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“Okay.” Winston sat on the edge of Emory’s desk, sweeping his hand over his face. “What just happened here?”
Dee straightened in the chair. “I agreed to give Jonathan immunity.”
His face turned red. “Can you tell me why the hell you’d do that?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Right my ass.” He leapt off the desk. “You’re supposed to be this strong woman who doesn’t take shit from anybody and you let Jonathan get away with what he did?”
“I didn’t have a choice.” She jumped out the chair. “Chavis is a monster. Look at these pictures, Winston.” She grabbed them from the desk. “Can you say you wouldn’t have done the same thing?”
“Emory and Hershel played you and you fell right into their hands.”
“This was my decision.” Dee turned her back to him and walked behind the chair. “I’m the one who has to live with it and not you.”
He grabbed her arm, spinning her around. “Jonathan is just as dangerous as Chavis is. How could you be so stupid?”
“Who are you calling stupid?”
He frowned, shoving his fingers through his hair. “You said you wouldn’t agree to this and you get here and do a one-eighty.”
“This isn’t about me, you, or Jonathan, Winston. It’s about Dania and Candra and whoever else Chavis has hurt or will hurt.” She got the photos again. “Hershel is right. Chavis will kill again if he’s not stopped and as a cop it’s my job to make sure no one else ends up like Dania.”
“So Jonathan just walks free?” He hit the side of his thighs. “He just goes on like he didn’t do a damn thing?”
“I want his ass locked up as much as you do.”
“You sure?” He bobbed his head, glaring. “I’m starting to think you liked being Jonathan’s prisoner.”
She slapped him. “How dare you?”
He huffed and puffed, a red spot forming on his cheek.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.” She pointed downward. “This is my life Winston, not yours.”
“Let’s see how much you enjoy life with Jonathan breathing down your neck.”
He left, slamming the door.
****
Five Days Later
“Welcome to Maeby Jeon’s Dental Practice.” The chubby-cheeked Asian woman in blue scrubs gushed at Dee and Connie from behind a laminate counter with a glass surface. “May I help you?” Her coal-black hair set on her round head in a bowl cut with thick bangs.
Dee and Connie introduced themselves while showing their badges.
“Ah, the detectives.” The woman smiled. “Dr. Jeon is wrapping things up with a patient. Please wait here and I’ll let her know you’ve arrived.”
“Thank you.” Dee and Connie walked across the tile to the teal waiting room.
Dee sat in the armless chair while Connie grabbed a car racing magazine off the shiny, wood table.
“Ooh.” Connie sat. “Smells like formaldehyde in here.”
“I always hated that smell.” Dee laid her head back on the chair. “It’s the first thing you notice when you come to the dentist and I hate going to the dentist.”
Connie smiled while flipping through the magazine. “You and Winston still not speaking to each other?”
Dee concentrated on her nails. “Hell no.”
“Can’t you let it go? He only acted that way because he loves you.”
“I’m not the one being the asshole.” Dee grabbed a pamphlet on the table. “The immunity was my decision and if he can’t accept that I don’t need him.”
Connie shook her head.
“Enough about that curly-head jerk. How are you?” Dee watched Connie from the corner of her eyes. “And Grayson?”
Connie stiffened. “Fine.”
“How did you get close, anyway?”
“It just happened.” Connie slapped the page of the magazine as she turned it.
“Nothing just happens.”
“It started innocent where we’d get together as friends. He’s easy to talk to and comforting. We realized we had a lot in common and things grew from there.” She blushed. “He’s charming, sensitive, and attractive. The nicest man I’ve met in a while.”
“Yes, Grayson’s definitely charming. He had me out of my panties on our first date and trust me it’s difficult for a man to get this.”
Connie’s chest rose as she took a deep breath.
“I’m not surprised Grayson went after you.”
“He didn’t go after me.” Connie laid the magazine on her lap. “Dee, don’t do this. Neither of us are trying to hurt you.”
“I’m not hurt.” She faked a chuckle. “I’m looking out for you that’s all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Grayson’s a woman magnet, Connie. He never has to look far to find one who’s more than willing to let him in.”
Connie pursed her lips, the pink, matte lipstick making them appear fuller than usual. “Are you saying Grayson’s playing me?”
Dee held up her hands. “I didn’t say a damn thing.”
Connie gazed at the magazine but Dee knew she wasn’t reading it.
“Level with me. Did it once cross your mind that maybe Grayson is with you because of me?”
“Stop it, Dee.” Connie threw the magazine on the table. “Grayson and I care about each other and it has nothing to do with you. What’s the problem?”
“I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I’m more hurt by this conversation than anything Grayson could do.”
“Are you sleeping with him?”
“Excuse me?” Connie’s ponytail fell over her shoulder when she whipped her head toward Dee. “It’s not your business.”
“You forgot he cheated on me?” Dee picked lint off her black slacks. “I never looked at him the same again.”
“He regrets that, and he’s not going to repeat the same mistake.”
“How do you know—”
“Enough, Dee.” Connie stood as the assistant returned with an older Asian woman wearing her hair in a chin-length bob.
“Hello,” the woman had a mild Korean accent. “I’m Dr. Maeby Jeon.” Her tiny eyes disappeared when she smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Are you free now?” Dee asked.
“Sure, sure.” She turned to the assistant, said something in Korean, and the assistant walked off, nodding. “I was glad you called me.” Maeby sat her scrawny body on the table. “Anything I can do to help with the Kengs’ murder I will.”
Connie sat. “Is it true you used to go to the Kengs’ church? I mean Kingdom Hall.”
Her animated face became hollow. “Yes.”
Dee got her pocket notepad and turned to a clean sheet. “Was anything going on between you and Normand?”
“No.” Maeby’s face sunk. “Why?”
“Someone says there was,” Connie said.
“He was my brother in religion, but that’s all.”