Black Regrets

by C. J. Thomas

  “Everything happens for a reason,” Madam responded before I could answer.

  “How did you do it?”

  Over the next few minutes, Madam told me how Kelly used photos of what I saw that day at Emmanuel’s to blackmail Parker. “Apparently, Parker didn’t take the news so well.”

  Closing my eyes, I thought back to that day and remembered seeing what I thought was paparazzi taking my photo. Was I wrong? My blood boiled. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  “Baby doll, it’s best you stay out of this.”

  Madam’s lack of empathy for Tonya made me furious. What did Tonya know that upset Madam so much to have her killed? Because that was what I was hearing. That Parker learned Kelly had damaging photos of him getting it on with one of Madam’s escorts and decided to take matters into his own hands.

  My stomach flipped, sickened by Madam’s response. “How could you?”

  “Kelly Black needed me. Just as he always has.”

  Shaking my head, I stood, thinking that wasn’t what I was getting at. What I wanted to know was how Madam could let someone dangerous like Parker get through her screening process.

  “Going so soon?” Madam’s voice sang.

  “I came here to ask you where I could find Angelina Davis.”

  Madam dropped her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “Kendra, darling—”

  I lifted my gaze back to hers.

  “If I were you, I would keep your theories about what might have happened to yourself.”

  “Why?” My brows pinched as my heart raced. “Am I in danger?”

  Madam’s tongue slid over her cherry red lips as I openly stared, not knowing who the Madam was. And with a racing mind, I couldn’t stop thinking how my uncle’s surprise visit was too clean to be pure coincidence. I wouldn’t put it past her to have arranged that meeting as well.

  “Oh, dear,” she clapped her hands together and glanced to the corner of her desk, “I nearly forgot.”

  I watched her reach for a package. My heart sank. I was not in the mood to do another delivery. But that was exactly what it was as I reluctantly stepped forward and took it into my hand, tucking it under my arm.

  “Instructions are inside as always.” Her eyes flickered.

  Glaring, I looked away.

  “You’re safe dear.” She batted her lashes. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

  But I had heard that same promise before with my parents. And look where it got me now. “Did you give Tonya the same reassurance?” I snapped back.

  “Don’t be naïve, young child.” Madam narrowed her eyes. “Unlike her, I chose you for a reason.”

  13

  Kelly

  Stepping foot inside my law office was a clear reminder what was on the line.

  My career.

  Everything I had worked my entire life to achieve.

  Justice—and not just to those I represented, but peace of mind for me as well.

  Mario Jimenez was a tough loss but I promised myself I would redirect that frustration and focus on going after Sylvia Neil and Timothy Parker. It was the least I could do for him. Though Maria’s death never left my mind, the fact that Tonya was now dead as well had me concerned that something bigger was brewing. And if we didn’t put a stop to it now, it was only going to get worse.

  “Kelly.” Giselle came running toward me. “I’ve got coffee. Can I get you a cup?”

  Looking her in the eye, it looked like she had already had an entire pot herself. Nodding, I mumbled, “Thanks.”

  She skipped to the back and I could hear her opening and shutting the cabinets before pouring the liquid into a clean mug. I slipped my shoulder strap off my arm and placed my bag just on the inside of my office door. When she came back, I gave her a sideways glance.

  “Okay. Fine. I’ll just come out and say it since I can see you’re already asking yourself why I’m at the office early, energized and ready to take on the day.”

  “No,” I said, dragging my voice out nice and slow. Wrapping my hand around the hot mug, the roasted aroma hit my nose. “I’m not asking anything.”

  She leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I. Got. Laid.”

  My brows shot high on my head. “You can tell John it’s about time.”

  “It’s wasn’t John,” she said as I stepped around her desk and focused on a package that had been delivered. “He and I are finished.”

  My gaze lifted up from her desk and found her with a silly smile plastered across her face. “Finished?”

  She nodded as her smile grew wider. This seemed ridiculous. I didn’t need to know the details of her personal life. But maybe because I had been encouraging her to make things right with John she insisted I know that she not only was done with him, but that she had also moved on to her next conquest.

  Suddenly, I was struck with the memory of Ty Lemon’s party. “The man from Lemon’s gala?”

  “Yes.” She tossed her head back and laughed. “Drake Goodman.”

  “What’s this?” I asked, exchanging my coffee for the delivered package.

  “It’s the reason I called so early,” she said in her professional tone.

  Eyeing her, I watched Giselle’s face pale and all I could think of was how Sylvia warned me that everyone looking into Maria Greer’s murder would soon be silenced. Feeling the package by weight, another thought struck. I had been so focused on thinking Parker was behind Tonya’s death that I hadn’t considered until now that maybe Sylvia’s warning included that of Tonya, too. Did Tonya know something about Maria’s murder and Sylvia had her killed because of it? It was possible, but my theory with Parker also made sense.

  “What is it, Kelly?”

  Turning the package over, I said, “We need to screen every delivery made to this office more carefully from now on.”

  Worry creased her brow.

  “At least until we can prove Sylvia isn’t just making threats without substance behind them.”

  “Shit. I’ve already opened it.”

  Pulling the tab open, I cast my gaze inside. Just what I needed. More photographs.

  One-by-one, I pulled out a dozen different photos. All of which had Kendra’s face displayed somewhere on the frame.

  “And you looked at all these?” I asked.

  Giselle brought her hand to her forehead and nodded. “I should have waited for you.”

  I shuffled through them again, taking note of the name of the salon in the background.

  “That’s why I called so early,” Giselle said again. “It was my first time sleeping with him, and you know how guys get after the first time they sleep with somebody new. I had to leave early to throw him off, make him think that I wasn’t as interested as I am—”

  Giselle rambled on as I continued to study each image. Kendra was holding something inside her hands and without having to look too closely, I knew it was a delivery she was making for Madam.

  A pained expression moved over my face.

  This was my fault. I did this to her. And as I stared at my Bella in the photograph, I remembered Kendra admitting to me that she wanted to get out of Madam’s contract. And now that Tonya had ended up like Maria, I too would like to see Kendra free.

  “Kelly?”

  Snapping out of my thoughts, I quickly glanced at Giselle.

  “I said, who do you think sent these?”

  Shuffling to the next photo in the deck, a sudden arctic blast hit my chest. All three of them were in the same frame. Timothy. Tonya. Kendra. Together in the same building. “Son of a bitch.”

  Giselle stepped up to my side and I showed her what I was looking at. “What does this mean?”

  “It all happened the same day.” I dropped the images to the desk and rubbed a hand over my face.

  Giselle quickly plowed through the images. “Is Kendra all right?”

  “She’s fine. I was with her last night. Kissed her goodbye this morning.” And have Maxwell w
ith her now.

  “Then what is it?”

  I picked up my coffee and took a sip. “I blackmailed Parker to drop the charges with photos taken from the same day.”

  Giselle sighed. “Are you sure?”

  “Do we know the timestamp of when these were taken?”

  She turned back to the images. “If we had the digital copies, yes. But not with these.”

  “Then believe me. They all happened minutes apart.”

  Giselle plucked an image from the center of the stack. “Who is this guy?”

  Staring at Emmanuel’s face, I felt my gut twist my insides in two. “He’s nobody.”

  Taking a dry-erase marker from her desk, Giselle circled his face and made a note to find out who he was.

  This was all my fault. I made the first delivery to him at his warehouse, arranging Madam’s request of six figures per month to be laundered through his businesses. It made me ill to think that I didn’t see this coming. That it could be just a one-time deal in order for me to get the woman I craved. Of course it wasn’t. It never was that simple with Madam. She always had another trick waiting up her sleeve.

  “Who sent these?” I asked.

  “Anonymous.”

  Reaching inside my suit jacket pocket, I was reminded of the note I’d found on my car when visiting Echo. “Take a look at this.”

  “What is it?” Giselle’s spine straightened.

  When I had the paper completely unfolded, I held it up for her to see.

  She stepped forward, pinching the note at the corner, holding it steady while her eyes soaked in the words. Squinting, she repeated, “Look what you made me do.”

  I sucked back a breath but was unable to fill my lungs completely. My nerves were raw as fear of what might happen next seeped into my pores.

  Giselle fixed her eyes on me. “What the hell does that mean?”

  I told her how I’d found it—and how it seemed to appear out of nowhere.

  “Who do you think is behind this?” She released her pinched fingers and I folded the note up and placed it back inside my jacket pocket.

  “Could be any of our favorite suspects. Perhaps Sylvia.” I took my coffee back inside my hands and sidestepped closer to my office door. “She knows we’re closing in on her after leading us astray with Nash. Or,” I paused to reach my hand inside my office, coming back with the photos Madam gave to me to use against Parker, “him.”

  “Timothy Parker?”

  Nodding, I said, “It’s possible he was the last to be seen with Tonya before she died.”

  Giselle took a step back with her hands jammed into her armpits.

  “Either way, someone is watching us.”

  14

  Kendra

  Stepping out of Madam’s office, I ignored Jerome’s glare.

  I didn’t need him to spank me for being a bad employee. Not with my mind set on tracking down that bitch, Angel. I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of here. I was starting to really hate coming, never knowing what it was I was going to find.

  Hurrying down the steps, Madam’s words played on repeat inside my head.

  I asked myself what Madam meant when she said she chose me for a reason. She didn’t choose me. I chose her. Signing up to be one of her paid escorts was my payback to Alex. I had been a bitch to my best friend by nearly getting her killed when I got rid of the money she found, and taking over her debt was the least I could do to make things right between us.

  Madam.

  What a fucking whore.

  “She chose me,” I mumbled to myself with a constricted heart.

  Lifting the small package still firmly clamped inside my hand, I shook my head with disbelief. A sour taste filled my mouth at how inconsiderate Madam was when speaking of Tonya. It made me sick. She didn’t care about us. To her, we were replaceable—there was always a young woman ready to pay her bills.

  Marching up to Janine’s desk, I kept my head down, deep in thought.

  And if what Madam said was true about Kelly, he knew about Tonya.

  My feet dragged as I caught sight of the picture displayed on Janine’s phone.

  Which would explain everything. Kelly’s taste for adventure and risk seemed to take on new heights these last 24 hours. Regret would do that to a man. Guilt made us all do funny things. And thinking about his requests, his need to constantly fuck me, he knew that Madam set him up to have Tonya killed. It was the only explanation. Sex was his escape, the only thing to truly take his mind off of what happened.

  Janine glared as I passed.

  Not having time to deal with her, I couldn’t peel my gaze away from the image displayed on her cell phone. It was of her parents and it made me think of my own.

  Fuck.

  “Have a nice day,” Janine called to me as I pushed through the front doors.

  Working with Madam was like walking on thin ice. I never knew when I would fall into the freezing water below. And that was what made crossing Madam so dangerous. If she ever found out about me wanting to get out of my contract with her, she’d have my head.

  Double fuck.

  Looking up and down the street, I turned to my right and galloped up the tree-lined sidewalk with my mind spinning like a tornado.

  Everyone’s faces kept flashing behind my lids. First Angel, then Kelly and Timothy, before finally ending with Madam and Tonya and coming back full-circle to Angel again.

  Before my meeting with Madam, I thought it was Tonya I needed closure with. Then I’d be able to move on to dealing with my parents. But now I had little doubt I should first see what was up with my parents. Maybe it would be easier.

  Rounding the corner at the next street, I headed toward the park I knew was only a block away. Ignoring the cars driving past, I barely recognized the potted plants and colorful flowers beautifully displayed in the yards in front of the buildings I strolled by.

  I couldn’t just let this go.

  That would be impossible.

  My uncle wouldn’t stop until I did what he’d asked. He would keep finding ways to surprise me when I least expected him. And I would do anything to stop having to confront him, always being on edge thinking that he could be waiting around the next corner. It was no way to live. Even with Kelly’s promises to protect me.

  Sucking back a deep breath, I lengthened my stride when the park was within sight.

  Taking a seat on the first empty bench I came across, I knew it was time to confront the demons of my past. Setting Madam’s package off to my side, I dove my hand inside my tote, reaching for the phone number written on the back of Grandma’s will.

  Shaking my head, I fluffed my hair and dialed the number. Wringing out my hands, I lifted the phone to my ear and waited for someone to pick up.

  A child was swinging across the way.

  A dog barked at a squirrel in a tree.

  And time slowed as I waited to see who would be first to hear my voice.

  Suddenly, the line clicked over and my heart stopped.

  “Hello,” Mom’s frail voice answered.

  It was clear she wasn’t the same woman she’d been when I left. I could hear it in her voice. It was older, weaker, with years of hidden torment and wisdom that whispered between her breaths.

  “Hey, Ma.”

  “Kendra?” I could practically see her brows pinch. “Is that you?”

  My eyes felt heavy as I closed them. “It’s me.” My voice was soft. Much softer than I expected. When I thought there would be anger, there was only remorse.

  She started laughing. “Tell your mother how it’s been living on the east coast.”

  Pinching the bridge of my nose, I felt my mouth curve into a silly grin. It was a lie. Something I’d said to throw them off, knowing they would never have the means, or desire, to come after me if they thought I was living on the other side of the country.

  “I’m back, Mom,” I said, nearly tearing up.

  “In California?”

  “In LA.”
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  “Thank God,” Mom rejoiced. “It is so good to hear your voice, baby.”

  Opening my eyes, I turned my head and watched the kids playing on the slides. “Mom, how’s Dad?”

  The line shuffled just before it went quiet. I could still hear Mom breathing, so I patiently waited for a response. “Not good, honey. Not good at all.”

  Not sure whether I should laugh or cry, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “He’s battling ALS.”

  Thinking that this must be the trouble my uncle had warned me about, I didn’t know much about the disease. But I recalled the ice-bucket challenge sweeping the nation and figured if people were willing to put themselves through that kind of agony, it couldn’t mean anything good for those living with the illness.

  “His body is deteriorating. Humble times, sweetie.” Mom’s voice was light. “Kendra, tell your mother what you do for a living. Do you have a boyfriend? Please don’t tell me you’re married.” She laughed.

  I was mentally numb. Unresponsive. This was quickly becoming too much for me to handle. “I have to go, Ma.”

  She sighed and her sadness could easily be felt through the line.

  “I’ll call again soon.” I turned my head and sighed. “I promise.”

  We said our goodbyes and I quickly put a request in for an Uber to pick me up before tucking my phone away. I didn’t feel any better than I had before the call. If anything, it only left me with more questions than answers. Though it was a good start, and now I knew what to prepare for the next time we did talk.

  I caught movement off to my side. Turning, my eyes widened as I braced for impact.

  Her beady eyes narrowed. “You’ve been looking for me?”

  15

  Kelly

  I rubbed my face just before casting my gaze back to the half-eaten croissant.

  Madam held her chin high with raised brows, waiting for me to spit out the thoughts rambling inside my head. She could see the anxiety flashing in my eyes even though we had barely said a word since I’d arrived. But we both knew the reason I was here.