A Woman's Revenge

by Sherri L. Lewis

  I jumped up and ran up the stairs. I had to get to Vegas before they picked up and moved, before they decided to go to the Caribbean or Europe. I threw some clothes and toiletries in a suitcase and pulled the small bag down the stairs. I put an empty duffel bag inside the suitcase, just in case I needed a bag for the money. I reached for the gun case and just as I was about to put it in the suitcase, I realized I didn’t have any bullets. I didn’t even know where people got bullets from. I went into my office and opened my ever-trusty phone book for ammunition sales. Phoenix was a gun toter’s dreamland. They sold bullets everywhere, even in Walmart, so Walmart it was. I had less than a hundred dollars in cash until I got paid again. Powers hadn’t billed me for anything beyond the initial retainer, so I could still access the available funds on my credit card.

  Getting bullets at Walmart was like buying anything else. I could have told the clerk I wanted soap or a DVD player and he would have pushed the box across the counter the exact same way. I got back to the house and noticed the sun was going down. I hated driving at night, plus there was the added safety risk. I was already tired. I took a long, hot soak in my tub, climbed into bed, and set the alarm for 5:30 A.M.

  I was yawning and I wasn’t even in the car yet. I hadn’t been able to sleep last night. My nerves were on edge. I couldn’t believe what my life had come to. Two weeks ago I was happily married and about to embark on the business venture of my dreams. Now I was alone, planning to shoot my husband in the pinky toe with a gun I’d purchased from Big Al’s Pawn and Loan. Not to mention—broke. Flat broke. It didn’t get much worse than this. Outside of an awful disease or a natural disaster, life did not shift like this in less than two weeks.

  I poured coffee into my travel mug, grabbed the bagel and cream cheese sandwich I’d made, set the security system, and piled into my car. I yawned again. Lord, how I wish I could fly. I started the car. No point in dwelling on what I couldn’t do. There was the matter of the gun and the fact that I couldn’t afford a plane ticket.

  I arrived in Vegas five hours later. The drive had been exhausting. I was so high on NoDoz and bad gas station coffee that I was probably going to turn into a gaudy Vegas neon light as soon as the sun went down. I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel I’d reserved for the one night I anticipated needing one. It was an inexpensive spot that resembled the French Quarter so much that it saddened me. Leon and I had spent our honeymoon in New Orleans. I’d known the hotel was named Orleans but I hadn’t really made the connection until I pulled into the parking lot. I wanted to cry, but I woman-ed up.

  It was just after noon and I realized leaving Phoenix so early had been a bad idea. I was exhausted, but couldn’t check in to my room until three o’clock. I didn’t have the energy to confront anyone right now. I’d drop from sheer exhaustion. I decided to risk that they would let me check in early, and thankfully the front desk clerk believed my glazed eyes were due to sleep deprivation and not a drug-induced high. I was sure the ten dollar tip I slid her didn’t hurt either.

  After checking in and entering my room, I sank into the mattress. It was unbelievably comfortable. It felt good to be in a bed that wasn’t my own, because mine reminded me of my husband.

  I had calls to make before I fell asleep. The first was to Roman’s Palace. I asked for Desiree’s room again. I didn’t get an answer but I was satisfied that it was past checkout time and the lovebirds hadn’t checked out. Then I sent a text to Erin’s cell phone, advising her I was out of town for a couple days and would not be in church to hear her sing the big solo. I also told her not to worry. She’d be angry about both.

  The last call was the office number for Powers. I told him I was in Vegas already, taking care of the business I needed to handle. I’d update him when I returned. I didn’t want the man changing his schedule to accommodate a trip to Vegas that he didn’t need to make. Then I curled up in the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The Roman’s Palace Hotel dripped with imagery and architecture steeped in the theme of Ancient Rome. Life-sized statues of naked men, women, and cherubs with bright gold headdresses were either mounted on columns or suspended from the beautiful summer sky that was painted on the ceiling. I couldn’t say that it would have been my choice of hotels to stay in, but this was clearly baller-land.

  It was 6:00 P.M. and I didn’t want to waste any time figuring the joint out so I paid a hotel maid to tell me which floor the Royal Suite was on, and then threw more money at an elevator attendant to swipe a card that gave me access to the floor. I was greasing palms left and right. Who said you couldn’t get an education watching television? I learned about tipping the help from Lifetime and Snapped.

  I stood in the corridor outside of the Royal Suite and realized that there was no way for me to know whether or not Leon was actually inside. The place was soundproof. I swore I could hear my own heart beating. The quiet made me nervous, and even though it was freezing all over the hotel, I was starting to perspire. The overpriced hotdog I’d eaten was doing flips in my stomach and that wasn’t making it any better.

  Why are you here? The voice in my head was back. I tried to push it out, but I knew this was not who I was. I was not some crazy person who had “snapped” and stood outside of suites in Las Vegas with a gun in my purse. I was a decent woman, a Christian who went to church every Sunday, was raised by women who taught me to pray and trust God. I was better than this. Tears began to burn my eyes.

  Vengeance is mine, the voice said. For the Lord will vindicate His people. The scripture in Powers’s office was another reminder that God would repay. I’d made a mistake. My stomach churned again and knew I would actually be physically ill soon. I had to get out of here. I had to go back to Phoenix. I had to let Powers and an attorney make this right.

  When the elevator made it to the lobby, I rushed through the door and found the closest ladies’ room and threw up. I threw up the hot dog, my pain, my frustration, my pride, and my anger. When I was done, I sat in that stall for a long time. I thought about my choices. The choice to date Leon, marry him, start the business, commingle our funds. All of these were my choices and they had been bad ones, because as much as Erin got on my last nerve with her “I told you so’s” she was right; I didn’t really know him for more than a few months before I was running my behind down the aisle talking about “I do.” I stood to weak feet and left the restroom. I was going home.

  I returned to the lobby and was just about to ask one of the staff how to get back to the parking area when I saw them. Leon and a tall, bad weave-wearing, skinny, cheap-looking heifer in a shiny red micro mini dress were heading in the direction of the main casino. Leon didn’t even look like the conservative man I had been married to for the last four months. He was wearing a red sequined smoking jacket. It looked like he’d put an S-curl or some other craziness in his hair. He had an earring in his right ear, which held a huge diamond stud. He looked like a pimp and Delilah looked like a hooker. They turned a corner. I followed. I started thinking, there have to be 300 people milling in the lobby area of this hotel, and I spotted them. This was fate. An angel had fallen from the sky. I was supposed to get my money back.

  Leon and Delilah entered an area called Restaurant Row. There were people waiting in long lines in front of all the many different eateries in this area of the hotel. They walked hand in hand until they made it to what looked like the very last and notably the most exclusive restaurant of them all. At least forty couples were in line waiting, but apparently the gold VIP card Leon waved got them to the front of the line. No doubt some perk for being in one of those ridiculously expensive suites. Once they were inside, I squeezed in beyond the crowd to the front and watched them through the gold-tinted window. I glanced down at a glass case that held the menu. I thought I would faint. They were easily going to spend at least $250 on dinner. If he’d been in Vegas since he left that was almost ten days in a $700-a-night suite, $200 meals, gambling, and that heifer’s shopp
ing. He was probably almost into twenty-five grand by now and no telling what they were driving. I was sick, really sick. No, I was not sick. I was angry. I was going to do more than shoot off a pinky toe. I was going to kill this bozo.

  I continued to follow Leon and his woman that evening. They went from dinner to the casino, and then I lost them when the valet handed Leon the keys to a fancy sports car. No doubt they were out for an evening of spending more and more of the money. I was so angry it took everything in me to keep from pulling out the gun.

  Chapter Fourteen

  It was almost midnight when I returned to my hotel room, and to my surprise, before I could peel off my clothes, the phone rang. No one knew I was here. I was hoping it wasn’t hotel services telling me my credit card was no good. It wasn’t. It was Powers.

  “When you travel out of town to kill your husband you never use a credit card. It’s a trail that proves opportunity and premeditation.” Powers’s strong voice came through the earpiece.

  I closed my eyes to the timbre of his voice. Why hadn’t I married a man like this? A man who didn’t steal, a man with integrity? “They told me I had to use a credit card.” I sat down on the bed.

  “If you’d told them you didn’t have one, they would have taken cash. It’s Vegas, Tamera.”

  “Then you wouldn’t have been able to find me.”

  He chuckled. “I’m a detective. Credit card or no credit card, when I really want to, I can find anyone.”

  I melted. I was in love. This man felt like my best friend. Really, I was; or maybe I was so in hate with Leon, anyone was starting to sound good. I didn’t want to talk about me. I didn’t want to talk about Leon. I didn’t want to talk about the money. I wanted to learn something about Kemuel Powers. Right this moment. I had his full attention, even if I was paying for it. I surmised that he was worth every dime.

  “Tell me, my preaching detective, how was your sermon?”

  “Great. I spoke to the youth about keeping their noses clean. About their destiny and their purpose. About not letting the devil and bad choices steal their futures.”

  I closed my eyes. I could hear the excitement in his voice. That message was all over me like a wet towel, but more than myself, it made me think of my brother. Todd needed to hear that sermon. He needed to hear it ten years ago. Powers was a power to be reckoned with. He was a superpower that God would use for good.

  “Leon and I talked about raising kingdom kids. We were going to teach them all about destiny and purpose. In fact, our daughter’s name was going to be Destiny. We were going to name our son Joshua because he would be a warrior, a real soldier for Christ.” The memory saddened me so much, much more than seeing Leon and Delilah ever could.

  “You’ll do those same things. If that’s what you want for your children, then God will bless you to have kingdom kids,” Powers said. “You just have to find a real ‘king’ to do it with.”

  “I don’t know if there’s anyone out there for me.”

  “Tamera, you are an intelligent, beautiful woman and your heart is so pure. Believe me, there’s a man who’s going to recognize that as the treasure it is. You just have to move past this stage in your life.”

  “If I’m so intelligent then how did I find Leon?”

  “You didn’t find him. He found you,” Kemuel said. “He’s a professional. He preys on good people.”

  God, those words sounded so reassuring, so right. It felt like the Holy Spirit was speaking, trying to heal me. If he were here, I would have kissed him. “Thanks, Kemuel.” I’d never called him by his first name, but what he’d said was so personal that I felt like it was okay to do it.

  I heard him let out a long sigh. “Why did you leave without me?”

  I wanted to answer him, “Because of any number of reasons: I’m stupid, I don’t think right, I’m a big fat loser,” but he’d called me wonderful. I couldn’t throw his compliment back in his face. “I don’t know. I didn’t want you involved. This is my mess. I . . . You’re an evangelist and I have a gun.”

  “I have a gun.”

  “But you need one for your business. I have a gun because I’m contemplating shooting off a pinky toe.”

  Powers laughed a deep, throaty sound that said I’d just helped him release a load of stress. “Can you even work that thing?”

  “I had two four-hour lessons at Shooter’s Galaxy. I’m a pro.”

  He laughed again and then his voice took on a serious tone. “Tamera, please come home. Let me help you handle this the right way.”

  “You said Leon was spending money like a fool. I’ve seen him. He is. He’ll be broke by Friday. I . . . can’t. I’ve got to at least try to reason with him . . . to get some of the money back.”

  “Tamera.”

  I closed my eyes to his plea, but I struggled with closing my heart. “I appreciate all you’ve done for me. I really do, but I’ve got to do this. I’ve come this far. A conversation with Leon isn’t going to hurt.”

  “But you could get hurt. You may not be the only person with a gun.”

  “I have the element of surprise on my side. I promise. I won’t let him hurt me. I have a plan.”

  We were silent for a long time. I knew Powers was thinking. He was trying to find the words to convince me that I was making a mistake. I also knew I was new at this. I knew this wasn’t television. It wasn’t a Hollywood movie like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I wasn’t Angelina Jolie. But this was my life. This missing money was my problem. I had to solve it my way, so I wasn’t going to be talked out of getting it.

  “Wait for me,” Powers begged. “Let’s talk through the plan when I get there.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m breaking the law. Man’s and God’s. I don’t want to involve you. I’ll be home by early afternoon, and I promise I’ll tell you all about it when I get there. Money or no money, okay?”

  He was silent. It was not okay. “Wish me luck, or better yet, say a prayer for me. I know God is listening to you.” I hung up the phone.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was eight o’clock in the morning. I knew those partyin’, spendin’, thievin’ ballers would definitely still be in bed. I knocked on the door three times before I finally heard a woman’s voice on the other side. “Who the heck is it?”

  “Hotel services, ma’am.” I disguised my voice.

  “Yeah, well service something else. The ‘do not disturb’ sign is up and it’s eight—” I thought Delilah wasn’t going to open up, but as she was complaining the door was opening.

  As soon as I got a glimpse of the little tart, I pushed it hard, throwing Delilah’s barely clothed form onto the floor. She screamed. I stepped in and pulled out the gun. “Shut up! Or I’ll put a bullet in you.”

  Delilah sniffled and crawled back to the bed where Leon was sprawled out naked as the day he was born and knocked out cold. Seeing him like that sickened me and fueled my anger. I realized now wasn’t the time to get emotional. I pointed the gun at Delilah. “On your feet, tramp, and wake that lowlife up.”

  Delilah scampered to Leon’s side and began to poke him in the head. “Leon, Leon, it’s your wife.”

  “Oh, so you know who I am.” Our eyes met and Delilah started sobbing. I fought the urge to shoot her.

  Leon’s eyes popped open. It took him a moment to come out of his sleepy haze, but when he did and he recognized me, shock and fear were all over his face. He cursed.

  “I’m here for the money.” I raised the gun to show him I meant business.

  Leon pulled his body up on the bed and attempted to reach over the side of it.

  “Don’t move. I’ll shoot.”

  “I’m just trying to get my drawers.”

  “I’ve seen your pitiful behind naked before. Remember, I’m your wife.” There was a man’s satin robe at the foot of the bed. I motioned toward it. “Give that to him,” I ordered Delilah.

  Her face was marred with a permanent grimace of fear. She looked like one of those distorte
d characters etched into the walls of the house of horrors at the amusement park. She followed my instructions and Leon attempted to cover himself like he thought I might shoot him in the family jewels.

  “Tammy, I . . . I . . . know you kind of mad wit’ me, but a gun . . . Wha . . . what . . . what . . . ch . . . ch . . . choo doing with a gun?”

  Stuttering. What happened to his good diction? “I’m doing what you did. Robbing my spouse blind, honey. But I don’t have five months to wine and dine you. I don’t have time to listen to your sob stories or hear about your dreams, so I figured a semi-automatic handgun would get me what I wanted a whole lot faster.”

  “Leon!” Delilah’s breaths came heavy like she was having some kind of panic attack.

  “Shut up, baby.” Leon silenced her as he threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Tam, you really need to stop pointing that gun at us. You don’t know how to use that thing. You might hurt somebody.”

  “Not somebody.” I stepped closer to the bed. “You.”

  Leon’s hand trembled a bit. I could tell he was trying to think of something to say. “Tamera, I think we should be able to talk about this without that gun.”

  “Really?” I asked, shaking my head. “I don’t remember you talking to me before you stole my money.”

  Leon sighed.

  “I would ask you the question most people ask in this situation. You know, how could you? But I had you checked out, Leon, or is it Larry or Luther or Lex?” His eyes widened when I threw his aliases at him. “I won’t ask, because I already know how you could. You’re a thief and a con artist and so is your bad weave–wearing friend.”

  “Excuse me.” Delilah rolled her neck.

  I shook my head. “Save it, sweetheart. The first thing you should have done when he gave you some money was fly to Atlanta and get yourself a decent piece of hair.”