“Thanks, Daman. Have a good weekend.”
After the door closed behind him, Daman tried to process his reaction to the photo. “What is it with this woman?” he asked to no one in particular before heading home.
Chapter 6
As Daman walked toward his private jet at the Chicago Aurora Municipal Airport, he massaged the back of his neck, trying to work out the knot that had developed. He didn’t know if the cause of his discomfort was due to all the commuting between Detroit and Chicago, or to the couple in the hotel room next to his who’d constantly argued until 3:00 a.m.
Yesterday, he’d called his friend Thompson Davis, better known as “Tommy” on The Jimmy King Morning Show, to see if he could be a surprise guest the same day Imani would be on the show. Daman was honest with Tommy, knowing that he would jump at the chance to pull something unexpected on the show. He wasn’t surprised when Tommy agreed.
He didn’t tell Imani he was going to be on the show and he couldn’t wait to see the look on Imani’s face when she realized he would be in Atlanta at the same time she was. After the night they’d met at her place, after that dress she’d worn to purposely throw him off his game, he knew he had to regain some ground. And keeping his appearance on the show a secret might help give him a leg up. He needed to throw her off balance, and he suspected she hated surprises.
Reaching for his phone, he quickly dialed his mom. He and his mother were extremely close. His parents had experienced several miscarriages early in their marriage, but then on his mom’s thirty-eighth birthday, she’d gotten pregnant with him.
“Good morning, Mom! How are you?”
Patricia Barker yawned softly. “Daman, baby, it’s 5:00 a.m. I love hearing from you, but why are you calling me so early?”
He laughed at his mom’s comment. “I thought you’d be up already.”
“Daman, I’m an old retired woman. I don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn—especially on a Monday.”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m leaving for Atlanta in a few minutes. The jet is waiting now.”
“Is this for the gala?”
“Yes, it is. I’ll be in Atlanta with my partner this week. Then I was thinking about dropping by to see you.”
“I would love that, baby. I’ve been waiting for you to come down here.”
“I know, Mom. My visit is long overdue.” Daman had not been by to see his mom since she moved to Florida two years ago. She usually visited him in Detroit.
After a few more minutes, he ended the conversation and boarded the jet.
He would be at his destination shortly, so there was no time for a nap. He had to make a quick stop in Detroit before going to Atlanta.
Daman composed himself as he exited his jet and walked toward his rental car. The meeting he was about to have would, no doubt, impact his life. Regardless of the outcome, he needed to figure out what was going on with his uncle.
He pulled into the secluded parking lot of a forest preserve for his meeting with Private Investigator Malik Madden.
“It’s good to see you again, Malik,” Daman said.
“Same here. Shall we get right down to it?”
“Yes. My uncle has been very good about covering his tracks. I’m hoping you’ll be able to provide me with enough evidence to bring him down once and for all.”
Malik looked at him with concerned eyes. “Daman, I appreciate your confidence in me, and you’re right, I am very good at what I do. If your uncle is keeping any secrets, I’ll find out, but you have to be prepared for all outcomes.”
“I understand completely. The pros outweigh the cons. For the past few years, I’ve watched my uncle carefully and something isn’t right. I need to find out what he’s got up his sleeve. It’s about time I stand up for my father’s dream.” Daman understood Malik’s concerns, but he knew this was the right thing to do. He was sure Malik had seen many people back out of investigations that turned ugly. But Daman would stop at nothing to reach his goal.
“I will contact you periodically as needed.” Malik handed Daman a large manila envelope.
“Here is an outline of your case. Everything you need to know or do is explained in this envelope. Like you said, your uncle did a very good job of covering his tracks.”
“Right,” Daman agreed. “And my father was a great businessman. The company was extremely prosperous when he was alive. It’s hard to believe that Barker Architecture wouldn’t have had enough funds to stay afloat.”
“I understand your concern and sooner or later we will figure out what your uncle’s hiding,” Malik replied.
Daman took the folder from Malik, hoping the case would get cracked sooner rather than later.
* * *
Imani eased into the luxurious hotel bathtub just as her iPhone rang. “Hello?”
“Hi, sweetheart. How was your flight?” Hope’s happy voice floated through the phone.
“Mom, I’m so glad it’s you! It was fine. How’s Fiji?”
“Oh, baby, Fiji is wonderful. Your father and I just spent all day on an amazing tour of the island.”
“That’s great, Mom.”
Imani grinned as her mom told her about the trip so far. She was happy for her parents, especially her mom. She had taken Gamine’s death the worst of all, yet she was finally returning to her old self.
“I’m happy for you and Dad. You two needed a vacation. And you seem happy.”
Imani hoped her mom hadn’t heard the slight break in her voice.
“Baby, you have to get out of this funk you’ve been in. Ever since Gamine’s death, you’ve been like the Energizer bunny, making sure everyone else is okay. I’m worried that you’re not taking care of yourself.”
Her mother was right. She couldn’t explain how she felt and knew that her mother would see through her lie if she told her she was fine.
“I know, Mom. I want you to enjoy the rest of your vacation. When will you get back to the States?”
“Your father and I are thinking about extending our vacation and going somewhere else after Fiji. But we’ll make sure we get back before the family barbecue.”
“Wow, I’m jealous,” Imani said with a laugh. “Retirement suits you both really well. I love you, Mom. Tell Dad I love him, too, and I’ll talk to you both later.”
“Okay, sweetie. I love you.”
* * *
Hope hung up with her daughter and sighed deeply.
