Justice Black: The Game Never Ends

by Gartia Bansah

  Kaitlyn placed her free hand over his heart to cool his hurt and gently squeezed his hands. He was carrying enough guilt, so she again carefully chose her next words.

  “Tobiah, I’m not making any excuses for Clarissa, but you told me you were barely seventeen when Jeremiah was conceived. If you had known, would you have been ready to be a dad?”

  He was quiet. Whether she knew it or not, he’d asked himself that question so many times, and it always came out the same. Clarissa didn’t give him the chance to find out.

  “I wouldn’t have been able to give Jeremiah the material things, but I would have loved him and done my best for him. She nearly cheated me out of seeing him grow, of doing the things a dad is supposed to do for his kid.”

  “I know that. But when you did learn about Jeremiah, you didn’t hesitate in building a relationship with him, loving him, and being his dad. That’s all that matters. A child, no matter how or when it comes to us, is the most precious gift God gives us. I believe without question we need to accept, protect, and nurture the gift and cherish its arrival. You can’t move on if you don’t forgive Clarissa, and neither can Jeremiah. If he is anything like you, Jeremiah probably knows how you think.”

  “You’re good, Duchess, and you’re right about everything. I have Jeremiah and now you, my precious gifts. I’ll think on that other.”

  “Yes, you do have us, and please think hard on that other.”

  Justice quieted for a moment, thinking about the present.

  “Kaitlyn, I don’t want you taking any chances from now on.”

  He’d made arrangements to meet with Lane and Wil tonight at her place to go over the restaurant fire. There was no need to let Kaitlyn know how close and desperate Ed was. He sensed she already knew.

  Ed had wrecked anything that was good; it was as if he sat uninvited at the table now. Determined not to let Ed in, she moved to Justice’s lap.

  “I promise I’ll be careful.”

  Uneasiness darted across her face, and he lightly caressed her lips and cheeks.

  “You of all people know what Ed is capable of doing.” He rubbed her back, momentarily distracted.

  “I have too much to lose.” She didn’t want him to walk away. Kaitlyn leaned into him and wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t want him to worry about her; he worried enough about everything else.

  Satisfied, Justice breathed a little softer.

  “Since you are such a good cook, I’ll let you make the sweet potato pies and maybe the dressing. Who knows what we can put in the turkey.” He winked.

  The telephone saved her from any more of his teasing. Kaitlyn moved so fast Justice barely caught her to keep her from falling to the floor.

  “That was Wil,” Kaitlyn said when she returned, “reminding us they’ll be ready in an hour and will be waiting.”

  “It’ll be all right, Duchess.”

  Justice again soothed her with gentle swaying and rested his head on top of hers.

  “I never told you about a nightmare that has haunted me for years. I once participated in a drug and illegal-gun-sale raid of a farmhouse in California. It was Ed Drayton’s home. I took two of the boys taken from that place. I now know one was Ron Castleman. I have never been able to get the gray-eyed boy out of my head. He may have been Clermont.” He used the Latin phrase “non sum qua lis eram”—I’m not who I used to be—and accepted it with sorrow more for her than himself.

  “Neither am I. Sometimes that can be a good thing. Clermont’s eyes were gray.”

  They held on to each other. It would deeply hurt to suddenly lose someone you loved and not get the chance to tell them how much you did.

  “The times are changing, and we are changing with them,” she said in Latin as she comforted him. “That raid may have saved Clermont’s life. It did Ron’s.”

  “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but a few years back, Clermont was in the Peace Corps in Africa. We’ll be able to find something.”

  She raised her head so fast he barely escaped injury to his mouth.

  “Thank you, Justice.”

  They both allowed the quiet, peaceful moment to soak into the air, giving each time to balance the good with the ugly that strangely bound them together. Talking to Kaitlyn eased years of a heavy burden from his heart. Their lives were entwined together. The paths of her life joined with his to complete an unknown journey that required both to get there.

  “As much as I hate to separate, we need to get going.”

  “If you say so. Race you to the shower,” she challenged him.

  “Oh no you don’t.” Justice pulled her back by the tail of the shirt. “If I get into that shower with you, we won’t make it to Wil’s in an hour.”

  Kaitlyn presented her most bewildered expression possible and did a great job of looking hurt.

  He laughed. “Don’t give me that look. You know damn well what I mean.” He turned her away from him. “Hurry. I’ll run downstairs and change and then come back up for you.”

  Her smile was impish when she asked, “You sure about that?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.” He looked at her again. “Sure about what?”

  She turned back toward him and caressed his chest and looked down. “Are you sure you’re coming back up?”

  Justice pointed at her and shook his head. “You’ll pay for that remark.” He turned her around. “I said go.”

  Justice hurriedly showered and dressed in a pair of black slacks and a red pullover. He grabbed his jacket on the way out as he adjusted everything.

  Kaitlyn was waiting for him.

  “Wow. Leggings?” He nodded in appreciation. The bright-yellow silk top accented everything, waist up and waist down. “Grandmom or Barrett?” He asked.

  Kaitlyn sighed. “Both. Grandmom: bottom. Barrett: top.” She playfully bumped his hip. “You like it? Or is your reaction something I can look forward to more often?”

  “I like it, and you’re all that’s on my menu.”

  Her face warmed when he said that. “Justice, could you get that brown envelope for me in the guest bedroom?” She needed a distraction. “It came several days ago. Watch out. The dogs are—” She didn’t get a chance to warn him about Cassie and Calvin. Calvin ran behind Justice, fiercely barking, while Cassie tugged on his pant leg and growled. They resembled a circus act, with Justice as the featured attraction. He looked at Kaitlyn as if she had wrecked his car.

  “Damn it, Kaitlyn, why didn’t you tell me these damn dogs were here?”

  She didn’t want to laugh, but it was useless. She leaned against him for support and gave in.

  “I tried to warn you,” she finally said between giggles.

  “If I didn’t know you any better, I’d say that was deliberate. They should be used to me by now.”

  “They don’t hate you. If it makes you feel any better, they act the same toward Marvin.”

  “At least they’re good for something.” He said without amusement. It was a fact Cassie and Calvin attacked any man that got within speaking distance of Kaitlyn.

  “Remember I have to take them to your place since your parrots are still here,” she reminded him.

  “Really?” He didn’t like that idea at all but gave in. “All right, let’s go.” Justice turned and glared at Cassie and Calvin. “If you two get on my bed or crap on the floor, I’ll get you both.”

  Kaitlyn dared not look at Justice when she got into the car he was so annoyed. She couldn’t understand why. Cassie and Calvin were harmless.

  “You know, you could try to be nicer.”

  “I’m nice,” he grumbled.

  She snapped her seat belt and adjusted her body to face him. “Sure, when you need to be. Marvin dodges you. Felix is afraid of you. He complains you frown at him whenever you come into the office. Honey, you could at least smile at Felix.
He thinks you hate him.”

  “I’m not smiling at him.”

  “Hmmm, you hardly smile at all.”

  “I smile at you.” For proof, he smiled at her.

  “That’s smart.”

  Justice suddenly asked, “Why didn’t you answer my question about kids?”

  Kaitlyn gave him a slight shrug. “It’s a personal question to be discussed between couples. Are we a couple? But to be fair, when I’m ready, I’ll give you an answer.”

  Justice backed out of the stall and headed toward the expressway. It looked like rain. A traffic accident up ahead slowed everything to almost a crawl. He glanced at the clock. The next exit would be faster.

  Kaitlyn braced herself when Justice quickly switched lanes. He nearly missed the stop sign and jammed the brakes. The sudden motion jerked Kaitlyn forward, sending her seat belt flying against the window.

  He pulled over and buckled her again. “Sorry.”

  Kaitlyn angrily pushed his hands away. “I can do that myself; I’m not a child.”

  He knew too well what had set her off. Well, too bad. Justice stared at her and carefully said, “You didn’t secure it well.”

  Kaitlyn’s rigid body clearly shouted, “Talking prohibited.” Her arms were folded tight as a straightjacket around her body, and the key was thrown out the window. He’d seen this persona before; like the car pileup, it meant things were going to be tight for a while. Tread carefully.

  Justice thought the beads of sweat on her nose were cute and lightly caressed her cheek. “Darling, you need to relax, and you know what? Yellow looks good on you. You are gorgeous.”

  chapter

  SIXTY-FOUR

  Suffocating steam in a hot sauna would have been better than the tension inside the car. Kaitlyn couldn’t stand it and jerked Justice’s hand away. She turned on him with a fury.

  “Justice Black, you make me sick. You make my head swim.”

  “Honey, it is a simple question that needs a simple answer. I understand if you don’t want to talk about it now.”

  Justice gave her his very best innocent look. That really irritated her.

  “You are trying to goad me. But I have news for you, Mr. Chucklehead. You are wasting your time. Just drive.” She angrily pointed to the freeway.

  He would have laughed. He was already tethering on the edge of danger with her about good old Cassie and Calvin. Wisely, he remained silent.

  “I’ll fix him,” she mumbled.

  “Did you say something, honey?”

  “No, I didn’t. You must be hearing things.”

  His gas tank was low anyway, and since she wasn’t talking, he stopped for gas. “Did you need anything?” He asked. Kaitlyn shook her head. He saw Tate’s white pit bull tied outside the door. Tate never went anywhere without that dog. As usual, the dog growled at Justice. He didn’t see Tate.

  Sterling immediately spotted Justice and hid between the aisles when Justice walked inside. There were no other customers in the store. “I’ll get the bastard,” Sterling whispered.

  “JT, Sterling’s here,” Deeke, the manager, warned. “Watch your back.” The Washingtons’ hatred of Justice was no secret. Deeke only hoped Justice dragged Sterling outside rather than messing up his recently waxed floor.

  Justice walked away from the counter to the coffee bar and moved quietly to the other end of the aisle, where Sterling lay waiting.

  “Sterling, where’s Tate?”

  Sterling jumped. “Maybe he’s out taking something that belongs to you.”

  “JT, is everything OK?” Deeke yelled.

  “Sure, Deeke.”

  Sterling took that moment to make a bold move toward Justice but quickly found himself on the floor with a loud thud. His yell echoed throughout the store. With Sterling’s face pressed hard to the floor, Justice took his gun.

  “Sterling,” he whispered, “you’re a stupid man.”

  “Man, you hurt my head,” Sterling shouted.

  Justice phoned Caldwell before he turned back to Sterling’s screaming.

  “Shut up. You’re not hurt. Let me tell you something, Sterling. You’d better hope that brother of yours doesn’t make the same stupid mistake and sneak up behind me.”

  Kaitlyn was nearly frightened to death after seeing Caldwell go inside moments before the paramedics pulled into the parking lot. Then Justice walked out.

  “What happened inside?”

  “Someone wasn’t paying attention and fell.”

  “Oh. A man wearing shades and a hoodie stood by that dog and stared at the car, but he walked away.”

  His heart raced. Justice immediately thought it was Tate or worse, Ed.

  “You OK?” He asked as he stared at the white dog.

  “I’m fine. I was more worried about you,” she answered.

  Justice pulled into Wil’s driveway and hesitated before opening the door for Kaitlyn. She hadn’t really spoken since they left the store. Any questions were answered with three words: “I don’t know,” “I think so,” or “If you say so.” He carefully opened her door and extended his hand to her. She smiled, took it, and patiently stood next to him.

  Kaitlyn suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and fitted her body snugly to his. Justice was completely caught off guard. Satisfied, she kissed him until his heart thumped furiously against her. He slowly moved his arms around her waist, and then she stepped away with a smile.

  With absolute gracefulness, she held her head high as a queen going to a coronation and calmly said, “Let’s go, Dr. Black,” and walked away.

  For a moment he couldn’t think. His brain scrambled trying to figure out what just happened. Kaitlyn’s back was so rigid Justice didn’t know whether it was safe to say anything. He cautiously touched her elbow to hold her still. “Duchess, honey, what’s wrong?”

  She stopped and cocked her head with a puzzled expression.

  “No,” she nonchalantly said. “I am not your Duchess or darling or honey or any of that tonight.” She politely and gently removed his hand before she rang the doorbell. With a smile still on her face, she waited for someone to answer, ignoring Justice’s confused look.

  “Duchess, you’re upset with me, right?”

  Trenton opened the door to what he later described to Wil as a sullen Dr. Black and a happy, refined-looking Dr. Joseph. They were like statues in a park. They only needed pigeons to complete the look.

  Lane greeted the two. He immediately felt the tension and took a safer route. He shook Justice’s hand but balked at Kaitlyn. “I’ve seen that look before. That means Dr. Black has stepped hard on your toes again.”

  Neither Kaitlyn nor Justice said a word.

  For the better part of the evening, Justice stole glances at Kaitlyn as if she was under a microscope. Wil noticed the strain between the two and had to ask what everyone wanted to know but hesitated to ask.

  “Is everything fine with you two?”

  Kaitlyn studied Justice, who sat silently across from her. The tall vase of orange roses on the table blocked a clear view of him, but she knew he’d been watching her.

  “I don’t know.” She pointed to Justice. “Ask Dr. Black over there.”

  Justice hung his head low. Hell, he wasn’t sure himself.

  Lane cleared his throat; whatever those two were dancing around wasn’t his business.

  “Dr. Black, you figure Ed has someone helping him?” he asked.

  “Yes. I do.” Justice thought for a minute and said, “The restaurant fire and the messages on the alley wall and the billboards were introductions to what was to happen.”

  The coded messages were for him. He didn’t think the billboard messages were from Ed. That was too obvious. Ed wanted revenge for the raid years ago. He damned himself for not piecing it together earlier. The raid happened on Halloween. He
thought of the message “Seek the witches of Endor.”

  “Halloween was to mark Ed’s reclamation of wealth. The holiday served as a reverence to witches whom Ed believed could help him. Ed believed in them.”

  “Dr. Black, what are you thinking?” Lane could never figure how his mind worked.

  “There are two events, one working against the other,” Justice continued. “The restaurant fire is property loss, a financial gain; the insurance would pay. That’s someone else. The message ‘We are stronger and wiser’ had a disregard for life. A mass explosion was to happen on Halloween, Ed’s special day, but Eunice screwed that up during the dry run; it was meant to be a symbol of power, to evoke fear. That’s personal, and that’s Ed’s obsession with Halloween. Same as the raid, there was no warning.” He looked at Kaitlyn. “Tomorrow is Halloween. Dr. Joseph was to be Ed’s treat. His captured prize.”

  That was as close to the truth as Kaitlyn imagined. Ed didn’t really want her. He needed to control her for his ego because she’d escaped. No one ever rejected him.

  “Dr. Joseph,” Justice asked, “Can you think of anything else connected to Halloween and Ed?”

  She thought a moment. “Ed had this obsession for Mephistopheles and gave the older children copies of the books.”

  “Who?” Lane asked.

  “Mephistopheles, in the legend of Faustus, is the name of the devil to whom Faust sells his soul. If Ed sees himself as Mephistopheles, he lost power, position,” Justice explained. “He needs to regain everything. Seek the witches.”

  “Wait a minute.” Wil stood. “I received a package with two books, Faust Legends and Mephistopheles Legends. There was no return address. It’s at the office.”

  “I need those books,” Justice said. “Get them to Caldwell.”

  “Sure. I can get them tonight.”

  Kaitlyn wondered whether she would ever be rid of Ed in her life. She busied herself opening the large envelope. A photo fell into her lap. “Oh my,” she gasped.

  “What is it?” Wil asked.

  Lane moved faster than anyone expected in spite of his extra body mass.

  “What is it?” Justice was already over the table and kneeling before her. The tone she heard was the authoritative Dr. Justice Black, head of Southern Region Defense.