Just Can't Get Enough (30 page)

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Authors: Cheris Hodges

BOOK: Just Can't Get Enough
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CHAPTER 30
The smell of gas was faint, but it had been spread throughout the building. Tiffany, who didn't smoke, pulled out a cigarette and put it between her lips. The nicotine tingled against her mouth. It didn't matter, though. Tiffany wasn't going to smoke; she just wanted to make sure the gallery went up in smoke. She was certain no one had seen her break in and by the time they figured out that she did it, she would be in Mexico. She patted her hip pocket where her ticket to San Pedro was. Just as she was about to strike the match, floodlights flashed on, shining on her. Tiffany was trapped like a deer in the crosshairs of a hunter's gun.
“All right, Tiffany, come out with your hands up,” Chief Wayman exclaimed. “The game is over.” Three officers burst into the gallery before Tiffany could run out.
“Put the matches down,” an officer said, pointing his gun at her. Tiffany did as she was told. Another officer moved in quickly and handcuffed her. The chief walked in and looked at her and shook his head in disgust.
“Was it worth it? You threw your life away over a man who doesn't love you,” he said.
Tiffany dropped her head, unable to respond.
“Get her out of here.” Wayman pulled out his cell phone and called Darius.
 
 
Darius took the plate of fried chicken from Rena's hands and placed it in the middle of the table. “This looks good, Mrs. Malcolm,” he said, inhaling deeply.
“Boy, if you don't start calling me Rena or Mom, I'm going to hit you,” she said as she set a bowl of potato salad on the table. “Celina,” she called out. “How much longer are you going to be in the bathroom?”
John laughed as he placed Rena's freshly baked rolls on the table beside the chicken. “You know that girl was covered in paint, just like she used to be when she was a child.”
Rena rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. “Darius, I hope you are ready to have paint specks in every corner of your house. I knew that girl had to be successful because she owes me for years of replacing furniture.”
Celina walked into the kitchen, dressed in a white T-shirt dress. “Talking about me again?” she asked as she twisted one of her ponytails. Before Rena could respond, Darius's cell phone rang.
“Turn that thing off,” Rena said. “I absolutely hate cell phones at the dinner table.”
He was about to follow her instructions and shut the phone off, until he saw the number displayed on the phone. “I'll turn it off after I take this call. It's the police chief.” Darius put the phone to his ear. “Yeah? What? Where? Gasoline, but there was no fire, right?”
Celina focused her concerned stare on Darius, especially when she heard the words gasoline. Had any of her paintings been damaged by the gas? “What's going on?” she mouthed. Darius held up his index finger, telling her to hold on.
“So, she's in custody,” Darius said. “Thank goodness. It's finally over. We can check on the place in the morning, I just want to see her in handcuffs. No, chief, I am going to the detention center. After the hell she put us through, I want to see her.” Darius snapped the phone shut and turned to Celina. “They caught Tiffany tonight.”
“Thank God,” Rena exclaimed. “Where was she? How did she hide for so long?”
Darius reached over and picked up a roll and broke it apart. “I don't know, but she was in the gallery again.”
“What?” Celina exclaimed. “Did she mess with anything ? Is everything all right there?”
“Well,” Darius said as he popped a piece of bread into his mouth. “Chief said he thinks she was going to burn the place down.”
Celina ran her hand over her face and mumbled a string of profanities that made her mother flinch. “Where is she?” Celina demanded.
“At the Elmore City Jail,” Darius said.
Celina took off like a shot of lightning, leaving her fiancé in her wake. By the time he made it outside, Celina was backing out of the driveway. Not knowing what she was going to do, Darius headed next door and grabbed his car. He tried to catch up with Celina, who was doing a great impression of Jeff Gordon as she tore through the city streets. Deciding that she was going to the jail, Darius slowed his car and prayed that she didn't crash or get pulled over as she headed there.
 
 
Celina wanted to see Tiffany in handcuffs and she wanted to slap her until her cheeks turned beet red, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do that. She pulled into the jail's parking lot, stretching her car over two spots. Celina ran inside, looking like a Flo Jo clone.
“Where is she?” she demanded when she approached the sergeant's desk.
“Lady, what are you talking about?” The man asked in between bites of his sandwich.
“Tiffany Martin,” she snapped. “She was arrested and I want to see her.”
“Are you her lawyer?” the man asked, setting his sandwich on the desk and wiping a glob of mustard from his chin.
Celina rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “No, I'm her victim.”
Darius burst through the doors and knew that look he saw on Celina's face.
“Celina, calm down,” he said, walking up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist to stop her from leaping over the desk. “Where is the chief?”
“He ain't here. Now, I don't have time to babysit the two of you,” the sergeant snapped.
“Yeah, your sandwich might get lonely,” Celina retorted.
Darius whispered in her ear for her to calm down as he called Chief Wayman.
Celina folded her arms and looked at him. “Darius, I just want to see her,” she said. “I want to find out why she did this to us.”
“Baby, she's in jail, let's just let the police handle it. Tiffany isn't going to tell us anything. I just want to make sure she is in custody so that we can continue with our lives. She can't and won't hurt us again.”
His words calmed her because she knew he was right. Tugging at her ponytails, she exhaled loudly and said, “This is over. You promise me that this is over because I don't know how much more of this I can take.”
Chief Wayman walked into the detention center. “I knew when you called me that you two were here,” he said. “I can't let you see Tiffany, but here's her arrest report. It's public record and proof that we have her in custody.” Celina took the papers from his hands and read the list of charges against her. Tiffany was charged with aggravated assault, breaking and entering, and attempted arson. Satisfied, and sure that Tiffany would spend a lot of time in jail, Celina wanted to go home. Before she and Darius left, she turned to Chief Wayman, “Keep her away from me and my gallery. And, Chief Wayman, thanks.”
He tipped his hat to Celina. “You're welcome,” he said then waved good-bye to the couple.
ONE YEAR LATER
Celina stood at the door of the gallery, eyes closed, holding her breath. She placed her hand on the knob. “That door isn't going to open itself, Mrs. McRae,” Darius said as he held her from behind.
“I'm nervous,” she said.
“Why? Half the town saw the gallery when we got married three months ago,” he said. “And they loved it then.” Darius ran his hand across her belly. Celina leaned her head on his shoulder.
“But this is my first showing of new work that captures how I see Elmore. What if they don't like it?” she said as she placed her hand on top of his. “I hope you're not getting used to this flat tummy, because if I'm anything like my mother, I'm going to blow up in my sixth month,” she said.
Darius continued to rub his pregnant wife's stomach. “I can't wait,” he said, kissing her on the neck. “Now open this door.”
Celina turned the key in the lock and opened the door. She inhaled deeply before she pushed the door open. Inside, there were paintings that spanned Celina's career. She had just finished an oil painting of Thomas. He was standing with his arms folded, wearing a charcoal suit and matching bowler hat. He had a big smile on his face. Celina felt that smile was for her, Darius, and their unborn child. On the day of the grand opening of the Thomas Hart Memorial Art Gallery, she knew her father had been smiling down on her. She turned to Darius and watched him as he flipped the lights on.
“Darius,” she said.
He looked up at his wife and smiled. “Yes, ma'am?”
Celina walked over to him and kissed his lips gently. “I love you,” she said. “I love you so much.”
Darius caressed her cheek. “Tell me something I don't already know,” he said, then picked her up and twirled her around. Celina basked in the glow of his love, his touch, and his warmth, happy that she had opened her heart to his love. She knew as long as she had Darius's love on her side, anything was possible.
DAFINA BOOKS are published by
 
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
 
Copyright © 2007 by Cheris Hodges
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
 
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
 
Dafina and the Dafina logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-0-7582-5479-5
 

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