Crime of Passion

by Roy Glenn

  As they walked, Carmen slid her hand into his. Carmen looked up at him and smiled. Marcus squeezed her hand and gently brought it to his lips and kissed it. They walked hand in hand to dinner at Dish, on the corner of North Highland Ave. and Drewry St., and were greeted by the maitre-d. She introduced herself as Laura and escorted them to their table, gave them each a menu.

  “Your server will be Antuan and he will be with you shortly,” Laura said. “Enjoy your meal.”

  Carmen and Marcus looked over the menu until Antuan joined them. He took their drink orders and asked if they were ready to order. Carmen told him that she would need another minute to decide what she wanted.

  “That’s fine, I'll get your drinks and be back to take your order.

  After each scanned the menu for a while, “This sounds good,” Carmen announced. “It's a crispy package of asparagus, sweet peppers, portabella, and fontina.”

  “That does sound good.”

  “You see anything you like?” she asked.

  “I'm going to have the crispy duck roll with cashew tamarind sauce.”

  “I was looking at that, too.”

  “I'll give you some of mine, if you give me some of yours.”

  “Deal. What about an appetizer?”

  “I was torn between the steamed mussels and the crispy calamari salad, but I'm already having the crispy duck roll.”

  “That's right, Black people eat too much fried food.”

  “So steamed mussels with corn potato and chorizo, it is for me. And for the lady?” Marcus asked.

  “I'd like to try the Arugula Salad, Grilled Scallops. And I'd like that with toasted hazelnuts, and grapefruit vinaigrette.'

  “Excellent choice,” Antuan said as he returned to the table with a flourish. “Have we decided on a main dish?”

  “Yes,” Carmen proclaimed. “I'll have the Grilled Swordfish with Saffron Aioli Potatoes and lemon sauce.”

  “That is excellent, I had it last night. It is absolutely to die for. And for the gentleman?”

  “I don't know,” Marcus said, glancing at Carmen, remembering how she reacted when he said something was, To die for. She seemed unfazed by it, continuing to study the menu. Marcus thought about all that Carmen had heard about Desireé in the past week. No surprise that she'd developed a thick skin.

  “Would you like me to give you a few ticks to decide?” Antuan asked.

  “Why don't you try the Panko Crusted Skate Wing?”

  “No, Carmen, I'm just not feeling that tonight. I was feeling more like seared Maine Diver Scallops With Baby Bok Choy And Shrimp Vermicelli.”

  “That sounds good, too.”

  “I'll have that then.” Marcus said, picking up the wine list. “And bottle of Les Macherelles Chassagne.”

  “You do know your wines, Marcus.” Carmen said as Antuan departed the table.

  “Not bad for somebody that listens to 2Pac, huh?”

  After dinner Marcus and Carmen sat and talked over cocktails. “Excuse me a minute, Carmen, I think I see somebody I know.” Marcus got up from the table and walked over to the bar. Carmen looked on with jealous eyes, as Marcus approached a voluptuous red head seated at the bar. Marcus tapped her on the shoulder; she turned and immediately jumped to her feet and gave Marcus a hug that made Carmen's eyes narrow. They talked for a while and then Marcus pointed at Carmen. Marcus grabbed her by the hand and literally dragged to the table.

  “Carmen Taylor, I'd like to introduce you to Joanna Henley, a long time financial reporter with the Atlanta Journal.”

  “It's a pleasure to meet you, Carmen.”

  “I asked Joanna to join us for a drink,” Marcus said reclaiming his seat.

  “I hope it's alright with you, Carmen? I told Marcus no, that you seem to be enjoying cocktails for two and I hate being the third wheel.”

  “Non-sense,” Carmen said, cutting her eyes at Marcus. “Please join us.”

  “If you're sure, and I promise not to stay long,” Joanna said as she sat down. “I'm actually waiting for my date.” Joanna glanced at her watch. “Who by the way is very late.”

  Marcus signaled for Antuan, and ordered another round for Carmen and himself, as well as, a glass for Joanna, who opted to try the Macherelles Chassagne. Carmen looked on as Marcus and Joanna laughed and talked like they were the best of friends. To Carmen it felt more like they were the ones having cocktails for two and she was the third wheel.

  “Tell me something, Joanna,” Marcus said suddenly turning serious. “Were you working at the finance desk when Roland Ferguson was trying to buy Hudson Financial?”

  “That was one of my first assignments. Why do you ask?”

  “I was wondering why the deal fell through?”

  “Nobody really knows why Ferguson walked away from the deal. We had gotten the press releases and everything. When all of a sudden, he walked. It sent the price of the stock into a nose dive.”

  “That's when the group of private investors came in and bought it.”

  “Right. But they didn't buy it. Hudson structured the deal so he would maintain control.”

  “How did he do that?”

  “He issued something called Corporate Bond Debt.” Before Marcus could ask what that meant, Joanne continued. “They are issued by corporations as an alternative to offering equity ownership by issuing stock. Like most municipal bonds and treasuries, most corporate bonds pay semi-annual interest and promise to return their principal when they mature. Maturities range from 1 to 30 years.”

  “Who was in that group of investors?”

  “I don't know, but it shouldn't be that hard to find out,” Joanna said and tipped her head to one side. “Funny you should ask about Hudson, because I'm working on a story on Hudson. Doing a little investigative reporting.”

  Now completely engaged in the conversation, Carmen asked, “Anything you can tell us about?”

  “I'm looking into the suicide of two people.”

  “That doesn't sound financial, Joanna.”

  “It does when one is John Heard, an FTC investigator. He took sleeping pills and vodka. And the other is Coleman Wilson, a senior exec at Hudson Financial. His wife found him hanging in his study.”

  “That's funny, Joanna, we're—” Marcus kicked Carmen under table. She looked at him quickly and then back to Joanna. “We were just talking about that.”

  “You were?” Joanna said curiously.

  “About suicide,” Marcus said quickly.

  “Oh. I was about to ask what you were talking about them for,” Joanna said finishing her drink as she saw her dining companion arrive. “There's Mark. What do you think Carmen, should I play hard ball with him for being late?”

  “Of course you should.”

  “That's right, and I'll make him order me a bottle of this wine, it's excellent. Marcus it was good seeing you again, and it was certainly a pleasure meeting you, Carmen,” Joanna said as she rushed off to give Mark a hard time.

  “Nice meeting you, too.” Carmen smiled and waved. As soon as she left, Carmen's whole facial expression changed. “Why did you kick me? That hurt,” she said and kicked Marcus.

  “Ouch! I'm sorry, Carmen. But if you told her that our case had any connection to hers, Mark would have gotten stood up, and you'd be reading it in the paper in the morning. And all that will do is make our killer cover their tracks a little deeper.”

  “I wasn't thinking. I can see the headlines now, Ferguson Investigation Points To Hudson Financial. You're right, I'm sorry and I'm sorry I kicked you.”

  “It really hurts, too.”

  Carmen leaned forward. “Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?” she whispered.

  “I thought you wanted to go dancing?”

  “First things first.”

  Carmen led Marcus out of the restaurant and back to her condo to provide a bit of sexual healing for his wound. After which, Carmen abruptly rolled out of bed and started for the bathroom. Marcus sat up in bed and watched her for a whi
le before asking, “Where are you going?”

  “I still want to go dancing,” Carmen said and motioned for Marcus to join her, which he gladly did. “I think I'm falling in love with you, Marcus. With everything you say, everything you do. Every time I look at you, I fall a little further,” Carmen said quietly and without looking at him.

  “Wow. Where did that come from?”

  “It's what I was feeling. So I said it. I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

  “It wasn't that, it was the way you said it. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. Because in digging everything about you. I don't know if it's love that I'm feeling. All I know is that it feels better than anything I've felt in a lifetime. And I want more, as much as you want to give me.”

  CAUSE WE'VE ENDED NOW AS LOVERS

  “Marcus, Marcus,” Carmen said as she shook him gently. “There's somebody at the door.”

  “Huh,” Marcus mumbled and rolled into Carmen's arms.

  “There's somebody at the door.”

  “Who is it?”

  “I don't know, Marcus. My psychic powers aren't in tune this early.”

  “What?”

  “Why don't you get up and go see?”

  “They'll go away,” Marcus said and eased his body closer to Carmen.

  “Get up, Marcus. It might be important.” Carmen pushed Marcus away from her body.

  “Okay, okay.”

  Reluctantly, Marcus rolled out of bed and wandered around the room looking for his robe, as the doorbell rang again. He walked slowly to the window and looked out.

  “Randa. The perfect way to start a morning.” He turned around and walked back to the bedroom.

  “Who was it, Marcus?”

  “Randa,” Marcus said taking off his robe and putting on a shirt and pants.

  “What does she want?”

  “I don't know.” The bell rang again. “But I'm going to find out.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  Marcus stopped dressing and sat down on the bed next to Carmen. “No, Carmen, I don't want you to leave. I never want you to leave.” He kissed her gently on her lips. “You relax, and I'll go see what my soon to be ex-wife wants at eight forty-five in the morning.”

  “Okay,” Carmen answered with a kiss. Marcus got up and walked slowly out the door, closing it behind him as the bell rang again. As soon as the door closed, Carmen got out of bed and looked around for her clothes. Then she remembered that Marcus undressed her in the bathroom, Carmen went in and shut the door.

  By the time Marcus reached the door, Randa was leaning on it. He shook his head and opened it. “Good morning, Randa.”

  “'Bout time,” Randa said, standing with her hands on her hips. Dressed provocatively in a Donna Ricco flyaway halter dress.

  “What do you want, Randa?” Marcus said blocking the door.

  “To talk to you, Marcus.”

  “You could try the telephone.”

  “Why? You never answer it. You haven't returned any of my calls. Marcus, we need to talk.”

  “Randa, there is nothing to talk about.”

  “There is a lot for us to talk about,” Randa pleaded. “Can I come in?”

  I knew she was gonna say that. But this is what you get for letting it come to this. “You can come in, Randa, But—” Marcus uttered, opening the door enough for Randa to ease in.

  “But,” Randa stopped and sniffed. “You have a woman here. I can smell her perfume. Jean Paul Gauther, if I'm not mistaken.”

  “Yes, it is Jean Paul Gauther.” Marcus turned away and Randa followed him slowly to the den. He opened the door for her.

  “It's probably Carmen Taylor.” Randa mused as she walked by him.”

  “Yes, it's Carmen Taylor.” You're fired Tiffanie.

  “And before you fire Tiffanie, she didn't tell me a thing.” Randa sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk. “That girl thinks you walk on water. She won't even say your name around me.” Marcus sat in the chair next her. “You two aren't exactly low profile, ya know. The high profile lawyer and the model. The two of you eat in the best restaurants and you go dancing every night. People that you don't see; see you, and they're talking about it. They were talking about you the other morning on V-103. There's even a rumor that you had this all planned. What really happened was she killed her sister, left the country and you had Roland step up for it, since you knew he didn't do it.”

  Marcus ran his hands over his face. “What do you want, Randa?”

  “Relax, Marcus. I'm not here to hurt you or to make a scene. This is the only way I can talk to you.”

  Just then, Carmen tapped lightly on the door and came in. “Hi. I don't mean to interrupt.”

  Randa rose to her feet. “You're not interrupting,” she said and extended her hand. “I'm Randa Douglas. I've been looking forward to meeting you.”

  “Carmen Taylor.” She shook Randa's hand and turned to Marcus. “Can I see you for a minute?”

  “I'll be right back, Randa.” Marcus stood up and followed Carmen out of the den to the front door. “You're leaving?”

  “Yeah. But after I saw what she's wearing, I almost changed my mind.” Carmen smiled. “But It'll give you two a chance to talk. I know you've been putting it off.” Carmen laughed a little. “Besides, I couldn't lay in that bed by myself wondering what you two were talking about. It would eat me alive.” Marcus opened the door and Carmen stepped out. “Oh yeah, I don't have my car here.” Marcus reached in his pocket and handed Carmen the keys. “I don't want to strand you here.”

  “Don't worry, if I need to go somewhere I have the Durango.”

  “Thank you, Marcus.” Carmen began walking toward the car.

  “You don't have to go, you know. This won't take long.”

  “Maybe. But if I'm not here, you two can talk things out and be done with it. So take your time. I'll call you later today.”

  “No,” Marcus opened the door for her. “I'll call you.”

  Carmen kissed him on the cheek, got in the car, and drove away. Marcus went back in the house and turned toward the den. Randa was standing in the hallway. “Now that she's gone, do you think we could talk in the living room?”

  Marcus held out his hand and showed Randa to the living room. She made her way to the couch and sat down. “Thank you. I always thought those chairs were so uncomfortable.”

  “What do you want to talk about, Randa?” Marcus asked as he sat down.

  “Is this how it's always gonna be between us, Marcus?”

  “How do you think it should be, Randa?”

  “Come on, Marcus. This is me. I at least thought we could be amiable towards each other.”

  “I'm not being pleasant?”

  “No, Marcus, you're not. You're very stiff and straight forward.”

  “I'll try to do better,” Marcus put on a fake smile. “How are you, Randa?”

  “That's a little better, but we could do without the fake smile. I don't need you to patronize me. But anyway, I'm fine. I started going to the gym again.”

  “I can tell; you look good.”

  “But not a model, though?” Randa asked and Marcus remained silent. “Okay, Marcus. I'll get to the point. I wanted to know if this thing between you and Carmen was something I had to worry about.”

  “The only thing you have to worry about, Randa, is signing the divorce papers.”

  “It wasn't a question, Marcus. It was, but not anymore. I saw the way the two of you look at each other.”

  “How do we look at each other?”

  “I can tell she's in love with you. That's why she left. She wants to give you a chance to get this over with,” Randa said. “Are you in love with her, Marcus?”

  “I don't know.”

  “You do. You just haven't admitted it to yourself yet, but you are.”

  “Thank you for telling me.”

  “You see, Marcus, I still love you and I was still holding out a little hope that you and
I could move past what happened and start over. But I know that there isn't. At least not now. Maybe there'll be another time for you and I. But now, I just wanna tell you that I'm sorry. Really sorry about what I did to us. Not that it makes any difference now, but he didn't mean anything to me.”

  “It does make a difference. That's what hurt the most, Randa. That you would jeopardize everything we had for somebody that didn't matter. It'd be different if you were in love with him. But you risked everything we had for nothing.”

  “I'll probably kick myself for the rest of my life for that. So the only thing to do now is make an appointment with Duck and sign my name,” Randa said rising to her feet. “I want you to know that after its final, I'll be moving, to Los Angeles or maybe Chicago. I can't live here being Marcus Douglas's ex-wife.”

  Randa walked to the front door.

  “If that's what you think is best.” Marcus smiled inside.

  “Goodbye, Marcus.”

  “Goodbye, Randa.”

  “You could at least give me a hug?”

  Marcus put his arms around Randa and she around him.

  “I'm sorry, Marcus,” she said and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Sorry it came to this.”

  Marcus freed himself from her embrace. And opened the door. Randa stepped out slowly. He watched her walk to her car. Marcus quietly closed the door on that part of his life.

  He thought about calling Carmen and telling her to come back, but he changed his mind. As far as he was concerned it was still too early. He decided to shower and go back to bed. He would call her when he woke up. Marcus went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once it was hot enough, he stepped in. While the water beat down on his body, he thought about Randa. The thoughts quickly faded as thoughts of Carmen entered his mind.

  MAKE MONEY

  Just as Marcus was about to get back in the bed, the phone rang. Hoping it was Carmen calling Marcus answered quickly. “Hello.”

  “Good morning, Marcus,” Janise said. “I'm sorry to be calling you so early in the morning, but Gloria Giannelli called you this morning.”

  “Bend over and grab your ankles Giannelli? Who's getting sued for sexual harassment?”