by Gary Sapp
is necessary, even if it’s their very souls, to get what they want. “Though Serena isn’t married, her status in the world makes her the most forbidden fruit of all in my eyes.” His own inner voice said wistfully, you had me pegged correctly, Ernestine, I am indeed an immoral man.
“But, as you have pointed out, I am not hurting for female company and while I am attracted to Serena, that alone doesn’t mean that I subscribe to her religion… ” He locked eyes with Christopher Prince, who looked awakened from his stupor. “ Or do I share Pandora’s view on race relations in this country.”
“That, mister, remains to be seen.”
“I object to your tone, Agent Blue.”
“This isn’t a courtroom, Counselor.”
“And you are no lawyer and this is not a trial—“
“You’re both right,” Agent Prince hopped over the table and pushed his way just behind his partner. “Councilor, your client claimed that he wanted to help us save this city, perhaps this country, from any further escalation and bloodshed.” He leaned over and caught Thomas eye specifically. “You’re our man, Pepper. So help us out of this mess.”
Thomas scratched at his beard again and took a deep breath. Blue sat with on the table with her arms folded, while Agent Prince remained standing, his gaze intense. This was the Agent Christopher that Thomas thought that he’d known of, not the unfocused mess he appeared to be earlier. “Serena Tennyson was one of my test subjects that I wrote about in my last book.”
Chris nodded. “You did. You focused about 40 percent of your narrative focused on her.”
So you read it, Chris. What I would give to learn your opinions of what I wrote about your brother Xavier and where he has taken A House in Chains during his tenure as the One. “My Excel program says that it was closer to 35 percent, but analytics ’are irrelevant to what my overall point is.” Thomas said, feeling more comfortable in this type of physiological debate. He almost reached to take his jacket off, and not because he was hot. “The point is that when I writing it help to have visuals of that subject matter when you’re explaining their background, or expressing an opinion from their point of view.”
“That must have been damned convenient for you,” Blue tried to hide her overbite by turning away and feign as if she found something more interesting out of the window to look at. “A practiced womanizer has his prized project hoe show up in his living room. And she was naked when we got there. You both were, so you sure as hell hit the jack pot somewhere before The FBI arrived…to save you.” She made her last words bite, the shark swimming in shallow waters once more.
Lindsey through Thomas a life jacket, “You’re toeing a line, Missy,”
“What’s wrong, Counselor?” Blue got to her little feet and wailed her tiny arms about. “I’m sure you could extract any information out of any woman you please. I’m just glad that I’m asking you the questions and this isn’t happening the other way around.” Blue found Lindsey’s green eyes. “It looks like we’re dealing with a real pro here, a gigolo. Take my advice, honey, you better hold on to your pants.”
His lawyer fumed. Blue leaned close enough to both of the seated people in the room that you could smell the peppermint of her breath. “Or is it too late for that already?”
“You’re excused.”
Agent Blue turned on Lindsey. “What did you say to me?”
Lindsey only had eyes for Christopher Prince as she slammed her folder shut. “Either Agent Blue is excused or my client and I are.”
Agent Prince lowered his head and let his feet dangle on this side of the table. “Why don’t you take a short break, Tabitha, and get yourself a Diet Coke or something.”
Blue struggled to close her mouth. She looked from Christopher Prince to Lindsey, to Thomas Pepper, and finally at her partner again. Thomas doesn’t need to know the woman on a personal level to see the hurt leaking from her eyes and the twitch of her top lip.
“Yea, something,” She said to Agent Prince as she scooped up her files and stomped out of the door slamming it shut behind her.
“Forgive my partner.” Agent Prince said in the wake of his partner’s exit. “Tabitha Blue’s passion is what drives her to excel in her duties as an FBI agent. A high profile case like this one can get the best of you.
“You’re wrong, Prince, at least about that last part.” He was shaking his head and wasn’t sure why. That woman had just tried to bury him. Why should he care about her feelings? “This is personal for her. She’s looking for people to blame for the defections that have occurred. She’s bitter about your department’s shortcomings.”
“Shortcomings,”
Lindsey sensed the dangerous tone that Agent Prince’s tone was taking. She pushed herself forward into his line of sight, as if to create an artificial wedge between the two men.
“The FBI agents who abandoned this agency—that abandoned you are your responsibility and not mine. All of the reporting that I’ve done in my interviews and books and have uploaded on my blog is only the facts as they’ve been presented to me.” Thomas said. “You people are not going to crucify me for this.”
Prince tried to step through the artificial wedge that Lindsey had created. She stuck he palm into the other man’s chest and it stuck there like glue.
She said, “Careful, Agent Blue. We wouldn’t want Thomas to be involved in another harassment suit, would we?”
“Your involvement, as to its extent is yet to be determined.” Prince never looked at Thomas’ lawyer but eased off her palm just the same. “My people—or what is left of them is trying to understand every aspect of your relationship with Serena Tennyson.” He sat in the chair and faced them for the first time. “You better hope to God that you are telling us everything you know.”
If you help me, you will gain enemies on both sides of this conflict. They both will harass you. They will threaten you. Thomas squeezed the sides of his chair considering Mayor Jonson’s words as if she had just spoken aloud.
Lindsey asked, “I assume that we are finished here?”
Agent Prince grunted and nodded his bald head in the general direction of the door without fully looking up. Lindsey thanked him, gathered her belongings, tossed them into her briefcase without bothering to sort them, and snapped it shut. She opened the door for him and he recognized the expression forming in the laugh lines of her mouth. I told you that I would handle this. You owe me the remainder of the afternoon. I’m on top.
“Is there anything else you would like to add to your official statement, Thomas?” Agent Prince said, barely audible over the commotion in the hall. “Something, anything that could help us in our fight with Pandora.”
“I’ve told you everything.” He lied. He had been working two sources the day before Serena turned up in his living room. He was honoring his promise to Ernestine Johnson about answering the three questions that every Person of Color…including this man he was leaving behind in this interrogation room, wanted to know. I’m not sure that my information is prudent to your present investigation or not, Chris. More importantly, at least to me, I won’t allow you to use my information against me and try to keep me her any longer. Even with Serena Tennyson out of the game, the clock was ticking. He was going to be needed elsewhere.
Just as Thomas Pepper stepped through the threshold another agent nearly collided with him walking in. He was frowned up as if someone had kicked him in the shin. He made his way over to Prince and whispered something in the other man’s ear that caused Prince to wince and mutter a curse. He held his index finger up for Thomas and his lawyer to hold up for a sec. Just as quickly the special agent recovered his composure, nodded at the messenger who strutted off and then returned to the room a minute later.
“My apologies for all of the cloak and dagger, sir,” The still frowning agent said to Thomas. “But there is someone here who has been waiting to see you, sir.”
Thomas felt a pang in his chest and he and Lindsey exchange a look of anxiety.
Sophi
e, his Fox Terrier, struts in to the interrogation room.
Thomas kneels his large frame so that his dog and leap easily into his waiting arms. He called her name once and again as if to make himself believe she is here, that all of this is really happening. The Terrier licked unabatedly at the hair on his jaws and cheek, and then finds softer skin…and a tear underneath his right eye.
Lindsey smiled, folded her arms and relaxed her stance and allowed the couple to have their reunion in silence and without interruption.
Special Agent Prince wasn’t about to be so kind. “Unfortunately,” He said in a grave voice. “You two are one of the few humanoids who survived that encounter with Serena Tennyson.”
The hallway behind them had been a bustle of foot traffic, but Thomas Pepper noted that wasn’t the only reason for the sudden silence hanging in the air.
“What has happened, Agent Prince?” Thomas Pepper finally asked.
“Your housekeeper was found dead in a wooded area about four miles from your residence. She was shot in the head by a high powered rifle.” He added, “The Medical Examiner says that the time stamp on the body states that she was killed while you and Serena were conducting your interview.”
So you had come a day early, after all, Eloise because of the trip you were taking with your husband. Thomas bit back fresh tears. When Serena had spoken into her communication device on
