“Wow…I see what you mean about him. He just doesn’t seem to want to go away but we’ve solved that.”
“What do you mean?” Greg asked.
“Agent Harding, the tall bald guy you met? We go way back; we were in academy together and he pulled some strings for me.”
“Okay…” Greg said still baffled.
“He spoke to the warden at the prison housing Leon and he’s having him transferred to California.”
“What? Are you for real?” Greg asked with his eyes stretched wide.
“I am. He’ll be out of your hair for good next week. Whatever he does, he’ll have to do it from three thousand miles away.”
Greg was speechless. Thank you Father God. “Wow, thank you, man.”
“Anything for you, my brother; do you want something to drink?”
“No, thank you; I’m fine,” Greg said unable to express how grateful he was that Leon would no longer be in the same state, continuing to wreak havoc in their lives.
“Maria!” Ben called out. “Please bring me something to drink, baby.” He looked over at Greg, “Are you sure you don’t want anything?”
“I’m good man,” Greg said.
Ben leaned forward in a whisper. “I tell you that Maria will do anything for me right now so I’m going to ride this thing out as long as I can so if you want something...”
Greg laughed. “So what did the agents find out?”
Ben shifted in his seat and frowned as he struggled to reposition himself comfortably. “Good news. They’ve unofficially yet officially reopened Tim’s case on the low. They’ve got James on their radar. Just be prepared for what comes next.”
Greg never thought he’d see the day. God was shifting things. Leon was being transferred and James was the subject of an investigation. “I am more than prepared,” Greg said.
Chapter 104
Riding in James’ BMW, Cai felt like a kid at Disney World. Maybe she should have known when he input a code to open the gate to his home how immaculate it would be, but nothing prepared her for the stone driveway shaped like a half moon and surrounded by thick carpet-like grass and sculpted bushes.
James opened the large heavy wooden doors to his home and Cai walked in. Her mouth immediately dropped in awe. Shiny marble floors and a dual staircase almost took her breath away. Other than in fancy office buildings, she had never seen such tall ceilings with sparkling chandeliers hanging from them. He didn’t live in a house; he lived in a mansion. Standing in the middle of the grand entrance way, Cai didn’t know which way to turn. It was an overload for her senses.
“I cannot believe that you live here,” Cai said, turning around to James who was leaning on the wall behind her.
“This is it,” James said proudly.
“Wow,” she said looking around. “How many bedrooms does it have?”
James walked toward her. “Eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms.”
Cai laughed. “Don’t you need housekeepers for this?”
“Yes. We have housekeepers but since Vicki is out of town, I’m giving them a break.”
“How generous,” Cai said smiling. “Why do two people need this much house?” she asked, putting her hand on the elaborate staircase railing.
“I like to exercise so I need my gym, the tennis courts for tennis and my pools for a stress reliever,” James laughed.
“That’s like me saying that I like movies so I have to have an indoor theater in my home.”
James shrugged his shoulders. “We call it our theater room.”
“Again, why do two people with no children need all of this space?” she asked walking around and peering in open doors.
“You wouldn’t want it?” James asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Cai replied.
“What would you do if you had this?” James asked.
Cai began walking the staircase. “I’d let Delilah have her own wing.”
“I agree,” James said.
“And I’d make sure that DJ had his own room, and another for his playroom with all of his toys and a slide and everything.”
James nodded. “It sounds feasible. What do you want?”
“I’d want huge rooms that were my closets for my clothes and things. I’d also like my own vanity room just for me to get ready for parties and where my makeup artist and hair stylist would make me over,” she smiled.
“I can do that,” James said.
Cai stared at him as she took another few steps holding onto the staircase railing. “You say that you can do these things but how would you do them? You’re married!”
“In just a little while, I’ll be free to do whatever I want with this.” He walked up to her and put his arms around her. “I’m going to make you Mrs. James Mason if you’ll have me,” he said.
Cai smiled. “Of course, I’ll have you.” James walked up the staircase toward her, placing his lips firmly on hers. “It’s just the two of us here in this big ol’ house and no one else?” Cai asked.
“No one else,” James said.
“So, if I want to take off all of my clothes and run around nude, I could?”
“Yes, you could,” James said between kisses on her lips. “Actually, I encourage that.”
Cai took off running up the long stairs until she got to the top. She looked around, running into different rooms until she found the master bedroom. It was unmistakably the master. It was like walking into a small house with a huge bed, a matching sofa, chaise set and a fireplace. Cai removed her shoes and walked barefoot onto the plush white carpeting. She looked back and James was standing at the door staring at her.
“This is you and Victoria’s room?”
“It’s her room,” James said.
“It’s like a room for a queen,” Cai said looking around in amazement. “Where’s her closet?”
James pointed to Cai’s left. She immediately turned around, walked to the double doors and opened them. Her lips slowly parted, standing before the walls of shoes and clothes and the tables of accessories.
“Are you serious? How can anyone have all of this?” Cai walked in, pulled out bracelets, necklaces and scarves and adorned herself like a mad woman. She took down dresses from their hangers and put them up to her body, admiring herself in the huge mirrors all around her.
Victoria had so many beautiful gowns that Cai was like a kid in a candy store. A gold shimmery gown with a plastic covering caught her eye. She immediately took it down and stepped into it. She and Victoria had to be about the same height because it fit like a glove. She stared at herself in the mirror.
“Who looks better in this, me or her?” she asked, admiring herself.
“Of course, you do,” James said.
She turned around and smiled at him. She walked over to the wall of shoes and took down a pair of Christian Dior stilettos and put them on her feet. She stood up and walked in them. “Oh, this must be what heaven is,” she said, kneeling on the soft carpeted floor in the gown. “If I had all of this, I could die a satisfied woman.”
James laughed watching her wallow around on the carpet in Victoria’s grandiose garb. She sat up and pointed to him with her index finger to join her. He gladly knelt on the carpet, grabbing her and rolling around. Cai heard a pop. She stopped suddenly, feeling for the Cameo necklace around her neck. The broken chain slithered from her neck into her hands.
She sighed, staring at the broken chain. “I’ve never even taken it off.”
James took it from her hand and placed it on the carpet beside them. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it fixed and it’ll be as good as new.”
Cai looked over it regretfully. It was the only thing she’d ever received from her grandmother. “It’s so important to me.”
“I know, now can we finish what we started?” he asked pushing Victoria’s dress up Cai’s thighs.
Chapter 105
Ms. Tingly recognized the man as the pastor’s father-in-law when he walked through the door. She sat up straight
, pulled at her shirt and patted the back of her hair with her hand. He was quite a handsome gentlemen.
“Good afternoon, can you tell Pastor Greg that his father-in-law is here to see him?”
Ms. Tingly smiled. “Yes,” she said, dialing Pastor’s Greg’s office. “Your father-in- law is here.”
“Tell him that I’ll be right out, thank you,” Pastor Greg said. The secretary looked up at the man. “He’s on his way out.”
“Thank you,” Jeremiah said, walking to a chair to sit down.
“Are you two headed out?” Ms. Tingly asked stopping him from sitting.
Jeremiah turned around. “Yes, to lunch,” he smiled.
Ms. Tingly leaned forward. “Good, he seemed a little down today so maybe lunch will make him feel better,” she said, knowing full well why the pastor seemed a little down today. It was going around the church how some woman claimed to be married to their former pastor wrote a book about the First Lady. So much drama.
“Have you enjoyed your stay so far?” Ms. Tingly asked.
“I have. I love your city,” Jeremiah answered.
Pastor Greg walked out. “Hey pops,” Greg gave Jeremiah a hug then looked at Ms. Tingly. “We’re headed to lunch, Ms. Tingly, can I bring you something back?”
“Yes, a large chef salad,” Ms. Tingly said, opening the drawer to remove her purse.
Greg smiled. “I got it, Ms. Tingly. We’ll be back shortly.”
Ms. Tingly smiled, watching the two handsome men walk off. Evan’s father was a real looker.
“God’s given us a gorgeous day today, Greg,” Jeremiah said, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.
Greg smiled. He couldn’t remember a day that his father-in-law didn’t think was a gorgeous day; even when it rained. Greg took his keys from his pocket and headed in the direction of his truck.
“I’ve got the rental car today son, let’s take a ride in the Ford Fiesta,” Jeremiah said.
Greg looked over at the small cramped car; it was hard imagining being on the passenger side of a car with such little space. Jeremiah used the key remote and unlocked the door. “It might not look like a man’s car son but this baby rides good and it's even better on gas,” Jeremiah smiled, opening the driver side door. “I’m thinking about purchasing one. It might save us some money.”
“Oh yeah?” Greg asked, reaching for the door handle and remembering that he needed to get his wallet from his truck console. Evan had told him so many times not to leave his wallet in his truck just in case someone broke in. But nobody wanted that old truck; it was only valuable to him. “Give me just a minute Dad, I’ve got to grab my wallet from my truck,” Greg said, turning around to walk across the parking lot.
“Go ahead, I’ll drive up and get you,” Jeremiah said, starting the little Fiesta’s engine.
Greg wanted to laugh, running across the parking lot to his truck; Evan’s dad seemed quite content with that little car. In some kind of way, being with that man always lightened his mood.
There was no fancy remote to open the door of his old truck. As a matter of fact, he needed to spray some WD40 on the inside latch because he had to lift up and pull the heavy door in order to open the passenger side. After doing so, he bent down to open the console and retrieved his wallet. He heard the Fiesta car engine pull up so he quickly closed the console and stood up.
The loud continuing sound of a car horn caught his attention, causing him to turn around. As soon as he did, a swift jab to his side knocked him to his knees and a bag was thrown over his head and secured around his neck with tape directly from a roll from what Greg could hear.
A kick sent him to the ground causing him to fall onto his stomach as his hands and feet were yanked behind his back and duct taped. He was quickly picked up by several hands and thrown onto a cramped hard surface. His heart pounded against his chest. He knew he was in a trunk. He heard the trunk close then the car jerked, speeding off with the sound of screeching tires.
Chapter 106
No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper. Greg prayed over and over again. God, where are you? Greg could see a bit of light through the bag from the red brake covering as he lay in the trunk of the car. Thank God that he was able to breathe freely. With every breath, he breathed the fabric in close to his nostrils then back out away from them. His heart palpitated rapidly. It had all happened so quickly. He didn’t even have a chance to respond. He tried to figure out how he was going to escape with his hands and feet taped behind him in the cramped space.
Greg began breathing heavily as he thought of Evan and Gracie and the possibility of never seeing them again. Would he ever see them again or would Evan have to identify his body? Where was Jeremiah? Father God, where are you?
He cried out, consumed with helplessness. He could feel his heart beat in the canal of his ear. It was so loud yet everything was so quiet. He screamed at the top of his lungs, taking in as much oxygen as his lungs would allow while kicking the trunk with all of the power in his legs. He was trapped. Help me! Greg cried. Dear God, I want to see my wife and my daughter again. Tears wet the fabric bag around his head as he sucked in air, bringing the bag to his face with every breath.
Greg squeezed his eyes tight and began praying again. Scripture swiftly came to his mind. I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Keep citing scripture; he heard the command. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. As scripture flooded Greg’s mind, overwhelming peace surrounded him. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in Him I will trust, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my Savior, You save me from violence.
He prayed for those that had done this to him. He prayed for their souls that God would open their eyes and be merciful to them. He prayed for Evan and Gracie, God keep them, protect them and let them know how much I love them. Greg took a deep breath and relaxed. I trust you Lord, I believe you Lord.
Chapter 107
With Victoria’s luggage beneath his arm, James opened the front door of their home, allowing her to walk in before him. She was overjoyed to be back home again. Her flight was long and she was suffering from a bad case of jet lag.
“You must have either had the staff here all week or you haven't been home. It’s spotless,” Victoria said, closing the door.
“Whew,” James said, placing Victoria's luggage on the floor. “Baby, we’ve had two shootings and an armed robbery this week in addition to these state folks breathing down my neck so I was only home to shower and sleep.”
She stood in the middle of the entryway, praying that he was telling the truth. He walked up to her and kissed her. “You look tired.”
“I feel tired.” She picked up the mail from foyer table. She scanned through the pieces, throwing it all back on the table; nothing was imperative. She didn’t care about the mail; she was looking for any sign that another woman had been in her home while she was away.
“I’ve got some stuff going on that’ll have me tied up awhile. I’m waiting on a call from the station so I’ll have to leave in a little bit.”
“You’re leaving?” Victoria asked, about to walk up the staircase. “I just got home; I thought you were staying with me.”
“No baby, I can’t stay. I left the station to pick you up from the airport. I’ve got…I mean the department has something big going on and I have to be there,” James explained.
Disappointed, Victoria crossed her arms. “What’s going on?”
“We’re about to do a major bust.”
Victoria stared at him. “Okay,” she said, still looking around her house.
“What’s the matter?” James asked watching her.
Victoria lifted her shoulders, taking in a lot of air, then breathed out. “Did you see her while I was gone?
” she asked.
“No.” James put his hands in his pockets. “Are you going to continue to bring this up because if you are…”
“I’m sorry. I’m paranoid James. You asked me what was wrong and I told you. I just want to know that I can trust you again,” Victoria said, finding herself emotional. She didn’t want to come home like this, to this. While she was away, she promised herself not to dwell on what he’d done and to start fresh. But being back home, she realized that it just wasn’t that easy.
James took a step toward her. “I don’t care anything about that girl and I told you that,” he said taking her hands in his and bringing them up to his lips. “We’re starting over. I need you to believe me. I haven’t seen that girl since that night at the hotel; I promise you.”
She stood looking at him for a moment and then nodded. “Okay, I’m going to go upstairs to take a shower.”
“I’ll bring your bags up,” James said. Victoria walked up the staircase, filled with anxiety over what she might see in any of their rooms. Once upstairs, she looked into each of the guest rooms on her way to their bedroom. Everything appeared as she left it.
She opened the door to their bedroom, realizing that nothing had been disturbed. The peach and white comforter and duvet on her bed that was always made meticulously tight without wrinkles was as perfect as she’d left it without anyone having even sat on it. Relieved, her mouth turned up in a slight smile as she placed her purse on her dresser and began removing her pink Nikes from her feet.
James walked through the door with her bags. “Here you go baby.”
She looked back at him. “Thank you.”
James stood watching her as she pulled the light pink sweatshirt above her head, tossing it on the chaise. She was standing before him in just her black lace bra, feeling strange since she couldn’t remember the last time he took the time to look at her and now she had his full attention.
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