This time Sonya did hear her. She took off her sunglasses and smiled. Just then, a man who was behind Sonya grabbed her roughly by the shoulder. Bridget raced to Sonya’s aide.
Sonya struggled to pull herself from the man’s grasp. Bridget didn’t understand what was going on—she just realized Sonya was in trouble. Bridget reached Sonya’s side and was able to successfully pull her protectively behind her.
Bridget heard her father scream her name just as the startled man aimed something toward her. An explosion caused a loud ringing in her ears. She saw Sonya’s mouth move but heard no words. The ringing was getting louder. She looked down to see blood everywhere. She looked briefly toward her father, then felt herself falling into a dark cloud.
Chapter 22
“Bridget!” Sonya screamed. She tried to kneel beside the young girl but felt herself jerked up by the arm.
“You’re going with me,” Odell commanded against her ear. Sonya turned—her eyes widened the instant she recognized Richard.
“Where’s my sister?” She struck the sinister-looking man. However, he controlled her hands in an iron-tight grip.
He refused to answer and began to pull her unwilling body along with him. Sonya struggled to break free. She took another glimpse at Bridget’s motionless body on the sidewalk.
In horror, a piercing scream erupted from her. She tried desperately to break away.
Odell couldn’t drag Sonya far before Dwayne hurled his body against the man’s back. When Odell released Sonya, she felt her skin scrape against the cement, yet she ignored her bruises and focused her attention on reaching Bridget. Sonya crawled to Bridget, forgetting the two men behind her.
“I’m going for help. Can you stay with her?” Anthony asked, making his way to her. When he received no response, he spoke louder and succeeded in getting Sonya’s attention. “I’m going to get help.”
Sonya nodded and pulled Bridget’s head into her arms. She pushed a few loose strands of hair from the young girl’s face and studied her. She’s so young. Visions of the vibrant girl projected in Sonya’s mind. She remembered how her eyes lit up whenever she talked about her coin collection. Please, God, don’t take her now.
Sonya looked down to where Bridget’s blood covered her shirt. Blinded by her tears, she removed her hand and saw that it, too, was covered with the sticky substance. What have I done? Sonya blamed herself for what had happened. The bullet wasn’t meant for this innocent child.
Sonya lifted remorseful eyes toward Dwayne, who continued to pound on the man who shot his daughter. When would this nightmare end?
Dwayne pulled himself from Odell’s limp body. His vision centered on his daughter cradled between Sonya’s possessive arms. He wasn’t sure whether he walked or crawled over to them. He was only aware of Bridget lying so still.
He pulled her from Sonya and into his arms. He refused to look at Sonya. “Bridget, baby. It’s me, Daddy. Wake up. It’s time to go home.” When she didn’t respond, her angelic face blurred from the tears that escaped his eyes. “Bridget, please,” he moaned.
Dwayne buried his face in her soft hair. That’s when he heard it. She was breathing. Suddenly there were swarms of people surrounding him, trying to coax him to release Bridget into their care. He looked at the police officers and nurses who had scrambled from the detention center to try to help him.
“Sir, please let us take her,” a strange woman said to him. But he couldn’t let Bridget go. “Sir, please.”
It took some coaxing before the officers successfully eased his daughter out of his arms, but Dwayne followed close behind them.
“Where are you taking her?” he asked with his voice thick with emotion.
“We’re going to have to take her to Grady,” a nurse answered.
“I’m riding with her. I’m her father.” Dwayne saw a pair of flashing lights and was relieved that help arrived so soon.
The paramedics arrived and had Bridget secured in the ambulance within a matter of minutes. He climbed aboard the ambulance without a backward glance.
Sonya’s hand covered her mouth as she watched Dwayne and Bridget leave. What have I done? Guilt consumed her heart. When Sonya felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, she swirled around to face Anthony. Relieved, she sought comfort in Anthony’s outstretched arms.
She didn’t know how long she remained in his embrace, but she felt grateful that he was patient enough to let her. “Thank you,” she finally said, withdrawing from him.
“There’s no need to thank me, Miss Walters. Are you all right?”
Sonya nodded. It was a lie, but she refused to seek further comfort from him.
“Excuse me?” a voice asked from behind.
They turned to see an officer.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I’m afraid that I’m going to have to ask you some questions.”
Sonya glanced toward the heavens. It seemed that talking to policemen was becoming a constant occurrence lately.
“Of course,” Anthony said, giving the officer his complete attention.
Sonya, however, glanced to where her attacker had lain. Fear grabbed her heart. “Anthony,” she said, tugging on his arm.
“Yes?” he asked, looking down at her.
Sonya pointed to where she had last seen her assailant. “He’s gone!”
Malik clasped hands with his brother. Their dark gazes locked. His brother stood at an even six feet. His black skin matched his eyes. It had been a long time. However, he could see that not much had changed with his brother. He was still playing the street game.
“It’s good to see you,” Malik lied effortlessly.
“It’s good to see you, too. You wanna drink?” William said, taking a chair.
Malik watched the men that encircled his brother and assumed they were his bodyguards. “Sure, I have a few minutes to kill.”
William smiled. He seemed pleased by Malik’s answer. “Robert—” he signaled to the bartender “—bring us two forties.”
Malik shook his head at his brother. He knew William would never change. He took years to build a reputation on the streets. And he wasn’t about to walk away from it now. But Malik knew that his life on the streets would only lead to one thing. Death.
He knew all too well the life expectancy on Atlanta’s hard streets was age twenty-five. His brother had just reached that peak.
“What brings you to my side of town, bro?” William asked.
“Let’s just say I heard that you could probably help me with a favor.”
William lifted an amused brow. “You’re coming to me for help? Well, if that don’t beat all.”
Robert arrived with their two beers.
“Stranger things have been known to happen,” Malik replied.
William took a long gulp of beer, then said, “Tell me your problem, and I’ll see if I can help you.”
Malik reached into his jacket and pulled out the bent picture of Laura. “I’m looking for her,” he said, tossing the picture onto the table.
William glanced at the picture, uninterested. “Never seen her.”
Malik expelled a long sigh and propped his elbows on the table. “Cut me a break, William. We grew up with her in Techwood. Now tell the truth. Do you know where she is?”
William gave a small smirk and shook his head. “You’ll never change, Malik.”
“Neither will you. Now, have you seen her?”
William leaned in as if he had a secret to tell. Malik followed suit.
“Maybe,” was his soft response.
Malik restrained himself from wrapping his hands around William’s neck. He didn’t want to play a guessing game with him but knew that this was William’s style.
“When do you think you’ll be arriving at a decision? Either you have or you haven’t.”
“Patience, my dear brother, patience. Drink your beer.”
Malik grabbed the bottle and took a sip. The last thing he wanted to do was to let William pump him with beer. He placed t
he bottle down and tried his interrogation again.
“I don’t have much time on this case, William. Can you help me?”
William leaned his elbows on the table and formed a temple with his hands. “What makes you think I can help you?”
Malik’s patience went out the window. He hated when William would answer a question with another question.
“Word on the street is you pull jobs for Frank.”
William’s jaw twitched as Malik realized he had hit a nerve.
“Who told you that?”
Malik smiled, trying to cover his anger. “I have my contacts. Why are you working for Frank again?”
William held Malik’s steady gaze. “Let’s just say I owed him a favor.”
“William, you know you’ll never finish repaying Frank for one of his favors.”
“Are you playing the concerned brother?” William asked, with disgust shining in his eyes.
“I’m not here to discuss family problems with you, William. You chose your own destiny,” Malik said seriously.
The two men were silent for a moment, then William broke out in a wide grin. “So now you need my help?”
“Enough of the cat chase, William. Have you seen her?”
William took another long sip of his beer and looked around the billiard room, then looked back into Malik’s intense gaze. “Yeah, I’ve seen her.”
Sonya and Anthony repeated to the police the events that occurred for the third time. But no one seemed concerned that the attacker had gotten away.
The officer asking the questions put an APB out on the fleeing assailant, but something wasn’t right.
Anthony gave her smiles of encouragement, but she felt everything but safe. It seemed strange to sit between police officers and still feel like an open target.
She wasn’t too surprised to see Sergeant Freeman arrive on the scene. He pulled up and asked a nearby officer a question. The officer pointed toward her, and the sergeant made his way over to her.
“Ah, Miss Walters. Why is it whenever there is a disturbance in the area, I can almost count on your being in the midst of it?” Sergeant Freeman asked with a stiff grin.
“Probably because you’re assigned to every case, no matter where it’s located. At least I know this is in your jurisdiction,” Sonya answered with razor-sharp sarcasm.
“What happened this time?” he asked, ignoring her contempt.
“Richard.”
“Your brother-in-law?” Freeman cocked his eyebrow.
“The impostor.” Sonya wrapped her arms around herself as if to protect herself from him.
Freeman walked over to the officer who’d questioned her earlier, then returned, frowning.
“Did you find out where your sister is?”
Sonya shook her head at the ridiculous question. “No, we didn’t have time to exchange civil conversation.”
Freeman gave her a hard look, which Sonya returned.
“Are you ready to accept police protection now, Miss Walters, or do you want to wait until someone is killed?”
Sonya glanced around at the police that were busy searching the crime scene. When she turned her attention back to Freeman, she noticed Freeman’s eyes glued to her neck. Sonya closed her jacket. “I think I’ll stay with Mr. Hamilton,” she answered, shocked by her declaration. The truth was, she felt safe with him, and she should have remained under his protection. But the sight of him holding Carmen in his private study still pained her.
“Are we free to go now, Sergeant?” Anthony interrupted.
The sergeant looked from Sonya to Anthony and nodded. “But perhaps, Miss Walters, you should keep in contact with the department.”
Sonya looked at him oddly.
“In case we get word on your sister,” he offered as an explanation.
Sonya nodded and allowed Anthony to pull her away from Sergeant Freeman.
Much later Sonya arrived at the sixth floor of Grady Hospital. She headed straight to the waiting room with Anthony. She saw Dwayne sitting alone with his hands clasped over his head. She immediately ran over to him. She stopped, however, when he lifted his head and locked gazes with her.
The pain she saw reflected in his eyes tore at her soul as she took a brave step forward. His face, at first, seemed hard. She feared that he would turn her away, but then his expression softened, and he reached out and pulled her closer to him.
Sonya couldn’t move. She just stroked the top of his head as it lay flat against her stomach. She kneeled down in front of him to look into his eyes.
“I’m so sorry.” Her lower lip trembled from both guilt and heartache.
Dwayne said nothing as he leaned in until their foreheads touched. There, in their secluded space, Sonya watched his silent tears stream down his face. She thought nothing of being there to comfort him.
When Anthony sat two seats down from them, Sonya felt Dwayne grow tense. She reached up and smoothed away his tears. She knew that he would put up a brave facade in front of another man.
Dwayne pulled away from her, but kept both of her hands locked securely in his. She read the look of uncertainty in his eyes. His expression gave him a childlike appearance. She wished she could console that child but didn’t know how.
Sonya stood and sat next to him while they continued to hold hands.
“How is she doing?” Anthony asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Dwayne answered, his voice no more than a trembling whisper.
“Do you want me to call Sharon?” Sonya offered after everyone had fallen silent.
Dwayne gave her a look of appreciation. “Do you have the number?”
“No, but I remember the name of the hotel. I’ll call information.”
“Thank you.” The corners of Dwayne’s mouth lifted, but it wasn’t a smile.
Sonya leaned in and kissed him. The moment their lips made contact, Sonya felt him drawing on her strength—strength he needed to get through this nightmare.
Sonya pulled away gently to see his gray eyes probe her own. She squeezed his hand, then went to find a pay phone.
She had no trouble finding one. But before she could bring herself to dispense the quarter into its slot, Sonya’s head slumped against the phone booth, and she began to cry.
She remained there for quite a while before she felt Dwayne’s strong hands caress her shoulders. She turned around, letting the phone dangle from its silver cord. She immediately buried her head in his broad chest.
He held her until the sobs ceased, stroking her short hair. When her tears subsided, she remained in his embrace. He said nothing as he kissed the top of her head.
Sonya squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted so desperately for this to be a bad dream. She felt one of Dwayne’s hands reach to retrieve the phone. He dropped a quarter into its slot and dialed for assistance.
It wasn’t long before he had Sharon’s hotel and number and was charging the call to his home phone number. All the while Sonya remained submerged in his embrace.
“Hello, Sharon?”
A few hours later, Sonya, Dwayne and Anthony sat in a half-empty cafeteria. Cups of steaming coffee were set before each of them. Dwayne and Sonya continued to hold hands across the table.
Anthony’s beeper went off. He looked at the tiny screen and excused himself.
Dwayne watched Anthony leave, then his eyes fell on the clock above the exit door. “She’s been in there going on four hours,” he commented, looking up at the clock.
“We must be patient,” Sonya said, squeezing his hand for emphasis.
Dwayne pulled his hand away and reached for his coffee. The hot liquid warmed him but only briefly. He couldn’t shake the thought of Bridget lying in the emergency room—fighting for her life—and he was completely helpless.
He replayed the series of events leading to this moment, and he couldn’t come up with any answers. Where had she come from? And why did she jump in front of Sonya?
Anthony returned to the cafeteria and asked to s
peak with Dwayne in private. Sonya looked at the men strangely as they moved to the far side of the room.
“What is it?” Dwayne asked, observing Anthony’s troubled look.
“Malik just paged me. He has some information. I’m going down to meet him now,” Anthony said, looking toward Sonya.
Dwayne nodded. He’d forgotten the private investigator. “Did he tell you what he’s found?”
“No. He sounded like he couldn’t really talk then, so I’m meeting him where Ray’s Barbecue used to be.”
“Popular place,” Dwayne reflected.
“What?” Anthony asked, not understanding his meaning.
“Nothing. Keep me informed.”
Anthony agreed and started to leave. “Anthony,” Dwayne called after him.
“Yes?”
Dwayne held his questioning gaze. “Be careful.”
Anthony smiled. “Of course.” With that he turned and left the cafeteria.
Dwayne returned to the table, his mind traveling in two different directions. He was now concerned for Anthony’s safety.
He returned to the table where Sonya sat. He avoided meeting her eyes. Being in this cafeteria gave him a strong sense of déjà vu.
Sonya slid her hand across the table, taking his hand in hers. “She’s going to be all right.”
Dwayne shook his head. His last thread of hope snapped in half. “I’ve been here before,” he whispered more to himself than her. He removed his hand from hers and stared at them. A feeling of helplessness settled on his shoulders as he began to prepare for the worst.
“I remember being in this very hospital thirteen years ago. I thought that she could pull through it. She was strong and I…I couldn’t help her.”
Sonya felt a sharp stab of pain pierce her heart. Her mouth trembled as she asked him, “How did it happen?”
“My wife died of breast cancer.” Dwayne balled his hand to stop the trembling. “I can’t lose her, too.” He closed his eyes and willed his tears away.
Sonya left her chair to enclose him in her arms. Dwayne turned and held on to her for dear life. They remained embracing for a long time.
Defenseless Page 17
