Chapter 18
When Arykah awakened from her nap on Thursday afternoon, she walked into her kitchen and found Myrtle standing at the stove making her famous homemade chicken noodle soup. Earlier that morning, Arykah’s doctor had released her from the hospital with plenty of medication and strict instructions. She was not to overextend herself in any way, and she was ordered to get plenty of rest.
“Hey, Sugar Plum,” Myrtle greeted Arykah by carefully giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Myrtle knew that Arykah’s ribs were broken, and she didn’t want to squeeze her too tightly. “Are you hungry?”
With Myrtle’s help, Arykah slowly walked to the kitchen table and sat down. “I didn’t know you were here, Momma Cortland. Where’s Lance? I remembered him lying down with me when we got home from the hospital this morning.”
“Lance called me and said that you were sleeping. He asked if I could come and sit with you because he had some business to tend to. He sent a cab for me. He must’ve been in a hurry because as soon as my cab got here, the bishop was already backing out of the driveway.”
“Really?” Arykah asked. She wondered what Lance was up to. That morning at the hospital, he told her that he would be taking a month off from the construction company. And he assigned Minister Weeks to conduct Bible class on Tuesday nights, but Lance would still take charge of his pulpit on Sunday mornings.
“He told me to reach him on his cellular telephone if I needed him, and he also told me to not let you out of my sight.” Myrtle went back to the stove.
“He didn’t say where he was going?” Arykah asked.
“Nope. And I didn’t ask. It wasn’t my place.”
Arykah looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost two P.M. “And he’s been gone since this morning?”
“Yep.”
“Thanks for coming in, Mr. Howell. How’s Arykah doing? She was released from the hospital this morning, right?” Detective Rogers shook Lance’s hand and invited him to sit in a chair. They were in a small office at the rear of the Burr Ridge Police Department.
“Arykah’s getting better by the day, Detective. Thanks for asking. Yes, she’s home resting.” Lance was curious why Detective Rogers had called and asked him to meet her at the police station.
“That’s good,” she stated. “Please let her know that I’m thinking of her.”
“I certainly will,” Lance responded.
Detective Rogers sat in a chair next to Lance with a remote control in her hand. “Well, I called you in to take a look at the surveillance tape that I confiscated from the security booth at the entrance gate of your complex.” She pointed the remote control to a flat-screen high-definition television that was mounted on the wall in the office. As she pressed the play button, she said, “Check this out. This surveillance is from the morning of Arykah’s attack. I think you’ll find it quite interesting. Pay attention to the time of day it was on the bottom right-hand side.”
Lance couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw a bald black man walk right past the guard and into his complex at 8:27 A.M. Monday morning. “What the heck? Who is that guy, and where was the guard?”
“I interviewed a guy named Dwight Alexander, the guard that was on duty that morning.”
“Yeah, I know Dwight.”
“He said that someone in a car had driven up on the street, just outside the entrance of the complex, and asked him for directions. Dwight claimed that he left the booth, unattended, for about two minutes to give the person directions. I figured that was the moment this bald guy slipped passed Dwight without being noticed.”
“Do you think the person that asked for directions was an accomplice?”
Detective Rogers shook her head from side to side. “No. Not at all. Dwight said the person asking for directions was an Asian lady with a screaming infant strapped in a car seat in the backseat of her vehicle. I believe the guy had been lurking around the security gate waiting for an opportunity to get past the guard’s booth undetected. It was just perfect timing when the Asian lady drove up to distract Dwight.” Detective Rogers pressed the rewind button on the remote control. “Take another look at this guy walking into your complex. After he passed the booth, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that he hadn’t been seen. The camera mounted on the roof of the booth captured a good view of his face.”
Lance leaned forward in his chair and looked closely at the man’s face. He appeared to be about six foot two. He wore a short black leather jacket with dark pants and dark shoes. Both of his hands were in his jacket pockets, and his pace was quick.
“Do you recognize him at all?” Detective Rogers asked Lance.
“No. I’ve never seen him before.”
“Are you sure? You’ve never seen him in your complex before? Maybe visiting a neighbor.”
“Nope.”
“What about church? Have you ever seen this guy at church?”
There were close to 500 members at Freedom Temple. While the women certainly outnumbered the men every Sunday, Lance couldn’t place the man’s face at church. “Not that I can recall.”
Detective Rogers pressed the power button on the remote control and stood from her chair. “I’m expecting a call from the forensic scientist sometime today. Hopefully the fingerprints lifted from your doorbell will come back with a positive identification.”
“And what if there are no matches? Then what?”
Detective Rogers saw the concern on Lance’s face. “We’ll get him, Mr. Howell. This is personal for me.”
Lance cocked his head to the side. “Really? How so?”
The detective exhaled. “I’m a rape victim too. I was fourteen years old coming home from a friend’s house trying to beat my curfew. I took a shortcut and walked through the alley behind my house. A guy jumped out from nowhere and grabbed me.”
“My Lord,” Lance said.
“He was never caught. That’s why I’m making Arykah’s case my priority. I’m determined to get justice for her and any other woman that predator may have attacked.”
Lance was pleased to know that Detective Rogers was in his wife’s corner. She wasn’t just putting time in to receive a paycheck; she was passionate about the case. “I appreciate that, Detective.”
“Please call me Cortney.”
Lance smiled. “Okay, Cortney. And you can call me Lance.”
“I’ll be in touch as soon as I hear about the fingerprints.”
As soon as Lance stepped outside of the police department, his cellular telephone rang. He saw his home number flashing on the caller identification. Immediately his heart started to race. “What’s wrong, Mother Cortland?” he asked in a panic.
“Hi, babe. It’s me.”
“Cheeks, are you okay?”
Lance was riled up. Arykah feared that every time he left her presence he’d constantly worry about her. “Yes, I’m fine. Momma Cortland is here cooking up a storm. She’s got a pot of chicken noodle soup on the stove. She found your Cornish hen in the freezer. It’s in the oven with a pan of macaroni and cheese. Right now she’s making her famous pineapple upside-down cake. Momma Cortland is giving you a run for your money, babe.”
Lance chuckled. “Is that right?” Earlier that morning when he called and asked Myrtle to come and sit with Arykah, she told Lance that she’d be more than happy to help out in any way she could. Myrtle told Lance that she wanted to make chicken noodle soup for Arykah but hearing about the hen, macaroni and cheese, and cake was a pleasant surprise for him.
“Yep. You better get back here and claim our title.”
“I’ll be home shortly.”
“Where are you? You slipped out on me.”
“I’m at the police station. I just reviewed the surveillance tape from Monday morning. Detective Rogers and I saw a bald black guy walk right past Dwight at about eight-thirty in the morning.”
“It could be him, Lance. The guy that raped me was a dark bald guy.”
“The camera got a good picture of his face, but I didn’t recognize him.”
“I wanna see the tape.” Arykah didn’t get a good look of the guy during her attack, but she knew he was dark and bald.
“I definitely think you should review the tape. I didn’t recognize him, but maybe you will. However, your doctor has you on lockdown for now. Maybe in a week or two; when you’re stronger.”
“So what happens now?”
“Hopefully the fingerprints lifted from the doorbell will find a match, but only if the guy has a criminal record.”
“But what happens if he doesn’t have a record? Will he just get away with what he did to me?” Arykah was worried that her attacker would never be caught.
“Cheeks, don’t worry. We’ll get him. I promise.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts.’” Lance refused to allow her to become discouraged. “Have I ever broken a promise to you?”
Arykah couldn’t think of one. “No.”
“And I won’t start breaking any now. I’m on my way home. Can I bring you anything?”
“Yes, you can.” Arykah perked up. “A pint of Chunky Monkey to go with Mother Cortland’s pineapple upside-down cake.”
At 7:30 that evening, Lance opened the front door for Monique and Adonis.
“Welcome, folks. Come on in.”
“What’s happening, Bishop?” Monique stepped inside the foyer and kissed Lance on his cheek.
“All is well. All is well.”
Adonis followed Monique inside. “Evening. I heard there was food here.”
Lance chuckled. “Well, you came to the right place if you’re hungry. Mother Cortland has been cooking all day.” He noticed that Adonis was carrying a small black duffle bag on his shoulder. “That’s the smallest duffle bag I’ve ever seen.”
Monique brought her forefinger to her lips to quiet Lance. “Shh. It’s a gift for Arykah.”
“You bought her a miniature duffle bag? One pair of Arykah’s earrings won’t even fit in that thing.”
“There’s already something in the duffle bag,” Adonis smiled.
Lance shut the front door, double bolted it, then looked outside through the glass. He was looking to see if anyone was lurking around in the shadows of the bushes. Until Arykah’s attacker was caught and jailed, he wouldn’t rest.
“What are you looking at?” Adonis asked.
“Nothing.” Lance turned away from the door and led his friends into the living room where Arykah was sitting on the sofa.
“Hey, doll,” Monique greeted her best friend. “Look at you sitting pretty.” Monique sat next to Arykah, leaned over, and kissed her cheek.
“Not you too. Everyone is a liar these days.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about Lance telling me that I’m beautiful and gorgeous. And you coming in here saying that I’m pretty. You are all liars.”
“No one is lying,” Adonis said, sitting on the sofa opposite of Arykah and Monique. “You are beautiful and pretty and gorgeous.” He set the small duffle bag on the floor next to his leg.
“Preach, brother, preach,” Lance encouraged Adonis.
“Well, if that’s the truth, Adonis, why does my mirror show that I look like the elephant woman?” Arykah was self-conscious of her still swollen right eye. Her nose was off center, and the stitches in her top lip hadn’t yet dissolved. The black, purple, and blue bruises on her face were a constant reminder of her attack just three days before.
“You need to return that mirror from wherever you bought it and get a refund because it’s lying to you.”
Arykah looked from Adonis to Monique. “Please take your husband to an optometrist. Obviously, he needs glasses.”
Monique chose to ignore Arykah’s comment. Evidently Arykah was looking to have a pity party, but Monique was not going to indulge her friend. She and Adonis stopped by to cheer her up and take her mind away from the event that happened on Monday. “Um, we bought you a gift.”
Adonis picked up the duffle bag and gave it to Monique. Monique set the bag on Arykah’s lap.
Receiving gifts always cheered Arykah up. She slightly smiled. “Ooh, gifts. I like gifts.” She unzipped the duffle bag and was surprised to see a little Yorkshire terrier pop its head out of the bag. “Oh, how cute,” Arykah cooed.
“It’s a Teacup Yorkiepoo,” Adonis said.
“A Yorkshire terrier mixed with a poodle. And it’s called a teacup because it’s the size of a teacup. She won’t get much bigger than that,” Monique confirmed.
“We wanted to get you something to keep you company while you recuperated,” Adonis said.
“I love it, Adonis,” Arykah pulled the teeny puppy from the duffle bag. “Oh my God. She’s adorable.”
Lance shook his head from side to side. “That’s all I need right now. Another diva in this house.”
Arykah chuckled. “You got that right, honey. I’m big diva, and she’s li’l diva.”
Arykah gasped. “Lance, you just named her. We’re gonna call her ‘Diva.’”
Lance came to Arykah and scooped the puppy up in the palm of his hand. “Diva, huh? Knowing you, I thought you would’ve named her Gucci, or Prada, or after some type of designer.”
“Well, she does need a middle name,” Monique said.
“Don’t encourage her,” Adonis pleaded.
Lance gave the dark brown and black miniature fur ball back to Arykah.
“Hmm, let’s see.” Arykah thought of a middle name. “How about Diva Chanel Howell?”
“Arykah, can you get more snooty?” Lance asked.
“Oh, Bishop, you ain’t seen snooty yet.” Arykah brought the puppy to her face and kissed her teeny, black, wet nose. “Wait until me and Diva Chanel show up at church with matching dresses, hats, and bling.” Arykah tickled Diva’s belly. “You’re my little diva. Yes, you are. Yes, you are.”
“Thanks a lot guys. That was the perfect gift,” Lance said sarcastically. Arykah was already a force to reckon with but with a mini-me in tow, Lance knew she was going to get out of control.
“Bishop, we gotta go shopping,” Arykah stated.
“For what?”
“It’s cold outside. Diva Chanel needs a fur coat.”
Lance looked at Monique and Adonis. “See what y’all did?”
Arykah gave the puppy to Monique. “I can’t bend over just yet. Can you put Diva on the floor?”
Monique gently set the puppy on the floor. “We bought food and puppy training pads too.” She looked at Adonis. “Babe, can you please get the puppy’s other bag from the car? I wanna put a few of the training pads down before Miss Diva has an accident on the new carpet.”
Adonis rose from the sofa to honor Monique’s request.
“By the way,” Arykah said to Monique, “Lance told me that you took off from work yesterday to come here while the new carpet was being installed. I appreciate that. Lance said there was a lot of blood, and I don’t know how I would’ve reacted had I walked in and saw it.”
“It was no problem. Lance didn’t wanna leave your side at the hospital, and neither of us wanted you to come home and see the stained carpet. That’s what sisters do.”
Adonis returned with the puppy’s food and training pads. Monique placed four pads on the floor by the cocktail table. Diva wasted no time squatting on one.
“That’s a good girl,” Arykah said to her. “Now I’m supposed to give her a treat, right?”
“We got treats too,” Adonis said, reaching in the bag he brought in from the car. He pulled out a small white chewable treat and gave it to Diva. “These are yogurt bites. The veterinarian said that puppies love them, and they train well with these.”
“Well, now that Diva has her treat, can I have mine?” Monique asked Arykah. “I know Mother Cortland got down in your kitchen today. And where is Mother Cortland anyway?”
“She’s upstairs resting,” Lance answered.
Arykah struggled to rise from the sofa. She held her side and winced at every move she made. Lance was quick to assist her.
“Let’s eat. I’m starved,” Arykah said. “Hospital food is nasty.”
Lance helped Arykah to the kitchen table and asked if she wanted a bowl of the chicken noodle soup Mother Cortland had made especially for her. Mother Cortland knew that Arykah was missing two teeth and her lip had been busted. She wanted to make Arykah a dish that would be easy on her mouth.
“Heck, no, I don’t want any soup. I want the Cornish hen with mac and cheese.”
“You can’t chew that. But I’ll be sure and let you know how good it is,” Monique teased. She and Adonis were at the stove preparing their plates.
Arykah almost called Monique the “B” word. “You don’t tell me what I can or can’t chew. I’m not gonna sit here and slurp soup and watch the three of you chew like southern hillbillies.”
“I’ll have soup with you, Cheeks,” Lance tried to comfort her.
Arykah didn’t say a word. She slowly rose from the table and went to the cabinet next to the refrigerator, where she pulled out her blender and set it on the counter next to the stove.
“What are you going to do with that blender?” Monique asked her.
“Why are you in my business? You fix your plate, and I’m gonna fix mine.”
Lance, Monique, and Adonis stopped what they were doing. They watched in amazement as Arykah cut three slices of the Cornish hen and put them in the blender. With a large silver spoon, she scooped three helpings of the macaroni and cheese and dropped them in the blender. They were absolutely stunned when Arykah went to the refrigerator and pulled out a gallon of milk and poured a fourth of a cup into the blender.
“I know you are not gonna do what I think you’re gonna do,” Lance said to her.
Without a response, Arykah placed the top on the blender and pressed the puree button.
“You are out of your mind,” Monique said.
Adonis turned his nose up at Arykah’s creation. “That ain’t gonna taste good.”
When her meal was turned into a liquid, Arykah removed the top from the blender and poured the mixture into a glass. She took the glass and placed it in the microwave and heated it for thirty seconds.
“You are nuts,” Lance said to her.
Refusing to speak to any of them, Arykah removed the glass from the microwave and brought it up to her mouth. With one swallow she gagged. “Yuk. This is gross.”
Adonis chuckled. “I told you. That’s like blending a cheeseburger. It ain’t gonna taste like a cheeseburger. It’s gonna be nasty.”
“What are you gonna do now?” Monique asked Arykah.
“I guess I’ll have the soup.”
Lance laughed. “Sit down, Cheeks. I’ll get it for you.”
Arykah sat at the kitchen table and saw Diva coming her way sniffing everything in sight. “There’s my Diva.” Arykah called for the puppy to come to her.
After Adonis put his plate of food on the table, he scooped Diva up and gave her to Arykah. “She’s as light as a feather,” he said.
Arykah brought Diva to her face. “You’re so cute. And Mommy’s gonna buy you so many cute clothes.”
“Oh boy,” Lance exhaled. He set Arykah’s bowl of soup on the table in front of her. “How about a glass of sweet tea, Cheeks?”
“Tea would be great, babe. Thanks.”
Lance returned Diva to the kitchen floor and was on his way to get Arykah’s glass of tea when his cellular telephone rang. He pulled it from its holder that was attached to his belt loop. “It’s Detective Rogers,” he announced after he recognized the number.
Lance pressed the talk button and brought the telephone to his ear. “Hello, Detective Rogers.”
Monique brought her plate of food to the table and sat next to Adonis.
Arykah filled them in on why the detective may be calling. “Detective Rogers said that she would call when she got the results from the fingerprints on the doorbell.”
“You have a positive ID on the fingerprints?” Lance’s voice rose. He looked at Arykah as he listened to the detective speak into his ear. “Arykah’s rape kit?”
Arykah slowly stood holding her side.
“The semen sample matched whoever rang the doorbell,” Lance told Arykah.
Arykah’s heart started to race.
Lance told Detective Rogers that he was gonna put her on speaker. “Arykah is here, Detective. And so are our friends, Monique and Adonis. We can all hear you.” Lance lay the telephone on the center island. “Go ahead, Detective.”
“The semen collected from the rape kit, the skin cells that were scraped from beneath Arykah’s nails, and the print from your doorbell all matched a guy who has a rap sheet a mile long.”
Adonis and Monique stood from the table and came to the center island to hear Detective Rogers better.
“His name is Clyde Trumbull. He lives on the south side of Chicago.”
“Clyde Trumbull,” Lance repeated the name. “I don’t know anyone with that name.”
“How about you, Arykah?” Detective Rogers asked. “Does Clyde Trumbull sound familiar to you?”
Detective Rogers couldn’t see Arykah shaking her head from side to side. “No. I don’t know anyone by that name.”
“Well, he certainly knows both of you. You should thank your best friend, Arykah. She hit the nail right on the head.”
Arykah frowned, and so did Monique. “What do you mean?” Arykah asked Detective Rogers.
“Clyde Trumbull is the nephew of Ms. Pansie Bowak.”
Arykah gasped so loudly that it caused her ribs to ache. She quickly consoled her aching side with her hand.
“I knew it!” Monique yelled out. “I knew it.”
Lance and Adonis couldn’t speak. They were in shock and remained silent.
“Ms. Bowak has been Clyde’s legal guardian since he was sixteen years old. He’s her late sister’s only son. Clyde is thirty-nine years old but has been in and out jail since the age of twenty-three. You name it, Clyde has done it. Robbery, auto theft, breaking and entering, marijuana possession, and now sexual assault. He’s bipolar and schizophrenic. I mean this guy is a real monster.”
“Detective Rogers,” Lance was finally able to speak.
“Please call me Cortney.”
“Cortney, I am blown away at what you just laid on us. What happens now?”
“I have a warrant for Clyde’s arrest. He’ll be picked up tonight.”
“What about Mother Pansie?” Monique asked. “We all know she’s the mastermind behind Arykah’s attack.”
“Oh, I’m all over that, Monique. Don’t you worry about Ms. Bowak. Once I get Clyde to sing—and I will make him sing—she’ll be arrested too.”
“My Lord, my Lord,” Lance murmured.
“Seems like Clyde was Ms. Bowak’s secret that she kept hidden from the outside world,” Detective Rogers said. “According to a neighbor, Ms. Bowak didn’t allow Clyde outside the home often. The few times she did expose him to the outside world was when he’d gotten into trouble.”
“Well, that explains why she never brought him to church,” Lance said. “This is so crazy. Mother Pansie darn near raised me in the church, and I never even knew she had a sister, let alone a nephew.”
“Come on in ... where the feast of the Lord is going on.” The sanctuary choir at Freedom Temple was in high praise. “At the table. At the table ... where the feast of the Lord is going on.”
Lance sat in the pulpit. He was calm. He was cool. And he was collected. In his peripheral vision, he saw Minister Week’s knees shaking.
Lance leaned over to him. “I shouldn’t have told you anything, Weeks. You’re a wreck.”
Carlton took his handkerchief from his interior suit jacket and wiped sweat from his brow. “I can’t believe it, Bishop. I just can’t believe it.”
Lance glanced at his wristwatch. It was all going down soon. He looked at Mother Pansie sitting on the second pew behind Monique and Myrtle. She was singing and rocking along with the choir, unaware that her world was about to crash. Lance wished that Arykah had been well enough to attend church and see justice get served.
He remembered Mother Gussie and Mother Pansie storming into his office after church. “Bishop, she’s not first-lady material.” Lance recalled the red ink they poured in Arykah’s chair. He could still see the tears Arykah shed the night Mother Gussie lied about the time that Arykah was supposed to meet the Cartwright family for prayer. Lance had defended Mother Gussie. He thought back to the day when the photo of Arykah and her client having dinner had mysteriously shown up at church. And then there was the infamous suit jacket at the dry cleaner fiasco.
Lance realized that the mothers had spent a huge amount of energy in trying to oust his wife. They caused her grief and embarrassment. Therefore, he didn’t feel the least bit guilty when he asked Detective Rogers to wait until Sunday morning, after Mother Pansie had left for church, to arrest Clyde Trumbull.
Lance’s cellular telephone vibrated. He was expecting a text message. He nonchalantly read it.
We’re coming in the church now.
Lance returned the telephone to the holder on his belt. He looked at Myrtle and Monique and winked his eye. Then he glanced at Adonis sitting behind the organ and winked his eye. Adonis had been instructed to continue to play throughout the chaos.
Lastly, Lance leaned over to Carlton again. “It’s going down now.”
Carlton’s knees shook faster.
The doors of the church opened. Lance and Carlton saw Detective Rogers step to a female usher and flash her badge. The two women exchanged words; then the usher escorted Detective Rogers and two other policewomen down the center aisle. The usher brought them to Mother Pansie’s row. Lance saw the usher point to Mother Pansie and say something to Detective Rogers.
The choir lost focus on what they were singing about. They stopped immediately, but Adonis kept playing. The entire church saw Detective Rogers gently grab Mother Pansie by her elbow and stand her up.
The look on Mother Pansie’s face was horrifying when she realized what was happening. Detective Rogers read Mother Pansie her Miranda rights, then instructed the policewomen to place her in handcuffs. Mother Pansie’s nephew, Clyde, was already at the police station. And although Detective Rogers hadn’t question Mother Pansie yet, there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that Mother Pansie had sent her nephew to attack Arykah. He was incompetent and a nutcase.
Detective Rogers was sure that Clyde did not wake up the morning of Arykah’s rape and choose her randomly to attack. He knew where she and Lance lived, knew to sneak past the guard on duty, and he knew that Lance was a bishop. Clyde had never been to Freedom Temple, and he’d never met Arykah. So Detective Rogers put two and two together and came to the conclusion that the only reason Clyde came to Arykah’s house and assaulted her was because he had been told to do so. Told by someone who hated Arykah.
Mother Pansie looked toward the pulpit into Lance’s eyes. She wasn’t remorseful; she wasn’t sorry. When her eyes locked on Lance’s, he saw pure evil.
Mother Pansie didn’t put up a fight. She held her head high as Detective Rogers escorted her out of Freedom Temple.
Lance stood from his chair and approached the podium. “At the table where the feast of the Lord is going on,” he sang.
Adonis raised the volume on the organ. Slowly the choir began to sing along with their pastor. The mood at the church was a somber one. Everyone wanted to know why their beloved Mother Pansie had just been arrested. Lance didn’t stop the service to give an explanation. He kept singing until the entire congregation joined in.
After praise and worship, he excused himself from the pulpit and left the church.
On cue, Minister Weeks stepped to the podium and took over the service.
When Lance arrived home, he found Arykah and Diva snuggled up on the sofa in the great room. Arykah was watching a movie on the Lifetime Movie Network Channel. He placed a large bouquet of roses on the table next to the sofa.
“Those are beautiful, babe.”
“Yes, they are, but they’re not from me. When I signed in at the gate, Dwight asked that I give the roses to you.”
“You had to sign in?”
“Because of what happened to you, the home owners association has new rules. Residents must sign in and out of the complex, plus we gotta show our ID’s. The guard on duty can never leave the post unattended for any reason. And visitors are required to show identification as well. They’re only allowed past the gate if the resident they’re visiting calls and gives permission to allow the visitor through.”
“Wow. Talk about being on lockdown.”
“What happened to you, Cheeks, could’ve been avoided. It shouldn’t have taken a crime to happen for the new rules to be implemented. As much as we paid for our homes, you, me, and all of our neighbors should never have to worry about the safety of our families. Dwight sent the flowers because he knows he messed up. He wanted me to tell you that he is very sorry for what happened to you.”
“Aw, Dwight is a good guy,” Arykah said. “When I’m better, I’ll go and speak with him.” She repositioned herself on the sofa. “So, how did it go at church?”
Lance sat down on the sofa and laid his head on Arykah’s lap. “Everything went according to plan.”
“She didn’t put up a fight?”
“Nope. Satan’s sister is guilty.”
“What about Mother Gussie?”
Lance sat up and looked at Arykah. “She called me when I left the church. Gossip travels fast. I left right after praise and worship was over. But just as I was getting into my car, Mother Gussie was blowing up my cell phone. First thing she said was, ‘I didn’t have anything to do with it, Bishop.’”
Arykah cocked her head to the side. “Oh really? Well, it’s obvious that she knew what Mother Pansie was up to if she claimed she wasn’t involved.”
“Exactly. Someone had to have called Mother Gussie to tell her that her best friend was arrested at church. When she blurted out that she didn’t have anything to do with it, I knew she was aware of Mother Pansie’s plan. When I asked Mother Gussie what she was talking about, she paused.”
“Uh-huh. She paused because she realized that neither of you had discussed Mother Pansie’s arrest. And for her to call you and say that she was innocent, Mother Gussie inadvertently told on herself because she knew about my assault before it happened.”
“She never answered my question when I asked her what she was talking about. But the fact that Mother Gussie knew what Mother Pansie had been planning and didn’t tell me about it left a sour taste in my mouth. She knew what was going to happen to you, but she said absolutely nothing. I can’t get past that, Cheeks. I told Mother Gussie that she was no longer welcomed at Freedom Temple.”
Arykah’s eyes grew large. “Wow. Was that a first for you? Dismissing someone from the church? It couldn’t have been easy.”
“It was very easy,” Lance said. “When it comes to my wife, I don’t play around. I have zero tolerance as far as you’re concerned. Dismissing Mother Gussie from Freedom Temple was a first for me, but it won’t be the last if I get wind of anyone else trying to harm you.”
“You are the bestest husband on this side of heaven, Bishop. And you look kinda sexy when you put your foot down.” Arykah ran her finger along Lance’s goatee. “You’re looking real sexy right about now.”
“Don’t start anything that you can’t finish, Cheeks.”
“Who says that I can’t finish?”
“Your doctor, that’s who. He told you to not overextend yourself. No strenuous exercises.”
“My grandmother use to always say, ‘Never let the weatherman stop your plans. So what if it rains?’”
Lance frowned. “What in the world does that mean?”
Arykah took her time to stand. She untied the knot of her robe, slipped it from her shoulders, and let it fall to the floor. She turned from Lance and started walking toward their bedroom. Seductively, she looked over her shoulder and said, “I can show you what it means better than I can tell you.”
It had been awhile, and Lance was craving his wife. “What about the beach towel you’re sitting on?”
“Don’t concern yourself with the towel. There are ways around the towel. I’m a pro at what I do. You know that.”
Arykah was telling the absolute truth. She was a master at loving Lance. She shined in the bedroom and was skilled beyond belief.
Lance rose from the sofa and followed Arykah to their bedroom.