Authors: Monica P. Carter

Scandalous Truth (22 page)

BOOK: Scandalous Truth

2.38Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

ads

Chapter 64

The late afternoon sun peeked through the blinds, casting a glare on William's computer screen at the campaign headquarters. He had just returned from a full day of debates and had given two speeches on opposite ends of town.

“Winston, didn't I tell you to make sure I got to speak last at that debate?” William snapped.

Heads jerked up as everyone looked at William. He never exploded like this.

“I'm sorry, boss,” Winston said. “Remember, they flipped a coin. There wasn't anything I could do about that. I told you ahead of time that I wasn't able to arrange the order.”

“I don't care about that, you should have been able to do something!” William said. “I swear, do I have to do everything around here?”

Olivia put her hand on William's arm. “Hey, what's gotten into you?”

“I'm just tired of all this!” William said. “And why is this big glare on my computer screen!”

Someone quickly closed the blinds.

“William, you've got to calm down,” Olivia said soothingly. “I know you're just upset about your lousy home situation. But that's no reason to take it out on the staff. Winston does really good work for you. And the debate went beautifully.”

“I need some air.” William stood abruptly. He strode across the room and flung open the door, slamming it behind him. He found himself staring at the potholed parking lot, his mind a blur of emotion.

September was drawing to a close and the primary election was coming up in a few short weeks. But that wasn't the big one. William knew it would be a much harder fight to win the big general election in November when it was just Dark and him. Even as William tried to focus on the upcoming elections, it was his wife at the top of his mind. He had skipped church yesterday because he didn't want to bump into her there. He knew that wasn't the best approach, but he couldn't risk running into her because he knew if he saw her, he may give in and come back home. And right now, he just didn't know if he could go back home.

She had lied to him repeatedly, it seemed. When had she become so deceitful? When had she started going around behind his back? It was a good thing he did have this campaign to keep him occupied.

William knew he could not take his pain and frustration out on his staff. He walked back into the building and took a deep breath. “Hey, I'm sorry for blowing up earlier,” he said to Winston, who gave him a thumbs-up sign and went back to work.

To Olivia, he confided, “I guess I'm just in a bad mood. I don't understand what's going on with me and my wife, we've never been like this before. I'm angry with her, yet I love her. I keep wanting to reach for the phone to call her, but then I think maybe it's all a waste of time.”

Olivia chose her words carefully. “Well, you're a good man,” she said. “And maybe all of this happened for a reason. Maybe she's not the type of woman you need to have on your arm when you get elected mayor.”

William paused for a moment. “You think I'll get elected?”

Olivia smiled into his eyes. “Yes, I do. You'd be the perfect mayor.”

Chapter 65

Nikki didn't want to make the phone call, but necessity compelled her. I've got to know who leaked that stuff about the credit card. I can't believe he would do this to me. . . .

It had been so long since she had talked to him . . . years, in fact. She wanted to never speak or see him again. He represented her past. And she wanted nothing to do with it. But now she had no choice.

Her fingers hesitated over the buttons on the phone, but she pressed them down firmly.

A receptionist or someone picked up the telephone.

Nikki exhaled, then said: “Spencer Cason, please.”

Nikki plunked her purse down on the floor and the thud reminded her of the book inside. She pulled Reverend Chance's calendar out and set it on the table. It would have to wait. First, she had to get Psalm settled with lunch.

She fixed a grilled cheese sandwich and cut it into quarters, slicing off the edges. She put orange pieces on the side and poured milk. “Psalm, come eat, baby. I fixed your favoriteâgrilled cheese!”

“Grilled cheese! Yea!” Psalm raced into the kitchen.

Nikki smiled quizzically. “Didn't you forget to do something?”

“Oh,” Psalm said and rushed down the hall. A moment later, she returned, with water dripping down her elbows. Nikki smiled and handed the child a paper towel, along with her food.

“And what else did you forget?”

Psalm immediately clasp her hands together and said her grace.

“Very good,” Nikki said when the child was finished. “Now, eat all your food. Be a big girl for Mommy.”

Nikki settled on the other end of the table, slowly flipping through the planner. Reverend Chance sure couldn't write, she noted with a wry smile. His handwriting was atrocious. She struggled to read the appointment entries. He seemed to have been meeting lots of community groups, of course, and seemed to still manage to do a fair amount of marital counseling and general ministry. And on top of all that, he had been running for mayor.

Something fell to the floor and she picked it up. She flipped it over and frowned. It was Danielle's business card. Why did Reverend Chance have Danielle's business card?

She continued to flip through the planner and stopped short. “Dinner with Danielle Esp.”

Nikki re-read the entry, trying to see if she had made a mistake. Danielle Esp? Was that short for Esperanza? She slowly fingered the entry and again looked at the business card
.
How did Reverend Chance know Danielle? Danielle never said anything about meeting him. She picked up the phone to call her best friend, but put it down.

She'd visit her instead.

Chapter 66

“I didn't know you were friends with Reverend Chance,” Nikki said casually, when she stopped by Danielle's condo the next day. It was Danielle's third day of being off work for bereavement.

Danielle lay on the couch, her hand in a box of chocolate-covered peanuts. “Reverend Chance?”

“Yeah, I got a copy of his appointments the other day and one entry had your name on it.” Nikki watched her friend.

“Oh. Yeah,” Danielle said. “I met with him a couple of times. So?”

“Nothing. I just never knew.”

“Do I have to check in with you at every turn?”

“Hey, why are you getting all smart with me?” Nikki said. “I was just asking a harmless question.”

Danielle rolled her eyes and popped another nut into her mouth. She shifted on the couch, and then stretched for the remote, but could not reach it.

“Pass me that remote,” she said, and Nikki did.

“So, what were you meeting with Reverend Chance about?”

“Nothing! Why are you all in my business?”

“Look, I'm sorry. It's no big deal. I was just curious is all.”

“Well, if you must know,” Danielle said with a shrug. “I was just going to him for some counseling. I was depressed a while back and needed to talk. I was missing my family and having some issues at work. He was giving me advice.”

“Why didn't you come to me?”

“Because you were too wrapped up in your perfect little life,” Danielle said, her tone hardening on those words. “I met him, actually, at the grocery store a while ago and he invited me to his church. I never went there, but when I got depressed, I called him for counseling.”

Nikki hadn't realized her friend was having so many emotional issues. “So are you better?”

“Well, let's see. My fiancÃ© just got killed. And then I found out he's been cheating with a bunch of other women. I don't know. What do you think?”

“Oh, that was a stupid question, I'm sorry.”

“It's all right,” Danielle said. “Seriously, I am better. Reverend Chance helped me through a lot. It's a shame what happened to him, though.”

Nikki nodded. “Yeah, it is,” she said, but still felt Danielle knew more than she was telling.

Chapter 67

“You know, you're welcome to sleep in the guest room at my house,” Olivia said, as she gathered her purse to leave the office for the evening.

“No,” William said, “I'll be fine here.”

Olivia shook her head. “I really hate for you to have to sleep on that cot. As hard as you work all day, it's a shame you have to be so uncomfortable at night. I really hate your wife is putting you through this. It's a shame you have to sleep here, not even on a real bed.”

“Well, I don't have much of a choice right now,” William said. “I don't want to barge into my brother's place and my mother would raise too much of an
I told you so
fuss if I crashed at her place.”

“Well, just know that you always have a bed at my place,” Olivia said.

“Thanks.”

“Well, have a good night,” she said. “I'll see you in the morning.”

It had been more than a week since William left home. He had called twice to talk with Psalm and stopped by her school once, but he had not spoken with his wife.

And now, after another night away from homeâand sleeping on that uncomfortable cotâWilliam was getting updates about his wife from the newspaper, of all things. He finished reading the news story, and then read the title of the article again.

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST MAYORAL CANDIDATE FOLLOWING WIFE'S CONFESSION.

He wondered if he should call to thank Nikki for talking with the district attorney's office. But he did not. William was still angry with her for what happened before, but he felt tenderness at her gesture.
I should have known she'd try to fix this herself, even at personal risk
. He picked up the phone and dialed his attorney. “Did you see the story in today's paper?”

“Yes. Congratulations!” his attorney said.

“Yeah, thanks,” William replied, “but what I'm calling about is this: I don't want my wife to have a hard time. See what you can find out at the DA's office about this case.”

Olivia materialized at his desk as he hung up. “Hey, great news on the charges being dropped!”

William's voice held no jubilation and his eyes no light. “Yeah, that's great.”

“Hey, why the sour mood?”

“Well, I'm just worried about Nikki.”

Olivia's frown was instantaneous, but just as quickly, she smoothed her brow. “Well, she did bring it on herself.”

William opened his mouth to protest, but closed it. Maybe he wasn't the one to try to fight his wife's battles anymore.

Maybe this separation was for the best.

Chapter 68

Nikki looked around cautiously and slipped into the booth at the back of the restaurant, a baseball cap pulled down low on her head. Large sunglasses covered half her face.

“I didn't expect to hear from you,” Spencer said coolly.

“Yeah, well, I didn't expect to have to call you.” She had scheduled this meeting with Spencer at this out-of-the-way restaurant after calling him the other day. The waitress approached but Nikki waved her off.

“Hey, hold up,” Spencer said to Nikki, then to the waitress, said “She'll have a sweet tea with two lemons.”

Nikki's brow raised but she said nothing. Spencer smirked. “That is still how you like it, right?”

Nikki ignored him, but nodded to the waitress, who scurried off.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Spencer smiled. “I guess you've realized you made the wrong choice, huh?”

He was still so smug.

“Whatever, Spence. This has nothing to do with my husband. This is about you.”

“Well, seems that your husband has been in a lot of hot water lately.” Spencer leaned in. “Makes one wonder just what is going on with him. See, if you had stayed with me, you wouldn't be getting dragged through the mud like this.”

“Well, if I had stayed with you, there is a lot I wouldn't be doing right now,” Nikki snapped. “Namely, living. I'd probably be dead.”

Spencer grimaced. “Now, Nikki. Don't be so harsh. We were young and dumb. That was a lifetime ago. A past that's tucked away.”

“Yes, which is why I thought you'd be the last person to double-cross me.”

“What are you talking about?” Spencer frowned. “How could I have possibly double-crossed you? Remember, you've not even spoken to me in years.”

“So, you're going to try to sit here and tell me you didn't rat me out to the newspaper about that credit card bit?”

Spencer's eyebrows drew together. “Is that what this is about?” He lowered his voice. “Don't you think I would think twice about doing something that dumb? No, I had nothing to do with that. Besides, I had no idea you were involved in that thing until it hit the news. How could I have known that?”

Nikki studied him for a beat. Spencer had done a lot of lying to her and had taken her through a lot, but she knew he was telling the truth. “So, your wife didn't tell you she saw me at the hospital back in the summer?”

“My wife? No.”

Nikki abruptly stood. “Well, thanks for answering my questions. I've got to run.”

“You're not going to stay for lunch?”

“No, I'm picky about who I keep company with.”

BOOK: Scandalous Truth

2.38Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Read Book Download Book

ads