Black Obsession (A Kelly Black Affair Book 3)

by Thomas, C. J.

  Nash glared at Kelly before fixing his gaze back on Giselle. “I know her. Or, shall I say, knew her. We had a history .”

  “What kind of history?” Kelly took a step closer to Nash .

  Nash turned his head to Kelly. “We dated. She was one of my interns .”

  Alex squeezed her eyes shut and I knew that she didn’t want to hear any more of what Nash had to say. Lifting my hand, I draped my arm over her shoulders and pulled her close to my chest .

  “And do you know where she is today ?”

  “Dead. Murdered.” Nash didn’t flinch when he said the words .

  Alex pushed herself away and muttered something about making everyone drinks. Her story about meeting Nash wasn’t too different than Maria’s, and I was sure it couldn’t have been easy to hear .

  “And you know this, how?” Giselle pressed .

  Falling into the corner of the couch, Nash clasped his hands together and sighed. “Been over this with the cops already.” Then his brows knitted. “I was under the impression they caught the man who—” he paused to look at Maria’s glossy image, “—took her away from us .”

  Silence swept the room as we all wrestled with our own thoughts .

  I hated how we were here again, everything always connected back to the missing money everyone suspected Blake Stone had stashed away in a studio somewhere in Hollywood. Memories of the Santa Marta cartel and professor Ted Fields came rushing to the forefront of my mind as if it happened yesterday. And a sharp pang stabbed my gut as I turned to look at Alex, remembering that she had been kidnapped by those same men who now seemed to be framing Nash .

  Nodding, Nash said, “I saw it with my own eyes. They arrested him .”

  Kelly slowly moved to the couch. Sitting on the opposite end, he crossed one leg over his knee and leaned back .

  Shaking his head, Nash turned to Kelly, “Why are you asking about the case? Did something happen ?”

  Kelly glanced at Giselle. “We’re just covering our bases,” she said. “Before the case is brought before a judge .”

  “I’m no fool,” Nash said. “I know what that really means. It means new evidence has been discovered to rethink the case .”

  “You’re right,” Kelly said .

  “It’s possible we might use you as a witness.” Giselle lifted her eyes to Nash. “Would you be okay with that ?”

  Nash thought quietly for a minute. “As long as that’s all this is, and I’m not being added back to the suspect list I was already cleared of once before .”

  “There is something else we should tell you.” Giselle leaned forward and jabbed her pointer into the center of Maria’s image. “The prosecutors working the case,” her eyes flickered up to Nash’s, “will want to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury, and there is a good chance they’ll use evidence of these injuries .”

  Nash didn’t say anything, only stared at Maria, keeping his distance from the picture Giselle was painting. “Get on with it. What are you suggesting ?”

  “So, what I’m getting at, Mr. Brooks, is did you inflict those types of wounds on the victim ?”

  The sounds coming from the kitchen stopped, and when I turned to look, I found Alex staring into the living room, frozen stiff as if waiting to hear Nash’s answer .

  But Nash only blinked and rubbed his face .

  Leaning forward, Kelly rested his elbows on his knees and began going through the images of Maria’s battered body. “You know how it looks, don’t you, Nash?” He looked at Nash out of the corner of his eye. “From my perspective, it looks like you have a temper. That you enjoy beating women .”

  Nash glanced toward Alex. “It’s not what it looks like .”

  Reaching inside his suit jacket pocket, Kelly pulled out another photograph. “Do you know this woman ?”

  The lines on Nash’s forehead wrinkled. “Unfortunately, I do.” Then his eyes flicked up to Kelly’s .

  “Why unfortunately?” Giselle asked .

  Nash snapped his head over to Giselle. “Because she’s the one suspect no one is looking into .”

  Alex gasped and Kelly and Giselle shared a look .

  “What exactly are you implying?” Kelly asked .

  Nash smirked. “Sylvia Neil is conniving, manipulative, and could never accept the fact that I no longer wanted her in my bed. She’s an amateur sex addict. And if I had to guess who killed Maria, I would bet everything I owned, it was her.” He paused for a long second. “She’s the one who did this. Not me !”

  Alex hurried into the living room with a tray full of empty glasses and a pitcher of water .

  “Nash, are you a member of any nightclubs that participate in eccentric sex?” Giselle continued .

  Alex stopped mid-stride, and even from across the room, I could see her muscles tense like she knew the truth—like he was guilty of inflicting such injuries, whether intentional or not .

  When she glanced in my direction, I gave her a look like ‘really?’ but she quickly looked away, leaving me to believe she was hiding something from me. Then I turned my attention back to Nash when I heard Kelly say, “And one more thing, when did you stop attending Mint ?”

  My eyes widened at the word Mint .

  “Was it before or after Maria’s murder ?”

  It was clear that Nash thought the question was absurd .

  “Was it before or after?” Kelly pressed .

  Seconds ticked by before Nash’s mouth opened. “Before .”

  Standing, Kelly said, “Thanks for your time, Nash.” Then he quickly found me and gently guided me to the exit with Giselle a step behind .

  When I glanced over my shoulder, I found Alex staring at me like this was my fault. Wanting to tell her sorry, I couldn’t. Not with the chaos that stood between us .

  Nash followed us to the door. “Why does it matter if it was before or after? Does that finally clear my name, once and for all? Because it should. I didn’t do it. What did Sylvia Neil say? Have you talked to her ?”

  Stepping into the hall, Kelly paused, turned, and took a step toward Nash. “I suggest you keep your mouth shut before you make yourself look guiltier than we already suspect you are .”

  16

  Kelly

  K endra felt fragile as my fingers glided down the center of her back, guiding her safely inside the backseat of my SUV .

  Maxwell turned his head and I nodded for him to start the car. Then I closed the door and turned to Giselle .

  Her eyes scurried over my face and I knew that her mind was racing around the track as fast as mine was. “Do you believe him?” she asked impatiently, her hand on the front door handle .

  Turning my back to Kendra—not wanting her to see my face—I stroked my chin with one hand. “Honestly, I don’t know what, or whom, to believe any more .”

  Giselle shifted her weight to the other leg and said, “Evidence is pointing to him .”

  I let my gaze fall to the entrance of Nash’s building, knowing that Giselle was right .

  “Everything we know up until now suggests that there is a hint of possibility Nash actually did it.” Giselle held her gaze on me for a moment before tucking her files deeper inside her shoulder bag .

  “Is that what you want to believe?” I turned my attention back to her. “That he did it ?”

  When she lifted her gaze up, her eyes softened as her chin recoiled into her neck. “I just want to make sure that we did everything to ensure the right person receives the punishment they deserve .”

  “Then let us not forget,” my voice raised, “that his story aligns with what Wes told us—that he stopped attending Mint before Maria was murdered .”

  Giselle’s face reddened with agitation as her lips quivered with lost words .

  A limo pulled into the parking lot and it was enough to steal my attention away. Ever since I was bombarded by the media outside the police precinct, my nerves were on high alert, waiting for them to strike a second time .

  “That st
ill doesn’t make him innocent,” Giselle alleged .

  Once the limo rounded to the back of the building I angled my face to Giselle. “No, it doesn’t. But it sure as hell taints the picture Sylvia has painted for us .”

  Giselle’s forehead wrinkled as she sighed. “Do you think she’s lying?” she asked as she rubbed the back of her neck .

  My chest expanded with a deep breath as I thought through that possibility .

  “Why would she do that?” Giselle shook her head. “She’s the one who first brought Maria’s murder to our attention .”

  Twisting my spine back around to the vehicle, I found Kendra’s faint silhouette through the tinted glass. Her posture was hunched as she stared out her window with curled shoulders. A dull pain ached in my chest, imagining what she was now thinking about her friend possibly being involved with a murderer. She’d done everything she could to protect Alex, but if Nash was the one to have murdered Maria Greer, then it was up to us to get Alex out before something similar happened to her .

  “What are we going to do, Kelly?” Giselle’s question reeled me back to the present .

  “First things first. We need to go back to the drawing board and talk again with Sylvia.” My tongue darted out of my mouth and wet my bottom lip. “Ask her the same questions. Have her go over the timeline of what she knows. We need to know why her details don’t add up to what everyone else is saying. Someone is lying and we need to know why .”

  Giselle nodded as I thought back to my meetings with Sylvia. I knew then that there was something off, but I had always attributed my doubts to the death threats she was receiving. Now, depending on what she confirmed in a second conversation, I may have to approach her with more hesitation than I would otherwise like .

  Scrolling through her phone, Giselle said, “Just as I thought. She’ll be at the Hollywood gala tonight.” A glimmer of excitement flashed over her eyes. “You did get invited,” she said to me, “maybe you should go? Take Kendra with you. God knows she could use a distraction after today .”

  Reaching out, I hooked my hand on her shoulder. “I’ll go .”

  She smiled .

  “And Giselle,” she glanced up at me, “you could use a distraction, too .”

  Holding up her phone. “Speaking of which, I have a date with John .”

  “That’s great.” I grinned, hoping that her relationship was on the mend. “Should we have Maxwell drop you off ?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “I’ll call a lift .”

  I smiled and squeezed her shoulder before pulling my hand away .

  “I’ll see you at the gala,” Giselle called over her shoulder as I watched her trot toward the street corner .

  Turning around, I opened the door and slid in the backseat to find Kendra barely acknowledge my presence .

  “Where to, sir?” Maxwell asked .

  “To the penthouse,” I murmured as I stared at Kendra .

  A second later, the wheels were set in motion and Maxwell did me the honor of rolling up the privacy partition .

  Silence kept the tension between us high as Kendra refused to look my way .

  Unwilling to bite, I instead reached over and took her by the hand. The warmth of her skin slowed the beat of my racing heart and relaxed me. Despite how she may have been feeling toward me, she still had that relaxing effect that I craved .

  Closing my eyes, my thoughts began to drift .

  The faces of Timothy Parker and Oscar Buchanan flashed behind my lids. And with a clenched stomach, I worked to figure out a plan where I could resolve our differences without having to have the DA decide my fate. When Maxwell turned on the next street, the sun hit my face, making me flinch away .

  Kendra rolled her neck in my direction and I found her dazzling eyes dancing with mine for the first time since leaving Nash’s building .

  They were beautiful, intense, and as much as I hated to admit it, they reminded me of how my need to confront Madam was getting pushed to the side .

  No matter what Kendra did earlier to slow things down, it was only a matter of time before things sped up and we settled into our racing pace in hopes of getting ahead of the problem .

  “Are you mad at me?” I asked her .

  “I told you not to make me regret going in there with you.” Her voice was as soft as the flutter of a butterfly’s wings .

  “And do you?” I paused to swallow. “Have feelings of regret ?”

  She turned her head away. “I’m not mad at you,” she murmured .

  I didn’t believe her one bit. I knew she was mad. Knew she regretted following me inside Alex’s apartment. And no matter what she told me, I could see the weight on her shoulders .

  “I’m just disappointed.” She sighed .

  Her words were like a knife to my heart. A deep stab that twisted and sliced apart what little compassion I had left give. “I’m just doing my job .”

  Her head spun around on her shoulders fast as lightening. “You shouldn’t have done that to me, to Alex .”

  Tipping my chin up, I said, “Nothing would be any different if you were there or not .”

  “That’s not true, Kelly. You know it as well as I do. That’s a fucking lie,” she spat. “Alex is mad at me. I’d be surprised if she ever forgives me after what happened in there today. You didn’t see what I saw, did you ?”

  My brow wrinkled .

  “The look she gave me when we were leaving .”

  I shook my head, hating to see Bella so torn apart .

  “She’s blaming me for what just happened .”

  With hooded lids, I didn’t know how best to respond. I could try to convince Alex that this was my decision, but I knew that I was probably the last person she wanted to see .

  “You should have never made me come.” Kendra pulled her hand away, leaving me to fight off the cold air blowing out of the vents alone. “This isn’t my concern .”

  “It is, though.” I stared at my hand, still resting close to her slender thigh. “Especially if Nash is capable of doing that to his ex. It’s important we learn the truth of what happened. And not just so Maria can get the justice she deserves, or so the man being falsely accused of her murder can be set free. We need to know so that we know Alex—and you—are both safe with Nash Brooks .”

  Kendra closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest. Her fingers tangled together on her lap and she couldn’t stop fidgeting. It was important she knew that I was right—that it was the truth I was after, not Nash himself .

  Slowly, she lifted her head and looked me in the eye. “What do you know about Mint ?”

  Looking away, I fixed my eyes on the partition. My reflection stared back at me and it was impossible not to see the look of surprise filling my face. It didn’t occur to me that Kendra might know anything about Mint, but I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was. “Nothing more than what everyone else knows,” I said as I turned back to fix my eyes on hers .

  Kendra gulped down a hard swallow. “Is that where Maria was found ?”

  My chest expanded as I blew out a heavy breath .

  “Kelly, you decided to involve me, and now I’m asking you a question.” Kendra craned her neck toward me. “Is that where Maria’s body was found ?”

  I stared at her with unwavering eyes. But, inside, I was feeling trapped. Wanting to roll down my window to catch some fresh air, I knew I couldn’t. Not without Kendra knowing that I was hiding something from her. I didn’t want her to know more about Maria’s murder than absolutely necessary. And until I knew the truth about her connection to Mint, I couldn’t tell Kendra anything .

  “If you can’t tell me that,” she huffed, “then answer me this. Are you a member of Mint ?”

  My last breath of air caught in my lungs as I felt the muscles around my eyes widen. I didn’t know how to respond. I was, then I wasn’t. And now that Wes was having us meet there to discuss business, it was starting to look like I was again .

  “Should I be wor
ried about Wes ?”

  “What? No.” My brows pinched. “Of course not .”

  “And what about you?” She pushed the hair out of her face .

  My eyes narrowed as my stomach flipped .

  “Those marks on Maria’s body, I know what they’re from. If Nash is a suspect, then why not you, too ?”

  “You’re being ridiculous .”

  “Am I ?”

  My cell started to ring inside my suit jacket pocket. Pulling it free, I turned to Kendra. “You are. And I’ll prove it to you .”

  “How?”

  I lowered my voice into a husky rasp. “Not how, but where .”

  Her brow arched as she gave me a pinched expression .

  “At the gala we will be attending tonight.” My brows raised. “You’ll be coming with me,” I said as I answered my phone. “Kelly Black .”

  “Have you figured out who added you to Stone’s list of approved visitors?” Oscar’s smug voice bellowed through the line .

  “You?”

  He huffed out a knowing laugh .

  “You won’t get away with this.” I grinded my teeth .

  “Already did.” Oscar hung up and killed the call, knowing he had me by the balls worse than Madam herself .

  17

  Kendra

  M y feet cautiously padded over to the nightstand next to Kelly’s California king .

  Reaching down, I plucked my cell from the top before glancing over my shoulder to look back toward the bathroom where I knew Kelly was showering .

  Perking my ear, I held my breath and listened .

  When I heard the water splash and spill in a soft pitter-patter of rain streaming against the glass walls, I knew that I was safe to call Alex without Kelly knowing .

  Scrolling through my screen, I came to my contact list of favorites. Alex’s name was right on top and, though a part of me didn’t want to have this conversation with her, I had to make sure she knew where I stood .

  Ever since leaving her place, I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened. Replaying each word that was said, each subtle accusation being tossed in Nash’s direction, I heard it all as if I was still in his living room .