by Lynn Emery
“You need more than some tea, girl.” Jazz went to the kitchen and came back with a glass of white wine. “Here. Now just chill for a minute and think about what I said. I wasn’t tryin’ to make fun of you bein’ all worried or nothin’, ya know?”
After accepting the goblet Willa gulped a mouthful then sat down again, this time in a chair next to the sofa. She took in a few deep breaths. The chilled wine tickled her throat as it went down. Since she hadn’t eaten, Willa briefly worried about the effects on her senses and driving home. She allowed herself one last sip then put the glass on the cocktail table.
“Thanks,” Willa said and cleared her throat. She rubbed at the dull thudding ache that had taken root in her forehead. “I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. My nerves are just scraped raw.”
“Hell yeah you got bad nerves. Your man was gunned down for pocket change; the cops are nosing around and who knows what kind of funny business Jack got into at that agency. Just keep your cool and talk to them fancy lawyers you work with. They’ll school you.” The tip of the cigar glowed red as Jazz pointed it at Willa to emphasize her advice.
“Thanks.”
Willa knew this was the real reason she’d come to Jazz. Their relationship was complicated and difficult at the best of times. Certain issues they might never resolve, or even be able to talk about. Yet in a pinch they always turned to each other. Oddly enough Willa did feel better. Jazz had experience with the criminal justice system from the wrong side. Mama Ruby was Willa’s rock. Her aunts would always stand with her. But Jazz and she had a connection that drove them to each other when bad trouble came up. Few others understood, except Mama Ruby.
“You want some more wine?” Jazz nodded at the goblet. She hadn’t poured much into the glass and Willa had consumed half of that small amount.
“No, thanks. I guess I better get home. Maybe I’ll try talking to Anthony again. Seems like my child turned into somebody else once he hit thirteen.” Willa shook her head slowly.
“He did. Turned into a teenager. You remember what that was like.” Jazz let out a sharp laugh. “I seem to recall you wasn’t always Miss Proper-Manners. You sneaked out with that nineteen-year-old dude when you was only fourteen.”
“Police picked me and him up at that nightclub. Whole lotta grown folks got busted that night because of me.” Willa winced at the memory. “Girl, don’t make me re-live those days. Besides, you hit thirteen and did stuff I had never even dreamed of doing.”
Jazz lifted her nose in the air as though proud. “Had a hell of a good time, too.”
“Really? I don’t remember having all that much fun. The partying, boys and drinking was more a way to keep from thinking too much,” Willa said softly. She glanced at Jazz.
Her sister took one last puff of the slender cigar then lit another one. Jazz blew a series of smoke rings. “Speak for yourself, sistah. I was havin’ some serious, straight-up fun. Just bein’ a kid, ya know. Anthony’s no different. Sure he’s got stuff on his mind, but he’ll be okay.”
Willa wavered for a few moments, wondering whether to talk about the horrors that pushed Jazz into being wild. She was about to try when Jazz’s phone rang. Jazz picked up the cordless phone on the bar. After a few minutes of a cryptic conversation , Jazz hung up. She wore a troubled frown then shrugged off whatever was bothering her and poured herself a shot of brandy.
“Something wrong?” Willa squinted at her. She could smell the smoky scent of a fire brewing, trouble in the wind.
“No. Anyway, like I was sayin’ you shouldn’t worry about that cop. Anthony and Jack had made up months before Jack got killed. He told me so. They was spendin’ time together and everything. I’ll bet that cop has already found some witnesses that saw ‘em together having a father and son day.”
“See, that’s what I mean. Why didn’t he just tell me so? I’m his mother.” Willa huffed in irritation.
“Because he’s being a hard-headed kid and just because you asked he’s not gonna tell you,” Jazz said with a smirk. “I was the same way.”
“Times ten,” Willa retorted. “But he should be talking to me about these things. Not that I don’t want him to feel close to you. In fact, I’m glad he feels he can come to his Auntie Jazzmonetta.”
“Yeah well. Anyways, Jack said they’d worked it out like two men, hashed out what was botherin’ Anthony and everything was cool,” Jazz said.
The achy tension eased across Willa’s forehead. “Girl, you’re right. Even I didn’t know Jack and Anthony were hanging out. There must be some other people that saw them together. Wait, that might be why Miller hasn’t been coming on so strong about Anthony.” Willa sank onto the sofa with a loud sigh of relief. “Jazz, you don’t know how glad I am I came over here.”
Jazz patted her weave. “Sure. Whenever you need to sort out some of your drama just guide your Honda SUV right over here. We specialize in drama on this side of town.”
“Don’t I know it,” Willa tossed back. Before she could say more Jazz’s phone rang and Jazz picked it up.
“Hey, Rico. Yeah, baby.” Jazz waved goodbye to Willa, engrossed in what sounded like her latest male enterprise.
Minutes later Willa was on her way home. She drove through thick evening traffic. Flashing police lights behind her turned the night blue. Adrenaline rushed to Willa’s brain as she watched two police cruisers weave across lanes and go past her through a red light. They hit their sirens as a warning. Cars stopped allowing them through.
She thought about the night Jack died and how those lights had probably flashed then, too. At least she could sleep better tonight knowing there was a way to keep them from her son. Anthony and Jack had made up. Willa sighed noisily and turned up her radio. Somehow she had to figure out a way to make Anthony confide in her again. She shouldn’t have to find out information from Jazz. Why hadn’t Anthony just said something? Then a giant switch went off in Willa’s brain. Jazz had talked to Jack, the man she’d never liked, had ignored since Willa’s wedding day. So when, and most importantly, why did they start having heart to heart chats?
Chapter 5
“Jazz, call me.” Willa slapped the button on the phone keypad ending the call. “Damn caller ID.”
She took off the wireless headset and tossed it onto her desk. Here it was three days since Willa had been to Jazz’s house and she still couldn’t get her to return her calls.
Willa swiveled the chair around so she could stare out of the window of her office. What had been Jack’s office had been transformed to Willa’s taste. She’d moved his certificates and softball trophies out. Most of them were in either Mikayla’s room or had been sent to Jack’s parents. Instead of the gunmetal gray furnishings and blue paint on the walls, now the office had soft green walls with a new sofa and seating area furniture. Framed black art prints were on the walls. Two plants made the office seem softer, more inviting, in Willa and Kay’s opinion. Cedric had been more restrained. Probably because he was hoping she’d be gone by now. But the new décor did nothing to help her mood. Jazz knew the deal and was ducking Willa. She considered going by her place again. The one time Willa had tried, Jazz didn’t answer the buzz to open the electronic gate.
“I’m going to whip her butt when I finally do get close enough,” Willa muttered and let out a string of expletives once again.
There was a knock then Kay came in. When Willa spun the chair around to face her Kay took a step back. “Uh, maybe you’re too busy for this visitor. I’ll just tell Ms. Landry it isn’t a good time.”
“Show her in,” Willa said sharply.
“You sure?” Kay pursed her lips.
“Positive,” Willa said and smiled.
Kay’s expression said she was not reassured, but she nodded and headed back out. “If you say so.”
Moments later MiMi came in. Her thick hair was pulled into a French roll with curly tendrils trailing down both sides of her face. She wore a black fitted cropped jacket and her light gray skirt hugged her
figure. Apparently her guise today was Ms. Takin’ Care of Business. Willa and MiMi gazed at each other in stony silence. Kay looked from Willa to MiMi then back at her boss.
“Holler if you need me,” Kay said. She raised an eyebrow at MiMi to indicate she too meant business.
When the office door shut with a discreet thump MiMi snorted. “Please. Like you need a guard dog to protect you from me.”
Willa tilted her head to one side. “She was talking to you.”
MiMi flipped a manicured hand in the air. “There is no need for us to be enemies.”
“Say what?” Willa took her turn at letting out a snort.
“Other than the obvious reason, but that is now a moot point. Our source of feminine conflict is…” MiMi paused then took a tissue from her purse and dabbed at the corner of one eye. “He’s no longer with us.”
“What do you want? Other than a piece of this business and my late husband’s estate, which you won’t get,” Willa added with such fierceness that MiMi stopped her grieving act. She lifted her chin.
“Your estranged almost ex-husband. And my lawyer says differently. But— ” MiMi held up one palm to cut off Willa’s retort. “We can’t afford to have a smack down over this. Remember I told you about the Strafford, Inc. contracts?”
“I’m glad you brought that up. My lawyer says since we can find no record of such a business deal your claim is shaky at best.” Willa wore a genuine smile for the first time in the last few days. “So this little visit was wasted.”
“Not so fast, missy.” MiMi dug a large envelope from her wide leather purse.
“Did you just call me ‘missy’? My granny doesn’t even use that phrase anymore.” Willa blinked at her then at the envelope MiMi waved at her.
“I got this in the mail. A letter from Jack with a bank deposit box key.”
Willa stared at the envelope and sat very still. She felt a chill along with a jumble of emotions. Anger, hurt, jealously flashed through her gut, all unpleasant reminders of how Jack had made her feel during their marriage. Even in death he managed to push her buttons. She finally admitted to feeling that hollow abandoned sensation at losing his affection to another woman. And fear. A message from beyond the grave?
“That’s impossible,” Willa finally managed to rasp from her bone dry throat.
“Scared the crap out of me, too, when I saw the return address. Then I opened it and saw the letter. Girl, it was creepy. I could hear his voice, almost smell his cologne as I was reading it,” MiMi said, her voice a whisper. She stared at the envelope as she spoke.
“Escencia,” Willa said, matching MiMi’s muted tone. Jack had favored the designer cologne with hints of oak and leather.
“He had his own style for sure.” MiMi’s eyes went glassy, this time with what seemed to be real tears.
Willa snapped back to reality. Having a nostalgic moment about Jack with his last mistress was crazy. She shook off the haze that had muddled her brain for a few moments. “What does this alleged letter from Jack say?”
“It is from Jack,” MiMi shot back with a sniff. Apparently her moment was over as well. “He wants me to have some security, and he talks about the Strafford agreement. Here is your copy. My lawyer already has one. He mentions a safe deposit box and left this funny looking key,” MiMi added and held it up.
For a few seconds Willa looked at the sheaf of papers MiMi extended without touching them. When MiMi shook them at her Willa finally accepted copies. She read through them. Strafford, Inc. had hired Crown Protection to provide secure courier services for important papers and guards for two warehouses. The arrangements seemed pretty straightforward. So why didn’t Cedric know about it?
“Something is up with this whole deal. I’m getting a weird feeling, like I’m being followed. Then some guy called me the other day asking about the money.” MiMi nodded when Willa looked at her.
“What money?”
“I don’t know,” MiMi squeaked. “Which is what I told him, but I don’t think he believed me.”
“Okay, so go look in the box since you got the key. Get the money and give it to him,” Willa spoke slowly as though talking to a not too bright child.
“Don’t you think I would have done that already? He didn’t tell me where it is,” MiMi squeaked again and actually stamped a foot. She seemed on the edge of a temper tantrum.
The entire scenario suddenly seemed ridiculous. Willa tossed the papers aside and laughed. “You had me sucked in for about a minute. Coming in here with this cloak and dagger mess. I have to say the mysterious key to an unknown box was a nice touch. Consult your lawyer and I’ll see you in court. Go to the police if you feel threatened.” Willa waved at the door. “Goodbye.”
“I didn’t tell my lawyer everything, and I don’t want to talk to the police. You don’t want me to either. Not until we find out just what Jack was into.” MiMi bit her lip as she frowned at the papers.
“What do you mean ‘we’? Look, we’re on opposite sides in this. If Jack got involved in something shady…” Willa took a deep breath to calm down.
“You don’t want the children to get hurt. Right now he’s a victim of a terrible crime. Before we unravel something nasty I say we find out more on the down low. Just for now.” MiMi tapped the toe of one pump on the carpet.
“Stop saying ‘we’. There is no you and me.” Willa had lost her momentary fragile hold on her temper. “Listen, I’ll do my own investigation without you, thank you very much. Now goodbye.”
“Willa—”
“Mrs. Crown to you, heffa,” Willa yelled back and stood. “You come waltzing in here announcing to me that you’ve been sleeping with my husband.”
“Ex-husband,” MiMi corrected again. “Will you slow your roll long enough to listen?”
“Then you have the brass-ass monkey nerve to claim you own a piece of this company. Well, honey, you better go back and get that job at the cosmetics counter in the department store. Ain’t gonna be no pay day up in here.” Willa put both hands on her hips.
MiMi fanned her face with the envelope. “Lord, a lot of hot air is what’s up in here.”
“You’re about ten seconds and two feet from a beat down, girl,” Willa shot back.
Cedric pushed through the door without knocking. Kay followed right on his heels. Through the open door Willa saw several employees and at least one client in the lobby stretching their necks to see the drama. Kay quickly shut the door.
“I think this meeting is over now, Ms. Landry,” Cedric said firmly. He positioned himself in a spot between the two women.
“Fine.” MiMi stuffed the papers into her handbag and stood. “I can discuss Anthony and Jack with Mrs. Crown some other time. Or maybe her sister will fill her in.” MiMi ignored Cedric and stared steadily at Willa.
“I don’t understand.” Cedric glanced at Willa with a slight frown.
“I’m not here to start a fight,” MiMi said, her gaze still on Willa. “I really think you need to hear me out.”
The icy chill that moved through her body instantly cooled down Willa’s hot rage. “Give us a minute.”
“But—” Cedric started to continue his protest but stopped when Willa looked at him.
“Please.” Willa nodded at him and Kay to leave. Once they were gone she crossed her arms. “What are you talking about?”
MiMi eyed her cautiously. “You calm now? I mean, I don’t want you jumping across that desk on me. I just paid almost two hundred dollars for this suit at Dillard’s. ”
“Tell me about my son. Now,” Willa said through clenched teeth.
“Anthony is a smart boy, and handsome, too. When we met I almost thought maybe Jack was his daddy after all. Of course I know he wasn’t, but— “ MiMi inched back when Willa started around the desk. “Okay, okay. Anthony and Jack had sort of healed their rift. I mean it was slow going at first. Jack used to brag on Anthony so much. He even said he was grooming him to be a businessman instead of somebody’s employee.”
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“Sounds like Jack,” Willa admitted. She batted away her irritation that Jack had introduced his hoochie to Anthony. “Go on.”
“I think Jack was mentoring him to maybe take over this company one day. He would take him along to visit job sites, go over contracts with him and things like that. It was really sweet. Anyway I think Jack told Anthony about this Strafford, Inc. deal.”
“So?” Willa didn’t like the way the chill deepened into her bones.
“Look, you figure it out. That file is missing. Jack’s right-hand man didn’t know about it. Something smells about the whole thing. I thought those guys looked a bit too slick that time we met.” MiMi’s eyes narrowed at the memory.
“You met representatives of the company?” Willa forgot to be irritated with the source of this new information. She dropped her arms to her sides.
“Yeah, girl. The lawyer was smooth. High tone hired gun is what he is. That guy with him, the vice president of something or other, looked like his manners were newly acquired. You know what I mean?”
“Street?”
“What do I know about street?” MiMi flipped her acrylic nails in the air. “I can tell you he didn’t pledge any fraternities or grow up in my circle of friends. His name is Ike Nelson.”
“La-dee-da,” Willa said dryly. “Get back to the part of this story that I care about- my son.”
MiMi gave a hiss of annoyance but went on. “Jack had some custom suits made for Anthony and they went on business meetings a couple of times. You know, for experience. Anthony played the part of business intern perfectly. He was so cute with his little lap top and everything.”
“Funny how they both kept it from me. Are you sure about this?” Willa squinted at MiMi. “It occurs to me that you might be making this up.”
“Didn’t Jack pick up Anthony a few times after their big blow-up?” MiMi asked. She crossed her arms to wait and let her question sink in.
“Yeah. Come to think of it Anthony went with him a few times. But I thought…” Willa frowned as she searched her memory. Since Anthony hadn’t said much or seemed to changed his attitude she had assumed there was still tension between them. “But why would they be secretive?”