One Love Page 30

  “The only reason we have any work left is because of the contracts. They’re afraid I’ll sue if they try to back out.” Lanessa looked at the neatly bound report in front of her. It had her company logo on it.

  “Darn right we would!” Robyn gave a fierce nod. “But Mr. Hines did say the information you gave him will really help when he goes for a small business loan.”

  “He won’t say it publicly though. And he’s just as eager to get away from me as the rest.” Lanessa knew the cold reality. “Face it; I’m through in this town.”

  “You’ve still got friends.” Robyn stopped filing and sat down in the chair facing her desk.

  “Forget having my own business. I’ll be lucky if I can get a job working for someone else.” Lanessa shook her head. “I was stupid to try.”

  “Lanessa…” Robyn was cut off by the phone ringing.

  “Take it out in your office, will you? Just tell them I’m not in.” Lanessa covered her face with both hands. “And close the door.”

  Robyn hesitated. The phone continued to ring. “I know things look bad.”

  “What an understatement. Get the phone.” Lanessa took her hands away and looked her. “Go on. Don’t babysit me.” She waved her out.

  Robyn sighed then darted out. Lanessa heard her answer the phone with the same verve she’d had in better times. She could not help but smile. Losing Robyn as an employee was as painful as giving up her business.

  “Knock, knock.” Jade did not wait for an answer. She opened the door and peeked in. “Hi, sister. I came to give moral support.”

  “Every little bit helps.” Lanessa gave her a weak smile.

  “Good, because I brought reinforcements.” Jade’s husband and their parents followed her in.

  “You guys didn’t have to come here. We could have had the wake at my house,” Lanessa quipped.

  “Wait a minute, I’m here and I brought another member of the cavalry,” Jackie called out. Yasmin appeared.

  “Hi,” Yasmin said. She hung back as though afraid. She stood in the door.

  “Hi.” Lanessa glanced at Jackie who gave her a wink.

  “We’re here to say we believe you and we believe in you.” Lanessa’s mother spoke up. “Right, Alton?” She tapped her husband on the arm.

  “You bet. We’re behind you all the way.” Alton crossed over to her in three long strides.

  Lanessa got up to meet him. When he put his strong arms around her, she had to fight back the tears. “Thank you, daddy,” she said softly.

  “We love you, Nessa. You know that,” Jade said sniffling. She joined them.

  “Yes indeed,” Clarice said.

  “Yeah,” Jackie said. She gestured for Yasmin to come into the office. “We’re right here for you.”

  Soon the whole group was hugging and dabbing away tears. Alton coughed and pretended to be in control. Robyn came in with a tray of soft drinks and coffee. The atmosphere was far from being morose. With jokes and gentle affectionate teasing, they managed to coax a few genuine laughs from Lanessa. After awhile, Yasmin came over to her.

  “About what happened between us…” Yasmin looked down at the floor. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you because you told me the truth.”

  “Maybe I was a little too—”

  “No, you were right,” Yasmin broke in quickly.” You were trying to save me from myself and I didn’t want to hear it.”

  Lanessa put an arm around her waist. “It’s good to see you.”

  “I’m ashamed to admit this but… I’d probably still be deluding myself except for one thing. Charles dumped me a couple of weeks ago. So don’t think I’m all that smart.”

  “He’s a loser in more ways than one,” Lanessa said.

  “Seems he doesn’t need me anymore. He as much as told me so. The arrogant bastard.” Yasmin’s voice shook.

  Lanessa could see she was still in love with Charles Metoyer even now. “We’ll both survive.” She pulled her close.

  “Hey, I say we order some food. What about Chinese,” Damon called out.

  “Nah, pizza,” Jade said. She smacked her lips.

  “She’s on this anchovy and mushroom pizza kick. The baby is going be holding a slice when he comes out!” Damon laughed.

  “Oh you!” Jade pinched his arm causing him to yelp.

  “We don’t have to choose, let’s get both,” Alton said.

  He was greeted with a chorus of requests. They organized all their orders. Clarice volunteered to call both restaurants with the orders. Lanessa gazed at everyone with affection. An hour later the food arrived after forty and the office was filled with laughter.

  “You guys are the best. This is the happiest funeral I’ve ever been to.” Lanessa raised her can of cola to them as a salute.

  “Funeral hell!” Alton exclaimed. “We’re going to turn this baby around.” He gazed around at the others they agreed.

  “Damn right!” Jade yelled. “We got the power. You tell ‘em, Daddy.”

  “Jade, really.” Clarice clucked in disapproval before turning to Lanessa. “What we mean is you’ve been falsely accused and we won’t stand for it,” she said in a dignified but no less adamant manner.

  “Right,” Damon said.

  “Honey, we’re taking the Justice Starship to warp seven.” Jackie draped an arm around Lanessa’s shoulders.

  “I appreciate guys, don’t think I don’t. But I was in trouble even before the police found me passed out in my car.” Lanessa looked grim again. “And I can’t be sure how I got in that shape.”

  “You know, I’ve been thinking about that,” Robyn spoke up. “From the way you described it all, you could have been drugged.”

  “What?” Alton and Clarice said together.

  The group was silent for several moments, all obviously considering her suggestion.

  Jade tapped her forehead with her palm. “Of course!”

  Damon nodded. “It makes a lot of sense.”

  “Sure it does,” Jade said. “Lanessa can’t remember anything. She wakes up feeling disoriented—”

  “And with a gigantic headache,” Lanessa added with a grimace.

  “Right. It all fits.” Jackie cleared her throat. “Isn’t there this stuff called…” She glanced at Lanessa’s parents uneasily.

  “GHB, or the ‘Date-Rape’ drug,” Lanessa added. “Yeah, I know. But I wasn’t raped, thank God. I definitely would have known if that had happened.”

  “Thank you, Jesus,” Clarice put in fervently.

  “And another thing, I smelled like a liquor bottle.” Lanessa sighed. “But I can’t be sure I didn’t start drinking. I was feeling really down when I went to Jazz It Up.”

  “What?” Jackie turned Lanessa around to face her. “You remember where you were?”

  Lanessa blinked at her in astonishment. “Yes!” She paced in excitement. “I left here feeling lower than the ground. I stopped in there for the music. Then…” She frowned and rubbed her temple for several minutes. There was a hush as all eyes watched her in hope.

  “Well?” Alton said in a soft voice.

  “It’s no good. I keep going blank.” Lanessa was desperate to fill in that empty space.

  “It’s okay, babe,” Yasmin said.

  “Don’t force it, Nessa.” Jade walked over and stood beside her. “It’s a good start. We’ll get this sorted out yet. Now I think we should—“

  “You should go home and rest. Remember what Doctor Moon said,” Damon broke in.

  “Everything okay with the baby?” Lanessa forgot her own troubles. She gazed at Jade anxiously.

  “Fine. I’m retaining fluid more than she’d like. I’m supposed to put my feet up now and then.” Jade brushed off her husband’s suggestion. “But I want to help.”

  “Good. Go home and rest. Not worrying about you will make me feel a lot better,” Lanessa said. She shook a finger at her nose.

  “Damon is right,” Alton said in a firm, paternal tone. “Can’t have my daughte
r and grandbaby under stress. Son, take her home.” He clapped Damon on the back.

  “I feel great!” Jade wore a rebellious pout.

  “Don’t argue, dear. Now isn’t the time to be stubborn,” Clarice lectured. “Damon knows best. What a perfect son-in-law.” She beamed at him.

  “When I recover from the delivery, everybody is going on notice!” Jade huffed. “No more bossing me around. I’ll be in charge.”

  “Sure thing, sweetness.” Alton kissed her cheek. “Now do as you’re told. Lanessa, two old buddies are prepared to throw some business your way. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “We’ll be here!” Robyn said before Lanessa could answer. “Bright and early, ready to roll.”

  “And my father is finding out more inside information on Hargrove, Dawson, and Metoyer. If anybody can dig up the deepest buried skeletons, he can.” Damon hugged Lanessa.

  “Bye, sis. I’m being forced to leave you,” Jade complained.

  “I love you, Jade-girl. And Jade, Jr. , too.” Lanessa her sister’s rounded tummy a gentle pat.

  “It’s going to be a boy, I can feel it.” Alton spoke with confidence.

  “Now there’s a miracle,” Clarice quipped. “Too bad you didn’t feel the bloating and nausea for me thirty five years ago.”

  Her parents kissed her goodbye in turn even as they traded smart remarks between them. Her husband steered out jade even as she complained. The noisy foursome made their way out of the office and to the elevator. Jackie and Lanessa sprawled on the sofa in the waiting area. Robyn sat at her desk with her feet on it. Yasmin stood near the door deep in thought. They all sipped diet soft drinks and were quiet for a time.

  “I say we go to Jazz It Up,” Jackie said.

  “It’s only four. I need to answer the phone,” Robyn said.

  “Get serious,” Lanessa said with a grunt. “No one is going to call.”

  “Then it’s settled. Let’s go.” Jackie dashed into Lanessa’s office and returned with their purses.

  “But it’s too early. They’re not open.” Robyn was turning off the computer and preparing to leave as she spoke.

  “It’s open,” Lanessa and Jackie said in unison.

  Lanessa chuckled. “Trust me. We know when bars in this town are open. Right?” Jackie grinned and nodded.

  “Yeah.” Yasmin joined her two friends in laughter. “I can still recite every happy hour schedule within the city limits.” Her expression became serious. “I’ve got an errand to run.”

  “Sure you can’t come? We’ll have dinner later and discuss our findings.” Jackie looked eager to begin.

  “Like real private detectives!” Robyn chimed in.

  “No, you guys go on.” Yasmin opened the outer office door leading to the hallway. “I have a lead of my own,” she murmured more to herself than to the others.

  “What did you say?” Lanessa followed her out.

  “I’ll call you guys later. Maybe we’ll meet for dinner if I’m through.” Yasmin smiled at them.

  “Cool,” Jackie said.

  The four women rode down the elevator still discussing the events of the last few weeks. Yasmin left them with the promise that she would call Lanessa on her cellular phone later. Lanessa suggested they each take their cars so they would not have to come back downtown. It took them twenty minutes to get to the nightclub. Robyn was the last to pull onto the parking lot. They waited for her so the three of them could walk in together.

  “Whoa, nice place. I thought it would be some skuzzy hole in the wall the way y’all talked.” Robyn gazed around.

  “Robyn is the original church girl,” Lanessa said in stage whispered aside to Jackie.

  “I knew that the minute we met,” Jackie said with a cackle.

  “Hey, I’ve been to a wild party or two.” Robyn lifted her nose in the air.

  “The church spring dance doesn’t count,” Jackie said. She and Lanessa giggled like two high school girls.

  “Very funny. Bet I can fit in here and find out more than you two.” Robyn fluffed her hair.

  “Oh, right,” Lanessa said. “Dollar says not.”

  “I’m in on that action.” Jackie patted her purse.

  “Done.” Robyn gazed around the lounge. She studied the bartender for several moments. “You two sit over in that booth. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Lanessa and Jackie sat down. A waitress brought them free appetizers provided to early patrons. They alternated between watching Robyn at work and advancing their own theories.

  “So why do you think the Commerce investigators haven’t done anything?” Jackie examined a smoked oyster on a cracker before putting the whole thing in her mouth.

  “They don’t have all the goods yet, pun intended. Or maybe they’ve hit a brick wall.” Lanessa squinted at her as she picked up a small sausage. “Save room for dinner for crying out loud.”

  “Umm, I’m hungry now. We might not meet Yasmin for another hour.” Jackie chewed slowly. She drank from the glass of crème soda she’d ordered. “I dunno. If worm mouth Glenn is sniffing around, they’re still working on it.”

  “Good point. I may despise the little prick, but he ferrets out stuff better than most.” Lanessa frowned. “They’ve got to find the products then trace them to the markets.”

  “A tough job. There are millions of ways to hide those kinds of transactions.” Jackie grinned. “Not that I’ve ever helped a client do such a thing.”

  “Nothing illegal I hope. I don’t want to read about you in Glenn’s rag.” Lanessa pinched her hand.

  “All above board. Well, right on the line anyway.”

  Lanessa sighed. “Lawyers, politicians and accountants. Now tell me some of these ways to hide.”

  “Multiple bank accounts for one, especially if other legit trades are mixed in. Then you could sell to one company doing business with another company that sells to three others.” Jackie waved a hand. “How you can be held responsible for what they all did?”

  “Sounds like something Dawson would be good at,” Lanessa said.

  “He’s got international contacts. I hear he speaks three languages, too.” Jackie noticed their plate of goodies was empty. “Miss? More please.” She held it up to a passing waitress who took it.

  “With their tracking resources online and overseas, the feds should have no trouble.” Lanessa looked at her.

  “Not as easy as you think. Remember, these guys are really good at setting up smoke screens. They could lead them down blind alleys for years.”

  “I got the distinct impression that the Commerce Department and a few other agencies have been looking for years. And now they’re closer than they’ve ever been.” Lanessa lowered her voice when the waitress approached.

  Jackie did not speak until the young woman was gone. “Which is why they’re willing to surface now. I think you’ve got it right.”

  “If we could find out where the products are stored…” Lanessa tapped her fingers on the table. “They could be in any number of the thousands of warehouses in this state.”

  “That’s if the stuff is in this state. It could be in Texas or Mississippi. Just a truck drive away.” Jackie wiped her fingers on a cocktail napkin.

  “We’re doomed! How can we find out more than the feds?” Lanessa slumped back against the padded bench.

  “Don’t get discouraged, babe. We figured quite a bit even though they’ve been on to Dawson longer than us.”

  “Another good point.” Lanessa glanced at Robyn who was frowning. “I don’t think Jane Bond is having much luck.”

  “We could be here all night at this rate.” Jackie picked up another tiny sausage. She did not seem too unhappy at the prospect.

  Lanessa stood. “Forget that. And you lay off the food.”

  She snatched the plate from the table and gave it to a passing waiter. Lanessa ignored the mumbled protests of her friend and went to the bar. The bartender was at the other end taking care of another customer.

 
“Let me take over, kiddo.” Lanessa jerked a thumb toward Jackie. “Go keep the bottomless pit company.”

  “He won’t talk, the creep. Demanded my ID!” Robyn made a rude noise before she left.

  Lanessa watched the bartender. He wore a retro hairstyle, an afro from the seventies. His nametag said “Barry”.

  “Barry, get me another ginger ale,” Lanessa called to him.

  Barry glanced at her and said something to the woman he was talking to. He reached into a cooler and got out a green bottle. With a quick motion, he unscrewed the cap.

  “How’s it goin’?” Barry said as he poured the soft drink into a glass. “You calmed down since the other night.”

  Lanessa smiled genuinely. Barry answered two questions without her having to ask. Yes, he was in the lounge that night and he remembered her.

  “They tell me I had a good time,” Lanessa said.

  “Boy did you.” Barry raised his dark eyebrows. “Too bad about it gettin’ in the paper. Rotten luck.”

  He gave her the opening she needed. Lanessa settled in for a good talk with her new pal. After ten minutes, Lanessa had more information than she wanted. She felt sick at the leering way Barry gazed at her while describing her wild dancing that night. After a while, Barry was more interested in hitting on her than talking. Lanessa cut him off cold.

  “Serves you right having your name all over town!” Barry said. He wore a look of wounded male pride.

  “Nice talking to you, too,” Lanessa shot back. She went back to the booth and sat down next to Robyn.

  “What was that about?” Jackie had managed to snare a few more sausages.

  “Let me guess, the creep wanted a date,” Robyn said with a sour expression.

  “Yeah. Barry doesn’t handle rejection well.” Lanessa glanced at them. “He didn’t get what he wanted, but I did.”

  Yasmin strode and sat down hard. “Whew! I need a drink!”

  “Amen,” Jackie said.

  “You got it. Miss, Diet Pepsi over here please.” Lanessa called to the waitress. The woman waved and went off. “Thought you were going to meet us much later.”

  “Yeah, but I found out something about our pal Charlie. We need to head out fast.” Yasmin snatched a sausage from Jackie’s plate and popped it in her mouth.