Dangerous Consequences

by Lisa Renee Johnson

  Once inside the sanctuary, Payton deliberately took a seat in the back pew. She wished Sydney were there with her to bolster her confidence. The bevy of brown UPS uniforms in every size, shape, and color were everywhere. She felt like she was at an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord.

  A light tap on her shoulder startled her. She looked up into the face of Sydney and Donathan’s nosy-ass neighbor, Mrs. Brown. She gave the older lady a once-over, taking in her sequined black ballet slippers and a ruffled black dress that made her look twice her size. She looked a hot mess.

  “Baby, why are you sitting back here all by yourself? There’s plenty of room up there,” she said, pointing toward some empty seats at the front of the church.

  “How did you know Sister Shirley? She was such a lovely woman. I’m so sad to see her life cut short, but glory be to God because he knows best.”

  * * *

  Donathan walked through the sanctuary and nearly bumped into his neighbor, Barbara Brown. She reached out and grabbed him by the arm before he could pass her by.

  “Donathan James, is that you?”

  He removed his sunglasses. “Mrs. Brown, what are you doing here?”

  “Chile, I’m here to pay my respects to Sister Shirley.”

  “That’s right; you and Mama Barnes were on several church auxiliaries together,” he replied, finally noticing and nodding at Payton. “Mama Barnes mentioned to me that she knew one of my neighbors, but I hadn’t put two and two together.”

  “Where’s Sydney? Y’know I haven’t seen her since she stormed out of the house about a week ago. Is she out of town on business again?”

  Donathan’s eyes darted left, then right, as he tried to think of something to say to appease her.

  “I’ve been meaning to come over and talk to both of you. I think I saw that crazy gal parked in front of your house again on Sunday evening. I heard someone laughing like a hyena and peeped outside the front window. I went to fetch my glasses, but when I returned, she was gone. I know it was her, and you better be careful, because something’s just not right about that chile. I told Herbert the next time I see her ova there I would call the police.”

  “Mrs. Brown, you didn’t happen to get the license plate number on her car, did you?”

  “I sure did,” she said, nodding her head like he should have known better than to ask her that question. “As the head of our neighborhood watch committee, I write down any suspicious activity I see in the neighborhood. I’ve had the license plate number to the car since that gal came over the second time. I was going to give it to you, but when she said she was a friend of yours, I didn’t think you needed it. I wrote it down just in case.”

  “Have you told Sydney any of this?” he said, pretending to be confused. He’d been trying to make amends with his wife without much success. He was well aware how furious she was when she’d left and had been apprehensive about facing her because he still didn’t have any answers, but Mrs. Brown was about to change that for him. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought about this sooner. For once, this meddling woman was the answer to his prayers.

  “No, I haven’t. Herbert told me to stay out of folks’ business. Y’know, Donathan, we women can sense when things just ain’t right, and that crazy gal has got wrong stamped across her forehead. I told Herbert if she was your friend, why did she need to be so sneaky, hand-delivering packages and leaving them inside the gate?”

  “Mrs. Brown, how can I get the license plate number from you?”

  “I have it at home on my watch log. I won’t be home until later this evening because I’ll be serving food at the repast. But as soon as I get home, I can bring it over to you.”

  “Why don’t you just call me when you get in and I’ll come over to get it? But in the meantime, when you see Sydney today, can you share the information about the woman with her?” he said, trying not to get ahead of himself. A full license-plate number was the jackpot.

  Mrs. Brown paused for a moment, looking confused. “Is everything okay, baby?”

  “Everything is fine.”

  “Well, most of the time folks don’t want me to discuss what I see.”

  “Everything is fine, but it would really help me a lot if you shared the information with Sydney when you see her today.” The more he thought about it, the more he thought having Mrs. Brown tell Sydney about Austyn was the smart thing to do. He could play dumb, and when Mrs. Brown did what she did best, he would come out smelling like a rose.

  “All right, baby, I can do that for you,” she said before she walked away.

  * * *

  Payton couldn’t believe what she’d overheard. She needed to talk to Sydney. In Payton’s opinion, Sydney was taking this too far. Because she hadn’t returned any of Payton’s calls since she’d stormed out of her condo on Friday, Payton had assumed Sydney had gone home, but from the sound of things, home wasn’t where she’d been laying her head. That was almost a week ago. After the services were over, she planned to hunt her down and have a serious face-to-face talk with her.

  “Will everyone please take your seats so the family can be seated?” a tall, slender man wearing a dark suit, a crisp white shirt, and a black tie announced.

  Within seconds, Payton’s problem was solved when Sydney entered the sanctuary. She, too, was dressed in black, with her favorite teardrop diamond necklace nestled at her neck. She made brief eye contact with Payton and then continued a few rows up, taking a seat in the opposite pew.

  “Hello to you, too,” Payton mumbled sarcastically.

  Everyone took their seats and six pallbearers, including Donathan and Tyrese, walked down the aisle in a nestled group. Once they were seated in the row directly behind the row reserved for family, Tony, along with a young teenage girl Payton presumed to be Najee and an older woman clinging to his arm were escorted down the center aisle.

  The funeral service was short and dignified. Shirley Barnes didn’t have a lot of immediate family and the majority of people in attendance were Tony’s friends. Several church members gave eulogies and Tony finally made his way to the podium. All eyes were on him, including Payton’s.

  He spoke about his mother with great admiration, his words kind and gentle. She wasn’t sure if he’d noticed her when he was escorted into the church; he hadn’t acknowledged her. But all she wanted to do today was show some respect for his mother, and whether he spoke to her or not, she’d done what she’d been there to do.

  CHAPTER 31

  Joi almost tripped, the heel of her shoe stuck under a piece of linoleum. She scowled at the muted, brown-paneled waiting area of Holsey Investigations, riddled with scarred, mismatched chairs, dilapidated flooring, and three brown picture frames mounted on the one sand-colored wall that displayed the words Reliable, Trustworthy, and Confidential written in gold.

  She took a seat in one of the mismatched chairs, in turmoil. When she’d initially started this expedition, she’d thought she knew exactly what she would do if she found out Tyrese was cheating on her. Now she wasn’t so sure about her impending decision. This meeting with Holsey was just a formality because she’d confirmed her suspicions already, but now everything wasn’t so cut and dried. The attorney had said she needed proof if she wanted a divorce; now she wasn’t sure.

  “Mrs. White, Mr. Holsey will be right with you. He’s running a little behind schedule this afternoon.”

  Joi looked at her watch. There was no preschool today; she’d gotten one of the playgroup moms to keep an eye on the boys for a few hours during her annual gynecology appointment and now they were with her mother. She needed to get back home soon.

  “Um, how much longer do you think he’ll be?” she questioned the matronly receptionist.

  “Not long, Mrs. White. I’m sure he’ll be done soon.”

  Joi picked up an outdated copy of People magazine and nervously thumbed through the pages, attempting to read an article on infidelity as she waited, but she was anxious and distracted. What was she going to do if the
PI had gathered more incriminating evidence on her husband? She loved him so much; she always had.

  She’d given Tyrese the ipecac twice, like she’d read about on the internet, but it hadn’t had any effect on him. It was supposed to make him feel nauseous, and she’d hoped he would opt to stay home instead of running the streets. But he never showed any signs of sickness. Maybe she hadn’t used enough. If it wasn’t for that bitch Debbie, who was waiting in the wings to fuck his brains out at every opportunity, he would be home. Her thoughts grew increasingly paranoid as she returned the magazine to the circular table and picked up another outdated copy.

  She heard a door open and noticed a young woman who looked a lot like her walk past. The woman’s huge diamond ring sparkled, but what caught Joi’s attention was the manila envelope tucked underneath her arm. The receptionist interrupted her thoughts.

  “Mrs. White, Mr. Holsey will see you now.”

  Joi watched until the previous client was out the front door before she stood and moved toward the inner office. She stepped through the doorway and started toward a putty colored metal chair.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” Holsey croaked, and motioned for her to close the office door behind her. He sat behind a metal desk littered with mounds of file folders and paper. Before Joi took a seat, she tried to make eye contact to search for a clue to the outcome of this meeting, but she couldn’t get a read on the man. His eyes shifted back and forth as he puffed on a cigarette and stared down at the stack of papers. Joi coughed and fanned the air in front of her. If he had something to give her, she wanted to make it quick; the last thing she needed was to let the smoke permeate her clothes. She didn’t want to return home smelling like an ashtray. She shifted in her seat and coughed again. Holsey extinguished his cigarette and opened one of the green files.

  “Mrs. White, I’ve run several surveillance operations on your husband since you hired me and I’m happy to report that I didn’t find an ounce of evidence to support your suspicions. Now, unfortunately, in my line of work, I don’t get to say this to all my clients, but if I were you, I’d end my snooping and be happy you have a good man.”

  Joi stared at Holsey, not believing what she’d just heard. Did he just say he didn’t find an ounce of evidence? He had to be mistaken. She’d seen him and Tyrese with her own eyes at Eli’s.

  “Now, I do have a few additional expenses and I hope we can clear them up immediately,” Holsey said. He closed the first file and opened another one.

  Was he asking for more money? This had to be a joke. Her eyes narrowed as Holsey put on a pair of reading glasses and ran his arthritic index finger across the coffee-stained page in front of him.

  “Looks like about five hundred dollars will make us even,” he said, a smile playing at the corners of his lips for the first time.

  This wasn’t turning out like she’d planned. When she’d hired him, of course, she wanted him to say he found nothing and her husband was a good man, but that was her dream, before she’d seen the truth with her own eyes.

  Joi jumped from her seat. “You lying son of a bitch.”

  Holsey cleared his throat, a strange look in his eyes. “Excuse me?” His tone was icy.

  Joi leaned across the desk, within inches of his face. “I saw you. I can’t believe you’re lying to my face. I saw you and my no-good-ass husband, Tyrese White, with that bitch. And now you’re telling me there was no evidence. Look here, Mr. Holsey, I don’t know what kind of game you’re running, but you won’t be running it on me. If you know what’s good for you, you’d better get out your checkbook, or better yet one of those envelopes you keep in your glove box, and give me my goddamn money back or else,” she said, standing erect and folding her arms across her body.

  Holsey stood, his smile and confidence wavering. “I’m not sure what you think you saw, but—”

  “Mr. Holsey, is everything all right in there? You don’t need me to call the police, do you?” the matronly receptionist called out, her voice muffled by the closed door.

  There was a stare down and a long silence. “The police won’t be necessary, Wilma,” he said, never taking his eyes off Joi. He retrieved an envelope from the top right desk drawer.

  Joi chewed on her bottom lip as he counted out fifty crisp one-hundred-dollar bills and thrust them in her direction. “You take this money and get the hell out of my office,” he said, a sharp edge to his raspy voice.

  “You can’t possibly be serious.” Joi yanked the money from his grasp. She folded it in half and tucked it into the side pocket of her purse. “I should report you to the police and anyone else who will listen.” Turning on her heel, she opened the door on the stunned receptionist, who was standing there with her ear glued to the door.

  With her thoughts racing in a hundred different directions, none of them good, Joi brushed past her and stormed out to her car. Getting the five thousand dollars back was something she hadn’t expected, but right now the money was the least of her worries. Her dilemma was what she was going to do about her cheating husband.

  * * *

  Donathan was standing outside Holsey’s office building, talking to Tyrese on his phone when he noticed Joi hurrying toward her SUV. She looked upset and zoned out of her surroundings as she slid into the driver’s seat.

  “Your wife is leaving his office right now,” Donathan whispered into the phone.

  “I know. That bastard told me he was meeting with her today, after I gave him my twenty-five hundred dollars. And he had the nerve to want cash,” Tyrese grumbled.

  “When you told me you were being shaken down by a private detective, I didn’t know it was the one I’d hired. Man, he’d better not even think about taking me for money.”

  “He better have kept his word because I want to kick his ass so bad right now I barely need a reason. I just want this shit to be over.”

  “Well, Joi looked pissed, so I bet their exchange was heated. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but I could hear voices in the reception area and they didn’t sound nice. Did you get the situation with Debbie straightened out?”

  “Threw some money at that problem on Saturday. It’s all good.”

  Donathan shook his head. The worst thing Tyrese could have done was start giving that chick money. Now she was going to treat him like a twenty-four-hour ATM machine.

  “I hate to burst your bubble, but I wouldn’t count on it,” Donathan said, moving toward the waving receptionist. He stepped into the building. “Got a strong hunch you haven’t seen the last of her.”

  “What do you mean?” Tyrese responded.

  Donathan couldn’t believe his friend was this clueless. “Look, I gotta run, but you’re a smart man. Figure it out.”

  CHAPTER 32

  For the first time since Payton could remember, the house on 12th Street was devoid of any activity. She’d arrived a half hour early to take her final walk-through before the real estate investors got there. The smell of the newly varnished hardwood floors stirred up childhood memories that made her smile, but thoughts of her mother lingered on the fringe of her mind and had plagued her since her uncle had mentioned she’d been back around. But Payton knew as well as anyone that when a drug-addicted family member reappeared after a long absence, it could only mean one thing: her mother wanted something.

  Payton paused on the stairs and admired the bright white crown molding between the white ceiling and taupe walls, an accent Tony had suggested. This simple architectural touch nestled around the ceiling, giving the room an elegant and regal feel. When she reached the last step, leading from the upstairs bedrooms, a kernel of an idea came to her. Yesterday Sydney had tried to avoid her like the plague. After the viewing procession, instead of being ushered back to her seat for the remainder of the funeral service, she’d slipped out the side door, but Payton had anticipated her move and cornered her outside the church. Sydney rushed past her, claiming she had to get back to the hospital, but they’d been friends for a long time and Payton coul
d feel in her gut that she was lying. She imagined her and Tony being friends again. She missed their easy conversation, and if she was honest with herself, the thought of not having sex with him again would be a huge disappointment. He hadn’t even tried to contact her since the incident at Picán. He must still be upset about that.

  Payton removed her phone from her purse and with a few upward swipes located Tony’s number, then pressed Enter.

  “Hello?”

  She eased down on the stairs, her voice caught in her throat. She’d hoped he would answer the phone, but she was caught off guard just the same.

  “Hello?” he repeated, his tone ice-cold. “Who is this?” he barked before she finally found her voice.

  “What’d you do, erase my number from your contacts?” she asked, chuckling nervously. There was a long silence. “Is this a bad time?”

  “No. What’s up?”

  “I . . . I didn’t get the chance to offer you my condolences yesterday.”

  “Thanks,” he said, less than enthusiastic.

  “Have you spoken with Donathan?” Payton asked, thinking she needed to speed the conversation along.

  “What kind of question is that? Of course I spoke to him.”

  “Did he say anything about Sydney?”

  “What about Sydney?”

  “Did you mention to him what happened the other night?” Payton inquired, growing tired of his pissy attitude. “I just thought you might want to help your friend.”

  “Payton, in case you haven’t noticed, my friend is a grown-ass man. If he needed my help, he would ask. If I were you, I’d just stay out of it.”

  “What do you mean, stay out of it?”

  “Donathan and Sydney are perfectly capable of figuring this out by themselves. Look, Payton, I gotta go. I’m running late for an appointment.”

  “Wait a minute. We owe it to Sydney to make sure she knows the truth.”

  “She’s your friend; why don’t you handle that?”

  “I thought it would be better coming from a man,” Payton snapped back, knowing he was right.