The Prodigal Son (A Reverend Curtis Black Novel)

by Kimberla Lawson Roby

  “Dumb broad,” Dillon said, flipping the TV channel. “That’s why I slept with your best friend. I got with her every chance I could. Although, maybe she really wasn’t your friend after all.”

  Melissa turned and looked at him in horror. “What are you talking about?”

  “How many best friends did you have in Atlanta? Venus, that’s who.”

  “Venus would never do something like that.”

  “She would and she did.”

  “Why are you telling me this now? Why are you being so cruel?”

  “Because I feel like it, and because you didn’t get me what I needed from that investigator. Now get outta here, Melissa.”

  Tears poured down her cheeks, but soon she left the room. When she did, Dillon pulled out his phone and called Racquel.

  Chapter 40

  Matt pulled into the parking lot of the bank. It was his first day back, and although he’d rather be back in school or working somewhere different, he was sort of glad to be there. He loved spending time with and taking care of MJ, but he also didn’t like sitting around the house and not being responsible.

  As he turned off his vehicle, Nicole got out of her car and walked toward him. Because of their conversation the other day, he couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy, but he rolled down the window to speak to her.

  “How’s it goin’?” he said.

  “Good. Can I talk to you?”

  “Yeah, but we only have about fifteen minutes.”

  “This won’t take long,” she said, already making her way around the car and getting in.

  “It’s really good to have you back, Matt.”

  “It’s good to be back.”

  “So, did you think about what I said?”

  Matthew didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so all he said was, “I’m really going through a lot right now.”

  “I understand, but I can help you with that. I can be here for you.”

  Matthew didn’t have the heart to tell her that even if he weren’t in love with someone else, he still wouldn’t be attracted to her in that way.

  “You are still filing for a divorce, aren’t you?”

  “I am, but I’m not looking forward to it.”

  Nicole rubbed her hand against the side of his face, but as soon as she did, Racquel slammed her hand against his window.

  Nicole jerked her hand away from him. “Oh my God, is that your wife?”

  Matthew never bothered answering, but he opened his car door and got out.

  Racquel squinted her eyes in anger. “So, is this the reason you keep blowin’ me off? Is this the tramp you’re sleeping with?”

  “Racquel, why are you even here?”

  “Because you’re my husband, and I have a right to be.”

  “You need to leave before security comes out and calls the police.”

  Racquel took a step back, glaring at him. “Do I look like I’m afraid of the police? And anyway, as soon as I explain how you were sitting in your car, drooling over some whore, I doubt they’ll be arresting anybody. Especially once they find out I’m your wife.”

  Matthew sighed loudly. “I’m going inside.”

  Nicole finally found the courage to get out, but as she hurried away she looked back at Racquel.

  “What’re you looking at? And if I catch you with my husband again, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Either that or you’ll be dead.”

  Nicole walked faster, and Matthew locked his car door.

  “I know you’re sleeping with her, Matt.”

  “Nope.”

  “Yep,” she said, mocking him. “You think I’m stupid.”

  “You must not’ve taken your medication this morning.”

  “What? Who told you I was taking anything?”

  “Just forget it,” he said, walking past her.

  “You dirty snake. You’ve been sleeping with that whore all along, but that’s okay, Matt. Every dog has his day. Just watch.”

  Chapter 41

  Dillon strutted across the street, got into his SUV, and started it up. He’d just left the courthouse, and the application for his name change was complete. He wasn’t planning to ever be a part of his father’s life anymore, but he was certainly planning to use the Black name whenever necessary, which was the reason he’d confirmed again with the clerk as to how long this process would take. He needed to know because as soon as he received the official paperwork, he would use his last name in multiple ways. He was even considering whether he should sue his dad for a lot more money than he’d already given him. He honestly didn’t see why not, since he was in fact the good reverend’s eldest son, and he hadn’t gotten nearly what belonged to him.

  Until now, all Dillon had wanted was his father’s love, but today he wanted his fortune. It was the least his father could do for him, what with the awful way he’d handled things, and Dillon planned to get it.

  Dillon drove away from the curb but soon stopped at a red light. When he did, his phone rang and he saw that it was his father. Actually, Curtis had called him three other times, too, but Dillon hadn’t answered. He wouldn’t answer now, either, because he didn’t want to talk to him. When the phone stopped ringing, however, he dialed Racquel.

  “Hey, baby,” she said. “I was just about to call you.”

  “So what’s up?”

  “Not much. Where are you?”

  “Just leaving the courthouse.”

  “Oh yeah, that’s right. I have to go there this afternoon with my parents, and I’m not looking forward to it. Something about a preconference hearing, but whatever.”

  “It’s good you’re going, so you can put this behind you.”

  “I guess, but hey, are we getting together today?”

  “I have a few errands to run, but I’ll see you this evening for sure.”

  “Sounds good. Oh and I got those dates and cities for you.”

  Right before they’d left the hotel last night, Dillon had come up with a genius plan, and he’d asked her to get whatever information she could from her friend who worked at his dad’s church.

  “Do you want it now? Otherwise, I can just bring it tonight.”

  “I’ll take it now,” he said, pulling a pen and notepad from the console between his two front seats.

  Racquel recited dates, times, locations, and reasons for travel.

  “Is that it?” he asked when he wrote the last of what she’d told him.

  “That’s all she gave me.”

  “Thanks so much for this.”

  “I just hope it helps. And what are you gonna use it for, anyway?”

  When the light changed, Dillon drove through the intersection. “I’ll tell you when we meet.”

  “Okay, see you then.”

  Dillon drove a few more blocks and turned left onto Brockton Street. He immediately saw Sasha, the woman he’d spotted last night while driving home from the hotel. She was wearing a bright red dress that was easily one size too small, and it barely covered the middle of her thighs. It was tighter than tight, shorter than short, and she wore five-inch red sandals to match it. What was interesting to Dillon, however, was that she sported her own hair, which was beautiful, and she didn’t wear excessive makeup. Sasha was clearly a professional hooker, though, and Dillon was glad he’d connected with her, especially since he’d devised the perfect scheme and Sasha had agreed to help him—that is for the right amount of money.

  She’d even charged him two hundred dollars just to talk because she said her time was very valuable, but Dillon hadn’t minded paying her. Not when Sasha was going to get him everything he wanted from his father.

  Dillon pulled over and parked, and Sasha got in the vehicle.

  “So you got my money?”

  “Sure do,” he said, readily passing her an envelope with another two hundred dollars in it.

  She counted the four fifties and slid her payment into her shoulder bag. “I’m sorry to have to charge you again, but normally I don�
��t come out during the day like this. Normally, I’m asleep.”

  “I understand, and this won’t take very long.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “A videographer will be recording your full confession, and he’ll be doing it day after tomorrow.”

  “Do you want me to say something in particular or just something like, ‘world-renowned Reverend Curtis Black has been paying me a large sum of money for years to have sex with him.’”

  “Yeah, I definitely want you to mention that, but I also want you to mention every one of these dates and cities,” he said, passing her the information he’d written down. “That way folks will know you’ve traveled with him as well. I also want you to mention what church events, conferences, or book signings he was in town for. That information is listed also. Oh, and these are all trips that his wife didn’t travel with him on.”

  Sasha scanned the piece of paper from top to bottom.

  “Then I want you to talk about all the jewelry he’s bought for you.”

  “What kind?”

  “Anything you wanna say will be great. Just make something up, but make sure the items you name are expensive. I also want you to practice this over and over, so that people will believe you. I want them to have no doubts about whether you’re telling the truth.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “We’ll do a few dry runs on the day of the recording, and then he’ll cut the final segment. But again, I really need your confession to sound authentic. Then, toward the end, I want you to finish by saying that the reason you’ve decided to come forward is because you can no longer tolerate or watch any pastor sleeping around on his wife the way Pastor Black has been doing. You can even mention how he’s told you a thousand times how awful his wife is in bed and how he basically can’t stand the sight of her. Then you can say that your conscience just won’t allow you to continue participating in this kind of evil-doing and that you also felt completely violated when Pastor Black asked if you’d be willing to do a threesome with him and one of his other women.”

  “Wow, you’ve really got this all figured out, don’t you?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “And you’re still gonna pay me ten thousand dollars, right?”

  “Yep, with fifty percent upfront and fifty percent as soon as we finish recording.”

  Sasha shook her head. “You must really hate your father.”

  “I do,” Dillon said matter-of-factly. “He’s a terrible person, but once I take his money from him, I’ll feel a lot better about everything.”

  “Well, to each his own, I guess. And as long as I get my payment, that’s all that matters to me.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Well, if that’s all,” she said, “then I’ll see you Wednesday?”

  “Wednesday it is.”

  Dillon watched her walking across the street and into the brick apartment complex. He laughed when he thought about how brilliant his plan was. He almost felt like taking that finished video and uploading it to YouTube and then sitting back, relishing in his dad’s destruction. But if he did that, he knew he wouldn’t get any money, so it was better to stick with his original strategy: good ol’ blackmail. He would play the video for his father and name his price. Ten million dollars. He wasn’t sure how much his dad earned or how much he’d saved, but Dillon knew ten million was a good number to start with. He also knew that since his dad had recently returned to the church as senior pastor, professing his newfound relationship with God, he would never want to chance dealing with another scandal. He wouldn’t want his members or the public questioning his integrity or envisioning him buying and sleeping with a prostitute. His parishioners had forgiven him before, but they wouldn’t likely do it again—not when his father had promised them that there were no more secrets about his past or current life.

  Dillon drove away from Brockton Street with a crafty smile on his face, picturing the downfall of his famous father and church. A year ago, Dillon had been happy just getting the half-million dollars Curtis had given him, which had been more money than he’d ever imagined. But now his financial status was about to change drastically because once he carried out this scheme of his, he’d be a full-fledged millionaire. He’d be filthy rich, and he’d never have to see his cold-hearted father or stepmother again. He wouldn’t need anyone, period.

  Chapter 42

  For hours, Matthew had debated calling Racquel’s mom, Vanessa, wondering if he should inform her about yesterday morning. Shortly after Racquel had threatened both him and Nicole and then flew out of the parking lot like some psycho, he’d gone into the bank and called Alicia. He wasn’t sure why he’d chosen to contact his sister, although, truthfully, he still didn’t feel comfortable discussing his marital problems with his parents. His mother regularly hinted around about his filing for a divorce, and his father supported him either way, but he still didn’t want to involve them if he didn’t have to. As it was, he’d been forced to move back in with them, and that was enough.

  He glanced at his watch and saw that it was four-forty. He only had twenty minutes to go at work and since he didn’t have any customers waiting, he dialed Vanessa.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, how are you?” he asked.

  “Hi, son. I’m good. What about you?”

  “I’m okay, but I wanted to tell you about Racquel.”

  “Did something happen?”

  “Yeah. She showed up at my job yesterday morning, screaming and yelling and then she accused me of sleeping with one of my coworkers.”

  “Oh no. What time was that?”

  “Just before eight. I hadn’t even gone inside the bank yet.”

  “I am so, so sorry, Matt.”

  “Is she still taking her medication?”

  “As far as I know.”

  “I don’t think she is,” he said.

  “Well, she seemed fine this morning and also this afternoon in court.”

  Matthew was starting to wonder if his mother-in-law was truly that naïve or whether she was wallowing in permanent denial. “Maybe she took it because she knew she had a court date.”

  “I don’t think so, because she’s been pretty happy for days now. In a lot of ways, she’s like her old self again.”

  Matthew didn’t bother responding, because it was obvious he was wasting his breath.

  “I really wish you’d sit down and talk to her, Matt. I wish you’d help her through this court situation. Then maybe the two of you can see a marriage counselor.”

  “I can’t talk to Racquel. She’s too angry and violent all the time. Who she needs to talk to is her psychiatrist.”

  “But it’s like I told you before, she’s hurt. She’s only acting like this because she wants you back.”

  “Does it sound like she’s going to jail?” he asked.

  “We hope not.”

  “What about a mental facility? She really needs help.”

  “Her doctor believes she’ll be fine as long as she continues outpatient treatment.”

  Matthew listened as his mother-in-law gave one excuse after another, but all she’d done was confirm his decision. He was finally contacting his dad’s attorney first thing tomorrow morning, and he was also filing for full custody. If Racquel showed up threatening him again, he would file for an order of protection, too.

  When Matthew ended the call, he dialed Stacey.

  “Hey you,” she said.

  “Hey, what’s up? You outside yet?”

  “Yep. Just got here.”

  “I’m glad you came,” he told her.

  “I am, too. You still wanna pick up some food from that little Mexican restaurant?”

  “Yeah, and then we can head out to the forest preserve.”

  “Okay, well, you only have about ten minutes left, so I’ll just wait for you.”

  “I’ll be out as soon as I can.”

  “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you, too, S
tacey.”

  No matter how many days passed or how badly Matthew wanted to spend time with Stacey, the guilt still ate him alive. He’d thought he might feel better about seeing her, especially since Racquel had shown her behind yesterday, but his love for God and knowledge of the Word wouldn’t let him. He remembered how years ago his father had compared himself to Paul in the Book of Romans. He would tell the congregation how Paul hadn’t wanted to sin, but he sinned anyway, and he couldn’t seem to help it. Paul also hadn’t understood why he did some of the terrible things he did and then did them over again. As a child, Matthew hadn’t fully comprehended that kind of thinking, but now he understood it very well. He didn’t want to sin, but he also didn’t want to stop being with Stacey, and for that reason he tried not to think about what he was doing.

  Matthew cleared off his desk, but then someone knocked at his door.

  “Come in.”

  Nicole eased his door open, smiling nervously. She’d sort of been avoiding him ever since Racquel had shown up yesterday morning, acting a stone fool, and Matthew didn’t blame her.

  “Can I chat with you for a few minutes?”

  “Yeah, have a seat.”

  Nicole closed the door and sat in front of him. “I really do like you, Matt, but after seeing your wife yesterday, I agree that this isn’t the time for you to be seeing someone else. Still, I hope things won’t be awkward between us and that we can go back to being strictly friends and coworkers.”

  Matthew was relieved. “As far as I’m concerned, nothing’s changed. Everything’s fine.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way. And who knows, maybe things will be better down the road.”

  They chatted for another five minutes and walked outside to the parking lot. But to their great disappointment, they saw Racquel parking next to Matthew. She quickly jumped out, ready to confront them again.

  “Maybe I should go back inside the bank,” Nicole whispered but kept looking ahead.

  “Just get in your car and leave.”

  “Well, well, well,” Racquel said. “I see you’re still hanging out with this skank of yours.” Then she glared directly at Nicole. “You do know he’s married, right?”