Page 64

“Yes, Ms. Taylor…I mean Carmen.”
Carmen laughed. “So since you were there to protect Jada, when she left, did you stay with her?”
Kamau hesitated. “Yes. I assessed the situation, I saw the killer when he parked, so I knew that he was alone, and the police were on their way. Once I determined that you weren’t in any apparent danger…”
“You stayed with Jada.”
Carmen’s laughter was borderline hysterical, but it was infectious. So much so, that Kamau, not really knowing what was so funny, began laughing too.
“Oh, I am never letting her live this down,” Carmen laughed. “Who’s idea was it for you to protect her when she’s with me anyway?”
“Mr. Black.”
“Oh.” Carmen stopped laughing. “Which brings me to another question. How well do you know Mr. Black?”
“I only met him once, the day he offered me this job.”
“Why you?”
“He thought I was the most qualified candidate, I guess.”
“What I’m asking is what is it about you that made you the most qualified candidate?”
Kamau told Carmen that he was a Naval ROTC graduate, and then served ten years in naval intelligence before getting out. At that time, he was recruited by the CIA.
“What happened with that?”
“I walked away. I didn’t like some of the things I would have been required to do as a field operative, so I walked,” Kamau said.
“How did you get from there to here?”
“I was referred to Invulnerable Security by a friend.”
“A friend?”
“Well, he’s more like somebody I know through the military. An Army colonel, he referred me to Mr. Black. He thought the skill set I had, both from the Navy and my brief time on the farm, made me his guy.” Kamau laughed. “That’s what he said. He pointed at me and said you're my guy. It’s pretty much all he said.”
“Sounds like Mr. Black,” Carmen said and wondered if he knew about Mr. Black’s other businesses.
When they arrived at the office of Ingram International, which was located near the pier, they found that nobody was there. The pair exchanged ‘what now’ looks.
“Mind if I ask a question?” Kamau asked.
“Do you need to talk to him, or do you need to find out what’s up with the shipping manifests?”
“The shipping manifests.”
“Then may I make a suggestion?”
“Please do.”
“Why
don’t you break in and search for what you need?”
Carmen thought about it for a second or two. “Definitely would be easier than asking,” Carmen said and began digging in her purse for something to pick the lock.
“What are you doing?”