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Connor was able to look away from Shawnie for a moment to answer the question. “She’s worked at the company for thirty-two years, after a foreign exchange internship while she was in college. In that time, she’s moved up from an HR assistant to vice president of the entire department. Her employment file is squeaky clean. I haven’t approached her personally yet. If she was the last person that Harmon called, she may have something to hide and is probably not real keen on being questioned. I don’t want her to run before we get the information we need. So I’m trying to find an official reason to call her into my office for a conversation.”
Shawnie shifted and crossed her long legs, to Connor’s obvious delight. “I wonder if she was the same person who called Gloria? Remember? The one where the caller said it wasn’t an accident.”
Malcolm took a sip of his lemonade and shrugged. “Gloria checked the caller ID but it read unavailable.”
“Was she able to find out anything about Ms. Longwei from Dad’s records?” Shawnie asked.
“No. There was nothing in his files about her. Not even an old message. Gloria has never heard the woman’s name before, and you know how close she worked with Dad. If anybody would know Dad’s connection to this woman it would be Gloria.”
“That’s true. Why didn’t Gloria join us for lunch today?” Ty asked.
“She’s down at the police station. The cops wanted a list of anything that might be missing from Dad’s office after the break-in,” Malcolm answered.
“Really? She found something missing?” Ty asked.
Malcolm shook his head. “No. But she wanted to go and tell them in person in case they had some other leads to tell her about.”
“And you let her go by herself?” Shawnie inquired.
Connor answered before Malcolm had a chance. “That was probably smarter. A Braddock at the police station might set the reporters off.”
Ty looked from Connor to Malcolm, who was nodding his agreement, and back to Connor again. Was it just a few short weeks ago that he and Malcolm had walked in on the ridiculously rich white man kissing their baby sister? And now look at them, he thought, all sitting at a table having lunch and discussing his father’s case. But Ty knew Connor was a cool guy, especially after he had discovered they both shared a love of cars. Connor’s tastes, though, leaned more toward the expensive, speedy sports cars, compared to Ty’s passion with vintage excellence.
“That’s true. I’m glad we’re all in agreement that this investigation is still on the down-low,” Ty said.
Connor nodded. “Like I said before, I want to help you get to the bottom of this. Something is definitely not right. The phone call warning to Gloria, the response she got to stay away, the break-in and her last-minute travel plans to D.C. the day he died…The things you’ve uncovered so far support that notion. Besides, it’s not that farfetched that there’s been a cover-up. That’s the name of the game in politics these days.”
“You’ve got that right,” Malcolm chimed in. “That’s why we need to be extra careful in the investigation.”
“Let’s face it, guys, we don’t have a clue what we’re doing here,” Shondra said as she forked her salad. “I mean, we’re grasping at straws, accumulating information but have no idea what to do with it.”
“So what do you suggest?”
Shondra picked up her glass, drank and used a napkin to wipe her mouth. “Well, Mom did tell us to hire a PI, and Drey St. John offered to help.”
The men exchanged weary glances.
“What do you know about him?” Malcolm asked Ty.
Ty shrugged. “Nothing much. He was at the funeral. He introduced himself, said he knew Dad and worked with him frequently. That’s about it.”
“Gloria said she has invoices that prove Dad employed him often. He’s a private investigator. What more could we ask?”
Malcolm looked alarmed. “When did you talk to Gloria?”
Shondra was lifting another forkful of salad to her mouth. Ty had often wondered how the girl stayed so thin. Ever since she hit puberty she’d been able to eat just as much as he and Malcolm and still possessed a model’s figure.
“She called me this morning. Why?”
“I don’t like you two teaming up, that’s why,” Malcolm chided.
“Oh, please,” Shondra quipped. “You’re just afraid she might let it slip how you act in bed.”
Ty and Connor laughed while Malcolm tried to suppress a grin. The older brother normally had a dry sense of humor, but Ty had noticed a change in Malcolm since Harmon’s death. The change since he’d admitted his feelings for Gloria. Malcolm was light and unburdened these days. Ty was happy for his big brother, happy for the new direction Malcolm’s life was taking.
“I’ll try and talk to Ms. Longwei before the week is out. I’ll call you guys with what I find out and you can decide what to do from there,” Connor said.
Ty had emptied his own glass and signaled for the waitress to bring him lemonade. “That sounds good, Connor. Why don’t we hold off on hiring St. John until we see if this Longwei has some relevant information?”
“She obviously knows that Dad’s death wasn’t an accident,” Shondra said with a frown.
“Not necessarily,” Malcolm interjected. “She could simply be making assumptions.”
“Or,” Ty added, “she may be involved in whatever is going on. In that regard, Connor, you need to be really careful about questioning her. We don’t know what can of worms we’re about to open up.”
“You’re right,” Connor agreed.
Shondra and Malcolm agreed, as well.
“In the meantime, there’s a cop at the gym where I work out. I can make some casual comments about the accident just to see if they’re still looking into it. The guy and I are pretty cool, so he might just let something slip.”
“You be careful, too,” Shondra said. “You know corruption rarely skips the police department.”
Ty nodded. “True.”
They continued eating and talking, covering a range of subjects, one of which was their mother, Evelyn. They were all concerned about how she was taking Harmon’s death, so Malcolm and Ty agreed to go and check up on her once Shondra and Connor left.
“Ty, tell Felicia I’ll call her so we can get back into our lunch ritual,” Shawnie said as they walked away. Ty and Malcolm rode in Malcolm’s Mercury Mariner Hybrid through the city streets and got onto the highway that would lead them to the outskirts of the city, where the Braddock estate was. Ty liked his brother’s truck but wasn’t impressed by its size or new-age technology. He favored the old, tried-and-true vehicles and was looking forward to taking one of his favorites—the vintage teal 1963 Chevrolet Corvette he kept in the garage at the estate—out for a spin. It had been a while since he’d indulged in his only other hobby besides work. In truth, it had been too long.
Ty enjoyed the scenery as Malcolm drove. He thought about his wife and their evening together. They must have kissed on that balcony for hours. All he knew for certain was that when he’d finally had to walk her to the door, his body was hard as steel and he was needing her more than he’d ever had in his life.
But Felicia had held to her word. She didn’t want them to rush things. She wanted the whole dating, courting, whatever-you-wanted-to-call-it routine all over again. Ty wasn’t really down for the waiting to sleep with her again—especially since they were already legally married and he’d gotten her pregnant—but he knew enough to give her what she wanted in that regard. He was looking at his marriage like a business deal now: it needed to be handled delicately until the final contracts were signed—the “final contracts” being the moment Felicia moved back in with him. That thought made him smile.
“What are you over there smiling about?” Malcolm asked. “You must have made another million or something, you look so happy.”
Ty cleared his throat and pretended to adjust his seat belt. “Nah, it’s nothing. Just enjoying the scenery.”
“Man, you can’t see anything but asphalt and cars driving too fast to get to someplace that’s probably not all that important. That is not what put that smile on your face. So what’s up?”
“It’s nothing really. Just that things have been bad for a few months and they’re finally starting to look a little better.”
“You mean you and Felicia?”
“Why would you say that?” Ty asked. He’d been careful not to let anyone in his family know about his and Felicia’s separation. For all they knew, she was just spending more time working and with her family. Her appearance at the funeral had helped tremendously, as both his mother and Shondra were happy to see her.
“Come on, Ty. I know you, and I know when something’s bothering you. You were on edge even before Dad’s death. I assumed it was about your wife since your business is doing so well. Felicia is the only thing you love more than work and your cars.”
Ty thought about his brother’s words for a moment, searching for and accepting the truth in them. “Things were a little shaky with us for a while. But now we’re cool.”
“Shaky, how?” Malcolm persisted.
Ty sighed, knowing his brother could be just as stubborn as him. That was one trait they’d all inherited from Harmon. They weren’t going to make the additional twenty minutes of this ride without him telling Malcolm all he wanted to know, so there was no need in even trying.
“She left me,” Ty said quietly.
“What? She left? Why?”
“I don’t really know. I mean, I think I know now. But when it happened, I had no idea.”
Malcolm shook his head. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“She left right after the New Year. I came home one day and she was gone. Then the day of the funeral she showed up. I thought things were back to normal, that whatever she’d been going through was fixed. So we slept together.”
“But?”
“I didn’t say but. ”
Malcolm chuckled. “Still, I know there’s one coming.”
“ But apparently things still weren’t okay. She left again. I tried to call her. I left messages at her job and on her cell. I didn’t even know where she was staying.”
“Did you call her parents?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“The same reason I didn’t tell any of you. I didn’t want them to know. Marriage is sacred to Felicia. Marshall and Lydia have been together for a long time and they have a great relationship. I didn’t think she would run to them and tell them she was giving up on ours.”
“So what’s going on now?”
Ty thought for a moment. He rarely went for walks, especially during a weekday when he should have been working. But had he not been coming down that street, had he not glanced inside that store, he wouldn’t be feeling as content as he was now. “I saw her yesterday.”
Malcolm glanced at Ty, then back at the road. “You did? Where? Did you go to her job like some stalker?”
Ty frowned, offended that his brother would even suggest such a thing. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“I know you wouldn’t. That’s why you haven’t spoken to or seen your wife in months.” Malcolm chuckled. “You’re too cool to show your emotions that way.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just tell me what happened when you saw her.”
Ty decided he wanted this conversation over with sooner rather than later, so he dismissed Malcolm’s comment. “She’s pregnant.”
“What! It’s yours, right?”
“Don’t play games, Malcolm. Of course it’s mine. She is my wife.” And if Ty knew one thing about Felicia, it was that she was loyal. She would never step out on him, no matter how bad things were. As long as they were legally married—and this was true for him, as well—there would be no sleeping with anybody else.
“I can’t tell,” Malcolm said flippantly.
“All right, what’s that supposed to mean? And I want a straight answer.”
Malcolm shrugged. “I don’t have a problem giving you one, little brother. You’ve been working and working since the day you and Felicia got married. You know why she left? Because she didn’t think you’d miss her one way or another.”
Ty opened his mouth to speak then quickly closed it again.
“Yeah, you know I’m right. Felicia’s the type of woman that needs attention, Ty, and you weren’t giving it to her. You better be thanking the good Lord that she’s carrying your baby and not some other man’s.”
“Just because you’re driving doesn’t mean I won’t hit you. Watch what you say about my wife.”
Malcolm chuckled. “Don’t get mad at me. I’m just keeping it real. There’s more to life than work. It took me a while to realize that, but I see it clearly now. Felicia wants more than just money in the bank, Ty. She wants the whole fairy tale.”
“I know what my wife wants, thank you very much.” Ty shifted in his seat. “This all sounds real professional coming from a man who’s been running from a serious commitment most of his adult life.”
“I’m not downplaying my faults. But I’m wiser now.”
“You mean you’re Gloria-whipped now.”
“Whatever.” Malcolm laughed. “But seriously, I think you really need to think about what I’ve said and listen to what I’m sure Felicia’s saying. She’s pregnant now, man. It’s time for you to take your marriage and your family more seriously than your job.”
“If I don’t work, how do I support my family?”
“Ty, you’re not destitute. You have more money than most men twice your age. Besides, it’s not all about the money. It’s about living your life before it’s too late. Don’t you want to be there for Felicia and for your child?”
“Of course I do. And I will. That’s why I have to work—to make sure they have everything they need all the time.”
“I’m betting that all they’re going to need is you,” Malcolm said seriously.
“Thanks for the advice, big brother, but I’ve got this under control.”
Malcolm shrugged and Ty hoped he was going to let it rest for now. “I don’t have to tell you that this conversation goes no further than you and me.”
“I’m not an idiot, Ty. Mom doesn’t need this type of drama right now, and Shawnie’s so in love with Connor that she couldn’t care less what the rest of us are doing.”
Ty smiled. “Yeah, that’s weird as hell to see, isn’t it?”
“It’s borderline nasty. I’m going to have to keep my distance.”
“Don’t hate—you and Gloria are like that, too. I’ve seen you.”
It was Malcolm’s turn to smile. “Whatever.”
Felicia had one hour to do class planning every day. While her first-graders were in gym, she sat behind her desk and reread the afternoon’s reading lesson. She was just beginning the slippery trek into phonics and needed to remain focused. Twenty six-year-olds were full of energy and inquisitiveness. Neither of which made them ready to focus on learning to read.
She rearranged the flash cards with the sight words she would start with, and a memory from the past sneaked up on her.
She and Ty were back in school. He’d been studying for an exam in his literature class. Ty was a whiz with numbers but hated reading classic literature or poetry. So she’d come up with the idea to write the poet’s name on one side of the card and a passage from one of his/her more notable works on the other.
They were in her dorm, she lying across her bed while Ty sat on the floor dribbling a basketball with the finesse of an NBA player. She’d flash him a card. His dark eyes would shift away from his hand and the ball for just a second, and then he’d recite the passage on the other side of the card. It had been when she’d flashed the card that read “Lady Montagu” and his immediate, unwavering response had been, “The man who feels the dear disease, Forgets himself, neglects to please, The crowd avoids, and seeks the groves, And much he thinks when much he loves.” At that very moment Felicia knew without a doubt she was in love with him.
He’d spoken the words with such sincerity, such heartfelt honesty, that she’d believed he was speaking them directly to her instead of simply reciting the passage from memory.
“Can I put the names on the board for rec time, Mrs. Braddock?”
The high-pitched voice of one of her students interrupted the memory, and Felicia cleared her throat.
“Madeline, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in gym.” Madeline Yi was a precocious, cheerful girl of Asian descent. Her inky hair, adorable round cheeks and inquisitive nature were a highlight to Felicia’s day.
“I got my good shoes on so I can’t pissisipate,” Madeline said, her tongue slipping through the gap where her two front teeth used to be.
Felicia looked down to see that the child did, in fact, have on a lovely pair of patent leather shoes. Totally unsuitable for playing dodgeball. “The word is participate, ” she gently corrected while standing up behind her desk. “We’ll have to find something for you to do then.”
“I can put the names on the board for rec,” Madeline insisted.
“No. I’ll do that.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the teacher,” Felicia answered as the little girl followed her around the classroom.
“But I can be your helper.”
“Yes. You can. And I’m going to find something for you to help me with.” Felicia continued to look around her cheerfully decorated classroom for an assignment. She could have Madeline reorder the numbers for their leapfrog calendar, or she could put Madeline in charge of the booklets for the phonics lesson. However, she got the impression that Madeline was sure of what she wanted to do.
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