King of Evanston

by Campbell

  Bennett stepped in closer, lowering his voice and speaking in a wheedling tone. “Let us adopt the baby. Give her the life she deserves. If you let this happen, I promise there will be a huge reward in it for you.”

  “Let me understand this.” Shaz lifted his locs over the collar of his jacket and folded both arms. “You’re saying this baby means so much to your wife, you’re willing to buy her out from under her mother’s nose?”

  Bennett winced, but recovered quickly. “Our action will benefit the little girl.”

  “No.” Shaz stabbed the air with a finger. “This thing you’re trying to arrange will benefit you and your wife.”

  The Alderman shrugged. “A man will do anything to keep his woman happy.”

  Shaz nodded his agreement. “That, I understand, but within the limits of decency.”

  “No matter what price he has to pay,” Bennett added in a more strident tone.

  Shaz made a mental note to talk to the security about letting persons into the office, in Elise’s absence, without advance warning. “Here’s what I don’t understand. First you cajole, then you threaten, and now you want to buy my integrity?”

  “It’s not that serious.” Bennett waved his hand in a dismissive way. “That young woman can have another baby. My wife is infertile. We’d be willing to give Ms. Gibson a generous compensation package, if she agrees to give up Ayanna.”

  The man’s cool tone—as if he were talking about buying produce from a supermarket, or food from a restaurant—made Shaz’s blood boil. Heat crawled from his neck into his face. He was certain his skin was turning a mottled red-brown shade. Still, he held his silence.

  “She’d be better off letting us raise Ayanna as our own.” With a self-satisfied smirk, Bennett concluded, “Matter of fact, it would benefit all of us if Ms. Gibson signs on the dotted line.”

  Shaz itched to say something so vile the Alderman’s ears would burn, but he remembered something Khalil had taught him years ago. Never descend to the level of desperate people. Taking the high road never hurt anyone. It builds character, especially under difficult circumstances.

  “You have everything worked out to the letter, it seems.” Shaz picked up the laptop, then met Bennett’s gaze. “Hear me and hear me well. There will not be an adoption where this child is concerned.”

  Bennett drew a sharp breath, as if Shaz’s response was unexpected. He regrouped quickly. “Are you aware Ayanna was born in the United States?”

  Shaz stood to his full height. “I’m perfectly aware of that. Your point?”

  “That gives her a legal right to be here.” An evil light gleamed in his eyes. “The mother, not so much.”

  Tucking the laptop under one arm, Shaz stepped away from the desk. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

  Bennett rocked back and forth on his heels. “With her visa issues, it won’t be too long before she’s wedged between a rock and a very hard place.”

  After pushing the executive chair into position behind his desk, Shaz unleashed what was in his mind. “Only a vulture preys on the misfortune of others.”

  Bennett’s face blanched, then he scowled. “How dare you?”

  “No. How dare you come to my office making veiled threats against my client. You think your money and power make you invincible?”

  Slowly, Bennett shook his head “Not at all, but having cash to care for this little girl makes a big difference between who wins and who loses.”

  As he walked toward the door, he said, “We can do this the easy way, or we can fight tooth and nail to the … deportation. Whichever you prefer is fine with me.”

  “And I’ll tell you the same thing I told you last time.” Shaz stopped in the middle of the room. “There won’t be an adoption. Find. Another. Baby.”

  Bennett filled the doorway, pointing at Shaz. “One thing I’ve learned in life is that nothing is impossible once you have the money to buy it. Nothing.”

  “We’ll see about that, Mr. Bennett.”

  Over his shoulder, Bennett shot back. “We should be working on the same side since we’re both directors at The Castle.”

  “I’d think so, too,” Shaz drawled, “except you seem to be on the opposite side of the fence. And get it right, I’m a managing member with voting shares, who outranks you.”

  Bennett faced Shaz once more, piercing him with a sharp gaze. “It still benefits you to do the wise thing.”

  “My client’s interest is my priority, not what you or your wife want. Let’s get that clear.”

  A nasty smile curved the Alderman’s mouth. “From what I hear, Ms. Gibson seems to be more than your client.”

  His words stopped Shaz cold. He didn’t scare easy, but he also didn’t want people keeping tabs on his personal business. Make it worse, he didn’t yet know who had eyes on Camilla and Ayanna.

  “What I do on my own time is none of your business.”

  “Oh, but it is,” Bennett taunted. “There’s got to be something wrong with a lawyer fraternising with his client.”

  In the Alderman’s eyes, Shaz saw determination and awareness of his power. Bennett had another guess coming if he thought Shaz cared about threats, overt or otherwise. “Our business is finished, Mr. Bennett.”

  “Not until I get what I want.”

  Crossing the tiles to stand in front of Bennett, Shaz squared his shoulders. “Read my lips. I do not bow to pressure. Ever.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Bennett scoffed and marched into the reception area.

  “Be careful how you come into my space and threaten me,” Shaz drawled, “because you might not be able to handle the repercussions.”

  Bennett spun and pointed at Shaz, his finger shaking in his fury. “You’ll learn that I’m not a man to be trifled with. I get whatever I want. Always.”

  With a smile in place and an even tone, Shaz replied, “Always is a strong word from a weak adversary. Remember that.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Reno sat back and patted his stomach. “We should have done this the other way around.”

  “What do you mean?” Daron asked, easing away from the dinner table.

  “I know exactly what he’s talking about.” Dro’s dimples appeared as he added, “All of this rib-sticking food is going to put us to sleep and we won’t finish what we came to do.”

  “Just wake me when you’re ready to hit the road,” Grant said, laughing.

  Dro nudged him playfully in the side. “No sleep for me, means no sleep for you, my brother.”

  They’d made short work of the spread of Curried Goat, Oxtails and Beans, Fried Chicken, and Ackee & Saltfish with rice and peas, fried plantains, and lightly-fried roasted breadfruit since they sat at Shaz’s dining table. Miss Mabel had topped off the entrées with June plum juice and lemonade. The delivery man also dropped off individually packaged servings of sweet potato pudding and carrot cake. Then, he whisked away the two women Miss Mabel sent to plate their meals, as though she thought Shaz wouldn’t do it properly.

  She was right. All of this mouth-watering deliciousness meant decorum went straight out of the window. Without help, they would have fallen on the food like starving savages.

  After the discoveries he made about Bennett’s business and Porter’s history between Wednesday and Thursday, Shaz invited Daron, Dro, Reno, and Grant to have dinner at his suite on Friday. They all came straight from work and had shrugged off their jackets and sat with their sleeves rolled back and assorted devices at their elbows.

  “So, what’s this about The Elite Hub?” Grant asked.

  “Their name came up because of two of my clients.” Shaz eased away his empty plate. “One of them escaped while being transported from wherever the girls are kept, to the clubhouse—”

  “Hold up.” Reno raised both hands, his green eyes intense. “What girls? Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  Giving a sharp nod, Shaz inhaled deeply. “Somewhere within this labyrinth of interconnected clubs and busi
nesses—and in doing my investigations of the systems within The Castle, that’s the best word to describe what I’ve found—there are girls who have been trafficked.”

  Reno turned a laser-sharp gaze on Shaz. “I’d say you’re kidding me, but since you’re as serious as a judge about to hand down a lifetime sentence, I know you’re not joking.”

  Shaz scanned the face of each man at the dinner table. “All of this relates to one specific case I’m handing. The reason I brought you here this evening was to ask for your help and give you a heads-up before Monday’s meeting. I don’t want to take up the entire agenda with this. By then, I know you all will have done your own research on top of the information I’ve shared with you from Daron and Grant.”

  Here Shaz chuckled. “Any day now, Daron will stop answering my calls, but he’s been giving me access to information on certain members, plus data I won’t ask how he acquired.”

  Daron pulled an imaginary zipper across his lips.

  The men laughed, then went silent when Shaz continued speaking. “Grant has been good enough to bring me up to date on who holds what shares and the ownership structure of The Hub and New Visions.”

  “So, what do you need from us before Monday’s pow wow?” Dro asked, crossing one slack-covered leg over the other.

  “Linkages.” Shaz said, eyeing each of them in turn. “Mainly between the adoption agency and The Hub. Seems to me that one name keeps popping up, which makes me wonder if Khalil’s attempt to turn the whole shebang right side up, might not be enough cause for this individual to have been part of the assassination attempt. Trust me when I say he’s involved with some seedy characters.”

  A tropical instrumental flooded the dining room. The men shot questioning gazes at Shaz, who got to his feet. “Relax. It’s the doorbell.”

  They erupted in laughter.

  “I don’t know what we’re gonna do with you,” Dro quipped, shaking his head.

  “There’s nothing like having an island vibe flowing through my crib. Sets the mood, you know?” Shaz threw the words over his shoulder as he went to the get the door.

  He welcomed back the two women he’d requested from The Castle’s stable of housekeeping staff to clean up after them. When they filed into the kitchen ahead of him, Shaz hung back in the doorway. “Guys, let’s move the discussion to the living room.

  After the men went past him, Shaz closed the door between the dining and sitting areas. The walls of his suite were soundproof, plus equipped with Daron’s anti-spyware devices so there was no danger of their business being spread through gossip. Thanks to Dro and their technical guru, each of them had their suites retrofitted with high-tech equipment that wasn’t immediately obvious to the naked eye.

  His brothers took seats around the low table decorated with patterned translucent glass that matched the blue accent wall at the far end of the living room. The sectional chairs came in a rich navy, with plump blue and white cushions. Shaz claimed his favorite seat, a curved half-sofa made to fit one person comfortably or two in intimate contact.

  “Anything to drink?” he asked, tipping his head sideways. “The bar’s over there.”

  “Are you for real?” Dro asked. “You stuff us to the gills, then want to ply us with drinks, too? No thanks, bro.”

  “And so say all of us,” Grant added, but eyed the bar as if he’d change his mind later. “Anyway, tell us what exactly you need from us.”

  “My concern is that New Visions may be handling underhanded adoptions.” He quickly updated them on Camilla’s case, adding, “Where there’s one, there are bound to be more. Since you’re responsible for illegal deals and such on the property, you’ll be able to tell us if their transactions stand up to scrutiny.”

  Hands clasped around his phone, Reno sat forward. “I’m assuming that you need me, in tandem with Daron, to turn over every stone inside The Castle to find these girls you mentioned.”

  “You got it.” Shaz nodded, then turned his attention to Dro. “I have a feeling there’s more than meets the eye with those two entities I mentioned. Over the years, I’ve learned to trust my instincts. Where there are embers, there’s always fire.”

  “That’s it then?” Reno asked. “If ya’ll don’t mind. I have to be somewhere else later this evening.”

  Shaz was certain ‘somewhere else’ had Zuri Okusanya’s name all over it.

  “That’s it for me, too,” Shaz said. “I know you all have places to be and people to see, so I won’t keep you.”

  “Sounds good.” Daron also got to his feet and picked up his tablet.

  Grant and Reno followed suit. “We’ll get back with you tomorrow.”

  “Appreciate it,” Shaz said as they exchanged handshakes and man hugs.

  Daron was the last to retrieve his jacket from the closet near the entrance to the suite. From an inner pocket, he pulled out a flat, gold gift box and handed it to Shaz.

  “What are you two up to?” Grant asked, eyeing them with the same suspicion in his voice.

  “Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong for that.” Daron gave Grant and Reno a cool look. “Mind your business.”

  “And scrub your brain with carbolic soap and steel wool, too,” Shaz added, with a cheeky grin.

  Before walking over the threshold, Daron said, “I’ve included instructions on how to activate the devices inside.”

  “I’m grateful.” Shaz dipped his head and put a hand over his heart, acknowledging the gift and how quickly Daron had moved to honor a request that could mean the difference between Camilla and Ayanna’s harm and safety.

  A half smile accompanied Daron’s words. “You’re welcome, but this is part of my role in protecting the brotherhood.”

  Shaz had to admit it was reassuring to have a network of professional brothers who could access some of the items he couldn’t, even with his connections. That fact made him rest a bit easier whenever his mind strayed to Camilla and his other clients. Whoever had them on their radar would be no match for the group of men working in his corner.

  Hands in his pockets, Shaz turned back toward the living room. As he did, the women emerged from the kitchen.

  “We’ve taken care of everything Mr. Boswick,” the older one advised.

  Their pale blue and white garb reminded him of maids’ uniforms he’d seen on television programs when he was growing up. He didn’t know who ran the housekeeping business at The Castle but they needed to be brought into the present.

  He gave both of them a generous tip and wished them a good night after acknowledging their thanks.

  On the way to his bedroom, Shaz pulled his shirt from his pants and slid his phone off the center table. The hour was still early, so he rang Miss Mabel’s cell.

  She carried it in her apron pocket when she wasn’t at the stove, because she didn’t want to miss calls from customers or family.

  “Good night, Shaz,” she said at the top of her voice. “Everyt’ing was to ya liking?”

  “Everything was delicious. You outdid yourself.”

  “Boy, ya certainly have a sweet mouth. But thank ya for saying so.” She cackled. “I need to make sure Camilla knows all of your specialties.”

  He chuckled, but didn’t comment because if he did, Miss Mabel and his mother would take it as license to orchestrate some moves on his behalf that he was capable of making on his own.

  “I see ya keeping ya love life a secret, but dat’s all right.” She laughed at her own joke, then asked, “Ya needed anything in particular?”

  “Just wanted to thank you,” he said, sitting on the side of the bed.

  “Miss Paula raised you right, young boy.” She waited a few seconds as if giving him room to speak. In the next breath, she added, “I’ll see you on Monday.”

  “Yes, save me some roast beef,” he said, “and by the way, I needed to ask you a question.”

  “Go on. I knew there was something.” Her laughter was hearty and came at full blast through the speaker. “Aunt Mabel wasn’t b
orn big.”

  Shaz grunted in acknowledgement of the old saying that meant she was much smarter than she appeared, while frowning at the royal blue accent wall. “This is about Camilla. I’ve talked to her, but haven’t seen her since Wednesday.”

  He left space for Miss Mabel to fill in what he sensed while talking to Camilla on the phone today. Something wasn’t right. She wouldn’t admit anything was wrong, but his instincts hadn’t failed him yet. She’d been withdrawn, then sharp, when he tried pulling her out of her mood.