King of Evanston Read online

  “Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Dwayne asked.

  “I could ask you that,” Shaz replied with a slight smirk.

  “Educators always have minds waiting to be molded,” Dwayne said, with his lips twitching.

  “And lawyers are always one phone call away from a desperate client.” The elevator arrived and as they stepped in, Shaz added, “I’m headed to the Information & Systems department. I did want to throw you an invite though.”

  “Let me hear it,” Dwayne said, looking sideways at Shaz.

  “My colleague and I run an activity centre for boys between the age of twelve and nineteen. We’ve developed what we called the Evanston Gentlemen’s Club. What we do is try and teach them social and life skills so they can function in various situations. I’d like you to come in and give them a motivational talk. At your convenience, of course.”

  “Consider it done,” Dwayne said. “I’ll come back to you with some dates.”

  “Appreciate it.” Shaz held out his hand to Dwayne.

  After staring at it for several seconds, Dwayne ignored his hand and pulled him into a one shoulder hug.

  They parted ways on the ground floor and Shaz went deeper into the building to find the IS Department. The electronic directory he carried via his phone led him through various levels of security to a one-story building connected to the main building by a covered walkway.

  The passkey he’d been issued gave him access to all the administrative units with the Castle. The only place he didn’t have free access to was the lab facility where Daron created all the genius geek-technology that kept the Kings safe and functioning in their diverse operational capacities.

  A heavy glass door led into a reception area with white ceramic tiles, walls, and fluorescent lighting that reminded him more of a medical facility than an information hive.

  The thin, strawberry blond woman behind a secretary’s desk stood when he entered. “Mr. Bostwick, good day.”

  “Same to you, Cyndi,” he said, reading from her name tag.

  “What can I do for you today?” Cyndi’s smile and words were pleasant.

  “I’ll be using the library and the retrieval system.” He pointed toward a frosted glass door. “I’ll see myself inside.”

  Her response didn’t come immediately, then she caught herself. “Not a problem, sir.”

  Shaz figured she’d never witnessed a director doing any research for himself. Her wide eyes had given away her surprise. No doubt, he’d be the subject of conversation between Cyndi and her colleagues.

  He frowned when his memory failed him. “How many people work in this department?”

  “Only ten of us, sir.”

  “Thanks. I’ll call if I need you.”

  Shaz went around the corner and into a corridor with three doors on each side. According to the layout, they were offices. The end of the corridor opened into a huge library with a massive circular table, similar to the one in the board room. This table was a solid block of wood surrounded by executive chairs and drop-down lights that hovered above each seat. Three walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling file cabinets. The other wall had a sheet of wood that matched the table top. He guessed it hid a screen.

  As far as Shaz knew, all the businesses housed on Castle property had information stored on the central server. Remote access hadn’t been a problem for him. He needed to get his hands on actual files. Cutting out the middle man meant nobody would have a record of what files he’d been studying. Unless, there were cameras installed. Shaz had no doubt about that. He scanned the lights and the ceiling, wondering who was viewing those cameras. Until he was sure Daron had a handle on who was watching what, he’d stay out of the range of any hidden devices. A look inside the one door in the room led him to rows of shelving with empty storage boxes and step ladders at several heights.

  After circling the room once to understand the layout of the filing system, he removed his jacket. Masking a chuckle, he made another circuit, pulling out several files as he went. Then, he examined the documents in each file changing position every so often, even to the extent of perching on a step ladder in the storage closet.

  He couldn’t help noticing that some information he expected to be in several files was missing. That small inconvenience didn’t bother him. All the files had electronic copies and those weren’t as easy to tamper with. Daron had done a thorough job of converting every shred of data in the first month of their appointment to the board. He created two sets of e-files. One for the Castle and another, now stored in a secure data bank, accessible only to the Kings of the Castle.

  Verifying the paper trail he needed took Shaz an hour, after which he replaced all the files he removed, except for one. That was a tester. As he went past the blonde, she cleared her throat and stood. “Um, Mr. Bostwick?”

  Shaz produced his most charming smile. “Yes?”

  “Um. Nobody is allowed to remove files from the library.”

  He faced Cyndi full on. Tipping one brow, he said, “Not even directors?”

  With a wary smile in place, she moved her head side to side. “Regulations.”

  “Made by whom?”

  Cyndi’s smile faded. “The previous board, sir.”

  “New board. New rules.” He laid the file on the desk and slid both hands into his pockets. “I hope you were as stringent with the last set of directors.”

  A pink tide flooded her face and she stuttered. “I-I’m sorry, sir.”

  He held up both hands. “It’s okay. Since the new regulations haven’t filtered down, I’ll leave the file with you.”

  She picked it up and brushed aside the hair on her forehead. A few strands stuck to her skin and she swiped her forehead. “T-thanks for your understanding.”

  “Not a problem, Cyndi.”

  Deliberately, Daron hadn’t been in a rush to shake up the Information & Systems department. He had a bead on their activities and didn’t want them ruffled while he did those infamous technical gymnastics in the background.

  Shaz felt Cyndi’s gaze as he walked out the door. From her reaction, he figured that someone would be interested in that particular file. Whoever that was would be sure to come knocking down Shaz’s door.

  CHAPTER 19

  Camilla turned wide eyes on Shaz. She lifted the gift box in her hand. “You know I can’t accept these, right?”

  With an arm around her shoulder, Shaz pulled Camilla closer and nuzzled her neck. “No, I don’t know any such thing. I’ve never given you anything, so—”

  “And you want to start with something this expensive?” She pulled away to look at him. “If you’re starting at diamond level, where are you gonna go from there?”

  “Don’t worry about it, that’s for me to think about.”

  Camilla scooted forward on the sofa. “Ayanna, don’t touch that.”

  She got up and moved Shaz’s iPad to the shelving across the room and handed him his phone. “In my situation, I don’t want to have to replace any luxury items.”

  With an easy grin, he pulled her back to the sofa, then held out one hand to Ayanna. “Come, baby girl.”

  She ran into his arms and giggled when Shaz lifted her over his head, then placed her on his lap. “How much longer d’you have to wait before she comes up for treatment?”

  Camilla’s gaze turned pensive. “Another week or two, depending on what happens with the waiting list.”

  “Your visa. That’s important. After she has the procedure, there’s the recovery time and you don’t want to have any issues.”

  Massaging the back of her neck, Camilla met his eyes. “I know. I wasn’t getting anywhere with the Jamaican High Commission here, so I’m going to have to do an emergency interview back on the island.”

  “When’s your appointment?”

  She lowered her gaze, looking shamefaced. “I haven’t fixed it yet.”

  He slid his arm around Camilla while Ayanna climbed from his lap to hers. “Baby girl, you can’t put this
off. Already you’ve wasted too much time.”

  Laying her head against his shoulder, she sighed. “I know. I’ll do it tomorrow. I promise.”

  After dropping a soft kiss on her forehead, Shaz whispered, “Don’t delay, just do it.”

  Eyes closed, she nodded. “I will.”

  He lifted her hand that was wrapped around the box with the earrings. “Do me a favor and try them on.”

  Her forehead wrinkled as she studied the box. “Are you trying to trick me into wearing them?”

  “Yes and no,” he said, deciding to come clean. Somewhat.

  Camilla leaned away from him. “What does that mean?”

  He weighed the merits to her wearing the earrings against going without them and made up his mind to tell her everything. “This is the deal,” he said. In two minutes, he explained why it was important for her to put in the earrings.

  She mulled over the information, staring at the blank television screen. Seconds later, she picked up the remote and found a channel showing cartoons. Then she set Ayanna on the floor. The little girl stood in front of the center table, her eyes glued to the set.

  “When you put it like that,” Camilla said, her tone sober. “It’s hard to refuse your offer.”

  Shocked at the ease with which she gave in, Shaz slid the box out of her hands and opened it.

  With her lip caught between her teeth, she removed the earrings from the ear nuts and put them in. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I just can’t lose Ayanna. I would die if anything happened to her.”

  “I know, hon.” He was pleased she’d listened to reason but now wasn’t the time to say the earrings looked good on her.

  “Come here, baby.” Camilla lifted Ayanna, who protested over the interruption between her and the television set. “It’s okay, just let me put these in.”

  Aside from touching her ears as Camilla removed the pair of knobs she wore, Ayanna didn’t fuss.

  “Thanks.” Shaz ruffled her hair. “That’s one less thing to worry about.”

  After releasing Ayanna, Camilla angled her body toward Shaz. “I do have one question.”

  “What’s are these? You in a lodge or something?”

  She lifted his hands and ran her thumb over the imprint of a lion’s head enclosed in three circles. Nine spearheads completed the artistry on the inside of his wrists.

  “That’s two questions.” Shaz took her hand in his. “And no, I’m not in a lodge. This artwork is a symbol of the work I do and my connection to the other Kings of The Castle.”

  Camilla threw him a doubtful look, then repositioned his hand to study one of the tattoos. “The detail is amazing. It looks cultish and meaningful.”

  “You sound like a conspiracy theorist,” he said, chuckling. “If you ever need one, I can link you with the artist.”

  She glanced at Ayanna, then said, “I’ll be sure to let you know if I ever feel the need.”

  With one arm around Camilla, Shaz kissed the side of her forehead. What he couldn’t disclose about the tattoos was that they were part of Daron’s genius. In the event that Shaz was ever kidnapped, by pressing his wrists together he’d activate a tracking device that would reveal his location. He’d been forced to give away the true function of the earrings to secure Camilla’s cooperation. The tattoos, she didn’t need to know or worry about.

  A car pulled up at the sidewalk and a door slammed.

  Shaz glanced at the time, assuming Miss Mabel had arrived home, but she didn’t appear. Roughly five minutes later, she let herself in. Her bright smile rivaled the light bulb in the ceiling. “Glad ya still here, Shaz. I notice you never come today, so I bring home the roast beef you asked me to save for you.”

  “I got busy around lunchtime and forgot to get it.”

  “Dat’s why ya so skinny. Anyway, ya not di only one.” She pointed toward the street. “The young man in the car look like him could use some more flesh on his bones, so I brought him something, too.”

  Miss Mabel bustled past them toward the kitchen with Ayanna dogging her footsteps.

  “Your auntie is something else. She’d feed the whole nation, if possible.” He chuckled as he picked up his food where Miss Mabel left it on the table. With his other hand, he pulled Camilla to her feet. “Time to head home.”

  Camilla sent him a mock glare. “You just want to be alone with all that good food.”

  Laughing, Shaz conceded, “I cannot deny the truth.”

  A sweet kiss in the doorway made him regret that they’d be separated until Wednesday, when he saw her again. He was about to tell her when Ayanna tottered into the room and waved at him. “Bye, Sha.”

  Waving back at her, he said goodbye and blew her a kiss.

  She put a hand to her mouth and tried to imitate his action, which had him and Camilla chuckling.

  In the Alfa Romeo, Shaz mentally scrolled through what he’d found out at The Castle’s data bank. He’d spent the afternoon connecting dots between what he saw as related cases. Meantime, he’d let the information marinate in his mind, until it all gelled together in an orderly and cohesive way. Then he’d lock in on his targets.

  His ride home was uneventful and he ate a few mouthfuls of the roast beef before putting the container in the refrigerator. After a long shower and falling into bed, he picked up the remote and switched on the 75” television tethered to the wall. He chose a news magazine programme to watch while reading the documents downloaded to his iPad. At ten-thirty, he put aside the iPad and switched off the light.

  As he cleared his mind, he thought how different things would be if Camilla agreed to move in. He wouldn’t have to worry. The security detail would become unnecessary. Ayanna was a sweet little addition to the deal. She was a quick learner and amusing when she tried saying his words back to him. He wasn’t saying he was anywhere close to wanting to propose. They both had so much more to learn about each other, but Camilla made him want to do things differently since she walked into his life. The woman had taken him by storm, trying to make him work harder and faster than he planned on her behalf. He could definitely see her in his future.

  At first, Shaz wasn’t sure what woke him. The television was still on and a rerun of an earlier news magazine programme was in progress. The soft pulsing of his phone alerted him. He was pretty sure it wasn’t time to get up. He picked up the cellular, looked at the display, and every nerve in his body stood on end. “Camilla, what’s wrong?”

  “It’s me, Mabel.” Her pitch was way outside her normal range, considering that she always spoke at the top of her lungs.

  Jack-knifing to a sitting position, Shaz lowered the sound on the television. “Slow down and say that again, Miss Mabel.”

  “Boy, open ya ears nuh man.” He ignored the insult and waited for her to go on. “Some men just came to the house, told Camilla to dress. They took the baby, too. I’m in the car with ya security following dem.”

  “Where are they headed?” he asked, striding to the closet.

  “How me fi know? Maybe downtown.” Miss Mabel’s voice quivered, unnerving Shaz. “We seem to be driving in circles though. Only God knows where we goin’.”

  Shaz lowered his pitch. “Let me speak with Daniel, please.”

  “Good night, Shaz. What Miss Mabel says is true.” Daniel’s crisp tone was reassuring. Still, Shaz didn’t breathe. “They seem to be driving in ever-widening circles. Why, I don’t know.”

  “I think I know the reason.” Shaz moved the phone from his ear as he pulled on a shirt. “Stay with them. I’ll call you back in a few.”

  Shaz stepped into his pants and shoved his feet into the first pair of shoes he found. When he sat in his car, he got Daniel on the line. “Where are you now and where are Camilla and Ayanna?”

  Daniel gave him their location, which was the police station. That was weird. If she’d been picked up for possible deportation, she’d have been taken to a detention facility.

  “I’ll meet you there in ten.”

 
; On arrival, Shaz stalked into the building and addressed the duty officer. “I’m Shastra Bostwick. You’re holding Miss Camilla Gibson, who was brought here some minutes ago. I’m her lawyer and I’d like to see her.”

  “Give me a minute,” the balding officer said, lowering his gaze to a log book.

  Without apology or a blip on his conscience, Shaz went from mild-mannered to difficult with no stops in between. He tapped the counter with the flat of his hand. “No, I’m going to need you to deal with this now. My client wasn’t given the courtesy of knowing why she was being detained when the officers took her from her home.”