The Devil Made Me Do It (20 page)

Esther lay back in the warm sudsy water with her eyes closed. “Hmm, so nice,” she purred as she listened to soft jazz floating through the air.

She had called Lawton earlier, and they had a wonderful conversation. She let him know that she was interested in seeing where their relationship could take them. Initially, she felt he was moving too fast. They had only known each other a little over a month. But he had stepped up and made her problems his own. She let him know she couldn't wait until she saw him again.

After her bath, Esther dressed for bed but decided to wind down with a little TV. She sat on her couch and grabbed her remote to see what was on cable when her doorbell rang. She pulled her robe closed and went to the door and looked through the peephole.

Lawton?

When she opened the door he scooped her into his arms. “A man can only wait so long,” he stated as he kissed her lips with passion.

“Man, you're a mess!” Esther laughed, and then her eyes glazed over when he cut her off with another soul-stirring kiss. She stopped laughing and enjoyed the kiss.

Lawton's gaze was intense. “Our phone call this evening just wasn't enough. I wanted to look into your eyes, kiss those tantalizing lips, and assure you that you are safe with me.”

She touched his face. “Thank you. Let's believe the best in each other. This will be a relationship that begins and remains in integrity. I'm tired of lies, omissions, and whatever else people use to do what they want to do.”

He nodded in agreement. “Yes, let's do this right. Our Father in Heaven knows, I've done and had wrong. Now, you get a good night's sleep, knowing I've got your back. I'm going to treat you the way I treat God, giving Him all of me.”

Esther walked Lawton to the door where they hugged. He stood outside while she locked everything up, and then called out good night.

She staggered as she walked into her room, feeling drunk with pleasure. She knew tonight she would have sweet dreams. Then her shoulders tensed at the abrupt ringing of her telephone and the intrusion of the outside world. “Hello?” she answered a little grumpy.

“Now, Mama didn't raise you to answer the phone nasty, sweetheart.”

“Sorry, Mama, what's going on?” Esther said, contrite.

“Nothing much, just calling. How was your dinner?”

Esther wondered why the niceties. Her mother wanted something, but she'd play along. “Same old, same old. I was just about to lie down.”

“Oh, well, then I'm going to talk to you later. By the way . . .”

Uh-oh, here's the real reason for her call.
“Ma'am?”

“Where did you go after church? I looked for you, but your car was gone.”

Esther had no idea where this was headed. “I probably had left for home.”

Elizabeth Wiley sought details. “Straight home?”

Esther tried to review her evening, but all she saw was Lawton's handsome visage. “Well . . . yes, no, wait . . .”

“What?” her mother asked, eager for her breakthrough.

Esther said in triumph. “I stopped at the corner store and picked up some soda pop.”

“Oh, okay. Talk to you later,” her mother sounded rattled.

Esther could tell her mother hadn't gotten the answer she sought. “Mama, what's the third degree about?”

“Sweetie, you're imagining things. I was being curious, nothing more.”

Esther exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. “So you say. Bye, Mama.”

“Bye, darling. Daddy says he loves you.”

After hanging up the phone, Esther settled down for a pleasant night's sleep.

 

 

The Wiley household was suffering the fallout of Abigail's earlier dirty work. The industrious Sister Muriel had evidently helped spread the word.

“Don't be dragging me into your schemes, Elizabeth,” Hickman growled, tickling her backside.

Elizabeth smacked his hands away. “How can you play around at a time like this? I told you what Sister Melissa said Sister Jackie told her.”

“And I told you not to listen to it. Here you are, calling up our child and secretly grilling her. If you wanted to know if she was in Pastor's office doing the do, you should have come right out and asked her,” he said, putting his hands back on her backside.

“Hickman, you know I don't believe that. I just wanted to find out what got misconstrued. But that child has been through so much, I couldn't ask. You know, ever since the last time the good God-fearing folk of Love Zion blasted her business, Esther hasn't done well being the subject of gossip. I'm afraid if she hears this, she'll shut down again,” Elizabeth groaned, frustrated. “And, Hickman? Move your hands.”

Hickman took his hands off of her backside and rubbed her back to calm her down. “Yeah, after that Roger business, people acted as though they didn't have anything else to talk about. I even heard some of the men running their mouths. Course, me and Jesus had a little talk with 'em. Still makes me angry just thinking about it. Now, we got this business with her and Pastor Stokes. The first time we heard it, it was right before he spoke his first sermon.”

“Yes, but he preached so good, everyone put the mess behind them. But now . . .” She was beside herself with the constant drama.

“But—nothing! We have to have faith, woman. Our daughter has grown a lot in the last several years. She can handle more than you think,” Hickman said with strong assurance.

Elizabeth became weepy. “I just have this awful feeling. The enemy is busy, Hickman. I feel it deep in my spirit.”

He wiped her tears and hugged her. “Our best defense is His Word. Let's go back in our prayer closet and pray.” The two headed toward the back room that was set up as their home sanctuary.

Elizabeth said to her husband of thirty-eight years, “Babe, remind me to talk to Mother Reed before the night is over.”

“I will. It's good in times like these to have wise counsel. Now, let's get ready to clear our minds and hearts of any doubts. God is able,” Hickman said with conviction.

“Yes, He is . . .” Elizabeth echoed.

They bent to pray when their doorbell rang. Hickman looked at Elizabeth, and she shook her head and shrugged her shoulder. They were coming out of their room when the front door flew open.

Phyllis came barreling into their home. Charles flying behind her.

Hickman rubbed his eyes. “I'm almost afraid to ask. What's wrong, Phyllis?”

Charles slapped Hickman on the shoulder in greeting. “Dad, I don't even know what's wrong. She gets off the phone in an outrage, and then pulls me out of the house. She knows I have to be at work in the morning.”

Phyllis narrowed her eyes and yelled, “People, they're so wrong. No-good gossipmongers. I've got a good mind to start calling and cussing out a whole lot of people, starting with Abigail Winters.”

Charles looked at his in-laws. “What's she done now?”

Phyllis's foot shook in agitation. Her mother and father sat down and watched the fireworks. Phyllis could wear anyone out.

Phyllis seethed. “According to our cousin Tamela, who is best friends with Sister Essie's niece, Esther is having an affair with Pastor Stokes. To make matters even more disgusting, they're supposedly doing it
in the church office
. Oh yeah, and Esther's been chasing him since he moved here.”

“I take it Sister Winters is behind the gossip?” Charles asked. He sat down next to her, cool and calm.

Phyllis ranted. “I know it's her, that old biddy.” She paused and stared at her husband. “Charles, why aren't you acting outraged?”

He crossed his leg. “Because I'm not surprised somebody picked up on the sparks flying back and forth between Briggs and Esther.”

Phyllis, Hickman, and Elizabeth all exclaimed at once, “What?”

Phyllis began to sputter. “What sparks? Charles, you've been holding out on me. I thought she had met someone else. Didn't you see her out eating with someone? Ooh wee. Esther will have two men trying to court her.” Phyllis's hand danced in the air. “
That's
what I'm talking about.” She rubbed her hands together, shifting from anger to giddiness in record speed.

“Hold on now, Phyllis. Briggs is married,” Charles interrupted before Phyllis made Briggs a bigamist, ordered the cake, and had the reception hall booked.

Hickman and Elizabeth looked at each other, sat back down, and waited.

“What?” she grabbed at Charles. “Since when? You knew this and didn't share it with anyone? Where is First Lady Stokes?”

Charles answered in weariness, “I'm not answering questions, Phyllis. If Briggs wanted everyone to know his business, he would tell them, and he hasn't. He trusted me, and I'm not breaking his trust. As it is, I'll have to tell him about you knowing this much.”

“No, you
didn't
just throw shade on me,” she fumed.

Charles smiled; Phyllis and slang were not a good mix.

He grabbed her around her waist and squeezed. “You still my boo?”

“Your boo? Boy, please! Let me go. Mama we got to figure this thing out. They don't know who they messing with. The Wileys will ride on some people,” Phyllis raged as she walked away, forgetting all about being upset with Charles and her past feelings of depression. She loved a good fight.

“That's my baby . . .” Charles said as he looked at the Wileys. “I better call and give Briggs a heads-up,” he chuckled.

Hickman watched Phyllis getting herself something to drink in his kitchen at ten o'clock at night. “Sweetheart, you want to put your daughter and her husband out or shall I?”

“You do it, honey.” Elizabeth said as she turned away. “I'm going to bed. That child just wore me out.”

 

 

“
I must say, Imp One, I'm impressed with your work thus far. And don't worry about the old one. She's my assignment. Soon her heart will give out. I'm working on it,” The Leader slurred.

“Thank you, Master. It is my intention to serve.”

“Four houses and counting that are in an uproar. When the dust finally settles, the whole church will be effected. I can see it now: Those on her side, those on the naysayers' side, those who choose to remain neutral—too scared to take a side. Oh, the chaos will be wonderful to view. The icing on the cake is a pastor too weak to come to terms with a crumbling marriage.”

Imp One jumped in, secure now that The Leader was pleased. “He tries to hide. His pride won't let him come clean with the people. So, it gets worse, and worse. Meanwhile, his self-esteem gets lower and lower. The best thing of all . . . His Holiness's work will be left undone.”

“I warned you, do not speak the name!” The Leader hissed. “Do-not-speak-that-name!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Imp One whimpered. “Tell me how to make it better, Master.”

“Kneel before me,” The Leader demanded.

Imp One fell to his knees. “I am kneeling, Master.”

“Let me rest my hooves on your head.” Imp one promptly lay down and The Leader reclined with his feet on Imp One's head. The Leader removed his hooves and said, “Hmmm, that was only mildly satisfying. I know—since you're already down there, shine my hooves with your spittle.”

Imp One felt bile rise up in his throat as he began to do his master's bidding.

Esther flicked the fringed hem of her red dress around her legs as she danced the Salsa with Lawton. Her hair gleamed in the light, and her platinum earrings twinkled in the darkened room. They were swaying and stepping side to side when Lawton did a calypso body shake, partnered with a rhythm and blues Chicago step that had every head in the place turn his way. Esther was having a great time. She had heard about Christian clubs but had never been to one. Lawton and his friends frequented this place and vouched for it being the real deal.

Lawton reveled in Esther's bright smile. “Having a good time?”

She grinned and did some fancy footwork around him.

He laughed. “Oh, it's like that, is it?” as he strutted around her to the calypso beat.

Esther didn't want to speak right now or he would know just how winded she was. She hadn't danced outside her living room in years. It was so freeing, she felt young again.

The song ended, and Lawton bowed at the waist, took her hand, and guided her back to the table. They came back to catcalls and whistles, as his friends razzed both of them.

Lawton's ex-partner Kevin Green was impressed. “You guys were awesome. Lawton, you've met your match.”

Kevin's fiancée, Tanya, attended Love Zion although Esther had not previously interacted with her. “Esther, you have to show me that hip move. Girl, you've been holding out on a sista.”

Lawrence, the new rookie police officer they had taken under their wing, was awestruck by their talent. “Hey, you guys should enter the rumba contest next month.”

“You should learn some of those moves, Shug,” Lawrence's wife, Cassandra suggested.

Esther laughed out loud in amusement. They liked her, she liked them, and this night was magical.

Lawton held her hand on the table and said, “So, what do you think? Want to sign up for the contest? Come on, it should be fun.”

“Oh no, I don't know how to rumba. I barely kept up with you out there,” Esther protested.

“Are you kidding? Girl, you're a natural,” said Melrose, the wife of Lawton's current partner on the police force, Glen. “You make me want to take lessons. After you two went out there, we all stayed put.”

“Yea,” added Glen. “We knew ol' boy could throw down, but beg my pardon, you
stunned
us.”

Lawton butted in, “Okay, everybody. Leave my lady alone. If she decides to dance, I'll let you know. In the meantime, can somebody pass the wing platter and pitcher of lemonade? I need to get my grub on.”

Esther tapped him, and then stole a wing off his plate. He pushed his plate over so that they could share. They sat shoulder to shoulder as conversation flowed around them well into the night.

For the next two weeks, Lawton continued to introduce Esther to fellow officers, friends, their wives and girlfriends. It was a great balance against the craziness of her days spent in clandestine meetings working on the plan to correct the mess John and his cohorts had made of things. She liked everyone, and they all had a good time laughing and joking around. She was glad to see that Lawton's closest friends were Christians like him.

Things were going so well between them that she planned to invite him to Sunday dinner at her mother's so he could meet the family. It was a big step considering the last man they met was Roger. She already felt that she could trust Lawton. He was mature and knew where he was going. They shared common interests and goals. If he had some hidden agenda, her family would smoke it out. They had promised to never sit back again while her life was going up in flames.

 

 

The pearl-colored Escalade smoothly ate up miles while Esther tried covering her laughter behind a fake cough. The leather steering wheel's surface was slick with sweat, while Lawton's rigid posture screamed uptight officer of the law.

“They're going to like you,” she reassured him, working to ease his mind about dinner with her family. “. . . unless, of course, you do something really stupid.”

Old neighborhood haunts indicated they were close to her parents' middle-class home. She needed the man to relax before he had a coronary. “Babe, you'll be fine . . . just don't make any sudden moves.” She laughed in pure glee. This was fun. She had no idea he was such an easy mark.

“Ha, ha, ha, stop torturing me or I'm going to return the favor when I take you home to meet my mother. Dad's been gone for a few years now, so her children are her life. So be nice or I'm gon' tell my mama.”

Raucous laughter met melodious chuckles, while luxury tires glided to a silent stop in her parents' driveway. Under the cover of the car's darkness she squeezed his hands to reassure him that all was well.

The black version of June Cleaver, sans pearls, came out on the porch to usher them into the house. Esther was mortified. Her mother behaved as though she had never brought a man home before. And even though it had been a long time, she didn't want Lawton to know it. So the escort inside was over the top.

Norman Rockwell painted this picture, the patriarch standing tall and imposing, the mother in her apron starched and white, her elderly Aunt Gert with granny glasses propped at the tip of her nose, all swathed in soft lighting, casting a warm radiance. Lawton had to be impressed. Heck, she was. Aunt Gert stepped forward running her arm through Lawton's. Aged hands firmly pressed firm young muscles, followed with whistles of appreciation. A sheepish grin spread across Lawton's face as Aunt Gert went into the cougar role Esther promised she would pull. “Now, this c'here is what I call a man. Tall, good looking, and employed. You do have a job, don't you, baby?” Aunt Gert snooped.

“Yes, I'm a police officer. You must be Aunt Gert,” he said, escorting the elderly woman down the hall.

She peered over at Esther. “Baby girl telling tales on me, has she?” she flicked her hand in dismissal. “Pay her no nevermind. These folk today going around calling older women cougars. Well, I'm an old mountain lion, baby. But since you already taken, we just gon' be good friends. How about that?”

Lawton tightened Aunt Gert's hand on his arm. “You try to get rid of me after this.”

Hickman harrumphed several times. “Gert, you hogging the man to yourself? Let him breathe.” He stretched his hand out for a handshake. “Welcome, son. Come on out of this hallway and sit. Women won't even let a man get in the house good.”

Esther shook her head and walked behind Lawton and Aunt Gert. Aunt Gert put her hand back and Esther took it as they all walked through the wide entrance into the family room.

Everyone started talking at once, and Esther winked at Lawton as he smiled at the wonderful clamor of welcoming noise.

Later, as Esther and Lawton sat in her kitchen having coffee, they reviewed their progress.

“Looks like so far we're batting all home runs,” Lawton mused. “My friends like you. Your family loves me. And if you don't do me right, Aunt Gert may be the one who'll help me heal my broken heart.”

“Don't play. When I was younger, I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. She scandalized the family by having a nude painting of herself hanging in her bedroom. But she made sure her long silky hair covered all the appropriate places,” Esther tittered, somewhat embarrassed now.

“Get outta here,” Lawton said in disbelief.

“Yep. Daddy would say she needed Jesus, and Aunt Gert would just shake her head and say she already knew Him. We really do pray for her, but she was hurt by church folk antics and she won't join what she calls ‘organized religion.'”

“What do you mean, ‘church folk'? We both go to church.”

“Club folk, work folk, neighborhood folk, church folk. People doing business as usual. The only difference is the place. I'm a Christian in love with my church and my God. Church folk be killing people softly.”

“That's real talk. Together, you and I will keep Aunt Gert lifted. It was fun. I'm sorry your sister and brother-in-law couldn't make it. Mom's next. Mama is kind of protective, but you'll hold your own.” On the sly, he snuck a glance to catch her reaction.

Esther swallowed. “I ain't scared of your mama.”

“Just checking. I better get going.” He paused searching her face. They hadn't discussed the elephant in the room. “You know you've done a great job cooperating with all the authorities and keeping the fraud investigation quiet. Although the church is involved you haven't shared anything with anyone outside of your boss and the investigating team. That had to be hard. All day we've ignored what a big day tomorrow is. Are you ready for this?”

Small beads of sweat popped across her forehead. “I'm nervous. The plan for me to set up John is an important part of getting the whole house of cards to fall. But I've never tried to set someone up before. You'll be with me, right?”

Lawton came around the table and pulled Esther out of her chair. He planted a small kiss on her cheek. “There's not a chance that I will let anything happen to you. I'll be close by the entire time.” Enveloped in his arms, she relaxed.

She blinked, her smile tremulous. “It's been a lovely evening, Lawton. Thank you for being patient with my crazy family.”

“Aunt Gert might steal me,” he joked, his eyes glued to her lips. “Being a saved man, and you being a saved woman means I need to leave before repentance is needed. No more kisses tonight; they're becoming a little too addictive,” he explained, keeping a small distance between them.

Esther pushed Lawton out the door in a lighthearted way. “Yeah, keep your distance, you're irresistible.” She could hear his chuckle as he stepped off the porch.

She needed some quiet time. In spite of Lawton's reassurances, tomorrow could be a rough day. The sweat pouring from her pores guaranteed it.