Unexpected Guest--(Behind Closed Doors 3)

by H. H. Fowler

  Dana sipped her tea in silence as she watched Candi scamper away. She felt sorry for her because Dana knew it was torture for Candi to see Izaiah express his interest to another woman, who happened to be her younger sister. Life was just so sad sometimes. It was not easy to love someone who did not reciprocate that love. Right then and there, Dana decided that she would help Candi get over Izaiah by introducing her to some of the eligible bachelors in the church. A new breed had joined since Izaiah had taken over as the senior pastor. Dana was certain that there was at least one man who had the appeal to get Candi’s attention.

  Chapter Three

  Orlando, Florida – 8:12 p.m.

  Coming to the United States was Anwar’s first time outside the parameters of Bliss Haven. In this day and age, it could be embarrassing for a twenty-two-year-old man to make that fact known, but Anwar didn’t care. From the moment he’d boarded the plane to the moment he entered the taxicab, he’d been telling people that he’d never been anywhere as big and as exciting. Dallis, of course, had traveled back and forth to the United States since she was two years old. The glitz and the glamor of the city didn’t wow her as it once did, but because her husband was now experiencing it, she began to act as if it were her first time to Orlando too – if only for Anwar’s sake.

  The fun and the excitement were there, but somewhere in the recesses of Dallis’ mind, the feeling of perturbation threatened to ruin the moment. There was little doubt that she’d looked into the weary face of her father. Anwar tried to comfort her by telling her that maybe it was a figment of her imagination – that maybe she missed her father so much that her mind was starting to play tricks on her. Dallis knew better, but out of respect for her husband’s happiness, she decided to keep quiet about it. This was their honeymoon and she did not want to be the cause of gloom.

  They were staying at the DoubleTree Hotel, which was at the entrance to Universal Orlando – within walking distance to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk. Near popular attractions such as The Mall at Millenia, Premium Outlets, SeaWorld and Walt Disney World Resorts. If Dallis were to base Anwar’s grin on the scene spread before him, she would say they’d made the right choice coming to Florida for their honeymoon. Upon arrival to the hotel, they were greeted with warm chocolate chip cookies and friendly concierge services. In no time, they and their luggage were whisked away to their honeymoon suite, which had been bedecked with treats for the young couple to explore.

  “I want to go to all of the theme parks,” Anwar beamed. He had showered and was now covered in a white terrycloth robe. Since this would be their first intimate session, he did not want to startle his wife by strutting out of the bathroom in his birthday suit. Dallis had always been reserved when it came to the subject of sex. Easing his way in was the wisest way to go. He came up behind her and gently pressed his lips against an ear. “I’ve heard about all those crazy rides that turn you upside down on your head. That’s right up my alley.”

  “Sorry, but I am not as eager to have my food coming back through my mouth.”

  Anwar chuckled, kissing her other ear. “You know that I am a huge thrill seeker. I’ll jump off a bridge with a rope tied around my waist.”

  Dallis turned to face her husband. Being so close to him had already sent her temperature skyrocketing to the roof. His scent was intoxicating and so were his intense, hazel brown eyes. “I hate to burst your bubble, hon,” she managed, “but the theme parks here aren’t that much different from the one we have in Bliss Haven.”

  “That’s not what I’ve been hearing. Do you know how huge these parks are in Orlando? I believe the entire island of Bliss Haven could fit inside one of them.” Anwar suddenly schooled his lips into a sly smile. “But of course, all that can wait. The only exploring I’m concerned about right now is with you. I’ve waited three years to hold you in my arms like this…kissing you…touching you…loving on you.”

  Dallis closed her eyes and allowed Anwar’s tongue to slip through the crack of her lips. Immediately, her toes caught on fire, which quickly raced up to the rest of her body. From a little girl, she had vowed to save her virginity for the right man – the man who would be her husband. It had not been easy, those three years, keeping herself pure from sexual immorality. Anwar was around her all of the time and on many occasions she had almost given in to his irresistible embrace. But she was happy she didn’t, which meant tonight would be all that much more special.

  She unwillingly pulled away from Anwar’s lips and whispered breathlessly, “I will be right back. I want to freshen up and change into something sexy for you.”

  Anwar stared at his wife with half-closed lids. He was surprised to hear her use the word ‘sexy’ in a sentence regarding herself. He knew right then that something powerful was about to go down that night. He unconsciously ran his tongue over his lips as his pupils danced over the way his wife swayed away from him. “Don’t take too long in that bathroom,” he told her, “because I don’t know how much longer I can wait. Every hair is standing on the back of my neck and other places I’m too ashamed to say.”

  Dallis shut the door behind her and let out a deep breath. She did not let Anwar see the cell phone that was hidden in her left hand. So caught up had she gotten in the moment that she almost forgot what she was intending to do. As much as she wanted to make this night special for Anwar, she couldn’t do so with her attention divided. That would not be fair to him. She had to do something about this nagging feeling that that face she’d seen had actually been the face of her father.

  At least if she called Detective Shelby and mentioned it to him, he could look into. It would rest her concerns while she was in Orlando on her honeymoon. To help muffle the conversation, she turned on the shower and let it run.

  ****

  A scrumptious dish of minced lobster, spread over a buttery serving of pasta, was placed in front of Richard. He, along with his partner, Karissa had decided to stop at one of their favorite restaurants at the Quad to have a late dinner. Suddenly, his cell phone began buzzing in his pocket. He rested his utensils in the plate and gave a small sigh. He would have ignored the call, but being a detective who was always on the lookout for a potential lead, it was hard to separate his personal time from that of work. He looked at the caller ID and frowned. Dallis? Why are you calling me at eight o’clock in the evening? Aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?

  “What is it?” Karissa inquired.

  Richard decided he would answer Karissa’s question after speaking to Dallis. The call could be a matter of life and death.

  “Dallis, my dear, is everything alright?” he asked cautiously.

  “Anwar and I are having a great time…” she paused as if contemplating her next set of words. “I saw something today that gave me a bit of shock.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, and I won’t be able to rest my thoughts except I talk to you about it.”

  “Okay…I’m listening.”

  “Well…while Anwar and I were on our way to the airport, a car pulled next to us in the other lane. The back window eased down and revealed a man’s face who looked like my father.”

  Richard sat up straight. For three years he and Karissa had been tunneling through one dead end after the other in search of Gregory and the woman who had supposedly kidnapped him. They weren’t sure if Gregory was still alive, because the leads had gotten so cold and discouraging that Richard was tempted to stuff Gregory’s case into the cold case files. But he had promised Dana that he would continue to give top priority to her husband’s abduction. Dana refused to entertain the idea that her husband may never be found.

  Richard was dubious of Dallis’ words, but to experience even the slightest bit of hope was enough to make Richard skip dinner and head back to the office. “That’s not possible,” he said. “You know I’ve searched the length and breadth of this island looking for your father and every lead has led to a road block. Your father may not even be on this island.�
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  “I know…I just believe in what I saw. I wouldn’t have called you if this didn’t bother me so much. When I stared into the face of that man, I felt a connection. He really looked like my father.”

  “Okay…my presumption can be sorted out at another time. What can you tell me about the vehicle?”

  “It was a late model Cadillac Eldorado…a very stylish-looking car.”

  “Do you remember the color?”

  “A silvery-grey. The windows were tinted and the rims and the tires looked very expensive.”

  “What about the license plate number?”

  “No…sorry. I guess I was too shocked to focus on that.”

  “That’s okay, but it may help if you can tell me which direction the vehicle took.”

  “Of course,” Dallis answered pragmatically. “Traffic was a bit tight, so we were almost side by side for a good twenty yards. But the car managed to pull ahead of us and veered to the right, turning off at the intersection of Station 61.”

  Richard grunted uncomfortably. That landmark was rearing its ugly head again. It was the last spot where Gregory had been seen alive. What was so significant about Station 61? Richard mused. Were they missing some clue that they’d overlooked three years ago?

  “Detective, I have to go now,” Dallis was saying. “But promise me that you will look into this. I won’t be able to live with myself if I discover that man was my father and we didn’t do anything to rescue him.”

  “You have my word,” Richard assured. He then added in a lighter tone, “But don’t let this ruin your honeymoon. I will give you my findings when you return to Bliss Haven next week.”

  “Okay…but please don’t hesitate to call me if something urgent comes up. You have my cell number. But just in case you can’t reach me on it, here is the contact information at the hotel where I’m staying…”

  Richard pretended to write down the information, knowing he hadn’t any intention of disturbing Dallis and her husband. Whichever way the wind blew in this case, Richard decided it could wait until the couple returned home. When he finally disconnected from Dallis, Karissa was staring at him with a perceptive smirk.

  “Should I request to have my dinner placed in a carryout container?” she asked.

  Richard laughed and then responded, “You know me too well, Detective Middleton.”

  “It’s impossible for you to hide your expressions, but this does sound serious.”

  “It could be…Dallis saw a man that she thinks could be her father.”

  Karissa raised her brows suspiciously, but her reply was positive. “But what do we have to lose at this point? We’ve followed just about every lead. What’s one more?”

  “I agree with you wholeheartedly,” Richard said. “However, I do want to go back to the office and gather the information we’ve raided from that property.”

  “The House of gods?” Karissa wanted to confirm. “We’ve been through that pile of confusion a hundred times. Everything appears to be coded.”

  “Maybe…but the intersection of Station 61 is, again, becoming a spot of interest. I think we should take a second look at those tapes.”

  Karissa shrugged, seeming to always end their deliberations with, “It’s your call, big guy. I have always trusted your confidence.”

  Richard nodded his ‘thank you’. “In the meantime, I will alert the team about this new lead. We need all hands on deck.”

  “Particularly the Coast Guard,” Karissa added suddenly and then explained her reason for mentioning it. “We are dealing with highly sophisticated criminals. They might have gained entry into the island by way of the sea. I don’t think that they are so stupid as to fly their private planes into our airspace – not when the government has revved up its security measures.”

  “Something they should have done a long time ago,” Richard grunted. “Prevention is always better than cure.”

  “I agree, but we don’t have time to badmouth the government. This case has placed the eyes of the world upon this small little island and I’m feeling pressured to bring Ms. V and her hooligans to justice...”

  While Karissa was still speaking, Richard called the Chief Inspector and relayed the new findings that had just come in about the case. They spoke for less than two minutes, but the expression on Richard’s face revealed that he’d gotten his request fulfilled. “All entry ports will be covered by law enforcement agents,” Richard said, pushing to his feet. “Right now, we need to strategize how best to go about finding that silver Eldorado.”

  “I don’t mean to cast a gloomy shadow, but if this car has anything to do with the House of gods, chances are they have already found a way to dispose of it.”

  “Let’s hope not,” Richard said. He glanced at his watch and added, “It’s only been seven hours since Dallis and her husband left Bliss Haven. If we leave now, maybe we’ll spot the car in the parking lot of a restaurant.”

  When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan

  – Proverbs 29:2

  Chapter Four

  Since Izaiah had taken over as the presiding pastor of St. Donovan’s Chapel, Sunday mornings had become an atmosphere of great expectation. His ability to draw in the congregation through vivid depictions of the Bible, combined with the use of powerful visual aids; was undoubtedly trendsetting for the historical chapel. Izaiah’s listeners could expect to be held spellbound for forty-five minutes as he strategically built momentum in his sermons. Even the modulation of his voice was easy on the ears, which seemed to add background music to his presentation.

  Asia detected an unusual glint of joy in Izaiah’s eyes and she could only attribute that to their decision to go public with their dating. He had told her last night that he was going to announce to the church his plans to date her exclusively. She had warned him that it was too soon, but Izaiah did not want a nasty rumor to be started about their relationship. Presently, he was the youngest minister on the pulpit with a few unscrupulous sharks vying for his downfall. Ever since her father had left Izaiah in charge, the smallest complaint would turn into a burdensome quarrel.

  These complaints usually came from the older clerics, and were designed to reveal Izaiah’s inexperience as an overseer. But somehow, Izaiah always wrestled through the confusion and reestablished a sense of decorum. Asia smiled as she noticed the color combination that Izaiah was wearing. She was wearing the same colors: Black, accessorized with a dash of mint green. They hadn’t planned it, but she imagined trying to explain that to anyone. Color Wheel Pro stated that green symbolized growth, freshness and fertility.

  Maybe it was a sign from God that it was time to move on from what she’d had with Jorge and allow herself to enjoy a new lease on life. Asia blushed when she saw Izaiah wiggled his brows in her direction – as if to say that he was the luckiest man alive. Mortified that the entire congregation was now piercing her with their teasing stares, Asia hung her head and braced herself for the words that were about to come out of Izaiah’s mouth.

  “Good Morning, church!” Izaiah bellowed, waiting for the congregation’s response before continuing with his opening lines. “Before I get into the Word today, I would like to share a bit of news about my personal life. I have promised you that as long as the Lord gives me strength to lead this fine church, I will lead with truth and transparency. I believe in accountability, especially where it concerns my desires as a young man. The devil doesn’t care about how well I can preach, or how good I look in a suit. He is after my integrity and after my stand for living a life based on the Word of God.”

  “I have often taught in Wednesday Bible Studies that we must do all we can to avoid straying into the devil’s playground. The devil is a thief and hater of anything good and he will always endeavor to sabotage our lives. John 10:10 says, ‘The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.’ Now, I have said all of that to say that Asia and I have decided to follow the leading of God’s will f
or our lives. As of yesterday, we have pledged to explore our feelings for each other, which I pray will lead to a permanent state of bliss. From this day onward, you will have no need to speculate or to cloud the truth about my intentions toward Asia Beaufort.”

  The crowd went up in an uproar. The announcement appeared to have been received well, but Asia was still hesitant to hold her head up to scan the crowd. She knew for sure of a few women who would be royally upset. Izaiah was seriously good-looking and for the three years Izaiah had been in Bliss Haven, females had been continuously plotting to get an audience with him, including her sister, Candi, who had been opting to stay home from church for the last six months. Asia knew she would receive some backlash from Izaiah’s announcement. She could already feel the daggers in her back. She wished Izaiah had waited. Who knows if this thing between us will last?

  Dana did not remain on her feet like everyone else, but she received the news with good spirits. She expected at some point that Izaiah and Asia would get together. The attraction between them was too magnetic to ignore. However, Dana wondered if it was a mature decision for Izaiah to make – telling the world how crazy he was about her daughter. It had obviously been his decision, as evidenced by the excitement that danced in Izaiah’s eyes. It showed that he was overjoyed that Asia had finally decided to give him the green light. Dana believed it would have killed Izaiah if Asia hadn’t decided to reciprocate.

  She cast her eyes to the left and noticed Montgomery Black standing along with the congregation. He was a forty-something, self-made millionaire who had moved to Bliss Haven last year with his fifteen-year-old daughter. He was a sight for sore eyes. Flawless skin, curly dark hair to match and a body that looked as if it had been meticulously carved out of stone. A satisfying combination for her daughter, Candi. But Candi was not attracted to him; as she had explained to Dana, Montgomery was too old for her taste. Dana disagreed. Candi would turn thirty in less than two years and a woman that age needed a well-established man who knew how to handle his responsibilities.