“Can we talk without a gun?”
“The handcuffs stay on,” she said and holstered her weapon.
“Can I sit, officer?” he asked.
She glared at him. He turned slowly and then moved. She didn’t react when he chose to sit on the sofa. It was dark except for the television that was left on mute. Queen walked in and took a seat across from him.
“I know you love her. I know you protect her. That’s your job, right?” Maverick asked.
Queen didn’t answer.
“I’m no rapist. You know that. What happened between us, we didn’t plan, but it was consensual.”
“You took advantage. She’s traumatized, and you manipulated her. Made her trust you. Then you used her like men did when they see women as prey. You used her and—”
“I’m not your monster.”
“Why the fuck do you keep saying that to me? My monster! What the hell does that mean?”
Maverick bit down on his bottom lip. “You aren’t taking me into the station. You're trying to scare me. I get it. I’ve done it. But it’s not going to work. I told you I would help you. And I will. I need to get out of the handcuffs to prove it to you.”
“Fuck, this. I’ll take you into the station and sort it out there. Get up!” She stood.
“Wait!” Maverick pleaded. “Pick up my phone. It’s right there. Pick it up.”
She glanced at the phone and then at him. “Go on, my code is 110294.”
She did as he asked and unlocked his phone.
“My contact list, look for... ah, Armand.”
She frowned.
“Call him. Let me prove to you that I can be helpful, and then you can trust me to tell you what is really happening with Delilah, deal?”
She dialed the number and then held the phone out for him to speak.
“I’ve been waiting on your call; you have something for me?” Armand Al Jabaar asked.
Maverick looked up at Queen. The phone was in his face, but his eyes were raised and locked with hers as he spoke. “No. But I need your help. I need to know how to get Delilah to give me more information. I need to know what it is you want me to do.”
Queen glowered at him. At least he had her attention.
Chapter Seventeen
THE PARENT TRAP
“I’ve been here a week. I can barely get in through the front door,” Maverick explained. He bit down on the inside of his jaw to keep from rushing through the rest of his story. He continued, “She has me stuck in this guesthouse waiting for chances to see my son.”
“And why is that?” Armand asked.
“You tell me? She doesn’t trust men. She hates my guts. Pick a reason, I don’t fucking know. Time is ticking, and I’m not getting anywhere.”
“That’s a problem you said you could solve,” Armand replied.
“I could if you helped move this along for me,” said Maverick.
“Help? I’ve given you the resources; what else do you need?”
“Information. That’s all I’m asking. For starters, what do you know about Goodiva being kidnapped and taken to someplace called Mayfair?”
There was no response after a long pause.
“I know you are keeping tabs on the situation here in Falcon Cove. Right?” Maverick pressed him.
“I am,” Armand replied.
“Well, what about Delilah’s text. A video of her husband implicating himself in the Eve’s Promise experiment that killed my wife,” Maverick said. “And now that video is playing all over the news. You saw it? You hear about it?”
“Of course,” Armand replied.
“Did you send it to her?” Maverick asked.
“I’ve already answered that question for you twelve hours ago when you first asked me,” Armand said. “Why are you asking me again?”
“Why? Because I had no idea, she would use the video that way. I’m thinking you lied to me when I texted you and asked if you sent it to her. I’m thinking that you knew it would set her off. If you want to keep her in line and keep this situation contained, why dig up this Mayfair bullshit and put it out in the world? Draw attention not just to her but to me and my custody case. It could put my case at risk. It sure as hell is not going to get me through the front door.”
“Bullshit. Your custody case is even stronger now that we released that information to Delilah.” Armand insisted.
“We? What we?” Maverick pounced on the statement. Maverick stared at Queen to see if she approved of the direction the questioning was taking. She listened, riveted. Together they waited for Armand to answer. He did not.
“Why send it?” Maverick pressed again.
“It’s no secret that her family is connected to the Eve’s Promise scandal. However, that town is blaming her. And my cousin disapproves. He doesn’t want her life destroyed. He wants the situation controlled, and the women contained but not destroyed. That’s important. Do you understand? We only need to keep the chaos organized.”
“I get it,” Maverick said.
“You get what?” Armand asked.
“Goodiva’s disappearance is the secret you protect. You don’t want her friends destroyed because Goodiva wouldn’t want that. You just want information so they would stay away from your plans with her. Right?”
Armand didn’t respond.
“Delilah thinks she might be dead. She isn’t. Is she?” Maverick asked.
“She’s alive and well,” Armand said.
Maverick bit his bottom lip again. He had scored. Queen’s eyes stretched with relief. Her hard exterior cracked, she smiled down at him. She nodded that what he had done was right.
“That solves it,” Maverick said.
“How’s that?” Armand asked.
“We should let the women know. If they find out their friend is alive, the pressures off to find her? Right? Isn’t that what you want? For them to back off. It’s the right time to let the secret out.”
“What I want is for your baby mama to be exactly where she is, reacting as she is, how she is. What I want is to know the details you promised. That is the deal.”
“What deal did you make?” Queen mouthed at him.
Maverick shook his head and hoped her anger didn’t surface and ruin the conversation. “I told you, I’m not signing up for that. I want nothing to do with it,” Maverick said.
Armand chuckled.
“Fuck you, bro, I’m serious. I’m not doing it.”
“Then you’ll have bigger problems than the custody of your bastard son. You’ll have to deal with the Scorpion.”
Queen brows lowered. Her stern gaze was now fixated on him and only him.
“You threatening me, bro?” Maverick smirked.
“Don’t fuck with me, cop! I want to know about the murder, the kiddie murder. That’s the deal.”
“Murder? Wait a sec—” Maverick tried to interject.
“Yes, murder! The one you wouldn’t let us use in court! That murder! The secret these women keep, from when they were ten years old.” Armand snapped. Maverick saw the shadow of confusion turn to rage over Queen's face. He knew she was deciding on whether he was part of the conspiracy.