Beauty and the Beast (34 page)

“Then stop staring at my fiancée.”

Clemmons cleared his throat. “I apologize.” He lifted his hands slightly. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.”

The doorbell sounded, and everyone looked toward the doorway. Nefertiti and Bruce were positioned so they could barely see the entry. One of the temporary security guards rushed from his post to answer the door.

“Alexis Maxwell here to see Bruce Maxwell.”

Here comes trouble.
Nefertiti stroked Bruce’s hand. He’d tightened his grip when Alexis began speaking.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” said the guard, “but guests aren’t allowed in this part of the house.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’d be glad to give Mr. Maxwell a message. Until then, please join the other guests out back.”

The detectives tossed a knowing stare at each other.

“Get out of my way, you imbecile. Let me in to see my son!”

They heard a tussle.

“Excuse me.” Bruce patted Nefertiti on her shoulder, then stalked out of the room.

Shoulders hunched, Nefertiti bit her bottom lip. “Sorry about all of the drama.”

“Don’t worry about it, ma’am.” Shorewood, the older of the two men, half-smiled, half-grunted.

“It’s time for you to leave, Alexis,” Bruce said in a deadly calm voice.

“We need to speak.”

“No, we don’t. And when one of my employees says I am not available to you, that means I am not available to you. Do not harass, insult, or push yourself on them. What do you want anyway?”

“To apologize. I didn’t know that was Nefertiti.”

“Okay, so you’ve apologized. If you want, go in the backyard with Auntie Vic. Goodbye.”

“Gentlemen,” Nefertiti said to draw attention from Bruce and Alexis, “can I interest you in something to drink? Soda, water, juice, coffee, tea. You name it, we have it.”

They looked from the doorway to her. “No ma’am,” they said in unison.

“Is that actually his mother?” Clemmons asked under his breath.

“I’m afraid so. Needless to say, they’re having a few difficulties. Hey, we’re having a barbeque out back. I’ll have my dad fix you both a plate. He makes the sauce himself.”

“How could you treat your own mother like this?” Alexis whined. “You’re, you’re—”

“I’m busy. I don’t care if you go out back, go home, or to hell. But get away from me.”

Nefertiti heard Bruce approach as the front door closed with Alexis most likely on the other side.
If she had any sense, she’d go out back and join the party.

“Sorry about that.” Bruce returned to his spot behind Nefertiti. “Now where were we?”

“We have a few questions about Dennis and Jamal Green.” Detective Shorewood’s voice was strong without being overbearing. Nefertiti thought it fit his salt and pepper hair and slightly rounded waist perfectly.

“I don’t like assuming,” Bruce said. “Is Jamal also known as Jay?”

Nefertiti wanted to ask where Dennis and Jay were, but held her tongue and allowed Bruce to lead. The gambling man Ken described to her didn’t sound anything like Dennis at first, but the more she thought about it, she realized the signs had been there all along. Yet still, she had a difficult time believing he would purposely hire a man like Butch to come after her. Bruce said his intentions didn’t matter, but for her they did. No, she wasn’t in love with Dennis, but he was the man she’d once chosen to spend the rest of her life with. It was bad enough she didn’t know about his gambling addiction, but the thought of him trying to have her murdered was too much for her to take. She prayed she wasn’t truly that poor a judge of character.

“Yes, sir. Jamal Green is better known as Jay,” Shorewood answered. “What was your relationship with Dennis and Jay Green?”

Was!
Ready to burst, Nefertiti glanced over her shoulder and shot Bruce the I-wish-they’d-hurry-up-and-get-to-the-point look. In her book, “was” meant they were dead. She inhaled deeply.

Bruce gently stroked a few stray hairs into her white banana clip, and amazingly, she felt a calm come over her. “I know, baby,” he said softly, then focused on the detectives. “My relationship?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I don’t have and have never had a relationship with either, but I am aware they are the bastards who organized the attack on Nefertiti,” he said smoothly. “Does your visit mean Givens is finally taking what I said seriously?”

“Very seriously, sir. The Green cousins were murdered last night,” Shorewood said coolly. “Their bodies were dumped in East St. Louis.”

Nefertiti gasped. “Oh my God!” She rose out of her seat and into Bruce’s embrace. “Dennis is dead?” The reality crashing in was a bit too real for Nefertiti. Her fiancé had tried to have her murdered, and now he’d been murdered. Energy drained, she could barely hold herself up. Angry with herself for feeling sorry about Dennis’s murder, she traced the scars on her cheek with her fingertips. She leaned against Bruce.
Why am I mourning someone who sent a psycho to kill me?

“Breathe, baby, breathe,” he whispered as he rubbed her back.

“I’m tired. I don’t want to go back to the party.” All she wanted to do was go to her suite and cry. She’d get the details from Bruce when she was feeling better.

“Sammy,” Bruce called. A few seconds later, the security guard who’d opened the door for Alexis appeared. “Go out back and explain things to Uncle Nathan for me.” The guard rushed out.

 
Arms wrapped tightly around Bruce and her head on his chest, she listened to the steady beat of his heart.

“Rest easy, baby. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

“Thank you for bringing us this news, detectives,” she mumbled.

“We’re sorry, ma’am, but we still have a few more questions for Mr. Maxwell,” Clemmons said softly.

Bruce’s gentle stokes stopped, and his body stiffened. His breaths became deeper, as if he were trying to calm himself. She pulled back and looked into his angry face.

“No way.” Hands on her hips and her neck working overtime, she spun around. “I know you don’t think Bruce murdered Dennis and Jay! We haven’t even left the house since we went to the exhibit at the DuSable Museum the other day.”

“That doesn’t mean he didn’t hire someone,” Clemmons mumbled.

Nefertiti stepped up to the young detective who stood upon her approach. “I know you are new at this, but you should know about motive. I have more of a motive than Bruce to murder them. I’m the one who was attacked.”

“You are more than enough motive for him.”

“Aw, hell naw. I’m about to be arrested for putting my foot up a cops a—”

Bruce pulled on her arm. “Nefertiti, stop.”

“No. They’re trying to pin this on you, and I won’t have it. Do you know how many innocent people are in jail?”

Nathan rushed into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Get them out!” She pointed at the door. “Now!”

Shorewood stood. “We’ll need to finish this conversation soon, Mr. Maxwell.” He took a business card out of his wallet.

Nefertiti stalked over to her father. “This cannot be happening. Do you see what’s going on?” she fussed. “Simply ridiculous.”

“Nefertiti, let me handle this,” Bruce said.

“Dennis and Jay ran the streets for what—seven months—and these top notch, crackerjack detectives did nothing. Nothing!” she spat. “That bastard carved me up like Thanksgiving turkey.” She ran her hands along her neck. “He slit my throat.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we have to investigate this fully.” Clemmons shifted weight between his feet.

“Why is he speaking to me? He isn’t sorry. Get out of here with that bull.”

“I think you all need to leave.” Nathan pulled Nefertiti into his embrace. “Calm yourself, child.” He rocked her. “Calm.”

“It’s not fair, Daddy. We’ve already been through more than enough. I’m tired.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m tired.”

Victoria, May, and Alexis entered the room. May went to Nefertiti. “What’s wrong?” Tiffany and Rachel rushed in.

“Mama, they’re accusing Bruce of murder.”

“What?” exclaimed the women.

Without missing a beat, Alexis approached the detectives. “He’s an ass and a half, but wouldn’t harm a fly. You have the wrong man. If you have further questions, they will be asked and answered in the presence of his attorney.”

Immediate family and key staff took up every spot available in the study. Bruce had to admit he was surprised at the show of support, especially from Alexis. She’d taken charge of the situation and had Tiffany call her father, Eugene Gamble, who happened to be one of the top defense attorneys in the country.

Nefertiti’s fight wasn’t a surprise, yet seeing her faith in him in action did his heart proud. An hour after the detectives left, she was curled up next to him on the sofa, mumbling about the police department’s incompetence. She didn’t stop until Eugene arrived.

Anna and Rachel had brought chairs from the dining hall to accommodate everyone. Eugene Gamble, an imposing figure, sat behind the antique oak desk.

“When was the last time you spoke with this Marco character?” Eugene asked.

“A few days ago,” Bruce answered. “His men had tracked Dennis and Jay down to St. Louis.”

“Do you believe Marco had his men execute Dennis and Jay?”

Bruce shook his head. “Nah, he was trying to avoid the cops. If he had had them killed, their bodies would have never been found.”

“What did you expect Marco to do when his men found them?”

“I’d made arrangements to have them held until the police took their heads out of their asses and did their jobs.”

“Kidnapping!” Alexis laughed. “Now that’s something Bruce would do.”

“Be quiet or go home, Alexis,” Victoria chastised.

 
“I need to speak with Marco and see if the police have approached him yet, but they’ll look at his phone records eventually.”

Rachel timidly raised her hand. “You can use my cell. It’s prepaid, so it can’t be traced back to you.”

Victoria nodded her approval.

“She actually speaks,” Alexis quipped.

Bruce felt guilty for the way he’d been treating Rachel. “I’m sorry for everything, Rachel. I’ll try not to be a complete ass around you.” He took the offered phone and made the call.