by J. P. Bowie
Now, he grated his teeth in annoyance, as she seemed to fall asleep right in front of him. “Wake up, damn you!” he yelled at her in a fury. “Get up to your damned room if you’re going to pass out in the middle of the day. You’re a mess.”
She mumbled something he couldn’t understand, then lurching to her feet, she staggered to the door and left him alone again. Fellows drew in a deep breath and looked again at the check in his hand. This almost made up for everything else he had to put up in his life—almost. There was no doubt in his mind that he had to do something about his wife, before she ruined him. It wasn’t going to look good if he divorced her. He had to appear to be without sin before his followers. What then—an accident? A drunken fall—an over-dose? He tried to shut those thoughts from his mind. He really could not harm her—could he?
Patricia Hastings parked her Mercedes outside the Fellows’ mansion and walked up to the imposing entrance. She frowned with disapproval as she approached the solidly built oak and stained glass front door. It was not seemly for a man of the cloth to live in such luxury. In her opinion, men and women who served the Lord should live in more humble surroundings. They should not try to emulate the excesses of the Roman Catholic Church. Look where all that pomp and frippery had led their priests—into carnality and depravity.
Patricia shuddered at the thought of the houses of God being defiled by J.P. Bowie
82
debauchery and perversion. It was up to her and this Jack Fellows to turn people to the true church, and to persuade them to stop supporting those who turned a blind eye to what was being perpetrated in the name of religion.
She tapped her foot with impatience as she waited for the door to be opened to her. Truth be told, she thought to herself as she waited, she was not completely comfortable in her association with the Reverend Fellows. He was not exactly what she had hoped for in a man of God. Too brash, too much the actor—and that wife of his was a disgraceful creature. So steeped in artifice and superficiality and, Patricia’s lips compressed into a tight line as she considered the most damning fault of all, she drank.
However, Jack Fellows had been the only one to respond to her letters condemning Olivia Winters for her lack of integrity in inviting such unwholesome people onto her show. She had written to dozens of church leaders of the past few months. Most of them had ignored her call to arms. Some had answered in careful and guarded language. A few had agreed with her, but had not offered any solution to the problem. Only Fellows had appeared to understand her dread of what was being purveyed over the airwaves and into unsuspecting people’s homes. He alone had heeded her call and was prepared to do battle with her against the depraved ones.
At last the door was flung open and Fellows’ large body loomed before her.
“Mrs. Hastings, Patricia, how good to see you again.” His smile was expansive, but never really reached his eyes. “Come in, come in.” He stepped aside and Patricia entered, acknowledging Fellows with a slight nod of her head.
“Did you receive my check, Reverend?”
“Indeed I did, my dear lady.” Fellows ushered her into his office. “It will go a long way to further the cause, I can assure you.”
“Are you receiving support from anyone else, or am I the only one willing to give in order to see this vulgarity ended?”
“Sadly, I must confess, Patricia, that you are our sole benefactor in this endeavor.” Fellows gave her a look of contrition as he spoke.
Patricia sighed as she took the seat Fellows offered her. “I guessed as much, of course. The people of this country are too complacent, too lazy, too self-satisfied to heed the warning signs of what is yet to come if we do not nip it in the bud.” She glared about her, then looked at Fellows through narrowing eyes. “I am relying on you, Reverend, to bring that woman to heel. On your next television appearance you will condemn her outright for her perversity, and encourage all her sponsors to withdraw from her show.”
“Um…well, Patricia…we have to tread carefully you know…”
J.P. Bowie
83
“No, Reverend!” Patricia jumped to her feet and leaned forward over Fellows’ desk, her eyes fixed on his. Her already pinched features grew sharper and her eyes narrowed to mere slits as she hissed; “We can no longer be careful.
She does not heed our warnings. She continues in this vile manner despite my letters of warning. She even had the audacity to have my son and slut of a daughter on her show. I consider that to be an insult I will not endure. She must be stopped. Either you do as I say, or I shall take back my check and find someone else to help me.”
“Now now, dear lady…calm yourself.” Fellows had become extremely uncomfortable on seeing the glint of insanity in Patricia’s eyes as she ranted at him. My God, he thought, Christina was right—she is nuts.
“I have been calm too long,” Patricia said, her voice cold and brittle. “See what it has brought me… humiliation. No, I won’t stay calm any longer. Can I count on you or not? Make up your mind before I leave—with or without that check.”
Fellows wiped the sweat from his brow as he nodded his agreement. “Very well, Patricia. It shall be as you ask. I have a guest spot on The Bible Today tomorrow night. I shall criticize Miss Winters and her show’s content then.”
“Not criticize, Reverend. Lambaste! Condemn! Tear her to shreds. Ruin her.”
“My dear,” Fellows murmured. “One has to be careful of libel you know…”
“How can the truth be libelous, Reverend?”
“Well…um…it’s how the truth may be perceived by others.”
“Nonsense. There is only one truth—God’s truth. And His condemnation will be terrible.” Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits as she stared at Fellows. “Not only on the depraved, Reverend Fellows, but on those who failed to put an end to it!”
Without realizing it, Fellows had shrunk back in his chair as if to avoid the madwoman’s wrath. Now he struggled to pull himself together. “Well, dear lady…I, ah…I will most definitely be most vocal about the unsavory aspects of her show…without a doubt…yes, indeed.”
Patricia regarded him with a skeptical look for a moment. “Very well,” she said finally. “See that you are strong in your attack. No holding back. No weak, half-hearted criticisms. Be the lion of God!”
“Yes, dear lady.” Fellows rose to his feet, trying to ignore the nervous sweat that was coursing down his sides under his shirt. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have a sermon to prepare…”
“Of course.” Patricia turned to go. Fellows lumbered to her side to walk her to the door. She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. “Do not fail me, Rever-J.P. Bowie
84
end. I shall be watching your performance tomorrow night with interest.
Much depends on your testimony.” Her glance fell on the check he still held tightly in his fist. “If you know what I mean,” she added dryly. “Goodbye, Reverend.”
“Goodbye, dear lady. Goodbye.” Fellows closed the door after her, then leaned heavily against it as if she might suddenly push her way back in. “Oh dear God,” he whispered to himself. “What have I gotten myself into? The woman is insane!”
c h a p t e r 9
s
“Oh, this place is really neat,” Peter exclaimed after being given the grand tour of Anthony and Justin’s new home. He, Jeff, Emily and Jerry had driven up to Pasadena together to have dinner with their two friends.
“This is the neatest part…” Justin pulled open the screen door and stepped out onto the patio. “Look at this view.”
They all crowded outside to admire the city lights view the townhouse boasted.
“Yeah, this is what sold us on the place really,” Anthony said. “I didn’t want to settle for looking at someone else’s bedroom window.”
“Well, depends on who’s in the bedroom,” Jerry suggested, then yelped as Emily punched him on the arm.
“Let’s have our drinks out here.” Justin pulled out a se
at for Emily. “I’ll get us a couple of folding chairs. Give me a hand Jeff?”
“Sure…” Jeff followed his host back into the living room.
“We’ve got some in the garage,” Justin told him, looking over his shoulder to make sure they were alone. “Actually, I wanted to tell you something too.”
“What’s up?” Jeff asked.
“Anthony got a letter from his mother this morning, and it really upset him.” Justin’s eyes clouded as he spoke. “I thought we were gonna have to cancel this evening, but he insisted he was all right and wanted you guys over here.”
“Is this the first time he’s heard from her since you and he moved in together?”
“Yeah…and Jeff, this letter was really bad—almost threatening.”
“In what way?”
- 85 -
J.P. Bowie
86
“Well, telling him that he’s going to hell for being gay for starters…but it’s the last part that really got me…”
“Go on.”
“She says if he doesn’t repent and see the error of his ways she may just have to take matters into her own hands—or into the hands of others. It sounds so damned creepy and unloving.”
Something stirred in Jeff ’s gut. “I know this is going to sound really pushy, but d’you think I could read the letter?”
“Gee, Jeff, I don’t know.” Justin hesitated. “…I already feel I’m betraying a confidence, but I’m so worried about him, you know? I just had to tell someone about this, and Emily has enough on her plate with the kids and all…I think he’d freak if he knew I’d told you…”
“I understand,” Jeff said. “Forget I asked.”
“No, I know you’re trying to help.” Justin smiled at him. “And Anthony trusts you, so maybe if I ask him first…”
“Good idea—but let’s skip it tonight. When you two are alone, you might find a way to bring it up.”
Peter looked at them as they brought the folding chairs out onto the patio.
Jeff caught his eye and Peter nodded. His intuition had told him that something was up, but he was content to wait until he and Jeff were alone before asking any questions. He had felt a strange reticence about Anthony this evening—something was troubling him, he could tell.
“So, what did we all think of Olivia’s show?” Jerry asked.
Peter cocked an eyebrow at him. “What did you think, Jerry?”
“I thought all of you were terrific…but then, I am totally biased.”
“As well you should be,” Emily joked.
“Right.” Jerry grinned at them. “But honestly, I thought it might have done a lot of good. You know, make some people who have suffered that same kind of abuse, realize that there can be a chance of leading a normal and happy life at the end of it all.”
“If they’re lucky enough to meet someone as loving and caring as you,”
Emily said, smiling at her husband.
Anthony stood up suddenly. “Can I freshen anyone’s drink?”
“Just mine, by the looks of it,” Peter said. “Here, I’ll come in with you.” He followed Anthony into the living room. “I’ll have some extra ice if you don’t mind, kind sir.”
Anthony gave him a weak smile. “No problem.”
J.P. Bowie
87
“What’s up, Doc?” Peter asked him. “Go on, you can tell me,” he coaxed, seeing his friend’s hesitation.
“Oh God, Peter…” Anthony said, his eyes filling with tears. “My mother…she sent me a letter. It was horrible. Filled with recriminations about my relationship with Justin…and how I’m going to hell, if I don’t…” He broke off, unable to continue.
Peter stared at him in shock. That miserable bitch, he thought. How could she do this to him? To the one person who had always defended her even when she had turned her back on him? He put a comforting arm around Anthony’s shoulders.
“I’m so sorry,’ he whispered. “Does Justin know?”
Anthony nodded. “He’s been wonderful, of course. So loving—I don’t know what I’d do without him. I just can’t believe she could be so cold, Peter. Like there’s no love there at all for me. She cut Emily and Paula off a long time ago, and I could never understand why she couldn’t see what all this was really about. She blames all of us for her unhappiness, saying we betrayed her and that God’s wrath will be terrible. She uses words like that…and then she ended by saying if the Lord did not strike us all down, she might have to take matters into her own hands!”
“What?” Peter looked at him in amazement. “She can’t be serious…”
“That’s what I told Justin, but he thinks she means every word.”
“Oh, Anthony. We should let Jeff know about this…”
“Know about what?”
Both men turned round, startled by the voice behind them.
“Jeez Jeff,” Peter protested. “You made me jump out of my skin.”
“Sorry. I just came in for more ice. Am I interrupting something?”
Peter nodded at Anthony, allowing him to speak. “I was telling Peter about a letter my mother sent me today…”
Jeff remained silent.
“She said some pretty damning things that I’ve had a hard time accepting.”
He paused for a moment. “I probably shouldn’t spoil the evening with this, but perhaps you should see what I’m talking about.” He walked off toward the bedroom.
Jeff sighed. “How do you do it?” he muttered.
“Do what?” Peter looked at him, all innocence.
“You know what.” They fell silent as Anthony came back into the room and handed the letter to Jeff. “You’re sure you want me to read this?” Jeff asked him.
Anthony nodded. Jeff unfolded the letter and began to read.
J.P. Bowie
88
My dearest Anthony,
Yes, I still think of you as my dearest, dearest child—your sisters being forgotten to me. Having said that, I must warn you that your appearance on that dreadful woman’s show has left me desolate and bereft.
All thoughts of saving you from your life of sin can no longer be entertained.
Your soul is in danger—your very life is in danger, for the Lord will not be mocked.
He has decreed that those men who lay down with other men must surely be put to death. Oh my son, why have you chosen this path of sin and degradation? Associating yourself with the wicked will be your undoing. Entering the homes of those who would seduce and pervert you with their licentiousness will bring you to the judgment call. Willingly giving into the carnal desires of the man you live with can only lead you to hell’s damnation.
I wish I could save you, but I am afraid that you have moved beyond the realm of forgiveness. You have given our Lord no option but to punish you and your kind. I would give anything to spare you pain, but if the Lord so decrees, it must be.
The Winters woman says we who complain about her show’s content are part of the lunatic fringe—her words. She should be aware that if the Lord does not punish those who defy his laws, then matters must be taken into the hands of his believers.
With regret, your Mother.
Jeff felt his hand tremble slightly as he read those last words. There was no longer any doubt in his mind. What had been a seed of suspicion while he had talked with Justin, now become a full-blown realization—Patricia Hastings was the one who had sent Olivia the threatening letters.
“Jeff?” Peter was looking at him, a giant question in his dark blue eyes.
“Oh, sorry,” Jeff muttered. He started to hand the letter back to Anthony.
“Let Peter read it too,” Anthony said. “I’m going to have to tell Emily about this, I guess.” He looked out toward the patio where his sister was still listening to Jerry and Justin discussing the merits of the Olivia Winters Show. “My greatest hope in doing that show was that perhaps my mother would understand what we had all been through and, somehow, come to realize that we still lov
e her despite everything—and, if she could see that, we could still be a real family.”
J.P. Bowie
89
Jeff hugged Anthony to him. He felt an incredible compassion toward his friend. He could totally relate to how Anthony felt. He had known the heartbreak of an uncaring parent—his father, and it had only been recently that he and his mother had come to a better understanding of each other.
Thanks, in so small part to Peter.
After they had both visited Jeff ’s mother in Arizona, Peter had felt that Rose needed to see Jeff in his own environment, so removed from the one in which he had been raised. Peter had guessed rightly, that Jeff ’s mother had been allowed very little say in her son’s upbringing, and that his father had ruled the roost, having little time for either his wife or his son. Instead of bringing mother and son closer together, the situation had driven a wedge between them. Jeff, on the one hand had been afraid to put his mother in the middle of his and his father’s feud, for fear that the man might take it out on his wife.
She, on the other hand, had been afraid to show too much affection for her son in order to avoid more confrontations between the three of them. It had been many years before it had all been resolved—when Rose had come to stay with them for two weeks in Laguna…