Stripped

by Stacy-Deanne

  “It’s power.” He handed her the bottle. “In that bottle is control.”

  “What are you talking about, Jonathan?”

  “That’s the drug I’ve been working on for the last four years. Got it in from the lab in Columbia this morning. I call it, ‘Jonathan’s Web’.”

  Shauna gaped, staring at the bottle.

  “You can’t smell it, see it, or taste it.” He smirked. “I didn’t think I’d figure out the right combination of herbs but I did. The base of the main ingredient are the flowers from the borrachero tree.”

  “The who?”

  “It’s a tree in South America made of hallucinogenic chemicals. You can inhale it, drink it, or eat it without even knowing. It can take your memory, your soul, even change the way you feel about someone.”

  “Is this for real?” Shauna panted. “This medicine is a mind-altering drug?”

  “Not mind-altering, mind-changing.” He kissed her hand. “Give enough and you can get anyone to believe what you want. Wipe away their memory and their emotions.” He took the bottle. “Full control over them.”

  “And, it works?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Jonathan, this is amazing.” Shauna cackled, clasping her hands. “What on earth are you gonna do with this?”

  He smiled, daydreaming of Dee. “The possibilities are endless.” He put it back in the box. “Remember, this is our secret.”

  “Don’t worry.” She lay back, winking. “I’m loyal to you to the end and beyond.”

  ****

  The next day, Dee and Connie arrived at the chaotic scene in Nelda’s front yard after getting another call concerning Grayson.

  “Get off me!” Grayson tussled as two male officers pulled him from the house. “My lawyer’s gonna make sure you pay for this.”

  “What the hell?” Connie sighed.

  “Jesus.” Dee yanked off her seatbelt and jumped out the car. “Grayson!” She stomped toward him, waving fists. “What the hell is your problem? You just made bail this morning, and this is what you do?”

  “This fucked up police department is my problem.” He pushed one officer to the grass. “I’m not going anywhere until that bitch in there takes back her lies.”

  Dee waved off the male officers. “I’ll handle this. Grayson, you have no business being here.”

  He whipped his head from her direction and focused on Connie.

  “Grayson, what’s going on?” Connie asked.

  He huffed and puffed, sweating. “I came to get answers.” He pointed to the front door. “I wanted to know why she lied on me because you two don’t care.”

  Dee inhaled. “Grayson—”

  “I want him gone.” Nelda came out, holding a bat. “Get him off my property!”

  “Ma’am.” The uniform officers ran toward her.

  “Put the bat down,” the blond cop with the pimply forehead said. “Now.” He snatched the bat.

  “You know what you did,” Nelda shouted at Grayson, the cops holding her back. “You hit me, you coward.”

  “I didn’t do shit to you.” Grayson lunged at her, Dee and Connie blocking him. “I never laid a hand on you. This is the first time I’ve met your ass.”

  Nelda hopped while the officers held on to her. “You hit me and killed Autumn.”

  “Stop it both of you,” Dee shouted. “Grayson—”

  “She’s lying, Dee.” He grabbed her. “I wouldn’t hit a woman and I sure as hell wouldn’t kill anyone.”

  “Your actions make it hard to believe you.”

  “I still love you.” He let her go, panting. “I wouldn’t hurt anyone no matter how angry I get.”

  “I’m tired of you singing that song then you do stuff like this,” Dee said. “I don’t know what the hell to believe but your ass shouldn’t have been here in the first place. Arrest him.”

  “Arrest me?” Grayson turned left and right as the officers charged him. “Wait, a minute!”

  They both grabbed him by the arms.

  “I’m innocent!”

  “Calm down,” one officer warned as they dragged Grayson to the police car on the street.

  “Dee, you’re making a mistake!” He dug his heels into the grass as the officers got him to the car. “No!”

  Dee turned, tearing up from the sight.

  “This is wrong, Dee,” Grayson yelled through the back window. “Nelda’s lying!”

  The officers drove off with Grayson screaming.

  “Are you okay?” Connie asked.

  “No.” Dee rubbed her temples. “The last thing I am is okay.”

  ****

  Winston tapped on the bars of Grayson’s secluded jail cell an hour later.

  Grayson jumped from the thin padding on the bed, yellow jumpsuit twisted at the waist. “What the hell is this?” His hair stood up , and he had lint in his goatee. “I’m definitely in hell. Got a visit from the devil himself.”

  “Drop the attitude.” Winston leaned against the chipped bars, doing his best to block out the urine stench. “You must like it here.” He grinned. “You keep coming back.”

  “Fuck you.” A line of spit fell from Grayson’s bottom lip. “And, fuck Deidra too.”

  “Well, fucking Dee is something you’ll never do again.” Winston smiled. “That’s why you’re so mad.”

  “As if being thrown in this shitty cell isn’t enough of a reason to be pissed? Don’t pretend you care about me.”

  “I don’t. I care about Dee.”

  Grayson’s eyelids lifted under his fuzzy eyebrows.

  “This is killing her, Grayson. She didn’t wanna arrest you.”

  “For someone who doesn’t wanna do it she sure is good at it.” He paced in white socks and black flip-flops. “Why are you here?”

  “I believe you.”

  Grayson squinted. “Why?”

  “You’re an asshole and a pain in my dick but you’re not a killer.” Winston shrugged. “Wanna tell your side of the story? I’m listening.”

  “I never heard of Nelda until she told Dee that Autumn’s neighbor claimed I was snooping around the house. That wasn’t true. And, today is the first time I laid eyes on Nelda.” He ran his hands through his hair from the back to the front. “I don’t know what the hell’s going on.”

  “Someone should look closer at Nelda then.”

  “Who? Dee’s eating every lie she tells so she won’t do it.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Grayson gaped. “You serious?”

  “The homicide I’m working on has stalled, so I got time. Won’t take much effort to check into Ms. Nelda North and learn a little more about her.”

  “You mean it?” Grayson rushed toward him and grabbed the bars. “Thank you. I’d appreciate this.”

  “Just remember...” Winston stepped away from the bars, grimacing. “You owe me.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Two Days Later

  After sneaking Dee through the backyard of Jonathan’s compound, Rena took her in the garden behind the massive, two-floor shed.

  “Thanks so much for coming, Detective.” Rena’s dress clung to her large breasts, flowing from the waist down. “I used my approved phone call to contact you.”

  “I’m glad you did.” Dee observed the vinyl shutters of the gable window.

  “Sorry I had to sneak you in, but I didn’t want Jonathan to know and I can’t leave the compound.”

  Dee got out her pad and pencil. “What did you have to tell me about Autumn?”

  “Autumn was in danger.” Rena swallowed, her full lips glistening from pink gloss. “Least, she thought she was.”

  “Why would she think she was in danger?”

  “She didn’t say, but I think someone was after her. She didn’t want to go into details because she didn’t want to endanger anyone else.”

  Dee nodded, writing what she’d said. “When I spoke to you before, I got the feeling you were closer to Autumn than the others were.”

  �
��We were very close.” The brown freckles spread apart on Rena’s cheeks when she smiled. “Like sisters. We told each other everything.”

  “If you care so much, why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  Rena sighed, her chest heaving. “Because Jonathan told me not to.”

  “He did, did he?” Dee rushed from behind the shed.

  “Detective Quarter?” Rena chased her. “Where are you going?”

  “To see Jonathan.”

  Rena pulled on Dee’s arm. “You can’t.”

  “The hell I can’t.” She snatched from Rena. “I’m gonna find out what the hell Jonathan’s hiding if it kills me.”

  ****

  “I don’t care if Jonathan’s busy.” Dee stormed toward Jonathan’s office with Tran on her heels. “This is police business and if you interfere in my investigation I’ll arrest you.”

  Tran stopped in the middle of the hall. “But...”

  Shauna came from around the corner as Dee reached Jonathan’s office. “What are you doing here?”

  “I didn’t come to see you that’s for sure.” Dee reached for the door but Shauna blocked her. “You really don’t wanna do that, Shauna.”

  “I’m doing it.” She held her waist. “I don’t remember Jonathan saying he was expecting you.”

  “That’s because he’s not and this is official police business. So move.”

  “I don’t think so, Detective.” Shauna grabbed Dee’s arm and Dee whipped around, twisting Shauna’s arm behind her back. “Ah! My arm. Let go!”

  “Don’t you ever touch me, okay?” Dee bent Shauna’s wrist.

  “You’re hurting me!”

  Dee let her go.

  Shauna fell to the floor, holding her arm. “That’s police brutality.”

  “You grabbed me first.” Dee wagged her finger at her. “That’s assault on a police officer.”

  “Ooh.” Shauna whimpered. “Jonathan!”

  He burst out the door. “What’s going on out here?” He glanced at Dee and then Shauna. “What are you doing on the floor?”

  “She twisted my arm.” She reached for Jonathan and he helped her up. “She almost broke it.”

  “Oh, please,” Dee said. “If I’d wanted to break it, I would’ve.”

  “She’s crazy.” Shauna took sharp breaths. “It really hurts, Jonathan.”

  “It’s not broken.” He looked it over. “Go to the infirmary and let Neumann look at it.”

  Shauna whined, “It really hurts.”

  “Go let him check it out.” Jonathan kissed her cheek. “You’ll be all right.”

  Shauna muttered as she went on her way.

  “Who’s Neumann?” Dee asked.

  “He’s our doctor. What are you doing here?” He held a lopsided grin. “Not that you need an excuse.”

  “I wouldn’t be smiling if I were you. This isn’t a personal call.”

  “No?” He moaned, sticking out his lips. “I’m disappointed.”

  “I need to talk to you concerning Autumn’s case.” She pointed to his office. “May I come in?”

  “Sure.”

  Dee entered the room, overtaken by the bright red walls and vivacious prints on the sofa and chairs. “This is beautiful.” She did a quick turn to check out the place.

  In the mist of all the brightness sat a large, wooden desk engraved with sophisticated carvings.

  “You have to give me the number for your decorator.” Dee joked, sitting in the cushioned, blue chair across from his desk. “You love color.”

  “Color equals excitement.” He sat at the desk, his gaze searching her face. “But, nothing brightens this room up more than you.”

  She observed the shelves of books and medical journals behind him.

  “You’re a botanist. Why all these herbal medicine books? Interested in it because of your father?”

  “Maybe.” He swept his hand over his buzz cut. “We only use herbal and natural medicines here so these books are essential for treating different ailments.”

  Dee bobbed her head, scoping out the portrait of a swan on a lake.

  “I got that from my last trip in Wales.” He leaned back in the chair, pointing to it. “I didn’t tell you, but I’m building another home there. It’s much bigger than this one.”

  “Bigger than this one?” She grinned. “What’s it look like, Buckingham Palace?”

  He cocked his head, staring at her. “Maybe I’ll show you one day.”

  “Sure, show me a picture.” She rolled her eyes.

  “I mean in person.” His eyes narrowed. “Would you like that, Deidra?”

  “Is it true that you told Rena not to tell me about Autumn being afraid of someone?”

  The arrogance drained from his face. “Yes.”

  “And, you think it was a good move to lie to me?”

  “I didn’t lie.”

  “You told me you didn’t know any reason someone would kill Autumn.” Dee held the arm rests of the chair. “Rena told me she was scared and maybe someone was after her.”

  “Rena came to me, and I didn’t want her involved. She didn’t know for sure what Autumn meant and I wanted to protect Rena.”

  “I could arrest you for meddling in this investigation like that.”

  His skin glistened under the subdued, yellow lightning. “But, you won’t arrest me. Though, I must confess I’m hiding something and it has nothing to do with Autumn’s murder.” He snickered, rocking his head. “I have a crush on someone. You think she knows it?”

  “Tell Shauna if she touches me again, she’ll be missing her arm next time.”

  “Wait.” Jonathan rushed from his chair and grabbed her as she rose. “I’d love to see more of your moves myself.”

  Scoffing, she started for the door. “I gotta go.”

  “How you been feeling lately? Still stressed?”

  “I’m trying something new.” She dropped her head, back still to him. “I’ve been meditating.”

  “Meditating, huh?”

  She felt his grin.

  “What made you do that? Let me guess. Would it have been me?”

  She turned around. “You didn’t invent meditation, Jonathan.”

  “Were you doing it before you met me?” He gravitated to her. “What did you think of dinner with us?”

  “Interesting to say the least.”

  “You think that was something, you should see how The Circle really gets down.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Our parties definitely keep you up at night.”

  “I’m sure.” She turned to leave.

  “Asia is turning twenty-five tomorrow and we’re having a birthday celebration for her.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “I want you to come.”

  She turned up her nose. “Are you serious?”

  He moved closer, sniffing her. “Yes.”

  “Why would I come to this party?”

  “Because no matter how you fight it, you’re interested in us. Something draws you here. You can’t deny it.”

  “You’re so full of yourself.” She laughed. “Nothing here impresses me or interests me. I keep coming here because of the investigation. That’s all.”

  “If you say so.” He pressed his palms together. “At the party you can talk to the guests. Might be a good way for you to find out something.”

  “As if I believe you want me there just for that.”

  “You have to admit though...” He leaned into her, pressing his hand in the curve of her back. “Spending time with me is quite the distraction.”

  She pushed him away and left.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The next night, Dee tried to keep her mind on Autumn’s murder but the charms of The Circle swept her up at every turn. In between questioning guests who had nothing new to offer, her thoughts drifted to how being at the compound freed her mind unlike nothing else.

  The group comforted her and being with them erased the stress and pain and that scare
d her because she knew deep down...it was the ultimate manipulation.

  As the guests gathered around Asia in the garden, the bubbly black woman reveled in the attention everyone gave her.

  “Okay!” Asia stood on a chair as the seventy guests surrounded her. “I’ve had a lovely, lovely birthday! Jonathan, thanks so much for this amazing party.”

  He smiled, glancing at Dee from the corners of his eyes.

  “Every moment here is like Heaven,” Asia said. “I’ve been a part of The Circle for seven years and don’t regret a single moment.”

  Her sisters in white emerged from the crowd, sipping mango soda and eating cake.

  “I love you all so much.” Asia’s smile glistened under the lights. “Let’s finish the night with a game.”

  The guests cheered.

  “Let’s play Tie a Red Ribbon.” Asia hopped.

  “Oh.” Dee dipped her head, chuckling. “I’ve played this.”

  “Really?” Jonathan brushed his arm against hers. “It’s one of my favorite party games.”

  “With my career I don’t go to many parties.”

  “That’s unfortunate.” His face tightened, and he hooked his hands behind his back. “I’m glad you could get out tonight.”

  People paired up and dispersed throughout the huge garden searching for ribbons.

  “Looks like we’re partners,” Jonathan said.

  “Guess so.” A lump caught in Dee’s throat.

  “We’d better get started so we can catch up.” He took her hand, pulling her through the flowers. “One thing I hate is losing.”

  “Jonathan.” Her hand moved against his smooth palm. “Wait.”

  “Yes?” He touched the hedge beside him.

  “I should explain things because I don’t want you getting the wrong idea.”

  “Deidra, why so serious?” He touched her cheek, being the first man since Winston to make the nerves between her legs ache. “It’s a party, remember? You don’t have to explain anything just have fun.”

  “That’s the problem.” The flimsy material of her low-cut, green and white floral dress blew in the breeze.

  “Did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight?”

  “What’s wrong with me?”

  The guests’ laughter and conversations carried in the night air.

  “Why am I here?” Dee patted the back of her updo. “I feel so guilty.”