Black Camelot's Skeletons & Secrets (Book #5)

By Myers

Skeletons & Secrets is the next installment in the dramatic and thrilling Black Camelot series. 

The saga picks up after the funeral of the city's future Hall of Fame sports star and mayor hopeful, Phaethon Malone. His savage death has turned e

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fero Scitus
• Release date: Aug 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088284988

Book preview

Books By Darius Myers

Published by

Fero Scitus Books

The Publisher’s Dilemma: A Big City Tale of Privilege, Power & Murder

Black Camelot’s Dawn & The Return Of Madame Hot Temper

Black Camelot’s Days of War

Black Camelot’s Dazed by Death

Black Camelot’s Skeletons & Secrets

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Copyright © 2023 by Fero Scitus, LLC

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1975, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Fero Scitus Publishing

6105 Boulevard East

West New York, NJ 07093

Visit our website at www.dariusmyers.com

First Edition: July 1, 2023

ISBN: 9798850241148

The characters and events in this book are fictional. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Printed in the United States of America.

Dedication

Walt Bigelow

((L-R) Walter Jones - seated, wearing bowtie; Greg Bigelow – standing; Darius Myers - in front, at Walter’s daughter’s wedding - Fall 2022.)

Walt Bigelow, the assistant Chief of Detectives, is a composite name for Gregory Bigelow, my lifelong friend since kindergarten, and the late Walter Jones, my best friend since eighth grade. Greg is a radio show host; Walter was a retired real estate executive. The three of us attended college together and shared wonderful memories spanning from our youth throughout our adult lives.

Walter Jones was excited about being named Walt Bigelow. Even now, I chuckle as I remember the first time he saw one of my books. He opened The Publisher's Dilemma, rifled through a few pages, and asked, Show me where my character is?

Walter beamed. He then peppered me with questions about being the #2 detective in the city. I answered, then shared:

One of the important cops has to die. I thought about having him killed, but changed my mind.

You better not kill me. Nah man, you better not. Shoot. Walt can’t die. My friend Walter loved talking about himself in the third person.

He used shoot interchangeably, as a declaration and a cuss word. Of course, I couldn’t have him killed. He wouldn’t have it.

Walter was both intentionally and unintentionally humorous, and pure joy to be around. I can’t begin to count the many times we laughed hard, belly laughs. The ones that make your eyes water. It's that way with close friends, especially old friends.

Walter succumbed to cancer on 27 March 2023. I’m still processing his loss and will be for some time. Here is a picture of Walter, Greg, and me at Walter’s daughter’s wedding in the fall of 2022. It was the last time the three of us were together. I miss my friend dearly.

Following is a partial list of other characters I named after friends.

Donald Alexander---named after my grandfather Alexander and uncle Donald Meyers

Doug and Darryl Duncan----named after my college friends: brothers Doug and Darryl Colon, and legitimate world class martial artist, Ronald Duncan Jr.

Harris Simmons Media Company---named after my graduate school buddies: Brian Harris and Jim Simmons

Charlie Humphrey---named after my college best friend: retired Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field office head, Charles Humphrey

Phaethon Malone---named after friends Phaethon Blackburne and Robert Malone.

Kwame Mills---named after my lifetime friends: brothers Steve and Doug Mills

Dawn Davis Stuart---named after my college friends: Dawn Yancey, Renee Davis, and Donna Stuart.

Chief Teddy Walker---named after my lifetime friend: retired New York City Police Detective, Ted Walker (RIP)

Black Camelot Cheat Sheet:

Names of Notable Characters.

Reference page for first-time readers of the Black Camelot series

The Black Camelots: The board members of the Oliver Harris Foundation. Donald Alexander (billionaire heir of the Harris Simmons fortune); Kwame Mills (heir to the Harris Simmons fortune); Samantha Rivers (nicknamed Sammie; Cornwall Harris’s illegitimate daughter, socialite)

Main Black Camelot Friends: (Alphabetically, by last name), David Banks (husband of Margot Mosely]; Marsha Cherry (Ron Cherry’s wife); Ron Cherry (prominent banker, and respected elder statesman and consigliere to the Black Camelots); Rev. Joseph Frank Hall (Pastor of Freewill Baptist Church); Danielle Jackson (supermodel and Tom Wilson’s wife); Phaethon Malone (basketball star who was tapped to become Mayor of New York City before being murdered by a white supremacist kill squad); Marianne Michaels (powerful management consultant, political connector and friend of Donald Alexander’s); Margot Mosley (award-winning poet, diplomat to South Africa, David Banks’s wife, and college friend of Carrie, Susan, and Debbie‘s); Michelle Nubani (college Economics professor and Kwame Mills’s wife); Carrie Sinclair (photojournalist and Donald Alexander’s wife); Debbie Techelle (Hollywood power lawyer, and college friend of Carrie, Margot, and Susan‘s); Senator Susan Thomas (former congresswoman from Maryland, and college friend of Carrie, Margot, and Debbie’s); Tom Wilson (music executive and Kwame Mills’s best friend); Stevenson Strachan (Advertising Agency CEO and Hampton’s neighbor of Donald Alexander)

Celebrity Hack Patrol, three top gossip reporters in Gotham: They dubbed Donald Alexander, Kwame Mills and Samantha Rivers the Black Camelots to create more content for their gossip columns. The Hacks are: Mike Desanctis(The Post); Jennifer Kung (nicknamed TV; The Ledger); Luke McFlemming (The News)

The Harris Family: Oliver Harris Jr. (Gill’s father and retired Harris Simmons CEO); Gill Harris (murdered CEO of Harris Simmons); Cornwall Harris (Oliver’s older brother and Samantha’s father); Samantha Rivers (nicknamed Sammie; Cornwall Harris’s illegitimate daughter)

NYPD: Teddy Walker (NYPD Chief of Detectives); Walt Bigelow (NYPD Assistant Chief of Detectives); Mac McClellan (NYPD top detective)

The Guiding Force (GF): Secret Society whose members are given the power of world leaders. Members include: the Black Camelots; Hardwick Bivens Jr. (nicknamed Little Hardy); Hardwick Bivens Sr. (nicknamed Big Hardy); Senator Janet Bivens; S.P. Curtin, Mauldin Daniels, Jack Zell Mulliken, Jacci O’Connor, Yancey Stuart Sr. (real estate tycoon and retired GF member), Kurt Wimer, Jacci O’Connor.

Society of Protectors:Private army that serves The Guiding Force, to protect its members and carry out peace-keeping and mercenary missions across the world. Members include: Carlos Alvarez (Society of Protectors team leader at Donald Alexander’s O&G Vineyard), Paul Choice and Eric Leon (Society of Protectors members sent to New York to protect Blaine Andrews, Tyrone Wheeler, and Constance Flower Yates); Bones Jones: (Corrections Officer at Cell Block D, the prison facility used by the Society of Protectors)

Project Maim:Elite division of the Society of Protectors. Members include the brothers: Doug and Darryl Duncan (childhood friends of Michelle Nubani’s; Garry and Larry Miller; Keyur and Manish Patel

The Voice (Bernard Palmer): Leader of the Society of Protectors

Before Emancipation (BE): White supremacist organization leading efforts to kill the Black Camelots.

The Confederate (given name Max Briner): The General’s successor as leader of BE

The General (given name Jericho Station): The deceased former leader of BE

Vail Boats: The Confederate’s Defense Attorney

Michigan Whites:White supremacist organization and kill squad based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Wayne Johns:Leader of the Michigan Whites

Pre-1860: Powerful legacy secret society formed in the South after the abolition of slavery, that supports white business and political leaders’ initiatives

Bivens Family & Friends:Hardwick Bivens Jr (nicknamed Little Hardy; former Governor of California and Guiding Force member; Janet Bivens’s father); Hardwick Bivens Sr. (nicknamed Big Hardy; former Governor of California and Guiding Force member; Janet Bivens’s grandfather); Janet Bivens (Senator and Guiding Force member); Elizabeth Charlotte Wall (nicknamed Lizzy; Hollywood actress, portrayer of the fictional character Night Time Poison, and Lancaster Wall’s wife); Grayson Wall (nicknamed Gray; drug kingpin, Lancaster and Elizabeth Charlotte Wall’s wayward son, Janet Bivens’s godson); Lancaster Wall (nicknamed Cast; Janet Bivens’s childhood friend)

Damon Family - Owners of Southern Christian TV (SCTV), the powerful Christian, white nationalist-leaning television network based in Jeffersonville, North Carolina: Detrick Damon Sr.; Detrick Damon Jr. (DD2); Detrick Damon 3rd (DD3)

Jefferson Painter, aka, the Artist Hitman: Highly paid contract assassin.

Delbert Tenny: Mayor of New York City

Yates Family & Associates: Blaine Andrews (Southern belle socialite, former beauty queen, Flower Yates’s younger sister, Skylar Andrews’s wife); Skylar Andrews (nicknamed Hawk and known to his wife, Blaine, as Daddy Woo-Woo; President of Yates Savings and Loan); Dixie Bill Sessions (Digby Yates’s head of security); Tommy Tubbs (Digby Yates’s Chief of Staff); brothers Juju and Tyrone Wheeler (residents of The Bottoms in Yates, Tennessee and employees of Digby and Flower Yates’s); Constance Flower Yates (Southern belle socialite, former beauty queen, Blaine Andrews’s older sister, Digby Yates’s wife); Digby Yates (powerful and wealthy member of the Yates family in Yates, Tennessee; candidate for President of the United States; husband of Constance Flower Yates)

Previous series incidents with relevance to Skeletons & Secrets

Reference for first-time readers

Harris Simmons murders: Shooting at world’s most powerful media company. The CEO is murdered, Donald Alexander survives. The murder becomes the most talked about story in a decade. Afterwards, leads to the Black Camelot nickname.

Black Camelot weddings: Took place all in one summer and three years after Donald sold the Harris Simmons media company. Donald and Carrie were married first; Black Camelot friend, Tom Wilson married Supermodel, Danielle Jackson, second; and Kwame married Michelle Nubani, third. All of the weddings were held in a separate month from June onward. They captured the imagination of the world and cemented their reputations as the royals of Black Camelot.

Private Island attacks: A kill team of teenaged and early 20-something BE members had been sent to kill Kwame Mills and Michelle Nubani on their honeymoon at Oliver’s Oasis, the private island named for Oliver Harris, Jr. It was a suicide mission for the largely untrained, outgunned and overmatched BE Fighters. The Project Maim cornered them on Oliver’s Oasis, disarmed the would-be assassins, gave them a stern reprimand, and offered them a plane ride home on the Forrestor 5000 private jet specially outfitted to double as a fighter plane.

Black Camelot friend murder: Pro basketball Hall-of-Famer and Mayor Hopeful, Phaethon Malone and five other hoops stars are murdered by BE Kill Squads during basketball workout.

Police officers casualties: Bill Trombetta and the Harlowe Twins, (Holden Krist and Alec Reese) are ambushed by BE Members as they brought the fight to Gotham and law enforcement protecting the Black Camelots. It ratchets up the War. Police from all over the world had come to New York in solidarity after the murders. Later Capt. Rosario is killed.

Bronx Massacre: Three Michigan Whites were engaged in a fist fight in the Bronx, a couple of blocks away from the Safe House they were hiding out. They later took to a rooftop and ripped off the torrent of gunshots that killed Capt. Rosario, missed Walker and tore into the crowd of police that had made its way to the Bronx from Kipp Meenan’s bar. Kipp Meenan’s is the bar cops from all over the world gathered as they came for funerals of Trombetta and the Harlowe Twins. The cops many drunk, rushed to the Bronx angrily after learning that BE members were involved the street fight.

Freewill Baptist Church attacks: Occurred the day of Phaethon Malone’s funeral. BE Members were there to kill Black Camelots and friends. Garry Miller, one of six members of the elite Project Maim team was killed during the attacks.

Contents

Books By Darius Myers

Copyright

Dedication

Black Camelot Cheat Sheet:

Previous Series Incidents With Relevance To Skeletons & Secrets

Part One: Women Powering Through

Chapter One: Not A Good Morning

Chapter Two: Now, Another Secret

Chapter Three: Marked For Membership & Death

Chapter Four: Bucket List Rap

Chapter Five: David’s Recall

Chapter Six: Mary Pigtails

Chapter Seven: Balling & Shot Calling

Chapter Eight: I Can’t Help You

Chapter Nine: Good News

Chapter Ten: The Video

Part Two: The Society Secret: Power & Fear

Chapter Eleven:The Manifesto

Chapter Twelve: Break Him Out

Chapter Thirteen: The D-Block Morning Wake Up

Chapter Fourteen: Middle America Sex Club

Chapter Fifteen: Morning Surprise

Chapter Sixteen The Black Eye Payoff

Chapter Seventeen: A Secret Revealed

Chapter Eighteen: Free Again

Part Three: Southern Ladies, Narcissist & Secret Lusts

Chapter Nineteen: Daddy Woo-Woo

Chapter Twenty: Ego Wins

Chapter Twenty-One: No One Has Permission

Chapter Twenty-Two: Near Catastrophe

Part Four: Gambler & Gangsters

Chapter Twenty-Three: Jake

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Musical Dad And The Team Rule

Chapter Twenty-Five: Turf Protectors

Chapter Twenty-Six: On The Run

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Cleveland Celebration & The Bar Rule

Part Five: Secret Revelations & Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The War Hero

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Forbidden

Chapter Thirty: Secret Planning

Part Six: Scandal Averted & Ruthless Revenge

Chapter Thirty-One: Thomas Is Fierce

Chapter Thirty-Two: Gill & Oliver Appear

Chapter Thirty-Three: Ron Will Know What To Do

Chapter Thirty-Four: Urban Skeletons

Chapter Thirty-Five: He Is The One

Chapter Thirty-Six: A Dirty Business

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Secret Requests

Part Seven: Disappearance & Lock Outs

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Exit Plans

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Prayer Vigil

Chapter Forty: Broken Vow

Chapter Forty-One: Sisters’ Trust

Chapter Forty-Two: No Turning Back

Chapter Forty-Three: The Small Town No Longer Blues

Chapter Forty-Four: Un-Southern Lady Like

Chapter Forty-Five: Followed

Chapter Forty-Six: Followers Followed

Chapter Forty-Seven: Continuous Redemption

Chapter Forty-Eight: Deception

Chapter Forty-Nine: BE Assassins

Chapter Fifty: The Headlines Hurt

Chapter Fifty-One: Family Pacts

Chapter Fifty-Two: The Hardys’ Plan

Chapter Fifty-Three: Mr. President

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Evil Spirit

Chapter Fifty-Five: Short Celebration

Chapter Fifty-Six: Death

Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Decision

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Unforeseen

Part One

Women Powering Through

Chapter One

Not a good morning

M

ichelle Nubani hurried toward her high-rise apartment building. She’d dried her tears a block back and needed to compose herself before approaching the doorman standing outside The Oscar. She braced herself as a chill ran through her body, stiffening and arching her back, which made her five foot seven frame appear two inches taller.

He has no idea what just happened. How could he? Just play it cool, Girl, she thought.She hastily wiped her runny nose on the sleeve of her running shirt and then inhaled. The deep breath helped. She chose not to avoid the doorman’s gaze. It wouldn’t have mattered, as he greeted her as was his habit.

How are you this morning, Ms. Nubani?

Roland, the short, rotund doorman of the spectacular West Side high-rise wore his usual cheery grin, his gap-toothed smile lighting up his mocha brown face. Michelle mustered up a fake smile that disguised her fear and muttered, I should’ve gone through the back entrance; I don’t need to be seen. Pull it together, girl. Keep it short and sweet with this guy.

She turned to the doorman, Oh, Roland, how many times do I have to tell you? It is ‘Michelle.’Employees at The Oscar were required to address the tenants and their guests as Mr., Mrs., Sir, or, Ma’am. It was a 30-year-old rule, intended to convey an air of eliteness. For many of the original nouveau riche tenants, it was an appealing Gilded Age-era feature.

A bourgeois selling point. I don’t care for it, Michelle once confided to Roland. It created a bond between them.

As the doorman nodded, his eyes locked on her soiled tights.

What happened to you, Ms. Michelle? Did you fall during your run? You okay?

Mud and dirt covered her running tights from ankles to thighs. That was intentional; she’d used it to cover the blood splatter from the two men she’d killed at the reservoir a half-hour ago. The second one savagely, after he bragged about them being the killers of her friend, the basketball star and Mayor Hopeful, Phaethon Malone. She had dragged their blood-stained bodies to a wooded area steps away from the running trail. The dirt, turned mud, covered the bloody stains.

Silly me. I tripped on a rock and fell, she lied. The matter of fact response surprised her as she continued, And, I flew to the ground like a projectile.

She raised her arms to mimic flight. As you can see, I didn’t stick the landing. I’m good, though. Just a little dust-up.

Well, I’m glad you’re okay. That’s why I don’t run, jog, or even move too fast. Roland hurts too easy.

The wisecrack eased her tension.

You’re funny, Roland. I gotta go cleaned-up. I’ll see you later.

Have a good morning, Ms. Michelle, he said, none the wiser.

She turned toward the empty lobby and made a beeline for an open elevator.

Geez, she said, sinking against the elevator wall with relief, when the doors closed. But the relief was momentary. I killed two people this morning and lied like it was no big deal!

She grabbed the railing as the car moved upward, tears spilling from her eyes, God help me. I haven’t been Mary Pigtails in 25 years, but I had no choice. It was kill or be killed. Please forgive me, Lord.

Chapter Two

Now, another secret

T

he fall release of Donald’s wines had been completed. The reviewers at Wine World, Harris Simmons Media’s wine magazine, rated O&G as the hottest new vineyard of the year.

Donald took a lot of pride in O&G. The name paid homage to the deceased Harris Simmons leaders, Oliver and Gill Harris. Carrie told her husband, The wine release is a great reason to get everyone away from the city to the Hamptons.

I agree, Honey. Let’s try and get everyone out here.

Donald liked the idea also because it would keep all their friends under the watchful eyes of the Society of Protectors. Tensions in Gotham remained high following Phaethon Malone’s murder, and the deadly attacks that took place after his funeral outside the Freewill Baptist Church and in the Bronx. The Dryden Estate would be a safe place for them all for a while.

Carrie’s first call was to Michelle Nubani.

Hi Sweetheart, we are going to the Hamptons. Please, you and Kwame must come with us. Donald and I insist. If you say no, Donald will call you next, and then Kwame. He’s worried about you guys and Sammie. Bring your work if you must. There are quiet spaces to work. We all need to heal together and decompress. I hope you agree.

After the incident earlier that morning, Michelle felt the invitation was timely. She closed her eyes. She wanted to tell Carrie, but knew she couldn’t confide in her or anyone, not even her husband. The only people who knew of her special skills were the Duncan brothers. They were like family. Maybe she could tell them. But for now, she would have to keep her secret.

Say no more, Carrie, she said. We are there. Her voice didn’t betray her nerves. Kwame and I are a mess, and we need to be with you guys. It’s a great idea. Can we bring Tom and Danielle?

Sure, you can!. We’ll all take a helicopter out there and back. We’re set to leave tomorrow morning; I’ll text you with a time to meet us at the West Side Heliport.

***

Carrie made her way through the list quickly. Everyone accepted her invitation.

Her last call was to Susan Thomas. She suspected Susan might take some convincing. The four-term congresswoman from Maryland had recently won the senate seat in her state. When it was vacated by the sudden death of the six-term senator, Marcus Doc Strawberry, the Democratic governor, Byron Looming, had appointed her to fill the vacancy. The appointment and her subsequent reelection made her the state’s first black senator and the only black sitting senator in Congress.

Susan, come join us at the Dryden Estate. Donald and I are getting everyone together there. We’ll drink some wine and fellowship with each other to recuperate from all the drama. You can stay as long as you want.

Oh, Girl, I have so much to do! Susan said. The senate’s in session, and I have a full calendar. I can’t go off on a wine excursion, as much as I want to.

You know I’m not going to take no for an answer.

But - Thomas began.

Nope. Just come for a couple of days. You can do video calls with your staff. We’re set up perfectly out here for that kind of stuff. Besides, everyone else will be here. Treat it like a working vacation.

The newly-minted senator’s defenses began to crumble, especially after she learned that all of their other friends would be there. Donald, Carrie, and their friends had been huge supporters of her campaign. She knew she needed to join them, if for no other reason than to show her gratitude.

You guys are the best, and I already owe you so much. The fundraisers you guys put together were critical to getting me over the finish line. Let me rearrange a few meetings. You can count me in.

Doc Strawberry’s term ended nine months after she had been appointed to replace him. Carrie and Donald held two fundraisers for her reelection race.

Susan won a full term after a dog fight against her top contender, Turk Burke, a prominent fast food retailer. Burke owned 50 Chicken Burke stores across the state and, as a shameless self-promoter, used his deep pockets to saturate the media.

Burke was a formidable foe, Susan said at her victory party. And I couldn’t have won without you guys’ digging deep in your pockets.

We were glad to help, Donald responded.

Burke was very popular in Maryland. His fame was attributable, in equal parts, to persuasive campaign ads and to his long-standing reputation as a happy-go-lucky white male with an infectious smile. His five foot 10, 250 pound, barrel-chested body presented him as a teddy bear, and his campaign’s focus on employment and job creation made him seem like a man of the people. For the GOP, Turk was the perfect candidate with the right strategy to win.

Print ads carried the tag line that was voiced-over in