All I Want Is Forever (29 page)

“I'd like to make some comments,” Jim said quickly.

“Go ahead, sir,” the chairwoman said.

Jim began with a summary of the evidence used to convict Monette. He made a fervent, and in Talia's view, persuasive argument that the circumstances had
not fit the sentence. Then he talked about the men who had testified against her after cutting deals with the district attorney. The reference to Barron riveted every listener. The parole board members seemed to lean forward as one in anticipation.

“My client has made a lot of mistakes in her life. The biggest one was starting an affair with a man who had the power to take away her freedom. Poor judgment? You bet. Bad choices? Too many to mention. But look at the evidence used to send her to prison for forty years to life. The entire case was built on the testimony of men who plea bargained for lighter sentences. These men had prior convictions for drug dealing. Ms. Victor had none.” Jim paused and looked at each member of the board. “Not one, ladies and gentlemen. So why did she get the most harsh sentence? Revenge plain and simple. You can't give her back the fifteen years she's lost. But you can right a wrong. Until Ms. Victor can clear her name of this crime, please grant her request for parole.”

One of the members cleared his throat and spoke into the mike. Talia craned her neck until she could see the nameplate in front of him. Samuel Broussard had huge shoulders and iron gray hair.

“Mr. Rand, you made a powerful presentation. Now what proof do you have that your client was framed, and by the district attorney no less?”

“We have receipts from hotels. Ms. Victor went to cities at the same time Mr. Barron attended various law enforcement conferences. Dates she was arrested and released immediately are documented with calls from Mr. Winn's office. He personally made those calls. At least two sheriff's deputies will testify.” Jim started to go on when another board member, Harriet DeMille, spoke up.

“More circumstantial evidence that could mean
nothing,” she said. Ms. DeMille frowned. “Still, we should consider her record in prison and the evidence about her previous life.”

“I agree,” the chairwoman added. “Ms. Victor has done very well in prison. But can she resist returning to her former lifestyle once released? Not only that, this is one of many dramatic stories she's told.”

Talia closed her eyes tight as the debate went on. The woman from the victims' rights organization spoke about the impact of drugs on the community. Larry Perrilloux spoke next. Curiously, he only answered questions about the investigation and the prosecution. He avoided offering any opinion on the quality of the case or Winn Barron's behavior while he was district attorney.

“I can only say that there is no hard evidence to support Ms. Victor's allegations.” Perrilloux closed the folder he'd consulted.

“Thank you.” The chairwoman made notes.

Derrick rested a hand on her shoulder. The weight of it seemed to anchor her. She placed a hand over his and felt the heat seep through her. With a sigh she looked up at him in gratitude. Her brother Karl walked in, still wearing his dark blue work shirt and pants. He nodded to Talia.

“Family members or friends of Ms. Victor can make comments.” The chairwoman looked at the audience.

Karl raised a hand. “I'd like to say a few things.” He made his way to the front and sat down.

“And you are?”

“Karl Marchand. I'm her son. My mama has done a lot of bad. In prison she had a chance to do some good finally. Now you might say she didn't have no choice. But she did. Plenty folks sit in prison just doin' time. They keep right on livin' that gangsta lifestyle, only
behind bars. It's gangs in here, too.” Karl rubbed his hands together nervously and swallowed hard.

“Before you bring it up I'm gonna tell you. Monette didn't raise me. Fact is all her kids grew up bein' jerked from one place to another. Yeah, I'm still mad about some of what I went through. But that don't mean I want her in prison for somethin' she didn't do. Uh, thank you.”

Karl got up and went to Monette. He hugged her briefly before moving on. Talia watched him walk with his head up as reporters took his picture. Except for a brief smile, Karl didn't acknowledge her. She knew why. They were all protecting her.

“Excuse me, I want to speak.” Talia stood up.

“Talia, are you sure you want to do this?” Derrick said low.

She looked at him for a few seconds then took a deep breath and let it out. “No.”

Talia strode forward. Hearing another set of footsteps, she looked back to find Derrick right behind her. He smiled and took her hand. In spite of her show of courage, Talia felt a flood of relief at the touch of his strong hand. They both sat down at the table. Derrick leaned toward her and put a hand around the back of her chair. Talia drew some measure of strength from his strong presence, but she had to face the past on her own.

“State your name and interest in this hearing,” the chairwoman said.

“My name is Talia Marchand. I'm a consultant based in Washington, D.C. I have been working with Senator Kelvin Jackson to modify Louisiana's mandatory-sentencing laws. My interest is both professional and personal. I'm also Ms. Victor's daughter.”

Video and still cameras went crazy whirring and
clicking in her direction. A hum of voices came from the spectators. Talia ignored them.

“Oh God!” Monette said softly.

“Mandatory-sentencing laws were passed with the sincere intention to protect the public. In theory it should work. Crooks are encouraged to testify against other, more dangerous crooks. These ‘America's Most Wanted' are then taken off the streets. But time after time it's been found that the opposite happens. What happens is that crooks lie, something that shouldn't surprise us. In order to save their own skins they cut deals based on lies. They accuse others of the crimes they themselves committed.”

“Excuse me, but if that's true then the case against these defendants would fall apart,” Mr. Broussard said.

“You would think so, but not as often as you'd like to believe. Mistakes are made. Motives are not always pure on the part of prosecutors or law enforcement personnel,” Talia replied. “In six months she will have served fifteen and a half years. She's changed. Please grant her request.”

When she stood, Talia's legs felt weak. Derrick held her elbow to steady her. Monette rushed forward and hugged her tightly as the cameras clicked away to catch the moment.

“You shouldna done it. Now he's gonna come after you, too,” Monette whispered. She wiped tears from her face, then kissed Talia on the cheek.

“I had to for me as much as you,” Talia said.

“Take good care of yourself, sugar.”

The female guard put a hand on Monette's arm. “I hate to do it, but…”

She nodded toward the stern-faced chairwoman, her gavel poised to bang on the table. Talia walked to her seat. Derrick spoke to Jim for a few seconds, then joined her. They watched as the board members put
their heads together. The chairwoman covered the microphone with one hand so they wouldn't be overheard. After five minutes they all seemed satisfied.

“The board members need more time to deliberate. We're going to review the testimony, request additional documents, and report our decision within a week.” She quickly adjourned the hearing and followed the others as they exited quickly through a nearby side door.

The swarm of reporters divided. One group crowded around Monette and Jim. The other half closed in on Talia. Derrick held out one long arm as they walked.

“Let us through, please. No more comments.” Derrick cleared a path to the exit. The reporters left once they realized neither of them would answer any questions.

“Thanks,” Talia said. She started to touch his face but restrained herself. “I owe you one. Again.”

“Nah, that was a freebie.” Derrick grinned at her, then became serious again. “You were really something in there. I know what it took.”

“Temporary insanity,” Talia quipped. She drew in a shaky breath.

“You okay to drive home?” He gazed at her intently.

“I'll be fine once I throw up a few times.” She tried to smile and failed. The sick feeling in her stomach was all too real.

“Guess that's it then.” Derrick looked at the ground.

“Yes, I guess so.” Talia tensed against the urge to reach for him.

“I think you're going to do even better now. The craziness will die down one of these days. Then you can get back to normal.”

“In another ten years or so maybe.” Talia nodded toward the mass of reporters in a tight circle around Jim.

Derrick steered her farther away and out of their line
of sight. “Jim will keep them busy for a while. You go. Listen, I won't see you before you leave.”

“We, I mean, the time we had together was…” Talia swallowed hard at the memories. Images of his brown skin in the sun, the taste of his mouth, and the scent of his hair after he'd taken a shower would cling forever.

“I know.” Derrick leaned forward and gave her a prim kiss on the forehead.

Before she could react he spun around and walked away. Talia stared at him with a pounding in her veins with each step. She savored each graceful stride of his strapping legs. “Go after him!” a small voice whispered. In only a few moments he was yards away. Then he opened the door of his 4Runner. The sight nudged her to follow. Suddenly a man walked in front of her.

“Ms. Marchand, Chad Brister with Channel 6 news.” The reporter stuck a microphone in her face.

Talia backed away. His words sounded like a scratching buzz in her ears. More reporters surrounded her within seconds. Jim appeared and helped her push her way through and get into her car. All she wanted was to escape.

A month later Talia sat in her office staring out at the Washington, D.C., traffic. Still bumper-to-bumper at seven o'clock, headlights danced along like giant fireflies. A thick issue of the
Times-Picayune
lay on her desk. She stared at the bold headlines of the New Orleans paper. Each word reminded her of why she'd left Louisiana. The media frenzy had driven her to run once again. All the details of her childhood had been dredged up, with help from Winn Barron, of course. Monette's request for parole had been denied the next day. No one was surprised. And now this. Talia squeezed her eyes shut. Hoping to ward off another gigantic headache that threatened, she massaged her temples.

Her boss stuck his head in the door. “You holding up okay, kiddo?”

“I'm fine, Pete. I was fine the first ten times you asked me.” Talia smiled at him weakly. “Thanks for asking again.”

“Just checking. Go home. Working all hours isn't the answer.” Pete pointed a forefinger at her. “I mean it, young lady.”

“Yes, sir.” Talia gave him a mock salute that he returned with a grin. He left, and still she didn't move.

Jasmine came into her office a few minutes later. “Hello, girlfriend. Let's go out for dinner. I'm craving Thai food. What do you say?”

“Pete sent you in here.” Talia squinted at her.

“No, he did not,” Jasmine tossed back. “You've been skipping lunches, burying yourself in work. It's not healthy.”

“And some Thai food is just what I need?” Talia rolled her stiff shoulders.

“Works for me.” Jasmine peered at the open newspaper.

“Uh, this thing with the bones being found, are you going back to Louisiana?”

“I don't know,” Talia replied after a long pause.

She stared at the full spread devoted to Monette, Winn Barron, and the District Attorney's Office in Pointe Coupee Parish. Jasmine cleared her throat minutes later.

“This is bad, girl.”

“Tell me about it,” Talia replied.

“I don't mean what's happening back home.” Jasmine nodded at the newspapers. “I'm worried about you.”

“I'm okay.” Talia avoided her gaze.

“Hey, this is me you're talking to. I hardly see you outside the office. Last week Erika and the gang were surprised you were back in town.
Nobody
sees you these days.”

“I've been busy catching up after being gone so long.” Talia picked up her pen and twisted it in her hands.

“Try again. You've been walking around like a zombie since you got back from Louisiana.” Jasmine
pursed her lips for a few seconds. “And since you left Derrick behind.”

Talia opened her mouth to protest, but couldn't. “Damn, Jas! Is it that obvious?”

“Open up. You've been carrying around too much baggage, dealing with it by yourself.”

“You sound like Mama Rose now.” Talia smiled sadly.

“She's a very wise woman. What's going on, girl?”

Talia turned her chair enough so that she could look out the window. She shook her head and sighed. When tears threatened, she pressed her fingertips to her eyes to hold them back. For weeks she'd lost sleep. Food seemed tasteless, and no amount of sunshine could brighten her days. Work didn't offer the satisfaction it had only a few months ago. The usual round of parties and hanging out with young power brokers no longer appealed to her. There was no denying the simple truth. She missed Derrick every hour of the day. Talia ached to see his smile, hear his voice, and, even more, to feel his touch.

“Call him,” Jasmine said quietly.

“And say what? He's got a right to despise me. I jerked him around by jumping in and then out of his life. All because I can't deal with my past.” Talia's throat tightened as she suppressed a sob. “He deserves better. He deserves a woman he can count on. You know what I finally figured out now?”

Jasmine went to Talia and put an arm around her shoulder. “What, babe?”

“I love him and that's all that matters. Not what happened sixteen years ago or what's happening now.” Talia took a deep breath and let it out. She sat straight and patted Jasmine's hand. “I'm fine now.”

“Sure you are.” Jasmine gazed down at her.

“I shouldn't have stayed away from my family all these years,” Talia said. “We're not exactly the Brady Bunch, but they're mine, and I love 'em.”

“Is that enough?”

“I'll survive.” Talia forced a smile and waved a hand toward the door. “Now stop hovering and get some work done.”

“Fine, but you're coming to dinner with me. No excuses.” Jasmine pointed a finger at her.

“Alright. Geez, you're pushy all of a sudden,” Talia grumbled.

“Call my office when you're ready to leave,” Jasmine said in a firm tone.

“Okay. I—” Talia broke off abruptly and blinked hard.

Derrick seemed to have appeared out of thin air in the open doorway. Dressed in an indigo blue pullover sweater and matching denim slacks, a dark tan all-weather coat was draped over one arm. His warm nut-brown skin looked smooth and sleek against the dark colors. He towered over them when he walked in. Talia felt a rush of heat at the way his body moved. Trying to sleep for the last four weeks had been almost impossible. She'd hungered for him, burned to feel his touch.

“Hi, Talia.” He smiled at Jasmine. “Hello.”

Jasmine gaped at him. “Wow! I mean, hi.”

“Hello, and I'm stunned.” Talia stared at him.

“I was just leaving.” Jasmine sprang to her feet. She pumped his hand. “Real nice seeing you again! Ahem, perfect timing,” she added in a stage whisper and gave him the thumbs-up sign. She winked at Talia, then left.

“I see you know.” Derrick tilted his head to indicate the headlines.

“How did Earl's body get to Wilkinson County, Mississippi?” Talia shook her head.

“You were right, Monette had help. The press doesn't know it yet, but Jerome Hines is talking. In fact, we can't get him to shut up.” Derrick sat down.

“We?”

Derrick tossed his coat over the chair next to him. “I'm working as a contract investigator for the U.S. Attorney in Lafayette.”

“All very secret since the reporters don't seem to have missed much.”

“After those attacks on him and Monette, you better believe it's being kept quiet. Barron is sweating it out, too. He doesn't know a thing, but he suspects he's about to go down and—”

“Wait a minute.” Talia got up and closed her door. She sat in the chair next to him facing her desk. “Don't tell me Monette is in even worse trouble.”

“It's complicated.” Derrick crossed one long leg over the other.

“Well, we are talking about Monette.” Talia heaved a sigh. “Let me have it.”

“On a hunch I checked on the land where they found the body. It's a stretch of woods owned by Hines's family. With that connection and a little bit of pressure he decided to cooperate. He claims Earl overdosed.” Derrick shrugged. “I was sure he'd point the finger at Monette. He shocked us all, especially Barron.”

“His conscience was bothering him,” Talia said.

“Hines? I don't believe it.” Derrick waved a hand.

“No, it's true. I talked to him at the parole board hearing. He felt bad about Monette being set up.”

“Not bad enough to tell the truth fifteen years ago,” Derrick said with a dubious frown. “Finding out about that property was just the first step. I found more that linked him to Earl. He started talking to save his butt.”

“I didn't say he was perfect.” Talia wore a wry smile.

“Anyway, he confirmed that Monette had an affair with Barron. Hines has told us just how Barron set her up when she broke up with him. A special parole board hearing is scheduled. There's not much doubt Monette will be released. Once this hits she might even get a full pardon.”

“And Barron? He shouldn't get away with what he's done,” Talia said with bitterness.

“He's taken a leave of absence from his office. Health reasons. The truth is he's huddling with a team of top criminal defense attorneys.” Derrick wore a hard smile. “I expect he'll be on the other side of the justice system soon, as a defendant.”

“So things will get even messier.” Talia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Yeah. He and Hines are scrambling to dump on each other.”

“One thing about it, Monette keeps life interesting. I'll bet she signs a fat book and movie deal before the year is out.” Talia opened her eyes again.

“She's got an agent already. Jim's law students have received national attention. They might all end up in a movie of the week.”

Talia laughed and shook her head slowly. “I knew she'd end up in show business one day. And they all lived happily ever after.”

Derrick's smile melted. “Not quite.” He stood and picked up his coat. “Anyway, I was in the neighborhood and decided to tell you before it came out in the news.”

“You sure took the long way home from work.” Talia rose and searched his face.

“Yeah, well.” He avoided her gaze and started to put on his coat.

“Wait a minute.” Talia stood. “Maybe I'll just happen to be in your neighborhood soon.”

“Not a good idea.” He didn't move.

“Since I let the dogs out, might as well face 'em. Did you really come all this way just to tell me about Hines? I thought you'd just as soon never see me again.”

“Looking out for you is a hard habit to break. I might have mentioned that a few times.” Derrick gazed at her. “You have a way of driving me crazy,” he said softly.

“You kept digging. Barron and those crooks might have come after you, Derrick.”

“I'll never learn, huh? Way too much drama with me.” Derrick looked around the smart style of her corner office and smiled at her. “Good-bye, Talia.”

Talia's heart ached when he walked to the door. “Derrick, wait.” He turned and faced her. “I thought I needed to wipe the slate clean, leave everything from my past behind. I was wrong, so wrong.”

Derrick's impassive expression shook her. They stared at each other in silence for several minutes. Talia walked back to her desk. She turned her back to him and stared out the window, unable to stand the sight of Derrick walking out of her life for good.

“Anyway, thanks for coming,” she said over her shoulder. His muscular arms wrapped around her from behind.

“If you want me to stay, then say so, baby girl,” he said. His lips caressed her earlobe.

Talia leaned against his solid chest and closed her eyes. “Please stay with me.”

“The answer is yes.” He rubbed his face against her cheek.

“What about your career? And how will we work a long-distance relationship? I can't expect you—”

“I really like D.C. A sexy lady once told me about all the opportunities around here for a guy with my ex
pertise.” Derrick pulled her tight against his body. “I think she was trying to entice me.”

“I think you're right. Did it work?” Talia squirmed against him, eager to feel the warmth of his desire.

“Oh, yeah.”

Talia turned in his arms and pressed her lips to his. “Very good,” she murmured, her voice muffled by their kiss.