The Beautifully Damned and the Eternally Blessed (SAMPLE)

Chapter Five: The Journal of Derrick Booker

At Clark Atlanta University, later...

"Damn," Ellen breathed as she and Alexa met me at the student union for an early dinner while Tyler was finishing his classes at Morehouse. Since that fateful confrontation with my family and me cutting ties with everyone, I knew that I needed to let them know what went down. And frankly, I had a feeling that it was a long time coming. "I knew that your family hated Derrick with a passion, but this is getting more and more chaotic."

"I know," Alexa hummed, dipping a fry into some ketchup before popping it into her mouth. "I only met them a few times when Jana and I were in boarding school in England during seventh grade and it was more than enough for me. Mr. Booker often commented that I should consider being a young mom and a future maid instead of wasting my family's time getting an education. Little wonder that my family never did business with them."

"You can say that again," I commented, pausing to sip on my glass of Coke. "Anyway, I just couldn't deal with the bullshit anymore than I already have. And with what my family said about Derrick's death being what he deserved, I can't help but to think that either one of them was behind the Deathly Glamour persona."

"If not all three of them, including Asher," Ellen replied. "Anyway, my dad already has the heads-up about the case and has given me the all-clear to join in as a red herring. He and Mom want in as well.With him being a police officer, it'll be good to add in some help for the case."

"Papa and abuela also gave me their support," Alexa said. "Mom would've joined if not her her schedule for make-up convention, but she did say that she knew the Daimler family at times, especially their daughter Wendy. She'll relay everything she knows to O'Hara by tomorrow."

"What about Tyler?" I wanted to know.

"Tyler's coming, but with his parents being homophobic and shit, he'll likely come alone with us," Alexa replied. "But he did say that he was seeing someone from the fashion world, so who can say?"

"That takes care of all the red-herring allies on our end," I stated. "Right now, I need to start finding some information about Derrick's past and what led him out of Atlanta in the first place. One of the servants back home said that Dad and Mom had all of his things either donated to charity or burned. So I guess you can say that-"

"Miss Booker?"

I turned around to see a statuesque older woman with flaming red hair and mischievous green eyes that hid behind her tortoise-shell sunglasses approach me, her dressed as if she was born to walk the runways or even be a part of my brother's numerous fashion shows. "Who wants to know?" I asked.

"Candide. Candide Morasco," the woman introduced, extending her hand out to me. "And I've been given the task by your late brother to give you one of his prized possession."

She reached into her designer bag and pulled out a thick leather-bound hardcover notebook, handing it to me. "What is it?" I asked hesitantly.

"His private journal that he kept," Candide replied gently. "He told me that if anything did happen to him you were to receive it on this exact day and time. And with his murder, I can only tell you that this could hold the answers for what you're looking for to dig deep into his past."

"Wow," Ellen breathed as we saw Tyler come to our table. "This is quite amazing."

"Yes," Candide agreed, "but take care that you keep this from your parents and older sisters, Miss Booker. From what I've heard, the three of them will do anything to leave some secrets buried in the past. And whether you all know it or not, Mr. Booker has had some dark moments that he only entrusted to his private circle."