That thought made him angry. Not at Sonya, but at the image of her linked to any other man but him.
He located her in the room. She was fast asleep. Even in sleep she didn’t appear at rest. She was balled up on the far side of the bed with her back to the door. She looked alone and fragile. He wasn’t sure what this news meant for them. If it would set back the strides they had already made and the new levels of trust they had established between them.
Right now, there wasn’t much he could do except show her that he was here. That he wasn’t going anywhere and she could count on him. He went back into the kitchen and did what he did best in that area of the house, boiled water. He filled the kettle that was on the back burner of the stove then placed it on simmer. Sonya wasn’t one to take a long nap. When she was stressed generally no more than an hour relaxed her. So he’d prepare her favorite mint tea for her and set it on the nightstand.
Knowing he was still married to her changed nothing for him personally. He’d come to Charlotte to get his wife back and in a blessed way he’d never really lost her. Now, how could he convince Sonya to keep them progressing and see this as a Godsend was another issue altogether. But, they’d come this far and he wasn’t giving up hope. Never.
Chapter Fourteen
“Wow, Sonya. You and Parker are still married? I still can’t believe it.” Charmagne said for the third time in their fifteen-minute conversation.
“Will you stop repeating that,” she ordered her friend as she meandered through the designer store in the mall. It was a week away from Christmas and she still didn’t know what to get Parker. Nothing she came across seemed sufficient. She didn’t want to just get him anything. It had to be perfect. Sunday after the lawyer had presented them with a grenade Parker had taken her out to look for a live Christmas tree.
“Sorry. What did, Parker say? What does he want you all to do about it?”
“He hasn’t said anything.”
“Nothing? That’s strange.” Charmagne spoke the words Sonya had been wondering. Why hadn’t her husband said anything?
Almost a week later, she was still waiting for the device to explode. They laughed, talked, smiled and made love like rabbits in heat but they steered clear of the conversation about their non-divorce. This weekend she had plans for them to talk about it. Tonight he was taking her to dinner and a movie. In a little over an hour she was meeting him at a little Sushi and Martini bar. It was mid-point between the job and her house. Which she started to think of as their house.
“Well, what do you want to do? You’re the one that initiated the divorce back then.”
That was part of her nervousness. She didn’t want to do anything about it. In the times Parker and her had started seeing each other exclusively and he had moved in, even though it was because there was a threat on her life, it was wonderful. She could not recall ever being this happy before. Not even when they first started dating in college. This man was her best friend, her colleague and her lover. She enjoyed being with him and having him come home to her. Each morning she woke with a smile on her face because he was there. She loved him.
“Sonya?”
“I love him.” It felt good to say it out loud. She wanted to shout it from the top of the Bank of America Corporate Center.
Charmagne laughter tickled her ear. “It’s about time you realized that.”
“What do you mean?” Sonya walked out of the store smiling and feeling giddy.
“Charles and I could see it all over you when we came down for your performance. You looked so shattered when Parker didn’t stay and go out with us. We thought you wouldn’t be able to keep it together through dinner.” Charmagne continued, “Not to mention that you have never dated anyone else since your so-called divorce.”
“Not true. There was Daryl.” She tossed out feeling victorious. Sonya walked along through the mall looking for the restroom sign. So close to the holiday the place was crowded even during the day and she hoped there wouldn’t be a line.
“Please. How long did you let him take you out? I don’t even recall you telling me you all kissed. If you did, it didn’t go far beyond that.”
“I don’t tell you everything,”
“Yes you do,” Charmagne declared. “Now I’m just waiting for you to tell me why you have so much free time these days to keep calling me during the day.”
Damn, she was busted. “What do you mean? Can’t a girl check up on her best friend who’s pregnant?”
“Pregnant not an invalid. So, spill it.”
Sonya sighed. “I’m taking some time off from the museum right now.”
“For real? I thought your new exhibit would keep you tied down into the New Year?”
The thought of the African Artifacts exhibit placed a damper on her mood. The project had meant a lot to her and she’d put so much into getting it approved only to have it be swept out from under her by an evil person. Reason she had her shadow following her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the plain clothed officer ten steps behind her. “Yea, well it is complicated. But, I don’t have time to explain it now. I promise I will soon.” Like after you give birth.
She finally found the bathroom and headed down the back hall. She was more than thankful it was empty compared to the rest of the mall.
“At least tell me you’re alright.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I have my husband with me remember?”
They both laughed as they said ‘I love yous’ and ‘good-byes’.
Placing her phone into her purse she rushed into the bathroom for a little bladder relief.
~ML~
“Soni-love, I left work a little early. Just meet me at the house instead of the bar. We can ride together.” Parker tapped his Bluetooth button to disconnect the call after he’d left the message. He traveled up Tryon as he left a store instead of work. He’d left work over an hour ago because he wanted pick up Sonya’s Christmas gift. Now, he wanted to get it to the house, wrapped and under the tree. She’d told him she was going to go to the mall for holiday shopping today and wouldn’t be at the house.
It was the reason he was rushing. He wasn’t sure where she was. The mall was closer to the house than to the restaurant and if she got his message she could beat him there.
When he arrived he was thankful she wasn’t home yet. Fifteen minutes he had the gift wrapped and placed. He checked his watch then pulled his cell from his back pocket. Pressing the number that would call her he listened to it connect and start ringing.
There was a knock at the door. Holding the phone to his ear as he crossed the room, he wondered why she wasn’t picking up.
He opened the door to find Agent Williams and Hampton, Mr. Chastain and Mrs. Drummond at his door. A boulder began to settle in his gut.
Sonya’s message started and finished with a beep. “Sweetheart, call me when you get this.”
“Dr. Hayden, may we come in?” Agent Hampton asked. There was a smile on her lips, but it was one of kindness or sympathy instead of happiness.
It was disturbing to him.
“What happened to Sonya?” Parker asked as he stepped back to admit them.
They filed in and stood in a semi-circle except Ms. Drummond who moved around the room looking at the artwork.
“Maybe you should sit down.” Agent Hampton offered.
“Give it to me straight.” If they were here to tell him that they’d arrested Sonya on some trumped up charges or she was hurt he needed to be standing to beat the shit out of someone or leave to be by her side. It hadn’t escaped his notice that they didn’t ask to talk to Sonya.
Williams stepped forward. “We’ve discovered who’s behind the drugs and forgery at the museum. Our agents are going after them now.”
Perfect. Maybe Sonya was at the station answering questions to help close the case. However, the sinking feeling still didn’t leave him. “Who was it?”
“Director Kravers.” Ms. Drummond spoke from where she stood behind the couch stu
dying the portrait hanging there. She turned. “He’s the one I’m concerned with. He was caught earlier today at a storage unit on the Northside trying to off load some pieces.”
That would explain why the man wasn’t at work today. They were supposed to have their annual managers meeting, but it was cancelled at the last minute. “Pieces?”
“Yes. There was a painting, two sculptures as well as the Grooved Sphere that were recovered.”
Parker rubbed his head. “I don’t understand.”
“Kravers was in debt up to two hundred thousand dollars.” Williams spoke up. “He had a serious gambling problem. He’d borrowed money from the wrong people. People who had connections on our Most Wanted list. They used the financial leverage and threats to work this plan with Kravers. Using the museum shipments to bring in drugs to the U.S. from Africa.”
Shaking his head, something with their ex-boss behavior started to become clearer. “That’s why out of the blue Kravers finally after years approved Sonya’s exhibit.”
“In order for the drugs to pass someone had to have copies of original photos. Kravers had the request forms with the list of pieces that Ms. Watson submitted to him. He just had to access her files and ship them to his contact and wait until they told him they were complete.” Ms. Drummond moved around the couch closer to them all. “Only the museum and the insurance company gets that. Their more detailed than what is put in the paper or magazines. Things like paintings without the frame. So, I knew it had to be an inside job. I just had to figure out who inside the QMM.”
“You rode Sonya hard thinking it was her.” Parker eyed the insurance recovery agent recalling the suspicious looks she’d given Sonya.
“No. Eliminating her,” Ms. Drummond declared.
“The K-9 squad confirmed there were multiple pieces involved. Evidently they were waiting for items to be moved to display on the floor and then Kravers would set up the swap. Put the original in place of the forgery.” Mr. Chastain clarified the process.
“But when the piece got broke by a last minute replacement delivery driver, it brought attention. Ms. Watson did us a favor by notifying us before going to her boss.” Williams offered a sharp nod. “With her logs and email copies I was able to begin work even before we arrived.”
“Great. Is she at the station now giving her final testimony so she can be cleared an put this all behind her?” Parker asked, ready to go pick her up so they could get on with their lives without the dark cloud above them.
“You should sit.” Agent Hampton took a seat on the couch.
Chastain sat as well. Williams and Drummond were the only ones still standing.
Parker claimed a place on the couch but only because he figured if he didn’t they would never tell him what he wanted to know…where was Sonya?
Williams was the first to speak. “Over an hour ago the agent assigned to my Ms. Watson today reported her missing.”
“What!” Parker launched to his feet.
“Sit, Dr. Hayden.” Hampton ordered, The normally even-toned woman’s voice held authority.
“I thought you all were supposed to be protecting her since the car attempt,” Parker growled.
“We were,” Hampton asserted. “However, she went to the restroom at the mall and after twenty minutes the officer went to investigate. It was then he noticed there was an exit door by the bathrooms. Evidently they abducted her from there and carried her out through the exit. Around that time the outside mall cameras show two custodian workers bring out a large bag and setting it in a truck and driving off.”
“Why are you all still sitting here instead of finding my wife,” Parker growled loud. He stood, pacing, he felt like he was going to lose his mind. Sonya was somewhere alone, possibly hurt or even worse… He couldn’t allow himself to think about what could be worse.
“Calm down. We have city and federal agents following every lead.” Williams informed him. “We’re here just encase they allow her to make a phone call. We figured you would be the person she’d contact.”
The man’s words didn’t make him feel any better. Sonya and no one else had answered her phone when he’d called her. If the people who had her weren’t going to request a ransom or make demands for the return of their drugs then there was only one thing they would do.
“Why Sonya?” Parker dragged a hand over his head. “She didn’t even know anything about this until the piece broke.”
“That’s not the truth.” Mr. Chastain said.
Parker turned to the UN investigator.
“Ms. Watson didn’t realize all that she knew. In her notes she’d made annotations where at least twice she’d called her South African contacts and let them know that measurements on artifacts where incorrect. Not by much but enough that she wrote it down and corresponded in emails about the discrepancy. Small and efficient things like that are how we get leads to track and stop the movement of drugs.”
“We believe they were already planning on getting her out of the way,” Hampton informed him from her place on the couch.
“Out the way?”
Agent Hampton raised a calming hand. “Fired most likely. However, once things started going wrong they got angry.”
Parker took hold of the back of the couch, he want to rip it apart or punch something. He’d never felt more powerless than he did right now. “What now?”
Williams, who was just as tall Parker, walked to him. “We wait.”
There was something else that Parker could do. Excusing himself he walked into the kitchen and pulled his cell phone out. Shooting off a text to Charles he requested a number from his friend.
When the text came through with the person’s contact information Parker sought, he pressed the number and placed the call.
Two rings later.
“Hello.” The dapper, strong voice of a man answered.
“Um, hi…Pastor McKinley? I’m not sure if you remember me I’m Parker Hayden. I didn’t attend your church much while I was at college, but my girlfriend did, Sonya Watson.” Parker stared out the bay window feeling unsure of himself. Not because he was talking to a man of the cloth, but because he was scared, truly scared what would happen to Sonya.
“Yes, yes. Sonya. My wife and I met with her before she took the job down in Charlotte. We saw her this summer at Josephine’s wedding as well.” The pastor paused before continuing. “I don’t mean to be in your business, but I was under the impression that the two of you…”
“Divorced? Well so were we.” Parker cleared his throat. “That’s a story for another time.”
“Okay. How can I be of assist to you?”
“Sonya is missing. That’s all I can tell you right now.” Parker pressed his head against the cool glass as his hands trembled around the phone.
“When you say missing…you mean like you two got into an argument and she’d not answering her phone, do you?”
“N-oo. As in someone, someone dangerous may have her.”
“Oh, my Lord and my God.”
“What’s wrong, dear?” The First Lady’s voice came through the line. Parker assumed she had to be somewhere close to the Pastor.
If the holy man knew anything he’d better hold his wife close and tight. “I can’t give you any more details but I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything. Just tell us.”
“Pray…please. For me…or with me. I don’t know how to ask.” Parker squeezed his eyes tight forcing the emotions back. If he let it out now, he may not be able to stop.
“Absolutely, we will.” Without more than a moment of hesitation, Pastor McKinley began, “Dear Father, and protector…”
~ML~
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me a
ll the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Over and over Sonya repeated a portion of the King James Version of the twenty-third Psalm. It was the scripture Pastor McKinley had given her in college when she felt like the walls of school and her family life were caving in on her.
She wasn’t sure how long had passed since she’d awaken. Even groggy and disoriented she was sure of two things— she was inside something dark and narrow and there were spiders crawling all over her.
She wanted to scream, jump up and run until she was free. However, she couldn’t move. She couldn’t even cry. She was too afraid if she did anything they would start biting her. Parker, her husband, had told her many times that they smelled fear. That they attacked out of defense. If they bit her, how many would it take before she died?
There were so many spiders she’d lost count after fifteen. She’d counted their movements and the places they were on her body. However, once she’d become more alert they moved faster. Darting left, right and up and down. All of them had a different pattern.
Oh, Lord, help me. She prayed. This was not how she wanted to die. No, she wanted to have babies with Parker. Sit on the porch with him in their old age and watch their grandkids play in the yard.
I want to tell him I love him. That I never stopped loving him.
Emotions welled up inside of her. She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth, the only thing she felt safe to move. Again she did it, firmer, as two spiders, one over her right ear and the other scurried down her cheek.
Noooooo!
She didn’t know how much more she could take. The air was getting thin around her. It was becoming harder for her to breathe. Whatever she was inside of didn’t allow airflow. Her lungs were starting to ache and burn from the lack of oxygen available.
Maybe I’ll pass out. Why, whatever drug they used on her had not kept her under until she just stopped breathing all together didn’t seem right.
Evidence of Desire: Hero Series 3 Page 23