Pretty Dangerous (11 page)

“Oh come on,” Willa blurted out.

“Not ‘us’, you two. I wasn’t one of Jack’s
many women,” Jazz put in.

“Two words, Felipe Perez,” MiMi tossed back
at her.

“Look, don’t start with the wild theories.
Sometimes it is what it is. I say we start by doing some research
on Roderick and his family’s business deals,” Willa said
softly.

“I’m telling you there is nothing to find.
But if you want to waste resources when you should be running your
own company, go ahead.” MiMi huffed in frustration.

“Maybe you don’t want to know about your
father’s business,” Willa said carefully. She glanced at Mama
Ruby.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” MiMi was
about to go on but Don returned.

“I have to go. I’ll talk to y’all later. Stay
out of trouble.” Don kissed Jazz on her forehead.

“Ha! These three stay out of trouble?” Mama
Ruby laughed hard as she stirred.

“What’s taking so long with the food?” Papa
Elton boomed as he entered the kitchen. He grinned at Don. “Hey,
Detective Addison.”

Don shook hands with him. “Afternoon, Mr.
Wilson. Sorry I can’t stay. I’m on the clock.”

“Keepin’ the streets of Baton Rouge safe.
Good man.” Papa Elton nodded. Then his smile faded as he looked at
Willa. “Wait a minute. I hope you’re not here because these three
have gotten into something else.”

“I’ll tell you later,” Mama Ruby said
quietly. She glanced at MiMi and then back to her husband.

“Bye everybody.” Don gave a general wave and
walked out.

Jazz followed him and came back a few seconds
later. “Willa, get to digging on Roderick.”

“MiMi’s new rich boyfriend?” Papa Elton
blinked at his wife, who nodded slowly. “I don’t even want to
know.” He accepted a tray with his food and trudged back to the
normalcy of television sports.

“Don is wrong. The FBI is wrong, and what
y’all are thinking is wrong.” MiMi shook a finger at everyone and
the world.

“Fine. Then you don’t care if I do some
research. We’ll face up to the results, no matter where the facts
take us. Agreed?” Willa gazed at MiMi.

“Sure.” Jazz looked at MiMi.

MiMi looked back at them. Anxiety took up
residence in her chest. “Sure.”

The next week went quickly. Between taking
care of Sage and work, MiMi had little time to worry about
investigations. As the days passed, MiMi relaxed back into her
routine. Willa had probably been right about one thing, she’d let
her imagination go crazy. Still MiMi rehearsed bringing up the
subject of his business deals to her father. She even wrote out a
script of exactly how she’d lead into her questions. Staring into
the mirror, MiMi practiced making her facial expression remain
normal. Drexel James Landry, Jr. could sniff out a lie or
half-truth like a psychic.

Yet every time she picked up the phone to
call, MiMi thought of at least a half dozen other things to do. She
could have stopped by her parents’ home. Instead, her hands
resisted turning the steering wheel in the direction of Oak Grove
Estates, the neighborhood where they lived. So she gave up,
convinced the timing was obviously not right.

The following Saturday after Don questioned
her at Mama Ruby’s house, MiMi got ready for a date with Roderick.
Adrienne had jumped at the chance to babysit Sage. MiMi dropped the
energetic toddler off at lunchtime. Her sister had assured her that
getting Sage that early was no problem at all. With her day free,
MiMi had time to get a manicure, pedicure and buy a new blouse to
go over her skinny jeans. By six o’clock she was home and ready.
They were going to the new cinema with six screens called Dinner
and A Movie. Roderick reserved one of their tables where they could
order a meal and watch a movie.

MiMi winked at her reflection in the full
length mirror in her master bedroom. “Girl, you still got it. I’ll
have a one carat engagement ring by Christmas. No, two carats,
because he owes me and can afford it.”

When the doorbell rang she glanced in
surprise at the digital clock on her nightstand. She winked again
before going down the stairs humming an old school hip-hop tune
from the nineties. On her way to the front door, the phone rang.
She grabbed the cordless phone from a table in the foyer.

“Hello Mother. Yes, I’m going out with
Roderick. I don’t exactly need you to monitor my love life.” MiMi
frowned at the handset. Still talking, she pulled open the front
door without looking outside. “I have to go because he’s here.”

A man the color of dark chocolate stared at
her. He looked away to scan the surroundings. He was tall, lean and
bald. A blonde woman only slightly shorter stood beside him. Both
were dressed in what almost looked like duplicate charcoal gray
suits.

“Ms. Landry? We’re with the FBI and we’d like
to talk to you,” the woman said without smiling. “I’m Agent
Morrison and this is Agent Young.”

“What do you want with me? Not you, Mother.
No, you can’t talk to Roderick because... I’ll call tomorrow or
sometime.” MiMi hit the “end” button cutting off her mother’s
insistent voice. She felt lightheaded as the two agents held up
identification tags. She gazed at them through the clear glass
storm door.

“May we come in?” Agent Morrison’s expression
made it into a command.

MiMi flinched when Agent Young turned his
dark gaze back to her. She unlocked the door and stood back. “Yes,
of course.”

Both agents seemed to slide in silently as
though they were used to moving without a sound. Agent Young turned
his laser focus on MiMi’s foyer. Agent Morrison gave MiMi a slight
nod which indicated they expected to be invited farther inside.

“Hmm, let’s go into the living room, and you
can tell me what this is about.” MiMi closed the door and started
to put down the phone, but decided to keep it. She might need to
call a lawyer. “It’s not every day the FBI shows up on my doorstep.
In fact, I’m not used to having any kind of law enforcement visit
me. I can’t imagine why you’d be here.”

The two agents followed her without speaking.
Once in the living room, they stood studying her with twin
impassive expressions as she talked nervously. They seemed patient,
as though used to their presence unnerving people to the point of
useless rambling. Finally when MiMi willed herself to shut up,
Agent Morrison nodded again and took out a small note pad.

“You were involved in a romantic relationship
with Jackson Phillip Crown, is that accurate?” Agent Morrison
consulted her notes as if to make sure she had the name
correct.

MiMi took time to regain composure as she
looked back at the female agent. She faltered a bit when Agent
Young’s barely there left eyebrow shot up. She briefly wondered if
he’d shaved those off at the same time he shaved his head. The man
made her think of all the scary movies she’d seen about cold,
ruthless government agents. Then she reminded herself they were in
her home, and she still had constitutional rights.

“We were engaged, and he was practically
divorced from his wife. I’m sure you have all the facts,” MiMi
replied crisply.

“Yes,” Agent Morrison said with a chilly
smile of judgment. “We’re conducting a joint investigation with the
U.S. Marshals and the Secret Service into possible money
laundering.”

“Secret Service,” MiMi replied. Her legs felt
numb as she sank onto a nearby chair. The agents sat down on the
matching sofa at the same time.

“Yes, not uncommon that we pool investigative
resources in cases such as this,” Agent Morrison explained
blandly.

“Cases like this?” MiMi blinked at them.

“You’re familiar with Felipe Perez, a
business associate of Mr. Crown’s before he died.” Agent Young
spoke for the first time in a bass voice.

MiMi flinched again. He didn’t ask a question
because he already knew the answer. Still she felt growing anger at
his attempt to intimidate her. She bristled at the good agent,
scary agent routine.

“Look, you already must know that I have
never been ‘familiar’ with Felipe Perez. Of course I know who he
is. The facts about him and his gang came out during the
investigation into Jack’s murder. The police also proved that Jack
had no direct connection to that gang.”

“We’ve read the reports. There are
indications that Mr. Crown and his brother knew who and what Felipe
Perez was,” Agent Young replied, his tone heavy with
indictment.

“By indications I take it you mean there is
no hard evidence, and Jack isn’t here to defend himself. Correct?”
MiMi stared him down.

“His brother pretty much confirmed it
though,” Agent Young replied.

“Ryan Crown got himself into a lot of things
Jack didn’t approve of, Agent Young. Which brings me back to my
original question; why are you at my home?”

“You’re correct about one thing, Ms. Landry.
We have no definitive evidence that Jackson Crown was involved in
drug or gun smuggling,” Agent Morrison said quietly.

MiMi stood. “Thank you for finally admitting
what I already knew. He has three surviving children, as I’m sure
you have in your files. Their father’s memory shouldn’t be
tarnished, especially when you have no proof. Now I’m expecting
company.”

Agent Morrison tucked her note pad away and
glanced at her partner as she stood. “Right.”

“Mr. Roderick Jefferson,” Agent Young said.
He rose and towered over MiMi.

“Okay, you’ve established that you can dig up
facts on the private lives of American citizens,” MiMi replied.

“We’re looking into his business as well. You
seem to have a taste for men who like to move money out of the
country, Ms. Landry.” Agent Young spoke in a bland tone that
managed to communicate sarcasm perfectly.

MiMi’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Now you just
wait a minute...”

“Let’s stick to why we’re here, the late Mr.
Crown,” Agent Morrison broke in with a brief sideways glance at her
partner.

“Skip to the part about how any of this has
to do with me please,” MiMi shot back, still eyeing Agent Young.
Her temper flared hotter when he affected a half smile at her.

“Our agency is trying to determine if Jackson
Crown and Roderick Jefferson or his father were ever in business.”
Agent Morrison stopped as though waiting for a reaction.

MiMi crossed her arms and transferred her
gaze to Morrison. “What you mean is you haven’t found any
connection and I can’t give you one. In fact, I’m sure Roderick and
Jack never formally met.”

Agent Morrison nodded with a sympathetic
expression. “Yes, you’re right. As far as we can tell they didn’t
know each other.”

“Then have a good evening. I support your
efforts to catch real criminals.” MiMi started for the door but
Agent Morrison’s voice stopped her.

“Then there’s the matter of your assets.”

MiMi faced the two agents, neither of whom
had moved. “What do you mean?”

“As I said, Mr. Ryan Crown admitted knowing
Felipe Perez was a drug dealer and selling stolen guns. The money
earned was part of an illegal enterprise, as such they are subject
to seizure.”

“With all the resources at your fingertips
I’m sure y’all will find it in no time. Now if you’ll excuse me,”
MiMi replied.

“Not just money, but anything bought with
that money, Ms. Landry. Like this house,” Agent Morrison added.

“You can’t be serious,” MiMi hissed. “Jack
ran a successful business for over eight years. I’d like to see you
prove exactly where the money came from to buy my home.”

“Our forensic accounting section is very
good, Ms. Landry,” Agent Young replied promptly. He glanced at his
partner as if signaling her turn to be sympathetic.

Agent Morrison responded on cue. “I’m really
sorry to drop this kind of news on your Ms. Landry. You’ve had a
rough time in the last few weeks. We don’t think you knew about the
laundered money.”

“At least not at the time Jack Crown got it.
But you did visit a bank in the Dominican Republic.” Agent Young
stared at her intently.

“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking
about. If you have any other questions, I’ll have you get in touch
with my lawyer.” MiMi tried not to let her voice shake as much as
her knees did at that moment. The calm manner of the two FBI agents
unnerved her as much as the bomb they’d dropped.

“So you already hired a lawyer, huh?” Agent
Young said.

“Unless you plan to put my furniture out
tonight, please leave,” MiMi snapped. Her boldness hid the fear
that they would in fact start setting her belongings on the
curb.

“The Marshals Service is working on it,”
Agent Young replied.

“What Agent Young means...” Agent Morrison
glanced at her partner. After a silent message passed between them,
the tall man turned to leave.

“I’ll check in,” he said over his shoulder.
Seconds later the front door opened and bumped shut.

Agent Morrison let out a short breath. “I
realize what a shock this must be, Ms. Landry.”

“Don’t bother with the ‘I’m on your side’
speech. I may have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night.
Interview over,” MiMi said.

“Things aren’t looking good for you. First
you get busted for drugs in a foreign country. Your new boyfriend
has questionable business practices, and your ex-boyfriend--”

“Jack was my fiancé, Agent Morrison. Do I
have to write it down on an index card so you’ll remember?” MiMi
didn’t have to pretend. She was officially pissed off. “The judge
in the Dominican Republic ruled that I didn’t buy or sell drugs,
but you already know that. You also have no proof Roderick, Jack or
I committed a crime. So this little visit to rattle me and get a
guilty confession wasted your time, and mine.”

“I’m trying to help you.” Agent Morrison wore
a frown of regret.

“Good, find the truth and clear my name.
Goodbye.” MiMi squinted at her.