Evidence of Desire: Hero Series 3 (22 page)

Hearing Parker talk with her father about grandbabies and future holiday had caused warmth to spread in her belly. Even when they were together before, she never thought about children. Work and school had consumed her. Staring at the two important men in her life she wanted that. Wanted Parker to hold their child and her dad to bounce little ones on his knee.

That image had stayed with her the whole time they were in Philadelphia and now home. She still knew she and Parker needed time before they looked to another marriage and a family, but she was finally all right with it, whenever it came.

“Nap or food?”

“I’d like to sleep for a day, but my stomach would probably rebel.” She smiled at him as he came around the couch and sat.

He slipped her shoes off then placed them in his lap and began rubbing her feet. “What do you have a taste for?”

“Nothing. I want to stay right here.”

He chuckled and added more pressure to the arch of her feet. “I can order take out.”

“No. I think I’ve had enough fast food as I can stand.” She sighed as his fingers hit a spot that caused a tingle to move up the inside of her thigh. “I have stuff for lasagna. I’ll make that…in a minute.”

“How about I help you?” He switched the massage to the other foot. “I follow instructions pretty well.”

Parker was smart, but he couldn’t boil water without a timer. She enjoyed spending time with him so she’d find something for him to do. “That sounds like a plan.”

Two hours later, Parker was pouring wine into their glasses. “I think we make one hell of a team.”

Staring down at the cooled slice of lasagna on her plate next to a salad she smiled. The tomatoes were all different sizes and the lettuce was both chopped and torn, not to mention the carrots were almost dipping size, but she would eat it proudly because Parker had put it together with love. “I think you’re right. This is the prettiest salad I’ve ever seen anyone make.”

“I’ll take the complement even if you are being kind.” He set her glass beside her plate then leaned down and kissed her.

“I was really, really kind.” she cajoled.

“You say that again and I may have to give you a bigger reward.” His tone dropped to that husky, seductive level she loved.

Her stomach chose that moment to growl.

“Eat.” He winked at her and went to the seat across from her.

They said grace together.

After he took his first bite, he groaned. “I forgot how much I love your lasagna.” He was already lifting a second healthy bite to his mouth. “Remind me to show my gratitude later.”

“Oh, I won’t forget,” she admitted.

They ate and talked. Parker filled her in on the museum and how that atmosphere had changed since she’d been gone.

“Simeon calls me every day, but I still miss it.”

“You’ll be back soon.” He covered her hand with his. “Even my spiders miss you,” he teased.

“Eww.” Just the thought of his exhibit made her skin crawl. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“They fascinate me. You don’t have to be afraid of them. Most spiders are not predators. They want to stay out of your way. If you keep calm around them, don’t make sudden moves that they might consider threatening they will just continue on their way.”

“I’d prefer not to need that information.” She ate a bite of salad. “If they keep to their habitat, I won’t go looking for something hard to throw at them.”

He gasped and grabbed at his chest dramatically. “Hey, as long as you use one of your Mosely piece to do it.”

“What? No way.” She knew that Parker remembered how much she loved the sculptured work of Thaddeus Mosely. Art was just as important to her as his insects were to Parker.

The doorbell ended their scrimmage.

“Are you expecting someone?” He sipped his wine.

“No.” She started to rise. It was almost three in the afternoon on a Saturday. She wasn’t expecting a delivery of any kind.

“I’ll get it.” He placed a restraining hand over hers. He was protective of her since they got the news about the attempt on her life. The FBI had called her while she was gone and told her that they had a significant lead, but until they had someone apprehended an officer would be assigned to her 24 hours.

He walked out of the kitchen. A few minutes later she could hear a woman’s voice.

“Hi. Sorry to show up unannounced but I only had an address to go by.”

“Who are you?” Parker asked.

Curious, Sonya moved toward the living room, keeping out of sight. Thankfully her front door opened in the other direction.

“I’m Karen Young, with Young and Associates at Law.”

The woman must have handed him a card because Sonya saw him reach and look down before asking, “How can I help you?”

“Yes. I’m looking for a Mrs. Hayden…no, a Mrs. Watson. I have this as her last forwarding address.”

Hearing her name and the woman being a lawyer, Sonya came forth. She stood next to Parker. “I’m Ms. Watson.”

The black woman, dressed in a semiprofessional outfit of slacks and blouse held her hand out to Sonya. “Nice to meet you. Is there somewhere we can speak privately? I won’t take much of your time.”

“You may come in.” She stepped back, moving Parker from his bodyguard position.

Once the woman was in and settled in a chair in her living room and Sonya and Parker occupying the couch, she said, “I’m curious why a lawyer is here to see me.”

“Can I speak freely?” Ms. Young indicated Parker with a nod in his direction.

Sonya smiled. “Yes. This is Parker, I don’t have anything to hide from. At least not that I know of.”

“Parker Hayden?”

Parker looked at Sonya with a frown at the woman’s tone. “Do I know you?”

“No. No.” She waved her hand away as she reached in her briefcase and removed some papers. “Your being here just makes my job easier.”

“I’m not understanding?” Sonya was completely confused. There wasn’t any situation that would concern her and Parker together.

“Mr. Hayden and Mrs. Watson, you all are probably more familiar with my father. Daniel Young.”

“Nope.” Parker shook his head. “Not that I recall.”

However, Sonya was familiar with the name. “He was the lawyer that I used some years ago. He had an office downtown D.C. not too far from the Mall.” She glanced at Parker. “He handled our divorce.”

“Oh.” His tone was subdued. “I don’t even remember what firm’s name was on it.”

“Yes. He was a one man show.” Ms. Young’s eyes held a prideful glow.

“I didn’t have any further deals with him in over five years now,” Sonya explained.

“I’m sure of that since my father has been deceased in about that same amount of time.”

“I’m sorry.” Sonya remembered the older man being nice. A fatherly-type when she needed one at the time she sought to dissolve her marriage to Parker. “He was kind.”

“He was. It was sudden. A brain aneurism.” The woman exhaled as if she still struggled with his lost.

Sonya thought about her own father and how close she’d come to losing him this week. She hurt for the woman.

“I recently decide to finally go through the stuff from my father’s downtown office. My mother wants to move to a smaller place. Since I’m a family lawyer like he was, I’m going through the papers and handling them accordingly.”

Waiting, Sonya still wasn’t sure why the woman was here.

Ms. Young handed her and Parker a stack of all too familiar papers, now slightly yellowed at the edges. “Since you and Mr. Hayden reconciled I guess you all can shred these papers.”

Parker flipped towards the end pages and saw both their signatures there with the dates. “Why would we destroy our divorce papers? That doesn’t make since.”

“But, their just papers. They were never filed at the court. As you will see on the last page there’s no judges signature.”

Almost simultaneously, she and Parker turned to the last page. It was blank.

“How could this happen?” Sonya’s heart was beating so fast she felt dizzy.

“Why didn’t your father submit them to a judge?” Parker questioned.

“As I said, he passed away. Unfortunately, it happened the day after he received the certified papers from you Mr. Hayden. I originally tried a forwarding address for your California residence but there wasn’t one.”

Sonya knew it was true because Hayden was in the Rainforest for a few years.

“You didn’t realize you never got a divorce decree?” Parker asked Sonya.

“So much happened around that time.” Sonya really felt sick now. She placed a hand on her stomach. The lasagna was threatening to make a return trip. “My internship was ending. I was traveling around doing interviews at different museums. Soon I was packing up and moving to Charlotte to manage the department.” She shook her head. She felt like a fool.
How could I have allowed something so important to slip by unnoticed?

“Since it was just him the office closed down,” Ms. Young continued. “His paralegal packed up all the papers and my mom had them delivered and stored in the attic. I came here today to right the oversight and let you know I could redraft them and have them submitted to a judge. Is that still necessary?”

“I can see and understand you’re shocked by the news. You all have my card. Just let me know in a few weeks what you decide.” The lawyer rose to her feet. “I have a long drive back to Alexandria so I will be heading out.”

Parker stood with the woman and escorted her to the door.

Sonya was paralyzed, she couldn’t move.

Once the front door was closed and locked, she expected him to say something to her. Rail or question her about her stupidity. He was more than justified. She buried her head in her hands and waited.

A few minutes later, she heard him in the kitchen. The sound of dishes being scraped and stuff being moved around.

Not knowing what to say to him besides ‘I’m sorry’, which didn’t seem like enough, she got up. She walked to her room and lay down on her bed. Sleep, she wanted to sleep. It was the coward’s way out, but she was going to take it.

~ML~

After cleaning the kitchen and putting the food away, Parker returned to the living room. Sonya was no longer sitting on the couch looking as if she’d just watched a train wreck. It had caused his heart to bleed for her when he saw how disillusioned she was. Was it because all these years she’d believed herself free of him? That their divorce had meant some kind of new life for her. When he moved here she had been in a relationship with the Councilman. What if she’d married Daryl believing she was divorced from him?

That thought made him angry. Not at Sonya, but at the image of her linked to any other man but him.

He located her in the room. She was fast asleep. Even in sleep she didn’t appear at rest. She was balled up on the far side of the bed with her back to the door. She looked alone and fragile. He wasn’t sure what this news meant for them. If it would set back the strides they had already made and the new levels of trust they had established between them.

Right now, there wasn’t much he could do except show her that he was here. That he wasn’t going anywhere and she could count on him. He went back into the kitchen and did what he did best in that area of the house, boiled water. He filled the kettle that was on the back burner of the stove then placed it on simmer. Sonya wasn’t one to take a long nap. When she was stressed generally no more than an hour relaxed her. So he’d prepare her favorite mint tea for her and set it on the nightstand.

Knowing he was still married to her changed nothing for him personally. He’d come to Charlotte to get his wife back and in a blessed way he’d never really lost her. Now, how could he convince Sonya to keep them progressing and see this as a Godsend was another issue altogether. But, they’d come this far and he wasn’t giving up hope. Never.

“Wow, Sonya. You and Parker are still married? I still can’t believe it.” Charmagne said for the third time in their fifteen-minute conversation.

“Will you stop repeating that,” she ordered her friend as she meandered through the designer store in the mall. It was a week away from Christmas and she still didn’t know what to get Parker. Nothing she came across seemed sufficient. She didn’t want to just get him anything. It had to be perfect. Sunday after the lawyer had presented them with a grenade Parker had taken her out to look for a live Christmas tree.

“Sorry. What did, Parker say? What does he want you all to do about it?”

“He hasn’t said anything.”

“Nothing? That’s strange.” Charmagne spoke the words Sonya had been wondering. Why hadn’t her
husband
said anything?

Almost a week later, she was still waiting for the device to explode. They laughed, talked, smiled and made love like rabbits in heat but they steered clear of the conversation about their non-divorce. This weekend she had plans for them to talk about it. Tonight he was taking her to dinner and a movie. In a little over an hour she was meeting him at a little Sushi and Martini bar. It was mid-point between the job and her house. Which she started to think of as their house.

“Well, what do you want to do? You’re the one that initiated the divorce back then.”

That was part of her nervousness. She didn’t want to do anything about it. In the times Parker and her had started seeing each other exclusively and he had moved in, even though it was because there was a threat on her life, it was wonderful. She could not recall ever being this happy before. Not even when they first started dating in college. This man was her best friend, her colleague and her lover. She enjoyed being with him and having him come home to her. Each morning she woke with a smile on her face because he was there. She loved him.

“Sonya?”

“I love him.” It felt good to say it out loud. She wanted to shout it from the top of the Bank of America Corporate Center.

Charmagne laughter tickled her ear. “It’s about time you realized that.”

“What do you mean?” Sonya walked out of the store smiling and feeling giddy.

“Charles and I could see it all over you when we came down for your performance. You looked so shattered when Parker didn’t stay and go out with us. We thought you wouldn’t be able to keep it together through dinner.” Charmagne continued, “Not to mention that you have never dated anyone else since your so-called divorce.”

“Not true. There was Daryl.” She tossed out feeling victorious. Sonya walked along through the mall looking for the restroom sign. So close to the holiday the place was crowded even during the day and she hoped there wouldn’t be a line.

“Please. How long did you let him take you out? I don’t even recall you telling me you all kissed. If you did, it didn’t go far beyond that.”

“I don’t tell you everything,”

“Yes you do,” Charmagne declared. “Now I’m just waiting for you to tell me why you have so much free time these days to keep calling me during the day.”

Damn, she was busted. “What do you mean? Can’t a girl check up on her best friend who’s pregnant?”

“Pregnant not an invalid. So, spill it.”

Sonya sighed. “I’m taking some time off from the museum right now.”

“For real? I thought your new exhibit would keep you tied down into the New Year?”

The thought of the African Artifacts exhibit placed a damper on her mood. The project had meant a lot to her and she’d put so much into getting it approved only to have it be swept out from under her by an evil person. Reason she had her shadow following her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the plain clothed officer ten steps behind her. “Yea, well it is complicated. But, I don’t have time to explain it now. I promise I will soon.” Like after you give birth.

She finally found the bathroom and headed down the back hall. She was more than thankful it was empty compared to the rest of the mall.

“At least tell me you’re alright.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I have my husband with me remember?”

They both laughed as they said ‘I love yous’ and ‘good-byes’.

Placing her phone into her purse she rushed into the bathroom for a little bladder relief.

~ML~

“Soni-love, I left work a little early. Just meet me at the house instead of the bar. We can ride together.” Parker tapped his Bluetooth button to disconnect the call after he’d left the message. He traveled up Tryon as he left a store instead of work. He’d left work over an hour ago because he wanted pick up Sonya’s Christmas gift. Now, he wanted to get it to the house, wrapped and under the tree. She’d told him she was going to go to the mall for holiday shopping today and wouldn’t be at the house.

It was the reason he was rushing. He wasn’t sure where she was. The mall was closer to the house than to the restaurant and if she got his message she could beat him there.

When he arrived he was thankful she wasn’t home yet. Fifteen minutes he had the gift wrapped and placed. He checked his watch then pulled his cell from his back pocket. Pressing the number that would call her he listened to it connect and start ringing.

There was a knock at the door. Holding the phone to his ear as he crossed the room, he wondered why she wasn’t picking up.

He opened the door to find Agent Williams and Hampton, Mr. Chastain and Mrs. Drummond at his door. A boulder began to settle in his gut.

Sonya’s message started and finished with a beep. “Sweetheart, call me when you get this.”

“Dr. Hayden, may we come in?” Agent Hampton asked. There was a smile on her lips, but it was one of kindness or sympathy instead of happiness.

It was disturbing to him.

“What happened to Sonya?” Parker asked as he stepped back to admit them.

They filed in and stood in a semi-circle except Ms. Drummond who moved around the room looking at the artwork.

“Maybe you should sit down.” Agent Hampton offered.

“Give it to me straight.” If they were here to tell him that they’d arrested Sonya on some trumped up charges or she was hurt he needed to be standing to beat the shit out of someone or leave to be by her side. It hadn’t escaped his notice that they didn’t ask to talk to Sonya.

Williams stepped forward. “We’ve discovered who’s behind the drugs and forgery at the museum. Our agents are going after them now.”

Perfect. Maybe Sonya was at the station answering questions to help close the case. However, the sinking feeling still didn’t leave him. “Who was it?”

“Director Kravers.” Ms. Drummond spoke from where she stood behind the couch studying the portrait hanging there. She turned. “He’s the one I’m concerned with. He was caught earlier today at a storage unit on the Northside trying to off load some pieces.”

That would explain why the man wasn’t at work today. They were supposed to have their annual managers meeting, but it was cancelled at the last minute. “Pieces?”

“Yes. There was a painting, two sculptures as well as the Grooved Sphere that were recovered.”

Parker rubbed his head. “I don’t understand.”

“Kravers was in debt up to two hundred thousand dollars.” Williams spoke up. “He had a serious gambling problem. He’d borrowed money from the wrong people. People who had connections on our Most Wanted list. They used the financial leverage and threats to work this plan with Kravers. Using the museum shipments to bring in drugs to the U.S. from Africa.”

Shaking his head, something with their ex-boss behavior started to become clearer. “That’s why out of the blue Kravers finally after years approved Sonya’s exhibit.”

“In order for the drugs to pass someone had to have copies of original photos. Kravers had the request forms with the list of pieces that Ms. Watson submitted to him. He just had to access her files and ship them to his contact and wait until they told him they were complete.” Ms. Drummond moved around the couch closer to them all. “Only the museum and the insurance company gets that. Their more detailed than what is put in the paper or magazines. Things like paintings without the frame. So, I knew it had to be an inside job. I just had to figure out
who
inside the QMM.”

“You rode Sonya hard thinking it was her.” Parker eyed the insurance recovery agent recalling the suspicious looks she’d given Sonya.

“No. Eliminating her,” Ms. Drummond declared.

“The K-9 squad confirmed there were multiple pieces involved. Evidently they were waiting for items to be moved to display on the floor and then Kravers would set up the swap. Put the original in place of the forgery.” Mr. Chastain clarified the process.

“But when the piece got broke by a last minute replacement delivery driver, it brought attention. Ms. Watson did us a favor by notifying us before going to her boss.” Williams offered a sharp nod. “With her logs and email copies I was able to begin work even before we arrived.”

“Great. Is she at the station now giving her final testimony so she can be cleared an put this all behind her?” Parker asked, ready to go pick her up so they could get on with their lives without the dark cloud above them.

“You should sit.” Agent Hampton took a seat on the couch.

Chastain sat as well. Williams and Drummond were the only ones still standing.

Parker claimed a place on the couch but only because he figured if he didn’t they would never tell him what he wanted to know…where was Sonya?

Williams was the first to speak. “Over an hour ago the agent assigned to my Ms. Watson today reported her missing.”

“What!” Parker launched to his feet.

“Sit, Dr. Hayden.” Hampton ordered, The normally even-toned woman’s voice held authority.

“I thought you all were supposed to be protecting her since the car attempt,” Parker growled.

“We were,” Hampton asserted. “However, she went to the restroom at the mall and after twenty minutes the officer went to investigate. It was then he noticed there was an exit door by the bathrooms. Evidently they abducted her from there and carried her out through the exit. Around that time the outside mall cameras show two custodian workers bring out a large bag and setting it in a truck and driving off.”

“Why are you all still sitting here instead of finding my wife,” Parker growled loud. He stood, pacing, he felt like he was going to lose his mind. Sonya was somewhere alone, possibly hurt or even worse… He couldn’t allow himself to think about what could be worse.

“Calm down. We have city and federal agents following every lead.” Williams informed him. “We’re here just encase they allow her to make a phone call. We figured you would be the person she’d contact.”

The man’s words didn’t make him feel any better. Sonya and no one else had answered her phone when he’d called her. If the people who had her weren’t going to request a ransom or make demands for the return of their drugs then there was only one thing they would do.

“Why Sonya?” Parker dragged a hand over his head. “She didn’t even know anything about this until the piece broke.”

“That’s not the truth.” Mr. Chastain said.

Parker turned to the UN investigator.

“Ms. Watson didn’t realize all that she knew. In her notes she’d made annotations where at least twice she’d called her South African contacts and let them know that measurements on artifacts where incorrect. Not by much but enough that she wrote it down and corresponded in emails about the discrepancy. Small and efficient things like that are how we get leads to track and stop the movement of drugs.”

“We believe they were already planning on getting her out of the way,” Hampton informed him from her place on the couch.

“Out the way?”

Agent Hampton raised a calming hand. “Fired most likely. However, once things started going wrong they got angry.”

Parker took hold of the back of the couch, he want to rip it apart or punch something. He’d never felt more powerless than he did right now. “What now?”

Williams, who was just as tall Parker, walked to him. “We wait.”

There was something else that Parker could do. Excusing himself he walked into the kitchen and pulled his cell phone out. Shooting off a text to Charles he requested a number from his friend.

When the text came through with the person’s contact information Parker sought, he pressed the number and placed the call.

Two rings later.

“Hello.” The dapper, strong voice of a man answered.

“Um, hi…Pastor McKinley? I’m not sure if you remember me I’m Parker Hayden. I didn’t attend your church much while I was at college, but my girlfriend did, Sonya Watson.” Parker stared out the bay window feeling unsure of himself. Not because he was talking to a man of the cloth, but because he was scared, truly scared what would happen to Sonya.

“Yes, yes. Sonya. My wife and I met with her before she took the job down in Charlotte. We saw her this summer at Josephine’s wedding as well.” The pastor paused before continuing. “I don’t mean to be in your business, but I was under the impression that the two of you…”

“Divorced? Well so were we.” Parker cleared his throat. “That’s a story for another time.”