Laura reflected on the many arguments between her and Sonya over the past years. She hated to admit it, but Sonya had been right most of the time. Sonya’d warned her about dropping out of college to marry Curtis. Laura’s eyes swept across the beautifully decorated room and she felt a sense of pride for her sister. Laura often wondered what she could have achieved had she stayed in school.
Throughout her academic career, she had also made good grades, but she lacked the determination to succeed that drove Sonya. Her sister had desperately wanted to make it out of Techwood, a housing project in downtown Atlanta. If she could just do it all again, there would be so many things that she would change. If she only knew then what she knew now. But hindsight is always twenty-twenty, she thought. Right now she wanted to concentrate on her future.
Laura slipped into a pair of white shorts and matching T-shirt. When she turned around to leave, she released a startled gasp at seeing a large man dominating the doorway. “Richard, what are you doing here?”
An excited Anthony Payne burst through Dwayne’s office door, waving a small sheaf of papers in front of him. “I think I’ve got something,” he boasted confidently as he dropped the loose papers on Dwayne’s desk.
“What is it?” Dwayne leaned back in his chair.
“Richard Durden.”
“What about him?” Dwayne asked, watching the younger man take a seat.
“He doesn’t exist,” Anthony said, also leaning back in his chair, momentarily frightened of tipping over.
Dwayne shook his head at his overzealous assistant, who unfortunately was touched with a bit of clumsiness. “What do you mean, he doesn’t exist? I met the man at his brother’s funeral.”
“Then you met an impostor.”
“So are you going to tell me what you mean, or are we going to play twenty questions?” Dwayne asked, a little irritated.
“Well, according to this background check, Curtis was born to one Patricia and Jeremy Durden. His mother gave birth when she was just fifteen years old. His father was a young gang member who didn’t live to see his twenties.”
“And?” Dwayne rolled his hand, wanting him to speed up the story.
“And,” Anthony continued, “due to a series of complications in her pregnancy, Patricia was unable to have any more children.”
Dwayne leaned forward with that information. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying according to my research, Curtis was an only child.” Anthony leaned back farther in his chair. This time he did capsize, sending his tall body across the emerald carpet.
Dwayne shook his head at his assistant, who immediately sprang from the floor as if he intended to fall on his face. “Are you all right?” Dwayne asked in mock concern.
“Of course, sir,” he answered, clearing his throat. He never once showed his embarrassment.
Dwayne shuffled through the papers sprawled across his desk until he found what he was looking for. “According to this, it was Richard Durden who identified Curtis’s body.”
Anthony shrugged his shoulders. “You’re positive Miss Walters said Richard was Curtis’s brother? Perhaps he was a cousin or something.”
“No, she definitely said brother. This report also lists him as a brother.” Dwayne picked up his phone to call Sonya, but before he could dial, Anthony’s hand stopped him. “There’s more.”
Tina buzzed in over the small intercom. “Miss Walters, there’s a Mr. Hamilton here to see you.”
“Show him in.” Sonya quickly refreshed her lipstick and checked her hair to make sure the pins still held it in a perfect French roll. By the time Dwayne entered the room, Sonya had picked up her pen and pretended to be engrossed with her work.
“Miss Walters?” Tina interrupted.
Sonya glanced up and placed her pen down on the desk. “Mr. Hamilton, won’t you have a seat?” She gestured to one of the vacant chairs in front of her desk.
Tina smiled seductively at Dwayne and left the room, unaware of Sonya’s intense gaze on her retreating figure.
Dwayne took a seat and cleared his throat. “Miss Walters, I apologize for showing up on such short notice, but we’ve just discovered some disturbing news.”
Sonya took a deep breath. “Is it about Curtis?”
Dwayne nodded. “I found out through my assistant, Anthony, your sister’s husband had an interesting occupation. He was, as we say, a representative for a pharmaceutical company?”
Sonya knew what she was about to say would start an argument, so she braced herself. “I know Curtis was a drug dealer,” she said softly.
Dwayne’s jaw clamped shut. Sonya could see the tiny muscles along his jawline twitch in obvious frustration. He silently unbuttoned his gray jacket and loosened his tie. “Do you want to tell me how something like that just slipped your mind?”
He had every right to be angry, Sonya told herself. “I didn’t think it was important at the time.”
“How could you have possibly thought that? That bit of information opens up a new avenue of suspects,” he reasoned.
Sonya nodded in agreement.
“You have nothing else to say?” Dwayne asked, staring at her.
“I was wrong not to have mentioned it,” Sonya admitted.
Dwayne took a deep breath and glanced up at the ceiling as if he were looking for help from a higher power. “Is there something else you’re hiding from me? Anything else you don’t consider important?”
Sonya shifted in her chair. “No,” she answered with a great deal of patience.
“Good. But I warn you, if I find any more surprises, I’m dropping this case. Understand?” Dwayne informed as he held Sonya’s gaze.
Sonya nodded, hating his parental tone.
“Anthony has also brought another disturbing matter to my attention. I had a background check done on Curtis. I’ve discovered that Curtis Durden’s parents are both dead—”
“I knew that,” Sonya cut in.
“Let me finish,” Dwayne instructed her patiently. “As a child, Curtis bounced back and forth through our wonderful judicial system. He went from one foster home to another.”
“Explains a lot,” Sonya commented.
Dwayne nodded. “At fifteen he had his first brush with the police. He was charged with burglary.”
Sonya absently twirled the gold coin around her neck while deep in thought. “So you’re telling me it wasn’t Curtis’s fault he was a jerk.”
“No. But maybe he got caught up in the system,” Dwayne reasoned.
Sonya rolled her eyes at his explanation.
“But that’s not all. We were unable to come up with any record of a Richard Durden.”
Sonya stopped twirling her necklace. “No record?”
Dwayne stood up from his chair and began to pace across the floor. “So you’re as shocked as I am?”
Sonya’s mind raced a mile a minute. “Then who is the man that’s been living under my roof for the past week?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea. Not only that, this Richard identified Curtis’s body, according to the police reports.”
Sonya placed her fingers to her temples. What Dwayne was saying wasn’t making any sense.
“Is this man still at your home?” Dwayne asked, straightening his jacket.
Sonya came out of her chair. “Laura!”
Sonya snatched up the phone to dial home. If this man wasn’t who he said he was, then she wanted Laura away from him. The phone continued to ring. Sonya gave Dwayne a worried glance. Why isn’t she answering the phone? The answering machine picked up on the fifth ring, and Sonya slammed down the phone. Something’s wrong. “I have to get over there.” Sonya grabbed her purse.
“Maybe she’s at a friend’s house,” Dwayne reasoned.
Sonya paused at the door. “Laura hasn’t left the house since she was released from jail,” she answered.
“Then I’ll come with you.” Dwayne followed her out her office door. Racing down the small aisles of cubicles,
Sonya saw the curious stares from her employees as she passed by. They reached the elevator bay and waited impatiently for one to arrive. Sonya tried to convince herself Laura wasn’t in any danger, but she failed miserably.
When the elevator arrived, both Dwayne and Sonya rushed in. She glanced at Dwayne once and noticed the genuine concern. They reached the lobby and flew across the hard marbled floor. Outside, Dwayne grabbed her hand. “We’ll take my car.”
Sonya looked quizzically at him.
“You’re not exactly a safe driver under stressful conditions,” he explained.
Sonya gave no argument as she ran along with him, giving no thought to her three-inch pumps as she kept up with Dwayne’s pace.
Dwayne pulled out his keys and pushed the small button to disengage the alarm system. He jumped into a black Porsche, leaned over and unlocked the passenger’s side.
In the next moment, Sonya searched desperately for her seat belt. Dwayne sped around corners and changed lanes like a madman. A few times, Sonya cringed when he came entirely too close to another vehicle. He thought I was a reckless driver? She was relieved when they reached the highway. There weren’t too many cars for her to worry about.
They arrived at Sonya’s house in record time. Sonya bolted for the door, and quickly turned off the alarm. Dwayne entered right behind her. “Laura!” they both screamed in unison. No answer.
“I’ll check upstairs,” Sonya said, racing up the long spiral staircase.
Sonya darted in and out of the six bedrooms, frantically searching for Laura. Each room was empty. Dwayne’s thundering voice caused her to rush back to the staircase.
“I found a note,” he said, waving a thin piece of paper.
Sonya flew downstairs. Fear gripped her heart as Dwayne handed her the letter.
Dear Sonya,
Stepped out for a moment with Richard. Will return soon.
Laura
Chapter 10
The moon hung high while filtered rays pierced through the Palladian windows, serving as the only light in Sonya’s living room.
“She should have been home by now,” Sonya fretted. She paced across the polished marble for the millionth time.
“Are you sure you called all her friends?” Dwayne asked without looking up. He held his head between his hands and stared down at the floor.
“Everyone that I know of. Laura doesn’t have many friends.”
Dwayne searched for words that would soothe her but could think of none.
“What can the police do?” Sonya asked.
“We’ve already gone over this. The police will think she skipped bail.”
“But she wouldn’t skip bail. She wouldn’t do anything that stupid.”
“Please sit down, Sonya. You’re making me a nervous wreck.”
Sonya looked as if she wanted to argue, but sat in the cream-colored love seat on the opposite side of him. She crossed her long, slender legs, and Dwayne caught his breath at the sight of the moonlight caressing their shapely form. His eyes slowly traveled to her form-fitting dress that glowed in the luminous light. When he looked up to meet her worried expression, he felt a tight knot form in the pit of his stomach. She looked beautiful with the radiant moonlight dancing along each curl of her hair.
Dwayne’s eyes traveled to her flawlessly shaped lips. He could feel himself being drawn to them. When he looked back into her eyes, he noticed they seemed to glow with passion.
Suddenly she stood up, never taking her eyes from his. She reached behind her dress and pulled the zipper in the back. Mesmerized, he watched the dress slide to the floor. Shimmering lights kissed the various parts of her glorious body that stood before him. His breathing became shallow as he looked upon his Venus. Her firm legs led him to a flat, tight stomach that promised him a world of wonder and discovery. His eyes traveled to her ample breasts that demanded attention. Dwayne felt his passion rising.
“Dwayne, do you hear me? Dwayne!” Sonya’s voice boomed, shattering his romantic vision.
Dwayne looked guiltily at Sonya, who sat fully clothed in the love seat opposite him.
“Hello, is anyone home?” Sonya said, waving her hand in front of his face.
“I…Uh. Yes, I’m sorry,” Dwayne sputtered, jumping to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Sonya asked, her eyes widening in alarm.
“I…I need to use the phone,” he said, wanting to leave the room.
“Well, there’s one beside you.” Sonya pointed to a gold phone sitting on the glass table beside the sofa.
“It’s a personal call,” he offered as an explanation.
“Oh,” Sonya said, standing. “Follow me, there’s one in the kitchen.”
Crossing the spacious living room, Dwayne searched for something, anything, to say. “When did you redecorate?”
“I reordered my furniture the same day I was released from the hospital.” They entered the kitchen. “There’s the phone.” Sonya pointed.
She left him alone in the kitchen to make his call.
What is wrong with me? He waited a few minutes to gain his composure before he dialed home.
“Hamilton residence,” Bridget answered pertly.
“Hello, honey, it’s me.”
“Oh, hello, sweetheart,” Bridget answered too seductively.
“Sweetheart?”
“I’m joking, Dad.”
Dwayne shook his head against the phone. “I’m calling to let you know that I’m coming home late tonight, so don’t wait up.”
“Ah, sugar-daddy got a date,” Bridget teased.
“On the contrary. I’m waiting for a client.”
Sonya returned to the kitchen and headed to the refrigerator. “I’ll see you when I get home,” Dwayne said, watching Sonya from the corner of his eye. “All right, I love you, too. Bye.”
Sonya placed the bottled water back in the refrigerator. She stiffened at hearing Dwayne’s words.
“Mind if I get something to drink myself? I’m dying of thirst,” he asked from behind. His rich voice sent chills down her spine.
“Of course,” she said, refusing to look back at him. “What would you like? I have Coke, Sprite and just about any kind of fruit juice you like.”
“Do you have anything stronger?” He peered over her shoulder to look for himself.
Dwayne’s nearness caused a deep blush to stain her cheeks. “I…ah, think I have some Merlot. I really don’t keep anything stronger than wine.”
“Then Merlot it is. We need something to soothe our nerves.”
Sonya turned to retrieve glasses from the cupboard. Moments later, they sat in the living room, sipping on the rich taste of Sonya’s favorite red wine.
“Tell me a little about yourself,” Dwayne asked, staring directly into Sonya’s eyes.
Sonya didn’t know whether it was the wine or his intense gaze that caused her to feel warm. “There’s nothing to tell.” She rolled her finger around the glass rim.
“Oh, I doubt that.”
Sonya smiled awkwardly. “I’m sure you’ve already run a background check on me, so you already know everything.”
Dwayne returned her smile. “I know the basics. You’ve accomplished a lot to get where you are and in such a short time. President of your own advertising company. That’s very impressive.”
“A great deal of it came from being in the right place at the right time.”
“You graduated cum laude from Harvard. I think you’re being too modest. Surely there’s more?”
“No, that’s about it.”
“And your sister?” he asked, changing the subject.
“What about her?”
“You both are so…different.”
“On the surface maybe, but in here—” Sonya pointed to her heart “—we are very much the same.”
“Why haven’t you ever married?” Dwayne asked after a long pause.
Sonya chose her words carefully before speaking again. “I’m not so sure if I believe in marri
age.” She didn’t try to hide the pain covering her face. “Would you like some more wine?” Sonya offered, as she got up and headed toward the kitchen without waiting for an answer. Once in the kitchen, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. What was it about this man that caused her to react this way? She had never discussed such a personal question before, not even with Laura.
Only fools believed in marriage, she thought. Men looked at the institution as if it meant ownership. It was no more than a license for them to treat their wives like a piece of meat. She remembered the times she had to cover her ears from hearing the beatings her father rained nightly on her mother. She remembered, vividly, the black eyes and broken noses as if it were yesterday.
Once, Laura made the comment that their parents’ situation was their mother’s fault, but Laura was too young to know any better. It was probably how she adopted the notion that when Curtis abused her, it was somehow her fault.
Sonya decided in her heart, a long time ago, that she would never marry. She fought to get out of the projects and make something of herself. Now she had accomplished everything she had dreamed of, and she did it without the help of a man.
“Sonya, are you all right in there?” Dwayne called.
“Yes. I’ll be right there,” she answered. She wiped a lone tear from her eye and returned to the living room with a new bottle of wine.
When she entered the room, Dwayne had taken off his jacket and tie and was now busy loosening his collar. When their eyes locked again, Sonya fought a powerful urge to go to him. It was a feeling that confused her.
Dwayne pulled his eyes away first. “If I didn’t know better, Miss Walters, I would think you were trying to get me drunk.”
Sonya smiled and sat the new bottle of Merlot between them. “I thought about what you said,” Dwayne spoke seriously again. “I have to disagree with you. I believe marriage to be a beautiful institution. Men and women were ultimately put on this earth to coexist together.”
Defenseless Page 7
