Authors: Brenda Jackson
Ties That Bind (23 page)
Waiting wasn't an easy thing to do, Randolph concluded as he moved around his office. He checked his watch. He had ten minutes more to wait. Ten minutes before he'd be seeing Jenna again.
When he had checked his appointment book that morning he'd seen the name and had blinked a few times, thinking he must have been imagining things. But after calling Clara into his office to question the appointment, he discovered he wasn't losing his mind after all. According to Clara, a Jenna Haywood Malone had called last week asking for an appointment. There was a case she wanted him to handle for her.
What case?
he'd asked himself numerous times since then. He had racked his brain for any possible clue as to what would bring her from Atlanta to see him, and from all indications she wanted to treat her visit strictly as a business matter. Did she actually believe that he could do that, considering what they'd once meant to each other?
he'd asked himself numerous times since then. He had racked his brain for any possible clue as to what would bring her from Atlanta to see him, and from all indications she wanted to treat her visit strictly as a business matter. Did she actually believe that he could do that, considering what they'd once meant to each other?
He checked his watch again. Eight minutes.
Had she arrived early? Was she sitting out front in the lobby waiting for their scheduled appointment time? He picked up the phone and punched Clara's extension.
“Yes, Mr. Fuller?”
“Has JenâI mean Mrs. Malone arrived yet?”
“No, sir.”
“Thanks.” He was as jumpy as a schoolboy about to go on his first date with the most popular girl at school. He sat behind his desk and looked at the report of a case that had just been delivered. A few minutes later, he shoved it aside. He was interested in only one thing. What Jenna could possibly want with him? He definitely knew what he wanted with her. It was what he'd always wanted. To love her forever. He again considered it absurd that she thought things could be strictly business between them. He would play it cool, let her set the pace, and even go so far as to let her lay down whatever ground rules
she thought she needed to put in place. But then as smoothly as whipped cream, he would ease back into her life as well as her heart. Then he would set her straight as to how things would be between them. There was probably a chance she wouldn't like it. But he wasn't going to give her a choice.
she thought she needed to put in place. But then as smoothly as whipped cream, he would ease back into her life as well as her heart. Then he would set her straight as to how things would be between them. There was probably a chance she wouldn't like it. But he wasn't going to give her a choice.
Fourteen years ago they had spent a week together at Glendale Shores during spring break. It was during that time they had pledged their love for each other as well as bound their lives together. He had explained to her the significance of making a commitment over his great-grandmother's Bible and what it meant. It seemed she had somehow forgotten.
Randolph drew in a long deep breath. And in his own way he was going to make her remember. He had no intentions of letting her disappear from his life again.
Â
Jenna swallowed the nervousness she felt in her stomach. “Good morning. I'm here to see Mr. Fuller.”
Clara Bradley peered through the glasses that sat perched on her nose. “Jenna Malone?”
“Yes.”
“Please have a seat and I'll let Mr. Fuller know that you're here.”
Clara watched the woman cross the room to take a seat. She was pretty, she thought. Very pretty. And for some reason Mr. Fuller was anxious to meet with her. He had called twice asking if she had arrived yet. Clara's ever-observant eyes had noticed the young woman wasn't wearing a ring, which meant she wasn't married.
Umm, interesting.
Clara racked her brain to figure out where she knew the name.
Ahh,
she remembered. Mr. Fuller had a special folder on Jenna Malone in his confidential files. Those were files he personally handled himself. Only once or twice had he given her the key to the locked cabinet to put something away. Now her curiosity was piqued. Evidently Mrs. Malone was someone Mr. Fuller knew. Could she be someone he cared about as well?
Umm, interesting.
Clara racked her brain to figure out where she knew the name.
Ahh,
she remembered. Mr. Fuller had a special folder on Jenna Malone in his confidential files. Those were files he personally handled himself. Only once or twice had he given her the key to the locked cabinet to put something away. Now her curiosity was piqued. Evidently Mrs. Malone was someone Mr. Fuller knew. Could she be someone he cared about as well?
Clara hoped so. His ex-wife was a monumental pain, a real witch if ever there was one, and determined to remain a permanent fixture in
his life whether he wanted her to or not. Clara thought Angela Fuller's obsession with Mr. Fuller wasn't healthy. There were times when she wondered if the woman didn't have a few screws loose. Already she had called that morning, but as he had instructed she had not put her through and had taken a message.
his life whether he wanted her to or not. Clara thought Angela Fuller's obsession with Mr. Fuller wasn't healthy. There were times when she wondered if the woman didn't have a few screws loose. Already she had called that morning, but as he had instructed she had not put her through and had taken a message.
The phone rang. Mr. Fuller was calling again. Clara picked up, immediately knowing what question he would ask. “Yes, Mr. Fuller, she's here.” After a brief pause she concluded the conversation by saying, “All right, sir.”
After hanging up the phone Clara stood as she glanced across the room at the young woman. “Mrs. Malone, Mr. Fuller will see you now.
Â
When Jenna entered Randolph's office he was standing across the room at the window with his back to her. His secretary smiled before leaving, quietly closing the door behind her. And as if the click of the door was his cue, he slowly turned around and his dark eyes held her transfixed.
Jenna's breath caught in her throat. Even from across the room Randolph's presence filled the office. He seemed taller, more muscular and if possible, better looking than he had been on television. If only Carol could see him in the flesh she would know that drooling wasn't good enough for Randolph Devin Fuller. He deserved the full slobbering effect.
This was the man to whom she had given her virginity at eighteen when he had branded her as his. He was the man who had been both her dreams and her reality. The man her heart had been conditioned to love forever. A man who had touched and tasted every part of her, and had introduced her to passion of the most prolific and steamiest kind. A man who could turn her on with just a look ⦠like he was doing now.
She wanted to feel guilty for having such thoughts when Steven had only been dead fourteen months, but for some reason she couldn't. Randolph had always held a special place in her heart and Steven had known it and accepted it. That didn't mean she hadn't loved her husband,
because she had. She had loved him but had not been in love with him. But she knew that the man staring at her from across the room with guarded eyes had branded her heart for a lifetime.
because she had. She had loved him but had not been in love with him. But she knew that the man staring at her from across the room with guarded eyes had branded her heart for a lifetime.
Â
Randolph drew in a deep breath as all his concentration centered on Jenna. He had not forgotten how beautiful she was. He just hadn't counted on her being even more beautiful. The passing of twelve years hadn't taken their toll on her features. In fact there was a lot about her that reminded him of the eighteen-year-old woman he'd immediately fallen in love with at Howard University. The only thing the passing of time had done was give her a serene quality of maturity and sophistication.
She was the woman who'd taken his breath away that night he'd seen her for the first time in the yard. The woman who had given herself to him without reservation and in such a way that made his body tremble to remember it. The woman who had loved him enough to put aside her hurt and forgive him when she had found him in bed with another woman and trusted him enough to know he had not betrayed her. She was the woman who had helped him through the pain of having to say good-bye to his brother.
And the woman who truly believed she had been doing the right thing when she had disappeared from his life.
As he continued looking at her, he felt the attraction. It was even stronger than it had been the night they'd met. Stronger, and in his particular situation, more volatile and explosive. Knowing they couldn't spend the remainder of the day staring at each other, he crossed the room to her slowly, wanting her to feel his approach. He wanted her to be fully aware of him, not as the young man of twenty-two that she had last seen, but as the thirty-five-year-old man she was now seeing. A man who had changed in age and matured in looks but whose wants and desires had basically remained the same.
He still wanted and desired her.
Instead of pulling her into his arms and kissing her like he wanted to do, he stuck out his hand for a formal handshake and said, “Jenna, it's good seeing you again.”
Â
Â
The pleasure of touching Randolph's hand was so intense, Jenna quickly pulled away as every nerve ending in her body became a mass of sensations. If Randolph had felt them, he did a good job of not letting her know it. “It's good seeing you again, too, Randolph,” she managed to say.
Jenna thought she was losing it. She had wanted things to be strictly business between them, but now that they were, she was bothered that he didn't appear to be flustered the way she was. It annoyed her that she obviously was still attracted to him when he didn't seem to be the least bit attracted to her. She had only imagined the desire she'd thought she'd seen in his gaze when she'd first entered the room.
“Would you care to have a seat and tell me how I can help you?”
“Yes, thanks,” she said, taking the seat he offered as she fumbled with the straps on her purse. She suddenly felt more nervous than ever before since she wasn't used to seeing him this cool, this reserved. She waited until he had taken the seat behind his desk before she began.
“It's about Johnny Lane.”
He lifted a brow. “Your friend from Howard? The one who was involved in that raid with the Oakland Police and FBI agents at the Black Panthers headquarters in 'sixty-seven?”
“Yes. And if you recall he was given the death penalty for killing a federal agent.”
Randolph nodded as he stared at her. “Yes, I remember that.”
Jenna drew in a deep shuddering breath before continuing. “He was sentenced to die nearly fourteen years ago. A judge has now set a date for his execution and it's supposed to be carried out in the end of January.” She paused for a second. “The reason I'm here, Randolph, is to hire you to take on Johnny's case.”
He looked pensive for a moment and Jenna held her breath, wondering if he would turn her down outright. After all, he was a well-known attorney and chances were he already had cases lined up to work on.
“You still believe he's innocent and that the FBI framed him?”
“He said that they did.”
“And that's good enough for you?”
Jenna met his gaze. “Yes, that's good enough for me.”
After a brief second, he nodded. “All right, then it's good enough for me, as well.”
Jenna swallowed the lump in her throat. “You'll do it? You'll actually take the case?”
“Yes,” he said, reaching for the calendar on his desk. “Did you think for one minute otherwise, Jenna?”
She shrugged, trying to gauge his emotions but couldn't. “To be honest with you, Randolph, I didn't know what to think. I'm sure you're very busy and I figured I'd be taking a chance by coming here asking for your help.”
He met her gaze. “I'd do anything for an old friend, especially one who helped me through a very difficult time in my life.”
Is that what he thinks of me now? An old friend?
She frowned, not knowing why it bothered her so.
She frowned, not knowing why it bothered her so.
“I'm going to have to act immediately if I'm going to appeal the judge's decision.”
“Johnny doesn't have any more appeals left,” she informed him.
“Just a minor inconvenience that we can work around. I'll block the execution. That will give me enough time to thoroughly review the case. I take it he's still in California?”
“Yes.”
“Then how soon can you leave?”
Jenna sat up straight. “Me?”
“Yes. I need you to go with me or join me there. Johnny Lane doesn't know me, at least not personally. He'll feel more comfortable and open up and talk if someone's there he feels he can trust. In order to defend him, Jenna, I'm going to have to build a case, a very strong and solid case, against the federal government, specifically the FBI.”
“So you think there's a chance?”
Randolph didn't want to get her hopes up too high. “I won't know until I've thoroughly reviewed the case. I need you to tell me everything you know about it.”
“Now?”
Randolph checked his watch. “No, my next appointment is in ten minutes. How long will you be in town?”
“Until in the morning.”
“Then how about dinner tonight?”
Jenna wasn't sure having dinner with Randolph was a good idea. “I don't know what I can tell you that might help.”
“Have you seen him over the past twelve years?”
“Yes. I try to visit him at least once or twice a year.”
“Then you know his mental state. Being in jail almost fourteen years is a long time, especially when you're an innocent man. I need to know what to expect when I meet with him. Plus, I know you told me his version of what happened years ago, but I need to be briefed again. Time is of the essence and could mean whether he lives or dies.” Randolph sighed deeply. What he'd just told her was the truth. If the FBI did have something to hide they would want to push for closure.
Randolph knew that the only reason Johnny had not already been executed was because he'd been entitled to a certain number of appeals by law, and thenâthank Godâthere was Jerry Brown, the very liberal governor of California. Brown was known to be an advocate of civil rights as well as a strong supporter of racial integration. What Randolph had to do was convince Brown, as well as the courts, that there was enough evidence to show corruption within the FBI, which would warrant a new trial.
Other books
SECRETS Vol. 4 by H. M. Ward, Ella Steele
Mastered By The Boss by Opal Carew
Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews by James Carroll
Tropical Storm - DK1 by Good, Melissa
Demonio de libro by Clive Barker
Opiniones de un payaso by Heinrich Böll
La casa de los amores imposibles by Cristina López Barrio
In Your Embrace by Amy Miles
