Defenseless (25 page)

“No, I simply told him who had her. I don't know where they're keeping her, but it's gotten a little more complicated than that. I sent two of my men to keep an eye on Malik. I mean, we've had our problems in the past, but it doesn't mean I don't care for my brother.”

Sonya refrained from rolling her eyes. She just wished he would hurry with the story. “Yes, I understand what you mean.”

“Well, anyway, there was some trouble, and they weren't able to keep up with Malik. Now he's missing.”

“Do you think the same men who have Laura have Malik?”

“I don't know.”

Sonya thought for a moment before directing her next question to him. “I still don't understand how I can help. I still haven't found my sister.”

William crossed his arms over his chest and gave Sonya a curious stare. “I was hoping you could tell me who this Anthony Payne was.”

“Was?” Sharon asked in a rushed whisper.

William purposely didn't answer her question. He lifted his eyebrow slightly as an answer, and instinctively both women caught on to his meaning: Anthony was dead.

“What happened?” Sonya heard herself ask.

“Let's just say there was a shootout between C.J.'s men, Malik and Anthony. That's the night that we lost Malik. However, we did discover Anthony's body.”

“How did you know who he was?” Sharon butted in.

“One of my men checked his wallet,” William answered nonchalantly. “Now, your turn. Who was Anthony Payne?”

The women exchanged looks before Sharon answered, “He was my brother's assistant.”

Everyone in the room settled into an uncomfortable silence. Sonya glanced over at Sharon and noticed her deep in thought.

“What is it, Sharon?” she asked, gently taking Sharon by the arm.

“That name. I couldn't place it before, but now I seem to remember Dwayne leaving the hospital to meet with a Malik. Yes, I'm almost certain that's the name he said.”

William stood at attention.

Sonya felt her heart skip a beat. “When?”

“Just as I was arriving at the hospital today.”

A teenaged boy stepped from behind the towering bodyguards and whispered into William's ear.

“Describe this Dwayne,” William commanded.

Sonya replied before Sharon could. “He's about six foot three, with broad shoulders, strong, chiseled features but with a clean-cut image, no beard or mustache, a small but noticeable cleft in his chin, dark gray eyes almost almond shaped. He has…”

William held a curious expression.

Sonya clamped her jaw shut. After seeing Sharon's astonished look, she felt an embarrassing heat rise in her cheeks.

“David?” William turned his attention back to the boy.

“That's him,” the boy confirmed.

William's shoulders slumped. He turned away from Sonya and Sharon. “I'm afraid Dwayne is being held by C.J.'s men. This must mean that C.J. also has my brother.”

“Who in the hell is C.J.?” Sharon and Sonya shouted in unison.

“A gangster lord controlling the East Side.” William ignored their shocked gasps.

Sonya looked at the other men assembled in her small room before she asked her next question. “Tell me, William, are you in the same business as this gangster lord?”

William smiled. “It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.”

“So what now? This man may have my sister and my…and Dwayne.” Sonya caught herself, but it was too late. By the look on Sharon's face, she knew she had some explaining to do later.

“If C.J. does have Malik, it could mean only one thing,” William answered in a cool voice that sent chills running down Sonya's back. “War.”

 

Laura marveled from the feeling that a fresh bath and hot food could do for one's soul. The hell she had been living the past few weeks had come to a close, or so she hoped. Those men were still out there looking for her, but she wouldn't allow herself to think for one moment that they would find her.

Bishop Spencer had taken her in, and she felt safer here in the small church but right now she had to find Sonya. She was in danger, especially as long as she had that necklace. How did she ever make such a terrible mistake? Somehow the coin she bought for Sonya had gotten replaced by a priceless coin. She shook her head, not understanding how she could make such a drastic mistake.

When she finished with her bath and was dressed in clean clothes, Bishop Spencer came back into the room to show her to his office. Once there, he left her alone to make her phone calls. First, she tried Sonya's house; however, she became disappointed when the answering machine picked up. She left a quick message but refused to say where she was on the machine. Next she tried Sonya's office. Tina answered the phone.

“Hello, Tina? This is Laura. Is my sister in?”

“Laura? Dear God, where have you been?” Tina shouted.

“It's a long story. Is Sonya in?”

“No, she's on a leave of absence. Mr. Harrison is in charge of the office right now. Both Sharon and Sonya are out. Laura, are you all right? Where are you?”

“I'm fine, but I'd rather not discuss anything in detail on the phone. Would you happen to have Sharon's home number?”

“Yes, I have it somewhere on my desk.” Laura heard Tina shuffle through papers before she came back on line with a number. “I found it.”

Laura wrote down the number. “Thanks, Tina, you're a life saver.” Laura hung up the phone and quickly dialed the number. The answering machine picked up. “Damn!” She patiently listened so she could leave a message.

“Sorry we're not in right now, but if you could leave a brief, detailed message, and the time you called, we'll get back with you as soon as possible. If this is an emergency, you can reach me at 770-555-3640, or if you need James, call 555-2193.”

Laura scribbled down the numbers on a scratch piece of paper lying on the desk before her, then quickly dialed the emergency number.

 

Sonya and Sharon watched the men file out of her motel room like military men marching toward battle. One man handed back her gun. “Thanks,” she said sarcastically. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but she knew that this whole situation had gotten out of control, and she felt powerless to stop it.

Sonya couldn't talk William out of this war he'd declared on the man named C.J. The whole thing seemed too surreal for her to take seriously. What on earth would a gangster lord want with her sister, or Dwayne?

All the men left, but not before William passed her a number to call if she heard anything concerning his brother.

Sharon plopped down on the corner of the bed and shook her head in dismay. “What on earth have we gotten ourselves into?”

“I don't know.” Sonya went to her closet and rummaged through her bags to find her necklace. Apparently William didn't know about the coin, or he would have looked for it, she thought to herself.

A piercing beep filled the room.

“What's that?” Sonya asked from the closet.

“It's my pager. Do you mind if I use the phone?”

“Girl, you know better than to ask me that. Of course I don't mind.” Sonya found the necklace, and a sense of relief washed over her.

“Laura!” Sharon shouted from the bedroom.

Sonya jumped, then raced from the closet to stare at Sharon.

Sharon waved Sonya over to the bed as she asked, “Where are you? Yes, she's right here.” Sharon handed the phone to Sonya, who accepted it with trembling hands.

“Laura?” she asked with fresh tears forming in her eyes.

“Oh, Sonya, you're there.” Laura's voice trembled.

“Laura, where are you?”

“I'd rather not say over the phone, but come to where we were both baptized as children.”

Sonya nodded her head, knowing exactly where Laura was located.

“Don't move, Laura. We're on our way.”

 

“Maybe we should see if one of these two could lure Sonya here,” one of C.J.'s men suggested to him.

C.J. turned around to face Dwayne and Malik. His expression told Dwayne that he was considering the idea.

“Take them back to the holding room, and this time make sure they don't escape.”

Suddenly another crowd of men rushed into the room, panting hard from their obvious run. Dwayne smiled once he saw that no one had Laura in their possession.

“Where is Laura?” C.J. roared. The men took a step backward after seeing the vicious look creased in their boss's face.

“I guess if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. Ron and Tony, follow me. I'll find her.”

And with that, he was gone.

 

Laura continued to look out the church's door, anxious to see Sharon's car pull into the parking lot. If felt like hours since she had hung up when in fact it had been only ten minutes. She paced back and forth to calm her nerves while reciting “Come on, Sonya” to herself.

Peeping out the door once again, a flare of excitement raced through her at the sight of Sharon's silver Mercedes pulling into the parking lot. Stepping out of the church, Laura couldn't conceal the bright smile on her face at seeing Sonya in the car.

“There she is!” Sonya shouted, pointing toward Laura.

Sharon started to say something just as a long black El Dorado jumped the church's sidewalk and tried to block the pathway between Laura and the Mercedes.

“What the hell—” Sharon shouted, swerving to miss the other car, then slammed on her brakes. A man jumped from the car and grabbed Laura.

Sonya instantly sprang from the car and screamed, “Laura!”

The stranger lost his grip on Laura and turned to face Sonya.

Laura raced toward Sharon's car. Another man tried to stop her, but Laura easily dodged him and made it to Sharon's car where she jumped into the backseat.

“Let's go!” Laura shouted, but Sonya didn't move. She couldn't. Time had stopped as Sonya stared into the face of a ghost. The ghost of Curtis Durden.

“S
onya!” Sharon and Laura screamed.

When Curtis pointed to Sonya, she remembered the danger she was in. Her hand instantly clutched at the necklace draped around her neck. Curtis and his men raced toward her as she jumped back into the car.

“Let's get the hell out of here,” Sonya shouted, slamming her door shut.

“You got it.” Sharon floored the accelerator, laying a wheelie any race car driver would be proud of. Laura and Sonya found their seat belts. Within five minutes, Sharon lost the El Dorado.

“They're gone,” Laura announced.

Sharon and Sonya sighed in relief. Sonya could still feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins.
When was this nightmare going to end?
She marveled at the fact that they had survived one close call after another.

Sonya unbuckled her seat belt and turned to face Laura. Tears shone brightly in their eyes as Laura also unfastened her seat belt so they could give the comforting hugs they needed.

Sonya's arms locked behind her sister. “I'm so happy to see you,” Sonya whispered.

“I'm so sorry for this mess. It's all my fault,” Laura cried into her sister's ear.

“Shh, it's all right now. You're safe.” Sonya spoke the words but had difficulty believing it.

Laura's body vibrated as her grip tightened around Sonya's back. “I'm sorry,” she kept saying.

Sonya patted Laura's head in hopes to comfort her.

“Was that who I think it was?” Sharon finally asked.

Sonya pulled away from Laura, wanting to know the answer, too.

Laura nodded.

“But how?” Sonya asked.

“Oh, Sonya, I don't know where to begin. I mean, so much has happened,” Laura moaned.

“First, I think we need to ditch this car,” Sharon said, checking her mirrors.

“How? A rental car could still be traced to us,” Sonya stated, turning back in her seat.

“Maybe we can borrow one?” Laura suggested.

“From whom?” Sharon and Sonya asked.

“How about Tina?” Laura suggested.

“Good idea,” Sharon agreed.

A few minutes later, the women pulled into a restaurant's parking lot to use the pay phone.

They decided Sharon would make the call. Forty-five minutes later, Tina pulled up in an old, beat-up red Celica.

Sonya and Laura hid inside the restaurant while Sharon and Tina exchanged cars. After Tina drove off, the two women rushed outside.

“What did you tell her?” Sonya asked.

“I just told her that I was back in town, and I didn't want my husband to know.”

“She bought that?” Laura asked.

“Tina is always willing to be part of the latest gossip. I don't doubt half the office will think I'm cheating on James by the time she gets back.”

Later, Sharon pulled up in front of the Sundial Motel.

“Where are we?” Laura asked.

“My new home,” Sonya answered in absent humor.

The women got out of the car and headed up to Sonya's room.

Laura inspected her surroundings, then glanced at her sister in total amazement. “You're staying here?”

“It's a long story,” Sonya said, pulling out her key.

“I guess you'll also tell me what happened to your hair?” Laura asked, shaking her head.

“That's a long story, too.”

“I think we also need to change motels,” Sharon suggested.

“Good idea,” Sonya agreed. “Let's exchange information first, then find another place.”

Once inside, the three women sat on the bed and positioned themselves so they could share information.

“I want to know what's going on. Start from the beginning, and please don't leave anything out,” Sonya told Laura, crossing her legs.

Laura took a deep breath, then struggled with exactly where she wanted to start her story.

“First, Richard is a fraud,” Laura began.

“We know. The same day you turned up missing, Dwayne's office discovered that Curtis was an only child.

“Dwayne?” Laura asked. She glanced at Sharon, who looked toward the ceiling like a cat with a secret.

“Anyway…” Sonya rolled her hand along, trying to get Laura to continue with her story.

“Anyway, I was held captive for I don't know how long in some small shack with Rich…I mean, Odell and Samuel—”

“Who is Samuel?” Sonya cut in.

“I don't know. I never saw the man until then, and to tell you the truth I haven't seen him since. Anyway, I escaped. Only I left one hostage situation to land in another.”

At Sonya and Sharon's puzzled looks, she explained further.

“I made it through only one night. The next morning, I woke to see my husband standing over me.”

“Curtis,” Sonya said softly.

“I don't get how all this is connected,” Sharon said, rubbing her head.

“Let me finish,” Laura continued. “For Sonya's birthday this past April, I went to a coin collector, out in Kennesaw, to find a nice coin necklace for Sonya. After I purchased the coin, I just kept it in the closet. From what I can figure, Curtis got his hand on an authentic Aztec coin and also hid it in the closet. When it was time for me to have my coin encased in a gold band and made into a necklace, I took the wrong one.”

Small beacons of light lit both Sonya and Sharon's eyes.

“Curtis sold the wrong coin to this big-time Mafia-type guy. I believe Curtis said his name was Gae…Gaetano, or something like that. When the guy found out that Curtis sold him the wrong coin, he gave Curtis a certain amount of time to come up with the real one or return his money. But Curtis had already invested that money into something else dirty and didn't have the cash—”

“So he faked his own death?” Sonya broke in on the story.

“Surely this Mafia guy would find that too coincidental,” Sharon reasoned.

“The death thing was only to buy himself some more time,” Laura added.

“So that whole night was staged?” Sonya asked in amazement.

“I don't know. Maybe after I passed out, the idea came to him. I'm not sure.”

“This all makes perfect sense,” Sonya reflected.

“I'm glad you think so,” Sharon replied. “I don't understand where Sergeant Freeman fits into all this.”

“Maybe he works for this Mafia guy,” Sonya suggested, shrugging her shoulders.

“The police are in on this?” Laura asked with a look of astonishment.

“I'm afraid so,” Sonya answered, shaking her head.

“So what are we going to do? We can't go to the police,” Laura half-whispered.

“I know.” Sonya crossed her arms, then tried to think of a solution to their situation.

“We could go to the district attorney's office. Don't they investigate the police?”

“I don't know, but it's worth a try.” Sonya leaned over and picked up the phone while Sharon began to relay the events that had happened while Laura was away.

Sonya hung up the phone the same moment Laura squealed, “Twenty million dollars?”

“Can you believe the district attorney's office doesn't work past five o'clock?” Sonya asked with a disgusted look.

“They're not there?” Laura asked.

“No one answered the phone.”

“So what now?” Sharon moaned.

“We need to find help to free Mr. Hamilton—” Laura looked toward her sister “—or Dwayne…from that building.”

“You know where Dwayne is being held?” Sonya leaned in and grabbed Laura by the arm.

“They're in the same building I just escaped from. In fact, he helped me get out,” Laura replied, turning her attention to Sharon.

“They?” Sharon asked.

“Yes, he and Malik.” Laura looked back at Sonya. “Do you remember Malik Moyers from Techwood?”

“So Curtis is this ‘C.J.' William is spouting out about.” Sonya's hand absently went to her necklace. Out of habit, she rolled the thin chain between her fingers as she digested this new information.

“William?” Laura asked.

“Malik's brother,” Sonya answered.

“Little Billy? Is he involved in this whole thing, too?”

“No, he's just looking for his brother,” Sonya said.

“We have to call him and let him know where his brother is,” Sharon reminded Sonya.

“And start a war?” Sonya retaliated, shaking her head. “Too many people have been hurt already. No, we're going to have to do this on our own.

“Are you crazy? I don't know about you, but I have had more than my share of
Cagney and Lacey
to last me for the rest of my life. I think we need to wait until tomorrow and talk to the D.A.'s office,” Sharon responded.

“They could kill your brother tonight,” Sonya snapped.

Sharon and Laura were silent. Sonya stood and paced the floor. “There has to be some way we can help Dwayne and Malik,” Sonya mumbled.

“Then maybe our best hope is to go to William. At least he has an army of men behind him,” Sharon insisted.

Sonya gave her a disapproving look.

“Sonya, where else can we go? We are three women. What can we possibly do?” Sharon continued to reason.

Sonya knew that Sharon was right. Her mind was a blank—there wasn't a thing the three of them could do.

“All right, we'll call William.”

 

Dwayne and Malik had been imprisoned in their rooms only an hour before Dwayne freed his hands from the tight ropes.

“How did you learn to do that?” Malik asked while Dwayne began untying his hands.

“I wanted to be the next Houdini when I was a child,” Dwayne replied.

“A handy trade,” Malik joked as he stood up from the chair. “Now how do we get ourselves out of this joint?”

“The ceiling.”

Malik glanced up. “The ceiling?”

“Yeah, you're not still afraid of heights, are you?” Dwayne started stacking the chairs on top of one another.

When Malik didn't answer, Dwayne shook his head. “I can't get over a big ox like you afraid of heights,” Dwayne joked.

“Let's get this over with,” Malik said with a brave voice.

Dwayne hid a smirk. “After you.”

Malik climbed the first chair with no problem. But when it came to the next chair, his body froze with one knee on the second chair and the other leg still glued to the first chair.

Dwayne shook his head. “Come on, Malik, you can do it,” Dwayne tried to reassure.

Malik moved to the second chair and stood on his wobbly legs. Dwayne coaxed him into lifting up his arms and pushing up the cardboard ceiling with his hands.

Fifteen minutes later, Dwayne had finally gotten Malik through the top of the ceiling. He quickly climbed up after him. They balanced their weight along the wooden panel strips between the cardboard. As they moved along, Malik could no longer see he was actually on a ceiling, which caused him to relax.

Dwayne and Malik made it to the roof, and as expected Malik took one look over the side of the building and froze.

“Please don't do this. We're almost free,” Dwayne pleaded.

Malik didn't respond.

Dwayne threw his hands in the air. He knew what he had to do. He pulled Malik away from the edge of the roof and like magic, Malik came out of his coma.

“I hate to do this to you, buddy.” Without another word, Dwayne swung his fist across the giant's jaw, and he instantly sank to the ground.

Dwayne waved his hand in the air, trying to ease the stinging pain.
He has to be made out of stone.
Taking off both their shirts, he tied and looped them so he could strap Malik to his back and drag him down the platform fire escape.

After he placed Malik on the ground, he tried to revive him. Unfortunately Malik woke up swinging. One punch landed firmly across Dwayne's jaw, knocking him back a few feet.

“Man, calm down. It's me,” Dwayne hissed, rubbing his chin.

Malik glanced around anxiously. “Where are we?”

Dwayne blinked to clear the stars that danced before his eyes.
What did he hit me with? A ton of bricks?

“We're off the roof, if that's what you're concerned about.”

Malik's shoulders slumped slightly. “Thanks, man.”

“You sure have a funny way of showing your gratitude.” Dwayne chuckled. “Here, put your shirt back on.” Dwayne put his on also.