Beneath The Surface Read Online Free

uncomfortable, “small world ain’t it”conversation, they all enjoyed a quiet meal. After dinner the foursome began to relax.
    Wanda asked Carmen about her outfit. Carmen told her it was something she’d bought before she left Paris. “How long are you in town for, Carmen?” Wanda asked, even though she already knew.
    “Marcus didn’t tell you? I live here now. I’m special features reporter for channel four,” Carmen said. Marcus didn’t have to tell her because Wanda had seen her on television a month ago. She knew that Carmen was the reason Marcus had moved there.
    “Really,” Black said.
    “Really,” Carmen said to Black, and then turned back to Wanda. “I was living in Paris for the last couple of years, but I wanted to get back to the States. So when a friend of mine called and said he could get me in at the station he worked for, I jumped at the chance to come back here.”
    “Have you ever done television before?” Black asked.
    “I’ve been involved in televised modeling shows, sure; but I’ve never done anything like this, so I am just learning—everything. Even holding the mike was new to me,” Carmen said and laughed a little, cutting her eyes at Black.
    “Don’t be so modest, Carmen. I saw her story last night and Carmen was excellent,” Marcus bragged to the group.
    “What was the story about, Carmen?” Wanda asked, even though she knew.
    “It was just about a new restaurant that opened in the theater district.
    “How was the food?” Black asked.
    “The food was excellent,” Carmen said enthusiastically. “But I’d like to do more than just covering local events. I want to cover real news.”
    “It will happen in time. It’s only been eight months,” Marcus said.
    “Maybe sooner than I expected. Last night I was covering the opening of an exhibition at the 18 th Street art gallery, and I got the chance to cover a murder,” Carmen announced.
    Wanda looked at Black. “Who was murdered?” she asked.
    “The police haven’t identified the body yet, but she was found in one of the gallery offices with the strap from her purse wrapped around her neck. I’m hoping that I can turn that into something more,” Carmen said. “I don’t want to cover restaurant openings my entire career.
    Black winked at Wanda. “I’m sure it will work out just the way you want it to, Carmen,” he said.
    “I hope so, Mike,” Carmen said, staring deeply into Black eyes.
    Wanda looked at the way Carmen and Black were looking at each other and moved ahead with her agenda. “So, Marcus, are you finally going to tell me why you all of a sudden decided to open a practice in New York?”
    “I think he just did,” Black said quietly.
    “I assure you, I had very little to do with it,” Carmen laughed.
    “Now I’m dying to hear this,” Wanda said.
    “Yes, Marcus,” Carmen said and tapped his hand. “Tell Wanda why you decided to leave Atlanta.”
    Marcus cut his eyes at Carmen. He had noticed how she and Black had been exchanging glances since they got there, and was feeling a little jealous. “Oh, it’s nothing that deep. I just needed a change of scenery,” Marcus said.
    He really didn’t think they needed to hear that his former client- turned-lover, Panthea Daniels had shot him in the head, and then shot herself to death. Or that another client-turned-lover, Angela Pettybone had began to get on his nerves. She was so damn needy. He would tell Wanda all about it in his own time.
    Marcus was about to try to change the subject, but Carmen saved him the trouble. “Other than the restaurant, are you still in the same business, Mike?” Carmen asked, and sipped her third Bacardi on the rocks.
    “Yes, Carmen, I am,” Black said. He reached in his pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Carmen. “But since the last time I saw you, we’ve expanded into restaurants. We own Cuisine and two others. We own night clubs, real estate, entertainment, finance, automotive and