

  “I’m good,” Sydney said, her voice quavering.

  “Sounds like he’s going to be okay.”

  “His vitals look good. I just want him to open his eyes,” she said, this time running a hand over his closely cropped hair. She stilled for a moment, then asked, “Payton, what happened to my husband?”

  “C’mon, let’s take a walk.”

  * * *

  The two women left the secured wing and stepped into an empty waiting room just off the hospital corridor. Sydney took a seat, but Payton continued to stand, trying to process what was going on. For a moment, half of her felt like dropping to the floor and curling into the fetal position to quiet the noise going on inside her head. The other half wanted to tell everyone to “kiss her black ass,” as Payton was prone to say.

  The detectives were relentless. Both McGrady and the other officer seemed to be asking her the same questions over and over again. Her pulse quickened at the possibility the detectives were also questioning Lois, but Payton quickly reminded herself that she had done nothing wrong. Her first instincts had been to get in her car and drive as far away from this hospital as she possibly could, but she couldn’t leave until Donathan was out of the woods.

  She glanced up and noticed Sydney on full alert. Her best friend looked desperate for answers, but she refrained from asking her any questions. Payton rested her head in the palm of her hand, her fingertips moving in a circular motion.

  “I don’t know where to begin,” she said.

  “At the beginning,” Sydney said softly.

  Payton hesitated, then took the empty seat next to her friend.

  “This morning I made my way to Pittsburg because my uncle called and was having one of his episodes. He kept talking about someone being dead. I decided I was going to Pittsburg, and he was going to detox once and for all. When I arrived, he was hiding along the fence line at Jack in the Box acting unusually bizarre—”

  “Why did Donathan go to Pittsburg with you?” Sydney interrupted.

  “He didn’t. I had no idea he would be in Pittsburg today. After I convinced Sheldon to get in the car with me, I noticed a lot of police activity in front of the motel. Instead of merging onto the freeway, I drove by and spotted Donathan in the courtyard. He was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. Not really sure how he pulled that one off with all the reporters around,” Payton said, her voice trailing off.

  “Who was killed—and who killed them?”

  “Turns out Austyn Greene is the primary suspect for the brutal murder of a tennis shoe pimp named Ray.”

  “Wait. Your uncle knows Austyn?”

  “She’s been hiding out at the motel Sheldon’s been living at the past few weeks, feeding him drugs for information.”

  “Why?” Sydney questioned, leaning in and crossing one leg over the other.

  “She believed that Sheldon knew the whereabouts of Lois Greene.”

  “Okay. This still doesn’t explain how my husband got from the motel where the dead man was found, to having three gunshot wounds to his abdomen... Who shot Donathan?”

  Payton could see the growing impatience in her friend, a stark contrast to the calm she exhibited just a few minutes ago.

  “I’m getting to that,” she said, looking away before she continued. “Curtis Holsey, the private detective Donathan hired to find Lois, knew the address of the substance abuse facility where Lois was staying. By the time we got to the location, Austyn was already in the house. I begged Donathan to wait for the police, but he decided there wasn’t enough time, and he ran toward the house.”

  Sydney shook her head.

  “A while later, police arrived on the scene, and that’s when I heard multiple gunshots. SWAT stormed the house and emerged with both Donathan and Lois on stretchers.”

  “What about Austyn Greene? Did they catch her?”

  The door to the room sprang open, and Detective McGrady, a tall lean man with perfect features, rushed in.

  “There you are, Miss Jones,” the detective said.

  “What can I do for you now, Detective?” Payton said, emphasizing the word now. “You guys have questioned me multiple times, and I don’t know any
thing else. Now please excuse me,” Payton snapped. She was tired of the police harassing her and wanted them to leave her the hell alone.

  “Did you know Raymond Carter?”

  “How many times do I have to tell you, I do not know that low-life sack of shit? Now, will you please leave me alone?”

  “Have you ever been inside the deceased’s room at the Mar Ray Motel?” he said, closing the distance between them.

  “No! I’ve never been inside his room.”

  “Ma’am, we lifted your fingerprints off some money found in the victim’s room. Please stand up. I’m going to need you to come back to the police station with me to sort this out.”

  “What? I’m not going anywhere,” Payton said, flashing back to the day she went to the motel looking for Sheldon and had given Ray a wad of cash to tell her Sheldon’s whereabouts.

  The detective grabbed her by the upper arm. “My request was not an option.”

  “You can’t do this. Take your hands off of her,” Sydney interjected, now standing to her feet.

  Detective McGrady turned briefly and held up an authoritative hand. “Ma’am, I suggest you stay out of this unless you want to take a ride to the station, too.”

  He turned back to Payton, and she felt the cold stainless-steel bracelets clamp around her wrists.

  “Payton Jones, you are under arrest.”

  EPILOGUE

  Payton stared out the panoramic window mesmerized by the perimeter string lights that made Lake Merritt astonishingly beautiful at night. She raised the oversized goblet of red wine to her lips and drained the contents, showing no outward emotion from the phone call she’d just received. Donathan was finally off the ventilator, and he was going to be okay. She thought back to her arrest.

  The police had practically dragged her kicking and screaming to the Pittsburg station, and she lawyered up quick, refusing to answer any more of their ridiculous questions. After all, Raymond Carter wasn’t an innocent victim. He’d extorted money from her, and everybody, including the police, knew that Austyn Greene was the one responsible for that butchery. Once they checked out Tony as her alibi, she was quickly cleared as a suspect.

  It still amazed her that the TSA database had been used to match her fingerprints on the money. Most people don’t realize when they sign up for those frequent traveler programs that the FBI banks their fingerprints, and that database is queried as needed to solve crimes.

  It had been almost a week, and still no word from Sheldon. But the three hundred bucks he took from her purse when he fled had to be gone, which meant her wayward uncle would show up soon. In all of this, the one thing she hadn’t been able to shake was staring into the eyes of her nemesis. For years, Payton had fantasized about confronting Lois face-to-face. Then, on the other hand, the thought of being in close proximity to the bitch made her want to puke. In the moment, she blew it and was desperate for a do-over. Her cell phone buzzed on the nightstand. She picked it up and read the text message from Tony.

  On my way up.

  She smiled, then quickly replied.

  Okay.

  In light of what happened to his sister, Payton had seen Tony a few times this week. During their pillow talk, she learned that after the incident, he’d immediately placed his house on the market, eager to sell it. He’d also flown his aunt to town to keep Najee from being left alone. The leader of the sex trafficking ring was dead, but the guys who had actually kidnapped his sister were still at large. Tony believed that since they knew where they lived, she would never be safe until they moved. Funny thing was, according to Najee, Austyn Greene was a hero. The woman had banished her to the bathroom and demanded she stay put until the police arrived. For that, Tony was extremely grateful.

  * * *

  The buzz from the doorman forced Payton away from her thoughts. She’d tipped Samuel to let her know when Tony arrived. Payton headed toward the living room, her bare feet sinking into the deep pile of the carpet. She looked around the massive open space, admiring the simple modern décor. She quickly poured herself another glass of wine and made Tony a Dangerous Consequences.

  There was a light knock at the door, and she loosened the belt of the red satin kimono robe cinched around her waist. She opened the door, her features instantly twisting into a mix of arousal and uncertainty. He was wearing all black tonight. Black jeans, black Hamilton T-shirt, and a black baseball cap, and dark sunglasses hid his eyes. She bit her bottom lip, and he smiled.

  “Come in. I want to show you something.”

  Tony stepped inside, closed the door, and grabbed Payton by the wrist, spinning her around to face him. His hands trailed her curves covered by the satin fabric, and using her well-manicured hands, she unbuckled his belt and fondled the growing bulge in his pants. He kissed her hard and ripped the lace thong panties from her body, all the while backing her into the nearest piece of furniture. He dropped his jeans to his ankles and took a seat.

  “C’mere. I want you to sit on my lap.”

  Seconds later, she straddled him and invited him into her heat. Payton’s moans mixed with the music playing through the sound system as she rocked against him, awakening every nerve inside. He reached for her waist, and with every thrust he pulled her closer. Her groans grew louder as he matched her rhythm. He gripped her waist tighter. She moaned. He moved faster—she screamed. He nipped at her hardened nipples, and she screamed his name, coming fast and hard, the sound of both of their pleasure filling the room. Payton closed her eyes, savoring the feeling as she waited to catch her breath. Tony kissed her lips.

  “Now, what do you want to show me—”

  Before Payton could answer, a buzz from the doorman sounded again. Payton frowned. She’d left explicit instructions not to be disturbed once Tony arrived. Shit. Did thinking of David conjure him up unannounced? Lord, please don’t let this be David stopping by on a whim, she prayed. Instead of answering the wall-mounted device, she picked up the handset for privacy.

  “Samuel.”

  “Good evening, Ms. Jones. I know you said not to disturb you—”

  “Yes, I do recall giving you those specific instructions,” Payton said, with sarcasm oozing in her response. Tony patted her on the ass and mouthed, “Going to the shower.”

  She covered the handset speaker with her hand and said, “Coming.”

  “I promise you will be,” Tony said before traipsing off.

  “Ma’am, ma’am, are you there?

  “Yes, Samuel.”

  “I explained to your guest that you were unavailable, but he insisted I call up, and the last thing I wanted to do was make any type of scene here in the lobby.”

  “Samuel, who’s at the door?”

  “Hold on. Let me confirm the gentleman’s name—”

  “Never mind,” she huffed. “I’ll be right down.” She hung up the receiver.

  She and Tony hadn’t talked much about where this thing between them was going, but she decided to just go with it for a change, and she didn’t want to screw it up.

  “Shit!” Payton hissed. Who the hell did David Bryant think he was, showing up here without an invitation? She hadn’t taken any of his phone calls since she’d seen him and his family at Lake Chalet, and she’d thought he would get the message.

  She hurried into the bedroom and threw on some leggings, a T-shirt, and flip-flops.

  “Baby, you coming?” Tony called out to her.

  “Um, I have to run downstairs for a minute.”

  “Is everything okay? Do you need me to come with you?”

  “Everything is fine. Turn on the wall jets and enjoy your shower. I’ll be right back.”

  She grabbed her keys and wallet and took the elevator down to the lobby. The sooner she made it clear that he wasn’t welcome here, the sooner she could go back upstairs to her unfinished business.

  The door opened, and Payton’s eyes darted left and right in search of her target, but David was nowhere to be found. She stepped up to the front desk.

/>   “Samuel, where is my guest?”

  “They stepped outside to smoke a cigarette.”

  “‘They’?”

  “Yes, ma’am. A Mr.—”

  “Sheldon Jones and Lois Greene,” the familiar voice behind her said.

  Payton spun around like she’d been doused with cold water. This was a fucking nightmare. Never in her wildest dreams would she have expected Sheldon to show up here. He’d only been to her condo once or twice, and that was years before. She stared at Sheldon as if he had lost his mind.

  “Come over here, Niecy, and say hello to you mama.”

  Lois Greene stood next to him with day-old bandages and an unusual grin plastered across her face. Standing this close to her was surreal. The woman looked far worse than she did the day she’d seen her at the hospital.

  “Outside. now!”

  Payton moved quickly, and in her anger, she held the door open as the two walked out and followed her away from the building. She turned and addressed Sheldon first.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you high? I can’t believe you’ve been lying to me for weeks! And you do know that I went to jail because of your bullshit. Right? And to make matters worse, you brought this conniving, thieving bitch over here, where I lay my head.”

  “Payton,” Lois began, but her words were cut short by eyes sharp enough to cut like daggers.

  “Don’t you dare say my name, you ruthless, good-for-nothing, thieving whore!” she spat. “You don’t have the right to refer to yourself as my mother ever again. You lost that privilege when you left me standing in front of that movie theater twenty-five years ago. Now, I need both of you to take your sorry asses back to wherever the hell you came from and don’t ever darken my door again—”

  “I ain’t going nowhere until you give me my goddamn money,” Sheldon interrupted, slurring his words, making his mouth sound like it was full of marbles.