“Everyone doesn’t get a fairy-tale ending, Liza, and I’m all right with that.”
“You don’t have to be,” Liza said, then threw her hands up. “I’m done. Let’s talk business. I’m going to get with Duane Carter and Teresa so that we can get the video done professionally.”
“I need office space,” Chante said. “I don’t want to do the whole start-up thing from my kitchen table, you know.”
Liza patted the table excitedly. “I know a great space.”
“Where?”
“My old office. It’s in a terrific location, and I’m moving my stuff to Raleigh anyway.”
“Really?” Chante asked.
Liza nodded. “And since you’re just getting started, I’m going to rent that space to you for a dollar a month.”
“I can’t let you do that,” she said as tears of gratitude sprang into her eyes.
“You have no choice in the matter. Chante, I’m so proud of you, and this is just my small way of showing support. You’re my sister, girl.”
Chante leaned over and hugged Liza tightly. “This means a lot to me, Liza. Thank you for forgiving me and . . .”
“Don’t even go there. We’re going to blaze a path in Charlotte that will make anything that happened in the past a distant memory. And we’re going to need a really great name for your firm,” Liza said.
“What’s wrong with Chante Britt, Attorney-at-Law?”
Liza yawned. “That’s boring! How many Blah-Blahs at law are there in Charlotte? You need something with as much oomph as you walked in here with. You have a fire now. Let it burn.”
“You sound like a bad motivational speaker.”
“Whatever,” Liza said as she took a small bite of her brownie. “We have to be different.”
“We?”
“Well, you. No, we is right. We are in this together because this is step one toward Liza and Chante taking over the world.”
Chante laughed, remembering their plan following graduation from UNC. Of course they had different goals then. Chante had wanted to be a criminal defense attorney and free the wrongfully convicted across the country. She had planned to take the bar in all fifty states, and Liza planned to write for Essence. There she’d chronicle Chante’s cases. She figured that she’d write a book and make the New York Times best-seller list and become Oprah’s new best friend.
“What happened to those young girls who wanted to take over the world?” Chante asked.
Liza shook her head. “We got tricked. Thought we had to follow the crowd and work for someone else.”
“True. And we put what we wanted to really do on hold.”
“We’re on the right track now,” Liza said.
“Yes, we are.”
“Now, we just need a name for this firm . . .” Liza stopped speaking when her cell phone rang. “This is Teresa. Give me a second to take this.” As Liza stepped outside, Chante picked up her phone to check and see if Zach had sent her a text. Not seeing one, she felt a little disappointed, even though she knew he had a lot going on. Chante couldn’t deny it: she missed him.
Zach sat in his office listening to Zoe rail about the press. “They are distorting everything!” She tossed a copy of the New York Post on his desk. “And look at my picture.”
“Oh, so that’s what this is about? Your picture? It’s a mug shot, not a glamour shot.” Zach chuckled, but his twin was not amused.
“Don’t be a jackass. This company was built on our family reputation. That bitch and the press are ruining it. And let’s not forget the fact that my business is all about people trusting me!” Zoe narrowed her eyes at Zach. “Did you leave your balls in Charleston? I figured you’d be ready to throw down. This, after all, is your company now. How many . . . What’s her name?”
“What?”
“Don’t play with me, Zach. Tell me who she is so I can verify that she isn’t a crazy pimp!”
Zach rolled his eyes. “Here’s the thing: I’ve called a press conference for eleven. We’re also bringing one of the FBI agents on the case to the podium with us. He’s going to lay out Natalie’s case and how neither you, nor I, nor this company is involved.”
“And you’re going to tell the world you married her because you were blinded by her body?”
Zach shrugged. “Whatever. If it will make you feel better for me to tell the world that you were right, then I will.”
“Thank you. So the new broad who has your nose wide open is Chante Britt, right?”
“If you know her name, why are you harassing me?” Zach snapped. Zoe ignored his attitude and showed him a video of him and Chante dashing into the hotel in Charleston.
“What is it with you and scandalous women? This is the type you love.”
Love? He knew he wasn’t there yet. But Chante was a woman he could love. Everything about her was exciting, beautiful, and amazing. “She’s not scandalous.”
“Oh no?” Zoe asked, then showed him another video of Chante and a man arguing in the lobby of the hotel. As he watched, he saw the man was Robert Montgomery, the ex Chante had told him about. He was definitely not the man he’d expected. Robert seemed unhinged, nothing like someone he’d expect Chante to be involved with. When he saw him get in Chante’s face, he was angry.
Zoe noticed it and smiled. “Chill, brother. I have to say this one is smart and feisty if this video is any indication. And she doesn’t have a sketchy background.”
“If you knew all this, why did you pressure me about her name and all of that drama?”
“Because I can,” she said with a wink.
“You know, if you moved back to New York, you could take a more active role in my love life. And I need a good—no, great—chief of security,” he said.
Zoe smiled grimly. “I’m not going to even tell you why that will never happen. You need to understand that I’m not going to take a cushy job with this company to make you feel better. I have a business that can’t run without me. So no thanks, brother.”
“I hate it when you call me brother like that. And I also hate it when you think I’m only offering you a job because I don’t like what you do. This is a family business, and I want you to be a part of that business, Zo.”
“I hate it when you call me Zo. It’s not endearing,” she replied. “You should know, I’m going to be in New York for a few months once this thing blows over. I’ll be working on a case, and I plan to pretend that I work here.”
“What kind of case?”
“Nope, I’m not telling you anything.”
“But you’re going to use my company as a front? I need details,” Zach said.
“Just stay out of my way,” she said. “Don’t play the big-brother role, I have a gun, and I’m very good with it. I can handle myself. It’s you, on the other hand, I have to be concerned about.”
“Excuse me?”
Zoe widened her eyes incredulously. “Who got us into this mess?”
“Whatever.”
“Don’t whatever me. I told you that Natalie chick was nothing but trouble.”
“I know,” he said. “I fucked up, but that has nothing to do with you using my company as a front for whatever case you’re working on.”
“Let’s talk about this press conference and the FBI agent you’re bringing.”
“Smooth, real smooth. Agent Banks has been on my ass since Natalie’s arrest. On the way to the office, I presented your evidence to him, and now he actually believes I wasn’t involved in her call-girl ring.”
Zoe shook her head. “He sounds like a real winner. I hate G-men. They think nothing is more important than the job.”
“Sounds like you’re kind of bitter, sis.”
“Whatever,” she mimicked. “So what am I doing at this press conference?”
Before Zach could reply, he received a text that made him smile.
I miss you. I hope everything is going well for you.
Zach responded. I can’t stop thinking about you. When this blows over
, I want you to show me around Charlotte.
Chapter 19
Chante and Liza walked into Teresa Flores’s office, and Chante was immediately impressed with Teresa’s commanding demeanor. She watched in awe as Teresa handled whomever she was talking to on the phone.
“Damn it, I don’t care what you think I need to do. This is what I’m doing—I’m going to tell the city that this tax increase is an attack on the poor and those who have lived in those communities all of their lives. I’m not giving you my support, and if anyone does, it’s going to be because they don’t care about keeping their office.” She slammed the phone down, and Chante wanted to give her a standing ovation.
“I see you’re still keeping the city straight,” Liza said with a smile. Teresa looked up at the women standing in her doorway.
Pointing her finger at them, she smiled broadly. “You know why I keep a landline? People need to know when you hang up on them. They need to hear that slam.”
“Good point,” Chante said.
“Miss Britt, I’m glad to see you back in the Queen City. How are you?” Teresa rounded her desk and crossed over to Chante and shook her hand.
“For the first time in a long time, I’m good,” Chante said with a smile.
“I’m glad to hear that. I don’t know how you worked with those assholes at Myrick, Lawson and Walker. I would’ve started my own firm years ago. Especially since you were the main moneymaker for those bastards.”
Chante sighed. “If I’m honest, I stayed because I was afraid, and I thought I needed someone else’s approval.”
“You’re over that now?”
Chante nodded.
“Good,” Teresa said, “because we don’t have time for that shit.”
Liza burst out laughing. “Teresa will always tell it like it is.”
“I see that,” Chante replied.
“Ladies, have a seat,” Teresa said. “I’m really proud of what you’re about to do. The Legal Center for Women. It has a great ring to it.”
Liza nodded at Chante. “Told you.”
Teresa leaned against the edge of her cluttered desk. “There are too many women in this city and state who suffer because of what their men have done. Look at what happened to Patricia Broadhead because that dope from the CIA spilled secrets while they lounged in bed. You’d think she’d been the one with the loose lips.”
Liza and Chante nodded in agreement, remembering how the award-winning journalist had been run out of town on a rail after the affair she had with a former CIA operative went public. To Patricia’s defense, she had had no idea he had been married, and when she’d chronicled their relationship in her romance column, all hell broke loose.
Liza would’ve taken her on as a client, but the controversy had been too hot for her to handle during Jackson’s first term. And she hadn’t wanted to be linked to a scandal so quickly after the mess Robert had pulled her into.
“Too bad Patricia has gone off the grid,” Chante said. “She could’ve been my first client.”
“Oh, you’re not going to have any shortage of clients. As a matter of fact,” Teresa said, then picked up a file from her desk, “here’s your history-making first case. Amanda Chavis, former wife of Judge Harlan Chavis.”
“Yes, I remember him,” Chante said. “He was removed from the bench after it was discovered he was getting kickbacks from the juvenile center in Minnesota where he was sending all those kids.”
Teresa nodded.
“And through no fault of her own, Amanda lost her job, her business, and much of the money the government seized after Harlan was sentenced. Well, she’s finally ready to fight back.”
Chante smiled excitedly. “This is what I’m talking about. These are the cases I want to take on.”
“She should win. With you on her side, I almost feel sorry for the Treasury Department.”
“Yes,” Liza said. “Shoot, I might write that book after all.”
“Book?” Teresa asked. “When will you have time for that? I know you and the rookie are going to be elbow deep in diapers soon.”
Chante turned to Liza. “Did you forget to tell me something?”
“No!” Liza exclaimed. “Someone must have forgotten to tell me something too!”
“Please,” Teresa said as she waved her hand, “I know you and Jackson are getting a lot of practice in.”
A deep blush burned Liza’s cheeks. “Anyway.”
“It wouldn’t be a bad thing for you and Jackson to bring some little ones into the world,” Chante said.
“When the time is right, it will happen. But Jackson and I aren’t there yet. He’s making waves in Raleigh right now.”
Teresa smiled. “I’m proud of the senator. He’s making people nervous, and that is why I want people like him in office.” She turned to Chante. “What did you ever see in Robert Montgomery?”
“I was hoodwinked,” she replied, and the ladies laughed.
Teresa sat down at her desk and started typing on her computer. “It’s time to get down to business,” she said. “Are you two ready?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Chante and Liza said in concert.
Zach tugged at the knot on his tie as he listened to Agent Banks explain to the media that the investigation into Natalie’s alleged involvement in sex trafficking had nothing to do with the Harringtons.
“Our investigation has turned up evidence that proves Zachary Harrington had no part in the alleged crime. Zoe Harrington has also been cleared of any connection with the sex ring. We’ve dropped all charges against Ms. Harrington,” he said, then glanced at Zoe. She shot him a stone-faced look that made Zach wonder if there was something else going on with the two of them.
“We’ll take a few questions,” Banks said. “But we can’t release any details of the case.”
“Mr. Harrington,” a reporter called out, “how did you not know what your wife was involved with?”
“People lie,” he replied.
“But you were married to her for . . .”
Zoe stood in front of the podium. “Listen,” she began, “this woman is a professional liar. It’s not surprising that a sex peddler used love and her body to get what she wanted, which was access to some high-end men who buy sex. Unfortunately, women are crafty, and my brother found out the hard way as our family’s business was drawn into this sordid mess. What’s even more disheartening is that the FBI jumped to the wrong conclusions and created a circus for my family.” Again, she speared Banks with an icy look. “And that’s all we have to say.” Zoe walked off the podium, and Zach followed his sister.
“What was that all about?” Zach asked.
“I don’t understand the purpose of a long press conference and answering questions so that the media will have ammunition to spin the story their way. I stated the facts, and that’s that.”
“Zoe, don’t stand here and try to play me. I’m talking about the daggers you were shooting at Agent Banks.”
“You’re exaggerating,” she said, then started walking toward the exit.
Zach grabbed her arm.
“You stay up in my business. Tell me the truth about you and Banks right now,” he demanded.
“There’s nothing to tell. We were both working a case, things were confused, and we . . .”
“You slept with him, didn’t you?” he asked.
“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? That man lied to me, and then he had the nerve to slap handcuffs on me.”
“Was that the first time?” Zach quipped.
Zoe punched her brother and glared at him. “Don’t make light of this. I didn’t judge you . . . well, yeah I did. But my point is, I don’t want to deal with all of this right now, and you need to make sure the media stays on message and we can get back to our lives.”
“And what are you going to do about him?” Zach asked as he pointed to Agent Banks.
“I’m out of here,” Zoe said. As Banks took a step toward her, Zoe bolted as if she’d
been struck by lightning.
Zach gave Banks a cool once-over. “What’s going on with you and my sister?”
“That’s classified information.”
“Don’t play with me. This isn’t a case; this is my family.”
“And as you can see, your sister wants nothing to do with me. Case closed.”
“It better be. Zoe plays hard, but she isn’t. Hurt her and I won’t give a damn about you being a G-man. I will kick your ass.”
“You do realize that you just threatened a government agent?”
“I don’t care. She’s my sister and . . .”
“Your sister broke my nose. I think she can handle herself.”
Zach held back a laugh and shook his head. “That’s good to know,” he said, then walked away.
When Zach made it back to his office, he pulled out his phone and dialed Chante’s number. When her voice mail picked up, he was disappointed. Turning to his desktop computer, he logged on to US Airways and booked a flight to Charlotte. He wanted to see his woman. Pausing, he stared off into the distance. He couldn’t believe he was sitting here thinking about Chante as if she was his. How could he be sure she hadn’t gone back to Charlotte and gotten into a situation that pushed him out of her life?
“I’m tripping,” he said as he looked down at his phone again. “She had her own situation to handle, and she might be busy.”
He just prayed she’d have time for him when he arrived in the Queen City. Before he could print out his boarding pass, Zoe burst into his office.
“You just can’t mind your own business, can you?”
“What are you talking about?”
Zoe folded her arms across her chest. “Really? Did you think Carver wasn’t going to call me and tell me you threatened him?”
“I didn’t threaten him, I made a promise.”
Zoe threw her hands up. “This is why I would never come back here and work with you. I’m not a little girl who needs her big brother—by five minutes, mind you—to protect me.”
“I’m not trying to protect you, but I’m not going to sit by and watch someone I love get hurt.”
I Heard A Rumor Page 17
