Confessions (26 page)

“Trinette, Maureen wants to see you,” Patricia said the second I returned from lunch.

I looked over at my coworker and rolled my eyes. My lunch hour wasn't even officially over for another five minutes. “What's she want?”

“What does she ever want? Something to complain about.”

I took a seat and reached for my compact. There was no way I was stepping into her office with a hair out of place. Ever since Maureen got the director's position she had been in my ass every chance she got, that is, when she wasn't rubbing it in my face. Let me just say, working under Maureen had been a chore. She did everything she could to piss me off, hoping at some point I'd simply just go off on her ass and quit, but I had other plans.

After what Cory put me through, I was a changed woman. I drove by the gym the day before. He was back at work with two big knots on his forehead and way too embarrassed to tell anyone what really happened. And that was fine with me. The last thing I needed was to go to jail for clocking that fool with a hammer. In no way did those knots compare to the damage he had done to my life. However, while his ass stayed in the hospital overnight for observation, I paid a visit to his mama and told her everything her son had done to me. I think that's where the second knot on his head had come from.

Nikki left that morning to join her husband in Miami, leaving me in St. Louis with all the psychos. I was so fucking jealous. If only it could have been me and Leon. Trust and believe, Ms. Netta hadn't given up hope just yet.

I fixed my lipstick, and as soon as I was certain I looked my best, I walked to her office, knocking once, then entered. Maureen frowned at the sight of me.

“There you are. I was wondering when you were getting back.”

I glanced down at my watch, then back at her. “Last I checked my lunch hour ended at one.”

She sneered her lips up and then leaned forward in her chair. “There seems to be a bit of a problem.”

I took a seat in the chair across from her. “What kind of problem?”

“Cimon Clark filed a complaint against you.”

That gutter bitch just didn't know when to quit. I leaned back in the chair. “What kind of complaint?”

Maureen gave me a hard, penetrating look. I didn't know who she was trying to scare, because it definitely wasn't me. “Said you were dating her father and because she disapproved you cut off her benefits.”

I laughed. “She's lying and not even my client anymore, so you can deal with her.”

“She's still your problem. I'm endorsing the complaint, and it will be up to the board to decide how to handle it. I guarantee you're going to be terminated. In the future, if you want to screw a client's father, then keep it out of my office.”

“You know, I am really getting sick of working with you,” I spat.

Maureen cocked her head to the side. “Well, guess what? I'm the boss. Either you get it together or I'm going to have to find someone who wants a job. I don't know if you heard…but times are hard.” She gave me a phony smile.

“Really now?” I was so sick of her ass. “You know what…hold that thought.” I rose and walked back out to my desk.

“What she say?”

I ignored Patricia and reached inside my desk drawer for an envelope, then returned to Maureen's office and took my seat. The smirk on my face must have scared Maureen because she gave me a curious look.

“Can I help you?”

I tossed the envelope across the desk.

“What is this?” She flinched and stared down at it as if it were anthrax.

“Go ahead…open it up and see,” I encouraged.

Maureen cracked open the seal and reached inside. I watched her face drop as she looked at the photos of her and Chuck getting their freak on at the condo. “W-Where did y-you get these?”

I pointed a chastising finger at her. “Don't worry about that. All that matters is I got them and there are plenty more where they come from. In fact, I already have an envelope addressed and ready to mail to Michael the next time you fuck with me.”

She didn't say shit.

“Now…I want you to make the complaint go away and reassign that hood rat back to my caseload. It's time Cimon started looking for a job.”

I left her ass sitting there speechless as I moved back out to my desk long enough to log off my computer. I think I just earned the rest of the day off.

Patricia was staring me all in my grill. “What happened?”

“Girl, quit being so damn nosy!” I didn't mean to yell, but damn!

She sucked her teeth like a horse and had the nerve to roll her eyes. “Whatever…you gotta call holding on line one.”

I wasn't even in the mood for another client complaining about not getting enough money to support them and their bad-ass kids. “This is Trinette.”

“Trinette, this is Donovan.”

Something in his voice scared me. “Hey, what are you doing calling me?”

He gave a nervous laugh. “I was wondering if you'd seen my wife.”

“What do you mean? Aren't you meeting her in Miami?”

“I
am
in Miami. I'm at the airport, but she didn't get on her plane.”

My heart started pounding and I started to get scared. When I talked to her the previous night, she was so excited about her second honeymoon. Nothing would have stopped Nikki from getting on that plane. “Did you check the airline?”

“Yes, and they said she didn't get on the plane. I've tried calling her cell phone, but it goes straight to voice mail.”

“Okay, okay. Maybe she got on a later flight.”

“Maybe.” Donovan didn't sound convinced.

“Okay. I'll go over to her house and see if she's there.”

“Thanks, Trinette. I'm trying to think positive, but I have this feeling something isn't right.”

I had the same feeling. And it wasn't about something but someone. A certain nutty mothafucka who came to mind.

“I'll call you back as soon as I hear something.” I hung up and reached for my purse.

“Trinette, what's wrong?” Patricia asked.

“I gotta go.” I hurried out the building and out to my dented Mercedes and peeled out the lot. While I drove to Nikki's house, I called all her numbers including the bookstore, and even Karen hadn't heard from her. Something wasn't right, but I didn't want to believe it just yet. Nikki's cell phone went straight to voice mail, so I had to believe she had shut it off before boarding a plane.

I pulled in front of her house. Her driveway was empty, and I frowned. I swore she told me she was taking a shuttle to the airport, but maybe she decided at the last minute to drive and left her car in long-term parking. Maybe the shuttle was late, so at the last minute she had to drive herself and park, and by the time she did all that, she missed her plane and had to catch the next one. I tried to think of every possible scenario. Yep, that was probably what had happened. So then why didn't she call Donovan and tell him?

I rang the doorbell twice, and when I didn't get an answer I put my key in the lock and went inside. “Nikki, you in here?”

There was no answer, so I moved through the house, looking for anything that seemed out of place. Everything was perfect as usual. The dishes were all dried and put away. I went into her bedroom. Her bed was made and the timer was running on her lamp in the corner. I checked her closet for the red luggage we found at JCPenney, and all three pieces were gone. Her prescription allergy medicine was missing as well. There was no sign of her being there.

She had to have gone to the airport. I was so confident, I went over to the long-term parking lot she always used to see if I could find her car. After driving up and down the aisles, I spotted her Lexus with personalized plates T
RUTH
and released a sigh of relief. Just what I thought. She had caught a later plane to Miami. I immediately called Donovan and told him I had found her car.

“Thank goodness. Thank you, Trinette.”

“No problem. I'm sure she'll be calling you shortly. Just have a good time.”

“I will. Hey, Trinette…Nikki told me about you and Leon. I'm sorry. If you want, I can call and talk to him for you.”

No, this was one battle I needed to fight on my own. “No, don't do that. I got myself in this mess. I'll have to figure it out myself.”

“Can I give you a piece of advice?” His voice held a degree of concern.

I sighed. “Yes…anything.”

“Prayer helps. I did a lot of that while I was in Iraq.”

“Thanks, Donovan. I'll try that.” At this point I was desperate enough to do anything.

“I'll make sure to say a prayer for the both of you as well.”

“I appreciate that.”

I went home, showered and had just fixed a cup of hot tea when Jay called. “What do you want? You know I'm still mad at you for not telling me about you and Ronnie.”

He blew out a deep breath. “I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to tell you.”

“Easy…just move your lips.”

There was a pause. “I guess…I like having you in my life. If I told you I had decided to marry my baby mama, I figured all that would change and…well…I was afraid of losing you.”

His words brought a smile to my lips. “You'll never lose me. Friends for life, right?”

“Absolutely.” I could hear his smile. “Ronnie's gone to Belleville to her mother's. I thought maybe you wanted to go to happy hour tonight and talk.”

“Don't you and your boy Kenyon kick it for the Juneteenth celebration?”

“Yeah, but he said he's spending the evening with his baby.”

I brought the mug to my lips. “His baby? He must have another baby, because Nikki's in Miami with her husband.”

“Nah, there's no one else. The only woman he ever talks about is Nikki. In fact, he said they were spending the weekend together, then going on a trip. He even said he might not be back, but I know better than that.”

Oh, shit! I dropped my mug and rose from the chair. “Jay, do me a favor. Try reaching Kenyon and call me back. But first, give me his address.”

I hung up and grabbed my keys and headed out the door. On the drive over, I called Nikki's cell phone, and again it went straight to voice mail. It had been three hours. She should have been in Miami by now. I then called the police, which was a fucking waste of time. Nikki had to officially be missing forty-eight hours before they would get involved.

Halfway to North County, Donovan started calling my phone, but I ignored his calls because I knew what he was going to tell me. Nikki hadn't gotten on another plane. I tried Kenyon's cell phone and didn't get an answer, so I drove straight to his town house. On the ride over, I thought about what I would say and how I would say it. I didn't want to make him suspicious.

His Lincoln MKS was in the driveway. I moved up to the door and rang the doorbell, then before he had a chance to answer, I started knocking on the door. I waited for what felt like forever. What the hell! I knew he was in there. I got mad and started banging on his door.

Kenyon finally swung it open. “What the…oh…uh, hi, Trinette.” His frown changed to that creepy smile of his.

I forced one of my own. For some strange reason his crazy ass was wearing a tuxedo. “Hey, Kenyon, have you heard from Nikki?”

His eyes darted around. “No…why?”

I was still standing at the door. He hadn't even invited me in. Something was definitely not right, but I continued. “I think something has happened to Nikki.”

I watched the expression on his face. “Why do you think that?”

“Because she hasn't made it to Miami.”

“Miami? Why is she going to Miami?” he asked like he didn't already know.

“To see her husband.”

“Maybe she caught a later flight.” He shrugged and was just too damn calm. Kenyon is never calm. If he didn't know where she was, he would be hysterical at this point.

“Nope. I've already checked. Something happened to her before she got on the plane.” I tried to look behind him, but Kenyon blocked my view.

“Is her car at the house?”

He knew damn well it was not. “No, it's not.”

Kenyon shrugged like it was no big deal. “I'm sure her car's at Park Express.”

I propped a hand at my hip and gave him a look that said I was onto his ass. “How would you know where she parked?”

He looked nervous for a moment, then his smile returned. “Isn't that where everyone parks?”

“No, it isn't.” I heard a crash inside, and Kenyon looked nervously over his shoulder, then down at his feet, and there was Rudy. Kenyon's eyes practically bulged out his head.

“What's Rudy doing here?”

He answered without hesitation. “Nikki…uh…asked me to watch him.”

“No, she didn't. Let me in!” I tried to push past his crazy ass, but he blocked the entrance.

“Listen, I've got a date and don't have time for this! If you find her give me a call.” He slammed the door in my face, almost breaking the hand I used to try to stop him. For a skinny mothafucka he was strong.

I knew for a fact Nikki was putting Rudy in the kennel for the week. Kenyon would have been the last person she would have left her dog with.

I hopped in my car and looked over at the house and spotted Kenyon peeping out between the blinds at me.
Psycho ass
. Either Nikki was in there or he knew where she was. Either way I wasn't leaving. My phone rang. It was Jay.

“He didn't answer.”

“That crazy mothafucka is at home! I just knocked at his door.” I was so pissed I was pounding my fist against the steering wheel.

“Netta…what's going on?”

“I think he kidnapped Nikki.” I quickly brought him up to speed, then there was silence on the line. “Jay, you owe me.”

He sighed. “This shit is crazy as hell. What do you need me to do?”