Fatal Accusation

by Rachel Dylan

  “That’s the thing, Jim. You’re here, receiving punishment for your action, but the Lord is willing to forgive you if you meet him here. You said it’s been years since you went to church, but since you did go at one time, I’m assuming you know about the Lord.”

  Jim nodded. “I know the basics, but I haven’t followed all of the commandments…”

  “It’s not really all about the Ten Commandments. Yes, those are good concepts to follow, but the redemptive power of Christ through the ultimate sacrifice for us as sinners is what’s really important.” He didn’t intend to start preaching, but he couldn’t help himself. “Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world. Then he arose on the third day so that we may all have everlasting life if we repent and believe in him.”

  “It’s hard for me to believe why God would love someone like me. I’ve lied, cheated, and stolen most of my life. Started when I was a teenager.”

  “God does love you. More than you could even know.”

  The inmate who was next to Jim started laughing. “Jim, you’re taking religious advice from a pastor who stole money from his church. Do you realize that? That’s why he’s in here with us. He’s not man of God. He’s just a common criminal. You need to get your head checked by the prison shrink.”

  Jim looked at him. “I’ve heard those rumors about you, Pastor, but I didn’t know what to believe. You don’t seem like the stealing type.”

  Dan nodded. “Those are the charges against me, but I’m innocent. I did not steal from the church.”

  “I believe you,” Jim said.

  The other inmate laughed loudly. “Well, don’t be trying to fill my head with your nonsense about God and religion. I’ve got better things to do than listen to that kind of stuff.”

  “You’re not even part of this conversation, Billy.” Jim’s blue eyes narrowed.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Billy crept back deeper in his cell.

  “I wouldn’t let him bother you,” Jim said. “But I have to ask, do you have a good lawyer? If you didn’t do it, then you need a good attorney to help you. Public defenders are worthless.”

  “The public defenders aren’t worthless. They’re just overworked and underpaid, but thanks to the Lord, I do have an amazing attorney, and she is really smart and dedicated. At the end of the day, though, my faith is in God, not in the legal system.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “I’ve been through a lot in my life, Jim. I lost my wife not long ago. So being in this cell doesn’t begin to compare with the pain I went through. I’m not worried about myself, but I do worry about my church and those people who believed in me. I don’t want them to think that I would’ve betrayed their trust, because I would’ve never done anything like that.”

  Jim shook his head. “Man, I don’t know that I could ever have your type of faith. Don’t you ever get angry at God for all of this? For putting you here? For your wife’s death?”

  “I’m not going to lie to you, Jim. There have been some really dark days. Days when I didn’t even want to get up and out of bed to go into the church. Days I questioned everything. But even through all of that, I knew God was working. There is a Bible verse that says all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. It’s one of my favorites, and I have to remind myself of it often—especially through trying times when everything seems to be falling apart. But having faith is all about believing, even when it’s hard to do so. Even when it seems like there is no hope. When you can’t see the hand of God at all. I know in my heart that God is near. The Holy Spirit provides comfort through the valleys and the darkness of night.”

  “Now you’re getting really deep on me, Pastor.”

  He chuckled. “Honestly, I don’t know if I’m talking more for your benefit or mine right now. Sometimes I even need to be reminded of these things, particularly at a time like this.”

  “Are you going to get out on bail?”

  “I told my lawyer if she could get donations for the funds, then I would accept them, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen. The Lord has a plan for all of this though.”

  “Well, I know this sounds far-fetched, but what if God wants you here? If you believe like you said that he’s working behind the scenes and all, what if you have a reason to be right here in this prison?”

  “You know, Jim, I think you may have hit the nail on the head. Before I was arrested, I was having a really rough time. Nothing seemed right at the church or in my life. It was like a dark cloud was hanging over my head. I felt disconnected and depressed. But since I’ve been in here, I’ve had so much time to pray and talk to God. To not just ask God for things, but to listen.”

  “You really think that God talks to you?”

  “He will talk to you, too, but you have to be still and listen. You have to be open to His presence and His will.”

  “I’m not saying I get everything you’re talking about here, but I have to say that it has made me start to think.” Jim paused. “And you know what else?”

  “What?”

  “Looks like you still got to preach that Sunday sermon after all.”

  **

  Grant looked into Olivia’s dark eyes filled with hurt, and to see her in pain made him upset as well. He hadn’t known what to expect at the church service today, but it was worse than he could’ve ever imagined. From his count, three-fourths of the church had gotten up and left by the time it was all said and done.

  And even some of those who remained had probably only done so out of a sense of respect for church itself. If Olivia’s fundraising efforts for bail were any indication, there were only a few people in the church who actually wanted to stand by Dan.

  “You’ve barely eaten your pizza,” he said. They sat in his favorite pizza place and their now standard post-church lunch spot.

  “I don’t really have much of an appetite,” she said quietly.

  This wasn’t the Olivia he’d come to know. The woman in front of him seemed defeated. “Olivia, since when have you let obstacles stand in your way?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re upset right now, and I get that. It was a tough thing to witness, but feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help you, Dan, or the church.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What, do you think I’m having a pity party or something? You weren’t the one up on that stage, Grant. Seeing people literally walk out of church after you’ve poured your heart out trying to advocate for an innocent man. You have no idea what that was like.”

  “You’re right. I don’t, but I know you and you’re stronger than all of this. Olivia, your faith is more rock solid than anyone I know. If anyone can navigate through all of this, it is you, but you need to keep your head up and push forward.” He hoped he wasn’t pushing her too hard, but he felt like she needed some tough love right now.

  “You’re not exactly very sympathetic to what I’m going through.”

  “I’m speaking honestly and openly to you, and I hope you value that much more than me trying to just pat you on the head and say it’s all going to be okay.”

  “I don’t really appreciate your attitude right now. I’m hurting and I need a friend.”

  The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her even more. “I am trying to be your friend, and because I care so much about you, I don’t want to see you upset or defeated. You’ve already done so much for this community. The battles you’ve waged have been something I can’t even begin to comprehend. All I’m saying is you’re the person God has chosen here, so you can’t waste time nursing wounds. You’ve got to get right back out there.”

  She leaned forward in her seat and put her hand on top of his and met his eyes, this time more determined. “You’re absolutely right. I’m not a quitter.”

  “No, it’s the last thing in this world that you are.”

  “But I’m not sure what the best next steps are.”

  �
��You don’t have to have it all figured out. All you have to do is be willing to take the next step.” He placed his other hand on top of hers. “Olivia, I hope you realize that you’re not alone. I’m right here.”

  Her eyes misted up. “Everything is so out of whack right now. I can only keep praying for strength and guidance. I appreciate you doing what you can to remind me of the bigger picture.”

  “We can work through this together. It seems like the bail fundraising effort is not going to work. So Dan stays in prison for now unless there’s something we haven’t thought of.”

  “I’m meeting with him tomorrow and will see what he says now that he’s been in prison for a few days about how it’s going. I’ve been praying for his safety while he’s in there.”

  “I have been, too. It’s been such a whirlwind, but we should start working on the investigation and developing his defense. Do you think your firm would hire an investigator?”

  “Yes. Since we’re taking it pro bono, that’s all part of the deal.”

  “I never got to talk to you about how Chet took the whole thing about you wanting to do this case?”

  “He’s good with it. I’m already doing a lot by moving out here to help start up the Chicago office. BCR is committed to being a leader in pro bono. They expect all their attorneys to bill a minimum number of hours each year to pro bono. It’s even part of the evaluation process, and the firm always likes to take on the cases that are high profile. The more BCR is in the news, the better, and they want to ensure the best likelihood of success, so getting an investigator shouldn’t be a problem. What’re your thoughts on what they would do?”

  “We need someone who can dig into all the financials plus work the human side of things.”

  “Do you have any recommendations?”

  “I have a couple of people in mind. Plus, I can ask Ryan, too. Between the two of us, we should be able to get together a short list to interview.”

  “Great,” she said. “And I’ve started doing the legal research on all the elements under Illinois law that the prosecution will have to prove for each charge.”

  “We should also think about timing. I don’t know whether the prosecutor wants to put this on the fast track or slow walk it.”

  “Maybe it depends on how strong he thinks the case is. That’s one more thing we need to add to our list. Perhaps even the investigator could do it. We need to know everything we can about Deputy Assistant District Attorney Tony Sampson.”

  “Yeah, given that most of my work is civil litigation, I haven’t had any exposure to him,” Grant said. Olivia made a good point. “If this guy has an angle, we need to know what it is.” He gathered his thoughts and then decided to raise an issue she might be sensitive about. “Olivia, I think it’s our job as Dan’s attorneys to do everything we can to investigate and vigorously defend this case. I know you believe that there are spiritual aspects at play here, and I’m not discounting that.”

  “But?”

  “There is a big human element to all of this. Choices and responsibility that go beyond the spiritual realm. If Dan is innocent, then someone else framed him. They are the guilty party here. I just want both of us to keep that in mind.”

  “I realize this is a legal fight just as much as a spiritual one, but I can’t just act like it’s completely business as usual. We both know that Layton and Nina Marie have plans for Windy Ridge to spread their New Age message and to ridicule believers.”

  “Which gets back to the question of whether they would’ve gone to such lengths to do that. Why fight within the legal system? Why not just focus on the spiritual strategy?”

  “Because this kind of allegation against a pastor is exactly the type of thing that brings down a church, and if today’s service is any indication, then they’re winning. We need to turn the tide.”

  “Let me try to set up that investigator meeting ASAP.” He paused. “Make no mistake though, Olivia. I’m here for you. I know we’re not going to see eye to eye on everything all the time, but I think that’s one of the reasons we became friends. We do challenge each other. At the end of the day, though, I want you to know how much you mean to me.”

  “I know that,” she said softly. “I value our friendship so much.”

  But he realized that she didn’t have a clue how much he cared for her. Because in his heart, she was so much more than just a friend.

  Chapter Six

  Olivia sat across the table in the small holding cell. As Dan’s attorney she was able to meet with him face to face. The guard stood right outside the door.

  “First, how’re you doing?” She looked into his eyes and held her breath waiting for his response.

  He smiled but didn’t immediately respond.

  “You’re smiling?”

  “Because I’m doing better right now than I’ve been in a long time.”

  Immediately her pulse kicked up. Was Dan delusional? Had he fallen ill? “Dan, are you sick? Is it the food? Or the conditions?”

  He shook his head. “No, Olivia. You have it all wrong. I actually feel great. I know everyone thinks of prison as being an awful place, but since I’ve been here, amazing things have happened.”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, for one, there’s another inmate who is in the cell across from mine, and I’ve been able to talk to him about Christ. We’ve developed a fast friendship.”

  “That’s great, Dan, and once again I see that you are putting others ahead of yourself, but we still have to worry about the charges against you. I really don’t want you sitting in prison.”

  “Don’t you see, though? The Lord is using me here. I’ve felt more useful here this week than I have in months at the church. The feelings of despair and doubt that have been surrounding me have no hold on me here. I know it may seem crazy to you, but in prison I have found freedom and a burning desire to witness again and preach that I haven’t felt. What if I can touch more lives of the men here?”

  A mixture of emotions flowed through her. The lawyer in her wanted to reach out and shake Dan and tell him to get a grip. That they needed to develop a plan to raise the funds and get him out of prison as soon as possible. But an even larger part of her looked at Dan and could feel the Holy Spirit moving through this situation. She hadn’t seen Dan this happy since she first met him last year. Maybe the Lord was working something miraculous through all of this. “I can see God is at work here and using you, but I have to tell you I’m going to fight as hard as I can to clear your name. You can come back and visit the prison as much as you want to minister to inmates, but you’ll do it with a badge of innocence stamped on you.”

  “And I want that, too. I’m not saying I want to give up on the case and stay in prison forever. All I’m saying is, for this moment, I feel like I am in the right place. But I do want you to defend me and clear my name. Have you found out any more about what happened?”

  “It’s crazy. Beverly is the one who referred this matter to the police.”

  “Really? Are you certain?”

  “Yes, and I have to tell you I have some strong suspicions about her.”

  “You can’t just condemn her for this. Maybe she thought she was doing the right thing.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe she has a hidden agenda and set you up.”

  “But why would she do that?”

  “That’s one of the things we plan to find out.”

  “And how is Chris doing?”

  She’d expected him to ask, but she hadn’t been really sure how she was going to answer if he did. But now in the moment, she knew she couldn’t mislead him. He deserved to know the truth. “Honestly, he’s having a really hard time.”

  “Does he think I did it?”

  “He is conflicted. Due to the nature of the allegations, Chris has a duty to the church to fully look into things and not blindly accept your innocence.”

  “I don’t fault him for that, Olivia. He’s a good man, and trying to protect the congregation.”
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br />   “It’s not just that. In the interest of telling you everything, I feel like he’s really down and questioning everything and everyone. He’s usually so strong. It’s almost like I’ve been dealing with a different man.”

  “These are tough times, and they can rattle even the strongest of men.”

  “I guess so.”

  “I need you to do something for me.”

  “Of course. You name it.”

  “I need you to be there for Chris. I can sense you’re upset with him, and I appreciate your loyalty. But he’s going to need people in his corner right now. It’s actually easier for me in here than it is for him out there. So anything you can do to help him, I’d really appreciate it.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Should I even ask how church went yesterday?”

  She thought it better not to say that it was an unmitigated disaster. “It didn’t go well.”

  “I figured as much. We were already in a fragile position, and these charges really tipped the scales against us. I can’t blame people for being hurt and confused. In the end, though, I believe it’s all going to work out.”

  “All right. I’ll keep you posted, and keep up the good work here, Dan.”

  “I plan on it.”

  **

  Grant sat in his law office and waited for Olivia. He’d been able to schedule a meeting with a private investigator. A few screening interviews had been conducted, and none of the others had the skill set he was hoping for. So he went back to one he had used.

  He’d worked with Abe Perez on a case a couple of years ago. Because of Abe’s background, Grant thought he’d be a good fit for this. Abe had worked on the police force right out of college for ten years before becoming a PI.

  His intercom beeped. “Grant, Abe Perez is here to see you.”

  “I’ll be right down. Please take him to conference room two.”

  He finished up the email that he was drafting and then picked up his notepad and a pen and headed down to the conference room.