A Mother's Love

By D.A. Rabb

Life couldn't be better for Chanda Jackson. She has a successful career as an investigating reporter for The Grambler Newspaper and is engaged to marry the man of her dreams and become the mother to his six year son. Her special report on young African American girls being abducted and force into the sex slave business has anger of some powerful people. Her world is turned upside down, as her fianc turns up missing and is presumed dead, leads to her being involved in a custody battle for his son. If that isn't enough to deal with, she arrested for the murder of an ex-boyfriend. Read this captivating story of a woman's fight keep the child that she has raised as her own and to prove her innocence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 24, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462812769

D.A. Rabb

Life couldn’t be better for Chanda Jackson. She has a successful career as an investigating reporter for The Gambler Newspaper and is engaged to marry the man of her dreams and become the mother to his six year old son. Her special report on young African American girls being abducted and forced into the sex slave business has angered some powerful people. Her world is turned upside down when her fi ancé turns up missing and is presumed dead; leading her into a custody battle for his son. If that isn’t enough to deal with, she is arrested for the murder of an ex-boyfriend. Read this captivating story of a woman’s fi ght keep the child that she has raised as her own and to prove her innocence.

Book preview

Chapter 1

From the time the plane landed, Chanda was off to the races. She ran through the airport as if she was on fire. In a way, she was on fire, at least between her legs. She maneuvered through the crowd ducking and dodging slower-moving people. Baltimore/Washington International Airport isn’t a huge airport like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, so it didn’t take her long to reach the baggage claim area. B2 was the carousel where her luggage would come out on, but at the moment, no luggage was being sent out. After hailing a porter to assist her, she found a spot along the carousel to wait for her bags along with the ten other people like her, who had raced to the baggage claim area.

While she impatiently waited for her luggage, she checked out her surroundings. There were people sitting way back by the doors that led to the outside; she assumed they were waiting for someone getting off an arriving flight. She recognized a guy from her flight rushing outside so that he could get that long awaited cigarette. After being on a non-smoking red-eye flight from Vegas to Baltimore, a lot of passengers were in need of one. Slowly, more people began to enter the small baggage claim area.

About twenty minutes had gone by before the alarm sounded, signaling that their luggage would be coming out. People scrambled toward the carousel, jousting for a good position around it. The conveyer belt started to move and the first few suitcases emerged from the back. As luck would have it, her luggage came within the first twenty pieces. Still, even that wasn’t fast enough for her.

The porter knew she was in a hurry, so he had already hailed her a cab. He had her and her bags loaded in the taxi before you could say, Peter Piper picked a pepper, which earned him a nice tip. He gave her a smile and a salute as the cab pulled away from the curb. She still wasn’t finish wheeling and dealing. She made an offer to the cab driver to pay him fifty dollars if he could get her home within forty minutes or less. Normally, it took an hour and twenty minutes to get from the airport to home and fifty dollars was way more than the flat rate. The ride was made in silence, as she thought about getting her freak on and the cab driver’s mind was probably on making the fifty dollars.

She had called her sister Rosetta the day before her flight left Vegas. She told her that Jamal was spending the night over Mom-Mom’s house the day of her arrival and that she would bring him home the next day. That would give Nile and Chanda some much-needed time alone. She needed to get home to Nile and get her some tender loving care. She needed his understanding, to tell him her story, to cry if need be and to feel safe, secure and loved.

There wasn’t much traffic out, so at 9:45, he pulled up in front of the house within her requested time frame. She gave him an extra twenty dollars for carrying her luggage and placing it inside the house for her. She locked the door and left her luggage right there by the front door, then hurried up the steps to the bedroom. Nile was standing at the top of the stairs, watching her, so the surprise she had in mind wasn’t going to materialize. She ran into his arms and they kissed passionately. No words were spoken as they made their way to the bedroom.

They tore off each other’s clothes and just threw them to the floor. They were like two wild animals in heat. The months of separation had built a sexual hunger within them that had to be fulfilled. Moans and groans of pure animalistic sex filled the room. They went at it until they collapsed on the bed, satisfied and exhausted.

They lay there for a little while, trying to gather themselves. Slowly, he rolled off of her. They just laid there for the next ten minutes, breathing heavily. The covers were thrown on the floor, along with a couple of pillows and their clothes. The room was a mess. It was so good to be home. She reached over and gently rubbed his chest to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

Turning his head so that he could look at her, he smiled; that told her everything she needed to know. She leaned forward so that she could give him a kiss. That kiss told him how much she missed and loved him.

They cuddled and kissed passionately for a while. As their lips parted, he whispered, Chanda, I love you.

I love you too.

They continued to kiss and caress each other. She stroked him with the nail of her middle finger. Her touch was gentle, yet stimulating. They loved the way the other felt, thought, acted and smelled. The aroma from their lovemaking, along with the touching and kissing of their sensitive areas, rearoused their sexual appetite.

I see your snake is ready to strike again. She said as she planted a kiss on the tip of it.

She looked up at him giving him a seductive smile. He gave her that sexy smile that she loved so much in return. Hell, she loved everything about him. He stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand and blew her a kiss, signaling her that he was definitely up for some more lovemaking. Bringing her lips up to his, they locked their lips into a tender kiss. She wanted him to make love to her again and he was ready to fill her wish.

As much as she needed the physical pleasure, she knew that she needed to talk, to tell him what she had been dealing with for the last six months. After another satisfying session of lovemaking, they laid cuddled up in bed. That’s when she began to tell him about what she had to deal with while she was gone. While she cleared her mind, they were making love in another form that was more meaningful than the physical. They were making love mentally, emotionally and spiritually, which is the deepest form of love.

Chapter 2

Antonio sat on the bed of the fleabag motel, watching the television as the Vegas chief of police talked about the raid on the stash house. Chanda’s story was on the front page of The Gambler. She had scooped every newspaper and news media in the country, while ruining his life again. He took another sip of whiskey straight from the bottle. He was tired, drunk, and in need of some sleep. He had been on the run ever since the stash house had been busted.

A lot of money was lost and some important people were in jail because of the raid. He knew he would be held responsible for the disaster, but it wasn’t his fault. He would still be in jail if it weren’t for Chanda. When the authorities cracked down on the stash house, he was coming up a back road toward the house when he was snatched up. He told the officer that he was a reporter and had gotten a tip that some illegal dealing was going on up there. Lucky for him he still had his press ID and his camera in the car.

The officer wasn’t buying it. He was just about to be placed in the squad car when he recognized the woman taking pictures. He hadn’t seen her in years and he wasn’t sure if she still hated him, but she was his only chance of getting out of this mess. He told the officer that she could vouch for him. He watched from the back of the police car while the officer talked to Chanda. He showed her his press ID, then pointed to the patrol car.

He sat in that vehicle for about twenty minutes before she finally came over to the car. Before she talked to him, she took a couple of pictures of him.

What are you doing here?

I’m trying to get a story.

You got two minutes to persuade me that you don’t have anything to do with this sex ring.

He began explaining to her how a contact had put him on to the stash house. He told her how Robert Wertz was planning to launch a new magazine and he was working for him. He was sure she knew of his failed marriage and career. He wasn’t sure if she really believed him or not, so he said one thing he knew was still a soft spot in her heart.

Chanda, you know me better than anybody. I swear on my daughter that everything I said is the truth.

She took a moment to think about what he said. She finally vouched for him and the police officer took the handcuffs off him and let him go.

Antonio, I hope for your sake you weren’t lying to me. Just remember you have a young daughter and just like these young women, your daughter could become a victim too.

She handed him a card with her number written on it, then turned and walked away.

He took another sip from the bottle, then lay back on the bed, closed his eyes and mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Chanda, Chanda, Chanda, I will make everything alright, you’ll see.

His thoughts took him back to the time when they worked at The Gambler. He was a star reporter back then. She was a young intern, naïve and fine as hell. Using his influence and charm, he slowly reeled her in. He smiled in his sleep as he dreamed about how they made love and how she catered to his needs. She even took care of his daughter for him—doing things like baby sitting, buying little gifts for her and saying they were from him. She even paid for a birthday party at Chucky Cheese that she couldn’t attend because he told her Bella would be there and if she saw Chanda, she would cause a scene. Life was good for him.

His dream changed from those magical moments to the day Bella had confronted Chanda in the mall. All holy hell had broken out. Chanda was in the mall with his daughter, shopping, when Bella spotted them. That was the opportunity she was waiting for. She had the mall security officers arrest Chanda for trying to steal her child. During all the confusion that followed, she realized that their relationship was a joke. She had been used and played. That was the end of their relationship.

He realized he had blown a good thing and wanted her back, but she wasn’t having anything to do with him. It seemed that right after their break up, she became Texas Pete little darling, which coincide with her rise in the company and his decline. He was sure Pete was getting the panties now, and that pissed him off.

One night, he met her outside her apartment so that he could talk to her and pickup some things he had left at her place. She reluctantly let him in. He tried to apologize and ask for forgiveness, but she rejected him.

He couldn’t believe that he had humbled himself for her and she wasn’t willing to give him another chance. He was enraged and he accused her of having an affair with Texas Pete. They started arguing, which only made him madder. He had taken too much crap off Bella and he wasn’t going to take it from her. Before he knew it, he had slapped her, knocking her up against the sink. She grabbed a glass bowl from out of the sink and bashed him in the head. He was stunned and that gave her a chance to run out of the room.

When he caught up with her, she was in her bedroom. He was shocked to see her standing there with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. That only pissed him off even more. He was really going to kick her ass now.

You don’t have the nerve to hit me with that.

Oh, how wrong he was. When he stepped to her, she let him have it. He threw up his arm to protect himself and the bat hit it, shattering his bone. The cracking sound of his arm being broken woke him up. He grabbed his arm as if she had just hit him with the bat. He sat up and looked around the room, realizing where he was at, he searched the bed for his bottle of whiskey. He was glad he had enough sense to put the top back on the bottle before he passed out. He popped the top and took another sip.

He hadn’t heard the door open or the man walk over to his bed. When he realized his assassin was standing over him with a .45-caliber revolver pointing at his head, he didn’t even scream.

Can you let a dying man finish his drink?

There was no response from the gunman. He just held the gun steady, pointing at his head, wondering what had happen to this man. Once he had been a top-notch newspaper reporter and now he was going to die as a common criminal. Anybody involved in sex crimes were the worst kind of criminal as far as Hector was concern.

He waited patiently for Antonio to take another big gulp of the whiskey. He would have let him finished the bottle, but he was press for time. Using the back of his hand, Antonio wiped his mouth and held the bottle out to Hector.

You might as well take it with you. No sense in wasting good alcohol.

The .45 sounded like a bomb going off when he fired the weapon. One shot to the head was all it took. The bullet tore off half his face. His body sat still for a minute before it collapsed onto the bed. The bottle of whiskey was still in his hand and liquor poured from the bottle onto the bed.

Hector placed the gun back in the shoulder holster and buttoned up his suit coat. Picking up the shell that had ejected from the gun and placing it in his jacket pocket, he walked slowly out the room.

Chapter 3

Nile sat up in the bed and listened to Chanda tell him her horrid story. If it weren’t for his line of work he would have been shocked by what he heard.

You know, I wonder if we really helped those girls by rescuing them.

Of course you did. Why would you say something like that?

Chanda turned and looked at him for the first time since she started telling him her story. She still had that far-a-way look in her eyes and was talking as if she was on autopilot.

You should have seen them. They were like walking zombies. Some strung out on drugs and others spaced out of their minds from the terror they have experienced.

Nile knew exactly what she was talking about. He’d seen that look more then he cared too, during his military career. He wanted to share his experience with her, but knew he couldn’t. The things he had seen and done, he would have to carry to his grave.

They’re all going to need long-term intensive therapy and where will they get it?

Hopefully the local government will help them.

The government! I know you didn’t say the government. The government doesn’t give a damn about those girls. It didn’t care enough to do an intense investigation when they turned up missing, so you think they’re going to care about their well being now?

He could see the anger in her eyes and hear the bitterness in her voice. Reaching out and taking her hands he pulled her into his arms. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he gently rubbed her back.

They are going to need plenty of love and understanding. Their families, friends, churches and community will be there for them.

Breaking from his embrace, she stared him in the eyes as she talked. He could see in her eyes that she wanted answers to questions that only time could answer.

What if that’s not enough? That can’t give an eight year old her virginity back. It’s not going to erase the physical and mental scars. They lost their innocence, their dreams, their youth, and most of all themselves.

You’re right, but that doesn’t mean they can’t recover from it and live the life they want and deserve.

That’s easier said than done.

That’s true, but you can’t fight that battle for them. You have done more than enough. You exposed the sex ring and you gave those girls their freedom.

Pulling her back into his arms, he gave her a hug and a peck on the lips. Slowly, they lay down, with her resting her head on his chest.

I’m so proud of you and I’m glad you did the investigation. It’s over now and you need to relax and get some rest.

Wrapped up in Niles arms, she laid her head on his chest, closed her eyes and went to sleep. For the first time in six months Chanda felt that she would be able to sleep in peace. The nightmares of young girls being kidnapped and sold into slavery would not haunt her tonight.

Nile couldn’t go to sleep, so he watched her sleep, while he thought about what she’d told him. He couldn’t believe all she had endured. If he had known that she was investigating a sex ring, he would have strongly objected. He grinned, because he knew there was no way he could have stopped her. Just like he was a soldier at heart, she was an investigative reporter and a very good one. She was dedicated; not only to her job, but to everything she did and that was one of the reasons he loved her.

The one question she hadn’t and couldn’t answer was who her informant was. He’d never told her his name and she never saw his face, but his information had been dead on. Nile was convinced that it was somebody within the sex trade business that had an ax to grind. In the big picture whoever he was and whatever his reasons were really didn’t matter. The main thing was that he helped put some evil people away.

He kissed her gently on the cheek and whispered,

I love you baby.

Chanda stirred in her sleep as she tried to keep the images from invading her dream, but the faces of different young girls flashed across her mind. Each one was smiling and they seemed to be saying, Thank You.

You’re welcome. She mumbled.

Hearing her talking in her sleep, he was concerned at first, but seeing how peaceful she was sleeping, he was finally able to go to sleep himself.

Chapter 4

After their last romp in the sack, she spent the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen and clock watching. The airwaves were filled with news about the raid in Vegas, but she got the exclusive and The Gambler had scooped all the major newspapers. She was feeling great, especially since she had seen Dr. Feel Good. Good loving was just what she needed and Nile had given her plenty of it. She was peeping out the window, anticipating Rosetta and Jamal’s arrival, just as Rosetta’s car pulled up to the house. She almost broke her neck trying to get out there to them.

As soon as she stepped out the front door Nile’s son, Jamal started running toward her. He didn’t know that she was home and he couldn’t hold back his excitement in seeing her.

Chanda, Chanda, you’re back.

He ran into her arms and she gave him a big hug and kiss.

Oh, I missed you so much, she told him.

I miss you too, he replied.

She kissed him again and hugged him even tighter. She hadn’t been away from him this long before and the nature of the case had worked