“Cool. With just the people I know, I could keep you supplied with clients for years to come.”
Angela laughed softly. “So what’ve you been up to?”
“Not much. Workin’ out, scoping out some new property. Other than that, just tryin’ to play life by the rules.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Dre hesitated. “Good enough for us to start kickin’ it again?”
He could see from her face that Angela had not expected the question. Or maybe she had, but didn’t welcome it.
“I’ve missed you, Angela,” Dre said, plunging ahead. “A lot. I’d really dig it if we could hang out sometime. Completely on your terms. Doesn’t have to be anything heavy. We could just catch a movie or something.”
Dre waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, he wanted to kick himself. No sweat. At least I put it out there. He wasn’t about to start crying and slobbering all over himself like that weak ass Cornell. He made the effort and now he would walk away with both of his balls securely intact.
“Let’s go make this special delivery,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure where the room is.”
Angela pointed down the hallway. “I think it’s the fourth room on the right.”
They silently walked down the corridor, a journey that seemed to take forever from Dre’s perspective. Just as they were about to enter Waverly’s room, Angela placed a hand on Dre’s forearm.
“So much has happened to me in the last few weeks that sometimes I feel like I don’t know up from down,” Angela said. “But in answer to your question, yeah, I would definitely like to catch a movie sometime.”
Dre nodded, then smiled, struggling to play it cool. He so wanted to pull her into his arms. Instead, he held the door open so Angela could enter first.
“You two look awful darn happy,” Waverly said, when they stepped inside.
Dre and Angela eyed each other, then seemed to simultaneously blush.
“You must be Deidra.” Angela extended her hand to a woman sitting in a chair next to Waverly’s bed. Dre walked across the room and set the flowers on the window ledge.
“And you two must be my husband’s partners in crime,” Deidra replied. “I read the whole scary story in the newspaper. Thanks for delivering my husband back to me in one piece.”
“No problem,” Dre said.
The media reports gave Waverly most of the credit for helping to crack a dangerous murder ring that preyed on the terminally ill. Waverly actually came off looking like a hero. Dre figured that was the only reason Deidra was at his bedside.
“How you doin’, my man?” Dre asked.
Waverly grinned broadly. “Just lucky to be alive.”
He escaped with a shattered knee and a bullet wound to the chest. There were serious internal injuries, but his prognosis for a full recovery was great. Britney survived without a scratch and her boyfriend Ricardo was sitting behind bars. Thanks to the deal Britney cut for herself, he was going away for a long, long time.
Video cameras posted outside the 7-Eleven where Jon was kidnapped led police to one of his killers. The man later confessed to attaching a homemade bomb to Jon’s car before sending it off the cliff. He also told police that he was paid by Ricardo to beat up Waverly’s brother Quincy, and murder several other people, among them, Veronika Myers, her mother, and Joanna Richardson.
Information supplied by the hit man also linked the two Live Now executives to the murder scheme. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Las Vegas, Syracuse and Miami were now reexamining their cases to determine if there had also been a high number of accidental deaths among the viatical patients in their states. The hit man’s accomplice was still on the run.
Waverly had his own legal challenges to face. Fortunately for him, a murder charge would not be one of them. In exchange for his testimony, the prosecution agreed to cut him a deal that would keep him out of jail for money laundering, bribery and falsification of his viatical license.
Lawrence Erickson’s indictment for his wife’s murder made national headlines. A sanitized version of the video showing the former U.S. Attorney General watching child porn had somehow made its way to YouTube. The divorce attorney Claire had consulted before she died told Good Morning America that she was terrified that her husband was going to kill her before the cancer did. Prosecutors were convinced that they had a strong case for conviction.
Whenever Waverly moved an inch, Deidra bounced out of her chair and rushed to comfort him. “You okay, honey?”
In just the few minutes that Dre had spent in the woman’s presence, he felt a bad vibe. If half of what Waverly had told him about his wife was true, he should definitely send her ass packing. He glanced over at Angela and smiled. But then again, once a woman got under your skin, there was really very little you could do about it.
Waverly pointed up at the television screen. “Hey, Angela, isn’t that your coworker?”
They all turned their attention to the television screen. “Yep,” Angela said, “that’s Zack the Hack in all his glory.”
Zack was sitting across from Bill O’Reilly. His navy suit looked fabulous against the royal blue of the Fox news set. Zack described with great emotion how he was instrumental in bringing down a deadly ring that victimized the dying. If he hadn’t called in law enforcement, Zack explained, many more lives would have been lost.
“Homeboy is really trippin’,” Dre said, when the interview was over. “You’d think he orchestrated the whole operation and rescued everybody single-handedly. He wasn’t even there.”
Angela chuckled. “You have to know Zack to truly appreciate him. He was on the Today Show this morning and is doing Larry King Live later tonight.”
“Doesn’t it piss you off that he’s claiming all the glory?” Waverly asked.
“No, not really. I owe him a big favor for coming forward with that information about Cornell. If he hadn’t, Dre and I still might be facing a long, drawn out investigation.”
The D.A.’s Office officially ruled that Dre acted in self-defense in Cornell’s shooting and quickly closed the investigation into his death, in large part because of information provided by Zack.
Unbeknownst to Angela, there had been two prior cases of sexual misconduct alleged against her ex-fiancé. The first victim was a court reporter who claimed Cornell became belligerent and refused to let her out of his chambers when she rejected his sexual advances. The other incident, which occurred only three months before Cornell began dating Angela, was far more serious. A summer clerk from Loyola Law School claimed that Cornell forced himself on her in his chambers.
Both women reported the incidents to their superiors, but no investigation followed. The Chief Judge, who should have initiated an internal investigation, covered up the reports. Cornell’s only punishment was being assigned to a less prestigious courtroom.
There were rumors of other victims who were too afraid to make charges against a sitting superior court judge. Neither the court nor the D.A.’s Office wanted the public to know how the Old Boy’s Network had protected one of its own. Rather than risk having the information come out during a highly publicized trial, they buried it.
Waverly directed everyone’s attention to the television screen again. “Turn it up. There’s some breaking news about Lawrence Erickson.”
Angela and Dre simultaneously turned around as Deidra grabbed the remote. They all listened as CNN anchorman T.J. Holmes reported that former U.S. Attorney General Lawrence Erickson had hung himself in his jail cell.
“Oh, no!” Angela cupped her hand over her mouth. “I thought he was under suicide watch?”
“Unfortunately, he’s not the first guy to off himself on suicide watch,” Dre said. “He was a pedophile. The cops probably didn’t take watchin’ him too seriously.”
A heavy cloud of sadness seemed to descend upon the room. They continued to listen until the CNN anchor began to rehash Erickson’s ties to Waverly through his wife’s viatical settlement. Dre picked
up the remote and turned off the television.
“When are you gettin’ out of here?” Dre asked, hoping to lighten the mood.
“In a couple of days, I hope.”
“I want you both to come over to the house for dinner,” Deidra said cheerfully.
Waverly gave her an anxious look. “I’m not too sure how much longer we’re going to even be in that house.”
Deidra toyed with her diamond bracelet. She clearly wasn’t pleased to hear that news.
She daintily swept her bangs from her face. “Well, maybe we can all go out to a nice restaurant.”
“Sure thing,” Dre said. He figured Deidra would soon be long gone if Waverly couldn’t come up with a suitable replacement gig.
After visiting for close to an hour, Dre and Angela left the room together. When they reached the elevators, Angela pointed down the hallway.
“Hold on a minute. I’m thirsty. There’s a vending machine near the stairwell.”
Instead of waiting, Dre followed behind her. He thought it was a good sign that she asked him to wait. Dre felt like he should say or do something, but he wasn’t sure what signals, if any, Angela was sending him. Sometimes she was so damn hard to read. He’d wait for her to make the next move.
Angela stopped in front of the vending machine and started fishing around in her purse. “I don’t believe this,” she said, throwing up her hands. “I must’ve left my wallet at home.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Dre flashed a dimpled smile and pulled a handful of change from his pocket. “I got this.”
Author's Note
Until just a couple of years ago, I had never heard of the viatical industry. I happened to be at a party chatting with a guy who mentioned that he was a viatical broker. When he explained more, my writer-brain immediately kicked into overdrive. I asked lots of questions and, almost immediately, the idea for this book began to take shape. By the time all my questions were answered, I knew the viatical industry would one day make a great backdrop for a mystery novel.
My research for this book included devouring dozens of arti-cles, books, websites and legal cases dealing with the viatical industry. Along the way, I came across many shocking tales of fraud and abuse. I also learned, however, that viatical settlements serve a legitimate need, as they can be a tremendous source of hope for terminally ill patients in desperate need of financial help.
For those folks in the viatical industry who are reading this book, I confess to intentionally taking a few liberties with the real-life process purely for entertainment value. Please don’t hold that against me.
For more information about viatical settlements, you can find a wealth of information on the Internet. You can also contact your state insurance regulator for specific rules governing viatical settlements in your state.
Acknowledgements
Whew! Four down and many, many more to go. As always, I have a ton of people to thank.
First, my husband, Rick, who never (well, rarely) gives me grief when I keep the lights burning until the wee hours of the morning while writing in a corner of our bedroom. I couldn’t do this without you constantly pumping me up. Mama Pearl and Daddy John, big props to both of you. Your excitement each time I publish a new book, makes me equally excited. To my newest writer-friend, New York Times best-selling author Sheldon Siegel. Thanks for the wonderful blurb on the cover of this book.
To the multitude of friends and relatives who critiqued the early drafts of this novel, as always, your feedback was invaluable. A big thanks to Diana Glasgow, Yolanda Oliver, Doris Brown, Melissa Carr-Reynolds, Jerry Samuels, Donny Wilson, James White (you were right about that chapter!), Olivia Smith, Bill Covington, Jerome Norris, Marsha Silady, Donna Lowry, Ellen Farrell, Debbie Diffendal, Ann Adame, Jewelle Johnson (a busy law firm partner I can always count on), Cynthia Hebron (thanks for the prayers), Kenneth Stokes, Diane Mackin (thanks for the book club questions), Karey Keenan (thanks for the proofreading), Virginia Gonzales, Geneva O’Keith, Cheryl Mason, Kelly-Ann Henry, Sheryel Davis, Pamela Goree Dancy, Paul Ullom (my seventh grade math teacher and self-appointed publicist), Charles Zacharie, Waverly Crenshaw, and Bookalicious Book Club members Arlene L. Walker, Judi Johnson, Terri Doyle, Denise Walker, Saba McKinley, Nitta Richard, Kamillah Clayton, Claudette Knight, Helen Jingles, Raunda Jones, and Makeda Covington. Thanks also to my writing group, the Write Sisters, who saw this book in its early stages and helped me put the pieces together, Adrienne Byers, Nefertiti Austin and Jane Howard-Martin.
I’d also like to thank those experts who freely shared their knowledge and expertise: pharmacist Colleen Carraway Higgs, R.N. Selma Seale, State Bar attorney Margaret Warren, criminal defense attorney Colin Bowen, an ethical, caring, viatical broker who shall remain nameless, and former assistant U.S. attorneys turned big-time law firm partners, Duane Lyons of Quinn Eman- uel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP, and Carolyn Kubota of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP. Thanks for answering my many questions.
A heartfelt thanks to those friends whose encouragement and support keep me fired up: Russana Rowles, Sara Finney-Johnson, Felicia Henderson and Monique Brandon (who all bought boxes of my books and handed them out to everybody they know), Karen Copeland (thanks for being my unpaid publicist, manager, motivator and road dog), Shirley Henderson (one of my biggest cheerleaders), Carol Rosborough (thanks for all the pub at the Post Office!), Shanita Williamson (thanks for hosting me in Boston), my homies Bettie Lewis, Olivia Smith (thanks for the prayers), Merverllyn Vaughn, Sharlene Moore, Stephanie Winlock, Marcia Drake, Cecelia Dickerson (thanks for running me all over Atlanta!), Donna Lowry (thanks for always being there), Roosevelt Womble (who sold enough of my books to open his own bookstore), and three new friends who happen to share my name, Pam Nelson (thanks for your encouragement), Pamela J. Broussard (thanks for the great publicity), and Pamela Goree Dancy (thanks for sending me that incredibly uplifting email when I needed it most).
Without a doubt, when this tough publishing business brought me down, my book club sisters always lifted me right back up. I have so enjoyed our lively discussions about my books via telephone and in person and you also fed me quite well. Thanks to each and every one of you: Atlanta, GA: Imani Liter-ary Group, Literary Diversions Book Club, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Book Club, Circle of Friends Book Club, RAWSISTAZ Literary Group, Mothers with Open Minds Book Club, Diamond Sisters Circle Book Club; Houston, TX: Cush City Book Club, Just An Opinion Book Club, Go On Girl! Book Club, Cover 2 Cover Book Club, Kismet Book Club; Jackson, MS: Conversations Book Club; Kansas City, MO: Mahogany Sisters Book Club; Las Vegas, NV: Las Vegas African-American Authors Book Club; Nashville, TN:No Stress Book Club; New York, NY: Sugar and Spice Book Club; Phoenix, AZ: Circle of Sisters Book Club; Seattle, WA: In the Company of My Sisters Book Club; St. Louis, MO: Just Us Book Club; Southern California: Wealth Book Club, Pearls: A Woman’s Place to Read, Free Spirits Book Club, Bookalicious Book Club, Women with Vision Book Club, Nubian Sisters Literary Book Club, Blessed Brown Girls Book Club, Something to Talk About Book Club, Nubian Queens Literary Book Club, Barnes & Noble Mystery Book Club, It’s Our Time Book Club, Essence of Books Book Club, Kindred Spirits Book Club, African Violet Book Club, The Desert Readers of Color Book Club, Chapters Book Club, So Raw Book Club, Jazzy Lady’s Book Club, Wise Women of the Word Book Club, Sisterfriends Book Club, Sisters Untitled Book Club, Real Ladies Book Club, Hooked on Books Book Club, Ladies of Color Turning Pages, Sisterhood Literary Book Club, Sistahood Book Club, Tabahani Book Club, Tri-State Books and More Book Club, Nia Book Club, Phenomenal Women Book Club, My Friends Book Club, Hollypark Book Club, Circle of Friends Book Club, Bright and Breezy Book Club; Northern California: And We Do Too Read Book Club, Turning Pages Book Club, Underground Bookstore Book Club, Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club; Washington, D.C. area: Sistas Speak Literature Book Club, Umoja Book Club, The Divas Book Club, The Reading Circle of Friends, The Fannie Robinson Black Authors Discussion Group, Literate Ladies Book Club, Turning Page
s Book Club, Divas Book Club, Sisters Book Club of Richmond, Virginia and Circle of Friends in Upper Marlboro. Please forgive me if I missed anyone!
A special thank you to the book club of book clubs, Black Expressions Book Club. Thank you Editor-in-Chief Carol Mackey for selecting my third novel, Murder on the Down Low,as an Editor’s Pick. Finally, to Ruth Bridges of Literary Sisters, I love your wonderful retreats. Can’t wait to come back!
A super special thanks to my talented team: publicist extraordinaire Ella Curry, President of EDC Creations Media, book cover designer Keith Saunders of Marion Designs, book layout designer Kimberly Martin of Self-Pub.net, graphic designers Lisa Zachery of Papered Wonders and Trenton Chappell, website designer Ikenna Igwe of Team Future Design Works, Bill Ralph and Shelly Ottoman at Malloy, Inc., and Susan Sewall, Cynthia Murphy and the rest of the team at the Independent Publishers Group. Thanks for the great job you all do.
To my fans, thanks for reading my books and sending me all those encouraging email messages. Stay tuned . . . there’s much more to come!
Discussion Questions for Buying Time
Do you think viatical settlements are appropriate investments?
What role, if any, did Angela’s family dynamics play in her choices in men?
What leads some people to strive to attain power regardless of the cost?
Are men who marry gold-digging women like Deidra sucked in solely by physical attraction or something more?
Do you believe there is a perception that professional women are less likely to become victims of domestic violence than other women?
Why do you think Claire chose not to report Erickson to the police?
Did you agree/disagree with Jada’s advice that Angela should have a baby without a husband?
Buying Time Page 35