“What you need a gun for, Carm?”
“To protect myself. Marcus doesn't think I need one, but too many people are dying over this for me not to protect myself.”
“I don't know about this gun shit.”
“Why?”
“Carmen, you're a model. You don't need to be carryin' no gun.”
“Why, Denny? What? You think I don't remember how to shoot?”
“The thought had occurred to me.”
“Well, I'll tell you what, let's go to a shooting range and I'll prove I can shoot,” Carmen said confidently. “Will that satisfy you?”
“It'll prove you can shoot, but why can't you just go buy one if you just need it for protection?”
“Because I don't want to wait five days for a background check.”
“I know a place where you can get one today without going through all them changes. In fact, that would work out better. I don't want you anywhere near no gun I could get you. Ain't no tellin' who done what with them.”
Carmen and Denny walked back to his car and then drove Carmen to a little gun shop in Jonesboro. Denny knew the owner and had done business with him before. An hour later, Carmen walked out of the shop a new Kel-Tec P-3AT’s .380. One of the easiest to conceal handguns of an effective caliber that could be found. Denny still wanted Carmen to prove that she could handle the weapon, so he drove her to a gun range.
With her new gun tucked securely in her purse, Carmen had Denny drop her off at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead. Once he drove off, Carmen got into a cab. It wasn't that she didn't trust Denny, but she didn't want to involve him in the mess she was in. She still wondered who would want to kill her, especially if Desireé's murder had nothing to do with Hudson Financial. But it didn't matter; if anybody came after her she would be ready.
PICK UP THE PIECES
Marcus wandered around his house like he was looking for something. But he wasn't. He was thinking about what Special Agent Ward told him and Carmen. There was a certain finality in his statement. What does any of this have to do with the murder of Desireé Ferguson?
Marcus walked over to the bar and poured a glass of Hennessy. With the bottle still in hand, he drained what he had poured and filled the glass again. He dragged himself to his chair and sat down. He couldn't help but to think about Carmen. When she drove away with Agent Grant, the smile that he had grown to love was gone.
Love.
Was he really in love with Carmen, or was it just the fact that they had been working so closely together? He didn't know, and at that moment, he didn't seem to care. Marcus picked up the phone and dialed Carmen's number, and hung up as quickly. “Give her time, Marcus. She said she needed some time.”
But suppose she really wanted me to contact her and she just needs a little push?
“Whatever, man,” he said and finished his drink.
He decided to make constructive use of his time. Marcus went into his office and got a pad and a pen. He returned to the living room and put Lee Morgan in the CD tray, poured himself another shot of Hennessy and began making notes of everything they had learned to this point. He wrote down the conclusion they had drawn from it and where that conclusion led them. In each case the conclusion led them closer to Hudson Financial. So if those conclusions were incorrect, he would have to consider alternate theories. He picked up the phone and called his office, Janise answered.
“Janise, is Tiffanie available?”
“She's not on her line, hold on, Marcus, I'll transfer you.”
“Tiffanie Powers.”
“Hello, Tiffanie, this is Marcus.”
“How you doing, Marcus?”
“I'm fine, Tiffanie, but I need your help.”
Tiffanie's eyes bucked open and she sat straight up in her chair. Being the ambitious woman that she is, Tiffanie had been looking for an opportunity to step up. “What can I help you with?”
“You know I've been looking into the murder of Desireé Ferguson, well, this morning I ran head first into a brick wall.”
“What happened?”