“First of all, you know full well why I’m calling. But to answer your other question, I sent it so you would know I’m not joking around with you. I told you I’m not playing, and I needed to make sure you understood that.”
JT wanted to curse her into oblivion but said, “Well, let that be your last time contacting her.”
“Well, actually, that’ll depend on you and whether you have my money. So, do you?”
“Yeah, I have it,” he said reluctantly.
“Good boy. So, now all I need you to do is go get a cashier’s check the same as you did last time, but instead of making it out to me, just make it out to Jessica Valentine.”
“Excuse me?” JT said, frowning.
“You heard me. Jessica Valentine.”
“And who on earth is that, Barb?”
“Well, according to the photo on my State of Illinois driver’s license, it’s me.”
JT laughed but wasn’t amused in the least. “So, first you tell my wife your name is Donna, and now you’re supposed to be someone named Jessica? And on top of that, you now have my last name?”
“Is that a problem for you?”
“Actually, it is.”
“Well, it’s too bad, because my change of identity is a done deal.”
“So, I guess Valentine was the only name you could come up with?”
“No, but if for some reason the bank decides to question me about my deposit, it’ll certainly make things a whole lot easier. I’ll simply explain that every penny came from a very generous family member, and then I’ll give them your number, so you can verify it.”
“Whatever,” JT said, losing all patience with her. “So, where is it you want to meet?”
“The same place as last time.”
JT hadn’t gone to that particular park in years, partly because it was pretty far out and was very secluded, but mostly because he hadn’t wanted to be reminded of Barb and the way she had blackmailed him. He hadn’t wanted to think about the history he had with her or anything relating to it. “What time?”
“Ten A.M. See you then,” she said, and hung up.
JT slammed his fist against his desktop and couldn’t wait for tomorrow to be over. Although, the more he sat thinking, the more he realized he had much bigger problems than ruthless, no-good Barb. He allegedly had a baby on the way and no idea what to do about it.
Chapter 33
As traffic slowed and merged into one lane, JT decelerated his vehicle. For over an hour now, he’d driven in a constant stop-and-go manner and was glad he’d left the house early enough, so he wouldn’t be late. Construction on I-294 South seemed to stretch for a couple of miles, but thankfully, he was only a few feet from his exit. Of course, it wasn’t like he was in a hurry to see dirty Barb, but at the same time, he knew it wasn’t smart to keep her waiting—not when she had all the goods on him and could ruin everything in a matter of minutes.
JT drove down the ramp, took a left at the first light he came to, and headed down a two-way road. Not ever did he think he’d be in such a defenseless state, but if he could help it, from now on he would be a lot more careful in terms of whom he dealt with. He would certainly never deal with lowlifes such as Barb or with any other common criminals, because he was finally above all of that. JT was a successful and very reputable pastor with a massive amount of potential, and he could no longer consort with anyone who wasn’t on the same level.
JT drove another five miles or so and then turned into the park entrance. For the most part, it still looked the same, and just being there brought back a lot of memories. When he was a teenager, he’d sneak off in his aunt’s car, pick up one of his many girlfriends, and bring her out there to have sex. Sometimes they would climb into the backseat and sometimes he would bring a couple of blankets, so they could spread them out in this little hidden section he’d discovered after going there a few times. He would take a different girl with him every single week and most of them practically begged for the opportunity. Interestingly enough, not much had changed today and the only difference was that instead of having his pick of girls, he had a wide range of women to choose from.
After cruising around a number of curves, JT saw a lone black Cadillac parked in an isolated area and pulled over next to it. Barb immediately rolled down her window, but JT was more interested in the man in sunglasses who was sitting next to her. At first, he had no idea who it could be…until this mystery person opened the passenger door and got out…and he saw that it was Minister Weaver.
“Wow,” he said, walking directly over to JT’s vehicle. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”
JT didn’t say a word. He was too shaken to even try.
Minister Weaver walked closer. “It just goes to show, though, doesn’t it? You simply can’t trust anybody.”
JT finally snapped out of his trance. “What is this all about, Weaver?”
“The pay raise I told you I deserved. You know, the one you basically blew me off about.”
This was all too much for JT. He couldn’t fathom any of what was happening, but mostly he couldn’t believe someone like Weaver would even associate with the likes of Barb. He wondered how Weaver even knew her, but before he could ask, Weaver said, “I’m sure you’re wondering, too, how I know your good ole buddy Barb. Am I right? Well, imagine my surprise when my long-lost sister—yes, believe it or not, Barb is my biological sister. But imagine my surprise when she contacted me last month, told me how she’d been one of six high-priced call girls you had pimped all while being pastor of NLCC, that you did it until you married Michelle, and also how right after your wedding, you manipulated our baby sister, got her pregnant, and then forced her to have an abortion. You forced our nineteen-year-old sister to kill her baby, and then you just dumped her.”
JT was still at a loss for words. He knew he couldn’t deny any of what Weaver was saying, so he just listened.
“You see, I always knew you were capable of criminal activity, but not once did I ever think my own sister would be the one to expose you.”
JT finally spoke. “Weaver, man, that’s all in the past, and I’m a totally different man now.”
Weaver laughed out loud. “No, you’re exactly the same, JT, only sneakier. You’re the same low-down minister you’ve always been, but most people just can’t see it. Although, I will admit, I was pretty low-down myself for cutting off my sisters the way I did. I separated myself from them years ago because they didn’t lead the most respectable lives, but now I’m going to do whatever I can to make up for the way I’ve treated them. And you’re going to help me.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?”
Weaver looked over inside JT’s vehicle. “First, you’re going to hand over that fifty thousand dollars you brought today, so I can give it to my baby sister. You know…for all the pain she had to endure. But next week, I’ll be expecting another fifty for Barb and also fifty for myself, and then maybe I’ll consider us even.”
JT stared at him, trying to see if he was joking, but Weaver never cracked a smile.
So JT finally said, “And where is it exactly you expect me to get a hundred thousand dollars?”
Weaver’s face turned cheerful. “From the same place you got the fifty, I guess. Now, pass it over,” he said, reaching his hand out.
At first, JT hesitated, but he knew there was no way out of this and did what he was told.
Weaver took the envelope and took a quick look at the bank draft. “And just to make things easy, you can have the other check made out to Jessica Valentine the same as you did for this one.”
JT looked at him. “Weaver, I know we didn’t always see eye to eye on everything, but I trusted you. I believed in you, and I honestly thought you were a true man of God.”
“I am. Just as true as you are.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Call it what you want, but you just make sure you get the rest of our money. All of it. And we’ll be in touch next week regarding a day
and time to meet.”
Weaver turned and went back around to the passenger side of the Cadillac and got in. He looked at JT through the driver’s-side window. “Oh, and by the way, Pastor, I’ll see you on Sunday,” he said, readjusting his sunglasses and then looking straight ahead. Barb grinned and winked at JT. Then she sped off.
She and her brother left with not a care in the world about what they’d just done, and JT knew he had no choice but to give them every dime they were asking for. Initially, he’d wondered how he would get another large sum of money, but then it came to him. The ad agency would get everything scheduled, he would go ahead and pay them up front, he would charm Diana and convince her that the campaign was much more than a hundred and fifty thousand dollars and then tell her he needed more money. She might question him, but what he would do is have the agency draw up a proposal that totaled two hundred fifty thousand dollars, the one he would show Diana, but then once she gave him the additional funding, he’d tell the ad agency he’d changed his mind and now only wanted to spend a hundred as planned. That way, he could pay for the media spots, cover the fifty thousand he’d just given Weaver for his youngest sister, and then pay the remaining one hundred thousand to Weaver for himself and Barb. He hated deceiving Diana this way, but with the kind of money she and her husband had, two hundred fifty thousand dollars was mere chump change to both of them. They probably wouldn’t miss it one bit, and just knowing that made him feel a lot better about what he was doing.
So, really, this wasn’t as bad as he’d been thinking, and now all he had to do was fix this whole baby issue Carmen was burdening him with. He wasn’t sure how he would get her to see that she just couldn’t keep it, but he would. Somehow, some way, he would get her to do the right thing. He would pressure her to do what was best for him, the same as always.
Chapter 34
Rita had been gone for two days now, and yesterday, Alicia had gone with Carmen to meet with the funeral home representative. Thankfully, Rita had owned more than enough life insurance and had already purchased her burial site, so the only thing left for them to do was order flowers and buy her a new suit. Carmen had mentioned how her mom had a number of very stylish outfits but that she still wanted to buy her this one last thing. She wanted to do something very special for the woman who had loved and supported her to the fullest from day one.
Now, though, they were having lunch at a charming little eatery not far from downtown, which was only partially full.
Carmen ate one of her waffle fries. “You know, I just can’t believe my mom is really gone and that her service is only three days away.”
“Neither can I.”
“She was such a wonderful person. Always had a kind word to say to everyone and always treated people with the utmost respect.”
Alicia nodded in agreement. “She really was a very caring lady, and I don’t ever remember her being any different. Not even when we were children.”
“She’s always been the same. Even when my idiot father left her for some woman he worked with, she never acted as though she hated him. She would speak to him, and it was as if she had nothing against him.”
Alicia sipped some raspberry lemonade. “Some people try to see the good in everyone, no matter how much they may have hurt them, and I admire that.”
“She was definitely one of the most forgiving women I ever met,” Carmen said, leaning back in her chair. “Because I could never forgive my husband for messing around on me. That is, if I had one.”
Alicia thought about JT but didn’t comment.
“Although, I guess it’s easy to say what you would or wouldn’t do if you’ve never been in a certain situation.”
“This is true.”
Carmen scanned the restaurant, saw what appeared to be a mother and her adult daughter laughing about something, and then looked back at Alicia. Seconds later, tears streamed down her face.
Alicia reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “I’m so sorry, Carmen. I’m so sorry that this has happened to you.”
Carmen sniffled and then pulled a tissue from her purse. “It’s just that it hurts so badly.”
Alicia remembered how devastated Phillip had been when he’d lost his father, and it made her think about her own parents. She tried imagining how she would feel if she ever lost either of them, but the pain became so real in her mind, she was glad Carmen changed the conversation.
“But regardless of what’s going on, I have to be strong for me and my baby.”
“That’s right,” Alicia said.
“Mom would have been so excited for me.”
Alicia wondered how, when Carmen didn’t even have a husband, but pretended to agree. “I’m sure she would have.”
“She would have been just as thrilled as I am, and, girl, just as soon as the baby’s father and I are married, I’ll be as happy as you are right now.”
“So, have you told him yet?”
“Yes, but now he has to get a divorce.”
Alicia had already suspected this the day Carmen had first told her but tried sounding surprised. “He’s married?”
“Yes, but not for long.”
“So, has he already filed?”
“No, but it’s only a matter of time before he gets rid of that uppity little whore once and for all.”
“Have you met her?”
“Yeah, I’ve been around her on a number of occasions, and it’s pretty obvious why he prefers being with me over her.”
Alicia listened but wasn’t sure what to say.
“Anyway, she’s practically history,” Carmen continued. “And there isn’t a thing she can do about it.”
Alicia looked away but suddenly thought about that Donna woman again and how she had to have some sort of connection to JT. He’d denied it to no end, but Alicia wasn’t as naïve as he may have thought and knew what men were capable of.
“Alicia?” she heard Carmen say, and then returned to reality.
“Yes?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Why do you ask?”
“Because I called your name three different times.”
“Oh, girl, I’m sorry. I guess I was in another world.”
“Why? Is everything okay?”
Alicia hesitated, but for some reason, she needed to confide her problems to someone. Melanie was her best friend, but she just couldn’t tell her about all these accusations against JT. She couldn’t tell her or any of her family members, but again, she felt compelled to tell someone. Not just anyone, of course, but someone like Carmen, whom she could trust. So she divulged everything that had been going on. She told her about the women at the luncheon and all the horrible things one of them had said about JT and also what the nice one had confirmed about his past reputation with women. Then she told her about that Donna person and how she’d even claimed that JT planned his wife’s death.
Carmen widened her eyes. “Do you think any of that is true?”
“At first, I didn’t, but now I’ve heard so much, I don’t know what to think.”
“Well, what does he say?”
“That it’s not true, and that he would never do anything like that.”
“Then why would anyone make such terrible claims?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand any of this, and on top of that, my dad never wanted me to marry him in the first place.”
“What? Your dad doesn’t like him?”
“No.”
“Girl, that’s pretty deep.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know that either, but I do know that I’m not going to just ignore all of this or act as though it couldn’t be possible.”
“I don’t blame you. I mean, I really like JT and all, but unfortunately, men are going to be men. They are who they are, and you never know what they might be up to.”
Alicia thought about the man Carmen was messing around with, wh
omever he was, and how he was proof of that very thing. She also thought about how wrong Carmen was for being involved with him.
“You’re right,” Alicia finally said.
“Sadly, I am, and that’s why I can’t sit back and sugarcoat my opinion. I don’t want to be negative or say anything bad about JT, but I also don’t want to see you getting cheated on or staying with a man who might be dangerous.”
Alicia heard what she was saying and was glad she had someone to talk to about this. “I appreciate your honesty, girl, and thank you so much for listening. Especially since you have your own worries right now.”
“I do, but you can talk to me about anything, anytime.”
“I know, but still.”
“But still nothing. You and I are friends for life, and you can count on me no matter what. You can depend on me the same as if I were your blood sister.”
Alicia smiled at Carmen and knew she meant every single word.
Chapter 35
The funeral had taken place yesterday, and Alicia, JT, and both sets of her parents had attended. They’d met over at Carmen’s apartment, along with some of her family members and fellow parishioners, and had driven to the church in the processional. Strangely enough, Carmen hadn’t shed many tears and had stood at the podium and spoken at great length about her mom. The entire service had been beautiful and hadn’t lasted more than an hour and fifteen minutes, but Alicia was glad this phase of the mourning process was behind Carmen. She knew Carmen would never get over losing her mother, but Alicia prayed that God would give her all the strength and understanding she needed to go on with her life and live it to the absolute fullest.
Of course, though, this would take time, and it was the reason Alicia had asked Carmen to come stay with her and JT again, at least for a couple of days. But Carmen had insisted she wanted and needed to be alone. Alicia had practically pleaded with her to reconsider, but Carmen had said she just wanted to spend some time quietly reflecting on all the wonderful memories she and her mother had shared.
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