by Stacy-Deanne
“Are you kidding?” Jonathan grimaced at the pizza box between him and Dee. “Not putting that junk in my body.”
She laughed, grabbing another large slice. “This junk got me through a lot of hard times.”
“Never would’ve taken you for a pizza freak.” His legs hung out the curtain. “Enjoy it. Once you become a member of The Circle, pizza will be a distant memory.”
She chewed, cheese sticking to her teeth. “Does it have to be?”
“Honey, part of being free and happy is being healthy, meaning no pizza.” He stroked her natural hair, which stopped midway her neck. “You’re so beautiful without the hair and makeup hiding you. Aren’t you more alive without stuff weighing you down?”
“It’s been so long since I went without extensions I forgot what my hair looked like.” She grinned. “Yes, I like how I can be myself here. I don’t have to worry about judgments or living by people’s expectations of me. As a black woman, it’s impossible to escape that.”
“The outside world didn’t appreciate you.” He leaned beside her on his elbow. “We’re not meant to live by random rules.”
“Isn’t The Circle the same?” She sipped iced water through a straw. “You’ve created a society with its own rules.”
“But, it’s a society we choose, Deidra. We don’t choose the outside world, we’re forced into it. Do you miss the it?”
The curtains blew against her naked feet.
“You can always be honest with me. I don’t want you to think you have to hide anything.”
“I have to get used to this.”
“It’ll take time.” He kissed her and once again, minus any sparks. “I want to tell you something that some of the other women don’t even know.”
“What?” Her voice came out hoarse.
“I’ve recruited worldwide, and my plan is for every single person in The Circle to live together in the new compound in Wales. We’ll all live there. Including you.”
“What about my friends?” She sat up. “My sister?”
“That’s your outside life, remember?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’ll be able to keep contact with Lisa and Lydia. I wouldn’t stop you from doing that.”
“Lydia and I’ve spent too much time apart as it is. If I move to Wales, no telling when I’d see her again.”
“You’ll see her,” he said in a dismissive manner. “The Circle means sacrificing, Deidra. You don’t think Emma misses her family or Rena misses her brother? The longer you stay here you’ll realize that The Circle is the only family you need.” He kissed her, rubbing her thigh. “I have big plans for you. You’re special, more than the others.”
“I am?”
“Special enough that one day you could reign by my side as Head Mistress.”
“What about Shauna?”
“We’ve grown apart.” He took a small sack from his pocket. “Truth is, she’s disappointed me. Shauna would do anything to get what she wants. Keep your guard up with her.” He set the sack in Dee’s lap. “She hates you.”
“What’s this?” She lifted the flimsy sack.
Jonathan’s eyes sparkled. “A gift for you.”
She opened the sack and took out a necklace dripping with diamonds and a diamond, heart-shaped pendant.
“Jonathan.” The necklace blinded her. “This can’t be for me.”
“It is. Turn around.”
Holding her breath, she turned where her back faced him.
“This is a symbol of my affection for you.” He latched the necklace around her neck and then kissed her shoulder. “That pendent represents my heart. As long as you wear this, we’re bonded forever.”
She faced him as he took her hands.
“You’re the one, Deidra. The one I want here most of all.”
A tear emerged. “This necklace will remind me I made the right decision coming here. I’m so happy.” She hugged him. “Thank you, Jonathan.”
“Welcome to the family, Deidra.” He kissed her cheek. “Now and forever.”
****
Three Days Later
“I can’t shake this feeling about Garfield Larose.” Connie sat in the café booth, eating her favorite glazed walnut and cinnamon coffeecake. “It’s hard to explain.”
“Something you can’t put your finger on?” Grayson drank from his double espresso.
“He’s hiding something.” She chewed, wincing from the spicy cinnamon. “The minute he opened the door it was like he had a closet of secrets.”
Grayson ate the tip of his chocolate cream pie. “Did he do something out of the ordinary?”
“It was how he was looking at me. He had this sinister, creepy vibe. I think he killed Boyce Vickers.”
“Isn’t that a jump?” Grayson licked frosting off his fork.
“Maybe Boyce went to meet Garfield and something happened.” She stuck her bosom out. “It could’ve been an accident and Boyce ended up dead.”
Grayson chewed and swallowed.
“Then Garfield panicked, got rid of Boyce’s body and threw his phone in the ditch. We all know Boyce is dead. That’s more than obvious and there’s too much pointing to him going to Garfield’s.”
“You ever read Capricious?”
“Your book?” She fidgeted because she hadn’t read it. “Sorry, I haven’t read that one. I remember seeing it on Dee’s desk years ago though.”
“In my book, a woman goes missing after being tricked by this psychopath into thinking she would model for his photos.” He propped his elbows on the table. “She goes out to his place, which is in this remote, wooded area. No one else is around and she realizes he only lured her there to kill her. He holds her hostage, tortures her, kills her, and buries her body under his house. Turns out he’d done that to a lot of women and no one knew.”
“Holy shit.” She pushed her ponytail off her shoulder. “I hadn’t thought of anything like that.”
“Hey, I’m not saying this guy in your case is doing this but—”
“No, it would make sense if he was.” She moved her plate aside. “He hires workers but they never stay long. My god. Is Garfield Larose luring men to his farm and killing them?” She jumped up. “I got to get back to the station.” She got her purse off the chair.
He groaned. “All right.”
“Thanks so much, Grayson.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll see if I can find information on some of the guys Garfield has interviewed or hired.”
“Connie?”
She stopped messing with her purse and looked at him.
“This was nice. Us, talking like this.”
She smiled. “Yeah, it was.”
“The offer still stands.” He stood with a desperate look in his eyes. “To have dinner as friends.”
“I don’t know, Grayson. With what’s going on with Dee—”
“I’m worried about Dee and that’s why I’d like to see you again. You’re the only person who I can talk to about it. I don’t like holding these feelings in.”
“I understand how it is to be lonely.” She stroked his arm. “I might take you up on the invitation. I’ll call you, okay?”
He tilted his head forward, blushing. “I’d like that.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“You’re doing great for your first time at yoga, Dee.” Jinghua sat Indian-style on the blanket in Jonathan’s garden. “Now you’re gonna channel your breathing.”
“Like meditation?” Dee sat on her butt and folded her legs.
Jinghua smiled, her Asian features brightening. “It’s called Pranayama, and it cleanses you. Now relax your face and shoulders—”
“No,” Winston shouted. “I’m not going anywhere until I see Dee.”
“Oh, my god.” Dee jumped up in her light-blue leotard, ran through the garden, and flew to the front of the compound.
“Get out.” Jonathan pointed at Winston. “I’ll call the cops.”
“I don’t give a damn.” Winston got in his face. “You could put me in pri
son and I won’t stop until Dee’s back where she belongs.”
Tran and two security guards ran out the house.
The guards grabbed Winston, dragging him to the gate.
“Let me go.” He tussled. “Get off me!”
“Jonathan.” Dee ran to him. “Let him go.”
“He has no business being here.”
“Dee,” Winston screamed.
“Leave him alone,” Dee scolded the guards. “Jonathan, please.”
He threw out his hand, and the guards stopped. “What’s going on here, Deidra?”
“Let me talk to Winston and get this resolved once and for all.”
“Like you did last time?” Jonathan’s chest heaved. “He’s never getting the point.”
“You damn right.” Winston ripped his arms from the guards. “I’m not letting you take Dee from me.”
“I’ll be right back, Jonathan.” Dee lugged Winston to the garden. “Winston—”
“I love you so much.” He touched her cheek.
“Don’t.” She moved his hand. “Winston, it’s over. What will it take for you to accept that?”
He tugged on his blue shirt, the shade having nothing on his fantastic eyes. “Jonathan gave you something to make you forget you love me.”
“He didn’t.” She rolled her eyes, smacking her lips.
“Then did he threaten you or something?” He pulled her close, his hands providing a tingle she didn’t get from Jonathan. “Baby, if he’s blackmailing you or holding you here against your will just tell me.”
“Enough.” She shoved him. “Get it in your head you and I are over.”
“Fuck that.” His eyes watered. “I’m not giving up on you and I’m not giving up on us.”
She closed her eyes. “I love Jonathan.”
“Look at me.” He held her face, forcing her eyes on him. “We’ve been through too much for me to walk away. You can’t love Jonathan because you don’t even know the asshole.”
Her body tensed at his touch.
“Fight this, sweetheart.” He laid his forehead to hers, sobbing. “The real Dee is inside but you have to fight what Jonathan’s doing. You can’t let him have power over you. Don’t let him destroy our love.”
“I don’t wanna hurt you.”
“Then come with me and forget you ever heard of Jonathan Wild.”
“Don’t you get it? I want to be here. I love him.”
“Tell me why then.” He huffed and puffed. “Give me a reason you love, Jonathan.”
“I...” She rocked.
“You can’t because you don’t.” He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her, her entire body suffocating from pleasure and lust. “You love me, Dee. He’s trying to make you forget that, but you can’t forget it.” He pursed his lips, going for another kiss. “Don’t let him destroy us. Come home with me.”
She shivered. “I can’t.”
“Come on.” He pulled her to the path. “Let’s go.”
She planted her feet in the grass. “No.”
He put his arm around her waist, forcing her to move. “It’s okay.”
“No.” She pushed him away. “Jonathan, he’s trying to take me!”
Jonathan stormed through the garden with the guards. “Get out right now!”
“You son of a bitch.” Winston balled a fist, but the guards grabbed him before he punched Jonathan.
“She wants to be here, Lewis. Hell, she can leave if she wants.” Jonathan pointed at Dee. “You wanna go with him, Deidra? Do you?”
She shook her head.
“Please, Dee. ” Winston grabbed for her as Jonathan got between them. “You’re killing me, honey.”
A malicious grin covered Jonathan’s face. “Bye.”
“I’ll never let go you.” Winston watched Dee who did everything in her power not to look at him. “Never.”
****
Minutes later, Shauna followed Jonathan and Tran into Jonathan’s office and listened behind the door.
“We’ve have to get rid of Winston Lewis,” Jonathan said. “He’s going to ruin everything.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Tran asked. “What do you mean, kill him?”
“I’m not letting him take Deidra away from me. She belongs by my side. She has a place here that’s far more important than the others.”
“Are you saying you want her to be Head Mistress?”
Shauna pressed her hand to the door.
“If that’s what’s in the cards.”
“She hasn’t even been initiated yet,” Tran said. “What about Shauna?”
Jonathan chuckled. “What about her?”
Shauna covered her mouth, holding in a tearful scream.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The next morning, Shauna caught Emma as she handed two women their breakfast trays.
“Morning, Mistress.” Emma made another plate. “Did you need anything?”
Shauna stood by the empty trays on the marble countertop. “I heard Dee’s having breakfast in bed this morning.”
“Yeah.” Emma got fresh orange juice out the refrigerator. “She’s been working so hard with the training and everything Jonathan said she could sleep in.”
Shauna faked a smile, eager to grab a knife from the rack and shove it in Dee’s throat. “Have you taken her, her breakfast yet?”
“No, I’m finishing hers now.” Emma set the food and glass on the tray.
“Can I take it to her?” Shauna held her arms out. “I feel bad for not being nicer to her. I’d like to show her she’s welcomed by us all.”
“Mistress.” Emma tilted her head, eyes glowing. “That’s sweet.” She handed Shauna the tray. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Shauna rushed out the kitchen and ducked into the study. She took out the poisonous water hemlock leaves and lay them on Dee’s tray for garnish. “Think she’s taking my place, Jonathan?” She lifted the tray, smirking. “I doubt that.”
She rode the elevator upstairs to Dee’s bedroom and spoke through the door, “Dee, are you up?”
“Yes.”
Shauna walked in with the phoniest smile she could muster. “Good morning.”
Dee lay on the brown sleigh bed with her head against the curved headboard. “Mistress.” She rubbed her eyes. “Why are you bringing me breakfast?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Shauna laid the tray on the antique dresser.
Dee pulled the sheet off. “You hate me.”
“Deidra.” Shauna strolled to the windows and widened the pleaded curtains. “I don’t hate you.”
“Since when? Everything you’ve done shows me you don’t want me here.”
“You’re right.” Shauna lowered her shoulders in her lace-accent sleeveless dress. “And, I’m sorry.” She sat on the soft bed. “I took my frustrations out on you.”
“Mistress, I’m no threat to you.” Dee took Shauna’s hand. “I want us to be a family. I’m not here to take your place.”
Shauna hopped to the dresser and got the tray. “Eat before it gets cold.”
“Looks great.” Dee rubbed her hands together, and Shauna placed the tray on her lap. “I love Emma’s cooking.”
“Don’t forget the garnish.” Shauna pointed to the water hemlock.
Dee sniffed the water hemlock. “Is it from the garden?”
“Yep. It’s an herb.” Shauna set Dee’s orange juice on the cedar end table with velvet-lined drawers.
Dee chewed the water hemlock. “I hope we can get past any issues—”
“Sh.” Shauna fixed Dee’s sheet. “Let’s forget about all that.”
Dee smiled as she delved into her breakfast.
****
After searching online for any information on people who worked for Garfield Larose, Connie lucked up on Job Lines, a local website where Baltimoreans searched for jobs. She found an ad that almost knocked her from her chair.
Wanted: Ranch hand for large goat farm with lake
Employer: Garfield Laro
se
Salary: Depends on experience
Room and Board: Yes
If interested, contact Garfield Larose by email or phone number below.
“Yes!” Connie slapped her desk, startling fellow officers.
A female detective peeked over Connie’s computer. “Got a break in your case?”
“Hopefully.” She got her phone. “If I’m lucky, I’ll call the people behind this website and they can give me information on people who’ve been in contact with my suspect.”
“Hm. Good luck.” The woman walked off, sipping her coffee.
Connie dialed the phone number, holding her breath.
“Hello, Job Lines,” a woman answered. “May I help you?”
“Good morning.” Connie cleared her throat. “I’m Detective Connie Wilks with the Baltimore Police. I’m investigating a missing person and something on your site caught my eye.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“I’m looking at a job ad from Garfield Larose.”
“Let me pull it up.” The woman typed. “Okay, I got it. What about it?”
“This man might be a suspect in my case.” Connie got her pencil. “Am I to understand that all correspondence is kept on your site?”
“Yes, the job posters and job seekers pay us a small fee which goes to consumer protection so if anything happens, we can mediate. We prefer all business communication to be done through our PM system so if any disputes arise we have the information we need.”
“That means you keep all correspondence stored? Like, any time an employer or a seeker speak on the site, you keep a record?”
“Yes, we do.”
Connie did a fist pump. “How long has Mr. Larose been using your site?”
“Let me check his account.” She paused then returned a minute later. “Since two thousand and fifteen.”
“I know this might be an inconvenience but could you email me a list of all the people he’s spoken to through the site?”
The woman hesitated. “I can’t do that without a warrant.”
“Shit,” Connie whispered. “It could help my case. A man is missing and I believe Larose is involved.”