I Heard A Rumor (19 page)

“Sounds like you're kind of bitter, sis.”

“Whatever,” she mimicked. “So what am I doing at this press conference?”

Before Zach could reply, he received a text that made him smile.

I miss you. I hope everything is going well for you.

Zach responded. I can't stop thinking about you. When this blows over, I want you to show me around Charlotte.

Chante and Liza walked into Teresa Flores's office, and Chante was immediately impressed with Teresa's commanding demeanor. She watched in awe as Teresa handled whomever she was talking to on the phone.

“Damn it, I don't care what you think I need to do. This is what I'm doing—I'm going to tell the city that this tax increase is an attack on the poor and those who have lived in those communities all of their lives. I'm not giving you my support, and if anyone does, it's going to be because they don't care about keeping their office.” She slammed the phone down, and Chante wanted to give her a standing ovation.

“I see you're still keeping the city straight,” Liza said with a smile. Teresa looked up at the women standing in her doorway.

Pointing her finger at them, she smiled broadly. “You know why I keep a landline? People need to know when you hang up on them. They need to hear that slam.”

“Good point,” Chante said.

“Miss Britt, I'm glad to see you back in the Queen City. How are you?” Teresa rounded her desk and crossed over to Chante and shook her hand.

“For the first time in a long time, I'm good,” Chante said with a smile.

“I'm glad to hear that. I don't know how you worked with those assholes at Myrick, Lawson and Walker. I would've started my own firm years ago. Especially since you were the main moneymaker for those bastards.”

Chante sighed. “If I'm honest, I stayed because I was afraid, and I thought I needed someone else's approval.”

“You're over that now?”

Chante nodded.

“Good,” Teresa said, “because we don't have time for that shit.”

Liza burst out laughing. “Teresa will always tell it like it is.”

“I see that,” Chante replied.

“Ladies, have a seat,” Teresa said. “I'm really proud of what you're about to do. The Legal Center for Women. It has a great ring to it.”

Liza nodded at Chante. “Told you.”

Teresa leaned against the edge of her cluttered desk. “There are too many women in this city and state who suffer because of what their men have done. Look at what happened to Patricia Broadhead because that dope from the CIA spilled secrets while they lounged in bed. You'd think she'd been the one with the loose lips.”

Liza and Chante nodded in agreement, remembering how the award-winning journalist had been run out of town on a rail after the affair she had with a former CIA operative went public. To Patricia's defense, she had had no idea he had been married, and when she'd chronicled their relationship in her romance column, all hell broke loose.

Liza would've taken her on as a client, but the controversy had been too hot for her to handle during Jackson's first term. And she hadn't wanted to be linked to a scandal so quickly after the mess Robert had pulled her into.

“Too bad Patricia has gone off the grid,” Chante said. “She could've been my first client.”

“Oh, you're not going to have any shortage of clients. As a matter of fact,” Teresa said, then picked up a file from her desk, “here's your history-making first case. Amanda Chavis, former wife of Judge Harlan Chavis.”

“Yes, I remember him,” Chante said. “He was removed from the bench after it was discovered he was getting kickbacks from the juvenile center in Minnesota where he was sending all those kids.”

Teresa nodded.

“And through no fault of her own, Amanda lost her job, her business, and much of the money the government seized after Harlan was sentenced. Well, she's finally ready to fight back.”

Chante smiled excitedly. “This is what I'm talking about. These are the cases I want to take on.”

“She should win. With you on her side, I almost feel sorry for the Treasury Department.”

“Yes,” Liza said. “Shoot, I might write that book after all.”

“Book?” Teresa asked. “When will you have time for that? I know you and the rookie are going to be elbow deep in diapers soon.”

Chante turned to Liza. “Did you forget to tell me something?”

“No!” Liza exclaimed. “Someone must have forgotten to tell me something too!”

“Please,” Teresa said as she waved her hand, “I know you and Jackson are getting a lot of practice in.”

A deep blush burned Liza's cheeks. “Anyway.”

“It wouldn't be a bad thing for you and Jackson to bring some little ones into the world,” Chante said.

“When the time is right, it will happen. But Jackson and I aren't there yet. He's making waves in Raleigh right now.”

Teresa smiled. “I'm proud of the senator. He's making people nervous, and that is why I want people like him in office.” She turned to Chante. “What did you ever see in Robert Montgomery?”

“I was hoodwinked,” she replied, and the ladies laughed.

Teresa sat down at her desk and started typing on her computer. “It's time to get down to business,” she said. “Are you two ready?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Chante and Liza said in concert.

 

 

Zach tugged at the knot on his tie as he listened to Agent Banks explain to the media that the investigation into Natalie's alleged involvement in sex trafficking had nothing to do with the Harringtons.

“Our investigation has turned up evidence that proves Zachary Harrington had no part in the alleged crime. Zoe Harrington has also been cleared of any connection with the sex ring. We've dropped all charges against Ms. Harrington,” he said, then glanced at Zoe. She shot him a stone-faced look that made Zach wonder if there was something else going on with the two of them.

“We'll take a few questions,” Banks said. “But we can't release any details of the case.”

“Mr. Harrington,” a reporter called out, “how did you not know what your wife was involved with?”

“People lie,” he replied.

“But you were married to her for . . .”

Zoe stood in front of the podium. “Listen,” she began, “this woman is a professional liar. It's not surprising that a sex peddler used love and her body to get what she wanted, which was access to some high-end men who buy sex. Unfortunately, women are crafty, and my brother found out the hard way as our family's business was drawn into this sordid mess. What's even more disheartening is that the FBI jumped to the wrong conclusions and created a circus for my family.” Again, she speared Banks with an icy look. “And that's all we have to say.” Zoe walked off the podium, and Zach followed his sister.

“What was that all about?” Zach asked.

“I don't understand the purpose of a long press conference and answering questions so that the media will have ammunition to spin the story their way. I stated the facts, and that's that.”

“Zoe, don't stand here and try to play me. I'm talking about the daggers you were shooting at Agent Banks.”

“You're exaggerating,” she said, then started walking toward the exit.

Zach grabbed her arm.

“You stay up in my business. Tell me the truth about you and Banks right now,” he demanded.

“There's nothing to tell. We were both working a case, things were confused, and we . . .”

“You slept with him, didn't you?” he asked.

“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? That man lied to me, and then he had the nerve to slap handcuffs on me.”

“Was that the first time?” Zach quipped.

Zoe punched her brother and glared at him. “Don't make light of this. I didn't judge you . . . well, yeah I did. But my point is, I don't want to deal with all of this right now, and you need to make sure the media stays on message and we can get back to our lives.”

“And what are you going to do about him?” Zach asked as he pointed to Agent Banks.

“I'm out of here,” Zoe said. As Banks took a step toward her, Zoe bolted as if she'd been struck by lightning.

Zach gave Banks a cool once-over. “What's going on with you and my sister?”

“That's classified information.”

“Don't play with me. This isn't a case; this is my family.”

“And as you can see, your sister wants nothing to do with me. Case closed.”

“It better be. Zoe plays hard, but she isn't. Hurt her and I won't give a damn about you being a G-man. I will kick your ass.”

“You do realize that you just threatened a government agent?”

“I don't care. She's my sister and . . .”

“Your sister broke my nose. I think she can handle herself.”

Zach held back a laugh and shook his head. “That's good to know,” he said, then walked away.

When Zach made it back to his office, he pulled out his phone and dialed Chante's number. When her voice mail picked up, he was disappointed. Turning to his desktop computer, he logged on to US Airways and booked a flight to Charlotte. He wanted to see his woman. Pausing, he stared off into the distance. He couldn't believe he was sitting here thinking about Chante as if she was his. How could he be sure she hadn't gone back to Charlotte and gotten into a situation that pushed him out of her life?

“I'm tripping,” he said as he looked down at his phone again. “She had her own situation to handle, and she might be busy.”

He just prayed she'd have time for him when he arrived in the Queen City. Before he could print out his boarding pass, Zoe burst into his office.

“You just can't mind your own business, can you?”

“What are you talking about?”

Zoe folded her arms across her chest. “Really? Did you think Carver wasn't going to call me and tell me you threatened him?”

“I didn't threaten him, I made a promise.”

Zoe threw her hands up. “This is why I would never come back here and work with you. I'm not a little girl who needs her big brother—by five minutes, mind you—to protect me.”

“I'm not trying to protect you, but I'm not going to sit by and watch someone I love get hurt.”

“You know that I can shoot the boogie man these days, right?”

Zach shook his head. “Whatever, Zoe. All I know is, that man has been on my ass during this whole investigation and knowing that you two had something going on . . .”

“It. Was. Work. Let it go and get your business on track.”

“I got this.”

She glanced at his computer screen. “What's going to Charlotte going to fix in New York? You need to take a woman break because you suck at picking the right one.”

“First of all . . .”

“Just hush,” Zoe said.

Zach was about to hit
PRINT
on his computer when the phone rang. “This is Zach,” he said.

“Mr. Harrington, this is Lila Jacobson from Kinder and Bryant.”

“Yes, Miss Jacobson, I've been trying to get a meeting with your CEO for a few weeks,” Zach said.

“Well, he's been busy. However, he does have an opening tomorrow at nine a.m. That is, if you're still interested in doing business with us.”

“I'll check my calendar and have my assistant give you a call.” Zach couldn't help but smile. Obviously word had gotten around about him and his company being cleared in this mess with Natalie.

“I guess it's time for you to get back to work,” Zoe said.

Zach rolled his eyes. “You're right.” Picking up his smartphone, he called Kia and told her they were back in business. Unfortunately, Charlotte would have to wait.

 

 

Chante looked around Liza's old office and smiled. She could see the potential in this place. On the left wall, she'd set up a floor-to-ceiling bookcase for her law books. She'd definitely change the colors of the walls. The softness of the lavender didn't quite mesh with her idea of a law office. She wanted people to walk in and feel power, feel as if they were going to win their case.

“So,” Liza said, breaking into Chante's thoughts, “what do you think?”

“Great potential. I hope you don't mind if I do some redecorating.”

She shrugged. “That's not a bad idea. I know one thing, this desk is going with me.”

“Good,” Chante quipped, “because I didn't like it anyway.”

“You got jokes, I see.”

“I want this place to scream power and winning.”

“Yep. You definitely want a winning image. Perception is reality.”

Chante nodded. “I need a great interior designer. I'm sure you know one.”

Smiling, Liza nodded. “Of course. I'll call Damien Brown right now.”

“Let's leave something to do tomorrow,” Chante said.

“I'll have to give you his number now because Jackson and I are going to do some appearances in the district.”

“Look at you. ‘Appearances in the district'—you sound just like a politician's wife.”

“Well, I am. I just happen to be married to an atypical politician. I'm actually looking forward to visiting the people who voted for him and the people he's working for.” Liza's smile was infectious, and Chante was happy to see her friend so excited about her life with Jackson.

“There is no way Robert would've taken this much time with the people of the district. I'm just glad people can see the real him on the Internet now.”

“And people will see that you are just the right woman to get justice for them. I was really proud of how you handled him. I was like, that's my girl. And had it been anyone else, I would've retweeted the link.”

“I'm glad you didn't.”