Kept Close (BLP Breeds #2)

Chapter 1

“My latest article has only been posted for about two hours, and it’s really performing. It already has over a thousand reads and almost three hundred comments. The city seems just as fed up with all the corruption as I am, and I love that for us. I’ll check back in later with another update.”

Nahla tapped the red button on her phone’s screen to end her voice note and saved it before leaning back in her desk chair with a small smile.

For the last four years, Nahla had been the chief investigative journalist for Atlanta’s largest newspaper.

Unveiling the truths hidden around her was Nahla’s passion, and a city like Atlanta gave her plenty to uncover.

Eight months ago, she left her busy city life to move back to her hometown to help her siblings care for her father, who had fallen ill.

The lead journalist for their city’s newspaper, The Citizen’s Eye, had recently retired, and the paper was happy to hire someone with Nahla’s credentials to take his place.

She had written some pretty interesting pieces since she had been home, but none of them quite quenched her thirst for real investigative journalism. Well, . . . until now.

“This story is doing great numbers, Nahla. Well done.”

Straightening up in her chair, Nahla turned around to meet her editor-in-chief’s smiling face.

Mr. Hill had been over the paper for as long as Nahla could remember.

During her senior year of high school, she interned at the paper as a part of the work-based learning program, and she learned a lot about journalism working under him.

Mr. Hill was the reason she moved to Atlanta in the first place.

Because she admired his talent so much, she wanted to get a journalism degree from his Alma Mater, Trudale University.

Nahla returned his smile. “Thanks, Mr. Hill. I’m excited to continue with this story.

I just have to run down a couple of leads before I write my next piece,” she replied, subconsciously turning to glance at her desk calendar.

She had the next couple of days marked with a gold gel pen because she would be spending them in Lyle, Chaney, following up on her leads.

When she drove her father to Lyle for his doctor’s appointment four weeks ago, she had no idea she would be driving home with a story she would become so passionate about.

It was common knowledge in North Chaney that law enforcement and the government in Lyle were less than fair to their citizens of color.

While sitting in the waiting room of her father’s doctor’s office, Nahla struck up a conversation with the only other Black person in the room—an elderly woman waiting for her husband to finish his appointment.

The woman ended up telling Nahla all about how her husband had been a farmer all his life, but had recently lost his property because their land had been seized by the city due to “criminal evidence” that had apparently been reported.

The couple had been harassed for weeks but were never arrested for any of the so-called evidence.

According to Mrs. Green, they had been threatened to sign temporary forfeiture forms while their property was under investigation.

The sheriff assured the couple that their land would be returned to them once the investigation was complete, but three months later, it was bulldozed.

What started as a routine trip to the doctor turned into an interview with Mr. and Mrs. Green over lunch, where she documented their story and got permission to write about it as long as she agreed not to mention their names and to post it after they moved to Jai City with their son.

Nahla kept up her end of the bargain, and now that the Greens were officially out of the city, she had officially published her first piece in what was sure to be an enlightening investigative series on the corruption in Lyle.

She had already discovered what seemed to be inconsistent paperwork from county records, but she needed to talk to the people whose names were on the documents to better understand her findings. She could hardly wait.

Mr. Hill chuckled. “I love how passionate you are about the work we do. You remind me of myself at your age. I just need you to be careful with all the time you’re spending in Lyle,” he said, giving her a knowing look.

While Black and brown people made up most of Chaney’s demographic, Lyle was one of the few cities that was still predominantly White. Their police force was notorious for locking people up for no other reason than driving while Black.

Continuing, Mr. Hill said, “You should take Simon or Damien with you, just in case.

Nahla nodded. “I don’t want to drag them along on their day off, Mr. Hill. I’ll be careful. I promise.”

Shaking his head, Mr. Hill said, “I know you’re gon’ do what you want anyway. Just make sure you check in while you’re there.”

“Yes, sir,” she said softly.

His words touched her in a way that only he could.

Nahla loved her father more than anything, but unfortunately, they had never had the closest relationship.

Up until he got sick, her father was the principal of Jasona High.

Her mother served fifteen years as an educator and nine as an elementary school principal before she passed away four years ago.

Her older brother was a school administrator, and her younger sister was a middle school math teacher, which made her father extremely proud. Nahla was the only one who veered off the path their parents had set for them, and although they never said it, they were never okay with her career choice.

Investigative journalism was exciting, unpredictable, and sometimes a little risky.

Those were not traits that the Averys were raised to embrace.

Her parents loved the education field because it was a noble—and safe—profession.

You did your time, got a steady raise each year, and retired when it was time to.

Her parents couldn’t understand her desire to climb the ranks as a writer, when promotions, raises, and even good story opportunities were never guaranteed. Because they couldn’t understand it, they distanced themselves from it, and as they drifted apart, it became easier for Nahla to stay away.

Mr. Hill was different, though. He understood her fervent curiosity and her desire to earn her position through hard work and tenacity.

Since they’d met, he always encouraged her to pursue her dreams, and in some ways had been more like a father than her own.

She cherished their relationship more than he probably knew.

Mr. Hill remained at her desk for a few more minutes before heading to his own office.

Once Nahla was alone again, she lost herself in her work.

After transcribing her latest interview, highlighting quotes she wanted to use in her follow-up story, and responding to several emails, it was past time for her lunch break.

Because she was spending the weekend in Lyle, Nahla was taking half the day off to prepare, so once she said goodbye to a few people, she packed up her belongings and left the office.

The next morning, Nahla was on the road.

As she squinted her eyes at the rising sun, she groaned.

Sunrise and sunset were the worst times to drive, in her opinion, because she could barely see the road.

She was annoyed with herself for not getting on the road earlier.

Luckily, Lyle was only about an hour and a half away from Jasona. She wouldn’t be in the car too long.

Reaching into her cupholder, she grasped her piping-hot caramel macchiato and took a few sips before gently placing it back and tapping her phone, which was mounted on her dashboard. After unlocking it and beginning a new voice recording, she began speaking.

“It is January seventeenth, and I am on the road to Lyle, Chaney, for follow-up interviews. I need to confirm at least two more cases of forced forfeitures if I’m going to continue on this investigative journey, so that’s the goal today.

The questions that I’d like answered by the end of this trip are, ‘Who signed the seizure orders? Who broke into the Greens’ hotel and stole their copies?

What company is benefiting from all of this? ’”

Nahla was just about to wrap up her memo when she remembered something else.

“Oh! And, I need to cross-check the parcel numbers on the Greens’ deeds.”

She paused after that and inhaled deeply. “Remember that you got this, girl. You’ve uncovered dirty politicians, a sex trafficking ring, and shady non-profits in one of the biggest cities in this country. Little Lyle, Chaney, ain’t got nothing on you. You were born for this. Do your thing.”

With that, she ended the recording. Nahla made it a point to hype herself up with reminders and affirmations whenever she got the chance, because other than Mr. Hill, there weren’t many people who did that for her.

The life of an investigative journalist could be a lonely one, because she was always chasing stories others were afraid to pursue.

It was the reason she began making voice notes in the first place.

It made her feel less isolated, . . . less alone.

Nahla sighed and readjusted herself in her seat, just as her phone rang.

When she saw Dream’s picture and name appear on the screen, a small smile graced her lips.

Nahla had never had many long-lasting friendships.

She wasn’t sure whether it was because she was always so busy or because she had never come across women on the same plane as her.

That is, until she moved back home and met Dream Pierce.

It was on one of the rare nights that Nahla decided to let her hair down a bit and have a night out.

She found herself at a sleek and sexy sports bar called Ignite.

Apparently, Dream’s husband, Rhys, owned it, and they had been in town managing the location because his manager’s wife had just given birth.

Dream and Nahla had clicked instantly and had only grown closer in the last seven months.

They were so similar in many ways. They were both incredibly ambitious and invested in their careers. Dream ran a thriving digital design and marketing business that kept her busy, and she also left her hometown of Chaney right after high school, moved to a big city, and eventually moved back home.

The most significant differences between the two of them were that Dream had found her soulmate in Rhys, whom she had apparently been in love with since childhood, and that she had slowed down with business long enough to be a mother to her beautiful four-year-old son.

Nahla had yet to meet a man who inspired her to devote any of her precious time to taking care of him or a baby, but spending time with Dream did help her realize she wanted that one day.

“Hey,” Nahla said when she picked up the call.

“Hey, girl! I was calling because I know you’re traveling to Lyle this morning. I’m praying for your safety and that you find what you’re looking for.”

Dream’s words warmed Nahla’s heart. She had gotten a call from Mr. Hill first thing that morning with similar sentiments, but her sister, brother, and father knew she was traveling that morning and hadn’t said a word to her.

She didn’t hold things like that against them, because she was sure they were still asleep, but it did feel good to know that her well-being and success were on somebody’s mind that morning.

“I appreciate that. Does work or baby Rhys have you up this early on a Saturday?”

She chuckled. “Girl, both. This child came into our bedroom an hour ago, asking for breakfast, so I got up, cooked, and now I’m working on a website for a new client. What about you, though? How are you feelin’ about today?”

Nahla groaned as she merged into the left lane, because she was now going to be on this one-lane road for the next thirty miles. Country roads were the main thing she hated about going to Lyle.

“I feel good. I have a lot to accomplish, but as long as everyone I’m scheduled to speak with is still willing to talk, I should be good.

The hardest part is going to be getting official documents from the city.

I don’t imagine they’ll be too cooperative, but I got a few tricks up my sleeve to get what I want. ”

Dream sighed. “I know you got this, but I want you to be extra careful today. I wish someone were there with you. You know I got a personal bone to pick with that city, and I don’t need nothing happening to you.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Dream’s brother-in-law, Trevor, played basketball at Lyle University a few years ago.

When Rhys visited him there one night, they got stopped and were racially profiled by a couple of White police officers.

Unfortunately, Trevor had an illegal firearm in his car.

His big brother took the wrap for it and was sentenced to a year in prison, forcing Dream and Rhys to spend their first married year apart.

“I promise I’ll be all right. I’m going to be as discreet as possible while I’m there.”

“You’d better. I’m gonna let you go, though. I just wanted to check in. Make sure you call me once you’re in for the night.”

“Will do.” Once they hung up, Nahla turned on some music and vibed out the rest of the way to Lyle.

She knew Dream and Mr. Hill were worried about her traveling to Lyle alone, but she honestly wasn’t.

Throughout her career, Nahla had ended up in stickier situations than this.

Compared to some of the other stories she had covered, this one was a cake walk. She’d be just fine.