by D. Camille
Kent shook his head and kept walking. Of all the women he actually had dated, the crazy one turned out to be a co-worker that he’d never made a move on. She continued to scream at his back until he stopped.
“Carla!” he yelled. “Take your ass home before you go to jail.”
She grabbed his sleeve. “Do you think that I want to want you? This is your fault Kent, you played your little flirty games with all your sexy, dirty talk. Now you have to pay the piper.”
Kent pulled away. “I don’t have to do a damn thing. You want it but you will never get it.” He pointed at her. “Stay the fuck away from me.”
He turned angrily and started for his car. “She won’t have you either!”
Kent froze and turned slowly. “Who?”
“Your little spoken word doctor.” Carla taunted. “We’ll see who you want when she’s out of the picture.”
Kent stalked towards her. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Carla smiled. “Take me out for drinks and I’ll tell you.”
“If you come anywhere near Lotus, I will kill you.” He vowed. “Now sip on that shit!”
Kent left Carla standing in the empty area of the parking lot. He pulled out his phone as he walked to his car, quickly dialing Lotus’ number. When he got her voicemail, he frowned. Kent redialed and waited until he got the same result.
“What the fuck?” he yelled.
Climbing into his car, he started it while dialing her number again. He heard ringing inside the vehicle then looked on the floor and saw Lotus’ phone.
“Shit!”
Dialing the agent, he waited with his heart beating.
“What’s up Kent?”
“Where is Lotus?” Kent demanded frantically.
“She’s in her apartment,” the agent answered. “I dropped her off.”
Kent drove faster. “Where are you?”
“Lotus sent me to the store for some sage,” he explained. “She said she needed to burn it immediately because she was having some bad feelings or something…but I’m on my way back now.”
“You left her alone?” Kent yelled.
“She said she’d be fine,” the agent answered. “She told me she’s a Diamond.”
Kent hit the steering wheel hard. “Call me when you get to her.”
“What’s up Kent? Is something wrong?”
He shook his head, nearly unable to breathe. “Just…call me.”
******
Warren Harding Jr. sat in his living room awaiting the call. He’d been keeping a low profile for a while now, knowing that he was being closely watched, but he had enough friends on the outside to do his dirty work.
The phone rang and he smiled as he answered.
“Did you get her?” he asked immediately.
“Yeah, I got her.” The accomplice looked over at the beautiful chocolate woman next to him looking afraid. Her mouth and hands were bound and her big dark eyes looked confused.
“She was with the pretty boy tonight, but he left her and took off by himself,” he finished.
Warren smiled. “Take her to the place I’ve prepared for her.”
“I’m on it.” The accomplice looked over at the woman again. “Uh, how long before you get there?”
Warren frowned. “You’d better not lay a damn hand on her. Understand me? She’s mine.”
“Then you’d better make sure you have my money,” the accomplice warned.
“I’ve got your damn money.”
“I don’t know, most of your family is about to go to prison and I heard all the assets were frozen by the Feds.”
“I’ve got my own funds,” Warren told him. “Just bring her and I’ll be there with the money soon.”
“Don’t take too long because I will start sampling the goods.” He smiled at the woman.
The phone went dead and Warren threw it on the sofa. “Damn, good help is hard to find. If that dumb ass Dennis wouldn’t have gotten himself killed, this would’ve been much easier. He’d at least known how to handle things discretely.”
This is why Warren so cherished the close friends that he did have. They always surrounded him and made him feel safe. Others didn’t necessarily care for them, but he was anxious to have Lotus meet them to see how she would feel. Warren knew that they would instantly wrap themselves around her.
Grabbing a dark jacket, he headed out to his car. Glancing down the street, he recognized the dark car and knew they’d be right on his tail. He drove in the dark out to Marietta Square. Warren parked his vehicle then began a slow leisurely stroll. It was now time to put his plan into action.
The agent assigned to follow Warren Harding discretely parked his car and headed in the direction where he’d seen the man go. Staying out of sight, he followed the same path. When he looked around, Warren Harding was gone, as if he’d disappeared into thin air.
He continued to search the area to no avail. Finally, he had to make a call.
“Kent, I lost Warren Harding Jr.”
******
Kent was waving at the smoke that filled the room and trying to stop coughing, while he was yelling at Lotus.
Cough, cough… “What the hell were you thinking? You don’t send the damn agents to the fucking health food store!”
Lotus walked around with the burning stick in her hand. “Kent, we’re surrounded by negative energy. I needed to ward it off as soon as possible.”
“I thought you were hurt Lotus!” he yelled.
She turned to him and saw the anxiety in his eyes. “I’m fine, baby.” Lotus sat the smudge stick in the ashtray and went to him.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she looked up at him. “I was worried about you too.”
Kent held her close and let out a deep breath. “Just don’t ever do anything like that again. It’s too dangerous right now.”
He pulled back and looked at her. “And why did you tell the agent you were a Diamond?”
“I am.”
“No, you not.” He corrected her with a sharp look. “Don’t get it twisted.”
Lotus frowned. “Well I’m going to be.”
He continued to stare at her.
“Eventually…” she added.
Kent’s phone rang and he glanced at the screen. The next words he heard made him freeze and Lotus watched his expression with concern.
“Where?” Kent barked.
“Somewhere in Marietta Square. I followed him here from his home. He was walking around like he was taking a stroll, then he just vanished.”
“Vanished?” Kent asked confused.
“I swear, it’s like he disappeared.”
Kent ran a hand down his face. “Let’s meet back there when it’s daylight and see where he could’ve gone.”
“I’ll keep a watch out for him tonight and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Kent nodded. “Call me if anything changes.”
Ending the call, Kent looked at Lotus.
“What happened Kent?” she asked.
“I think I’m going to have to kill Warren Harding Jr., sooner than I thought.”
Chapter 22
Warren entered the small room filled with pictures of Lotus all over the walls. He smiled when he saw the blindfolded and bound woman lying on the pallet on the floor. Her smooth brown legs drew his attention to her body.
“Where’s my money?”
Warren went to the man and handed him a bag. “It’s all there.”
Looking inside, the man nodded. “Then I guess our business is done, unless you want to share.”
“Shut up,” Warren snapped.
The man smiled. “I’m just asking because she’s fine. I see why you wanted her so bad.”
Warren moved over to the woman and touched her hair, causing her to flinch.
“It’s okay. Let’s get this off of you so I can see that beautiful face,” he whispered in her ear and she whimpered.
After removing the gag and blindfold, Warren turned her
face to his. What he saw made his blood boil.
“Who the hell are you?” he screamed.
“Please don’t hurt me!” she cried.
Warren jumped to his feet and turned to the man. “You double crossing bastard! You didn’t think I wouldn’t know this isn’t my woman?”
“What the hell are you talking about? This is the woman in the picture and she was with the green-eyed dude right before I snatched her,” the man explained.
“I don’t know who the hell this woman is, but she’s not my Lotus!”
They both turned to Carla as she looked around the room at all the pictures of Kent’s girlfriend along with candles and flowers. Her heart nosedived, realizing that these crazy men had mistaken her for the other woman. Now what would they do with her knowing that she wasn’t who they wanted?
“She was with the dude!” he protested again. “Why would the dude have two women that look just alike?”
Warren turned to Carla. “Is Kent Baker using you as a decoy for Lotus?”
Carla shook her head in the negative.
“What were you doing with him?” he demanded.
Her voice was shaky as she replied. “We…we work together at the investment firm.”
The other man looked at her. “Why are you dressed exactly like her and everything?”
Carla sucked in tears. “Because I’m a fool.”
Warren turned to the man. “What are we going to do with her?”
The man smiled and Warren frowned. “Don’t even think about that until I get what I paid for!”
“We need to keep her here for tonight and tomorrow, I’ll get your woman and take her.”
Warren agreed. “Fine. Don’t mess up this time.”
******
Lotus awakened and found Kent up as usual. His brows were furrowed in deep thought.
“Did you even go to sleep?” Lotus asked.
He shook his head. “Can’t sleep with that dude on the loose. I don’t trust his ass.”
“How can I help?” Lotus questioned touching his arm.
Kent looked at her. “Stay your ass safe.”
She smiled. “I promise.”
He shook his head. “The agent says that the dude just vanished out in Marietta Square.”
“You know there are hidden tunnels there,” Lotus told him.
“What?”
She sat up. “Yes, many of the entrances are sealed but they have been broken into before.”
“There are real tunnels under there that you can get to from the street?” Kent questioned and she nodded. “Do you know where they are?”
“No, but one of my professors at Emory was very into that history. I could contact him,” she offered.
“Yeah, I might need that information.”
“Okay, I’ll call you after I’ve talked to him.” Lotus looked at him. “What else are you doing today?”
Kent sighed. “I have to go into the office first and take care of some paperwork then I’m going to look for Warren.”
He turned to her. “I wish you would stay home, but I know you’ve just returned to your job.”
Touching her face, he whispered. “He’s out there and until I find him, I want you to stay on guard.”
Lotus nodded. “And let the agents do their real jobs,” he said firmly.
“I love when you’re all serious and dangerous,” she whispered.
Kent smiled. “So you want to get it?”
“That’s what I said.”
******
Kent arrived for work after dropping off Lotus at work. He had insisted on taking her, with Wendell on the loose. He’d seen her inside and checked in on all the agents he had watching her. Kent wasn’t taking any chances with his little Momma.
Inside the building, he headed to Human Resources. The first thing on his agenda was to file a report on Carla’s crazy ass before he did anything else. When he entered the office, the police were sitting in the lobby and he thought they were there investigating the incident last night.
“Mr. Baker?”
Kent nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”
“We’d like to have a word with you.”
He frowned at their tone because it seemed like they were wanting to do more than ask some questions about a break-in.
“How well do you know Carla Packard?” one officer asked.
“She’s a co-worker,” Kent told them. “In fact, I was coming in here to file a report against her for harassment.”
The two officers looked at one another and Kent frowned some more.
“What is going on here?” Kent asked.
“When was the last time you saw her?” the officer asked.
Kent paused. “Here, last night because I was called here about the break-in.”
“Did you two argue?”
Green-eyes narrowed. “Oh hell nah,” Kent said putting up a hand. “Let me get my lawyer on the phone.”
Kent pulled out his phone and waited until Sean came on the line.
“It seems that I have a problem,” he announced into the phone.
“What’s going on Kent?” Sean’s voice came through the line.
Kent looked at the police. “Tell my lawyer what you want.”
“We just want to ask Mr. Baker a few questions about the disappearance of Carla Packard. Witnesses saw the two of you together last night and she hasn’t been seen since,” the officer explained. “Her car is still in the parking lot.”
“Ask your questions,” Sean instructed.
“Did you argue with Ms. Packard?”
“Do not answer,” Sean responded to Kent.
The police continued. “Why were you coming to file a report against her.”
“Do not answer.”
Kent lifted a brow at the police.
“Where were you last night?”
“I was with my girlfriend at her apartment last night,” Kent answered knowing this would give him an airtight alibi making all other questions a moot point.
“The whole night?” the officer asked.
Kent smiled. “All night long.”
The officer frowned. “Stay close by Mr. Baker, we may have more questions.”
Walking out of the office, Kent put the phone to his ear. “Hold on Sean, let me get to my office.”
Kent sat behind his desk and turned his attention to this new development.
“Hey Sean,”
“What’s going on Kent?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. She’s a crazy co-worker who started dressing up to look like Lotus. Last night my office at work was broken into and I was called over. Carla was here because surprisingly hers was the only other office tampered with. I think she did the shit herself, because she’s just that crazy.”
“The last time you saw her was last night?” Sean asked.
“Yeah, I told her I was going to report her and then she threatened Lotus.”
“How?”
Kent turned to the window. “Something about she’d never have me. You know, like what crazy ass females say when they crazy as hell.”
“How is Lotus?” Sean questioned.
“She’s fine,” Kent sighed. “She scared the hell out of me last night. I’m still on edge with Warren’s ass now missing.”
“Do you think the two are connected?” Sean asked.
Kent sat up. “Warren and Carla?”
“Yes, Warren is obsessed with Lotus and apparently so is Carla.”
“Shit!” Kent put a hand to his mouth. “I need to find both of them.”
“And fast,” Sean instructed.
******
Trent sat behind his desk staring at the photo of his wife and daughter. He was still trying to come to terms with his ‘father’ being back. His mother, on the other hand, was strangely happy and content with the entire situation.
“Mr. Harris, Keith Watson is here to see you,” the voice came through the speaker.
Trent lifted a brow then replied. “Sen
d him in.”
Keith entered the office slowly and Trent stood.
“Keith, what a surprise.”
“Trent,” he replied. “May I talk with you?”
Trent looked at him. “You’re here.”
Cautiously, Keith sat on one of the seats and Trent returned to his chair.
“How may I help you?” Trent asked.
“I’m sure you’re aware that my family is going through some things right now with the arrest of my father,” Keith explained.
Trent frowned. “I think I’ve heard something about that.” He looked at Keith. “Your family’s reputation is not the best.”
Keith shook his head. “It’s like I don’t even know who these people were.”
“What is it that you want from me?” Trent asked.
“I want you to keep Tara and keep her away from all of this.” Keith looked down at his hands. “I don’t even want her associated with this family.”
Trent sat back and studied the broken man. “You can’t choose your family…believe me I know.”
Keith shook his head. “I’m so ashamed. I don’t want her to even know this.”
“My wife and I haven’t said anything to her, of course.” Trent told him.
Lifting his eyes to Trent, Keith looked at him. “Will you continue to protect her from all of this?”
“Nothing will touch Tara; you have my word on that.”
“I owe you an apology.” Keith began. “You came for my daughter when she needed you. You showed up when I didn’t. Your family has taken her in and loved her unconditionally.”
“My family has tried to investigate you and find dirt on you when you’ve done nothing but been kind to us.”
Trent frowned thinking of Keith’s brother, Darryl. “Yeah, we’ve taken care of Tara and you don’t have to thank me for that.”
“It takes a lot for a man to take in another man’s child. I appreciate what you’ve done.”
“You can still visit with her Keith,” Trent told him. “I’m not trying to cut her out of your life.”
Keith nodded. “Thanks Trent. I need to handle this mess with my family and get my own life together, but I won’t turn my back on my daughter. I want to be a father she can be proud of.”
“I understand. I want the same thing for my own daughter,” Trent said quietly. “I always want to be a man she looks up to in all that I do.”
Keith looked at him. “I had no idea what my father was involved in. I guess I really didn’t know my family at all. What kind of father does this?”