Ruel watched her helplessly. "Ash..."
"I wish...she'd just disappear," Ashley groaned, "from the face of the earth."
Ruel cleared his throat. "Ashley..."
"You have no idea what it is like, do you?" Ashley felt weak, helpless—tears clamoring to clog her throat. "When somebody stalks you and hounds you and makes your life a living hell…It will probably go on until I am old or die, or she dies. When that happens then I will be free. Now wouldn't that be something?"
"That would be something...that we shouldn't even contemplate." Ruel gave Ashley a sympathetic glance. "Would she be open to counseling? Or any other intervention strategies?"
Ashley laughed. She couldn't help it. "I think Regina probably needs an exorcism more than counseling. Have you ever done an exorcism? Drive the demons out of her."
"No," Ruel shook his head, "but I could try."
"I was kidding. Don't you dare act concerned for her. She will eat you alive." Ashley got up. "She is poison. Pure evil. You know what's funny. She claims that she investigated the church board and that you all have secrets, including you."
Ashley laughed. "This stinks of desperation on her part. I mean what sort of secrets could you have?"
Ruel grimaced. "I might have gone sixty in a fifty mile zone."
Ashley sighed. "It's ridiculous, this whole thing. What's even worse Regina is claiming that she will reveal all secrets if I don't come back to Kingston with her."
Ashley gave a harsh, bitter sound that was more distress than mirth and headed inside. "I am going to bathe and try to see if I can wash this morning’s bad encounter from my body."
She missed the fact that Ruel had stiffened and that he deliberately put down his mug. It made a little click on the tiles of the verandah. She also missed the fact that his breathing had gotten shallow and rapid as he digested her last statement.
Nor did she see the fluttering of the curtains at the living room window where Jorja had been listening.
****
"Where's my dad?" Jorja walked into the kitchen after twelve in the afternoon when Ashley, in a fit of domesticity, was baking tea cakes for the evening Bible study group. She had more than five dozen laid out on the island when Jorja stepped in.
"Good afternoon to you." Ashley forced herself to smile at Jorja. "Your father is conducting a funeral in the town. He wanted to tell you himself but you were sleeping. He'll be back by three."
"Oh." Jorja sat on one of the stools in the kitchen and cupped her chin.
"Are you hungry?" Ashley asked, looking at Jorja and trying not to do so in disapproval. She was still in her nightgown, a skimpy, frilly little thing that highlighted her slim legs and her slightly above-average bust area.
Jorja was a shapely girl. She had a cute, slightly round face, a small cute nose and bow-shaped red lips which were in stark contrast against her dark and smooth complexion. There was not a pimple on her velvety dark skin.
Ruel was going to have his work cut out with beating back the boys from his girl.
Jorja gave Ashley one of her baleful I can't stand you stares.
"What do you have for brunch, stepmother dear?" Jorja asked mockingly. "Poison?" Ashley raised her eyebrows in consternation. "Excuse me?"
Jorja sneered. "I heard you and my father talking this morning about your friend who you would like to have killed."
"What!" Ashley slammed down the rolling pin she was holding. "You are not supposed to be eavesdropping on things you don't know and couldn’t possibly understand. And I didn't say anything about having her killed."
"Yes, you did," Jorja said sullenly. "I heard you say that you wish that she'd just disappear from the face of the earth and that when she is dead you would be free. My dad had to chastise you for saying it "
"That was frustration speaking. I didn't mean it." Ashley felt her temperature rising as she stared into Jorja's hateful face.
"I know you feel the same way about me." Jorja looked at Ashley knowingly. "Don't even bother to deny it. Grandma said that you hated children and that's why I couldn't come and live with my Dad."
"I don't hate children!" Ashley gasped. "What on earth was Miss Miriam telling you?"
"The truth." Jorja narrowed her eyes and gave Ashley a suspicious look. "The evidence is there; your own kids don't live with you. You must be a really bad parent for them to be living with their father. I don't trust you."
"Okay, that's it." Ashley rubbed her temples. Flour was in her hair and she could literally feel her pressure rising. "So how do you want us to play this?"
"What?" Jorja was still in the same position, watching Ashley as if she was slightly afraid.
"This whole evil stepmother, defiant stepchild routine?" Ashley murmured, her voice losing energy. "Do you have any rules in mind?"
"No," Jorja murmured, giving up her combatant stance in the wake of Ashley's almost disinterested tone.
"I have some rules," Ashley said, turning to the sink and washing her hands.
"What rules?" Jorja asked cautiously.
"I have a stepmother too," Ashley said, "so this whole situation is not strange to me. She had rules and they worked for us."
Jorja wanted to know more but she bit her lip rather than show Ashley any interest. She had always been curious about her new stepmother. Her father had married her so soon after her mother died and then dumped her on her grandmother, so that it was hard to warm up to the woman who was by all indications the reason her dad abandoned her for close to a year.
Ashley took off her apron and then pulled a stool and sat in front of Jorja. She folded her arms almost demurely in her lap.
"Here is what my stepmother told me when she just moved in with me and my father. Are you listening?"
Jorja shrugged.
"Don't shrug at people. It shows a distinct lack of respect." Ashley brushed a speck of flour from her skirt.
"You are not my mother," Jorja hissed promptly. "You can't tell me anything!"
"That is actually rule number one." Ashley looked at Jorja. "I am not your mother and I don't want to be. I won't even try to be. You are probably too resentful for that to happen and I don't want to try to be your mother. I could try for friend, though. Please let that sink in.
“I love your father and I married him. I am very open to loving you too, because you are a part of him, but here's the thing. If you cannot respect me in my own home, you should know that I am no doormat. I give as good as I get. If you don't want to eat my food, fine, cook it yourself. You are old enough to do it, and no food is off limits to you here; this is not a prison. You take care of your own clothes. If you want help in figuring out the washing machine I am available; if not, ask your dad.
"Please let it be known, though, that untidiness will not be tolerated in the common areas." Ashley put on her stoniest piercing stare. "And we respect each other's property. Don't go snooping in my stuff and I won’t snoop in yours. Got that?"
Jorja swallowed around her suddenly tight throat. "Sure. Whatever."
Ashley got up. "Well, good. Now that we have an understanding things should be much more pleasant around here, shouldn't they?"
Jorja flounced out of the kitchen without a word.
Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. When it rained it poured for her. It seemed as if every five years she had a load of drama to deal with. She stood with her elbow on the counter and looked through the window unseeingly.
Ruel's sermon was ringing in her head. Consequences to Sin… she was reaping what she had sown. She should take it like a man.
Chapter Five
Bible study was well attended. Lyn had told her to show up at seven o’clock because that was the time they usually started but Regina had reasoned that nobody would show up that early for something so boring. She was surprised to see that she was wrong and the group was large. About thirty persons attended and they were sitting together on one side of the church. She would have to join them and be in the thick of things. Somehow she had im
agined that it would be more like a church service so that she could slip into the back unnoticed.
Unfortunately, when she got to the group she saw that they were just welcoming everybody and she was asked to introduce herself and tell her name and where she was from. She felt like telling them to mind their own business.
She stood though, looking over the group with her best fake smile on. Ashley was sitting beside her husband in the front. She was not smiling. Her husband looked grim too and was looking at her intently.
And then there were the Kincaids. They were sitting behind the pastor. Norma Kincaid was giving her an intense assessing look as well, as if she were mentally scanning her for information.
Regina suddenly felt chilled.
She dragged her eyes from Norma’s and met the eyes of her son, Jack. He had his mother's eyes, but while Norma's looked normal, his were bordering on the sinister, as if he had judged her and found her wanting.
Regina shook off the sense of foreboding. She was being fanciful. These people didn't know her. She knew them and what they were up to. She was the one with the upper hand. Not them.
"Don't be shy." The kindly church sister who looked like a dark version of Sofia from the Golden Girls, said gently, "You are among friends, dear."
Regina cleared her throat; none of that statement was true. She was not shy nor was she among friends.
"Well, I, er...my name is Regina Tharwick and I am on a, er, vacation up here and I am here to learn..."
"Good. Welcome," the old lady said, genuinely pleased to see her.
Regina was hoping to sit down at the very back but Josiah Coke was waving to her from the third row and was pointing to an empty spot beside him.
"She is my invitee," he announced proudly.
"Ah," the lady at the front said, smiling. "Good job, Brother Josiah. We should all do the same and invite others to join us every night. Are there any other visitors?"
A young girl stood up. She was on the other side of the bench that Regina was forced to sit in because of the overeager Josiah. The girl had long braids, almost to her waist, and she looked almost as out of place as Regina knew she looked.
She was in makeup and her dress was at least two inches above her knees. Plus she had a piece of jewelry on her thumb. Regina chuckled to herself, wondering who had succeeded in pulling her out of her house for the study.
"My name is Jorja Dennison," the girl said. Her voice was low and husky.
"Welcome Jorja," the lady at the front said pleasantly. "We hear that you are with us for longer than the summer. We are glad to have you. Our pastor and Sister Ashley must be pleased that you are around. We really don't consider you to be a visitor; you are a part of us."
That was when it dawned on Regina that this girl that stood out like a sore thumb, almost as badly as she did, was Ruel's daughter. She wished now that she had King check her out. The home situation was going to be volatile with her in it. She was sure that Jorja wouldn't be pleased to have Ashley as a stepmother.
Another reason why Ashley should see sense and leave with her for Kingston.
"Tonight, we are honored to have our new associate pastor, Nolan Ramsey, conduct Bible study." The old lady leading out said, "Welcome pastor."
The associate pastor got up and turned to the group. He was young, maybe in his early twenties, average-looking, with a little goatee. It bothered Regina that she had not known about him or else she would have had King check him out too. Or maybe she should check him out herself. She had nothing but time on her hands. It wouldn't hurt to do some sleuthing.
Nolan Ramsey. His name seemed vaguely familiar, the more she thought about it. She rifled in her mind as to why that was and almost missed the first half of his presentation, which was a pity. He seemed enthusiastic and sincere.
He was looking at the story of Jonah.
Regina was totally unfamiliar with the story or that it was even a book in the Bible. It sounded interesting enough, though. It was like a little fairytale to her. A man living in a fish for three days was next to impossible, wasn't it?
She was surprised at that thought, especially since she believed that the Bible study was going to be boring. She was glancing over at Josiah's open Bible to see if what Nolan was talking about was true. He slyly pushed it into her lap inch-by-inch until she was holding it.
Regina glanced at him to let him know that she knew what he was doing but then changed her mind. Norma Kincaid spun around and looked from her to the Bible in approval.
Regina almost laughed out loud. Was that all it took to be a part of this crazy bunch of people, pretend to read the Bible?
They were all a bunch of pretenders, from Ashley to her pastor husband and all the other people in between.
****
"Nolan certainly seems capable, doesn't he?" Ruel said when they got into the car after the Bible study.
"He's kinda boring," Jorja mumbled. "Do I have to do this every night?"
"Yes," Ruel said, his voice brooking no argument.
Ashley was in deep contemplation. She was not paying attention to Ruel and Jorja. Regina was planning something; she could feel it. Before they drove out of the church yard she could see her leaning on her car and conversing with a group of people. As usual, she was quite animated.
"I wonder what she is telling them," Ashley whispered before Ruel started the car.
"Who knows?" Ruel's voice was grim.
"You see the danger of having her here now?" Ashley asked.
"Oh yes," Ruel said tensely. "I see that she can cause havoc if left to her own devices."
"I like her," Jorja said from the back seat. "She looks cool. That tattoo on her cheek--is it a bow?"
"Stay away from her." Ruel started the car and glanced back at his daughter.
Ashley sighed. Ruel shouldn't have said that. From what she knew about Jorja, she was going to do the opposite. She only thought Regina was cool because Ashley obviously disliked her. She only hoped that Regina wouldn't give Jorja any ammunition against her.
"Maybe I should hear what she has to say. Maybe then I can learn her motives for being up here," Ashley said after they were driving in silence for a while.
"No!" Ruel said quickly. "Definitely not!"
"But why not?" Ashley frowned. Ruel was looking unusually agitated.
"I'll talk to her." Ruel squeezed the steering wheel tighter. "I am your husband. I'll deal with it."
"Okay," Ashley said, "thanks honey. You know you are the best. I hope Regina will see reason."
Ruel squeezed her hand briefly and then released it.
****
"Regina Tharwick." Norma Kincaid made her way towards her daintily. The small crowd that surrounded her parted for her to have access to Regina. "I hear from Josiah that you played for the national football team. It is lovely to meet you."
She held out her hand for a handshake and Regina took it reluctantly.
"So, what brings you to our neck of the woods?" Norma asked softly. Regina realized that this was no polite inquiry. The lady was looking at her with a healthy dose of suspicion.
"Peace and quiet." She repeated the lie she had been spouting for the past couple of days.
"Ah," Norma said but she wasn't buying it. Her son, Jack, came ambling over to them. He stood behind his mother and stared fixedly at Regina.
"Well, er, I should go," Regina said. "I'll be back for Bible class tomorrow."
"Good," Norma said. "Nice to know that in your search for peace and quiet you are finding time for God."
"Yes." Regina couldn’t meet her eyes after that statement. She started searching for the car key in her bag.
"By the way," Norma moved even closer to her and gave the persons who were closest to them a look. When she did this they drifted away as if by tacit consent. Even Josiah, who looked like he was eager to say something to her, followed the group obediently. The queen bee could do that with only a look. Amazing.
Regina found her key and clutched it,
forced to look up at Norma Kincaid who seemed ridiculously tall compared to her.
"Do you know a Kingsley Harper?"
Regina stiffened. King! What did Norma know about King?
"I see that you do." Norma walked even closer to Regina. She towered over her. She was smiling but the smile did not reach her eyes.
"What are you up to, Regina?" Norma spoke normally but Regina could feel the menace underneath the words.
"Nothing." Regina forced her feet to stay where they were. She felt like backing up to her car. She was feeling irrationally fearful and was ready to flee.
"Who sent you up here?" Norma was not backing down. "Who would dare to do such a thing?"
"I don't know what you are talking about?" Regina's voice trembled and it sounded convincing even to her own ears.
Norma pulled back from Regina and studied her in the half dark for a few tension-filled seconds.
"Well then, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night. I will be conducting the study."
Regina got into her car and breathed out shakily. When she turned on her headlights she could see Jack standing behind his mother. His pale face looked almost ghostly when the light surrounded him. His hands were in his pockets in a deceptively relaxed pose and his shoulders were hunched over. He was staring at her in that weird, menacing manner of his.
Maybe, just maybe, she had bitten off a bit more than she could chew up here in Primrose Hill. She reversed from the churchyard, her hands not quite steady.
Chapter Six
The morning after the church yard fiasco with Norma Kincaid, Regina was unsure about what she should do. She glanced at the files spread around her. She had taken them out and read them again, especially the ones about Norma Kincaid. She should call the police, reveal what she knew, and leave them to it.
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