Elizabeth's Choice

by Lyle, Linda;

  “Leaving?” His cold tone and rigid posture gave added meaning to the simple word. She nodded, clutching the bag close to her like a shield. He started to walk on, but turned back. “How dare you? How dare you come into our family and do what you did? And with Mom in the hospital. I thought you genuinely liked her.” She stared at him in confusion. Why was he so angry? Yes, she had broken up with Alex, but what did that have to do with his family? She hardly thought that Alex was brokenhearted. He didn’t love her at all; he only wanted to control her. Now he was glad to be rid of her.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Elizabeth raised her chin an inch.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” His jaw clenched and unclenched.

  “No. I don’t.” She forced herself to look directly into his eyes.

  “How could you pretend to be a Christian and then treat my brother this way. You came into our house and we welcomed you as part of the family and then you betrayed us like this.” He paused and took in a deep breath before continuing. “Who was he? Somebody more exciting. Somebody richer or more powerful? What was it exactly that drew you?”

  She gasped as she realized what was happening. Alex had lied. He told them she was having an affair with another man. No wonder Mr. McClintock had not even asked for an explanation. They all thought she was some kind of money-hungry hypocrite, playing on their good nature. Her gasp seemed only to incriminate her in Scott’s eyes.

  “Yes. I know. Alex told me everything. How he found you with another man while our mother was laying in a hospital bed. What kind of woman are you anyway?” His eyes blazed fire, and each word seemed to be a fiery dart piercing her heart. It was too much for her already taxed nerves. The tears burst forth like a broken dam and sobs chocked up in her throat. She couldn’t even speak to defend herself. What was the use? He wouldn’t believe her no matter what she said. She turned and fled down the hall and out the door. She ran all the way to the car and blindly pulled out of the parking lot. She didn’t remember how she got home, but only knew a burning desire to get away from the condemnation in those eyes.

  twenty-five

  Elizabeth rolled over and squinted at the clock. Nine o’clock! That couldn’t be right. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock again. It was the right time all right. A glance toward the window confirmed it. She hadn’t slept this late in ages, not even on a weekend. She threw back the covers and was on her feet before she realized that she wasn’t late. Then she crawled back into bed and snuggled under the covers. Just for today she would enjoy the one benefit of being unemployed.

  As she lay in bed, she began to wonder about the future. All the doubts from yesterday flooded her soul and a wave of hopelessness washed over her. But as the fears took hold, a voice whispered, “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” The words repeated over and over in her mind, and a peace began to push the fear away. She got out of bed and got down on her knees by the bed. As she lifted her prayers to heaven, the fears disappeared completely and tears of joy fell from her eyes. She marveled that she could feel such joy when her life was a complete wreck. She picked up her Bible and read from the Psalms. Chapter after chapter were filled with David’s despair over something terrible happening in his life, followed by his joy that God would deliver him. She could feel God beginning to heal her with his love. She felt it all around her. God was here and she would never be alone.

  ❧

  Across town, Alex awoke to a pounding head and an upset stomach. He spent the better part of an hour moaning in the bathroom, trying to stop the spinning in his head and the waves of nausea that threatened to be his undoing. When his head finally cleared, he stumbled back to the desk chair. He caught his reflection in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize himself. Gone was the calm, cool lawyer in a spotless suit. He had been replaced by a pale duplicate with red eyes and dark circles underneath. His clothes were rumpled and reeked of alcohol. Looking around, he saw several empty liquor bottles scattered around his desk. He held his head in his hands, trying to ease the pain until the memories from the night before jerked him to attention. No, it couldn’t be true. He must have dreamed it. Panic seized him. For the first time in his life, Alex McClintock was afraid. Thinking back over the evening, he tried to think if there was any incriminating evidence. No one had seen him get in the elevator and he didn’t remember seeing anyone in the hall. It would be her word against his.

  Steeled by this thought, he started cleaning up the empty bottles and the desk. Then he took off his tie, shirt, and jacket. Going back into the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face. He had just unlocked the door and entered the hallway, when the doorbell broke the morning stillness and sent a streak of pain up the side of his head. He stood at the foot of the stairs, holding his head, while one of the maids opened the door.

  “I’m Detective Haney and this is Officer Dobbs. May we speak with Alex McClintock?”

  “What can I do for you, officers?” Alex used his remaining strength to put on the airs he used in the courtroom. He could feel the officers raking him over and sizing him up with their eyes. They knew he had been drinking.

  “We need you to come with us downtown. We have a warrant for your arrest.”

  “On what charges?” Alex tried to sound shocked, but his veneer of control was breaking up.

  “Attempted rape.” The words sounded like a death knell to his composure.

  “You must be joking. I was here in my office all night.” A plan was forming in his mind. “My fiancée broke up with me, and my mother has been in the hospital with a stroke.” He managed a sheepish grin. “I’m afraid I’ve been drowning my sorrows.” The detective watched him, but only shook his head.

  “I’m afraid we have at least two witnesses who saw you at the scene of the crime. You’re going to have to come with us.” The other officer moved forward and began to read him his Miranda Rights. Then they escorted him to a waiting police car. He saw with dismay that all the neighbors were watching from their windows, and he slouched in defeat.

  ❧

  Detective Haney looked back at the slouched form in the backseat. He had met Alex McClintock before, and the man sitting behind him looked nothing like him. Gone was the arrogance and high-handed ways. Somehow, it didn’t give him the satisfaction he thought it would.

  McClintock was still slumped in the seat when they arrived at the station. When they pulled him from the police car and led him inside, he followed like a beaten dog. Haney left him with Dobbs and went back to his office. A pile of paperwork and unsolved cases cluttered the desk, and the trashcan overflowed with wads of paper. He pulled out the case file from underneath the stack of reports that had mysteriously appeared overnight. He swore they were breeding. As he looked at the pictures of Carly, the finger marks on her neck brought a fresh surge of anger.

  He remembered the way she had looked last night. Her eyes were the size of coasters, and her lip had trembled, but she had tried to pretend that she wasn’t afraid. How could anyone do that to another human being, much less a pretty young thing like that? He looked at the picture one final time before closing the file. He needed to remember the victim when he dealt with the perpetrator. Yet, the image of McClintock being led away brought unwanted sympathy for the pathetic ghost of a man. He hit the desk with his fist. The resounding boom caused heads to turn, and he glared at the room before returning to the stacks of cases and the hum of the station returned to its normal, raucous level. Sometimes this job just got to him.

  ❧

  News of Alex’s arrest reached Scott about ten o’clock. He was just about to leave for the southern border of his farm to repair some fencing when the phone rang. After a muted exclamation of disbelief and a few grunted questions, he was headed for the city. What in the world was going on? Alex arrested for attempted rape? He couldn’t believe it! It must be a mistake. He knew his brother had faults, but he would never do something like this. Scott’s face was taut, and
his hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He forced himself to loosen his grip.

  Luckily, Alex had had enough sense to call one of his fellow lawyers, instead of Dad. Their parents didn’t need any more stress right now. He would go down and take care of everything. It was obviously a mistake. He would clear it up, and then they would laugh about it when they told Mom and Dad later.

  Scott entered the station with determination, but it wavered as he looked around. The waiting area was filled to capacity and the sounds of telephones, crying, and shouting stunned him into inaction. There were dirty faces filled with hopelessness and faces that looked no different than his own filled with confusion. For a moment he wanted to run out of the station. The pain and confusion that surrounded him burdened his heart until he thought it would explode from the pressure. This must have been how Jesus felt when he saw the multitudes. He took a deep breath and lifted a short prayer for help. Then he made his way to the officer in charge.

  Scott had been waiting for almost an hour before his name was called. In the interim, his heart had been touched by the suffering around him. He forced his mind to focus on his brother as he followed the officer to the holding cell. When he saw Alex, he almost didn’t recognize him. His face was drawn, with dark circles under his eyes. He had obviously been drinking the night before, and his suit looked slept in. The most disconcerting thing was the way his whole body seemed to slouch. He looked just like the people in the waiting room, and Scott’s heart went out to Alex.

  “Hey, big brother.”

  Alex raised his eyes and then lowered them again, remaining silent. Scott waited, trying to think of something to say. “We’ll get this mess straightened out in a jiffy. You just hang in there. This is some kind of a mistake.”

  “No mistake, Golden Boy.” Alex’s voice sounded hollow and far away.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I said it’s no mistake. I did it.” Alex looked up at him. “You look shocked, little brother.”

  Scott could only stand there and stare. Finally, he swallowed and forced words past his suddenly stiff tongue. “I don’t understand, Alex.”

  “No truer words were ever spoken.” Alex’s disdain for his brother rose to the surface. “You never understood me. Mom and Dad never understood me. Besides, how would Golden Boy understand a mistake? You’ve never made a mistake in your life. You’re perfect. At least that’s what Mom and Dad always thought.” He spoke as if he were talking to himself. Scott started to speak, but Alex interrupted, “You were their golden boy. Nothing I ever did was good enough. I was the eldest, but they wanted you to be the role model—you even took that away from me. I went to law school and graduated with honors. I joined the family business. That still wasn’t good enough. You went off and did your own thing, but they always loved you more. This little incident will just prove to them that I am a disgrace.”

  “That’s not true, Alex, and you know it. Mom and Dad love both of us.”

  Alex sneered and grunted in disgust. “Of course that’s what you think. Golden Boy would never think his parents capable of fault. I bet you even came here thinking it was just some big mistake that you could fix. Well, you’re wrong. You can’t fix anything.” Alex’s voice rose with each word, until he was almost screaming.

  The accuracy of Alex’s accusation hit him full force, and he gripped the bars to steady himself. He struggled to think of something to say to convince Alex that he was wrong, but Alex suddenly changed tracks.

  “Oh, Mr. Self-righteous would never think of blaming our parents, but he’s sure good at judging other people.” Scott’s head jerked around.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Elizabeth. It didn’t take you long to drop her like a stone. All I had to do was hint that she wasn’t all she appeared to be, and you turned your back on her. You look down your nose at everyone who doesn’t live up to your standards.”

  Scott moved to stand in front of Alex, his hands gripping the bars between them. “What are you trying to say?”

  “For a man with all the answers, you sure ask a lot of questions.” Alex crossed to stand toe to toe with Scott, his eyes burning a hole in Scott’s heart. His mind refused to listen to his brother, but his heart knew the truth. “I’m saying that Elizabeth and I were never intimate. Every time I tried, she pushed me away. She only agreed to marry me, because she thought you wouldn’t have her.”

  “Why would you do that? Why would you marry her, knowing that she had feelings for me?” Scott spit out the words.

  “That was the added attraction—for once I could take something from you. Not to mention the satisfaction of meeting the challenge. With a little grooming, she would have made a nice little wife. Someone to take to the social events and to entertain clients and do whatever I said. Unfortunately, she proved to be a little headstrong.”

  Scott held back the anger that welled up inside. If it weren’t for the bars between them, he would have gladly choked his brother. “What about the breakup?”

  “That was her idea. She seemed to think that she could choose what she wanted to do. I told her my wife would do as I said, and she said she wasn’t my wife yet and never would be. I told her she didn’t have a choice in the matter, and she threw the ring at me and left, just like that.” His anger toward Elizabeth was evident in his eyes.

  “The nerve of her,” Scott replied between gritted teeth.

  “Yes, the nerve of her.” Alex’s face was a study in calm. This was the face he had known all his life, a mask. The real Alex was the angry, desperate man he had seen a few moments ago. Elizabeth must have seen through the charming facade. “The two of you deserve each other.” Their eyes locked for a moment, and then Scott turned away.

  “I’ll arrange for bail.”

  “Don’t bother. I’m beginning to like my new quarters.”

  Scott turned sharply and strode down the hall. But halfway, he turned and retraced his steps. As he turned the corner, he saw Alex weeping into his hands, his shoulders heaving with sobs. Scott swallowed hard and slipped quietly down the hall.

  Within moments he had signed the papers, leaving Tom Peterson, Alex’s lawyer, in charge. Alex didn’t want Scott involved, that he was sure of. He left the station with mixed feelings. Alex was obviously in big trouble, both spiritually and legally. His actions had been cruel and calculating, intended to hurt everyone around him, and yet, Scott saw the hurt and anger that had brought about his actions. Deep inside, Alex was a little boy who felt unloved and unaccepted by his own family. Scott knew he shared in the blame.

  Elizabeth was another matter. His brother had been right when he accused him of self-righteousness. He had judged her and deemed her unacceptable. He sat in his truck musing over Alex’s words. As the full weight of what had happened settled, Scott began to weep for his brother’s sins as well as his own.

  He arrived at home after two o’clock. His stomach growled, but he had no taste for food. He fixed a quick sandwich and ate it without tasting a bite. He went to his favorite place where he met with the Father. He got down on his knees and began to petition God. He begged for forgiveness. He interceded on behalf of his brother. But most of all, he prayed for guidance. The Spirit touched his heart, and he knew what he had to do.

  twenty-six

  Elizabeth was cleaning out her closet when the call came. She stared at the receiver in disbelief. Alex in jail? She hung up the phone and rushed to turn on her television set. The twelve o’clock broadcast was just coming on. The lead story was the arrest of attorney Alex McClintock for attempted rape. Elizabeth listened in shock to the details. She watched as Alex was being escorted from the station by his lawyer, Tom Peterson. When the clip was ended, she turned off the television and stared at the blank screen. A surge of relief flooded through her, followed by guilt. If God had not intervened and given her the courage to leave, she would have married that man. Her rejection could have sparked the anger that spurred him int
o action. But what could she do? She tried to pray, but the words and feelings were tangled into a knot. Finally, her soul became quiet and she felt an urge to visit the woman who was attacked. She tried to shake off the idea as a wild notion. But the idea persisted until Elizabeth grabbed her car keys and left the closet half done.

  Halfway across town, she wondered what she was doing. Why should she visit her? How in the world could she help her? What could she say? She wasn’t even sure where to find her. She had noted the address of the woman’s apartment from a newsclip, but there was no way to be sure that she would be there. The Spirit urged her on. He had never failed her before.

  Elizabeth took a deep breath as she entered the building. Father, she prayed, how will I get in to see her? Security was posted all over the building. She couldn’t just walk up to her apartment, so she walked up to the security desk and asked for Carly.

  “I’m sorry, miss. She’s not accepting visitors at this time. If you’d like to leave a message, I’ll take it to her.”

  Elizabeth hesitated and then answered, “My name is Elizabeth Jordan.” She was about to leave her phone number when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw a pretty blond with big blue eyes. A dark bruise marked her otherwise flawless skin.

  “I’m Carly. What do you want?”

  “I just felt like I needed to talk to you.” The woman watched her for several moments and then motioned for her to follow. Once in her apartment, Carly seemed ill at ease.

  “You’re Alex’s ex-fiancée, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, I am. How did you know that?” Elizabeth frowned in confusion. Carly sat on the edge of the couch, perched like a bird ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

  Carly told Elizabeth her story from the moment she met Alex at the airport until last night’s episode. Her voice was steady, as though she were telling someone else’s story. She finished by saying, “I just thought you should know.”