Lauren could tell her friend was in desperate need of comfort. To lose one lover violently was one thing, but the thought of possibly losing two was unthinkable. Worse yet, Teddy believed God had aban-doned her. Lauren knew she couldn’t help her with the people she was after, but she could help her with her journey back to God.
“Teddy,” Lauren said compassionately, “hang in there, baby. I’m on my way over. I’m going to stop and pick up a few things first, but I should be there within the hour.”
Barely audible, Teddy responded, “Okay,” and then hung up the phone. Lauren knew very few people had ever witnessed the vulnerability of Winifred Theodora Alexander and she was grateful to God that He had allowed her to be among them.
Dear Lord:
Thank you for answering my prayer and bringing my friend back into my life. I ask that you give me the words needed to comfort her and to show her that you are there for her if she just asks. You said we have not because we ask not, so I’m asking. I also ask that if what Teddy said is true about the people she is after, please give her the strength to continue to do your will and keep her safe. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
As promised, Lauren made it over to Teddy’s within the hour. She had stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few items, including — since drinking was out of the question — ice cream as a great substitute. She didn’t know how long she would be needed, but had brought some overnight things just in case.
Teddy greeted her at the door, eyes swollen. For Lauren, it was hard to see her friend so emotionally frail. After all, Teddy Alexander was no pushover and certainly not the overly sentimental type. But, tonight, she was lost and more than anything needed a certain type of comfort … a comfort that came from within … a comfort only God could provide. Teddy had lost all faith and she was angry with God. So Lauren’s role was simple. Be her friend, hold her if she needed to be held and wait for God — a task that may have seemed simple but was the hardest thing in the world to do.
Once settled in, Lauren began asking Teddy if there was anything she needed. Thinking she might be hungry, she was willing to prepare something light for her to eat. Food had always been a source of com-fort for Lauren so she thought food might bring Teddy a few comforts too. Anything to move her from her current state of despair.
“Hey, girl,” Lauren said. “Come get some of this peppermint chocolate chip ice cream and if that won’t satisfy you, I also have vanilla ice cream and some of the best peach cobbler in town. So what’s your pleasure?”
Despite Lauren’s gestures, Teddy had other things on her mind. Instead of telling Lauren what she wanted to eat, Teddy began to ask her questions about God.
“Tell me something, Lauren,” Teddy said. “If God exists and is a good God, how could He let such a horrible thing happen? Have I done something wrong? Everybody I love has been caught up in my drama, but I’m the one left standing to tell the story.”
Despite her pledge to wait for God, Lauren didn’t hesitate to respond to the inquisition. She was a living testament to God’s grace and the one thing she wasn’t going to do was back down. To Lauren, this was the greatest opportunity she could ever ask for: a chance to share with someone how great His love was.
“Of course God exists, Teddy!” Lauren said without hesitation. “He’s also good. So to think He doesn’t exist is a mistake. I understand you are hurt and mad that Isabella was taken from you, but your anger is misplaced and you are misinformed.”
“What does that mean?” Teddy felt as if she had been insulted.
“You asked me the same question earlier and I didn’t respond because I just didn’t feel compelled to, but now I will. Each and every one of us has a day when we are summoned to come home. We may not like how our loved ones leave us, but on that day and at that specific time, God chose to bring Isabella home. Isabella’s murder is troubling and I can understand why you’re still dealing with her loss, but would it have mattered if she had died in her sleep? Would you still be blaming yourself or questioning whether God existed? No, you would have accepted that she had transitioned peacefully. But, because she was killed at the hand of a stranger, one you profess deliberately took her life, you think it’s God’s fault. It’s easy to blame God for things that go bad in our lives, but when things are going well, God doesn’t even get an honorable mention.
“Teddy, if I thought I had all the time in the world to walk you through this journey, I would. But for some reason, God has shared with me that your time, like my time, is limited. So you have to move beyond this self-pity and start to remember why you were selected to do what you do. It’s not by accident. This moment in your life was designed. And instead of blaming God, you should be asking God for some direction.
“Before I came over tonight, I prayed. I could feel your pain and I knew I was helpless. And — trust me — when you finally get to the place of surrendering, being helpless is not a bad thing. In my past, I wanted to fix everything but only ended up destroying everything I touched. Just like in the past, my prayer to God is that He continues to protect you. I knew instantly after we talked that the journey you had to take was more than simply apprehending Isabella’s killers and rescuing your lover. God had quietly placed on my spirit that your purpose is bigger than that. But, if you do not surrender and ask Him to come into your life, you will not only miss your calling, but you will miss your blessings, too.”
Teddy sat in her chair, shoulders slumped. By now the tears that had stopped earlier were fighting for a chance to return. Lauren had successfully made her point and the only thing left for Teddy to do was show Lauren where she could sleep and then excuse herself from the room.
Once back inside her bedroom, Teddy had no other choice but to drop to the floor, exhausted and emotionally broken. Grabbing a pillow off her bed, Teddy buried her face in it as she knelt. Filled with pain now unbearable, she cried harder and louder as she rocked back and forth, never once allowing the thunderous roar of her angst to escape the insulation of her pillow.
After cleaning up the kitchen and putting the groceries away, Lauren wondered whether she had been too hard on her friend. She knew that if she hadn’t said anything, Teddy would continue to shift blame and blame God rather than accept God — a place Lauren had been many times before. As she wiped down the counters, she thought about the fact that not everybody is ready for the truth. But the truth as she knew it was all she had to give. Hopefully, Teddy would be able to receive it.
Turning off the light in the kitchen after making sure the doors were locked, Lauren headed to her room via the back stairs leading up from the butler’s pantry. When she reached the second floor, she could hear the muffled sounds of a weeping woman. Standing outside Teddy’s bedroom, Lauren could not help herself: she stopped to listen to the private moments emanating from behind the door. Teddy was praying.
Lord, forgive me. I can’t do this by myself. The pain is just too much for me to bear. I need your help. Please come into my life. I’m sorry for walking away from you and blaming you for everything that has gone wrong in my life. Will you please accept my apology? I need you, Lord, and without you, I am lost. Please, please come into my life, Lord … please … .
As Teddy prayed, Lauren wept. She could feel Teddy’s pain and discomfort, but she also knew there would be joy in the morning.
Chapter 7
BLAKE MET CHARLIE that evening at Charlie’s house. Despite its location, Charlie’s home was modest and filled with pictures of his wife and surprisingly, Blake’s mother. Blake had known Charlie had been fond of his mother, but he hadn’t really understood the depth of their relationship until he walked into Charlie’s house.
Everywhere he looked, Blake could feel his mother’s presence. And it wasn’t just the pictures of the two of them conveniently placed for the eye to see that made him feel that way. Other things like her art-work and her crochet also confirmed his feelings. Blake knew his mother’s style. And not only could he feel her presence, he could see
her presence all over Charlie’s humble abode. It was obvious the two of them had had a relationship, but Blake just couldn’t figure out why she would have kept it from him. Charlie seemed to be a good guy, so why would she have hidden the fact that she had found someone to love her as she had deserved to be loved?
“Welcome to my home, son,” Charlie said, smiling from ear to ear. “Let me look at you. Man, if you don’t look like your mother. The pictures on them magazines don’t do you real justice. It’s hard to see your mother in you at first, but up close and personal, she is all I see. Sorry about the mess. Sometimes it’s hard to pick up after yourself when you work the hours I work. But that too will be over soon. I am looking forward to saying good-bye to the day-to-day grind and hopefully, I can spend more time with you. Your mother always wanted the two of us to spend time together and it looks like her wish is finally coming true.”
“If what you are saying is true,” Blake said, still somewhat taken aback, “why didn’t she ever tell me she had feelings for you?”
“She wanted to, son, but she also loved your father. And she knew how much you loved him and your brother.”
“Wait a minute.” Blake felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. “My mother told you about my father and my brother?”
“She sure did,” Charlie replied, as he busied himself picking up the room so that they would have a place to sit. “We were friends. She also told me about the agreement she made with your father about keeping your identity hidden and about her marriage agreement.”
“What marriage agreement?” Blake had now found a seat on the couch.
“Your mother promised your father she would never marry or let another man raise you. After your father died, we became very close, all three of us — me, my wife and your mother. Originally, it was the friendship of your mother and my wife, but after my wife died, your mother and I became real good friends.
“Don’t get me wrong, son. Your mother never did anything that would make you disrespect her. Since she couldn’t marry me, we consummated our love on a much deeper level. We were emotionally and spiritually married to each other and it was during this time that she shared with me who you really were. I felt that if she could keep a promise and sacrifice her needs for you, I could do the same for her. And when she got sick, I promised her I would look out for your wellbeing and I have kept that promise. I know this is all new to you, son, but in life, there are no coincidences. Who we are and our connections to one another have been divinely inspired.”
Blake could feel himself exhaling. Finally, the burden had been lifted. Someone knew his secret and thanks to his mother, the contents of his secret were safe. Now he could do what he had always struggled to do — grieve. He could openly grieve both his mother’s and Devon’s deaths with someone who seemed genuinely to care.
“Man, Charlie,” Blake said. “I still can’t believe you and my mother were really that close.”
“I know, son. She wanted it that way. She was devoted to your father and his memory and I respected her wishes. One thing for sure though, she knew that if you were ever in need, I would be the one to help you. And now look at us.”
“I know,” Blake said as he walked around the living room touching his mother’s belongings. He felt strongly that the two had really bonded; their relationship was taking hold.
“Charlie,” Blake said, holding his mother’s picture, “Devon didn’t commit suicide. He was murdered and I believe that Guy Yeager had something to do with it.”
“You mean Councilman Yeager?”
“Yes, Councilman Yeager.”
“What makes you so sure?” Charlie asked.
“They were lovers and Devon was being abused by him. I think he killed him just because he thought he could get away with it.”
“Well, son, if that’s true, then we will do everything within our power to make sure he pays.”
Blake could tell Charlie meant every word he had just said. And he found comfort in knowing that Charlie had his back.
“Now, I have something I need to share with you, too,” Charlie said. “I have been working on this case — your case — for the past eight years. It’s one of those you just can’t shake. And I believe there is someone in the bureau who has been trying to derail all efforts to find Dr. Cardosa’s killers. So, even though I’ve been working on this, I’ve been doing it on my own time and without bureau resources and authority. I think I know who it is, but I don’t have the evidence to prove it. I do know that whoever is behind this game, plays for keeps.”
Charlie continued, “Also, Blake, what you told me about Guy Yeager does not surprise me. Yeager has been someone I have been watching for quite some time. It’s been rumored he is affiliated with a very powerful underground group. But what really caught my attention was the picture you sent me.”
By now Blake was hanging on to Charlie’s every word. Two people were dead and he and Charlie were intimately connected to the people involved. And as they sat there putting the pieces together, Blake knew, whatever Isabella had been involved in had unleashed a sequence of events that had led to murder and mayhem.
“Listen, Charlie, we have to find Teddy Alexander and we have to find her now! Do you have any idea where she is?”
“She went underground after Isabella’s death but resurfaced several years ago when several public officials ended up murdered.”
“Was there a connection between the officials and Isabella?” Blake asked.
“That’s a good question,” Charlie said, “and believe me, I’ve thought about it myself. For months I tried to find a connection. I looked into the backgrounds of all the officials as well as into Isabella’s background and nothing resonated. However, after Mayor Whitherspoon was murdered, Teddy’s activities picked up. She was sighted everywhere.”
“What do you mean, she was sighted everywhere?” Blake asked intently.
“Two days after Whitherspoon was murdered, she was with a reporter at Union Station and then the park shortly afterwards,” Charlie replied.
“A reporter?” said Blake. “Why is that so important? Didn’t you say she had a career as a news network crime analyst? So, being seen with a reporter seems normal to me.”
“Maybe under any other circumstance it would be, but in this case, the reporter is Lance St. John. Do you know him?”
“Name doesn’t ring a bell. What’s so important about this reporter?”
“He wrote the lead story for the Herald on Whitherspoon’s murder and now my sources tell me, he’s been fired.”
“Fired? Fired for what?” Blake asked.
“I don’t know but, when I saw him talking to Teddy after Whitherspoon’s murder, I started following him.
“So wait a minute Charlie, how do you know so much about Alexander’s activities?” Blake asked obviously confused.
Like I said son, I have been on this case for years and when Teddy started to resurface, I knew that she was back and determined to solve Isabella’s case. So I just started tracking her.
“I see,” Blake said following Charlie’s logic. So what’s the big deal about this reporter?
“Well, at first, I was somewhat suspect of their relationship because it didn’t seem as if they liked each other too much. In fact, I saw St. John literally knock her out in the park! She didn’t even see it coming and then he just left her lying there.
“He actually hit her Charlie?” Blake said stunned.
“Yeah, he knocked her out,” Charlie replied. “She didn’t see it coming. Hell, it took me by surprise. But she wasn’t knocked out for long. Eventually she got to her feet.”
“Then what happened?” Blake asked.
“I followed her back to her penthouse and a couple hours later, she was in a taxi heading to the airport.”
“Where was she going?” Blake asked eagerly.
“Chicago,” Charlie replied. “And she has been there all this time.” “What about Lance?” Blake asked curiously.
&nbs
p; “He’s been here and from all I can tell, he’s become a drunk,” Charlie replied.
“Well that’s probably why he was fired,” Blake replied.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Charlie said. “But there is more to his story, I can feel it!”
“Okay, Charlie,” Blake said, “where are you going with this?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure that they lost complete contact with each other, but I do know that after Teddy went back to Chicago, I stayed on Lance because something — I just don’t know what — told me that this reporter was critical to my case.”
“Anything interesting come up?” Blake asked.
“Yeah, drunk or not, since Teddy has been gone, he’s been staking out her penthouse.”
“Really!” Blake responded surprised. “Has he gone in?”
“Nope, not yet,” Charlie replied.
“So what else do you know about Teddy that might help us put this puzzle together?”
“I know that she is on to something,” Charlie replied. “And whatever it is, it involves Lance St. John and a scientist.”
“A scientist!” Blake retorted.
“Yeah,” Charlie replied as he stood up to pour himself a drink. “His name is Dr. Basil Rhodes.”
“Basil Rhodes … Basil Rhodes? Why do I know that name?” Blake tried to jog his memory. “I know him, Charlie, but I just can’t place it right now. Anyway, what’s his connection to all this? Is he connected to the Velvet Mafia?”
“No, he’s connected to Isabella. He and Isabella were colleagues and friends. In fact, he was like a father figure and her mentor. But their relationship changed when Dr. Rhodes started to publicly question the origin of AIDS. As a result, his career with the government and the established science community took a nose dive. In the beginning of Rhodes’s career woes, Isabella didn’t have too much contact with him. And for good reason. She was on a short list to be the next head of the National Institutes of Health and although not spoken, it was common knowledge that if she, or anybody for that matter with ambitions, had continued their association with Dr. Rhodes, it would have cost them everything. For a while, she kept her distance and her career excelled. But then something changed.”
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