Indiscretions (20 page)

Walking past a home appliance store, she suddenly stopped to stare in open-mouthed astonishment at the image projected on the screen of the television that was playing in the window.

She quickly stepped inside the store so she could hear what the reporter was saying. She stood rooted in front of the set as she listened to details of the story. Sean? Murder? What in the hell had happened? She couldn't believe it.

Khendra! Oh, sweet heaven. What if she saw this? Maybe it was best she hadn't told her about meeting Sean. Now this. She had to call her, to brace her. If she didn't know already.

She ran in search of a pay phone and dialed Khendra's number only to hear hollow ringing on the other end. “Damn!” She slammed the phone back on the hook. She must be at work. If there was any justice in this world, maybe she hasn't seen it.

Cliff stepped into Khendra's office and gently closed the door. “What in the devil is wrong with you? You almost look pale.”

She briefly looked up, tried a smile that failed miserably, then lowered her eyes and stared sightlessly at the papers on her desk.

Cliff pulled up a chair and took a seat opposite her. “What is it? Maybe I can help,” he said, unbuttoning his tweed jacket.

She shook her head.

“How do you know that unless you tell me?”

“Because I know you can't!” she snapped. She jumped up from her seat, turning her back on him.

“Khendra, listen to me. Whatever it is, I'm here.” He rose from his chair and moved behind her.

The genuine sincerity in his voice touched the weakened threads of her heart. “Oh, Cliff.” She turned into his arms and buried her face against his chest, her pent-up tears flowing onto his cream-colored shirt.

How long had he waited to hold her in his arms, smell the scent of her hair, to comfort her? He wanted stroke her, to brush his lips against hers, to feel her tremble beneath him, calling his name. But that would come in time, he thought, gently patting her back and making soothing sounds. She had finally turned to him. This was the beginning.

“Sit down, Khendra,” he urged, leading her toward the sofa. He sat next to her, keeping a warm hand on her shoulder. “Now tell me. What is it?”

She looked up at him, her large, luminous eyes filled with glistening tears. “Cliff…” She reached out a hand to place on his, and sighed. Then taking a deep breath, told him all of the events that had led her to New York.

He felt a tightness in his chest, but his turbulent thoughts remained unreadable as he listened, pain filling his gut with her every word. She loved this man.

There was no debating that. But he had ruined that with deceit. There still could be a chance for he and Khendra if he could make her forget Sean. Make her realize that Sean was not the man for her—that he was.

“…so I had to leave. I couldn't stay. Now this.” She looked up at him and took both of his hands in hers. “And you've been so good to me. I want to thank you for that.”

He smiled, overcome once again by her startling beauty. He fought down the urge to kiss her lips and tell her how deeply he felt about her. He squeezed her hand instead.

“Why don't I make some calls to Atlanta and see what I can find out? He probably has excellent counsel. But if not, maybe I can recommend someone.” He handed her an initialed handkerchief from his pocket to wipe her eyes.

“Thank you for everything,” she whispered, a mixture of gratitude and relief flooding her voice.

They rose simultaneously from the sofa, as the phone began to ring.

“I'll get back to you as soon as I hear something. Don't worry.”

She nodded her auburn head, then turned to answer the phone. She cleared her throat. “Khendra Phillips,” she answered softly. Cliff exited the office, giving her the thumbs-up sign.

“You don't know me, but I'm a good friend of Sean's. The name's Phil Banks,” the voice came over the phone. Her heart skipped a beat. Heat flooded her. She sat down. “Yes?”

“He needs you to come to Atlanta. He's in trouble.”

Her mind ran in a hundred directions at once.

“How did you find me? And why does he need me?”

“He asked me to look for you several days ago. I did.”

Her heart lifted. “He asked you to find me?”

Her voice filled with hope.

“He was on his way to you when the shit hit the fan.”

She cringed. “Why?”

“I think you need to talk to Sean about that. Listen, have you seen the news?”

“Yes.”

“Then you know what's goin' on. He needs you.”

“Why me?”
It can't be me.

“Because he says you're the best.”

Khendra finished the telephone conversation and left her office. She tapped lightly on Cliff's office door. “Come in.”

As she entered, he rose from his chair and replaced the phone receiver. “I have some news for you. Not all of it good.” He rounded the desk as she stepped fully into the room. “A colleague of mine has agreed to go down to the precinct where they're holding Sean and find out what he can. But the word is they have witnesses who saw him leave the building where she lived around the time of the murder, as well as others who heard a loud argument. And his firm won't touch this one.”

Her shoulders stiffened. But her face remained serene, her eyes clear. “I'm going back to Atlanta.”

“What?”

“I have to go. I got a call and—”

Cutting her off in mid-sentence, he went to her side. “‘What do you hope to accomplish by going back there? There's nothing you can do.”

“I can defend him.”

“Are you kidding?” Panic gripped him. He knew that if she returned to Atlanta, he'd lose her for good. He had to make her see reason.

“Listen to me,” he said with more calm than he felt. “You're too close to this thing. He was your lover, for God's sake. How do you think you could adequately handle…”

“I know him, Cliff,” she stated in the same flat monotone. “And I know he couldn't have done what they say he did.”

“Exactly my point. If he didn't do it, then he'll be found not guilty.”

“Now that's the most asinine thing I've ever heard you say. Nothing is airtight, Cliff, and there's no one better equipped to handle this than I am.” Her eyes blazed with determination.

“You're making a dreadful mistake, Khendra.”

He was almost pleading. He stepped up to her and held her shoulders. “Let someone else handle this one,” he urged. “You're so close to it, you could do more harm than good.” He saw her weaken as the truth of his words touched her. He pressed on. “Did you think about that?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she slipped into the overstuffed office chair. She looked up at him, her eyes dark with worry and confusion. “Maybe you're right.” She sighed heavily.

His heart picked up a beat, and he sat next to her.

“I know I'm right. You'll see.” He brushed a feather-soft kiss across her brow and put his arm around her shoulder breathing a silent sigh of relief. “You'll see,” he said again. “I'll do what I can. I promise you that.”

The day seemed to go on endlessly, and still there was no further word from Atlanta. Finally, Khendra packed her briefcase and readied herself to go home. Every muscle in her body seemed to ache due to the tension that had built up in the preceding hours. She just wanted to get home and soak in a hot tub and try to get the events of the day off her mind.

Cliff had offered to take her to dinner, but she graciously declined. She knew the reason behind Cliff's generosity and solicitousness, and she didn't want to add more fuel to the fire. Cliff was a great guy, but she could never love him that way. He deserved a woman who could give herself to him unconditionally. She was not that woman.

Walking slowly through the parking lot, she had the eerie feeling that she was being watched. She looked around, but she didn't see anyone. Yet, she couldn't shake the sensation. Quickly, she dug in her purse for her car keys, when a figure came up behind her.

“Ms. Phillips?”

She nearly leaped out of her skin as goose bumps raced up her arm. She turned and looked into the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen.

“Sorry if I startled you. I just wanted to be sure you were alone.”

“What do you want?” The voice sounded curiously familiar.

“I'm Phil. We spoke earlier—about Sean.”

Her heartbeat slowed to normal. From the looks of him, she couldn't imagine him and Sean being friends. Phil was of medium height with a stocky build, like a boxer. But he had an aura about him that seemed dangerous and immediately put her on guard. He was definitely a man who had known the streets and violence, and knew how to handle both.

“I've changed my mind, if that's why you're here.” She turned to walk away, her heart thudding once again.

He grabbed her shoulder, his powerful fingers boring through her coat. “Listen, lady,” he growled, “that guy means more to me than any friend I've ever known, and I don't give a damn what I have to do to convince you. But if he says you're his only hope, then you're gonna help him.”

“Take your hands off me.” She glared at him, her own anxiety giving way to anger. “I've told you, I can't help him. If Sean wants me to find him an attorney, I will. But I can't do it.” Her voice began to waver. She cleared her throat. “I just can't.” She ran toward her car, hot tears threatening to overflow.

Phil stood back and watched her shaky fingers put the key in the lock. “I hope you can sleep at night,” he yelled, his voice echoing throughout the lot. “But I'll be back every single day until you change your mind. You can bet on it.”

Khendra quickly got in the car and sped off, her heart hammering in her chest, his words reverberating in her ears.
I'm doing the right thing,
she repeated to herself over and over.
Aren't I?

Pure exhaustion overcame her as she stepped across the threshold of her apartment. Phil's face flashed before her eyes, and she shut them as if to erase the vision. She ran her hand across her forehead and massaged her temples.

The phone rang, and she hurried across the room to answer it. Maybe it was news about Sean.

“Hello?”

“Khen, it's me, Charisse.”

A pang of disappointment briefly skittered through her stomach. “Hi, Cee Cee.”

“I guess you've heard by now.”

“About Sean?”

“Yeah.”

Silence.

“Listen, hon—”

Khendra braced herself

“I didn't want to tell you, but now I think you ought to know—”

Her flight was due to depart in thirty minutes.

She had wanted to call Cliff last night, but she knew he would only try to talk her out of it again. But she couldn't just leave without letting him know. She went in search of a phone and prayed he would understand.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The cab sped away from the airport and merged with the rush-hour traffic. Khendra leaned back in the seat and quickly pulled out her hastily scrawled notes.