“One of the four people on the tape is the infamous Rudy Roberts, whom you shot months back, and who has made threats to the FBI office. Your buddy Troy Evans has been working around the clock to locate this man. Finally, he’s been arrested. Since his fingerprints were found in your apartment, your story has credibility. Now, with Roberts trying to plea to lesser charges because we have so much on him, he’s agreed to take the stand. He says he reports to the bank president. We know someone else even higher up has hired him. Though he says he knows no more, he will testify that you were not the murderer.”
I jumped out of my chair and screamed.
“We’re dismissing all charges.”
Sebastian picked me up and twirled me around. I went over to the guard and held out my manacled hands. When he unlocked the cuffs, I grabbed Sebastian’s hands and held them tight.
Sebastian drove me to FBI headquarters, where I answered more questions that I hoped would help them solve the case. Then we drove to a classy hotel where Sebastian promised I could relax and unwind. On the way to the hotel I told him that I thought the guy in the van was dead because I saw the van explode with him in it. Sebastian said that Troy found Roberts because he kept going back to a local hospital for treatment for injuries and burns. However, he managed to get out of the van with his life, then flee with his buddies.
“I want to go to my place and pick up some things,” I said as Sebastian checked us in.
“Can’t do that,” he said. “Your apartment is still a crime scene, remember? It’s off-limits.”
The desk clerk handed Sebastian a key. “Will there be anything else, sir?” he asked.
“Not right now,” Sebastian replied. “Thanks.”
I followed him to the elevator. “I need to call my mom and tell her everything’s okay.”
“You can do that later,” he said, punching the highest number on the elevator’s keypad. “First you need to get some rest.”
The elevator stopped at the top floor. When the doors opened, I saw a huge room with a fireplace, chandelier, oil paintings, and antique furniture. A dozen roses and a bottle of wine sat on an ornate side table.
“Is this the penthouse suite?” I asked.
“You’ve been in jail for too long,” he said, leading me into the room. “Now you need to be treated like a queen. Since I can’t get you a castle, the penthouse suite will have to do.”
He strolled to a door in the left wall. When he opened it, a bunch of people poured out and screamed, “Surprise!”
My mom, my sister, Eden, Dion, Troy, and my fellow FBI agents all surrounded me with love and affection.
I thanked Sebastian for the party, then mingled with everyone and had a wonderful time. When things settled down a bit, I noticed my sister sitting alone on the couch. I invited her to go out on the balcony so we could talk privately.
“Have you thought about what you want to do with the baby?” I asked quietly.
“Yes,” she said, staring into her glass of punch. “I’ve decided I have to do what’s best for me.”
I took her onto the balcony and closed the door. “Listen, I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but…”
“What?” she asked.
“I had an abortion.”
Her eyes grew wide.
“I still have dreams about my baby. I wonder if it was a boy or a girl, and how old he or she would be. Sometimes it hurts so bad I get a crampy feeling in the pit of my stomach.” I placed my arm on her shoulder. “Crystal, I made the wrong choice by having sex with a guy I wasn’t married to. But then I committed an even worse sin when I ended a human being’s life just because it wasn’t convenient for me. It was a selfish act, and I don’t want you to walk down that road. Your conscience will eat at you every time you lay your eyes on a child for the rest of your life.”
“Chris, I can’t raise a child,” she said as tears started to stream down her face.
“I agree. You’re too young to be a mother. But there are plenty of people who want to adopt a baby. Why not give them a chance?”
“How would I know that my baby would go to a good family?”
“Why don’t we ask God?”
She shook her head. “If God were watching over us, you wouldn’t be in the mess you’re in.”
“Don’t say that. If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t have gotten out of jail so quickly. Only the Lord could have caused all that evidence to show up when it did.” I took a deep breath. “Crystal, I’ll go with you to the adoption agency if you want.”
“My child will hate me when he finds out I gave him up because I didn’t want him.”
“That child will be thankful that you gave him a chance to live, and that you gave him to parents who loved him and could help him grow into the best person he could be.”
She tilted her head slightly. “You sure have given me something to think about.”
“Well, take all the time you need. It’s a big decision.”
“Thanks,” she said as she gave me a hug.
When I opened the door, I saw Eden coming down the hall toward the bathroom. As my sister walked out of the room, I pulled Eden in.
“You’re looking better,” I said. The swelling on her face had gone down completely. “How do you feel?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“Really?” I asked, probing for details on more than just her physical condition.
“Chris, I know you think I’m wrong to stay with a guy who beat me. But ever since his best friend died, he’s really changed. I guess Dion realized that it could have been him.”
“How so?” I asked.
“I could have shot him or stabbed him. I could have hired somebody to kill him.”
“Were you really at that point?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. I was close. At least, Dion thought I was.” She breathed heavily, and I knew she was emotional. “But ever since his friend died, he’s become a changed person. He realizes that what he did to me was wrong, and we’re going to counseling at our church to help heal our relationship. He’s really growing in his walk with God. Chris, he’s changed and has not looked back once.”
“Just be smart,” I cautioned her. “Pray like crazy, and keep God at the center of your marriage.”
“I will,” she said. “I’m glad to see things are looking up for you.”
“I still don’t have a job.”
“That will come. You’ve got peace, the kind only God can give. You may not be on top, but you’re definitely on the upper part of the slant.”
Chapter 15
Altitude
In September, I moved out of my apartment to a smaller one. I still didn’t have a job, and my paid leave of absence was running out.
I’d been cleared of all charges, but the Agency wanted to conclude their internal investigation before a decision would be made about whether I kept my job or not. In the interim, I volunteered at church helping the homeless: feeding them, giving them clothes, and teaching workshops.
My sister had decided to give birth to her baby, but on the adoption agency application she insisted that she be allowed to approve the family seeking to adopt her child. She wanted to make sure it was the right family. I prayed she wouldn’t change her mind if she didn’t find a family that was up to her standards. I could only imagine how devastated an adoptive mother would be if the birth mother changed her mind at the last moment and decided to keep the baby.
Crystal was not ready to be a parent. I hoped that when her boyfriend got out of jail, he wouldn’t demand that she keep the baby. I always hated that some gang guys looked at the number of children they fathered as notches in their belts, so I wouldn’t have put it past Stone to try to bully her into it.
My mom was doing well. She even had a boyfriend, an older guy named John Flowers. He sold fresh flowers on a street in downtown D.C. Mom met him while she was standing on the corner, waiting to take the bus.
Sebastian was back in Georgia, working on his campaign. After finding
some serious discrepancies in his opponent’s campaign, he had begun to take his race for lieutenant governor seriously. He was still in second place but gaining support every day. I was proud of him. We talked three or four times a day. One day while we were talking on the phone, he said that he missed me so much that he was flying to D.C. from Georgia to see me the next day.
I stood in the airport baggage claim area, waiting for Sebastian to come down the escalator. When I saw him, my heart leaped. When the escalator finally reached the bottom, I ran to him and melted into his arms. “I missed you,” he said softly. Then he kissed my forehead.
“Did you check any luggage?” I asked, noticing the carry-on bag over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” he said as we proceeded toward the conveyor belt. Sebastian couldn’t stop grinning.
“What are you so happy about?” I teased him.
“I’m just glad I have a woman who loves me, and I can look into her eyes and know that what she feels for me is real.” He grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him. “Oh,” he said, suddenly releasing me, “there’s the luggage.”
I watched him lift two large, black Samsonite suitcases off the conveyor and arrange them on a carrying cart. “What in the world is all that for?” I asked. “I thought you were only going to be here for a couple of days.”
“I am,” he said, shattering my hopes that he’d be staying longer. “This,” he said, gesturing at one of the bags on the cart, “is for you.”
“What?”
He smiled. “I want you to travel with your own fine luggage.”
I touched the beautiful black case. “There are some surprises inside the bag. I took the liberty of purchasing an outfit that I can’t wait to see you in. I also got you this gift certificate,” he said as he took it out of his pocket.
“What is all that for?” I asked, amazed at this man’s generosity.
“I miss you and you’ve been through a lot—you deserve a few perks. Plus, election day is near, and the race is close. I’ve got a couple of important functions coming up, and I need you to be with me, cheering me on.”
I stared at him, confused. “What are you talking about?”
He gazed into my eyes. “When I leave on Wednesday,” he said, pulling something out of his jacket pocket, “I want you to come with me.” He handed me an airline ticket. I stared at it, blinking stupidly. “My sister says you can stay with her for a couple of weeks. What do you say?”
I looked up at him, not knowing what to say. He kissed my left cheek, then my right. Then he kissed my neck.
“Okay,” I said, giggling. “I’ll go.”
We drove to Sebastian’s hotel and ordered sandwiches from room service. After we ate, we watched the news for a while, then I headed home.
As I drove, I thanked God for Sebastian’s love. It was clearly stronger than the love I had for myself. It was scary, but in a warm, fuzzy way.
October in Georgia felt no different from August: hot and muggy. The sky was clear blue with peach clouds and hints of pinks and yellows that blended into a pretty purple.
Sebastian was driving me straight from the airport to his sister’s house. He had a meeting to attend, but he wanted to get me settled in first. I’d only met Savannah once, and that was in an official capacity. She seemed like a brat, always sucking up to her dad and whining to her mom. I couldn’t see how my visit with her was going to be pleasurable. I wished I could get out of it, but Sebastian thought it would be good for me to get to know his sister. Since it meant so much to him, I’d reluctantly agreed.
“What are you thinking?” he asked as I gazed out the car window at the beautiful sky.
“I wish I could be up there.”
“What do you mean? Like an angel in heaven or something?”
“No,” I said, giggling. “That sky just seems so appealing. Like it holds a whole precious world of promise.”
He squinted into the sunshine. “I never thought about it like that.”
“The skies in D.C., Chicago, Detroit, and New York are all dark and dirty. But this is almost surreal.”
He grinned at me. “Do you think you could make this city your home?”
I gave him a huge smile. “Is that a hint?”
He smiled back. “Could you hand me my cell? It’s in the glove compartment.” I gave him the phone and he pressed a few buttons. “Hey, sis, we’re almost there.” He winked at me. “Oh, yeah, she’s real excited.” He mouthed, I love you to me. “Okay. We’ll see you soon.”
I wondered if Sebastian’s sister was anything like his mother. If so, I knew I couldn’t stay with her without a war erupting between us. I said a silent prayer, asking the Lord to give me the strength I would need to deal with her if she was difficult.
Apparently noticing my concern, he asked, “Are you uncomfortable about staying with Savannah?”
“How’d you guess?” I said sarcastically, biting my bottom lip and twitching my nose.
“You don’t need to be. Vannah’s cool. I think you’ll really like her.”
“You call her Vannah?”
“Her nickname used to be Muffin Bread.”
“What?”
“My little sister can really cook.”
“She didn’t strike me as the domestic type.”
“She spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandmother before she died. Maybe she can teach you a few things.”
I hit his arm. We both laughed.
Sebastian parked in front of an apartment complex. I looked at him with a very uncomfortable stare. He ignored me and we both got out of the car. When he lifted my bag out of the trunk, he said, “Your bag’s pretty light. You’re not leaving tomorrow, are you?”
“Don’t joke—I don’t like the idea of being dropped off at your sister’s so she can babysit me while you go off to your meetings. Maybe I should have stayed in D.C.”
He put my suitcase down on the sidewalk and held me close. “I won’t be gone long. And tonight we’ll go to dinner at the governor’s mansion with all the other candidates. That should be fun.”
I rolled my eyes. An evening at the governor’s mansion didn’t sound very exciting to me. “I don’t know if I should,” I said, backing out of his arms. “That’s a pretty high-profile event.”
He put a finger over my lips. “Hush, baby. I don’t want us hiding out. I love you, and the whole world knows it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be by my side.”
“All right,” I said, putting my hands on my hips. “But I’ll need to get my hair and nails done.”
He laughed. “Savannah went to cosmetology school one summer.”
“Are you serious?”
“She’ll take good care of you.”
We walked up the sidewalk to the red brick town home. The small yard was neat and manicured, with perfectly cut hedges lining the building. Lively purple flowers grew in stone pots on the porch.
We didn’t even have to knock. The door flew open, and there stood Savannah. Her hair was in tiny braids on top of her head. When I’d met her at the Christmas party, her hair was down. I loved the more casual style. She was very cute. Savannah looked just like I could imagine their mom looking twenty-five years earlier.
“Welcome,” she said warmly, surrounding me with a tight embrace. She wore a long blue denim skirt with a beige pullover that fit loosely. The choker on her neck had a small turquoise in the center of it. When she hugged me, I could smell her light herbal cologne.
She turned to Sebastian, who was carrying my heavy suitcase. “You can put those around the corner in the guest room.”
After getting me settled in, he said, “I have to go now but I’ll see you at seven.” He kissed me on the lips, then his sister on the cheek, and left.
I turned around and looked at Savannah. “So, what should we do for seven hours?”
She gave me a huge smile. “Don’t worry. I’ve got our day all planned out.”
“Oh, you don’t have to entertain me,” I said.
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“Nonsense.” She grabbed my hand and led me into the living room. “We’re sisters. Well, practically, anyway.” She gave me a sweet smile. “From everything my brother told me about you, I think we’re going to get along great.”
Savannah gave me a tour of her place. The apartment had three bedrooms and two full baths. Each room was decorated with fabrics and trinkets from a different country, yet they all felt perfectly homey. The guest room where Sebastian put my suitcases was decorated in an African style. Wooden masks graced the walls, hand-carved statues of wood and ivory sat on the dressers, and the king-sized bed was covered with leopard-skin bedding and throw pillows. The adjoining bathroom was stocked with everything a guest might need or want, including a new toothbrush and lavender-scented candles.
“After you freshen up,” Savannah said, “we can go shopping at Phipps Plaza. You’ve got to see this great dress at LaRue’s. When I saw you at our Thanksgiving dinner, I could just picture you in it.”
“Good—I love to shop, and your brother gave me a gift certificate. I can use it at one of the stores.”
I took a quick shower and put on capri pants, a short-sleeved blouse, and sandals. Then Savannah and I hopped in her Expedition and drove to the mall, jamming to an upbeat CD as if we were longtime best friends.
When we got to the mall, Savannah headed directly for LaRue’s. Along the way, I noticed that just about every name-brand designer had a store there. This was not the kind of shopping mall I was used to. This place was for people who had a lot of money.
Upon entering LaRue’s, Savannah spoke with a saleswoman, who then left with a smile and brought back an adorable dress, handing it to me. It was a black Donna Karan original with spaghetti straps that showed major cleavage and came down to the ankle but had a split up to the thigh.
I checked it out, practically drooling. Even on the hanger, it looked amazing. When I looked at the price tag, I nearly choked.
“You know what?” I said, hanging the $1200 dress on the nearest rack. “Your brother bought me a nice dress. And my gift certificate won’t cover this. I’m sure I can find something suitable for way less than that.”