“Guess what, Daddy?”
“Chicken butt.”
She laughed. “You are way too corny.” She rested her head on his chest. “I love you so much. Please don’t ever leave me again.”
“I won’t baby. I won’t.”
Bruce tried to creep out of the room to get May, but his leather-soled shoes squeaked on the linoleum floor and gave him away.
“Did you bring my baby here?” Nathan asked.
“Well,” Bruce hunched his shoulders, “she kind of brought me here, but yes, we came together.”
“Did you tell her what you told me about… Well, you know.”
“I asked her to marry me, and she refused to without you.”
Nathan squeezed her tightly. “That’s my girl.”
“I want to stay with Daddy. Do you mind going to Dixon without me?”
“We’ve already settled this. Janis will go in my stead.”
She released her father and latched onto Bruce. “Will you marry me?”
“Umm, I’m not sure,” he grumbled. “It depends.”
“Lord knows I don’t want to hear this.” Nathan returned to his paints. “When you finish seducing my daughter, send her my way. We have a lot of catching up to do and only about fifteen minutes.”
Brow raised, she asked, “Depends on what?”
Bruce cupped his hand to her ear and whispered, “If you’ll make love with me in the barn.”
“Extortion? Hmmm, sounds like fun.”
Bruce reached over Nefertiti to pull his cell phone out of the pile of clothes they had discarded. They’d just sealed the deal on their marriage and were resting up before heading into the house. They had decided to stay in Champaign until the trial, then return afterwards if Nathan was still being treated.
“What’s up, Ken?” The bed of hay they lay on looked a heck of a lot more comfortable than it actually was. The Townes had rid the farm of livestock years ago, so the barn and hay were more for show than actual use. I’ve got to stop getting my fantasies out of movies. He picked small pieces of hay out of Nefertiti’s hair.
“I’m in some serious stuff up here,” Ken said shakily. “Remember the Marco guy I told you about?” The alarm in his voice made Bruce sit up at attention.
“What happened?”
“Is something wrong?” Nefertiti whispered. Bruce nodded in the affirmative. She began to sort through their clothes and shake off the hay.
“Suffice it to say that we aren’t the only ones looking for Jay. Marco’s men are holding me and threatening me, but I’m not telling them squat without your say-so.”
“Shit! Have they harmed you?”
“No. For now they’re in the talking mood, but I can’t say how long that will last.”
“Is Marco there? Tell them to have Marco call me.”
A few minutes later, Bruce and Nefertiti were fully dressed, and Bruce was on his cell phone with Marco.
“Why the hell are you holding my man?” Bruce demanded as he leaned his back against the lantern lit stall.
“Do you know who I am?” Marco snapped, his voice full of indignation.
“The question isn’t if I know who you are, but if I give a damn who you are. Which I don’t. No one touches what’s mine or those who work for me.”
Nefertiti bit her bottom lip and curled in close to Bruce’s side.
“Then we have a bit of a situation here, don’t we?”
“No. We both have information the other could use. I suggest we meet. You and I.”
“When and where?”
“I can be there tomorrow. You can pick the time and place. Somewhere public. And I want Ken released first.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to be making demands.”
“And I don’t know the type of people you are used to dealing with, but I’m not cowering or begging you for a damn thing. We’re both businessmen. Neither of us has time for games. Are we doing this or not?”
“What if I say not?”
“Then I use all of my resources to ensure you and your men do not live to see another day.” He disconnected.
“Bruce, what have you done?”
He smiled. “You think he’ll call my bluff?”
“You’re out of your mind. And you hung up so quickly he couldn’t have told you where to meet.”
“Don’t worry, water ninja, he’ll call with the time and place.”
She rested her head on his arm. “What if he hurts Ken? I don’t want you meeting this guy. Call in the cops.”
“We’ll be in a public place.” His cell phone sounded. The caller ID indicated the call was from Ken’s phone. “Yes.”
“I’m not releasing Ken until after we speak.”
“I don’t have time for this. I’m making love with my lady.” He winked at Nefertiti. “If you can’t agree to my terms, then as soon as I hang up, I’ll make other arrangements.”
After a few tense seconds passed, Marco said, “This had better not be a setup.”
“We aren’t doing anything illegal.”
“Washington Park, tomorrow, noon, near 51st and Cottage Grove.”
“Fine.”
Ken gave Bruce a brotha shake. “Thanks for getting me out of that.”
“You’re one of my men. Of course I’m here.” He reached in his inner suit pocket and took out an envelope of money. “Here’s a little bonus for your trouble. Keep up the good work.” He patted Ken on the back. “Now I have a meeting to get to. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
Dressed in an olive business suit, Bruce felt out of place in the park. The traffic in the park was light, which he liked. There were enough people to witness if something went wrong but not enough people that folks would overhear their conversation.
He knew right off that the heavyset man who leaned against a large maple and had cornrows and more bling than the law allowed had to be Marco.
“ ’Sup.” Marco nodded.
“Not much. Thank you for meeting me here.”
“You were right, man, this is business, and we both businessmen. What’s up with you and Jay?”
“The woman Butch chopped up is my fiancée.”
“What?” His eyes bugged out of his head. “But… Never mind, go ahead.”
They walked along a dirt path that led through the park.
“I believe her ex-fiancé is involved,” Bruce continued. “His name is Dennis Green.”
“His ass was in to me for six hundred big ones. He has that gambling bug.”
“Six hundred thousand dollars!” Shocked did not explain how stunned Bruce was. He had had a feeling Dennis was hiding something, but to actually have evidence… He shook his head. This is a mess. “Home boy needs to step away from the table. He came snooping around the other day. I knew he was up to something.”
Squirrels were busy chasing each other from tree to tree, and a pair ran across the men’s path. If Dennis were to run across Bruce’s path right now, Bruce wasn’t sure what he’d do. That this creep could actually send this butcher after Nefertiti was unfathomable.
“He agreed to find Jay for me. First he talked all of this shit, but I put a nix to that.” Marco spoke with his hands as much as he did with his voice. “But damn, he was playin’ me all along. I knew somethin’ was up.”
“So what do we do now?”
“Butch told your boy Ken that I had something to do with the attack.”
“Ken reported that Jay owed you money.”
Marco turned back in the direction they’d walked from. “Well, Ezel is a crack head, so it makes sense he got shit wrong or just flat out lied. It doesn’t matter now, because the cops think I’m somehow involved, and once Dennis is connected, then he’ll throw my ass to them to save himself. What you gonna do with Dennis if he’s in with this Jay cat?”
“Before or after I choke the life out of him?”
“I like yo’ style, man.” Marco laughed. “I like yo’ style. Look, I’ll have my boys keep a close eye
on Dennis. I’m sure he’ll lead us to Jay.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Two weeks later…
“Welcome home, Daddy!” Anxiety levels at an all time high, Nefertiti jumped off the farmhouse porch and ran toward the SUV. With her father home, she’d have something to think about besides the trial.
“Go on, baby girl.” Nathan’s smile put the noon sun to shame. “You’re acting like I just come home from war or something.”
“You did.” She held his hand and strolled along the sunflower and marigold-lined walk with him. “Auntie Vic is inside. She’s helping Mama plan the wedding. I wanted to have it at Maxwell Manor, but they nixed that idea.”
Bruce carried Nathan’s bags. “That’s not all they nixed.” He took the stairs two at a time. “They won’t even let us be in a room alone without the door open.”
“Good.” Nathan stopped at the steps and took a seat. “Bruce told me the trial starts tomorrow.”
Nefertiti cringed at the word “trial.” All she wanted to do was welcome her father home, not think about facing the monster that had attacked her.
“I want to be there with you, but…”
“I don’t want you there, Daddy. I need you here to watch over Mama. Bruce will be with me. I’ll be fine. They start jury selection tomorrow. I’m told I probably won’t even be needed until Monday or Tuesday. Let’s enjoy these few days of freedom.”
Bruce poked his head out of the front door. “Nefertiti, you just missed a call on your cell. Do you ever carry the thing?”
“Anyone who would call me is here. It must have been a telemarketer.” She held her hand back. “Let me see.”
“Humph,” Nathan grumbled, “telemarketers best think two or three times before using up my minutes on their mess. You want me to call them back for you and give them what for?”
“I think I can handle it.”
Bruce came out of the house with the phone in hand. “Here ya go.”
“Thanks.” She maneuvered to her missed calls. “I have no idea whose number this is, but they’ve called a few times. I’m afraid to call it back, just in case it is a telemarketer. Shoot. I surely don’t want to verify this is my number.”
“Let me see.”
She handed the phone to Bruce.
“I know this area code,” he grumbled. “Maybe Rachel is calling from Dixon.” He handed over the phone.
“How are things going over there anyway?”
“Rachel loved the shopping. I may have finally won her over.”
Nefertiti giggled. “Shopping—the cure all. What about the alternative site for Dixon Resort?” She’d already explained to Nathan about the resort. He thought it was a fantastic idea.
“She says the land is nice, but it would take at least six million in additional development to put it on par with what already exists at Dixon Textiles. She suggested I resume purchasing shares of stock.”
“Oh man, that’s too bad. Have you told Roy and Catherine yet?”
“I was at the hospital when Janis called with the news. I’ll call Roy when we go in and send him a copy of the report she says is waiting in my email.”
Nathan stood. “This is all truly exciting, but I’m going in the house and show May how much I miss her. Don’t you two do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“We won’t.” Bruce sat on the stair above Nefertiti’s and wrapped his arms around her. “I think he’ll make it. We all will.”
She rested her back against his chest and melted into the love and security of his embrace. A hundred yards across from the house was a cornfield. Her father rented the land out to a local farmer.
“Remember when we used to pretend the snow-covered field was a diamond-covered desert?” she asked.
He reached out as if to touch the memory. “Each winter I made many a trek across the frozen tundra.”
“We had buckets and buckets of diamonds! But now I see they were worthless because there were so many.”
“The naiveté of childhood.”
“That monster took what innocence I had left. I don’t know how I’ll face him.” And then there’s Dennis. She was so angry with Dennis, she couldn’t even grasp what she was angriest about.
Bruce caressed her arms. “I wish I could do this for you.”
She shoved the anger away to deal with later. “I’m worried about Daddy. Maybe he should have waited until after the trial to come home.”
“Auntie May and Vic will take good care of him. It’s you I’m worried about.”
Her cell phone rang, startling them both. She snatched it off the stair and checked the caller ID. In a way, she hoped it was Dennis so she could give him a piece of her mind.
“It’s that Dixon number.” I need to forget about him. “Oh man. Maybe it’s Rachel. She doesn’t have a phone yet.” She pressed the call button. “Hello.”
“Hello, Tee. I’m glad I finally reached you.”
She tried to place the voice. And now that she thought about it, she’d received the first call before Rachel left town.
“What’s wrong?” Bruce whispered.
She put up a finger. “I’m sorry, but who is this?”
“Roy. Roy Dixon.”
“Oh, Roy.”
“What the hell does he want?” Bruce bit out.
She scrunched her face and hunched her shoulders. “I didn’t recognize your voice. What can I do for you?”
Before Roy could answer, Bruce snatched the phone from Nefertiti. “What the hell you doing calling my woman?” he barked. “How’d you get this number?”
“Give me back my phone.”
He stood and turned away from her. “You don’t have any business—”
Nefertiti jumped up and snatched the phone. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“Just tell his ass not to call your line again.”
“This jealous, possessive role you’re playing is working my last nerve.” She placed the phone to her ear. “Goodbye, Roy. Please do not call my private line again.” She disconnected.
“Damn skippy he’d best not call again.”
“Listen up, cave man.” She poked him in the chest. “You ever disrespect me like that again, I’ll put my size eights up your butt.”
“Disrespect you! What the…? He calls my woman, yet I’m the one who’s disrespectful.”
“You don’t even know why he was calling.”
“The hell I don’t. I saw the way he watched you. I should have nipped that shit in the bud right then and there.”
“And I’m tired of your foul mouth.”
Head cocked to the side, he stared at her. “You’re kidding, right? I’ve been cursing since I was old enough to pronounce ‘sh.’ Let’s get to the real reason you’re chopping my head off. And don’t you dare say it’s because of my jealousy or possessiveness. I’ve been that way ever you since the moment Auntie May showed me your spoiled tail.”
“I’m not spoiled.” She climbed the remaining stairs and sat in the porch swing.
“Yes, you are.” He lightly kissed her lips. “But I love you anyway.”
“If I’m spoiled, then you’re a complete jerk.”
He sat beside her, placed his foot on the wood banister and rocked the swing. “Now that we have that settled, tell me what’s really wrong.” He wrapped his arm around her.
“Dennis,” she drawled. “How could I have been so wrong about him? I mean, I didn’t have a clue.” A chill went down her spine. “I almost married him.”
“He’s a smooth one.”
“You never liked him.”
“Of course I didn’t.” He nudged her. “He was trying to steal my woman.”
“Daddy never said anything, but I could tell he didn’t like him either. I should have paid attention to the warning signs. Do you know what he’s up to now?”
“Not really. Marco’s men will let me know when he leads them to Jay.”
“Then what?”
“Good question.”
“I can’
t believe this!” Roy tossed the report Janis had sent him into the air. The pages littered the floor of Catherine’s office. “That site is perfect for a resort. How can he turn it down? How could he do this?”
“Calm down.”
“I will not calm down. He’s been dicking us along. He never intended on giving the site a chance. If he had, he wouldn’t have sent his secretary. His freaking secretary, for Christ sakes!” He slammed his fist on her desk.
“Janis is his assistant, not his secretary.”
He shook his head. “That’s it. She set me up!”
“Who?”
“Tee. I told you how she came on to me. The other day when I called her, she handed the phone to Maxwell. The next thing I know, he’s no longer interested in the other site.”
The way she stared at him made him feel uneasy, but what he’d said was the truth. The only part he couldn’t figure out was why Tee had done this. She must like playing some sick game. I’ll show her!
“You aren’t serious,” she finally said. “What possessed you to call her? And how did you get her number?”
“How I got her number doesn’t matter. What matters is this was all part of his plan to distract us while he convinces the other stockholders to sell to him.”
“You’re losing it.” Face drawn and shoulders slumped, she leaned back in her executive chair. “I’m going to sell him my stock.”
“No! You can’t.”
She slowly lifted her gaze to Roy. “What do you suggest I do? If I leave now, at least I still have my pride.”
“Dixon Textiles belongs to our family. You can’t just throw it away. We have to fight.”
“You should have thought of that before you sold us out.” She pushed away from the desk and stalked to her second story window.
None of this was his fault, but he knew this wasn’t the time to point that out. Instead, he went to her side and said what he knew she wanted to hear. “I’m sorry, Catherine.”
“You’re always sorry.” She leaned her head against the window. “We’ve lost our home, our heritage, and you expect a word to make things better. Well I’m sorry, but sorry doesn’t get it.”
From the window, he could see the main Dixon estate. Many said the main house looked like a smaller version of the White House. When he and Catherine were children, their mother would host a children’s party each season. In the fall, the estate was decorated with the ghost and goblins of Halloween. In the winter, the evergreens sparkled with Christmas lights and reindeer and elves could be found. Come spring, the Easter bunny would have pastel ribbons of blue, green, yellow and pink strewn across the balconies and banisters, but the part he’d loved most was the Easter egg hunts that were open to the community. Finally, there was summer. Red, white, and blue formed the main color scheme and Old Glory could be found throughout the property. The yearly Dixon fireworks show was the largest in the county, some even said the largest in the state.
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