King of Evanston

by Campbell

  After staring at him long and hard, she nodded.

  “Good.” He removed his arm as he went into planning mode. “I’m going to have someone watch you for the next week or so—”

  “Wait a minute.” She raised both hands. “Are you talking about security?”

  “Yes, just until we’re sure this was not deliberately aimed at you and Ayanna.”

  “I don’t know, Shaz.” Her frown conveyed her doubt and concern. “Already you’re doing more than necessary for me. I don’t want to be more indebted to you than I already am.”

  He pulled back a little. “More than necessary? We’re further along in our relationship than you thinking I’m doing this as a favour to your auntie. Woman, I … let’s just say what we share is more than a passing attraction.”

  Looking at her hands, she said, “I know, but I still don’t understand how you can check for me like that when I’ve done some really stupid things. Like this whole situation.”

  “Cut yourself some slack, Cam. You were travelling and trying to raise the money you need for the surgery. Passport and visa issues crop up all the time. What we’re dealing with here, is a bit more.” He took her hand in his. “Let me do what I do best, and you worry about taking care of Ayanna, okay?”

  Camilla pulled her hand from his and stroked the side of his face as her gaze went to his mouth. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She leaned in until her lips brushed his. Then, her eyelids closed and her lips parted. With soft kisses, he eased her mouth open. A soft moan welcomed him as their tongues collided in a languorous dance that had Shaz gripping the back of her head with one hand.

  Her fingers stroked his locs as he delved deeper and took control of the kiss. With more urgency, she clung to his neck letting out soft groans that told him they were in danger of crossing a line. He pulled back, pecking her lips, and fighting not to make physical contact with her again.

  When she opened her eyes, they were hazy with need.

  Unable to resist, he kissed her once more. He had a fever in his blood that he’d been holding back because of the business end of things, but each time he touched her, he was in danger of taking Camilla where he was sure she wasn’t ready to go.

  “Woman, you are dangerous,” he said, kissing the corner of her mouth.

  A sultry smile crept across her lips. “You think?”

  “The only thing keeping me from taking you right here is the fact that Miss Mabel might walk in and kill the two of us for breaking her sofa.”

  His comment made Camilla laugh. “I have to check on Ayanna,” she said as she got to her feet.

  After watching the sway of her hips as she walked away, he sent a text to Daron to ask what information he’d gotten from the men. He responded within a couple of seconds.

  Daron: Will send some details your way later. Give me more time.

  Shaz: Can you put some security on Cam and the baby?

  Daron: Not a problem. Send me the address. I’ll deal with it now.

  Shaz typed in the address and by the time Camilla walked back into the room, he was more at peace with leaving her.

  “Baby okay?”

  She nodded and sat facing him with one leg curled underneath her. “I thought about what you said. I may leave for a few days just to try and sort out the visa. I’m trying to make an emergency appointment with the Kingston embassy.”

  The concern and uncertainty etched on her face tugged at his heart. “Are you leaving her here?”

  Camilla’s eyes opened as if he insulted her. “Of course not.”

  “But—” He reached for her arm, but she shrank back.

  She straightened in the seat. “I am not leaving Ayanna here.”

  “You can trust Aunt Mabel.”

  “I know that. It’s Derrick and his family I have doubts about.”

  “So, isn’t it possible—?”

  “Shaz, that’s a no.” Her tone said the argument was finished.

  “I was going to suggest—”

  “The answer is no.”

  His phone pinged and he looked at the screen and let out his breath. He could leave.

  Camilla’s tense face almost deterred him from taking her hand again, but he rose and pulled her into an embrace. “I know you don’t want to hear a word about separation from your baby, so I won’t pursue that argument. What I will say is that no matter the situation, there are options.”

  When she attempted to speak, he laid a finger over her lips. “When the times comes and if you need those options, I will be here. For now, I have to go.”

  He touched his lips to hers and they walked toward the door. On the other side, the evening was growing cooler and dusk would fall in another hour.

  A few yards up the street on the opposite side a dark-blue Jetta was parked. From the edge of the veranda he watched as the window was lowered. The person inside saluted Shaz, who returned the gesture.

  “That’s your man?” Camilla asked.

  “Not exactly, but he’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  Arms folded, she looked up at him. “You suspect there’s more to this than what we’re seeing.”

  Her words were a statement rather than a question, so he chose not to answer. Instead, he moved in close and kissed her forehead. The less she suspected, the better it would be.

  When he stepped back, he said, “I’m sure you’ll tell Aunt Mabel what happened today, but I’d prefer if you don’t tell her I have someone watching you.”

  Her smile was unexpected. “If she finds out, I’m telling her it was your idea.”

  “That’s all right. I can deal with her.” He pressed his lips to hers, then turned her toward the door. “Go inside and lock up.”

  “Talk to you tomorrow, Mr. Criminal Minds.”

  He chuckled, then moseyed down the steps and through the gate. Instead of going to the SUV, he walked across the street.

  CHAPTER 11

  Shaz needed a shower. His interaction with Milholland made him feel as if he’d been handling a snake and had wrapped it around him. He was getting the same reaction from the girl sitting in one of the visitor’s chairs across from him. This was the second time she and her mother had come in to see him. Georgiana was afraid of her shadow and cowered if he made any sudden moves. In the time they’d been inside the office, Shaz had to suppress his anger and act as if his insides weren’t at boiling point.

  “Georgiana,” he said, placing both elbows on his desk. “I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what I need to know.”

  Her lips trembled and she scratched her box braids as if confused. Her hands shook as she exchanged a fearful glance with her mother, who rubbed her arm from the Queen Anne chair she occupied. “You can trust him, Georgiana, since you don’t want to go to the police about any of this.”

  Shaz understood that because of her reputation in her neighborhood, Georgiana didn’t think the police would do anything about the threat she was facing.

  “Was it something that happened here?” Shaz asked, his brows furrowed. “Someone you saw before you came in?”

  Georgiana exchanged a petrified look with her mother and wrapped herself in a hug. The girl was tall and slender with a creamy complexion. She’d be a real beauty when she grew into womanhood. Now, she was a terrified child who needed his help.

  Shaz squinted as he allowed his mind to run. Georgiana had been just as timid the last time he saw her, but she also had a spark in her eyes as if she’d been feisty before her ordeal dampened her spirit. Today, when she walked in, she’d been in a state, clutching her mother and refusing to let go. From what he understood, her pimp had ‘sold’ her into a high-class house of prostitution.

  His gaze went to the clock set in a golf ball on one side of his desk. Their half-hour session was almost over and they had made little to no progress.

  He studied Georgiana’s mother, who was a pretty woman in her early forties. With five children to feed, she had a careworn expression he’d seen all too of
ten on his pro-bono clients. As his gaze shifted from mother to daughter and back, a lightbulb exploded in his head. “Was it Milholland?”

  Eyes wide, the two females stared at him, as if they didn’t have a clue what he meant.

  He pointed toward the door. “The man you passed coming in. D’you know him?”

  The girl’s eyes filled with tears. She sprang to her feet and dashed out of the office.

  “Georgiana!” Her mother hopped up and chased her through the door.

  They were at the front entrance when Shaz caught up with them. Putting aside his anxiety to get to the root of what had the teenager scared out of her mind, he guided her back to reception and into one of the seats. In a silent exchange, he asked her mother to trust him. She nodded in acquiescence.

  Thankfully, it was at the end of the day, so the waiting room was empty. With a tip of his head in her direction, he asked Elise to make herself scare.

  She obeyed immediately and disappeared into the small office behind her desk.

  Shaz motioned to Soroya, the mother, to sit on the other side of her daughter.

  In a friendly, yet professional tone he said, “Hey, Georgiana, look at me.”

  She raised her head and looked at him through wet eyes.

  “I know something’s wrong, but I don’t know exactly what. You gotta help me fix it, okay?”

  Half a minute went by before she nodded and dried her eyes with a handful of tissue her mother pushed into her hand.

  “Did Hussey try contacting you before you got here today?” he asked, referring to her former pimp.

  She shook her head and bit her lip.

  Shaz folded his hands. “Has he been in contact since I saw you last week?”

  Georgiana nodded and started crying again. “H-he said he was coming to get me and that if I didn’t come to him by this evening, I’d be sorry.”

  As she sobbed, he weighed what he should do. “Don’t lie to me,” he said, going back to what he thought was her current issue. “The man you passed coming in, d’you know him?”

  Georgiana hiccupped as she dried her eyes, but her tears wouldn’t stop coming.

  Shaz raised his voice, but kept it well-modulated, to avoid startling Georgiana. “Elise.”

  When she appeared in the doorway, he said, “Water, please.”

  She spun away and came back to hand him a glass filled with cold water.

  As the girl took a long sip, Shaz thought about how to pose his next question. He decided to forgo tactful and go for direct. The moment he eased the glass out of her hand and onto the table in front of them, he said, “That man, was he one of your clients?”

  Avoiding his eyes, she nodded.

  “Is there anything in particular you remember about him?”

  Her tan complexion went ruddy and she winced. With her head turned away, she said, “He’s very rough. He likes to bite.”

  As his stomach twisted, Shaz asked. “Did he recognize you?”

  “I don’t think so. He was on his phone.”

  No doubt updating his client with the news that Shaz wasn’t about to roll over and make things easy on them.

  “Can I ask you a couple more questions?’

  When she whispered yes, he said, “What you did with him, did it take place in The Castle?”

  Her reluctant nod made him sick to his stomach. Another thing he’d discovered about that place, which made him wonder if he’d be up to the task of unraveling all the crap that had gone on in Khalil’s absence. All of this was a far cry from Khalil Germaine’s original set up. Only God knew what other horrors the Kings would unearth if they kept digging.

  “D’you know how many other girls were kept in that place and where they came from?”

  Georgiana picked at her nail and mumbled. “From different places across the country and some from the Caribbean.” She squinted as she concentrated. “Haiti, Jamaica, The Bahamas.”

  What Shaz needed to find out, he could ask Daron to investigate, so he patted Georgiana’s hand. “Thanks. You’ve done good. And don’t worry about Hussey. He won’t be bothering you again.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked, in a wobbly voice. “He has people working for him.”

  “Trust me. I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about him. I have better people working for me.” He got to his feet. “Soraya, I think that’s enough for today. Georgiana has been very helpful.”

  The girl’s smile, as she rose, was all the encouragement he needed for his next move.

  “Soraya, let’s talk for a second.” They walked to the far end of the room, close to the entrance. Looking her in the eyes, he said, “Does this guy, Hussey, know where you live?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Georgiana linked up with him when she was knocking heads with her friends from Chicago.” She sighed and dragged both hands down her cheeks. “She’s scared and ashamed because of how she used to act, but since she’s been trapped in that place, she’s changed.” She glanced toward where Georgiana sat. “Please do all you can to keep her safe.”

  “You know I will.” He faced the plate-glass door and lowered his voice as an idea took shape. “Do me a favor and wait here while I make a call. I’d prefer to know you’re perfectly safe than to let you walk back into a bad situation.”

  Relief shone from Soraya’s eyes, and she said, “Sure, I’ll wait.”

  He strode back to his office and rang Dro’s number. Shaz outlined the challenge and explained his concern, after which Dro promised to get back to him in a few minutes.

  Shaz checked his email and was at the door when the phone rang. After a glance at the display, he smiled. “I may have to rename you Speedy Gonzales. That was lightning fast.”

  “This is what fixers do, come up with creative solutions. On the double.”

  Both men chuckled, then Dro said, “Have them wait there and I’ll send someone. He’ll transport them to their home to get whatever they need. We’ll organize temporary housing until everything settles.”

  “Sounds good to me. They’ll be waiting. Thanks.”

  When he gave Soraya the news, she nodded and let out a deep breath.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” he said. “Your escort will be here in a few minutes.”

  Her grateful smile pained his heart. He turned away and shoved both hands into his pockets. His fingers tangled in the chain and his hand fisted around the gold medallion of St. Joseph, patron saint of fathers and workers. Once again, he was reminded of the promises he made to himself at the start of his career and the sacrifices his family had made so he could help others.

  “Shaz.”

  Elise’s voice startled him, but he held his composure, turning to face her.

  “I’m packing it in for the day.” One of her perfectly arched brows chided him. “Don’t stay here ‘til midnight. Again.”

  “Look at you tryna tell me not to overwork myself. You must have gotten a life or something to be leaving this early.” By his watch, it was five thirty. Half the time, he left Elise in office.

  “Mind ya business,” she said, going past him with her handbag.

  He waved and chuckled. “Enjoy your evening.”

  “I definitely will,” she said, pushing the glass door. She exchanged a few words with the security in the outer area before leaving the building.

  Behind his desk, Shaz got Daron on the line.

  “I’m beginning to think trouble is your middle name,” Daron said by way of a greeting. “What’s up?”

  After a dry chuckle, Shaz revealed, “There’s something I need you to arrange for me.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Shaz explained the situation with his young client. “From what I’m seeing, Bennett’s lawyer is connected to that high-class outfit that caters to their customers’ fantasies. Doesn’t matter how far out their desires or needs are, The Elite Hub panders to them. Attorney-client privilege means I can’t divulge what happened to my client or who she is, except to say she’s u
nderage. To cut to the chase, there’s this guy, Hussey, that I need gone from her life, so she and her mother can return to their home.”

  “What are my limitations?”

  “He’s the scum of the earth, so frankly I don’t even wanna know what you do with him. I just want him to leave this child alone.”