“This is a lot of information. Who else knows about this?” Troy asked.
“Just you and me,” she lied. Until she knew more about the new Troy, she didn’t want him to know how much her sisters knew.
“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
“I have a few questions for you.”
“I’ll try to answer.”
“I realized after you disappeared on me that there was a lot about you that I didn’t know. You never talked about your family. I didn’t even know if you had a sister or a brother.”
Troy, ashamed, looked away. “I’m sorry.”
“Sometimes sorry isn’t enough. For now, all I want to know is why are you doing this?”
“Your dad was more than my immediate supervisor. He was like a father figure to me. My own dad died when I was very young, so my mother had to raise my sister and me by herself. They both were killed in a train accident when I was sixteen.”
Savannah wanted to reach out and comfort him by touching his face, but she didn’t. Instead, she held on to the piece of paper she was holding tighter. “Sorry to hear that. Why didn’t you tell me this when we met?”
Troy had a faraway look in his eyes. “I stayed at friends’ houses, until one of the parents let my coach know. See, I was on the basketball team, and Coach Nelson . . . Well, he was the best. He convinced his wife to let me stay with them. I stayed with them until I graduated from high school and would return to visit them in between breaks while in college.”
“That was nice of them.”
“Yes, it was. I don’t know where I would have ended up if they hadn’t.”
“Where are they now?”
Savannah saw what looked to be tears forming in Troy’s eyes. “Someone murdered them. Someone broke in and brutally murdered them. I can remember the day like it was yesterday. After I finished my last class, I caught a Greyhound bus home to visit them. They were supposed to meet me at the bus station. I waited and waited. When they didn’t show up at the bus station, I hitched a ride home—”
“You don’t have to,” Savannah interrupted. She could feel the pain resonating in his voice.
He wiped his eyes with the back of his hands. “I never returned to college. I needed to get far away from everything. I joined the army and I got recruited for Special Forces. That’s where I met your dad. He could tell I was dealing with some issues. He helped me work through them.”
“Dad was always good at reading people.” Savannah smiled as she reminisced about her dad. She frowned when she asked the next question. “Why didn’t you tell me? It only took a phone call. I would have understood.”
“I didn’t even understand, so I didn’t expect you to.”
“But you left me. Left me thinking you had used me. Slept with me. Made me confess my love for you, and you threw it all away. We had plans. I was going to tell my family about you. About us.” Savannah could not hold back the tears.
“Please don’t cry, Vanna.” Troy used her nickname.
“I haven’t trusted a man since,” Savannah confessed.
“When everybody I ever cared about ended up dead, I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t want you to end up dead too. I’ve always regretted not returning to campus one last time to tell you good-bye. I felt like my life wasn’t worth living. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“I would have been there for you. I loved you.”
“I loved you too. Enough not to bring you into my drama. I would not have been good for you after that.”
“But I should have been the one to decide that—not you. You took away my options.”
“Leaving you was the only option,” Troy responded.
Savannah wiped the tears from her eyes, cleared her throat. “Did they ever find out who killed them?”
“No, when the Nelsons were killed, I couldn’t do anything. I can do something about your father’s death, though. If it’s the last thing I do, I will find out who did it, and they will pay.”
Savannah mumbled, “Remind me to stay on your good side.”
He smiled for the first time since they started the conversation. “I need to be telling you that, Ms. Jackie Chan.”
Savannah reenacted a karate hand move. “Daddy didn’t raise a weakling.”
Troy put the papers on the coffee table. “I’m curious. Do you really know how to shoot a gun?”
“Dad told me never to pull out a gun, unless I’m prepared to use it.”
“I take that as an affirmative.”
“Correct.”
“Let’s hope you never have to fire it. But just in case you do, why don’t you meet me tomorrow at the firing range so I can see what you got?” Troy wrote an address on a piece of paper and handed it to her.
Savannah glanced at it. “I’ll be there around noon, if that’s okay.”
“It’s a date.”
“I don’t know if your significant other would like that,” Savannah replied.
Troy ignored her comment. “Well, it’s getting late, and I don’t want to be the cause of you being late for work.”
“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself,” Savannah flirted back.
“That I’m sure of,” Troy responded.
Savannah walked him to the door. “I didn’t see your car outside earlier. Where did you park?”
“About a block away.”
“I’m surprised one of the neighbors didn’t report an abandoned car.”
“Trust me. I know not to draw attention to myself.”
“I see. Good night, Mr. Bridges.”
“Good night, Ms. Savannah. Lock up.”
They stared at each other briefly. Troy broke the trance and walked out, closing the door behind him. Savannah made sure each latch was in place before peeking out the window. Troy had disappeared into the night. She activated the alarm before climbing up the stairs. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought Troy was a figment of her imagination. The only thing that made him real was the lingering scent of his cologne.
4
“I need to see your license and registration,” the uniformed officer said to Troy as the policeman hid his face underneath a big-brimmed blue hat. The officer glanced at the license. With his weapon drawn he stated, “Troy Bridges, I need you to step out of the car now. Slowly.”
Troy, perturbed because he was running late, exited the car. He made sure he put his hands in the air.
“Please step over there.” The officer pointed to his right.
Troy stopped in midstep when he recognized the voice. “Meeks, is that you?”
“In the flesh. Had you squirming, didn’t I?” Meeks placed the gun in his holster and removed his hat.
“Man, if you weren’t in that uniform, I would take you down right now.” Troy hadn’t seen his friend Meeks in a few years, but he still looked the same—same closely cropped short hair. They gave each other a brotherly hug and leaned on Troy’s black SUV.
“How you’ve been?” Meeks asked.
“Business is good. What about you?”
“Now that I’m divorced, it’s all good.”
“It has been a long time.”
Before they could finish the conversation, an emergency alert sounded on Meeks’s radio. “I’m on the way.”
Meeks handed Troy a business card. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t.” Troy entered his SUV as Meeks turned on his siren and sped away.
Troy didn’t believe in coincidences. He and Meeks were in the army together, and after a short stint in the special unit, Meeks got out and they hadn’t spoken to each other in years. Troy placed the card in his wallet. He made a mental note to contact him as soon as he could.
Savannah tossed and turned the entire night. Visions of her dad and Troy wouldn’t let her rest. She woke up in a cold sweat. After showering, dressing, and drinking her morning cup of coffee, cream with two packages of sugar substitutes, Savannah felt rejuvenated.
The hair on the b
ack of her neck stood up. After Troy’s surprise visit Savannah’s senses were on extra alert. She went from room to room to make sure all was secure. “I’m being paranoid,” she said out loud.
As Savannah exited the two-car garage in her candy-apple-red Mustang, she saw a black sedan, with tinted windows, pull away. Seeing Mr. Jacobs, one of her elderly neighbors, with his navy blue robe tied tight around his waist, waving his arms up and down, captured her attention. She stopped at the end of her driveway and rolled her passenger-side window down.
“Dear, they thought you weren’t at home,” Mr. Jacobs said as he placed his head through the window.
“I was in the bathroom.”
“They were dressed in black suits. One was tall and bald, and the other was a short, pudgy dude. The short one was doing most of the talking.”
“Did they happen to say who they were?”
“Something about being your father’s friends.”
Under her breath she said, “I doubt that.” Savannah didn’t want to alarm Mr. Jacobs into a heart attack, but she needed to warn him. “I’m not sure who those guys were, so if you see them or anyone suspicious around here, don’t come out. Lock your doors and call the police. Promise me.”
Mr. Jacobs looked confused. “I might be old, but I can take care of myself. So don’t worry about me. Besides, I watch CSI every week.”
Savannah held back a chuckle as she imagined him trying to fight someone. “I’m sure you can handle yourself, Mr. Jacobs, but please promise me. You don’t want me worrying about you, do you?”
“Well, since you put it like that, I guess I’ll do what you asked.”
After making sure Mr. Jacobs promised to call the police, Savannah pulled out of the driveway. She checked her rearview mirror, just in case there was another car on the street with intentions of following her. She didn’t know who the men in black were, but Savannah knew she didn’t want to find out anytime soon. She continued to drive and check her mirror to see if she was being tailed as she headed to her destination.
While she sat at the light, she reviewed the directions Troy had given her to the shooting range. Her cell phone played the “Respect” ring tone. Montana’s name flashed across the screen. She clicked on the speakerphone.
“What’s up, sis?” Savannah asked.
“I’m taking off early because we need to talk.”
“Talk to me.”
“I don’t want to discuss it over the phone.”
“I’m not sure when I’ll be back home. I’m on my way to a shooting range now.”
“See, that’s the kind of stuff I’m talking about. You are not G.I. Jane, so you need to chill. In fact, when I hang up from you, I’m calling Uncle Raymond. Maybe he can talk some sense into you.”
Savannah pulled into a parking spot next to a black SUV. “You will do no such thing. I got some information I need to share with you and Asia. But you have to promise me you won’t involve Uncle Raymond. At least, not until you hear me out.”
“Vanna, I don’t know. I’m just worried. We already lost Dad. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lost you too.” From the sniffled sound coming from the other end of the phone, Montana sounded like she was crying.
“Sis, trust me. That’s all I ask. Trust me.”
“I do. But—”
“No buts. Look, I’m running late. I’ll call you when I leave here.” Savannah didn’t wait for Montana to respond. She turned her ringer off, and after getting a feel for her surroundings, she exited her car.
“She finally graces me with her presence,” Troy said after he greeted her with a hug. Savannah didn’t hug him back. She decided at that point not to mention the men in black.
“I’m only a few minutes late. But, technically, I was here on time. I had a phone call that delayed me from entering the facility.”
“Were you on the debate team in school?”
“No.”
“Well, you should have been. Come on, let’s suit up,” Troy said as he led her to the property his company used for target practice.
Troy was impressed with the accuracy of Savannah’s shooting. After she completed a few drills, he was confident she was ready for a special maneuver course he had set up specifically for his employees. With each maneuver Savannah took out her target.
Savannah popped her collar and said, “Anything else?”
“Yes, but I don’t think this is the time or the place.” The look of desire in Troy’s eyes made Savannah look away.
Savannah knew she was flirting with disaster. Besides, she didn’t want to start something with a man whom she could never trust with her heart again. Messing with Troy wasn’t an option. “Now that you’re satisfied I can handle myself with a weapon, what’s next?”
“Give me about five minutes. Follow me to my office.”
Savannah glanced at her watch. She felt guilty putting Montana off to hang out with Troy. “I would, but I have something else I need to do. Maybe another time.”
“My office isn’t far from here.”
“I can meet you there in the morning.”
“You know what? It’s probably best that you don’t. I’ll meet you at your home later.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. My sisters will be over tonight.”
“But they were there last night.”
“And? Is there a law about how many times siblings can visit each other that I don’t know about?”
“No need for an attitude. There are things we need to discuss. Things we didn’t discuss last night.”
Savannah needed closure to their past relationship. Troy owed her that. She responded, “When my sisters leave, I’ll call you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Unlike you, I don’t break mine.”
5
On her way home Savannah stopped at the grocery store to pick up a roast and a bag of potatoes. She wanted to make her sisters’ favorite meal. She would have their undivided attention, provided they had full stomachs. Savannah wasn’t sure if she was ready to reveal her past with Troy. It would be hard enough to convince them to work with him without throwing in that extra information.
Every few minutes she found herself checking her rearview mirror to see if someone was following her. Since Savannah’s unexpected visitors this morning, she decided to take extra precautions. Once securely in the house, she activated the alarm.
Less than two hours later the aroma of the roast filled the air. She stopped stirring the butter in the mashed potatoes when she heard the front door open. Montana and Asia both had keys and barely rang the doorbell; however, she couldn’t help but be a little on edge. Savannah yelled, “Anybody there?”
“Vanna, it’s me,” Asia shouted. Asia sashayed in the room, wearing a pair of black slacks and gold satin shirt showing her cleavage. Her short Halle Berry–styled haircut accented her high cheekbones.
“Girl, don’t tell me you wore that blouse to work.”
Asia patted her bare chest. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Don’t let me go there.”
“You’re just an old maid.”
“Whatever. I just don’t believe in showing all of my assets.”
Asia ran her hands down her side. “If you got it like I do, why not flaunt it.”
Montana came in on the tail end of Asia’s statement. “You’re so superficial.”
“I love you too,” Asia responded.
“Don’t start, y’all. Asia, set the table. I need to talk to Montana for a minute.”
Asia crossed her arms. “No secrets—remember?”
“The longer it takes for you to set the table, the longer it’ll take for me to bring the food out.”
Asia rubbed her stomach. “You better be glad I’m hungry.”
Once Savannah was sure Asia was out of earshot, she asked, “You haven’t talked to Uncle Raymond, have you?”
“I told you I wouldn’t.” Montana frowned. “For now, anyway.”
“Just ch
ecking. Take this to the table and I’ll be there in a minute.”
The chatter over dinner consisted of Montana and Asia discussing their jobs. Savannah waited until after the dishes were in the dishwasher and the kitchen was cleaned before bringing up the topic they were all there to discuss.
Savannah sat in her favorite spot on the love seat, while Montana sat in the chair and Asia slid down and sat on the floor. Each sister held a notebook with her prospective notes.
“The Blake sisters’ official meeting starts now,” Savannah joked.
Montana sighed. Savannah addressed her. “Do you want to say something?”
“No.”
Savannah ignored Montana’s attitude. “I had a surprise visitor when you two left last night.” She told them about her encounter with Troy. She purposely left out information about their past relationship.
“Why didn’t you call the cops?” Montana asked.
“Because I had the situation under control,” Savannah responded.
“He could have killed you,” Asia added.
“Believe me, I had the upper hand.” Savannah smiled as she recalled having Troy pinned down.
Savannah informed them about Troy’s association with their dad. “He’s working for himself now. We need him because he knows the ins and outs of The Agency. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need him.”
“I don’t like this.” Montana frowned.
Asia asked, “How much does he know?”
“He claims to know what Dad knew.” Savannah paused. “One other thing, he doesn’t know you two know everything. I want to keep it like that.”
“If you don’t trust him, why are you willing to work with him? For all you know he could be playing you. He could be the weak link in The Agency that’s behind dad’s killing,” Montana stated.
“You must not have heard a word she said,” Asia chimed in. “He’s an ex–secret operative. We need him.”
“At this point, I don’t trust anyone but you two. But we need someone who knows how they operate in the inside, and Troy is the man.” Savannah hoped she sounded convincing.
Asia asked, “Why don’t we just get Uncle Raymond involved and let him take care of all of this?”
Savannah's Curse Page 3
