Stand By Me Read online

  Calder said from the corner where he stood looking out over the parking lot. “Jonathan’s no amateur with a weapon. Me brother had him on the gun range every summer he came to Ireland as a boy. And before Sophie moved them to the States, he trained every week. He left two men alive for a reason.”

  Kenya shoved a hand beneath her hip hoping no one saw it shaking. How was that gonna look in court? “Do you think he wanted them to take a message back to Brian, Calder?”

  Calder turned his attention to Sophie. “Jonathan did the same thing when those blokes carjacked you in the States. He stabbed the one man in the neck and the other ran off.”

  Sophie dug a thumb into the palm of one hand. “At the time, I dinna know me son carried a knife. Appears Brian taught him to keep it concealed. He stabbed one man in the calf, then caught him in the neck while they were fighting.”

  Randall asked, “Did he die there or in the hospital?”

  Sophie brought her head up. “Police report said the man bled out before the ambulance arrived. Jonathan was adamant about going to the police turning himself in. He wouldn’t hide for protecting his family. He did community service for carrying a concealed weapon because the blade’s length was illegal. That’s how he made friends with many of the police at such a young age. They commended him for protecting me,” Sophie said proudly.

  Gretchen was right. Jonathan has been a man all his life and all he knows is to protect his family at his own expense. Well she couldn't let him continue on this destructive path. His days of fighting alone were over. Randall’s voice roused her from her thoughts.

  “Then, unless he can prove they drew their guns first, I got my work cut out for me,” Randall replied and she could see his mind working.

  “Randall,” Kenya trailed off feeling her anger returning. She covered her child in a measure of protection before she continued harshly. “They were gonna rape me; I say that's probable cause for Jonathan to defend us at any cost.”

  Randall's brows creased. “I say it's enough to kill, but I'm not the judge.”

  “Randall,” Sophie started. “Yer brothers, how much information can they find out without tipping off any of Brian's men that may be following Fiona?”

  Randall pulled out his cell scrolling through his call list. He raised his brows on his wide forehead, a handsome feature on Nigerian men. There wide lean bodies were made for swimming. “My brothers are businessman, owning two office buildings in downtown Lagos, a couple doctors’ close to Victoria Falls and a handful of attorney offices in Mozambique. If Graham did any business between any of these areas, they'll know.”

  “I don't want any more killing, Randall. Names, surveillance videos, anything that can place Graham where Jonathan wasn’t, will go a long way in his defense.”

  He nodded.

  Kenya said, “I'll contact David Spencer...see if he'll be in Ireland soon and I’ll get him to sign off on the affidavit showing Reinhart recommended me to my new boss that I be assigned the GL account.”

  “I don't see why that would raise a flag if you have the credentials to handle that account,” Fiona said.

  “That's just it, Fiona, I was the new account manager. You don't handle individual accounts. You run the department. Assign accounts, sign off on contracts, approve new clients, but they never become your personal accounts to handle.”

  “So why didn't this raise a flag to anyone else?” Sophie asked.

  “I wish I had more time to look into it, but right now I have to work on David Spencer. I have a few people at the bank I can trust, but I'll speak to them after I get with David.”

  “No chance Reinhart will confess that Brian approached her, huh?” Fiona questioned hopefully.

  “I doubt it. She's fully in Brian's pocket digging for his wallet. When she found out Jonathan helped me home that morning, she literally shook with excitement when I told her he asked me to volunteer. Reinhart thought I was crazy for even considering not accepting his offer.”

  “Then she'll be no help,” Sophie said.

  This line of comments should have bothered Kenya more, but until she'd witnessed Jonathan pull a gun on Brian she would've laughed at the ludicrous accusation, but this was the reality of who he was or what he wanted her to see. The pillows shifted as she adjusted the gown riding up her hips in the bed. Had he been mafia as she once presumed, that parking lot would have been more of a blood bath instead of just the four men that were shot. This was more like what her father spoke of as taking care of business when help wasn't coming. Old school style. The way they did in the sixties and seventies. And that's why her favorite Aunt Karla's husband was doing life in prison now. She looked at the faces in the room and wondered what would they say if they knew she was more familiar with crime than they needed to know?

  “Randall, the moment you get anything that will help Jonathan, I want you to email it to Mr. Hines.” She scribbled down a number. “This is his email address. I don't have his cell, but I can get that from Jamie when he gets back.” She handed him the paper. “Whatever you or your brother's find out that's concrete I'd appreciate you getting it sent to Hines while you're in Ireland. I'll compensate for any travel or expenses.”

  “This is Kenya, the straight shooting business woman, I know from the office,” Randall said singing her praises.

  Fiona sent Randall a sexy smile that he returned. It nearly knocked Kenya out to see Fiona blush. Randall must have put it on her, more than once already.

  “Kenya, Randall, and I have made great contacts in Nigeria. They're open to booking the Inn for future tours and pushing the West end of Ireland as a cruise destination.”

  If she’d only seen this Fiona in the woods she wouldn’t have wanted to strangle her until her eyes bulged.

  “Fiona, when did you meet Randall?”

  Fiona gave her a sullen smile. “It’s understandable, ye having suspicions about me intentions. We met in the parking lot when the kids were loaded onto the bus. I went to speak with Jonathan and met Randall. We spoke after Jonathan walked away and when I discovered he was a businessman from Nigeria, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to build a relationship with someone on the inside that could send tourists our way. We swapped numbers after that.” Fiona ran her fingers through the long black tresses. Yeah, she's dipped her toe into the chocolate sauna.

  “So why didn't you tell me that in the pub at the table, instead of that display that nearly got you bitch slapped?”

  Julia took a step forward, her fingers curling into a fist the closer she got to Fiona. Both women stood straight, backs locked tight. “What happened in the pub? Tell me you didn't front on my best friend.”

  Voices rose in the room under mutters and urgent pleas to remember they were in a hospital.

  “It's okay, Julia. We got everything straightened out.”

  Fiona spared a quick look to Kenya and smiled. “Oy, ya gained major points with me, Kenya, when ye slapped the coins on the table and walked away.”

  “Coins?” Sophie asked darting her gaze from the two of them.

  “Me new cousin here thanked me for my two cents then set two pennies next to me ale and told me, standing over me, to stay out of her way.”

  Julia chuckled. “You'll learn, Fiona, once Kenya gets irritated with you, she'll walk away and leave you talking to the air looking like a crazy person.” Julia said her hazel eyes glittering under the florescent lights. “Believe me you'd rather she walk away than physically hit you. She's a nature girl under the sleek suits and polished hair.”

  “I was already fired-up from arguing with Jonathan in the stables. Fiona caught me without my nice girl dialog filter switched on.”

  “I would not have thought Kenya to be a fighter until the fight with Morgan out in the field,” Sophie said.

  “They don't know do they, Kenya?”

  Kenya shook her head. They needed to know the real Kenya.

  “Sophie there's a lot about me I don't roll out on front street. I got into fights at sc
hool a lot as a young girl. You build up a lot of anger when your siblings treat you as if you don’t belong.” Wow, that was even bitter to say. “If I can walk away from a violent situation it's best I do. Although I’m not blood related to my father, Marcus, I’ve seen the violent lifestyle he walked away from and not all his family did. My favorite Aunt's husband is in prison for life. He's also my father's brother. My biggest fear is I'll never see Jonathan again. That's my inner demon on loving your son. But I've accepted I can't choose the past of the man I love. They say you gravitate toward the man most like your father. My uncles were tough men that took me out with them when they'd go hunting. It was years before I learned ducks and deer weren't the only thing they hunted. Anyone that messed with the family were dealt with. Family was and still is everything to them. Jonathan's the same way...so am I.”

  Fiona's mouth fell slack. “Your family's gangster?”

  Presumption, where had she heard that from before? She said, “No, my family's old school. You need help you go to the head of the family and let them handle it.”

  Julia said, “When you don't trust the police, you police your own family. Black and Latino families took care of their own. When many had a record with the police, they couldn't go to the police for help.”

  “That's why you're willing to fight for my son. Brian's actions aren't truly foreign to you?” Sophie verified almost happily. Her sly grin said Kenya found another woman with a dark side.

  Kenya raised her brows. “As far as toward his own child, yes. But I've heard more stories than I've seen actual events. My father, Marcus, took nothing from no one. He's in his sixties now, but his contacts run where Brian would kill to be admitted,” she added.

  “Aye,” Fiona said rubbing her hands together. “Good to know.”

  “If my father knew what happened in the parking lot, this hospital would be crawling with men coming to take care of things.”

  “Kenya,” Calder said setting a serious stare at her. “I wouldn't rule out calling in your family. Sometimes a bigger dog in the kennel is what calms the one barking.”

  She regarded Calder's peaceful demeanor and could see where Jonathan's mild personality came from, his uncle. At least their child had a fighting chance of not being a hot-head.

  “We'll work on clearing Jonathan’s name first, and I'll let the dark side be my last option.”

  “Alright, we have a backup plan. What do you want us to do first, Kenya?” Fiona asked.

  “If you are going to Nigeria for the Inn, then you should go with Randall because it won't look suspicious you two asking around about Graham. Your faces will already be on airport security tapes as frequenting Nigeria as business travelers.” Kenya was glad to see Fiona was just attention greedy not trying to harm Jonathan.

  “You saw in the pub I write for the magazine. I've tried for years to get our countries to merge on the tourist dollar. I asked Randall not to mention this to you because I wanted this to be my project. Yes it was a little selfish, but everyone was so focused on making the Inn a tourist stop, I wanted the West end of Ireland to become the focus with the Inn being a special stop.”

  Kenya narrowed her gaze. “Jonathan believed you never wanted guests on the grounds. You wanna clarify, Fiona, because somewhere there’s a miscommunication of your intentions? Which is it?” And Jonathan worried she was a traitor and here Fiona stood before her with dirt on her hands.

  “Uncle Brian came to me, said he’d back me on the tourist angle if I looked the other way about Graham.”

  Kenya stiffened behind those words thinking she’d found the mole that leaked her where-a-bouts. “And let him bleed the farmer’s dry of their funds?” Kenya sat alarmed. “And you stand here pretending…”

  “Kenya, I only posed to help so I could find out more about Graham. I love Jonathan, I'd never hurt him.”

  Everyone's attention turned to Randall as he touched Kenya's hand.

  Those dark brows raised and he gave her that sinister gleam he saved for seduction, fortunately toward her it meant he’d happily oblige her request. “I'll be out in the parking lot, if anything happens, just come get me. I need to talk freely for this call.” He touched Fiona's shoulder then whispered something in her ear that brought on a private smirk, then left the room.

  “What can I do honey?” Julia offered closing the door behind Randall.

  “In my bag is a business card from Detective Diaz. He works at the fifth precinct downtown in Michigan. See if he can get a hold of the officers that work with Jonathan to set up the weekend trips for the kids. I need testimonials from officers, parents, kids, anybody that can vouch for his character.”

  “I'll make the calls from the cafeteria.” Julia gestured a hand indicating the no cell phone sign on the wall beside the door. “If I can get the officer to record a conversation with the kid and what Jonathan does for them, his lawyer can show the judge. The more we can present now the less we'll need to have for the trial.” Julia twisted the watch on her arm distractedly.

  Kenya watched Julia become rattled and that was out of character for her. “Why are you nervous?”

  Flashing bright teeth Julia waggled her brows. “Because, Irish Poppie just text me to wait for him here.”

  “Jamie?” she suggested. Julia grinned. “For such a conservative woman, you’re slipping under this one fast with your panties around your ankles.”

  Julia's look cursed Kenya in three languages with flashy hand gestures, but Kenya felt the love. “I’m not gonna pull him into a room and mount him. Give me some credit girl, if he was stank, you wouldn't have been chit chatting with him in Seamus's hospital room. I'm just gonna have lunch with him...for now.”

  Julia knew her better than she knew anyone. “He threatened to beat me with a stick once; I’d say that makes him right up your alley.”

  Julia propped a hand to her hips shaking her head. “I tried being a submissive one time, just once girl, and about killed the guy when he clipped a chain to the collar.” Julia frowned and said, “I’m done with trying new stuff. If he can’t make it hum with the equipment on hand, there’s nothing he can do for me. I can buy my own props.”

  Touching her stomach, Kenya said proudly, “As you can see Blakemore’s can make it hum and sing without props.” She teased and it felt good to lighten up for a minute. “But back to the calls. That would be great if you could get those done for me. I’m gonna contact David Spencer, see how legit he is and if he’s willing to help.” Kenya lifted the hospital phone onto the tray table retrieving David’s number from her office contact list on her cell. “And when did Jamie get your cell number?”

  Julia smiled seductively, eyes twinkling with lust. “Letting Jamie man handle me earlier was a test,” she said. Licking out her tongue, she waggled her brows. “Every man needs a strength test. A man that can't carry me up a flight of stairs can't do what I need once we get in the room. And those guns filling out that sweater were ripped, roped and corded...just my requirement.”

  ~~~

  Kenya watched as her meticulously groomed best friend sashayed out of her room followed by Sophie and Calder going to get something to eat. Jamie's met his match for certain with Julia.

  The door clicked shut as she grabbed up her phone punching in David Spencer's number, from Global Learning. A chill did the wave down over her skin as she shifted into businesswoman mode.

  “David Spencer, Kenya Claiborne, how are you?”

  “Ms. Claiborne, a pleasure to hear from you,” his words melted through the line from the sound of her voice. Great! “I just spoke with your boss. He said you were going on a medical leave. I hope everything’s okay.”

  Are we keeping tabs Spencer? “For now...it's a family matter, you understand.” Like she cared if he didn't. “I’m certain your account will be handled with care, Mr. Spencer.”

  “I have no doubt. So can I presume this to be a social call, Ms. Claiborne? It’s always a pleasure speaking with you.” Kenya rolled her eyes. The m
an never quit. She might as well use it to her benefit.

  “No, I’m afraid I need your help with something important and it’s imperative it stays confidential. Can I count on your discretion--David?”

  His tone dropped two octaves to an improper tone, “Anything, Kenya.”

  She’ll need a shower after this call. “When will you be in Ireland, next?”

  “As a matter of fact, my plane landed two hours ago. I take it you’re here as well?”

  “I am.” She adjusted herself on the bed to grab her cup of water. Taking a sip she washed down the sensation of swimming with an alligator, in over her head with this one. “If possible, could you meet me in St. Mary’s hospital? I'll give you directions.”

  He cut her off, “St. Mary's...on the Westside?”

  “Yes,” she agreed taking a breath; this meeting was probably the most important as far as clearing her and Jonathan's name, business and personally.

  “You sound distracted, Kenya. Is everything okay? Has something happened?”

  “I’ll inform you when you get here say,” eyeing her watch face, “ten am on Thursday?”

  “Where shall I find you?”

  Where could they meet to avoid Brian's goons? She suspects they were lurking in the corridors and hallways.Then it dawned on her.“David, in the restaurant in the states, you'd mentioned you're familiar with Jamie Blakemore of the Ireland Blakemore's, correct?”

  “I am,” he voiced questioning her knowledge of Jamie.

  “Perfect. I'll ask that he meet you down in the radiology waiting room.” She had to get him back to the hospital.

  “Blakemore?” he questioned then gave a low whistle over the line. “Mr. Blakemore came to his senses and hired you on?”

  Behind a deep inhale, Kenya tried not to let David’s star struck rapid breathing bother her. She let her attention follow the soft lines of the horizon out the window. Spring would wake up the beautiful flowers at the estate along with the sweet roses Jonathan picked from Gretchen’s garden. To think he’d asked her for four days when he gave her those flowers. Here she sat months later, pregnant with his child and setting up backroom meetings to spring him from jail.