“That is what you wanted to talk about, isn’t it? Taking our relationship further?”
“Yes, Nathan, I have thought about this for some time now and, yes, I want to discuss our relationship. Tell me something, what is the current value of thirty pieces of silver?”
The question had the effect I wanted. It caught him off guard just long enough for me to kick him in the groin. It took him a second or two to realize what I’d done, then the pain set in, and he let out a cry and fell to his knees. He lay on the ground moaning while I continued.
“You were Tabitha Day’s lover, you piece of shit. While you were trying to get me into bed, you were scheming with her to get control of the film studio she was planning to build. You told her I was going to ask Sydney Ingram to represent Dr. Rodney. She had some people threaten him and, of course, he decided not to represent Dr. Rodney because he was afraid for his pregnant wife. Poor, stupid Tabitha, if she thought that you were going to divorce your wife and marry her. And just how were you going to convince her to let you run the studio once she took control from her husband? Were you going to get ‘Miss Ellie’ to buy it for you? Oh, I’m sorry you didn’t know; that’s what I call your wife. She looks like J.R. Ewing’s mother. And, of course, her money helps with the overall effect. You didn’t notice the two gentlemen who just entered the building. They are going to deliver a little ass whipping for me, just to let you know that I don’t appreciate betrayal. You’re not going to say anything, of course, because you don’t want me going to the police, and the scandal would probably be the last straw for your wife. Now these gentlemen are going to take you out back, beat the shit out of you, and drive you to a nice secluded spot where you can recuperate. You will remain silent, or I will send them back to see you. I don’t like being betrayed.”
I motioned for Griff and his companion to lift Nathan up. There were tears in his eyes, and for the first time, I saw defeat in them. As the two men held him up, I walked over to him, grabbed his face, and kissed him on the mouth—the kiss of betrayal—and repeated a line that I once heard in some gangster film.
I knew he, in his own way, would appreciated the line, “I know it was you Nathan, you broke my heart.”
“Gemini, please, let me explain.”
I smacked him and that made him wince again. Griff and his companion escorted him to the back. Griff and I would never discuss what happened; that was how we did things. Poo Poo had poured drinks for us and we toasted before I swallowed the brown fluid with one gulp. Nathan would never say anything, he wouldn’t want to risk the scandal if the police found out that he was involved with Tabitha Day. I left the club and returned home, leaving Poo Poo to close.
I did not regret my meeting with Nathan. I was glad to be rid of him. I never trusted myself with him; there was always an attraction between us. Now that I found out how he betrayed me, it made it easier for those feelings to die. Another part of my past that had found its way out of my present. There were demons from my past that had returned to haunt me, but I suppose I needed this to happen. Doors in my life were closing and another door, a door that God had yet to reveal to me, was going to open. The door to Nathan St. James had just been closed. Hell, that door had been slammed shut.
I didn’t hear from Griff for a couple of days, but when I did, the news was good for Dr. Rodney. However, he wanted us to meet at Marquette Park. He wanted to talk with me, and he was going to bring Enoch with him. My son wanted to speak with me. Griff told him about Harold Cartier’s confession to me, and he wanted to talk. I noticed Griff said talk, not explain.
We met in the parking lot of the pavilion; it was early morning, so we were alone to talk. I noticed people taking a walk around the park, and I made a mental note to start doing the same.
Griff and Enoch got out of their car and walked to mine. I opened the door and they both got in, Griff in the back and Enoch in the front. Enoch looked tired, and instinctively I reached out and touched his hands and asked if he was okay.
“I’m fine, Mother, just tired. A man on a mission doesn’t get much rest.”
“Have you found the person you’re looking for, son?” I asked.
“He’s not in this area, but I’m waiting to get some information that will tell me where he may have taken Treasure.”
There was silence in the car for what seemed like hours, then he said, “I do not apologize for killing David Ban.”
I looked at my son with all the anger I felt, knowing that he was the killer and that he had let Savannah die with the guilt. But I couldn’t be mad at him for what he did, nor would I go to the authorities. I had to protect him, just as Savannah and Ruthann had protected the both of us. I loved my son and I wanted him to find some happiness in his life. I couldn’t give him the nurturing he needed as a child—that time was lost to me—but I could support him now, by keeping what he’d done a secret.
“I know that you did what you felt you had to do. Savannah and Ruthann knew that, which is why they risked their lives and reputations. The kind of love we had for each other comes from pain and suffering and the need to keep bad things from happening again. That is why Savannah took the blame for you, and that’s why Ruthann took the gun. They didn’t want you to suffer anymore. If you had gone to jail it would have hurt both of us, and they just couldn’t let that happen. You don’t have to apologize to me or anyone else. We don’t have to ever discuss this again.”
Enoch was crying. I grabbed hold of my son and hugged him and soothed him as he sobbed in my arms. My son was a little boy again who had fallen off his bike and needed his mother to hold him and make the pain go away. I held my son for a long time, rocking him, letting him know how much I loved him and that he would find his Treasure.
Griff sat silently in the back seat, but our eyes met and he said, “Good job.”
They both looked tired, and I offered to have them stay with me so that they could get some rest. Enoch had stopped crying by then, and to my surprise they both agreed to come home with me.
We arrived at my home at the same time, and Griff parked his car in the garage. I let them in through the garage door. Charlie and Marley started to bark at the new visitors. I introduced them to Enoch, and Griff and Enoch addressed them by their names. It didn’t take long for the four of them to become friends. Enoch played with them, throwing their dog toys across the room and patting them when they retrieved their toy and brought it back to him. He said that he’d always wanted a dog, but that Mamie hated animals and they hated her also.
“Animals can smell demons,” I said, and we all laughed.
I fixed a light supper for them and we sat and talked for a while. Enoch began to nod, so I showed him the guest room, but he asked if I had a bed in the basement. When I told him that the basement was fully furnished, he asked if he could sleep down there. Griff stayed upstairs with me. He wanted to tell me what his source at the police station had revealed.
“The police finally traced the source of the fiber they found on Barney Austin’s neck. It came from some sort of work clothing, and get this, they found nine vehicles with the same partial license plate number. One of the vehicles is a van that belongs to The Fishers of Men Community Church.”
“The murderer must be a member of the church, Griff. Have the police questioned anyone at the church?”
“They are trying to get in touch with the pastor, but his people and lawyers are not letting anyone get to him. His lawyers are saying that he is too ill to talk with anyone. It appears he suffered a breakdown while he was delivering his weekly sermon. He started raving about Jezebel and lying tongues. Makes you wonder if he could have killed his wife and that reporter.”
“I can’t see him doing it, Griff. He didn’t know what his wife was up to, and why would he kill Barney Austin when the reporter was being paid to help him? Dr. Rodney did mention the similarity between Tabitha Day’s death and Jezebel. He also mentioned som
ething about lying tongues in Austin’s murder.”
“Do we really know that he was clueless about what his wife was doing? How do you stay married to someone for as long as they were married and not know what they are up to? I think he knew what she was capable of and killed her before the public found out what kind of snake she really was. And he killed Austin because he helped her.”
“But why would he frame Dr. Rodney for the murders? He had agreed to help Dr. Rodney with the halfway house. Besides, I don’t see him as being that cunning. I’m not saying he’s stupid, just that he seems to be in another world. No, Griff, I don’t think he is the killer. But I wish I could talk with Pastor Day. I’ll phone Mattie Lightfoot and see if it can be arranged.”
I phoned her while Griff was seated next to me, and she answered the phone on the first ring. I was surprised when she said that she would ask the pastor if he would like a visit and that she would get back to me. Griff and I sat and talked a bit more while Enoch slept in the basement. I was glad to have my son with me, and I was hoping that he would extend his stay indefinitely. I was just about to mention this to Griff when the phone rang.
Thinking it was Mattie Lightfoot calling me back, I picked up on the first ring. It wasn’t her; Ruthann Lawson was on the other end of the phone.
“Gemini, it’s me, you know who. I know that Griff and Enoch are there. May I speak to Griff, please?”
I knew that she did not want me to mention her name over the phone. I did not have to be a mind reader—she was still on the run and every precaution had to be taken.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m good, but I must speak to Griff. We will talk later; he will tell you when and where.”
I handed the phone to Griff; they spoke briefly, then he hung up.
“I’ve got to go, but tell Enoch that I will return, and that our snare has worked. He’ll understand the message.”
Griff left. I did not ask what he meant; there were things that I didn’t understand, but if my son was involved, I would wait until I was told. If I would ever be told.
I decided to cook dinner for Enoch and was in the kitchen when I heard him coming up the stairs. He looked rested and said that he was hungry and asked if he could call out for pizza. Then he smelled the food and said he couldn’t wait to try what I’d cook. He washed his hands and set the table without being asked. It felt so right having him in the kitchen, talking while I prepared the food. I found out that he had a very good sense of humor, and that we had a lot in common. After he finished setting the table, he went over to my sound system and selected a CD for us to listen to. I was surprised and pleased when he chose a CD by The Commodores. We started singing along with them, and I found that he had a pretty nice voice. He did not inherit that from me, but rather from his father.
“You have a nice voice, Enoch, but you didn’t inherit it from me. That talent came from your father. He has a brother that sings backup for the Stones, and a cousin who sings with some rap group. They are pretty popular now, but I can’t tell you the name of the group.”
“Do you hate him for what he did to you?”
I was taken off guard by the question, but I answered as truthfully as I could.
“Well, let me put it this way, Enoch. On the one hand, I hate that I was raped, which was my introduction to having sex. I ended up getting pregnant and sent away to have you. I still have nightmares about the time I spent at Mamie’s house of hell. I tried unsuccessfully to keep you, but life had other plans for me. So, yes, part of me hated him for what he did to me. He went on to have a good life and I was scarred for mine. Yet I would have given birth to you, and I loved you the moment I delivered you and held you in my arms. I have never regretted having you, although I have endured a lot since you were conceived. I hope that answers your question.”
“Has he ever apologized for what he did to you?”
“He has tried to contact me several times over the years, but I have refused to talk with him.” Then I remembered Griff’s message and said, “Griff left and told me to tell you that your snare worked. Ruthann Lawson called him, and when he got the message he left.”
His reaction startled me. He jumped up and asked if he could use my car. He told me that he would explain everything when he returned. I gave him the keys and he could tell that I was concerned about what was going on.
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll be back as quickly as possible, and I won’t let anything happen to your car.”
I wasn’t concerned about the car; that is what insurance is for. But I was concerned—no, I was scared—for my son. I still didn’t know what he was doing, nor how Griff or Ruthann were involved. It was not knowing that frightened me more. He asked me to keep a plate warm for him, and that he and Griff would be back before nightfall.
I watched him get into the car, open the garage door, and leave.
“Lord, please look after my son,” I prayed. “I haven’t had him with me long, and I’m counting on you to make sure that I do.”
I was watching him leave when the phone rang. It was Mattie Lighthouse telling me that the doctor had given me permission to visit the pastor. I was to come to Methodist Northlake at seven thirty this evening, and she gave me the room number. He also wanted to see Dr. Rodney and asked if I could bring him along. I told her to expect both of us and hung up.
I took it for granted that Dr. Rodney would say yes. Besides, I would need a ride there since Enoch had my car. I called Dr. Rodney and told him about the pastor’s request. Just as I expected, he said yes and that he would pick me up. I wasn’t sure how long the visit would be, but I hoped I would be home in time before Enoch and Griff returned.
We arrived at the hospital at seven twenty-five and were met by Mattie Lightfoot and another person, who identified himself as one of the deacons. The four of us went to the room together. The pastor was the only patient in the room, so our visit would be private.
The pastor was reading the Bible when we entered. He looked thin and pale. His eyes had lost that gleam that I first noticed when we met, and my heart ached for him. He looked up when he heard us enter. He looked directly at me and smiled, reached out his hand and took mine.
“I’m glad you could come for a visit. And you, Dr. Earls. I’m glad you both came. Please grab a chair and sit by me, both of you.”
We each took a chair and sat on opposite sides of the bed. He spoke to Dr. Rodney first.
“Did you know my wife’s death was similar to Jezebel’s?”
He then recited the Bible text. He lifted his face to the window and said, “‘Who is on my side? Who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said throw her down. So, they threw her. Some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses. And he trode her under foot. And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.’ We couldn’t show her body…it was so damaged by the truck. Dr. Earls, I know that you could not have killed my wife in such a way. Violence is not part of your character; you are a passionate man, but not a violent one. I just wanted to apologize to you for what you have gone through as a result of this investigation.”
I was taken by his words. Not by what he said, but because Dr. Rodney had also compared her death to Jezebel’s. They had more in common than most people would know. Both were passionate about their work, and both had received a true calling for their profession. I began to wonder if the pastor had killed his wife and the reporter. He certainly knew what his wife was capable of, and now he had suffered a mental meltdown. Was it out of guilt or mere exhaustion? My suspicions heightened when the pastor asked for a shirt because he was cold, and the deacon brought him one of the church work shirts. Could this be the shirt that he wore to kill Barney Austin?
He then turned to me and said, “Attorney Jones, I hate robes. They are so bothersome. This shirt works for me, an
d may I call you Gemini?”
“Of course, since I feel as if we are old friends.”
“Gemini, God has put it on my heart to tell you this: Let the dead stay buried and their secrets with them. I don’t know if that means anything to you, but that is what God commanded me to tell you.”
It did mean something to me, and it would remain a secret. I had to protect my son.
The pastor let us know that he was tired, and as we got up to leave his room, he said a quick prayer for us before we left.
Mattie Lightfoot walked us to the elevator. I needed to ask a question, but I was not sure how to ask it. I decided to just ask, but I knew that she would be suspicious.
“I noticed that pastor wears work shirts. I wanted to get my uncle a few for his birthday. Do you know by any chance where I can purchase them?”
“We order them for all of the employees who work outside, and your uncle has been supplied with a few. There is no need for you to purchase them. The pastor wears them when he is out working with the men. He likes to work in the garden and often drives the truck to pick up garden supplies. It gives him time to fellowship with his crew.”
Not only did the pastor have work shirts, he also had access to one of the work trucks. I felt a sick feeling in my stomach, and the police would be suspicious once they found out about him having work shirts and access to the truck.
Dr. Rodney was a wise man and quickly pounced on me the minute we got into his car. He knew that I’d asked questions for a reason and told me so.
“What is the idea of picking on Ms. Lightfoot? I know you Gemini, you have a reason and I want to know why.”
“The police found traces of fibers on Barney Austin’s neck, and they traced it back to some type of work shirt. They also found a witness from the Austin murder who gave them a partial license plate number, and there are nine trucks in the area with those numbers. One of the trucks belongs to the church. The police have been trying to get in touch with the pastor for an interview, but his lawyers and church members have been putting obstacles in their way.”
The Future of My Past Page 20