Fatal Accusation

by Rachel Dylan

  “Look, Olivia,” Chris said. “I get that you’re Dan’s attorney, and I know you have to ask questions, but I think you’re so biased about this that you’re not being objective.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “It’s clear from the time you showed up in Windy Ridge that you and Dan developed a really deep bond. You don’t want to think someone you cared about and trusted would betray you, but unfortunately, I know all too well that it is possible.”

  “And all this time I thought that you and Dan also had a special bond.”

  “This isn’t easy for me. I am tormented about all of this.”

  She looked over at Grant. “What do you think?”

  “You both have valid points, but I agree with Olivia that no one should place their unquestioned faith in Beverly.”

  Chris nodded. “I understand. This has totally turned my life upside down, and you all know we’re facing some serious spiritual opposition right now.”

  There was no doubt in her mind that forces of darkness were attacking Chris. “What we need to do right now before we discuss anything else is pray. We can’t win this battle on our own.”

  **

  Micah hovered over Chris’s living room as he watched the scene unfold. The angel Ben was right beside him.

  “This is even worse than we could have imagined,” Ben said.

  “I know. The demonic forces are attacking Chris and putting all kinds of doubts into his mind. I’m glad Olivia finally suggested that they pray. Sometimes they all want to solve problems on their own without realizing they aren’t only fighting against flesh and blood. They need to remember how much power they have in prayer.”

  Ben nodded. “The power of prayer and the faith of true believers is the only thing that can help. Othan and his demon cohorts are building up a strong force in Windy Ridge. I haven’t seen anything like it in years. They’ve staked out Windy Ridge as the place they want to do battle, and they’re not going to let up anytime soon.”

  “We can’t forget though that even in this dark time, we know how it all ends. The victory has already been secured in Christ.”

  A loud laughing noise had Micah turning around. There was Othan and another demon that he didn’t recognize standing beside him.

  “You two are pathetic.” Othan sneered. “And you’re completely delusional if you think you’re winning this war. Look around! The preacher is locked up in prison. The church will be destroyed in this community. Your own associate pastor is ready to convict Dan. I’d say that it’s looking pretty good from our side.”

  “You’re getting way ahead of yourself,” Ben said. “And I see that you felt the need to bring reinforcements this time. What, were you worried about facing us by yourself?” Ben eyed the other demon.

  Othan chuckled. “Not reinforcements. This is my apprentice, Kobal, and he’s excited about this new assignment. Stacey and him are becoming good friends, too.”

  It was like Othan had shot an arrow through Micah’s heart. It bothered him greatly that they had lost Stacey to the darkness.

  “Why are you here?” Ben asked. “You have absolutely no place in this house.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Othan said. “Chris’s doubts and fears are the perfect breeding ground for us. Can’t you see? He’s not only doubting his boss, he’s doubting everything. And that’s where we come in and just help him see what lies beyond because he’s already opened the door.”

  Micah had heard enough of this. “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave this place.”

  Kobal shrieked. He wasn’t as battle hardened as Othan, but Othan knew that it was time for them to go. Even given Othan’s tough talk, they were still taking a risk by showing up at Chris’s house, especially with Olivia and Grant there, too.

  “You won’t be getting rid of us that easily,” Othan said. “We’re stronger than you are and have more soldiers ready to fight.”

  And just like that, Ben and Micah were alone. The demons had fled.

  “This is war,” Micah said. “And they’re partially right. The evil forces in Windy Ridge are outnumbering those who believe in the Lord. It’s like we’re going into battle with one hand tied behind our backs, and this church scandal will only make that worse.”

  Ben looked over at Micah. “Once again, we’re placing so much on the shoulders of one woman. Olivia is called to defend Dan and, in doing so, defend the church in this community.”

  “She’s proven to be a strong woman of unrelenting faith. If we do our part, I know she’ll do hers, but we’re going to have our hands full dealing with the fallout. Especially given how fragile Chris and Grant seem at this point in their belief in Dan’s innocence.”

  “Othan and his demons are going to go right after them because they can sense their weakness. Grant is a new believer, so he is an easy and prime target. He doesn’t have the years of faith as a foundation, but I’m not sure what is going on with Chris. This is not like him.”

  “I think he believes he is doing the best thing for the church, but his doubts are leading to a ripple effect. And unfortunately, just like Othan said, it’s providing the enemy with an opportunity to prey upon him.”

  “We must continue to help him and pray for them all.”

  **

  Grant watched as Olivia struggled with phone calls trying to gather up the money to make Dan’s bail. It was obvious to him that the church members were not rallying around the pastor, but Grant hated to push the point because Olivia already had enough on her plate.

  He hated to see her struggle, so he tried to talk to her when she got off the phone. “If only this weren’t Illinois, you could go to a bail bondsmen. But we’re one of the only states where that isn’t allowed.”

  She shook her head. “He wouldn’t have wanted me to do that anyway. If we couldn’t raise the money from supporters, he was content with staying put.”

  “That’s crazy. Better than him sitting in prison.”

  “That’s the thing. Dan doesn’t see sitting in prison for a crime he didn’t commit as a huge problem. Not like the way we do. I think it would be better for all of us if he were out, but our options are limited right now. I’m disappointed in the congregation.”

  “How’re you holding up?”

  “I can’t believe how quickly people have turned on him. Frankly, I’m shocked.” She looked up at him. “We have to figure out a more effective way to combat whatever Layton has unleashed on this town. Tomorrow is Sunday. I wonder how many people will show up to church.”

  “Maybe a good number just because they will want to talk about what has happened and get the latest information.”

  “I don’t know if Chris is the right person to be speaking to the congregation about all of this right now. He seems shaky at best, and our meeting with him did nothing to assuage any of my fears. If the associate pastor thinks the senior pastor is guilty, then, of course, the members of the church are going to follow suit. That would be disastrous for Dan and the church’s future.”

  “Did you really think Chris came across that way? I thought he was just being cautious. Taking his duty to the church seriously.”

  “If it were only that, then maybe I could understand. But I felt like there was an undercurrent that was much more sinister. I think Chris is a prime target of Layton’s right now.” She paused. “I have to say this, Grant. I know you won’t like it, but you have to consider you’re also in the crosshairs.”

  “Don’t add me to your list of problems. Yeah, I realize that I’m still very new to all of this. But the last thing I’m going to do is turn my back on you—or this fight. I’m in it for the long haul.”

  “Not just standing by me, but also by Dan?”

  “Like I said before, I can’t tell you that I won’t ask questions, but the fact you feel so strongly about this counts for a whole lot in my book.” He didn’t want to make her promises that he couldn’t keep. But no matter what, he had her back. That muc
h he was certain of.

  “I’d like to see how things go at church tomorrow. You’ll be there, right?”

  “Of course.” Although he had to admit to himself that the draw of being with Olivia right now was stronger than the draw to be at church. He knew that as a new believer he wasn’t going to just get everything immediately. But lately, he’d felt a little off. He couldn’t help but wonder if Olivia was right. Were Layton and his coven of evildoers trying to sabotage him along with other members of the church? “Your strength never ceases to amaze me.”

  She walked over to him and grabbed onto his shoulders. “Faith doesn’t just pop up overnight. I’ve had many years of ups and downs to get to where I am now, and I have to say that what I experienced last fall during the litigation changed me forever. To be in the midst of a battle so much larger than me and to feel the effects of it all firsthand only made me rely even more on the Lord. And I believe with all of my heart that the Lord has great plans for you in this struggle as well, Grant.”

  “What if I don’t?” he asked before he even could stop himself.

  “You can and you will. We can’t let demonic forces destroy us or this town. Our God is bigger and stronger than anything they can throw at us. Don’t ever forget that.”

  He moved a step closer to her, as he felt his feelings only deepen for her. But the last thing he wanted to do was to push things too quickly. “If Dan is innocent, then we still need to determine how this happened.”

  “I know. Depending on how church goes tomorrow, we can figure out our next move.”

  He hoped that this wasn’t all going to blow up in their faces.

  **

  Tonight’s Optimism meeting at Layton’s house was like most—half meeting, half party. And they certainly had a lot of things to celebrate. Pastor Dan was behind bars, Chris Tanner was ready to turn on him, and Windy Ridge Community Church was in total disarray.

  What a perfect way to spend a Saturday evening. The wine and champagne were flowing, the appetizers were perfect, and there was absolutely nothing that could spoil his amazing mood.

  He looked over at the front door as Stacey Malone walked in. She continued to impress him. She was magically gifted, and he thought if she stuck with it, she might even rival Nina Marie one day. It was his job to make sure she was happy and continued to work for the cause—and his cause, more specifically.

  With that in mind, he made a beeline for her. When she saw him approach, her eyes lit up—always a good sign.

  “Layton, how are you?” she asked.

  “Wonderful, my dear. You look stunning this evening.”

  She looked down at her dress and her cheeks turned pink. “Morena helped me pick this out. I appreciate your generosity. I never had anything appropriate to wear to your functions before. I feel like I fit in so much better now.”

  “I would accept you in jeans and a T-shirt, but you do look beautiful. The color suits you.” Her dark blue flowing dress made her look like a princess out of a movie. He’d been very careful to contain himself around her, because having her in his organization was more important than any romantic inclination he had. Besides that, he could pretty much have any other woman he wanted. He didn’t want to ruin things with this special woman. He’d learned his lesson with Nina Marie. Better to not get involved with women skilled in the dark arts.

  “Layton, you said you had something big coming, but I had no idea it would be something like this.” She took a step closer to him. “I would’ve never thought Pastor Dan would’ve stolen money from the church,” she said in a low voice.

  Of course Dan hadn’t stolen anything, but it was better for him not to be open about that with Stacey. Not when she wasn’t that far removed from the church and still in a fragile state where all of that was concerned. No, he’d play it differently.

  He put his hand on her shoulder, drawing her closer to him. “I know. It’s mind blowing, but I’ve never trusted that man. He hides behind his supposed God, but in the end it’s all about him. He’s really no different than many of the men I’ve dealt with all of my life.”

  She looked up at him with those innocent doe eyes, but he didn’t feel any guilt about lying to her. He had her best interests at heart.

  “I’m still floored about the whole thing.”

  “I guess you just can’t really tell what goes on inside someone. He fooled a lot of people, Stacey. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  “It’s just difficult to comprehend. Even given my feelings about the church and wanting to leave it, I never thought Dan was a bad person. He always seemed honest. Maybe a bit too delusional about his own faith, but not a criminal.”

  “Don’t let yourself get consumed by his misdeeds. And besides, look at this as an opportunity for Optimism. It provides us with a mechanism by which to spread the news of our beliefs and the power that we all can have as individuals. Our message will resonate loudly now, and I’m going to be looking to you to be one of our main advocates.”

  She put her hand on her neck and fiddled with her necklace. “Me? No. I’m so new to the group, Layton. You need people with more years of experience. I’m literally just starting out in all of this.”

  “But you’re extremely gifted. Your natural gifts put you ahead of people who have been practicing New Age techniques for years.”

  “Layton, you are too good to me, and you have far more confidence in me than I have in myself. That’s for sure.”

  “You are destined for greatness, Stacey. You could be running this business someday.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  He’d pushed her enough for one night, but she needed to gain confidence. “You don’t have to say anything right now. Why don’t you go get yourself a drink and start mingling? I want us to all have a good time for a bit. Then I’ll make some business announcements.”

  “Sounds good.” Stacey looked across the room. “I see Morena just got here. I’ll go say hello.”

  “Great, we’ll catch up later this evening.” He needed to build Stacey’s ambition. She was the next generation.

  **

  Stacey took a deep breath as she approached Morena. She was still shocked by Layton’s comments. She realized that she may have some special gifts, but his compliments made her wonder if she had been underestimating herself. She’d never been told by anyone that she was a superstar—just the opposite—that she was just one in the middle of the pack. Maybe that was all about to change.

  Morena made eye contact with her and smiled. Morena looked beautiful tonight, as always. She wore a black, short cocktail dress that was elegant and probably more expensive than most of Stacey’s old wardrobe put together. Thankfully, Layton had given Morena his credit card to go shopping with her to get clothes to fit into the crowd at events like this.

  Morena pulled her into a tight hug before releasing her. “Can you believe the news?”

  “I was just telling Layton that I was shocked by the whole thing.”

  “You know what this means, don’t you?” Morena asked.

  “I’m guessing it could mean a lot of things.”

  “Yes, but as far as our work goes, now is the perfect time to recruit new members to our group. Their confidence in the church will be shattered. So while tonight is a time for celebration, you and I need to get to work tomorrow. I just got in an order of new supplies, too.”

  “Including the crystals?”

  “Yes. We’ll have all the tools we need to continue.”

  Stacey smiled at her friend and mentor. She’d fully embraced the New Age mysticism, including working with crystals and other various items. “The work we’re doing is very important. That much I know.”

  “Oh, wow, Stace.” Morena nudged her shoulder. “It looks like the Astral Tech VIPs are starting to arrive. That’s Nina Marie.”

  Stacey couldn’t help herself as she craned her neck to get a glimpse of the infamous Nina Marie. She didn’t know what to expect, bu
t the auburn haired woman had definitely gotten the attention of the room. She wore a sparkling, long ivory beaded gown that accentuated her thin frame. She’d heard so much about this woman it was odd now seeing her in person. Layton’s enemy that was now his friend. She didn’t know for sure all the details on how the two of them had come together, but reading between the lines, it seemed like a marriage of convenience.

  Nina Marie started walking their way, and Stacey watched in anticipation. The last thing she wanted to do was act like a fool in front of this woman. Nina Marie was the CEO of Optimism’s chief competitor. But, for now, she was a part of their alliance to take down the church in Windy Ridge.

  Nina Marie walked past her, chatting with the man next to her as they made their way to the bar, but then Nina Marie stopped suddenly and turned around. Nina Marie’s dark brown eyes focused in on hers.

  Nina Marie said something to the man beside her and then walked by herself over to where she and Morena stood. Stacey assumed that Nina Marie was coming over to talk to Morena. But instead, Nina Marie looked directly at her.

  Uh oh.

  “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Nina Marie Crane.”

  “I’m Stacey Malone.” She outstretched her hand to Nina Marie, and when she made contact, a feeling unlike anything she’d ever felt shot through her. A combination of power and pain.

  “Ah, Nina Marie. I see you’ve met one of our up-and-coming members.” Layton popped up right beside her.

  “Where have you been keeping this one, Layton?” Nina Marie asked as if she wasn’t standing right there.

  “Stacey’s a college student who has been interning for us, and I hope to have her on full time once she graduates.”

  Nina Marie reached out again and touched her arm. She couldn’t help her reaction, which was to take a step back.

  “You don’t have anything to fear from me,” Nina Marie said softly.

  But Stacey didn’t believe this woman, and she was immediately afraid of what could happen to her. She’d heard Nina Marie was very powerful, but she had no idea that someone could wield this type of spiritual energy.