“The nerve of this bitch.” Although she tried to remain discreet, Sophie’s blood was boiling.
Michelle shook her mother’s hand softly. Although she had barely spoken above a whisper, Michelle heard her words clearly. She noticed the tension in her mother’s body growing. She thought her mother might jump up and maul this woman while she paid her last respects to her father. Michelle could not see what the woman was doing from behind her shades, but whatever it was, it upset her mother greatly. The woman stood too long for her comfort, and as she turned, she glanced their direction, Michelle recognized her immediately. Time froze. Lisa? It was Lisa! She definitely did not want her mother confronting her here. She rubbed her mother’s arm in an effort to calm her down. Lisa was completely out of line, but Michelle could not afford to have that conversation here. Michelle literally held her mother in place while Lisa walked away and off funeral grounds. Michelle would deal with Lisa personally.
* * *
The funeral went smoothly, and that near crisis with Lisa was averted. Michelle was heated, though. She understood why Bria thought her capable of what she did. Who lusts after someone’s husband at a funeral? Her mother’s state of mind was questionable, and that did not help matters. She was not sure if something was still going on between Lisa and her father, but after Lisa’s public display of affection at the funeral, Michelle was all but positive. She may as well have tongued him down right there. Michelle shook her head to erase the image.
She was getting the few things she brought with her together and preparing to leave her mother’s house. She did not have her car, so either Armand needed to come and get her or she’d have to call a taxi.
“Armand, any word about Brianna?”
There was no way Armand could tell Michelle what he knew without implicating himself. If she smelled smoke, she would definitely keep looking until she found the fire. It was better to keep his answers vague. “Yes . . . and no.”
“What? What does that mean?”
“She is still alive, but I’m not sure where she is yet.”
“Do you think she’s hurt?”
Armand was evasive, and Michelle did not like it. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Do you know anything?”
Armand chided himself for not being a little more forthcoming. He was too short with her, and adding to her stress level was the very last thing he wanted to do. He tried to reassure her and convince himself of his next answer. “I’ll handle it.”
“I know, but I just feel weird not doing anything.”
“Michelle, you are doing something. You’re staying safe and out of sight. They think they have you. I don’t know what would happen if they find out they don’t.”
Michelle was not simply going to sit on her hands. If she could not help find Brianna, she could at least finish their work. They still didn’t know who their parents were or why they had been separated.
“Listen, I want to go see Frank, Brianna’s dad.”
“In Lew Sterrett? Michelle, did you hear anything I just told you?”
“I know, but I need to do this. Besides, no one will be looking for me there.”
Michelle was not taking no for an answer. She would take a car if Armand did not take her.
“Michelle, I don’t like it.”
“Look, nothing happened at the funeral, right? It went fine. Besides, it’s the jail. Who would possibly hurt me there?”
“Michelle . . . that is not the point.”
“Armand, I was not asking you. I’m going.”
Michelle’s stubbornness drove Armand crazy. He wasn’t changing her mind. He had no choice but to let her go. “Fine, woman.”
Michelle chuckled at that, knowing she’d won.
“How are you going to get in there?”
“Well . . . I’m going to pretend I’m Brianna.”
This time, it was Armand’s turn to laugh. “You’re going to what?”
“I’ll pretend I’m Brianna. I’ll use her license.”
Armand stopped laughing. “Oh yeah? How are you going to trick her dad, though?”
“I don’t know, but I need to speak with him and find out what he does know. Since I can’t help find Brianna, I can still try to find our birth parents. There are simply too many coincidences for no one to know nothing. Somebody has some answers. I just need to pose the correct question to the right person.”
“Well, as always, be careful.”
“Wait, what are you doing? You’re not about to hang up, are you?”
“I was, why?”
“I need you to come get me from my mom’s house.”
“Michelle . . . Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
“I wanted to know about Brianna. It doesn’t matter, Armand. Come get me . . . pretty please?”
“I promise. You make me crazy, but I love you anyway. Be there in twenty.”
Michelle threw her phone on the bed and went looking for her mom. “Mom? Mom, where are you?”
“I’m in the den.”
Michelle made her way to the den. She had a few questions for her mom before she left. “Hey, Mom, my ride is coming to get me, but I wanted to check in before I left.”
“It’s been long enough. I told you I didn’t need you to stay.”
Sophie loved having Michelle home, but her presence was sending her on an emotional roller coaster, and she didn’t know how much longer she could last before she spilled her guts.
Michelle frowned. “Mom, it’s only been two days since the funeral.” She did not fail to note the fact that her mother was less than thrilled about her being there. She thought she would be happy that she wanted to stay. She was always asking her to come by, but now that she was here, Sophie acted as if she couldn’t wait for her to leave. People grieved differently, and Michelle had never lost anyone so close. Maybe her mother just needed to cry alone.
“I know, but I’m fine. The sooner I can regain some sense of normalcy, the easier things will be for me.”
“I know. I have a quick question, though. I learned a few things about Dad and . . . Well, it has me thinking.”
“You can ask me anything, you know that.”
“Am I adopted?”
“Michelle, you have already asked me that, and I told you no then, and the answer has not changed. No, you are not adopted. What makes you ask that?”
“I know Dad liked to, uh . . . move around.”
“What does that have to do with you? You are my daughter. It is true your father, unfortunately, took certain liberties, but that has nothing to do with you. He is your father, and I am your mother. Understood?”
Michelle was not satisfied with that answer. It would have brought her comfort hearing the conviction and certainty with which her mother spoke had it not been lacking very important details. The answer did not explain Brianna’s absence nor her presence. Michelle could not question further, though; she would get nowhere and only frustrate herself in the process. She got her stubborn resolve from her mother. Unless Michelle had something extra to add, she was not going to get a different answer regardless of how many different ways she posed the question.
“Yes, ma’am, I understand. Thank you, Mom.”
Sophie cringed. She wanted to tell Michelle the whole truth, but she didn’t know how. She simply could not do it. She told herself it was better this way; that Michelle never knows about her sister since she could never be with her. Sophie had no clue where she was or if she was alive and well. She hoped, though. She sure hoped she was. “So, who is coming to get you?”
“Armand.”
“Armand. Am I finally going to meet this young man?”
Michelle considered it. It had been two years, but with everything going on, maybe now was not the best time. “Not today, but soon enough.”
“I’ll give you this week, but I want to meet him before I leave, Number One.”
Michelle heard Armand’s car in the driveway. She needed to beat him to the
door if she wanted to delay their meeting. She got up and walked to where her mom sat, hugged her, and kissed her forehead. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve got to get my bags. Love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Chapter 33
Mike was still waiting to hear from Armand. It had been nearly a week, and John was growing more impatient by the day. Their prisoner was not talking, but she had eaten the food he offered. Of course, he had to convince her that it wasn’t poisonous or anything by eating a little piece himself. He didn’t fully understand why he was so invested in saving her. This was not the first time they had to deal with a situation like this, and the previous solution worked well for them. They were never called in for questioning, but he did not want to hurt her. Something would not let him. He could not even consider it an option. He picked up the phone to call his brother Javan.
Although Javan was younger than he, Mike looked up to him. Javan had made all the right decisions and was gunning for partner at his architectural firm. Mike needed some sound advice, and he couldn’t think of anyone better to speak with.
“Mike, how are you, bruh?”
“I’m good, but I need to holla at’chu. Got a minute?”
“For you, of course. What’s good?”
“I got a little situation with John.”
“You and John always have something going, man. I thought you were trying to fall back. He’s loose.”
“Still ridin’ that way, but, uh . . . This was unfinished business.”
“Mike, I know you and John are close like brothers, man. I was always jealous of his position, but understand that what I’m saying is not on a jealousy tip. That man is not your brother. He’s got more than a few screws missing. Only a matter of time before that train derails.”
“Say, Javan . . . Listen, man, I know how you feel about John, all right, but can you focus for a second?”
“I am focused. I know that whatever this is . . . was his idea and don’t bother trying to convince me otherwise.”
“Javan, it was my idea. My plan, and now it’s busted, and I need to fix it before John does.”
“Was this why he was so amped up the other day when I came by?”
“Yeah, it was, but, look—”
“Nah, Mike. Why didn’t you say anything when I was over there?”
“I needed some time to think. You’re my little brother. Think I like coming to you with my bullshit?”
Javan was already giving him a hard time. Mike could only imagine what he would do once he got the full story. “We’re family. Are you going to give me any details?”
“Not on the line, just come by later. John will be ghost, and we can chop it up.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Mike wasn’t happy with getting Javan involved in any way, but he was desperate. John was going off the deep end. He didn’t want Mike feeding her. Mike felt a little better knowing that he might be a little closer to finding a solution. He got up to check on Michelle.
They were in a newly remodeled four-bedroom house off Rosewood in South Dallas. It wasn’t bad for what it was, and it was pretty roomy. She was in the back room on the far side. He opened the door, and she looked up at him from where she sat on the floor. Her eyes were full of questions but absent of the perturbation that had been so prevalent before.
“Do you need anything?”
She shook her head no.
“These hands,” Mike held up his hands for Brianna to view, turning them for effect, “ain’t for roughin’ up females. That’s not me.”
Brianna stared at him. She did not know whether she should believe him. He had been the nicer of two captors, but he had taken her away from everything she knew. “What do you want from me?”
Mike never missed a beat. “Your pops owes some cash from back in the day.”
Brianna let the words stew. “So, I’m a bargaining chip?”
“Not anymore.”
“So, what am I?”
“That’s not important. He was into us for the cash, but not anymore.”
“Was? What do you mean was?”
“Your pops can’t pay.”
“What, what are you talking about?”
Mike realized his mistake, but it was too late to pull it back. The sting had reached her valentine; the spike in her pulse showed in her eyes. He stumbled over his words, hesitant to be the one giving her this news.
“I mean, yeah . . . He died.” Mike could not tell her that she missed his funeral; it seemed cruel.
“I don’t understand. He was just . . . I just . . .” Brianna started crying uncontrollably, sputtering inaudible words.
Mike decided to let her be and give her a chance to calm down. Brianna could not believe it. How could her dad be dead? He was just in jail. Did someone kill him in jail? What was happening? She held her arms and rocked back and forth on the pallet. This could not be true; it couldn’t be. She needed to get out of there, but she didn’t even know where she was. Mike said he wanted to help her. Maybe she would take him up on his offer. What did she have to lose?
Mike didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news. He had no intentions of telling her at all, but it slipped out. Hopefully, the news would encourage some cooperation from her. He needed to know everything Armand had failed to tell them. It was her only shot at walking out alive. He could fight John, but he’d rather not. John was his friend and had been for as long as he could remember. He saved his ass so many times he lost count; he didn’t want to cross him like that. Hopefully, Javan could lend some insight. When he checked his cell again, there was a text message from Armand, asking him to call him. Mike dialed, anxious to hear what Armand had to say. For his sake, he’d better have some answers.
Chapter 34
It was Tuesday, and Michelle was waiting to see Frank. She endured the uncomfortable frisk, wand search, and passed through the metal detector. If it took all of that to get in for a few minutes, she could only hope her exit would not be as complicated. With only Brianna’s driver’s license in hand, she followed the guard into a room that looked to be about four feet wide with hard cement walls and listened to the big metal door slam shut behind her. She took her seat in front of the shatterproof glass and mentally introduced herself to Frank, her sister’s father.
Frank was happy to see Brianna, thankful that she was well. When he was told he had a visitor, he felt a little anxious, but once he saw it was her, his nervousness fled. He grabbed the old-school black phone and motioned for her to do the same. His smile was so bright, it almost made her forget where they were . . . almost. It had been such a long time since he had seen Brianna last. He hadn’t realized how much he had truly missed her. She was a sight for sore eyes.
“Brianna—”
Michelle shook her head. She hadn’t intended to, but it was done. This was not how she wanted this meeting to go, but she went with it.
Frank scrunched his face in confusion, not understanding. “Brianna, baby girl?”
Michelle shook her head once again. It was all she could manage to do at the moment. It was happening almost involuntarily. She kept shaking her head until she saw the change in his eyes, confirmation that her truth had registered.
“You’re her sister?” Frank was numb. What were the odds? How could this even be possible? “Where did you come from? I don’t understand.”
Michelle fought back her tears, trying to maintain her composure. She wasn’t sure how the next words would sound coming out of her mouth, but she had to know what he knew. “We found each other. Brianna . . . Brianna couldn’t be here, but I’m here in her . . . place. We need answers, and I hope you can help us.”
Frank could not believe his eyes. The voice did not belong to Brianna, but her face . . . They were identical. She was beautiful, just like his daughter, and he could not lie to her. Besides, his actions had hurt her as well.
“What is your name?”
“Michelle. My name is Michelle.”
“Michelle, I am
so sorry for what I did. I love Brianna, and I raised her the best I could. I gave her everything I had. I hope you’ll let her know that.”
“We need to know the truth. Please.”
“The truth will be difficult to hear and painful to speak. You deserve to know it. I . . . I purchased Brianna when she was a baby.”
The air left Michelle’s lungs, and she strained to fill them again. Was Brianna purchased? Like a damn tote bag? This man was sick.
“A woman was in a bad way, and she needed the money. I needed a baby.”
Michelle kept her cool, turned off her emotions, and stayed the course. She could not afford to get swept up in her emotions now. She was finally getting the answers she needed.
“I gave her $5 million, and she gave me her child. Well, one of them, obviously. She didn’t have a name for her yet; she just called her number two.”
Michelle’s heart sank. Tears streamed from her eyes. Her sister was sold and bought like an accessory. No one deserved to be treated that way. What type of person would do such a thing?
Frank did not fare any better. He felt as if he might pass out any minute, but he knew he needed to get this out. He saw the pain he was causing her, and even though Michelle was not his daughter, he loved her like she was.
“I am so sorry, Michelle. I did not mean to hurt anyone, but I know I did. I own that.”
“How could you do that? How could you take my sister from me?” Michelle’s rage rose to the surface. “All these years, I thought I was an only child. She thought she was too, but you knew differently. You knew the truth! You kept us apart! Why?”
“I have my reasons, but you would never consider them valid, and I could not ask you to. I love Brianna, and the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her, but if the truth got out about how I adopted her . . . She could have been taken away from me. I would have lost everything I loved. So I figured as long as no one ever knew . . . Who would it hurt?”
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