Like Sheep Gone Astray (10 page)

With several shopping and garment bags in tow, they settled into a cushy booth at a fifties-diner-themed restaurant located down a quiet corridor inside the mall.

“I never realized how exhausting shopping can be.” Cherisse massaged a shoeless foot as a waiter placed tall glasses of ice water in front of them.

“And how hungry it can make you.” Terri smiled. She studied the menu, reminding herself of the Romano's dinner planned later that evening with Anthony. “Bring me a garden salad,” she commanded the patient waiter.

“That's all.”

“And I'll take your best cut of steak and potatoes,” Cherisse said in a tone just as sober.

“That will be a mushroom swiss burger and a side of fries. Would you like coleslaw with that?” The waiter sounded bored.

Cherisse surveyed the restaurant as if suddenly repulsed by the red-and-white-checked tablecloths, chrome bar stools, and catsup bottles on each table. “Whatever. That's fine. I forgot where we were.” She slammed down her unopened menu.

As soon as the waiter turned toward the kitchen they both burst into laughter.

“What a day. I still can't believe it.” Terri stirred her ice water with a red plastic straw. “We did all that shopping and I feel…I feel…” her voice died off.

“Feel what?” Cherisse inquired as she put her shoe back on her foot.

“I feel…I don't know. It's not enough. Something is missing.” Terri continued stirring her water, her eyes searching the ceiling.

“Hey, we can always go back and get that leather handbag you were looking at.” Cherisse readjusted the black scrunchie that pulled her long, golden braids away from her pear-shaped face.

“It's not that. It's—I mean—I'm a multi-millionaire now. Should I still be shopping at the neighborhood mall?” Terri's voice was wistful. “Don't get me wrong. Shepherd Hills Town Center is definitely a first-rate place when it comes to shopping malls. But is it enough for…a woman of my class?”

“I see exactly what you mean,” Cherisse stated plainly. “What we need to do is plan a shopping trip to New York. Or better yet, Beverly Hills.”

Terri sat straight up in her seat as if someone had poured cold water down her back.

“That's it! We could rent a limo—”

“And go cruising down Rodeo Drive,” Cherisse cut in, her hands gripping an invisible steering wheel.

“We've got to go to Escada! And Gucci! And Prada!” Terri's words stumbled over each other.

“And don't forget the three Vs!” Cherisse interrupted again.

“Valentino, Versace, and Vuitton!” They laughed together, giving each other a playful high-five.

As Cherisse continued babbling on and on about buying a fur coat from one of the boutiques on Canon Drive and trying on shoes at the Neiman Marcus on Department Store Row, Terri floated in and out of a fairy-tale trance. She could almost feel the smooth glass walls on her fingertips. She could see the gleaming marble and the fiery flash of one-of-a-kind jewels in the Tiffany & CO. showcases. The aromas of French, Italian, and Asian cuisine from world-famous restaurants filled her nostrils. Terri could not believe it. She was going to go shopping in Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills…

“Did you hear me?” Cherisse was looking at Terri as if she were possessed.

“Huh?”

“I said that I saw a travel agency on the lower level of the mall. Let's go, girl.” Cherisse stood and started collecting their shopping bags.

They were almost at the exit before Terri paused, returned to their booth, and slammed a fifty-dollar bill on the table, right between the salt and pepper shakers. She reconsidered and switched it to a five. “The service here stinks!” she yelled to the waiter bursting out of the swinging kitchen door, their order in his hands.

“Ma'am, ma'am,” he called after them. But it was too late. They were already scurrying down the escalator.

As they entered the Golden Fleece Travel Agency, Terri sparkled with another idea.

“I want to do something for Anthony,” she declared. “I'm going to book a fourteen-day cruise to the Greek Islands. I've always wanted to go. Plus, I'll be able to buy some authentic Mediterranean rugs from Ephesus for my house.”

Terri flipped open her cell phone and dialed quickly. She did not mind when Anthony's voice mail greeted her.

“Hi, baby,” she drawled in her most romantic voice. “Just wanted to let you know that I'm looking forward to our dinner tonight at Romano's.” She paused as if torn between two decisions. “Oh, what the heck!” she blurted into the receiver. “I also wanted to let you know that I have a wonderful surprise for you! Wait until you find out where I've been today!” she exclaimed as she thumbed through a booklet detailing Mediterranean cruises.

“He'll never guess this one,” Terri giggled with Cherisse as she hung up the phone.

Anthony flipped through the latest edition of
Black Enter prise
for the third time. It had been lying there next to him on the sofa outside of Councilman Banks's private office for nearly thirty minutes before he picked it up. The glossy pictures of successful businessmen and -women of color blurred together even more as his anxiety grew.

Gloria shut down her computer and turned on the automated answering service to silence the constantly ringing phone.

“Minister Murdock, I apologize for the wait. I was certain that the councilman said he was on his way back to the office.” Gloria's voice was barely above a whisper, as she was somewhat disturbed by Anthony's edginess.

She bit her bottom lip and looked at a brass mantel clock sitting on one of the office suite's black marble fireplaces.

“It's almost five o'clock. Are you sure you don't want me to call him and let him know you're waiting for him?”

Anthony shook his head no as he had done countless times before in response to the same question. He did not want there to be any alarm over the phone. This was too important not to handle face-to-face from the beginning. Images from his meeting with Mr. Haberstick were glued in his mind. He wanted to peel himself—and now the councilman—out of this mess before it became stickier.

BUSINESS LEADERS OF THE YEAR. A fancy title font from the magazine danced in his eyes. “Another brother or sister who's reached the top of the career ladder,” he mumbled to himself as he quickly glanced over the microscopic type. He had licked his index finger to turn the page when the words “Shepherd Hills” caught his eye.

It was a picture of a former co-worker from Shaw Enterprises standing next to a couple of Anthony's old directors. Several huge, colorful flower arrangements stood to the right of the young man. The caption announced that the associate was the new executive vice president of advertising affairs following his outstanding success in securing multi-million-dollar marketing deals.
That could have been me
, Anthony reflected sadly for a second.

Then another thought pierced his conscience.
He's reaping the rewards of my deceptive labor for that Stonymill
contract. Anthony quickly remembered that the young man had been an intern working under his direction when he'd accepted the original bribe money.

Why would they give a fairly recent hire so much power
? he wondered to himself as he studied the picture again.

“Minister Murdock, maybe I can schedule you to meet with the councilman first thing tomorrow. Let me check his schedule.” Gloria spoke softly while reaching for an appointment book, her purse and coat resting in her lap.

“That won't be necessary.”

Both Gloria and Anthony turned toward the entrance of the office suite. Councilman Walter Banks stood in the doorway carrying a bag of Chinese food and a stack of napkins. He was a small man, the color of warm bronze, with thinning hair and gold-rimmed glasses that made him look more like a professor or scholar than a politician.

“Anthony, it's so good to see you! I hope you haven't been waiting here long. I got caught up with the president of one of the neighborhood associations. She invited me to a celebration of a new rec center I made sure the city funded. Gloria, can you cancel all my appointments on October ninth so I can make that event?”

The councilman was laying the food on a table and taking off his overcoat as he spoke. “I'm pulling another late night, hence the food. I have enough here if either of you would like some. Anthony”—he patted an upholstered chair at the conference table—”please, come sit with me. What brings you by today?”

Anthony nearly stumbled to the seat offered to him by the councilman, the magazine still tucked in his hand. Walter Banks noted Anthony's troubled gait and the glossy pages he gripped in his right hand. He took the magazine and studied the page Anthony had been staring at as Gloria gathered her things and left for the day.

“Another man rewarded for all your hard work. You did a lot for Shaw Enterprises, but someone else claims the credit.” Walter shook his head, but then flashed an encouraging smile. “Don't be down. God has an even greater reward for you than any man can offer. You are following His calling. God's directions do not always make sense to us, but they all lead to perfection. Stay encouraged, son.”

Anthony could see the pride shining in Walter's face and hear the warmth in his words. He instantly thought of all the encouragement the councilman had poured on him since the death of his mother and stepfather. The guidance, the advice, the back-pats he'd needed to successfully continue with life, graduating valedictorian from high school, then magna cum laude from college. The councilman had been there for him at each major turn, even standing in the aisle reserved for parents on his wedding day, standing right next to his Great-Aunt Rosa. He had been there for his quick rise to business and financial success.

And now he would be here for his fall. Anthony's words came slowly.

“I came to talk to you today…because…Well, first thank you for all you've done to help me.”

Councilman Banks smiled as he gulped down some shrimp fried rice. “I have been blessed watching you mature into the man you are today. It was an honor seeing you work your way up the ranks at Shaw, but it's been an even greater pleasure observing your pursuit after God's will.”

“About Shaw, actually that's why I need to talk to you. See, I did some things while I was working there that, well, I know God did not want me to do. A lot of trouble has brewed since then, and now, I think the hole I dug myself into is getting deeper. And someone wants to take you down into my mistakes as well.”

Confusion crawled over Walter's face. He laid down his fork as furrows lined his forehead. The furrows deepened when Anthony began telling him of the deceit and bribes of the earlier months. When he learned of Anthony's role in the dismantling of CASH, he first looked expressionless and then heartbroken, sighing heavily several times as Anthony detailed his conversation with Mr. Haberstick earlier that day. It was only when Anthony told him about the forged check that Walter snapped abruptly to attention.

“Two million dollars
?”

“Whoever signed that check would have to know how close I am to you, and that I would know immediately that was not your signature. It was a sign—confirmation—that this Stonymill deal surpasses what I know.”

“In the field of politics, it's easy to make enemies. Especially when you are dedicated to doing the right thing at all costs.” Walter rubbed his chin in deep thought. “We just need to find out who. And why.”

“I'm sorry I got you involved in this. If I had known—”

Walter waved his hand to silence Anthony. “I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but right now that's beside the point. That check was no accident. My gut tells me that we've only scraped the tip of an iceberg. When that bill originally was introduced to provide the okay for Stonymill, I got a lot of pressure from several of my colleagues and many business leaders to push for it instead of CASH. When I didn't buckle, even when everyone else did”—he didn't look at Anthony with those words—”I guess someone or some
ones
remembered that and want me to know. As Mr. Haberstick told you, CASH is about to make headlines again in its bid for property along the Stonymill light rail line. I fully intend to support them once again, but I guess someone wants me to reconsider.”

Anthony cut through the silence that followed the councilman's words. “I have the business card of a detective Pastor Green gave me. Maybe we can call together to let him know what's going on.”

Walter Banks took the card and nodded his head. “That's definitely a start.” He picked up the phone and quickly slammed it down. “This might be some kind of trap. Whoever signed my name probably expects us to call this detective. Didn't you say he was asking Pastor Green about you?”

Anthony nodded, the full weight of the matter settling quickly on him.

“I think we need to do some investigation on our own first. Let's find out who's behind all of this and what they are trying to do. That way we'll have a leg up on the culprit when we go to the authorities and you won't just be turning yourself in.”

Walter reached for a notepad and a laptop. “First things first: Did you notice what bank was listed on the check? I do most of my finances online, so I could easily not notice a check missing.”

“From what I remember, it was Universal Heritage Bank.”

“I do have an account there, which I use mainly to keep track of donations and other politically related funds. I like to keep things separated so it all comes out clean and clear in the books.” The councilman pecked several keys on the computer. “I'm checking to see if something fishy happened without my knowing. If someone had access to one of my checks, then I need to—oh my!”

Anthony looked where the councilman pointed, his finger frozen in astonishment.

Listed among the activities of the account was a wire transfer of two million dollars posted the day before.

“You need to get that check from Mr. Haberstick. Maybe I'll recognize the handwriting. And I'm going to close this account immediately. I don't want someone having access to my funds. Get that check and bring it here tomorrow so we can study it together and then call that detective.” Walter pounded a fist into his hand. “This is crazy. I don't know wh—”