The family usually got together on the third Sunday of the month, but because of Lacy, they met that afternoon instead. Being the only child of two only children, she wasn’t accustomed to so many folks together in one house: the noise, the laughter, the signifying, the babies, the food; the swirl of love that was the Randolph family picked her up and left her breathless.
Eventually Lacy found herself out on the back porch, sitting with Drake’s sisters Madelyn and Denise. They were enjoying the lemonade and keeping an eye on their baby sister’s babies playing with Mavis’s new twin puppies.
Lacy asked, “What was Drake like as a kid?”
“Spoiled,” Madie said succinctly.
“Rotten,” Denise said right behind her, and all three women laughed.
Angie, the baker, stepped out onto the porch. “What are you all laughing about?”
Madelyn said, “How rotten Dray was when he was little.”
Angie took up a position by the porch’s post. “Boy was rotten as a bunch of bananas left in the sun. We tried to get the garbage men to take him but they kept bringing him back.”
Drake stepped out onto the porch. When he saw his sisters sitting with Lacy, he said, “Oh no. What kind of lies are you telling her?”
Denise waved him off. “You go on back in the house. Only grown folks are out here.”
Drake said to Lacy, “See? See how they treat me?”
Lacy laughed softly. “I see.”
Madelyn said, “Now beat it, brat. We’ll let you know when we’re done.”
Drake dropped his head and stomped back into the house, promising, “I’m telling mama on y’all!”
The women howled.
On the drive home, Lacy was filled with the joy of the day. “I had such a good time.”
Drake grinned. “I’m glad. You were a hit.”
“No, it was your family. Even if I had been dirty and smelled bad, I think they still would have been kind.”
“I don’t know,” he responded skeptically. “I had a few girlfriends who stepped out onto the back porch with my sisters and never returned. We’re still looking for the bodies to this day.”
Lacy shook her head. “Then I’m glad they liked me.”
“And they did.”
Lacy leaned against his strong shoulder, placed her hands around his arm, and with his cologne drifting faintly to her nose, said, “Good.”
“What do you want to do with the rest of the day?”
“How about we go back to my place? I’m sure we could come up with something.”
He looked over into her mischief-filled eyes and grinned. “What lesson are we on?”
“Four.”
“You remember,” he said approvingly.
“Lessons with Dr. Lovemaster are hard to forget.” She reached over and slowly ran her hand over his thigh. “Speaking of hard…”
Drake’s eyes widened and he threw her hand off. “Woman! You’re going to make me have an accident!”
Lacy laughed.
“You’re laughing now. Wait until I get you back to your place. We’ll see who’s laughing then.”
She dissolved into a fit of giggling, and all Drake could do was smile and thank the Lord for his many blessings.
Leon Tasker was a playa, or at least he used to be until his mama said get a job or get out, and since he was a nineteen-year-old high school dropout and didn’t know the first thing about living on his own, he found a job subbing as a gate guard at an apartment complex on Jefferson. He hated it. His duties were to stop each car at the entrance, take down the plate number and the apartment number of the person the visitor was going to see, then raise the gate’s red arm so the car could pass.
Leon thought that was way too much work for the peanuts he was being paid, so he found it more efficient to plug in his headphones, listen to some rap, raise the gate to anybody who came calling and wave them on in.
Leon had never sent flowers to anyone; not to his mama, gramma, or baby mama, so when the floral delivery truck pulled up, he didn’t know that legitimate florists were usually closed on Sunday evenings, nor did he care. The man behind the wheel was light-skinned and wearing shades. He told Leon he couldn’t read the address on some flowers going to a Lacy Green and asked if Leon had the correct address. Leon took out his logbook, looked her up, and gave the man the number. After the truck drove through, Leon put his phones back on and went back to his music.
Fish smiled and headed the van to the back of the lot. It was hard to get employees who gave a shit these days. He laughed. He now had her address. He already knew she lived in this complex somewhere because he’d followed her home a few times. He didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t been able to get close enough to her to introduce her to Mary, but that would come soon enough. Right now he had a package to leave for her. He’d taken his time picking out the items he’d placed inside because he wanted to make sure she liked them.
Still basking in the good time they’d had with Drake’s family, he and Lacy drove up to the entrance of her apartment complex. Drake leaned on the horn to get the attention of the kid in the guard hut. He could see the phones in the kids ears which was probably why he wasn’t aware that Drake and Lacy were trying to come in. Drake got out, but just as he did, the guard turned, saw Drake and raised the gate. Muttering, Drake got back in under the wheel and drove through.
“So much for security,” Drake drawled. If it was this lax, anybody could enter the complex, including Madison. Drake shook off that disturbing thought and looked for someplace to park.
Walter had taken the night off to attend the anniversary events at his wife’s church, so Drake was her body guard tonight. Though they hadn’t talked about it, they knew they were going to make love. They hadn’t been intimate since the weekend in Holland, and the memories of that blissful encounter added to Lacy’s burgeoning anticipation.
Once inside, she tossed her purse on the kitchen counter and looked across the room at him, standing there so magnificently in his tailored gray suit, pure white shirt and gray African motif tie. Her mother was going to eat him up when she met him and Lacy wouldn’t blame her a bit. Drake Randolph was a sexy, silly, focused, Christian Black man who opened Lacy’s heart first to the possibility and then the wonders of love. And Lacy did love him. She loved him like Ruby loved Ossie; like Jada loved Will. If she could sing, she’d sing about mountaintops and feelings deeper than the ocean.
When he opened his arms and whispered, “Come here,” she didn’t hesitate. He folded her against his heart then rewarded her with the slow sweet kiss she’d been craving all day. As always, his kisses were magic; it didn’t take long for desire to bloom or for Lacy’s lips to part passionately. His hands began their sensual explorations and she crooned and preened in response. Her nipples beneath her good silk blouse were treated to his special brand of welcome and then her buttons were opened one by one.
The look in his eyes as he freed them was hot; hot as she felt, making her reach out and run her hand possessively over the firm hard length of his arousal.
Drake’s eyes closed in response to the warm hand fondling him so erotically. When she slid down the zipper then slipped inside and found him, he groaned with pleasure. Then she whispered, “You’re not the only one who passed human anatomy, Mr. Mayor…”
Before Drake, Lacy had never touched a man this way, at least not willingly. She instantly wiped out all thoughts of Wilton and concentrated on the matter at hand, as it were.
And it was good, Drake thought to himself as the sensual trembles ran through him. For a novice she was damn good. She’d learned her lessons well up in Holland, so well in fact, he had to back away or risk the danger of coming right here, right now.
Lacy smiled at him with glittering eyes. She crooked a finger for him to follow her into the bedroom. Drake didn’t have to be asked twice.
Drake made love to Lacy that night like a man making love to his wife. He teased her, pleased her and then filled her until
she gasped.
Lacy knew she was going to die from all the pleasure, the feel of him so hot and throbbing inside made her hips instinctively rise and fall. His hands were keeping her nipples tight, and his worshipping caresses added to her inner fire. His sultry stroking became her whole world.
Drake didn’t want to leave the heated shelter of her body, ever. He wanted to do her just this way until the sun became the moon and fell from the sky. Everything about her drove him to kiss her, taste her, need her. The thoughts added to his desire and each thrust took them higher. They both came quickly the first time, and once they were sated from that initial coupling, Drake took her on a scandalous journey through the world of pleasure that made her blush, croon and scream.
When they were done, the lighted dial on the clock on Lacy’s bedside table read 1:00 A.M. and neither of them could move. Drake cracked, “Girl, you could kill a man.”
“I was hoping for one more round.”
He groaned pleasurably. “You just stay over there.”
There wasn’t an inch of Lacy’s body that hadn’t felt his loving. She was sore but felt glorious. “How in the world am I going to get up and go to work? This is all your fault, you know.”
The phone rang. Loud. Insistent. Drake sat up and picked it up. “Yeah?” Then he covered the phone with his hand and said to her, “Wanda has a package downstairs for you. Were you expecting something?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Well, she wants to know if she can bring it up?”
Lacy shrugged. “Sure.”
He went back to the phone. “Come on up.”
Lacy threw on a robe and Drake put on his pants and shirt. When the knock sounded he answered the door.
The big box was silver and had a beautiful blue bow on top. Wanda left with a wave and Drake handed the box to Lacy.
She asked him, “Did you send this, Your Honor? There’s no tag, that I can see.”
“Nope. Must be from your other man,” he teased.
They both went still.
Drake told her firmly. “Don’t open it. Let me make a call.”
Ten minutes later, Cruise and Lane were at Lacy’s door. Accompanying them was another officer named Mack and his bomb sniffing canine, Daisy.
Mack placed the package on the floor and Daisy spent a few moments sniffing the perimeter, then she sat down.
“Good girl,” Mack said and rubbed her neck. He gave her a doggie treat before turning to Drake and the others. “It isn’t a bomb.”
Lacy felt relieved. “Then I can open it?” she asked Drake.
“I suppose so.”
It took her a few moments to peel back the paper to get to the box inside.
Lane said sharply, “Wait a minute, Ms. Green!”
Everyone froze.
He came to stand beside her. “Look at the bottom of the box. Is that blood?”
Drake cursed.
Lacy stepped away and Drake moved to the box. The entire bottom box inside of the shiny paper was wet and red. Drake opened it carefully. The contents were filled with the carcasses of dismembered cats and dogs. Uttering a shocked curse, he turned away. Lacy came to see and felt her stomach churn.
Drake said to her grimly, “Pack a bag. You’re out of here until we find this man.”
Lacy didn’t argue.
Cruise put the box into a large trash bag. “I’ll take this to the precinct. I can’t imagine there are any clues in here but you never know.”
Before leaving the building, they stopped by Wanda’s office and told her about the package. She was appalled.
Lacy asked, “Can you check with the guard and see if he remembers who delivered it?”
“I’ll check.”
While they waited, Lacy looked at Drake. The anger on his face was plain to see. Lacy was angry too, but she was also scared. Madison had to be the culprit, she just hoped the guard had gotten a license number.
But he hadn’t.
Wanda returned and said with disgust, “His ass was sleep! There’s no one registered on the log. I promise you, he’ll be fired. I’m so sorry.”
Tight-lipped Lacy nodded and she and the others left the building.
Lacy spent the night with Drake at the mansion.
Lenny and his boy Gerald got out of the truck and looked around the deserted construction site. Some of the big fancy houses were completed while others were nothing more than stud encased shells. Overhead the night sky was cloudy and that was in their favor; they didn’t need the moon shining on their business. Lenny grabbed one of the red gas cans from the back of the truck, and Gerald, the truck’s owner, grabbed the other.
“Let’s go,” Lenny whispered harshly.
They were both dressed in black, their faces hidden beneath ski masks. With the hoods of their sweatshirts pulled up to further mask their identity they moved across the field like shadows. This would be their second stop tonight. Lenny planned to do this last one, then go back into hiding. He’d heard about Parker’s indictment, but for Lenny, it wasn’t enough punishment. He wanted Parker’s whole life to go to hell first, and then he would kill him.
“If Madison knows where I live, I need to move until he’s caught.”
It was just before lunch the next day and Ida had come into the office to hand Lacy some papers to sign.
“Come stay with me and Herbert. You know he’s sweet on you anyway.”
Lacy chuckled inside. Ida had been kind enough to have Lacy over for dinner more than a few times when Lacy first moved to town. Her husband Herbert was a big old teddy bear and an even bigger flirt, but he loved Ida like pancakes loved syrup, so Lacy knew not to take his teasing seriously. “You sure it won’t be any trouble.”
“We’d love the company, and you won’t have to worry about Madison. I’m not bad mouthing the mayor or Walter but that place you’re living in is too big to be trying to protect somebody. Single family house like mine is easier to lock down and secure.” This was Ida the former Marine talking now.
“That makes sense.”
“So can we expect you?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Tonight?”
“You can ride home with me.”
“Okay.”
That evening Lacy, Ida and her husband Herbert, and Walter McGhee were watching TV in Ida’s living room after a fine spaghetti dinner.
Two news stories made Lacy sit up and take notice. One had to do with the mayor’s speeding ticket on Sunday. The anchors treated the story with amusement, wondering if the mayor would be driving that fast to his wedding to his new lady friend. Lacy rolled her eyes. Ida grinned.
The next story was far more serious. It began with a night shot of a huge fire at a partially finished suburban subdivision. Fire departments had to be brought in to fight the blaze and it took hours to get it under control. According to the reporter a similar fire was reported a few miles away just hours later. The smell of kerosene was strong at both sites and the authorities were guessing arson. What drew Lacy’s interest the most was when the reporter said, “Both sites are owned by Reynard Parker, currently under indictment for charges relating to his trucking company. Mr. Parker was unavailable for comment.”
“Wow,” Lacy whispered.
Ida nodded. “You got that right.”
Parker was unavailable for comment because he had nothing to say, except words that couldn’t be printed or shown on the news. His preliminary hearing was tomorrow and his lawyer told him to be prepared for a lot of protestors in front of the courthouse. Parker knew he was going to be the scapegoat for all the city’s ills and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to make it stop. The governor stopped taking his calls the day the indictment came down, and none of the other politicians whose pockets he’d lined and greased over the years wanted to have anything to do with him now, either. He had one ace up his sleeve however, the only one he had left. Fish. If he gave him up, the prosecutor might be more inclined to do a deal. H
e planned to tell them that Fish killed Wheeler and the Curtis broad on his own and that he, Peterson, hadn’t known anything at all until Fish confessed after the fact. It was crunch time. All bets were off. Friendship and loyalty didn’t mean a thing when you’re looking at hard time. It was every man for himself now and Parker was looking out for Number One.
Lacy, Walter and Ida walked over to the courthouse to watch the preliminary hearings on the Parker case. It was a beautiful May day. The breeze was warm off the river and the sunshine coated the water like a blanket of shimmering diamonds. They’d opted to walk because the ladies both needed the exercise.
They heard the chanting two blocks away and by the time they reached the corner the words, “Parker! Parker! Traitor To His Race!” were loud and clear. People carrying picket signs were marching up and down the sidewalk in front of the courthouse, but they were just one part of the large crowd. Mounted police were visible, as were TV cameras from the local affiliates. People wearing T-shirts sporting environmental slogans and logos were handing out literature. Lacy saw men and women wearing BAD T-shirts carrying other signs, but they were all chanting: “Parker! Parker! Traitor To His Race!” He had dumped poison in his own neighborhoods and people wanted his head.
Walter opted to wait outside and enjoy the sunshine and the show. Lacy and Ida had to show ID in order to get past the ropes separating the protestors from the court steps. With each passing minute the crowd seemed to grow and the chanting grew stronger. Lacy hoped Parker and his lawyer were already inside, because if they weren’t the police could have a situation on their hands.
Lacy was a bit surprised to see how packed the large courtroom was; there wasn’t a seat left vacant. She spotted a small gaggle of TV reporters and journalists in the back taking notes while they interviewed someone. Because of the backs of the reporters she couldn’t see who it was, but when they parted and the man stepped away, Lacy’s almost fell over.
Ida whispered in a concerned voice, “What’s wrong?”
“My ex.”
Black Lace Page 25