In the immediate aftermath of September 11, suspicion of another attack was high. However, not all suspicions were unfounded. After a chance meeting with a customer at the car rental agency where she works, NITA DENSON, a beautiful woman of Choctaw Indian descent follows her intuition right into the heart of an anti-American plot. The evidence she uncovers causes her friend’s death and NITA becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation headed by two dogged NYPD detectives. Desperate and frightened, NITA calls her childhood sweetheart, PHILIP 'DARKEYES' THAMES, who leaves the Choctaw reservation in Mississippi to come to New York to protect her from danger and help clear her name. The cell group leader, knowing his operation has been compromised, will stop at nothing to ensure its success, and NITA is just one more loose end he has to eliminate. For NITA and PHILIP, rekindled romance must wait as they stay one step ahead of the police and the assassin and race against a clock ticking toward the doom of an entire generation.
Lorna Rainey is a great-granddaughter of America's first Black Congressman, the Hon. Joseph Hayne Rainey who was seated in December 1870 and served five terms. On her maternal side, she is a descendant of the Mississipi Band of Choctaw Indians. In 1991, based on her own experiences as a model, actress and voice-over announcer, she created The Talent Express, a talent agency representing people in the show business industry. She is expanding her presence in the industry with the upcoming film "NATIVE INTELLIGENCE" based on this book, a TV sitcom "CALLOWAY'S" as well as two reality TV shows. She is currently writing the sequel to "NATIVE INTELLIGENCE" and the biographical novel "ALMOST A HERO" recounting the life and accomplishments of Congressman Rainey.
New blogs from the author are posted weekly at http://lornarainey.blogspot.com
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Nita looked down at the small cellophane packet in her hand, both gratified that she had been right about her instincts and stupified in the way in which it had come into her possession. As she sat looking at it and contemplating her options, she heard something that jolted her out of her contemplative state, "Nita Denson, Nita Denson," the loudspeaker blared, "please report to Customer Service Return area. Nita Denson to Customer Return!" Her mind raced. Now that she had it, where would she hide it until she could decide what to do with it? Take it to the police? And what exactly was it? Should she have it analyzed herself? Whoa! Her head was spinning. First to stash this packet somewhere. Then to get Lester's attention and tell him not to clear this car for re-rental.
Just then she looked up and saw a possible solution to her problems in the person of her friend and co-worker, Tessa. But Nita was surprised to see her here this early. She actually always came to work with an hour to spare to have coffee and read the paper before her shift began, so they saw each other every work day. Nita was usually going off-shift as Tessa was coming on. The two of them had become quite close, sharing office gossip and personal stories about the trials and tribulations of love. And, of course, they did hang out together sometimes. Nita had no time and no choice but to trust Tessa.
"Hi, Tessa," Nita hailed, "Why are you here so early? Your shift doesn't begin til 4 PM...right?"
"Hey Nita. Today I'm covering for somebody and I start at Noon," Tessa said in her usual upbeat tone.
"You are a lifesaver! I really need you to do something very important. I can't tell you why right now, but I need you to find a way or reason, an excuse, anything...to stop Lester from returning this car to active. They've been paging me on the system, so I've got to go. Well, after I go to my locker for a sec. Can you find him and make up something?" she asked. "Sure Nita, but what's...?" Tessa asked of Nita's already turned back.
Nita hurried to the locker/lunch area. She got a couple of napkins from the lunchtable and wrapped them around the packet before she placed the whole wad in her handbag. Just in case the cellophane opened, the powder would not spill into her purse. Then she shut the locker door, locked it and ran to the customer service area where Mr. Barnes was waiting for her. He looked kind of upset. But today it didn't matter, because no matter what he said, she had far more important things to think about. And one of them was making up a good excuse to leave work early so she could start sleuthing.