by Stacy-Deanne
“It’s a cult, and he kidnapped Dee to force her into it.”
Canary squinted his steely eyes. “Hm-mm.”
“Why are you looking at me like I’m crazy? I’m telling you he kidnapped her. There’s no other explanation.”
“Okay.” Canary groaned as he lifted his fat body out the chair. “I’ll find out what’s going on.”
“No, ‘we’ will.” Winston stood, pointing at himself. “I wanna see that motherfucker’s face when you arrest him.”
Canary stuck a toothpick in his mouth, gray eyebrows dancing. “Suit yourself, Detective.”
****
“He’s a damn liar.” Winston pointed over Canary’s shoulder at Jonathan in his foyer. “He kidnapped her.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Canary made a pushing gesture toward Winston. “I can’t understand what’s going on if you’re shouting all over the place. Let me handle this.”
Winston rocked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“Mr. Wild.” Canary concentrated on Jonathan. “Do you have any idea where Dee Quarter is?”
He raised an eyebrow. “We haven’t seen her since the last time this animal barged into my place.”
“I’ll show you an animal.”
“Hold it.” Canary held Winston back. “Do you want me to find out what’s going on or not?”
He huffed, looking at the ceiling.
“See, Sergeant?” Jonathan smiled. “He can’t control himself. He might’ve done something to Deidra.”
“You mother—”
“Detective Lewis.” Canary held his arm out, blocking Winston. “You say one more word and I’ll have you wait in the car. You’re not helping anyone.”
He stood in the corner, hands locked behind his head.
“What’s between you and Deidra Quarter, Mr. Wild?” Canary asked.
“She’s enamored with me,” Jonathan said. “Couldn’t stay away.”
“Liar,” Winston said.
“She kept coming to my place and Detective Lewis didn’t like that.”
“Are you saying the interest is one-sided?” Canary jotted.
“Oh no.” Jonathan smirked at Winston. “I’m very much interested in Deidra, but I didn’t kidnap her.”
“Let me tell you something.” Winston came forward, pointing at Jonathan. “As long as his lips are moving, he’s lying.”
“Why would I do something to Deidra?” Jonathan shrugged. “It’s absurd.”
“You’re a sick fuck that’s why. Search this damn place. I bet she’s here. Search it, Sergeant.”
“Detective Lewis—”
“Search it!”
“This ain’t Baltimore.” Canary pushed Winston. “I run things here, not you. Besides, I can’t search without a warrant.”
“He has my girlfriend.” Winston grabbed his own shirt. “She’s here somewhere, and you got to find her. Get a goddamn warrant but don’t stand there like a fool.”
“How can I get a warrant without substantial evidence that Mr. Wild has committed a crime?”
“He has her.” Winston waved his hands from left to right. “Fuck it. I’ll search.”
Canary seized Winston’s arm. “You do and I’ll arrest you.”
“This is a joke.” He kicked air. “We’re just standing here while he has my girl? What am I supposed to do?”
“You go by the proper channels,” Canary said. “And, to be honest, I don’t know what to believe. She could have run off.”
Winston smacked his lips in a dismissive fashion. “She wouldn’t do that.”
“You sure about that?” Jonathan snickered. “Maybe you don’t know Deidra as well as you think.”
“I’ll kill you.” Winston snatched Jonathan’s shirt.
“Get off him.” Canary pulled Winston away and shoved him to the door. “Go, Detective.”
“Me?”
“Go!”
“Sergeant, she’s here someplace. Please, you got to at least look—”
“I’m done here.” Canary put up his notepad. “Until I have something significant to go on there’s nothing I can do.”
Jonathan blew a kiss at Winston.
“I’m not done with you, Wild.” Winston yanked the door open. “Not by a long shot.”
****
After spying on Dee and Jonathan in the garden two nights later, Shauna waltzed into the library, locating Emma. “Get your head out that book and tell the ladies to meet me in my room.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Emma abandoned the book and rushed out the room.
Ten minutes later, the women of The Circle gathered around Shauna as she sat Indian-style on her Silver Leaf upholstered bed.
“Is something wrong, Mistress?” Asia sat on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah,” Georgette grimaced. “You haven’t seemed yourself.”
“What could be wrong?” Shauna chuckled, batting her long lashes. “There’s just a woman who wants to take my place and kick me out The Circle.”
“Dee doesn’t want to take your—”
“Course she does, Rena.” Shauna glared at her. “And anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.”
“I understand your feelings.” Ana lifted her chin. “But, Jonathan wants Dee in The Circle. She’ll be our sister.”
“She’ll never be my sister!” Shauna threw the ceramic bowl from the end table. “As long as I live and breathe I’m not letting Deidra Quarter ruin what Jonathan’s built, and that’s what will happen if we don’t stop her.”
“Stop her?” Rena scowled. “She’s not doing anything—”
“Oh, you just like her,” Shauna snapped. “That’s why you’re blind to what she’s doing. Open your eyes, Rena. She’s using you. You’re not her friend.”
“But, what does she want?” Emma asked, looking at the others. “Jonathan brought her here against her will, remember?”
“She wants to replace me.” Shauna snatched her bosom. “I brought you here to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The women looked at each other.
“I need to know you’re on my side and that you’re loyal.”
“We are,” Emma said. “But if Dee becomes our sister, we’ll be loyal to her too.”
“I’m talking about me.” Shauna got on her knees in the bed. “No matter what happens or what Jonathan does, are you all loyal to me?”
“Your contribution to The Circle is immeasurable,” Asia said. “You trained all of us and we aspire to be the powerful, spiritual being you are one day.” She took Shauna’s hand. “We love you, Mistress.”
“Then promise to have my back and not Dee’s.”
“We promise, Mistress,” the women said in unison. “Forever and always.”
Shauna lay back, smiling. “You may go.”
The women darted to the door.
“Emma?” Shauna beckoned to her. “Stay.”
Emma waited for the others to leave then headed for the bed. “Yes, Mistress?”
“You’ve always been there for me in ways the others haven’t. I can trust you with anything, right?”
Emma’s face brightened. “Definitely.”
“I’ll do all I can to make sure Dee doesn’t threaten my position.” Shauna wiggled her foot. “Are you in or out?”
“I’m in.” Emma plopped beside her. “As long as whatever happens doesn’t go against Jonathan’s wishes.”
“We have to save Jonathan from making a terrible mistake. Dee will ruin everything. I have to get rid of her. You with me?”
Emma nodded slow, eyes narrowing. “Yes.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Connie entered the interrogation room the following day. “Mr. Pittman, thanks for coming.”
Kristopher Pittman took off his baseball cap, exposing the bald spot amongst his thinning, black hair. “I appreciate you meeting me, Detective.”
Connie sat at the table, dying to hear what he had to say. “What information do you have about Ursula Vickers?”
“First of
f, I never met the chick.” He waved his hands. “I’m here for my brother Noel.” The dimple on his chin gyrated. “He had an affair with Ursula.”
Connie wrote the admission on her notepad. “How long?”
“About three months. She was sleeping with other men too behind her husband’s back. Noel’s been scared to death since the husband went missing so I asked him what was wrong and he broke down and said Ursula offered him money to kill Boyce.”
Connie dropped the pencil. “What?”
“Yeah, he said they’d finished having sex, and she said it would be good if Boyce was dead and asked him if he agreed. At first he didn’t think she was serious but got this weird feeling.”
“Why didn’t he go to the police?”
He scratched his shoulder. “He’s scared as hell.”
“Where’s your brother now?”
“At home. He’s off today.”
“I need to talk to him. Can you give me his address?”
“How about I go with you?” He stood. “He won’t say nothing if I’m not there.”
She jumped from her chair. “Let’s go.”
****
“I can’t believe you’d do this, Kris.” Noel Pittman stood from his living room sofa, gesturing at Connie. “Why did you tell the cops?”
“Because you should have.” Kristopher towered over his brother. “You can’t hide this, man. What if Ursula did something to Boyce?”
“Fuck.” Noel sat, gripping his head. “I don’t wanna be in this.”
“Too late because you are.” Connie sat on the table in front of him. “Tell me what happened. Did Ursula ask you to kill her husband?”
Noel stroked the armrest of the couch. “Damn it, Kris.”
“Did she?” Connie repeated. “Noel, this is serious business.”
“Tell her,” Kristopher ordered.
Noel rubbed his hawk nose. “Promise me I won’t get in trouble?”
Connie tilted her head. “Did you do anything?”
“I swear I didn’t.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.”
“We were in bed one night, me and Ursula. She rambled about how she was sick of Boyce and wanted him gone. She wanted me to kill him for the insurance money.”
Connie squinted.
“Said he was worth over one hundred thousand, and she offered me some of it if I’d do the job.” He lowered his head.
“What happened then?”
“I thought she was kidding, but she kept talking about it. I told her I wasn’t killing anyone and that was it.”
Connie glanced at Kristopher and focused back on Noel. “How come you didn’t go to the police?”
“Ursula can twist anything in her favor. I didn’t think the cops would believe me or if they did, she’d make it seem like murdering Boyce was my idea. God.” His face curled as his eyes crowded with tears. “I feel so bad for not saying something before. She must’ve found someone else to do the job.”
****
“Stop it!” Tran stood on the mansion stoop, covering his ears as Winston shot bullets into the air. “Are you mad? You need to be locked up.”
“Still won’t let me see, Dee?” Winston patted his pocket. “I’m shooting every window out this motherfucker. I’m not playing.”
Jonathan tottered out the mansion, smirking. “Ah, Detective Lewis. Never a dull moment when you’re around, is it?”
Winston lowered his arm, huffing and puffing and sweating. “Please lay a hand on me so I have an excuse to shoot you between the eyes.”
“Whoa.” Jonathan grinned. “And, someone gave you a badge and a gun?” He turned toward the distraught Tran. “What is the world coming to? What will it take for you to leave and never come back?”
“Let my girlfriend go.”
Jonathan inched toward Winston. “Your girlfriend isn’t here—”
“Jonathan.” Dee ran out the door in a light-blue dress with her hair pinned in a neat ball.
Winston’s shoulders fell. “Dee.”
She looked nothing like herself with her face void of expression or makeup.
“Oh God, Dee.” Winston rushed to her and Jonathan blocked him. “Get out my way.” He pulled the gun on Jonathan. “Dee, are you all right?”
She stood there, fidgeting.
“Dee?” he whispered. “What’s going on?”
“Hello, Winston.” She stepped toward him. “How are you?”
“How the fuck you think I am? I’m dying without you.” He took her hand. “Come on.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She snatched her hand back and hugged Jonathan. “This is where I belong.”
“Dee, he’s done something to you, okay? He drugged you or something.”
“Drugged her?” Jonathan cackled. “You’ve got quite the imagination, Detective. Dee’s here because she wants to be.”
“Let her go.” Winston reached for her again but she moved behind Jonathan. “Dee, I swear he’s done something to you.”
“Yes, he’s made me the happiest woman in the few short days I’ve been here.” She looked at Jonathan with a dreamy expression. “More than you have.”
“What?” Winston gasped. “He brainwashed you or something—”
“He freed me.” She hooked her arm around Jonathan’s shoulders. “The life I lived before isn’t the one intended for me. I was meant to live on a higher plane, something you’d never understand.”
“This can’t be happening.”
She let Jonathan go, gripping her dress.
“Look at you.” Winston pointed at her with the gun. “You look like you’re in a trance just like those other women. Dee.” He touched her cheek. “It’s me, baby. The man you love.”
“I thought I loved you.” She moved from his touch. “But, I was confused and you belong with Lisa.”
“What did you do to her?” Winston seized Jonathan and shook him. “What did you do?”
Tran called for the guards.
“What did you do?” Winston slugged Jonathan in the nose with the gun.
“Oh,” Jonathan screamed. “Get out!”
“Stop it, Winston.” Dee got in between them. “Listen so there’s no mistake. We can be friends but nothing else.”
“Dee,” he shrieked.
“Jonathan’s the only man I want and I’m joining The Circle.”
“No.” Winston clenched his face, fighting tears. “Listen—”
“Please leave.” She clung onto Jonathan.
“Don’t do this. I love you.”
The guards walked out the mansion. “Get out, Detective Lewis. Now.”
“Or you can wait and let the police escort you out.” Jonathan fixed his shirt. “You’ll leave in peace?”
“How could you do this to her?” Winston leapt on Jonathan, grasping his throat. “You’re not getting away with this.”
“Stop.” Dee tugged at Winston’s arm. “Winston!”
“You bastard.” He threw Jonathan to the pavement, choking him. “I’ll kill you.”
Jonathan coughed, turning red.
“Stop, Winston,” Dee screamed, hopping in place.
The guards pulled Winston off Jonathan.
“I’m calling the police.” Tran ran inside.
The women of The Circle came out, shouting.
“Get off me!” Winston ripped his arms from the guards’ hold.
Dee knelt beside Jonathan who rolled over on the pavement, gasping for air.
The women flew to him, shouting at Winston while assisting their master.
“How could you do this?” Dee stood, pushing Winston. “You’re an animal. Just go.”
Winston spoke through compressed teeth, “I’m not leaving you here with this creep.”
“Go,” Dee shouted, shaking her head. “I don’t want you here. Please.” She joined the other women in comforting Jonathan.
Tran returned. “The police are on their way.”
“Are you okay?” Dee
hugged Jonathan and stroked his head. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m gonna do everything in my power to save you, Dee.” Winston pointed to her as he backed away. “Everything.”
****
“It’s nice to see you again, Detective,” the words slid through Ursula’s accent as she sat at the table in the interrogation room. “Your call sounded serious.”
“It was.” Connie moved from the door, avoiding Ursula’s flirtatious glare. “It’s best to be honest, Ursula.”
She leaned back, propping her arm on the chair. “I’m always honest, Connie.”
Connie stiffened; startled she’d called her by her first name. “Who is Noel Pittman?”
Ursula’s eyes rolled skyward. “How in the world did you find out about him?”
“You mind answering the question?” Connie sat in front of her.
“He’s one of my ex-lovers. No more and no less.”
“Oh, there’s more. Noel says you tried to hire him to murder Boyce.”
Ursula gaped, gripping the table. “He said what?”
“That you offered to pay him to get rid of Boyce.”
“That’s insane.” She pushed at the table, the off-the-shoulder summer dress slipping further down her cleavage. “I never, ever asked him that.”
“Why would he lie?”
“He’s upset because I dumped his stupid ass. And, now I’m glad I did.”
“Funny.” Connie dragged her finger across the table. “He says he dumped you.”
“No one ever dumps me.” Ursula pursed her lips. “He’s making this up for revenge.”
“He knew about the life insurance policy and how much it’s worth—”
“I didn’t tell Noel shit about a policy. He must’ve been snooping around and found out on his own.” She stood, the loose dress giving her a carefree, whimsical presence. “Does he have proof this happened?” She sashayed to the window. “How come what he says holds more weight than what I say?”
“Because there are too many damn coincidences leading back to you, Ursula.” Connie counted on her fingers. “You took a life insurance policy out on your husband and he disappears a few weeks later?”
“That doesn’t mean I did anything to him.”
“You didn’t tell us about it when we first spoke to you.”
Her brows snapped together. “You guys said Boyce was missing I didn’t think the insurance policy was relevant.”