After All Read online

  “Be there in a minute.”Anthony turned back to Michelle.”So Wednesday is a good day, huh?”

  “I don't think so. I forgot I'm working on a big story that's going to keep me tied up for quite a while.” Michelle stood erect and unyielding.

  “Come on now, Chelle.”

  “I said I'm going to be too busy.”

  “Listen, this is about us, not Uncle Ike.”Anthony's jaw tightened.

  “He's the same. Still oozing greasy charm.” Michelle grimaced as though the taste of something sour was on her tongue.

  “Michelle, don't start that again. Uncle Ike is a good person. He's been like a father to me, more than my own Father.” Anthony’s tone was a plea to forget the past.

  “And you still have on those blinders, don't you? You think I can just forget the past? After what he did to my family? Not likely. You breeze in here asking me to have dinner with you after the way you slammed me when I was down. Man, you both have egos the size of the Grand Canyon. Forget it.”

  “Talk about people not changing. You see only what you want to see. It was all in your mind, Michelle. I cared about you. You pushed me away.”

  “I was sick of hearing you be a one man cheerleading squad for that slime bucket. He tried to ruin my father.”

  “Your father was having financial problems that had nothing to do with Uncle Ike. You know that.”

  “What the hell do you know about my father's finances? Look, I'm not going to debate this with you. We went through this six years ago. Goodbye.”Michelle picked up a stack of files and stormed off. She almost crashed into one of her best friends.

  “Whoa! Don't run over me, child.” Laree's eyes grew big as she looked past Michelle.” Hey, there's Anthony. Hi-- he's leaving. Man, I didn't get a chance to speak to him.”

  “So what? You're late, Laree. If you'd had your butt here on time I'd have been outta here.” Michelle's pursed her lips in annoyance. She threw the files down on Earl's desk, then realizing she still needed them, picked them up and marched back to her desk.

  “Get up off my back, girl. You said eleven. It is now ten minutes past the hour. I was on time. It just that you were into your thing with Anthony. Don't take it out on me.”

  “What's up? Let's celebrate. Girlfriend did a job on the news. Go on with your bad self, Chelle.” Shantae did a little dance in front of Michelle.

  “Careful, honey. She just dumped on me,” Laree sat on the edge of a desk.

  Laree Holland and Shantae LeJeune had been Michelle’s best friends since the fourth grade when all three jumped rope in the playground. Laree was the office manager at a local plumbing supply business. Shantae was a sales manager at a local department store with an ambition to become a buyer. They had planned to treat Michelle to dinner in honor of her Saturday debut as anchor.

  “Say what?”Shantae eyed Michelle. “Why is your mouth all stuck out. We're supposed to be on our way to par-tee, and you look like somebody sucking on lemons.” Shantae flipped back her long red braids.

  “Anthony's here.” Laree said, her eyebrows raised almost to her hairline.

  “Oo-wee, you mean I missed the fireworks? Damn!” Shantae snapped her fingers.

  “There were no fireworks. I don't want to discuss it. Let's just go and have a good time. Now come on.”Michelle unlocked her desk and jerked her purse from a bottom drawer.

  “Oh yeah, I can see we're on our way to havin' a real blast.”Shantae shook her head as she and Laree followed Michelle out.

  ***

  “You've been mighty quiet for the last hour, son. Anything you want to talk about or ask me?”Ike Batiste wheeled the big midnight blue Lincoln onto the interstate highway.

  “Nah, I'm just thinking about some stuff I've got to take care of at work.”Anthony stared out of the car window at the tops of buildings sliding by.

  “That Michelle is pretty as ever. Thick curly hair,

  big brown eyes you can get lost in, just like her mama. A real lovely lady for sure.”Ike glanced at Anthony sideways.

  “Yeah.”Anthony had thought of little else since learning he would be at the station where Michelle worked. And seeing her had crashed through all his defenses, making his reassurances to himself that he was over her a joke. But he had been a fool to hope they could... what? Be friends, or more? Michelle had made it clear what she thought of him. He flinched remembering the cold, distance in those beautiful eyes.

  “Don't let it get to you, boy. With everything you've got going for you, there are beaucoup women waiting to get next to you.”Ike seemed to read his thoughts.

  “She simply can't forgive me for defending you. Michelle is so damn stubborn.”Anthony fists were clenched in his lap.

  “I tried to help the guy, but he fell on his face because of his own bad judgment. Then he tries to ruin my reputation. Forget it.”Ike reached out to give his arm a quick squeeze.”Tell you what; let's stop off at Luther's Bar-B-Q. I'm starving. Okay, champ?”

  “Sure, why not.”Anthony gave him a forced smile. Uncle Ike was right, it was best to forget it. He set about trying to repair the damage to the wall he had built around her memory. The wall that kept her from dominating his thoughts and helped him make through so many long, lonely nights.

  ***

  “Hi, mama. How have you been?”Michelle planted a kiss on her cheek.

  Michelle had cut short her dinner with Laree and Shantae pleading the need to turn in early. Though it was after ten, she’d promised to visit her mother before going home. Annette would sulk for days if that promise was not kept.

  “Your father isn't home yet as usual. Working late.”

  Annette refilled her glass of wine.

  “How are you?”Michelle insisted on steering her away from familiar complaints.

  “Fine. Your father embarrassed me as usual. Marvin Cato phoned to ask why Thomas hadn't paid his alumni dues for Alpha Phi Alpha. I mean for God sakes, all the balls are coming up. You know what your father said when I asked him about it?”Annette plunged ahead before she could answer.”He said he was tired of putting out that kind of money and he needed it for some business expenses. Now I have to face Carolyn and Shirley at the Delta meeting Thursday. Oh they won't say anything, just give each other significant looks. Damn that man!”

  “Maybe he's right. I mean, he's had a rough time these last few years.”

  “Now you're defending him to me? You of all people. Knowing what he's put me through.”Annette took a deep gulp of her drink.

  “Yes, Mama, he's kind of cold and stays away a lot. But this won't help.”Michelle gently pried the wine glass from Annette's fingers.

  “Well, he mistaken if he thinks I'm going to take this. I've got the money; I'm going to pay the dues. That'll show him up for the cheapskate he is. He'll do a slow burn for days then give me back the money. Ha!”Annette threw back her head.

  “Mama, please...

  “Don't bother trying to talk to her. By noon she's knocked back so much wine she sloshes when she moves. There's no reasoning with her.”Thomas came into the large den and shrugged off his coat. Powerfully built, Michelle's father look easily ten years younger than his age at fifty-five.

  “Home before two in the morning. My goodness and it's not even a school night for little Gloria,” Annette said.

  “Go sleep it off, Annette. I'm not in the mood.”

  “Go to hell, dear.”Annette walked out on unsteady legs.”Michelle, come to my room before you leave?”Her voice was plaintive.

  “Be there in a minute, mama.”

  Thomas rubbed his eyes with a weary gesture.”She gets worse every year.”

  “Why can't you at least try to treat her with some respect?” Michelle chided him.

  “Who do you think you're talking to, girl? What's between your mother and me is personal,” Thomas snapped.

  “Staying gone all the time doesn't help whatever your problems are. And your ongoing battles didn't do much to make things easier for Brian, Dominic and me.�
��Michelle tried to maintain her bold tone but withered under his scrutiny. Even to her own ears, her voice took on a little girl sound.

  “You don't understand, and I'm not going to explain. Thomas held up a hand to forestall her. He started up the stairs then stopped.”I hear Anthony is going to be on Channel Twelve. He's done well with his business. Have you talked to him?”

  Michelle twisted a lock of hair, more than ever feeling like a child caught being naughty.”Yes, but only for a minute. I don't want anything to do with him,” she said with force.

  “He was a fine boy, and he's become a fine young man. Got a good reputation as a fair businessman. Like I told you six years ago, don't judge him by what his uncle does. His mama's done a fine job balancing Ike's influence.”

  “He thinks Ike hung the moon. No way do I want any part of either of them. Since Ike ruined your business, you and mama have--”Michelle bit her lip. The dark look on her father's face stopped her.

  “You have no right to interfere, Michelle. I will not discuss my marriage with you.”

  Michelle looked down unwilling to let him see how close she was to tears.”I'm sorry, Daddy. It's just I hate to see you so unhappy.”

  “I know,” Thomas spoke softly. He stood for several seconds looking as if he wanted to say more, then seemed to decide changing the subject was better. He started back up the stairs and spoke over his shoulder.”By the way, I saw you tonight. Not bad, but don't talk so fast next time.”

  “Thanks for your support,” Michelle mumbled at his retreating back.

  She chafed at the grudging compliment. Just once she wished her father could unbend, give more of himself than in small doses. But Michelle was as tough as Thomas. She minded more for her mother whose stinging remarks masked her deep need for constant reassurance she was loved. Once she was in her car driving home, she felt relieved to be out of the tension filled house. Then she felt guilty for feeling relieved. Had her parents ever been happy together? Seeing them now, it was difficult to believe. Yet Michelle remembered those times, years ago, when they shared laughter easily. Those precious days when they were all together as a family, before Ike Batiste almost destroyed her father's business. Michelle gripped the steering wheel thinking of his arrogance. Worse still, she could hear Anthony's voice, his defense of what she saw as something indefensible. No handsome face or ingratiating smile could make her forget. Anthony Hilliard had no place her in her life. And she would never allow herself to weaken again.

  ***

  “I just got a call from a source in the DA's office. There's something fishy going on with the Housing Authority. Some big names have come up.”Nathan, the assignments editor, sat forward frowning in concentration. His bushy white eyebrows an unbroken line above his blood shot blue eyes.

  Ten reporters sat around the table in the conference room. Every day at ten in the morning, it was Nathan's job to decide who followed up on what story. A task that some days won him friends, other days earned him scorn. But he was good at his job. His decisions almost always proved to be on target, even if the admission was made grudgingly. And he had the right temperament. It was seldom he cared what the reporters thought of his decisions.

  “Didn't you talk to some angry housing project residents last year, Michelle?”Gracie spoke around the donut in her mouth.

  “No, they lived in houses with subsidized rent. It's this program where landlords get a portion of the rent paid by the government and the renter pays whatever they can afford based on income,” Michelle said.”But they're administered by the Housing Authority.”

  “The Section Eight Housing Program.”Wayne, the reporter who mostly went after white collar crime reports, spoke up.

  “Right. Anyway, they were complaining that the landlords weren't following the rules for repairing the houses or keeping them up. After a couple of interviews minor repairs were made, but nothing really changed. The staff at the Housing Authority clammed up.”Michelle got up to refill her coffee mug.

  “Have you still got contacts there?”Nathan rubbed his chin.

  “Yeah, a couple of the women have left. But I think at least one guy is still there. What was his name?”Michelle tapped a polished nail against the ceramic mug.”I'd have to look at my notes from back then.”

  “Nathan, I interviewed the Mayor's Human Services

  Department Director only a few months ago. We even met with Charlotte Kinchen, the Executive Director of the Housing Authority,” Jennifer said.

  “For a story on the Arts and Humanities Council's Annual Gala,” Gracie snorted.”Not exactly the same thing.”

  “The point is I have access to the powers that be. If this thing is big, then you need someone who can talk to them.”Jennifer stared at her coldly.

  “Gracie's right, Jennifer. This story starts with the people who have to live in these low rent houses and apartments. And the staff who deal with them every day. Those are the important contacts right now.”Earl, a short wiry Black man, tilted his chair back on two legs.

  “Sure, you build it from who gets hurt the most.” Rexanne Chauvin peered at them over her large round eyeglasses. She was older than most, in her early forties, and a respected investigative reporter.

  “Michelle, get to work on it. Now, the chlorine leak at Shaw Chemical--”In his customary style, Nathan listened then made his ruling quickly before moving on.

  “Nice going, Chelle. You scored on poor old Jennifer again.”Gracie wore a malicious grin. They sat at their desk again after the meeting.

  “Cut that out. If Nathan hadn't thought it made sense for me to do the story, I wouldn't have been assigned. It's not about scoring on other people as you put it. It's about informing the public and doing the best job we can.”Michelle pulled out an old wire-bound notebook.

  “Uh-huh. Go on,” Gracie urged.

  “Okay, beating out Jennifer is the icing on the cake.”Michelle giggled.

  “And how sweet it is,” Gracie agreed. She pointed to a folder.”What's that?”

  “My trusty notes from last year. Ah, here it is, the maintenance supervisor was the guy I talked to. I always had the feeling he wanted to say more than he did.”Michelle began dialing the phone.”Yes, may I speak to Greg Matthews. Really? Do you know where he works now? Thank you.”

  “Gone, huh?”Gracie began stuffing items in her bag in preparation for going out on her assignment.

  “Yeah, but I've got his home number somewhere.”

  Michelle spoke to his elderly aunt who proudly told her that Greg was working at a local real estate management company and would be home after five in the evening. Since she had plenty of other tasks, Michelle put a note on her phone to remind herself to call Matthews later. A busy day followed with background research at the library on several features coming up and chasing after people who would rather not be on camera but would give assistance on other stories. By five thirty that evening, she was back at the station.

  “What a day.”Gracie half fell, half sat in her chair.”Two hours of having these really obnoxious little poodles climbing on me. Gee-whiz.”

  “Anna Belle May, right?”Michelle kept writing without looking up.

  “How did you know?”

  “Because you've been working on that Historic Preservation thing for two weeks. Anna Belle has been in on beautification and restoration projects in this town since the dawn of time.”

  “And you can't talk to her at their offices. Oh, no. You have to go to that huge old house where she holds court. What about that Housing Authority thing?”

  “Just talked to him. I'm meeting him at his house in-- Oops, five minutes! See ya.”Michelle dashed out.

  ***

  “Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, Mr. Matthews.”Michelle settled onto the flowered sofa her notebook balanced on one knee.

  “It's okay. Look, I'm not sure how much help I can be. I left the place almost eight months ago.”Greg Matthews was a compact five foot eleven with a barrel chest and muscular arms. H
is skin was the color of copper.

  “There are some rumors floating around about under the table deals. Maybe connected to the maintenance of public housing or the rewarding of contracts for repairs. As the maintenance supervisor you would have been in a position to know a lot about how things were handled.”

  “I just sent men out to do the work. I didn't have nothing to do with that stuff.”Greg shifted in his chair and rubbed his hands together.

  “But you know who did,” Michelle prodded.

  “Charlotte Kinchen. But like I said, I didn't make none of those decisions.”

  “Charlotte Kinchen, right?”Michelle began writing.

  “Now hold on. I don't want my name mentioned in this.”Greg waved at her notes nervously.

  “These will only be read by me. “

  “Sure,” he said derisively.

  “Okay, I won't use your name just a code. Now tell me about Charlotte Kinchen.”

  “She coordinates daily operations like rent collection, calculating how much rent people pay, supervises the apartment managers, stuff like that.”

  “I see. So she decides what companies get the contracts?”

  “There's supposed to be a bid process, but a company other than the lowest bidder can be used. For instance, if they trying to use more minority or women owned firms. Or if they feel the work done by a particular company is better and would save costs in the long run.”

  “So what companies usually get picked, Greg?”Michelle cut right to bone.

  “Charlotte got some heavy friends; you know what I'm sayin'? And they got friends. I got four kids to feed.”

  “Who are her friends? Just tell me. I'll get the rest myself.”

  Greg twisted a key chain for several moments before answering.”James Bridges. . . . and Ike Batiste. She tight with them. People that you don't wanna get mad at you. That's all I can say.”