After All (40 page)

“
Hello, Bob. How's the news
game these days?” Michelle looked around recognizing most of the
reporters. “Lord, what a zoo.”

“
Yeah, they smell blood all
right.” Bob frowned at her. “Sorry, champ. I forgot he’s a friend
of yours.”

“
Don't sweat it.”Michelle
gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. “Gracie with you on this
one?”

Jennifer strode up to them pointedly
ignoring Michelle. “Bob, one of the law clerks just told me Connely
is coming out that door. If we position ourselves here, he'll have
to pass right by us.”

“
Don't you think it would be
better for me to wait outside? I could get footage of the witnesses
coming into the courthouse. More dramatic.” Bob shot Michelle an
exasperated look. “You could always interview Connely on his way
out or later today.”

“
Just do what I tell you,”
Jennifer said, a peeved note in her voice.”I decide how we're going
to lead this off, okay? We'll film the witnesses
leaving.”

“
But you probably won't get
a quote then. Most of the time they're too tired or cranky after
being grilled for hours.” Michelle gave Bob a mischievous wink.
They both knew there were pros and cons to both ways, but she
enjoyed irritating Jennifer.

Jennifer's lip curled with disdain.
“Advice from you isn't worth much these days. If you were so smart,
you'd be covering the story instead of reading headlines on a dinky
radio station.”

“
Yes, but I do it with
style.” Michelle lifted her nose in the air.

“
I guess you have to tell
yourself something. Well excuse me. I have a real job to do.”
Jennifer walked off to another group of television reporters.
Glancing over her shoulder, she made it clear that Michelle was the
topic of conversation.

“
Real sweet lady, huh?” Bob
snorted.

“
Charming,” Michelle said.
She looked at her watch. “They're five minutes late.”

“
There was some kind of
delay until the DA's top investigator could bring over more
documents before the first witness.” Bob turned sharply hearing the
hum of voices behind them rise.”I better move it.”

He rushed off to stand beside
Jennifer.

Michelle started forward then froze.
The sight of Anthony, his lawyer beside him, surrounded by the
reporters made her tremble. His handsome features were blank as he
pushed his way through the crowd without speaking. Michelle knew
only too well how he must be suffering under the pressure of
constant media attention. Anthony and his attorney swung abruptly
to face the pack shooting questions at them.

Several microphones were thrust forward
abruptly. Both men blinked in the glare of a large light pointed by
a news crewman.

“
Mr. Hilliard has every
intention of cooperating with the investigation fully. That's all
we have to say at this point.” The attorney spoke in a gruff
voice.

Anthony stared ahead at no one. He
seemed to be far away from the madness that swirled around him.
Michelle knew the reporters had a job to do, yet she cringed to see
him assailed so. Suddenly Anthony's gaze found her. Michelle looked
away unable to bear the sadness and disappointment in his eyes.
When she dared glance up again, he was disappearing through the
doors of the Grand Jury room.

Moments later, Connely strode down the
hall and went through the double doors leaving one of his
assistants, a smartly dressed young woman, behind.

Adjusting wire frame eyeglasses, she
gave a chilly, professional smile.”We have no comment at this
time.”She turned disregarding questions being yelled at
her.

Jennifer turned a sober face to the
camera.”Sources tell Channel Twelve that Mr. Hilliard is being
questioned in connection to the murder of Troy Quarles. As we've
reported earlier, Mr. Quarles was a known drug dealer with a long
arrest record. He was also an employee of Mr. Hilliard at the time
of his murder. There is speculation that his death is somehow
related to drug trafficking and that Mr. Hilliard was involved.
We'll update this story at ten. This is Jennifer Lang reporting.”
She lowered the microphone once the camera was off and looked at
Michelle. “Your boyfriend is in tight spot.”

“
Being questioned isn't a
conviction or even an indictment.” Michelle wanted to convince
herself more than Jennifer.

“
I hear Troy Quarles got the
job with your boyfriend on a recommendation from Ike Batiste. You
dug up the dirt on his uncle that led the police straight to him.
Seems Mr. Hilliard has you to thank.” Jennifer smiled
maliciously.

Michelle took a step towards. “I'm sure
you have someplace you need to be, right?” Jennifer backed away and
scuttled off.

“
Don't let her get to you,
champ.” Bob shook his head watching Jennifer strut down the
hall.

“
Not to worry, she won't.
See you later.” Michelle waved goodbye to him and several others as
she left.

Michelle had all she needed for the
short news spot on WDUP. She headed back to the radio station. Once
there she wrote her copy and collected other stories from the
online news service. She finished up at six that evening, the last
news cast of the day. Too keyed up to go home, she turned her car
towards the hospital. Dominic had been moved to a regular room when
his condition was upgraded to serious.

“
Hello, sport.” Michelle
kissed the top of Dominic's bandaged head gently. “ How're you
feeling today?”She took his hand in hers.

“
Can't complain.” Dominic
smiled. He still spoke in a slow, raspy tone. “You just missed
T'aneka. I finally got her to go home.” He shifted and then pressed
a button to raise the head of his hospital bed.

Michelle pulled the smaller of two
chairs next to him. “She's a real sweet person.”

“
Very special. For the first
time in my life, I'm thinking about somebody other than me.”
Dominic grinned at her. “Those lectures Dad gave must have been
planted subliminally. Me going to work every day, sticking to one
woman at a time; and all
before
I got hit on the head.”

“
Just part of daddy's master
plan. You've been programmed, little brother,” Michelle
teased.

Dominic's expression became serious.
“One day when I was still in intensive care, I woke up and saw Dad
sitting in the corner with his head in his hands. He looked worn
down. Man, when I think of all the stupid stuff I did just to piss
him off. And there he was, right by my side.” His eyes grew bright
with tears.

“
Daddy may be a bit...
hard-nosed shall we say? But he truly wants the best for us all,”
Michelle said softly.

Wiping his eyes, Dominic chuckled.
“Yeah. For the first time in my life, we agreed I should quit my
job.”

“
Have you heard from Buster
Wilson by the way?”

“
He called yesterday. That's
when I quit. I could hear the relief in his voice on the phone.”
Dominic reached for her hand. “T'aneka told me you left the
station. I'm sorry, sis.”

“
I've already bounced back.”
Michelle gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“
I saw the news story about
Anthony. T'aneka is positive Anthony had nothing to do with Lonnie
and his gang. Now Marcus, sure. In fact, Marcus got in tight with
the Park Boulevard Posse within a few weeks of working at the
Authority.”

“
Who are they?”

“
A group of gang bangers in
the project on Park Boulevard. T'aneka knows more about it than I
do.” Dominic looked at her with worried eyes. “You and T'aneka be
careful. Those guys are running scared. They're capable of anything
on a normal day, but now...” He grimaced.

“
Take it easy.”Michelle
tried to calm his fears. “With this murder and the police bearing
down on the flow of cocaine, they've got other worries now. We'll
be all right.”

“
Anthony didn't do anything.
Lonnie sent his punks after T'aneka because she gave you those
invoices. Shantae says you broke up with him.” Dominic studied her
face.

“
You just concentrate on
getting well and forget this other garbage. Shantae talks too
much.” Michelle drummed her fingers, annoyed at her
friend.

“
Don't fuss at her. I nagged
until she told me the whole story. Chelle, just the look on your
face when his name is mentioned tells me you still love him like
crazy. Don't you put him on trial, too.”

“
I promise to think about
it.”Michelle was touched by the concern in his eyes. She gently
pushed him back against the pillows. “Now get your
rest.”

Later at home in bed, Michelle tossed
about for an hour before deciding to give up trying to sleep.
Thoughts of Anthony, Ike and Marcus chased around her head keeping
her alert and edgy. She decided to review her notes and research.
Michelle spent the night piecing together all she knew about
Charlotte Kinchen, Ike, Buster, and James Bridges. None of it led
to Anthony. Michelle fingered the sheets of paper in front of her.
At least she knew with certainty that Anthony was not a criminal.
That was something. But the gulf between them was still too great.
How could he ever forgive her for doubting him? Michelle pushed the
mound of newspaper clippings aside to uncover her cordless phone.
Though they would never be together, she could at least help get at
the truth.

***

“
You sure you don't know
anything 'bout where he is?” Lonnie spoke in an even tone. He sat
in the chair across from her desk watching her face
carefully.

“
How many times are you
going to ask me that?” Charlotte snapped.

“
Seems strange he ain't
tried to call or see you. He was hot for you.”

“
James may not be the
brightest man in the world, but he's not a complete idiot. I think
he suspected I was seeing someone else.” Charlotte chewed the
eraser of the pencil she held. “He acted kind of distracted the
last time we... saw each other.” Gripping the pencil tightly, she
shot a guarded look at Lonnie.

“
Humph, took the sucker long
enough.” Lonnie shrugged.

Charlotte's shoulders relaxed. “Ike
could be hiding him. He's certainly has a lot to lose if James
talks.”

“
Ike does seem to be playin'
it mighty cool now that you mentioned it. Maybe I oughta pay him a
visit,” Lonnie grumbled.

“
I'll save you the trip.”
Ike pushed the door to Charlotte's office shut with a bang. “You
got somethin' you wanna ask me?”

“
Yeah. Matter of fact I do.”
Lonnie rose from the chair to face him. “Got any ideas where to
find your pal, Bridges?”

“
No. What else?” Ike stood
with his legs apart and both hands on his hips.

“
Now why do I find that
kinda hard to believe?” Lonnie's nostrils flared. His gaze raked
Ike from head to toe aggressively.

“
Because you're an ignorant
fool who ain't got sense enough to conduct business without lettin'
the police know your every move,” Ike said with a growl. “Course I
was stupid for not seein' that. After all you been in and out of
prison so many times, they got a uniform embroidered with a
permanent number just for you.”

Lonnie snarled like an enraged pit
bull. He launched across the room clutching for Ike's throat. Ike
jabbed his fist into Lonnie's mid-section with one quick motion,
then drove it into his chin knocking him against the far wall. Ike
kicked him twice in the side when he tried to stand.

“
Oh my God!” Charlotte
cowered in a corner trying to get as far from them as she
could.

“
Get up!” Ike bellowed at
Lonnie. “Get up, I said!”

A group of large men rushed into the
room.

Lonnie struggled to his feet coughing
painfully. He grimaced with the effort to stand
straight.

“
I kept telling him we don't
know where James is, Ike.” Charlotte stood close to Ike looking at
Lonnie with dispassionate eyes. She placed a hand on Ike's
forearm.

“
You back stabbing bitch,”
Lonnie growled through swelling lips.

“
You're fired. Charlotte,
take care of the paperwork. Of course, your parole officer will
have to be notified.” Ike nodded to the men. Two of them moved
forward and grabbed Lonnie's arms.

“
This ain't over,” Lonnie
yelled at them as he was dragged from of the room.

“
You better hope it is,
fool,” Ike said in a rough dangerous voice.

***

“
Thanks for coming.”Michelle
gave LaWanda a hug after closing her front door.

Lawanda strolled in and took a seat.
“Girl, you know I'm gonna help you. Besides, you just crazy enough
to bring your silly butt back over to the project.”

“
The tenants group members
had anymore problems? I've been out of touch what with spending
time with my brother and not being at Channel Twelve anymore.”
Michelle handed her a diet soda.

“
Nah, child. We got security
patrols now. The big boys from HUD in D. C. showed up a few weeks
ago. They hired a group of the men who was unemployed as security
guards. It's workin' out nice. They get a salary for it and doin'
simple repairs, too. Besides, the cops put some heat on them
gangsters.” LaWanda chuckled. “They got more than us to worry 'bout
these days.”