CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SCARLETT

TWO WEEKS LATER

 

Earlier, Detective Morris Swanson called and told me he wanted to ask me some questions about our case. When I asked Camp was he going to the appointment with me, he said he was helping to prepare the bunker for the east coast bosses’ arrival in a few days and couldn’t go. But he was aware of our meeting.

For some reason, I felt as if this day would come, where I would be alone with the man whose focus was exposing my secrets. But there was no way around it. I had to go. I needed to find out how much he discovered.

In his office, I sat in a raggedy black chair and picked up a four-year-old magazine from the glass table. I was nervous and when his secretary, a twenty-something-year-old black girl with a large butt, came out to get me I was startled.

“He’ll see you now,” she said as she popped the gum in her mouth and rolled her eyes.

I tossed the magazine on the table, stood up and said, “Where?”

“Go on in the back. You’ll see the door marked Morris Swanson. That is, if you can read.”

I followed the rude bitch’s directions and walked toward the office. She’d better be glad my temper was easier than Bambi or Race’s.

I was the quiet one. The one who didn’t use violence first. Because if I did, I may have placed a call to have her dealt with later.

When I made it to the back I noticed his office was the same place where I first met him so I should’ve remembered.

I walked in and sat on the other side of his desk but he wasn’t there and I was irritated. When my cell phone rang I saw it was Race and answered. “What’s up?” I asked looking around.

There was a picture on his desk. He had his arm around his rude secretary and she was pregnant in the photo. I guess they were together.

Gross!

“You know the girl we have working on the file?” she asked.

I knew she was talking about Roman who was hired to kill key members in our organization who stepped out of line, and many more in the east coast bosses’ operations so that they could see that the Russian threat was real.

“Yeah, did she get the main client yet?” I asked, referring to Mellvue.

“No,” she sighed. “But I know she’s on it. She’s sick with it, Scarlett,” she said excitedly. “Already handled Felicia’s hating ass from the Southeast Kittens and Larry at Mondawmin Mall,” Race continued excitedly. Mellvue is still alive but I think over time, she will prove to be a good investment.”

I smiled hoping in the long run this Russian business would be behind us so that we could get back to enjoying each other. To spending quality time together. Everything felt so tense now. “So what can I do?”

“Well she has something going on in her personal life. She needs a white girl to pretend to be her boss at work. To make her look good.”

My eyes widened because I wasn’t expecting her to say anything like that. I wasn’t naive. I knew that some people in my race perceived themselves and other white people as superior.

But I didn’t.

I never had my family make a request to use me for my skin color until now. It didn’t bother me though. If I could help them, I would.

“She got a full time job?” I asked, surprised someone who was given a million would still be working.

“No, we got to set everything up in this building she rented like she does have a job.” She paused. “I think she’s trying to throw her husband off so that he doesn’t know what she really does for a living. Normally I wouldn’t waste my time with bullshit but I need all obstacles to be out of this chick’s way so she can do her job and Bambi can stay off my back.”

“So what is my part in all of this?”

“When I give you the word I need you to go to the building. Just answer any questions her husband or anybody else has so that things can go smoothly. We need some girls though to be your employees.”

“Okay, I’ll pay a few chicks who lookout for the cops for us in Morgan Projects.”

“Make it worth their while, Scarlett.”

“I’ll give them five hundred dollars apiece for a week to just hang out there. If Roman’s husband pops up when I’m not there, I want him to see that things are running smoothly. And when you call me I’ll go there too.”

“No doubt,” she said excitedly. She gave me all of the information and I grabbed a piece of paper and pen off of Swanson’s desk to write things down. Before I hung up, she asked, “Are you okay, Scarlett?”

I exhaled. “As okay as I’m going to be,” I said as I looked back at the door wondering where Morris was.

“Just know that I’m here. I might not agree with how you handling my little shawty but it is your decision. Besides, I been over there and you right, the family looks legit. I can tell they really love the kid.”

With raised brows, I asked, “You’ve been over there already?”

“I only been twice,” she laughed. “Denim been every day since she got the information.”

I shook my head. Denim was going to be a problem.

“I just wanted you to know that you’re not alone,” she continued.

Just as Swanson was walking in, I responded, “I know, Race. Thank you.”

When I got off the phone with her, I addressed him. “You called me here so what’s up?”

Instead of answering me, he walked behind his desk, pulled open a drawer and tossed a manila folder on top of it. “Open it.”

Slowly I reached for the folder and skimmed through the contents. My heart dropped. Everything I thought I ran away from in my past was inside. He had information about my daughter, the charges for child abuse. My parents’ names, my racist brother, everything was in the folder before me. And in the back he had a picture of the Walkers with Master clutched in Mrs. Walker’s arms.

I dropped the folder on the floor. With tears rolling down my face, I asked, “What do you want?”

“No need to cry, redhead.” He smiled. “I’ll call you with my fee. Just be ready to deliver.”

 

****

 

My knees were close to my chest and I was looking at Camp who was wearing another t-shirt with Master’s face.

It was weird.

Master was bigger now and didn’t even look the same, yet Camp still sported the same t-shirt, getting new ones made every week.

He just got off the phone with Swanson who said the case was looking hopeful. And that he would call him very soon with more information.

Things were about to blow up in my face.

I had one question to ask myself. Should I take Master away from the Walkers so that they’d never see him again or tell my husband the truth?

I didn’t know what to do.

“C…Camp,” I stuttered. “Have you given any more thought to us being together and working on our marriage?”

He exhaled and sat on the edge of his bed and put on his shoes. “Honey, the only thing on my mind right now is finding our son. I hate to be cold but it’s true.”

I held my head down. “I know, Camp. And I’m trying not to be selfish. I just want to know that if we find Master…I mean when we find Master, I want to make sure that you will still be here for me.” I paused. “I’ve given you your space. I stay out of your way and I’ve even stopped asking about our marriage. Hasn’t that told you that I’ve changed?”

“Scarlett, the only thing time apart has shown me is that I can do well without you. So while I appreciate it, it’s not working to your advantage.”

My head dropped and he moved closer to me and placed his hands on the sides of my face. It was the first time in a long time that he touched me. “I know hearing this shit hurts, which is why I didn’t want to talk about it, Scarlett. I just want you to know that I will not leave your side until Master is found. We are a team and when we find our son that still won’t change. We still have to raise him together and as his mother, I will always love you.”

A tear fell from his eye and dropped on my face. I wondered if the tears were for me or Master. No matter what, I could feel the love pouring from his body.

He pulled me in and hugged me tightly within his arms. I inhaled his expensive cologne and exhaled slowly. “I’m going to find our son, Scarlett.” He kissed the top of my head. “I promise you.”

I knew he was right and that’s what scared me the most.