“Nicole, there are a couple—”
“I’m sorry, before I forget, something weird happened to me a couple of days ago and again today.”
Davis was immediately on guard. “What?”
“I tried to use a couple of my credit cards, but they were declined. That’s never happened. The first time, I figured it was an accounting error. But it happened again today. I was on my way home and stopped off at the pharmacy to pick up my prescription. When I tried to use my debit card, it didn’t work. I ended up using cash both times.”
Irritated, Davis tightened his jaw. He rubbed the bottom of his chin.
Her concern rose when she noticed the crease. The one between his eyes that only made an appearance when Davis was extremely stressed. It was deep and more than a little visible. Something was wrong. She decided it probably wasn’t a good time to tell him about her lunch with Rome. “Why are you home so early? Is everything okay?”
Teena appeared out of nowhere and stood behind them. “Mr. Chatham? Did you still want me to take DJ outside to play for a while?”
He turned slightly. “Yes. Now would be a perfect time.” Davis sighed and handed DJ over to her. “Have fun buddy.” He ruffled his son’s curly hair as his little arms continued to stretch out for him. Davis tried to swallow the fear and stress down. “I’ll see you in a little while . . . I promise.” DJ didn’t want to leave or take his eyes off Davis, but Teena was able to coax him into going outside to play.
Once they were gone, Davis reached his hand out to Nicole. For a moment, she stared at it before placing her hand in his. “Davis, what’s going on?”
“We need to talk.”
“You’ve said that already. You are starting to scare me.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean too.” They walked hand in hand from the foyer into the living room. When Davis sat on the sofa, he pulled Nicole down with him onto his lap. He placed his forehead against hers, and blew out a long breath. They sat like that for a while neither of them saying anything. Nicole’s heart was beating fast, but she was doing her damnedest to be patient.
Finally, Davis spoke. “I don’t know how to tell you this.”
Nicole breathed in deeply. Her voice was soft. “Just say it.”
He nodded. “When you tried to use your credit cards, they didn’t work because our assets have been frozen.”
Nicole’s eyes widened, and she leaned back to stare into Davis’s face to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. “Why?”
“The US Attorney General’s office thinks that my company and I are involved in illegal arms dealing and trading.”
“Why in God’s name would they think that? You don’t’ sell weapons . . . do you?”
“No. But I sell intellectual technology that can be used in weaponry. This dates all the way back to five years ago when my personal assistant was working with the Liberation of Shebet.”
“We helped the government with that situation. I thought it was all over. After everything that happened why would they think we would be helping them?”
“Money. I’ve been working with the government—”
“Wait.” Davis’s words triggered something else. “I thought this was done and over with five years ago. You said you’ve been working with them. As in recently? For how long?”
Davis could no longer make eye contact with her. “As far as I knew, everything was resolved . . . until I got a call about seven months ago. Apparently, dirty money has still been moving in and out of offshore accounts that I didn’t even know I had. That’s why they froze our assets. I’ve been cooperating with the AG’s office all this time, but something has happened to make them either believe I’m involved, or my attorney thinks I might be being used as a pawn in an election year. The current administration wants to prove he’s keeping America safe. I can be hung out as an example of them taking down a terrorist’s network.”
Nicole pushed herself off Davis’s lap. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’ve been dealing with this for the past seven months, and you never thought to mention it to me!?”
“I didn’t want to worry you and then there was the accident.”
“My accident was only six weeks ago!” She exploded. “You don’t get to decide what you should and shouldn’t tell me. You’ve known about this for almost a year!” She didn’t even try to suppress her anger although some of it was fueled by fear. “I’m your wife! I should have known about this. Maybe I could have helped in some way.”
“And do what Nicole? What were you going to do?”
She threw her hands up into the air. “You. Don’t. Get. It. Davis . . . I am not a pet! I don’t need to be taken care of. I am your wife! That should mean I get a say. You have to share everything with me. I’m your partner.”
He roared back. “I know who you are to me. You don’t have to keep spelling it out. I’m doing everything I can to keep you and the kids safe, and it’s never enough for you. Since we are spelling out what our roles mean, it’s my job as a husband to make sure you never want for anything, and you’re bitchin’ at me for it?”
“No. Don’t go there, Davis. Don’t pretend
