A Heart Divided Page 2
Beginning with a slow rhythm that warmed the love he needed to release, he then steadily increased the pace until they were both soaring to the boiling point that neither ever tired of. Running his hands down her thighs, she instinctively complied with what he wanted by bringing her legs around his waist and clamping them tightly in place. Her inner walls enclosed around him securing the knowledge that the release he was seeking was only seconds away and he was eager to feel the love that only she could give. Kissing her throat as he bestowed her with the love he knew no other woman would ever experience, he cried out her name. The moment her hands pulled his back closer, her hips higher and her legs tighter, the explosion they both sought hit. His body jerked several times before he could think clearly or speak coherently. He rolled over pulling her on top of his chest, never breaking the intimate connection and simply held her as their juices flowed between them. She cuddled closer bringing the top of her head just below his chin. Kissing the top of her head, he leisurely caressed her back.
“Why do you always make a mess on my side of the bed?” she asked sleepily.
“It’s my way of getting you right where you are, closer to me.” He felt her smile against his chest as her lips barely kissed his nipple. Moments later he felt her shallow breathing and knew she had fallen asleep again. Only then did the memories of his dream fade away as a distant thought. Tightening his hold on her, he soon joined her in a slumberous state.
♡♡♡♡
The minimum security federal prison located in Petersburg, Virginia was locked down for the night. Bed count was completed and all inmates were accounted for. The night shift guards had settled at their posts, two deep at each station. The administrative staff had vacated hours earlier, with the secure feeling of another good day without any infractions from the inmates. He had a good staff, Warden Emilio Escobar thought as he locked the door to his office and bid good night to the guards on his way out. The gates sprung open as he waved at the guards in the tower. Driving through, he slowed and watched through his rear view window, as he did every night, until the gates closed. Flashing his lights, he pulled off in the direction of his home.
Standing in the hallway of the administration, building looking out of a window, a guard watched as the warden’s car drove out of sight. As with each night for the last month, the guard pulled a key from his pocket, opened the door to the warden’s office and turned on the computer sitting on the desk. It was almost as easy to get the password to the computer, as it was to get a copy of the key to the warden’s office. It only took him a few hours to determine the wife’s’ maiden name and year of birth was the password to the computer. How ironic, the pictures on the desk and the use of the wife’s name was clear evidence he loved her, yet, it was a woman in a hotel room that was able to keep him occupied long enough to have a copy of the office key made. Go figure. But for the man sitting at the desk, his only interest was in locating the inmate that was there under an assumed name. Once he determined which of the five hundred and sixty-two inmates it could be, this hellish job would be history and he would be richer. So far, he’d eliminated three hundred and thirteen. Tonight he planed to view another fifty records. It shouldn’t take much longer.
An hour later, after reviewing photographs, birthdays, relatives and other information on each inmate, he finally came across a strong candidate. There was information as with every file he viewed, but this one had no photograph and the history was only ten years deep. He switched over to the internet and did a search on the name – Huntley A. Doles. On the surface, the search did not reveal much—a few fraud related stories and an embezzlement charge. However, unbeknownst to him the search sent a signal to another computer.
♡♡♡♡
The knock on his door startled Donovan Tucker as he instinctively reached for his revolver. “Who is it?”
“Tuck, you are needed in the Situation Room.”
Tucker looked at the clock on the night stand next to his bed—four-fifteen in the morning. He fell back on the pillow—it was only two-thirty when he got into bed. This was really getting old. Shaking himself awake, he threw back the comforter, stood and put on his robe. “This better not be another one of Monique’s antics,” he mumbled. Monique was his boss’ daughter, whom he had asked Tucker to watch over while he was incarcerated. The six-teen year old was nothing but trouble. He opened the door and walked down the hallway to the next room. The bedroom had been converted into one of the most sophisticated, technically advanced communication centers available to a man of his means. The occupants of the tact room at the FBI headquarters would be impressed. “What do we have, gentlemen?” Tucker inquired to the three men in the room as he slumped into one of the chairs in front of the three flat screen monitors hanging on the wall.
“A signal went off from the warden’s computer. Someone just did an inquiry on our man.”
“When?” Tucker stood, concerned with the information on the monitor.
“At 4:05.”
Tucker looked at the clock; it was now four-twenty. “Get one of our people from the administration building on the phone.” Once the call was placed, Tucker gave instructions.
♡♡♡♡
Convinced he had found the right inmate; the guard took a stroll over to the Ponderosa building to the location of the inmate in question. The Ponderosa was one of two buildings in the federal pen complex located in Petersburg. The other was called the South Fork Ranch. The occupants were usually your higher class white collar criminals that were given a few luxuries. “Hey, Wally, I’m going to do a quick walk through. You want to come along?” He asked, not really expecting the other guard to join him.
“I’ll pass. Enjoy your stroll.”
He chuckled, “All right man, I should be back through in ten.” The guard walked down the corridor and up a flight of steps. He reached what some referred to as the pent-house, because the cell was on the corner end of the corridor and had a clear view of the entire cell block. He stopped and casually looked around to see if there were any wandering eyes. Thinking all was clear, he looked inside the cell. To his surprise, the inmate was awake and standing as if he was expecting him. The sight threw him off balance for a moment, but he soon recovered. “Everything okay man?” he asked as if he was concerned.
“I’m good,” the inmate replied glaring back at him.
“Get you some shut eye, man,” the guard said, and then walked away.
The encounter sent a shiver down his spine, but he shook it off. Tomorrow, he would have enough money to leave the job and never look back.
When he returned to his station, the guard sat back in the chair at the desk, pulled out his cell phone, and placed a telephone call. Finally, he was on his way to the finer things in life. “Chief, sorry to call this time of morning, but I think you will be pleased with my news. I believed I have just located one, Al “Turk” Day. The question is can you meet my price?”
♡♡♡♡
Chief Wilbert T. Munford walked into the kitchen of his multi-level six bedroom home happy as a jay-bird. He finally had a handle on an itch he had been dying to scratch—Al “Turk” Day. By this time tonight, if all went well, his nemesis would be dead. As he did each morning at six he turned on the television to catch the morning news. The news caster was talking about an accident on Interstate 95.
“The lone passenger in the vehicle was identified as Franklin Stafford.
According to the police report, he was a prison guard here in Petersburg.
The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. We will report more as
the scene continues to unfold. This is Victoria Murillo reporting live.”
The coffee cup Munford had just picked up dropped from his hand as he stared intently at the television monitor. A shiver went up his spine as he turned and surveyed the room. The very man he knew to be incarcerated had previously invaded his home. After hearing the news of the guard’s death, Munford knew it was only a matter of time before Al Day made another appearance. There was no time to start the process again. Al Day had to be eliminated soon or his plans for reigning over the city of Richmond would be ruined. Options were running out, he was down to one--J.D. Harrison, the states Attorney General.
Like it or not, it was time to use every weapon at his disposal into reach his goal, to become the first elected Mayor for the city of Richmond. Munford picked up the telephone and dialed. “It’s time to speed things up. I need that information from Harrison or his wife and I don’t care how you get it.”
♡♡♡♡
Tracy turned over without opening her eyes and reached for the remote. When she pushed the button, she heard the television monitor retracting into its cabinet. Subconsciously she knew the voices she continued to hear were not coming from the television. She heard a child’s giggle and knew it was the voice of her son coming through the monitor. It seemed he was telling his father that his mother should be up with them. She listened as his father explained, “Mommy was up late taking care of daddy and needs a little extra time to sleep. I need you to be a big boy and help daddy with Jasmine.”
“Jazz,” as he called his baby sister, “hungry?” he asked his father.
“Yes, I think she is,” JD replied. “Get her bottle for me.”
“No daddy--do your shirt.” Tracy frowned until it dawned on her what JC was trying to tell his father. Smiling, she threw the comforter to the side and stretched as she heard the conversation between father and son continued.
“Shirt up daddy,”
Tracy walked into the nursery just in time to save JD who now had a serious frown on his face. “Daddy’s can’t do that JC only mommies can.”
“Mommy,” JC screamed and ran to grab her legs as JD watched.
Picking he
r son up, she hugged him, “Hello my precious.” JD stood with Jasmine on his shoulder and she marveled at how handsome her husband was. His six-two frame towered over her five-six inches and filled the room with his undeniable presence. A smile that was reserved just for him appeared on her face. It was useless to try to hide the blush she revealed each time he looked at her. “Good morning to you, again.”
He reached around her waist, pulled her to him, and kissed her with an urgency that left her weak at the knees. As soon as he pulled away JC clapped his hands as his mother held him on her hip. “Daddy kiss,” he held out his hands to his father, who immediately placed a kiss on his son’s lips. JC then turned to his mother, cupped her face between his small hands, and kissed her on the lips.
“I’m jealous. Good morning beautiful. I was about to feed this one, when JC informed me I wasn’t doing it right.”
“So I heard,” she replied as she placed JC on the floor and reached for Jasmine. “Let me take her before she messes up your shirt.”
JD was dressed in his shirt and tie, but his suit jacket was hanging on the knob of the door. “No, she’s good. I’ll feed her and keep JC busy while you dress.”
“You sure? It’s late you know.”
“Yeah, I called Calvin earlier; he reset our morning briefing for ten, so I have a little time.”
“Okay, I’ll take you up on that offer then.” Just as she turned, to walk out the room, his cell phone rang.
“Harrison,” he answered.
She closed her eyes and sighed inwardly, the moment was over. Opening her eyes and smiling she turned to her husband and reached for Jasmine.
JC watched his father’s retreating back and then looked up at his mother with sad eyes and said, “Daddy work now?”
“Yes baby, Daddy has to work now.”
♡♡♡♡
Tucker stood in the visitor’s room of the Federal penitentiary, waiting for his boss to appear. The area was empty with the exception of the guards located near the entrance. When the doors in the back opened, he turned to see Turk walk through. He smiled and gave his boss a pound. “Hey man. You look good.”
Turk returned the sentiment and took a seat, Tuck did the same. “What do you know?”
“He was one of Munford’s people.”
The two sat forward resting their elbows on their legs. “Did he pass any information on?”
“No. but now Munford is desperate. The referendum to make the Mayor for the city of Richmond an elected position is on the ballot in November. He has to eliminate you soon, therefore he has to locate you. The quickest way to do that is through Harrison.”
“Has he put anything in motion?”
“Not that I know of, but Harrison has.”
“What?”
“Harrison launched an investigation on Munford and he may have enough to take him down.”
Turk smiled, “Anyway to help him along?”
“Yeah, we can tell them what we know.”
“I don’t know if Harrison can handle that yet. He’s still emotionally wound tight. I don’t want to have a negative impact on his future. How is Tracy handling the situation with the Senator?”
“There hasn’t been a lot of contact. A few appearances here and there with Harrison and Roth at the same place, but that’s it. Harrison is catching hell at home.”
“She’s holding JD to the wire.” He smiled, “I’m proud of her. She got him sweating. That’s good. Let him know he has to work to keep her.”
“You need to stop. They are good together. It’s good to see real black love and that’s what they have.” He became serious, “I don’t want to see them torn apart by this.”
“You getting soft man,” Turk laughed.
“No, but just like you, I was there from the beginning. What they have is real.”
“Then nothing will tear them apart. In the mean time keep an eye on Munford. Monique still giving you trouble?”
Tuck sat up and literally rolled his eyes. “Turk, I’ll move heaven and earth for you, but your daughter has me on the verge of committing murder—premeditated murder and you know I don’t roll like that.”
Turk laughed, “I know man, she is just like her mother. But you got my support, do what you have to to keep her in line—whatever you have to do.”
Chapter 2
The briefing was more detailed than JD expected. It seemed the information he had received from an informant a few years ago, has resulted in a year-long investigation, with the Chief of Police of the city of Richmond, at the very core. Turning to his life-long friend and chief of staff at the AG office, he asked, “Calvin how sure are we about this information? Is there any chance we could be wrong?”
“Mr. Harrison, because of the names involved, for the last three months we double checked all the information we received,” Rossie Brown a rookie assistant attorney general in the office, eagerly explained.
Samantha Sullivan, a left over from the previous administration chimed in to support Rossie’s statement. “Actually JD, we triple checked the information and it all leads back to Munford. This man has made a small fortune using young gangs to do his dirty work. It’s as if he was pimping the gangs out to the highest bidder.”
“If someone needs to be eliminated, he uses one of the gangs to handle the hit. In some instances, he uses a new recruit to handle the job as an initiation. That pisses me off.” Rossie stated angrily and then nervously added, “Mr. AG.”
JD smiled at the young man, who he had come to respect. Rossie Brown was just out of law school and was intent on clearing a way for young men and women to follow in his footsteps. He simply wanted to show them, there is another way, then turning to the street. Not that he was old, but Rossie reminded JD of himself not long ago. He still had that same urge to stop the senseless loss of life to gang violence. “Call me JD, Rossie. What do you need to bring this case to court?”
Rossie sat up with a little more buoyancy as he took a quick look at Samantha for encouragement. A slight nod of her head indicated he should continue. “If we are going after the Chief we better have our ducks in a row. An undercover operation is the only way we would get irrefutable evidence against him.”
Looking to his most trusted advisor and friend Calvin, JD hesitated then stood. Calvin understood the concern he saw in JD’s eyes. “Going after Munford is going to cause issues,” he stated in his normally composed manner.
Placing his hands in his pocket, JD looked to the floor. After a few minutes of thinking he yelled, “Son-of-a- bitch!. All kinds of doors will open if we indict him. Every criminal he ever arrested will have a means for an appeal.”
Rossie held his breath and thought, here we go, another man that put politics before justice. He’s going to shut down the investigation.
“Calvin, get a group together to begin reviewing all of Munford’s case files. Let’s catch as many on the front end as we can. Get with Brian to arrange for a person to get on the inside of Munford’s inner circle. Samantha and Rossie, start doing your legwork. Make sure you have him. Don’t discuss this case with anyone, not even me. Years ago my father was once Munford’s partner on the beat. Keep Mr. Johnson informed daily. Don’t put any indictments in place until you know without question you have this man. Good work you two.”
Samantha patted Rossie on the back, “You got your go ahead.”
Rossie, who sat a little shocked at JD’s reaction, released a chuckle as he shook his head. “You never cease to amaze me Mr. AG, never.” He followed Samantha out the door.
JD waited until he and Calvin were alone before he continued. “This is going to get ugly.”
“There’s no way around it. If Munford is into half of what they have uncovered there will be a lot of dirt thrown.” Calvin looked up at his friend whom he had known since elementary school. Even back then, it seemed JD Harrison carried the weight of the world on his shoulders with ease. All through high school, he’d handled with the poise of the debate team on stage and the rugged hits of the football team on the field. And he handled all with strength, determination and grace. Now that he was into the political realm, he could see his friend was destined for more. “This situation with Munford could have an adverse affect on your campaign.” Calvin advised.