“Shelly just quit,” she answered. “She told Tom she couldn’t work in the same place as Maurice anymore.”
“Did he do something else?” Sherise asked.
She shook her head. “But he’s done enough. She just doesn’t feel comfortable in the office around him.”
“Has Tom told Jerry?” Sherise asked.
“He was really upset because Shelly is important to him. They’re in a fury over agency appointments. He needed her. He told Jerry that, but . . .”
“Nothing,” Sherise said with a sigh.
“He said he’d talk to Maurice, but that doesn’t help Tom. Shelly is gone.”
“I’m not surprised,” Sherise said. “Don’t tell him I told you, but Stephen even put in a word for Shelly. You know he likes her.”
“Wow.” LaKeisha shook her head in disbelief. “Jerry loves Stephen to death. I can’t believe that didn’t sway him.”
“Who exactly was it that pressured Jerry the most on hiring Maurice?” Sherise asked. “I know all the powerful donors and the party leaders that supported us the most, but I’ve been making calls and I can’t find out who is in Maurice’s corner.”
“You and me both,” LaKeisha said. “I’m getting so frustrated. I’m supposed to know everything Jerry knows. I’ve talked to him about this and he won’t say who pressured him into hiring Maurice. I’ve gone out on my own to the people I know he’d listen to. Not a one admitted to pushing Maurice forward.”
Sherise found this bizarre. “Why wouldn’t they?”
“Well, they don’t want to give a clue that he’s blackmailing them to do it, I guess.” LaKeisha shrugged. “As far as the politicians, we know who is who. Where the private donors are concerned, we vet them if they’re giving us a lot of money. Most have little to no connection to Maurice.”
“What about the agency appointments?” Sherise asked. “Who is Maurice pushing for?”
LaKeisha nodded. “You think maybe it was a quid pro quo? You pressure the governor to hire me as PS and I’ll make sure you get Head of Education.”
“Tom said Maurice was pressuring him about appointments.”
“So far, none of his suggestions have passed vetting,” LaKeisha said. “Congressman James Cannon, Governor Ryan Wilson, and there are others, but so far Tom has nixed them all and Maurice hasn’t put up much of a fight.”
Sherise didn’t think there was anything there. It was a thought. She was desperate. She had to look at every avenue.
“Funny thing,” LaKeisha said. “The only job he seems to have secured is his own.”
A light blinked on in Sherise’s head as she sat up straight. Of course! It had to be. They had been on the wrong path all along. There was a reason they couldn’t find a donor or politician who pressured Jerry into hiring Maurice. They weren’t trying to cover up blackmail. Maurice wasn’t blackmailing any of them to get the job. He was blackmailing Jerry to get the job!
It was the only real explanation, and Sherise felt stupid for not having figured it out already. She’d wasted so much time!
But that brought on many other questions. What was so horrible that he could blackmail Jerry, the man who was a few months from being the most powerful man in the world, into doing something he didn’t want to? Not only was Jerry no pushover, he was an actual good guy. It took a while for Sherise to believe it herself, thinking it was all a façade and Jerry was just better at it than most politicians. But after getting to know him and learn of his past, she became a believer. There were no mistresses, no drug abuse, and no dirty backdoor business dealings in his past.
But Maurice had something on him, and Jerry was risking a lot to make Maurice happy. Was Jerry not the clean-cut husband and father Sherise had known him to be? And how would Maurice know about that and not any of his closest staff? Did he know something that could ruin Jerry’s presidency, and thus Sherise’s aspirations, before it even began?
It was time to rework her strategy and Sherise knew that there was very little time left.
There were people all around them in the jewelry department of Bloomingdale’s at the Shops at Wisconsin Place in Chevy Chase, Maryland, so Sherise tried to keep her voice low. It wasn’t easy. She was angry.
“That was a stupid, stupid move, Billie.”
“I told him he had to get the blood test results first,” Billie said. “He didn’t want to wait. They’re leaving in a few days and he wanted to see the kid.”
“You should have insisted,” Erica said as she saw the piece that she’d seen here before. A red and gold Ferragamo buckle leather bracelet.
“I did,” Billie explained. “He had it done yesterday. The results will be back within a week. They’ll be back in Atlanta by then.”
“So?” Sherise said.
“Well, I guess it’s better he get to know him here,” Billie surmised. “I don’t want to have to go back to Atlanta so soon again.”
Sherise was shaking her head. “No. It’s best he wait no matter what. You don’t know what this bitch is up to.”
“I’m not stupid.” Billie placed a pair of earrings back on the stand. “I watched her like a hawk when they met up last night. She was perfect or she’s really good at playing perfect. She just seemed very happy to see Duncan and Michael together.”
“How was Michael?” Erica asked.
“Emotional,” Billie said. “He tried so hard to keep it all in. He wanted to make sure that things didn’t get, you know, caught up at the first meeting. It was only an hour, but he had to fight to keep cool.”
“Does the kid look like him?” Sherise asked.
“No,” Billie said. “I tried to see it, but I couldn’t. He looks like Darina.”
“I’m pissed at you for not taking a picture of her,” Sherise said. “I want to know what she looks like.”
“I told you,” Billie said. “I don’t even care about her looks. I care about her motives. Michael is a mess. I’m worried about him.”
“I’m worried about you,” Sherise said. “What P.I. did you put on her?”
“What?” Billie looked at her. “I’m not hiring a P.I. on my own.”
Sherise didn’t believe that. “You have to.”
“It’s a good idea,” Erica added as she placed the bracelet on her arm. She loved it now even more than when she first saw it. “You need to know who you’re dealing with.”
“I told Michael we should do that,” Billie said. “I’m not going to do it behind his back. That’s not who I am.”
Sherise made a smacking sound with her mouth and rolled her eyes. “Michael isn’t thinking straight right now. You can’t wait for him to get his head together to know what you’re heading into. When he does, it might be too late.”
“Between this and Michael going on about moving to Atlanta, I have enough on my plate. I don’t want anything else getting between us and this wedding.”
“I thought you already told him moving to Atlanta is off the table,” Sherise said.
“I’m trying to convince him,” Billie stated. “He’s trying to convince me otherwise.”
Erica didn’t like what she was hearing. “Billie, you can’t come between Michael and his son. The poor kid already went eight years without a father.”
“He’s had a father,” Sherise corrected her.
“Not his real father,” Erica said. “He needs that relationship. You have no right to interfere with that.”
“I’m not trying to do that!” Billie was offended by the accusation. “Have you been listening to anything I said?”
Erica shrugged. “It’s just shitty if you turn into the wife who tries to shut out kids that came before you.”
“I’m not trying to shut him out, Erica! I’m just trying to make sure he’s who Darina says he is and—”
“Just shut up, Erica,” Sherise interjected. “You’re projecting.”
“I’m what?” Erica asked.
“Projecting your fucking baggage from Jonah on Billie,” Sherise cla
rified. “She’s not trying to keep him from the kid if the kid is his.”
“Fuck you!” Erica shouted loud enough for people to hear. “Not everything is about Jonah. Why do you keep bringing him up?”
“Because it’s obvious,” Sherise said. “Jonah’s shrew of a wife didn’t want you in his life. But the fact is, if he wanted to openly be your father, he could have.”
Shocked by what Sherise had just said, Billie knew this was about to go downhill fast.
“It’s not important,” Billie said. “Let’s just . . .”
“You know what, Sherise?” Erica asked, “You’re a fucking bitch! You always have been and you always will be.”
She turned and headed to the other end of the jewelry counter where an employee was standing.
Sherise looked at Billie and said. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Don’t mess with her,” Billie said, even though she was angry at Erica for her insinuations. “She’s extra touchy these days.”
“These days?” Sherise asked. “As opposed to when?” They walked over to Erica as she offered the lady her credit card.
“Who are you buying that for?” Billie asked.
“Myself,” Erica answered, not looking at either of them.
“We’re supposed to be Christmas shopping for others,” Sherise said.
“What have you bought?” Erica asked, looking around Sherise to note that she had no gifts.
“That bracelet is over four hundred dollars,” Billie said. “Erica?”
“I have the money now.” Erica smiled as the two women looked surprised. “I told you it was coming.”
“I thought you were giving it to Alex,” Billie said.
“That jerk didn’t want it,” Erica said flippantly. “And after I thought about it, I deserve it more than he does anyway.”
“How do you figure that?” Billie asked.
“None of your damn business,” Erica responded before turning to sign her receipt.
“Well, have you gotten a financial manager?” Billie asked. “That’s a lot of money. You can’t just put it in the bank, Erica. You have to—”
“I’m not an idiot,” Erica said. “You guys think I’m so stupid, don’t you? Just because I don’t have a college education, I don’t know that I need someone to manage my money?”
“I wasn’t calling you stupid,” Billie said.
“Even educated people don’t know all that stuff,” Sherise added. “Don’t be so fucking sensitive.”
“I know what I need and I’ve got it.” Erica took her credit card back from the salesperson. “I’ve got a financial manager and I have a real estate agent looking to buy me a house.”
“Already?” Sherise asked. “You might need to slow your roll.”
Billie was genuinely hurt. “Why would you do all of this without talking to us first?”
Erica placed both hands on her hips, feeling like she was about to explode. “You both think I’m a damn five-year-old or something. I don’t know how to handle more than ten bucks and now, I can’t even look for a home without your help.”
Billie rolled her eyes. She was exhausted with this bullshit. “Erica, you know I would want you both in on buying a new house. It’s a big deal. It’s a stressful experience.”
“Not when you’re rich,” Erica said haughtily.
“You’re not rich,” Sherise said. “You’re showing your ghetto side, thinking that money makes you rich.”
“Not to mention you’re only twenty-nine,” Billie said. “It’s not a lot of money at all.”
“You’re just jealous!” Erica retorted. “You can’t stand that I’m not the charity case of the group anymore. You think you can still convince me I need your help, your guidance with everything. You want to make sure I don’t get too big for my britches!”
Sherise threw her hands in the air. “I can’t deal with this shit.”
“Then don’t!” Erica told her. “I didn’t ask you to and I don’t need you to. I don’t need anything from either of you.”
“Erica, you do need us,” Billie said. “We all need each other.”
Erica accepted the bagged bracelet, thanking the woman, and turned to Billie.
“Well, maybe things change,” she said. “Maybe you liked our situation when you both had your little Erica to look after and guide. I’m not that girl anymore. I don’t need your guidance. It’s insulting and condescending. I think I’m gonna finish my Christmas shopping on my own.”
Erica turned and walked away, her head held high. She was asserting herself now and they just couldn’t deal with it. They couldn’t deal with her not needing them to show her the way anymore. All their education and money meant nothing to her anymore and they couldn’t handle it. She didn’t need to deal with it and wouldn’t anymore.
11
As she watched from the sidelines, hating Maurice with every inch of her being, Sherise tried to keep her mind straight. She had to let go of the fact that it should be her sitting there, under the bright lights of the news studio on the number one Sunday-morning talk show. Instead, she was just offstage being the supportive minion that Jerry wanted her to be.
Everything was different now that she realized she’d been on the wrong path. She felt stupid for not seeing it. Although, in her defense, Sherise had been certain she knew absolutely everything about Jerry. The man was a political campaigner’s dream, a politician with a boring personal life. Even his college years were bland.
Something had happened, and it was bad enough to frighten Jerry into doing the bidding of a man who could ruin his reputation. But what was it, and how did Maurice know about it and no one else? The two men hadn’t shared any connection that would give them access into each other’s lives.
The truth was, nothing Sherise had planned to do would make a difference. If Maurice had Jerry by the balls, her only chance was to find out what he was using for his grip and neutralize that grip.
Her first thought had been to go to Jerry and pretend as if she knew, but that was playing it too risky. He was already upset with her and if he called her bluff, she would fail and that would be it for her. She’d be fired and it would all be over. No, she had to get the information from the man who was walking toward her now.
“Did I look shiny?” Maurice asked as he approached. “I hate it when they make me look shiny. That stupid makeup chick overdid it.”
“You looked fine.” Sherise handed him his phone.
He started walking as he checked his phone and Sherise kept his stride.
“The car is downstairs to take you to your next interview,” she said.
“Which one?” he asked.
She sighed. It was unbelievable that he couldn’t keep track of this. “Charles Burke, Maurice.”
Charles Burke was arguably the most powerful political journalist in D.C. It killed Sherise to think of how inept Maurice was going to look to him, but it angered her even more that Maurice didn’t seem to give a damn.
Maurice stopped and looked at her with a displeased frown. “What was that?”
“What?” she asked.
“That sigh.” He pointed at her, his finger only a foot from her face.
She wanted to slap him. “What sigh?”
“I don’t need your attitude, Sherise. Not today.”
“I have no attitude,” she said.
“Just take a Midol or whatever you women take when you’re on the rag and pull your shit together.”
He started walking again, but Sherise didn’t walk with him. A few feet away, he realized that she was still standing there and turned back to look at her. Her desire to please Jerry could only go so far and from the murderous look on her face, Maurice knew that.
“It was a joke,” he said, walking back to her. “Come on, Sherise. You have to have a sense of humor if you’re going to work for me.”
“Sexist humor isn’t really my thing,” she remarked flatly.
“Everyone is so fucking sensi
tive.” He shook his head in disappointment. “I know you’re pissed about this situation, but don’t you think it’s time you got over it? All of your games haven’t worked.”
“You’re making a lot of assumptions,” Sherise told him. “But just because I don’t laugh at your bad jokes doesn’t mean I’m pissed. Say something funny and I’ll laugh.”
“I should give you some credit,” he said. “You haven’t tried to sabotage me the past two days.”
She tilted her head to the side sarcastically with a smile. “You stay in your office and don’t interact with any staff and voilà, there are no incidents. That has to be my doing, right?”
“I am who I am,” he said with a shrug.
“And we’re all so grateful for that,” Sherise snarked. “Now can we just go to the next interview?”
“I’m trying to get along with you, Sherise.” He seemed clearly angry she wasn’t going along. “I’m trying to make this situation better for you.”
She wanted to laugh, but she didn’t. “Just do your job and you’ll make it better for everyone.”
“Bullshit,” he said. “You don’t want me to do my job. You’ve been doing everything you can to make me fail.”
“I wanted you to fail at first,” she admitted. “But I get it now. So all I want is for Jerry to look good going into his administration.”
He looked her over as if he was trying to believe what she had to say and finally, after a few seconds, shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“Fine,” he said. “As long as you know your place.”
“Your place,” she answered slowly to control her emotions, “is in that car outside. We need to get going to—”
“I’ll go to the Burke interview,” he interrupted, looking at his watch. “You have to go to Market Lunch and meet my sister.”
“At Eastern Market? To meet who?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll speak slower, so you can understand. My little sister, Kimberly, is going to meet you at Market Lunch in a half hour.”
“For what?” Sherise asked.
He waved for her to follow him to the elevator. “You need to talk to her and figure out how to get her a job at your husband’s firm.”
Power, Seduction & Scandal Page 17