Scarlet Vendetta (Book #4)

Driving to lunch was interesting, to say the least. Jones tried to get Howell to talk but he refused to say what she should expect. Other than she could expect just about anything.

As they walked through the entrance to the GreenWood Mall and headed for the entrance of the Country Club Restaurant, she kept pace at Howell's side. He bypassed the line to head straight for the attendant at the entrance. Standing next to the red jacketed attendant, was a red haired woman in an expensive looking outfit. Jones wanted to ask her where she got her shoes, but knew she couldn't afford them even if she knew where they came from. Designer high end, high class clothes meant stratosphere level expensive.

"Hello Violet. What are you doing here?" Howell asked her as they stopped before the barrier rope.

"Hello Steven." She held out her hands to him for him to grasp. "Today I'm your escort to your table. If you need me to be."

"If you want to, that's fine." Howell lightly touched hands with her.

"How could I not?" Violet laughed brightly before turning to his companion. "Lieutenant Jones, welcome to the GreenWood Country Club. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to your table."

Violet waited until the red jacketed usher opened the barrier before waving them through. Turning upward instead of toward the general seating area, she headed up the sloping ramp. Her legs flashing through the slit in the front of her dress as she walked quickly ahead of them.

Turning from the ramp to an area with a single table set for three, Violet stopped and waved her hand for them to continue. At the table, Wolfe stood waiting for them.

Once at the table, Howell leaned close and kissed her. "Hi."

Wolfe smiled at him after she returned his kiss. "Steven. Lieutenant Jones. Please, be seated."

Jones looked at the seating arrangement. Behind two chairs stood a pair of red jacketed attendants. Wolfe indicated a chair for her to take as she walked to the other attended chair. Howell was left to seat himself, standing by the remaining chair waiting for both women to sit.

"Please, Lieutenant." Wolfe indicated the chair again. "Let us be seated."

Jones shrugged. If they wanted to play the fake royalty game, she could play along.

"There is no game here, Lieutenant. Just lunch." Wolfe's attendant helped her be seated in her chair. "And answers."

Jones took a seat, with help from her attendant who scooted her chair forward for her. Howell seated himself between them.

"Ok for the first answer, who are you?"

Wolfe looked at Howell. He shrugged.

"I am Maria Wolfe. I am one of the CEO's of GreenWood Enterprises. I am responsible for all of this, along with other properties and investments." Wolfe waved an elegant hand to indicate the mall. "I'm surprised Steven did not tell you who I am."

"I keep your secrets. I always will."

"Our relationship is not a secret Steven." Wolfe smiled at him fondly.

"So, that explains how you know each other. It doesn't explain why he gets special favors from you."

"As I said, our relationship is not a secret. It should come as no surprise, given what you've likely already discovered through your investigation, that I prefer Steven to take care of himself. To that end, I indulge myself and provide him with things I believe achieve that goal. Things which he likes and appreciates."

Jones really had no counter argument to that. Who wouldn't feel the same way? She certainly did. As she was thinking of her next question, she saw Diana approaching with a laden tray. As she watched, Diana placed loaded plates in front of everyone. Howell looked at her in near shock, she didn't work for Wolfe. Not directly.

"I am on loan for today." Diana explained in response to his look. "As proof."

"Yes. I asked for her to be here today. To prove to you I am responsible for her service to Steven." Wolfe nodded to Jones before indicating Diana. "You already know she is the one who delivers his meal to him every day. It is at my behest. Thank you Diana."

"Yes Ma'am." Diana bowed to Wolfe before leaving them alone. Her role was finished for today.

"Please, enjoy your meal. It is Mu-shu pork. Which, I understand, you are quite fond of." Wolfe indicated their plates. Howell dug in. He liked Mu-shu too.

Jones looked at each of them before lifting her silverware. Wolfe was right, she did like Mu-shu. A lot. Diana must have reported everything from yesterday to her. Everything probably meant every last detail. If she did that, Diana was amazing. And she was a spy. Jones wondered if Howell had realized that bit yet. Or if he just didn't care. It took a pretty well grounded person to not care if their significant other was spying on them. Jones didn't know if Howell was that type or not. Not yet.

As they ate, Wolfe answered most of Jones' initial questions. Of those she refused to answer, she only said that the information was private or confidential. When asked, Wolfe placed the name of the company Diana worked for into those categories; Jones had no need to know. There would be no information forthcoming on that subject.

Jones knew that there were boundaries and limits to where she could go with her questions. Once she knew those boundaries, she could focus on getting the answers she wanted and the information she could use to either sink or exonerate them.

"So, from what you've told me, you and Detective Howell are in some sort of relationship. Can you tell me how involved you are? Jones pushed at the boundary.

"Lieutenant, Steven lives with me. I suspect you can figure out exactly what level our relationship and involvement is from that bit of information."

"Lives with you?" Jones nearly choked. "From what background I have, he lives in a hotel. A place called The Green Wood Inn."

Wolfe smiled. "The GreenWood Inn is, among other things, the guest residence for many members of the Country Club. It is located here, on the other side of the complex."

"It is?" Jones looked around as if she could see it.

"Yes. Steven resided there, with me, for a few months after we moved from our previous home and before we purchased our current residence. I'm actually quite surprised your background investigation didn't uncover that."

"Ok, let me get this straight. You both lived together before living in the hotel? Why did you move to the hotel?"

"My apartment, where we were living, was fire bombed several months ago. The contents were entirely destroyed and the structure was gutted. We moved to the hotel while deciding whether to rebuild or purchase another home. There should be a report in your police files somewhere detailing this information."

So you bought a new place? Where?" Jones was intrigued. The back story was better than a movie script. Interestingly enough, she had none of this information. Before she could get the answer, both red jacketed attendants suddenly went to one knee and bowed their heads. Alarmed by what happened, Jones twisted to look behind her. All she could see was a woman standing in the opening to their private area. Immediately behind her was the woman who delivered her lunch invitation. They were holding hands. As she looked, Wolfe stood and held out her arms in welcome.

The women embraced each other as Howell looked on indulgently. Jones was confused. Who was the newcomer? What did she want?

"Lieutenant, may I introduce to you, the other co-executive for GreenWood Enterprises. My Co-CEO Karen Harper." Wolfe introduced them once she released the other woman. "Karen, this is Lieutenant Jones."

Karen nodded politely. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but something was brought to my attention which I needed to act upon immediately."

"Oh?" Wolfe was surprised. There wasn't anything going on that she knew of. "What's happened?"

Karen smiled and produced a red card. She handed it to Jones. "Please, accept this invitation."

Jones turned the card over. On it was a number embossed in gold leaf. Just the number, nothing else. "I don't understand."

"Are you sure?" Wolfe asked Karen.

Karen nodded. "I verified the information only a few minutes ago. Were it not so strongly verified, I would not have made the invitation on such short notice."

Jones held out the card to Howell. "What is this?"

"It is an invitation for you to apply to join a rather exclusive club." Karen spoke before Howell could. "I want to assure you that you would be a very welcome addition to the membership. Both yourself and Nicholas; Mistress Angelina."

Jones' face paled. "How did you . . .?"

"I merely looked at what there was to see." Karen hooked her arm around Wolfe's waist as she spoke.

"Is this some kind of extortion attempt to keep me from investigating? Because I assure you, I won't stop. You can't make me." Jones shook off her shock, getting angry in its place.

Karen smiled. "It is nothing of the sort. It is an invitation to apply for membership. There is no guarantee, though I believe you will be accepted, given what I've learned."

"And, what have you 'learned'?"

"I think we both know what I discovered. And that you'd probably prefer that I not speak of it in public. Again, I'm offering you an invitation to apply. Please, make your decision and call the number on the card. You need only say yes or no. If you decide to apply, someone will contact you." Karen pointed at the card. "There are benefits to membership."

"I won't do anything illegal. I don't care if you expose me or not, I won't do it. So don't bother to try to persuade me otherwise."

"No one has asked, nor will they ever ask, for you to engage in illegal activities in the name of the club or as part of your membership in the club." Karen was adamant. "Should someone attempt to do so, merely inform me and I will punish them as they deserve. Regardless of whether you decide to accept or not, please inform me if such an event ever occurs."

"And who are you to do or decide that?"

"Accept, and you will learn. And obey. Or you will be punished for your failure." Karen's words were hollow. As she spoke, the two men in red jackets presented their crossed wrists to her in a simultaneous gesture of submission.

Twenty Five

Rose was frustrated and ready to scream. For the past week things had gone from awful, to worse, then finally ending at catastrophic. Her main supplier was now telling her they had no flour at all for her. If she was into that sort of tin foil hat craziness, she'd think it was some sort of conspiracy to force her out of business.

"Listen, Mike, I need at least eight hundred pounds of flour, enriched white, by the middle of next week. What do you mean there isn't any?" Rose spoke into the phone. "I've been a good customer for nearly three years, now you won't sell me supplies all of a sudden? What's going on?"

"I told you, I don't have any available. Everything I have is already spoken for and I won't be getting any in the foreseeable future. You're going to have to look elsewhere." Mike, the sales rep for her bulk goods supplier, almost pleaded with her to understand.

"There isn't anywhere else to look. You're it!" Rose was losing her temper.

"Miss Rose?" Devon's light tenor intruded into her frustration.

Rose snarled at him and waved him away. He'd not been there when she'd returned after visiting with Tulip. He'd been gone for the whole week. Rose was pissed at him for it. Even Brian was wondering what he'd done wrong.

Devon reached over and took the phone away from her. "Excuse me, Miss Rose," he said as he held the receiver up to his ear. "Who am I speaking to?"

After listening for a moment Devon gave his full name as if it meant something. "Devon Lucius Washington. I expect eight hundred pounds of flour, per Miss Rose's specifications, or better quality, by Monday morning."

"I don't care. By Monday. Morning." Devon hung up the phone without waiting for any response.

"You!" Rose shouted at him as she stood up. She lost all control of her badly frayed temper. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Miss Rose . . ." Devon began.

Rose reached up and grabbed Devon's ear, hauling him down to her level. Devon yelped as she glared at him. "I told you to be here when I got back. You weren't. I am not happy with you."

"Miss Rose, I can explain." Devon tried to get his ear back. Rose just squeezed harder and twisted.

"Ssss." Devon hissed and complained at the pain in his ear. "Miss Rose, please." He waved his hands helplessly.

Abruptly, Rose released him. "Get out."

"Rose," Brian appeared in his doorway. "You're losing it."

Rose whirled on him, pointing her finger at him to tell him to get out too. She opened her mouth to yell, but she couldn't speak. Her mouth worked but no words came out. Shifting her focus, she saw that all her employees had stopped working and were looking at them. Staring.

"Here." Brian handed her his pillow from his cot, her fingers automatically closing around it as he let go. "Take this, go outside and kick it. A lot. You'll feel better. Honest."

Rose looked at him. His hair was in his eyes again. She really needed to get him to Jade's place. Soon.

"Go on." Brian shooed her away gently. "We'll wait."

Rose switched her gaze to Devon, she started to raise her finger at him again when Brian just touched her hand. "He'll be here. Even if I have to make him sit on me. Go."

The last thing she heard before she walked out the back door was Devon telling everyone that the show was over and to get back to work.

It took ten minutes before Rose returned. She'd stood on the end of her loading dock mashing the pillow against her chest and crying. Going back in, she handed Brian his pillow back. Brian just looked at it, flipping it over expecting to see it ripped to shreds. There was no damage. Dampness, but no damage.

"Sorry," she apologized to him as he took the pillow from her. Lifting her hand she brushed his hair out of his eyes before trailing a finger down his arm to lightly grasp and squeeze his free hand. "Thank you."

Raising her eyes, but not letting go of Brian's hand, she looked at Devon. She didn't know what to say. He'd made her angry by not being there when she'd asked him. She'd been counting on him. True, he and Brian had finished the payroll accounting for her, so she hadn't needed to, and sent it off for processing by the payroll company. She'd double checked and it was error free. She'd been amazed. Brian said they'd done it as a surprise.

"Lucius?" She was not going to say she was sorry, it was his fault. "What kind of name is Lucius?"

"I'm just glad my momma didn't name me Lucifer. I probably woulda gotten a reputation for being a bad man if she had."

Devon gave her a ghost of a smile trying to see if she liked his attempt at humor. Rose didn't react. Devon bowed his head when he saw that she wasn't going to.

"Miss Rose, I can explain." Devon tried again before Rose cut him off.

"You failed me." Rose didn't know where the words came from, she just knew they fit. She'd needed him and he wasn't there. Even though he really wasn't anyone she had any authority over, he was supposed to have been there. He'd promised.

"He got a text. He wouldn't let me see but he took off right after." Brian reminded Rose what he'd told her that evening when she'd returned to find Devon not there like he said he'd be.

"So, a text makes you go missing for a week? You go shack up and not let anyone know why? Is that it? Some twit is more important than your promises?"

Instead of answering, Devon just held out his phone. Rose looked at it. On the screen was a text message.

<Drop by tonight. Planning a beer bash. Other friends coming.>

"Oh, so it wasn't some girlfriend. Instead, you go party with friends for a week. That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"It's a code Miss Rose." Devon explained.

"A code? Having a party sounds pretty self explanatory to me. No code required."

"Rose," Brian tried to soothe her.

"He dumped us Brian. He dumped us to go get drunk for a week." Rose was near to tears again. She'd needed him, needed someone, and he hadn't been there.

"I wasn't drinking Miss Rose."

"Getting stoned isn't any better. It's actually worse."

"Miss Rose, I was working. Paul sent the message. You know Paul, he don't mess around. Miss Karen won't allow it. You know she won't."

"Since when are you part of Scarlet?"

"I ain't, Miss Rose. Me and Paul, we're tight, but I ain't like him. I ain't like them."

"Who's Scarlet?" Brian asked. No one named Scarlet had ever been to the bakery from what he remembered.

Rose just slashed her hand. "Not important. What is important is where were you? You couldn't call?"

"Miss Rose, what you don't know, you can't tell the po-lice."

"If you don't tell me what I want to know, it won't matter if anyone tells the police anything." Rose scowled at Devon.

Devon sighed. "Miss Rose. . ."

"TALK Devon. Or so help me I'll . . ." Rose couldn't think of anything vile enough to threaten him with, so she left it unsaid.

Devon sighed again. "There's this guy. Name's Lester. He had some bad ideas about hurting someone. I sorta changed his mind about it."

"Who?"

"Lester."

"Not him, who was he going to hurt? And, how did you change his mind?"

"Miss Rose, that's the part you shouldn't know about."

Rose opened her mouth but closed it before she could say anything. Paul, and some friends had done something bad to someone. Bad enough Devon didn't want to talk about it. Because just her knowing about it could be dangerous.

"Does She know?" Rose asked him after thinking for a few moments. By Devon's reaction, Karen didn't know. Crap!

Rose pulled her phone out of her pocket. She dialed Callie's number.

"Hi Rose. What's up?" Callie's voice came through the speaker clearly.

"Hi sis." Rose tried to be nonchalant as possible. "Can you put Her on the line?"

"Karen? Or Maria?"

"I need to talk to Her. Officially."

There were some bumping sounds from the speaker as Callie handed the phone over.

"Yes?" Karen's voice sounded really weird.

Devon frantically began making scissoring motions with his hands telling her to stop. Rose pointed her finger at him then slashed it across her throat.

"How secure is this conversation?" Rose asked carefully, turning her attention back to her phone call.

"Unsecured," came the reply. It still sounded really weird.

"Thank you Ma'am. I have information for you."

"Go on."

"Someone dangerous just told me that he and a certain security person spent a week convincing someone named Lester to leave someone else alone. Do you comprehend that?"

Silence as Karen digested the scanty information. "Yes," she replied after a moment.

"Wait one second." Rose turned to Devon. "Is he still alive?"

Devon held out his hands in an I don't know gesture.

"Was he? When you last saw him?"

Devon nodded. "Yesterday."

"Where?"

Devon began to give her the address but Rose held up the phone. "Don't tell me, tell Her."

Devon gingerly took the phone, telling Karen where to find Lester in his apartment building. He listened for a moment before handing the phone back to Rose.

"I'm here." Rose said as soon as she had the phone up to her ear again. "You're welcome Ma'am." Rose spoke one last time before hanging up. She crossed her arms and glared at Devon.

"You're trouble. A huge amount of trouble, but I'm going to save your ass. I don't know why, but I'm going to. What you need to remember is that Lucifer's a lightweight wannabe compared to me on a good day. Today is not a good day." Rose leaned over, lowered her voice and growled at him. "You hear me? Or do I have to make it real painful before you learn who's in charge now?"