Michelle got the mail from the mailbox and froze. She stared at the envelope with the gold lettering. She walked into the living room and set all the mail, except one envelope, on the cocktail table. She wanted to open it, but then again, she was afraid. With shaky hands, she tore the envelope open and saw that there was no letter inside with the puzzle piece. Instead, there was a photograph. Slowly she pulled them out and saw what she didn’t want to see. She held the puzzle piece of James’ face in her hands. In the photograph, James lay on the sofa, nude, with his eyes closed, caressing the breasts of a woman wearing a blonde wig who was straddling him. Michelle clutched her heart and fell to her knees, gasping for air.
Right on cue, Amaryllis descended the stairs. “Michelle, what’s wrong?”
She couldn’t say anything. She looked at Amaryllis as though she didn’t know who she was. Amaryllis saw the puzzle piece and picture in her hand then knelt down and pulled Michelle into her arms. “Sis, I’m so sorry. How could he do this to you? I knew he was no good for you. James tried to come on to me a few times, but I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t think you’d believe me.”
Michelle let out a scream so loud and sharp, it almost cracked every window in the living room. Amaryllis ran to the telephone and called Nicholas. “Daddy, it’s Michelle. You gotta come over here.”
Nicholas could hear Michelle screaming and crying through the telephone. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Something has happened with James,” Amaryllis responded.
“I’m on my way.” Nicholas disconnected the call and rushed to Michelle’s house.
Amaryllis held Michelle tight in her arms and rocked her back and forth while they waited for their father.
Twenty minutes later, Nicholas stormed into the living room using his emergency key. He rushed and knelt next to Michelle. “What happened, Baby Girl? Is James all right?”
Nicholas referring to Michelle as his baby girl infuriated Amaryllis. She moved away and allowed her father to console his precious daughter.
Amaryllis sat and listened as Michelle read the letters that came with puzzle pieces to Nicholas. “All this time, Daddy, I thought it was Jodie playing a joke on me.”
Nicholas studied the picture and completed puzzle Michelle had put together. “Baby Girl, there’s got to be an explanation. James wouldn’t do this.”
The more Nicholas referred to Michelle as Baby Girl, the more ticked off Amaryllis became. And the fact that he defended James angered her even more. “What kind of explanation? We got proof that James is a dog,” Amaryllis shouted.
Nicholas looked at her. “You don’t know James like I do. He’s an honest man and wouldn’t do anything like this.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, what about him coming on to me?”
Nicholas refused to believe her. “What? No way.”
“It’s true. James came on to me many times, but I didn’t tell Michelle because I knew it would hurt her.”
Nicholas stood firm. “I can’t believe that; not James.”
“You don’t believe me?” Amaryllis shrieked.
“Amaryllis, Michelle needs to talk to James.”
“Talk to him about what? You’re looking at the proof. He can’t talk his way out of this.”
Nicholas thought Amaryllis was taking Michelle’s problem a bit too personally. “You act like you’re the one marrying James. Why are you so upset?”
“Because Michelle is my sister and when she hurts, I hurt.”
Nicholas looked at Michelle. “What do you wanna do?”
Michelle blew her nose in the Kleenex Amaryllis had given her. “Get James over here, Daddy.”
Nicholas was glad that Michelle requested to see James. He himself wanted to get to the bottom of the situation. He called James on his cellular telephone and asked him to come to Michelle’s house right away. James informed Nicholas that he was finishing up an investigation at a crime scene and that he’d be there within the hour.
Nicholas sat with Michelle on the sofa and pulled her into his arms. “James is on his way. I’m sure he can clear everything up.”
Amaryllis sat in a Lay-Z-Boy recliner, opposite of them. The three of them were in silence for forty-five minutes, with the exception of Michelle’s sniffles and occasional nose blowing, until James walked in Michelle’s front door all smiles carrying a dozen roses. He saw Nicholas sitting on the sofa with his arms around Michelle.
James looked at her and knew she’d been crying. “Mickey, what’s wrong?”
Michelle stood, walked over to him and slapped his face. James lost his balance and dropped the roses, stunned by Michelle’s blow. “What was that for?”
Michelle pointed to the picture and puzzle on the cocktail table. “For that.”
James caressed his stinging jaw and went to the cocktail table to see what Michelle was pointing at. He picked up the picture and looked at it. He saw the woman, he saw his sofa and he saw his own face, but he didn’t understand how it could be. “What is this?”
Amaryllis spoke up. “You tell us, James. What is it?”
James was dumbfounded. “This ain’t me, Mickey. I didn’t do this.”
Michelle looked at him. “James, can you honestly look at me and say that it’s not you?”
“Yes. I don’t know what this is. Where did you get this?”
“Never mind that. You claim it’s not you, so I guess the picture is lying, right?”
“Mickey, I promise before God that this is not me. I mean, it’s me, but I didn’t do this Mickey. I didn’t.”
Amaryllis wasn’t about to let him talk his way out of this. “Tell her what you did to me, James.”
Nicholas still didn’t believe Amaryllis’ accusations. “Amaryllis, shut up.”
“No, Daddy, Michelle needs to hear this. James, tell her about the times you tried to kiss me.”
James started to sweat. “What the heck are you talking about?”
“Tell Michelle about the time you came over here when you knew she was working late and brought oysters and candles with you.”
James couldn’t believe this was happening to him. “Amaryllis, you’re the one who came on to me that night.”
“You can’t turn this on me, James, I already told Michelle everything.”
James was furious. “What are you talking about? You’re lying, Amaryllis.”
Michelle looked at James. “If Amaryllis came on to you, why didn’t you tell me about it?”
It was at this exact moment that James wished he’d taken his pastor’s advice. He should’ve done exactly what his Bishop told him to do. He advised James to tell Michelle about Amaryllis’ actions and he chose not to do so. James had been forewarned that this scene would play out exactly as it was being played. “Because I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me, Mickey.”
New tears started to stream down Michelle’s face. “I thought you loved me. All this time, you’ve been playing me for a fool. Is this what I’ve been waiting for all of my life? Is this the thanks I get for saving myself for you? What happened, James? You got tired of waiting? You couldn’t wait for our wedding night? Is sex that important to you?”
Michelle’s words hit James like a ton of bricks. She was breaking his heart. James stepped to her and tried to hug her. “Mickey, I can’t explain this. It never happened.”
Michelle got very upset and yelled. “Stop the lies, James! You’re busted. It’s you in the picture. Is it not your face?”
He didn’t answer her.
Michelle snatched the picture from James’ hand and held it close to his eyes. She practically screamed at him. “Is this your face?”
“Yes, I mean no, I mean yes, it’s me in the picture, but I didn’t do this and I don’t know who that woman is.”
Michelle forcefully pushed James’ chest. “Get out of my house.”
Again, he tried to hug her and she started punching him. “Get out, get out!”
Nicholas jumped in between them. “James, ma
ybe you better go.”
“But, Nick, I—” James started.
“Leave. Now,” Nicholas demanded.
James looked at Michelle through teary eyes. His voice was broken. “I would never, ever do anything to hurt you. You know that. You have to believe that, Mickey. You have to believe in me.”
Michelle didn’t want to hear anymore of James’ lies. She screamed one last time, “Get out!”
James hung his head and walked out the door, accidentally treading over the roses he’d bought for Michelle. Nicholas guided Michelle to the sofa and sat her down.
Amaryllis went into the kitchen for more Kleenex and a glass of water for Michelle then returned to the living room. “Shh; it’s okay, sis. It’s better you found out now than after the wedding.” Amaryllis handed Michelle the glass of water.
Nicholas looked at her. “Leave me alone with her, Amaryllis.”
Amaryllis wasn’t done trashing James. She had plenty more to say. “She needs me right now.”
“I’m here with her now, leave us alone,” Nicholas demanded.
Amaryllis went upstairs, but when she was out of view, she listened to what they were saying.
“Baby Girl, something doesn’t add up. You know James would never do anything like this,” Nicholas reasoned.
Michelle blew her puffy red nose into the Kleenex. “How can you explain the picture, Daddy?”
“I don’t know. Maybe someone put James’ face on another man’s body or something. With the way technology is nowadays, anything can be altered.”
“But who would take the time and do such a thing? Anyway, it’s his sofa, Daddy.”
“I understand, but you should hear James’ side of the story.”
“No, I don’t wanna talk to him.” Michelle ran upstairs crying.
Amaryllis ducked in the second floor bathroom. She heard Michelle’s bedroom door slam. Nicholas grabbed his keys and left the town home. When Amaryllis heard both doors shut, she patted herself on the back for a job well done.
Her initial intention was to snatch James from Michelle. But when James refused her advances, Amaryllis became bitter and vindictive. She no longer wanted him for herself, but instead, set out to destroy his relationship with Michelle. Since James didn’t want Amaryllis, she had fixed it so that Michelle no longer wanted him.
James called Michelle at least twenty times that night but she refused to talk to him. On the very last call James made to the house, Amaryllis answered and informed him that Michelle was done with him and the wedding was off.
Chapter 14
At lunchtime on Thursday, Amaryllis poked her head into Michelle’s office. “I’m going to the deli for a sandwich. You want anything?” Michelle didn’t look up from the paperwork she was reading. “No, thanks.”
Five minutes after Amaryllis left, the telephone rang. Michelle looked at the caller identification and saw that it was a Chicago call from Price & Associates.
“So, you still got a job, huh?” a female’s voice asked.
Michelle frowned. “I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me. Your sister ain’t kicked you to the curb yet?”
Michelle had no clue who this woman was or what she was talking about. “I think you have the wrong number.”
Bridgette knew Amaryllis’ voice. “Don’t try and act like you don’t know who I am, Amaryllis. It’s me, Bridgette, your home girl.”
Now that she heard the name, Michelle remembered Amaryllis mentioning someone named Bridgette, a coworker, from Chicago. “Oh, Bridgette, this isn’t Amaryllis.”
“Girl, stop playing, you think I don’t know your voice? Who are you trying to fool?”
“I’m Michelle, Amaryllis’ sister.”
Bridgette chuckled. “Oh, okay, you’re Michelle today, huh? What happened, Amaryllis? You wanted to live your sister’s life so badly that you hit her over the head, buried the body some place, dyed your skin, adopted her voice and took over her business?”
Michelle was totally at a loss to what Bridgette was saying. “I beg your pardon?”
“You beg my pardon? Is that what they teach you to say in Vegas? All I wanna know is if Michelle figured out what you’ve done yet.”
It was clear that Bridgette didn’t understand that she was on the phone with the wrong sister, but Michelle was dying to know what she was talking about. “What’s to figure out?”
“That you purposely put your name on her wedding invitations, and how you set her man up to take those pictures by drugging him. I bet she doesn’t even know that you’re the one who sent the puzzle, does she?”
Michelle’s eyes grew wide, her heart started to race and her palms got sweaty. She dropped the telephone then stood and leaned forward on her desk. All of a sudden, she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were completely empty and she was gasping for air that wasn’t there. She looked around the room and saw it spinning all around her.
Michelle got dizzy, staggered backward and fell into her chair. Her back was drenched with sweat and her blouse was clinging to her. She felt like she had the flu. She was chilled to the bone, yet burning up with fever-like temperatures. She hadn’t realized she was crying until a tear dripped from her chin. “Oh my God, no. No, Jesus, no, no, no. Not my sister. Not, Amaryllis.”
Michelle was distraught and disgusted. She grabbed her purse and keys and walked to the elevator. It wasn’t coming fast enough, so she took the stairs two at a time, something she’d never done. When Michelle got to the driver’s side of her Jaguar, she vomited. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve then got in her car and sped out of the parking lot.
Michelle got on the freeway, but her tears made it difficult for her to see where she was going. She got to Nicholas’s house in less than twenty minutes and recklessly drove one wheel up on the curb. Michelle stumbled out of the driver’s seat and left her door open. While running to the front door, her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, but managed to crawl the rest of the way to her father’s front door. Michelle pulled herself up and banged on the door like a maniac. When he didn’t answer right away, she started screaming and crying. “Daddy, please open the door. Daddy ... Daddy!”
Still there was no answer. Michelle fell to her knees, holding her stomach. “Please, Daddy; please open the door.”
Just then, Nicholas yanked his door open, dressed in his terry cloth robe. He saw his daughter kneeling and crying. “Baby Girl?”
Michelle looked up at him. “Daddy, what took you so long?”
“I was in the shower. What’s wrong?”
Michelle couldn’t say anything. She looked at Nicholas and shook her head from side to side. “I can’t breathe, Daddy. I can’t breathe.”
Nicholas bent down to helped Michelle stand, then pulled her into the house. Michelle was shaking uncontrollably. She still couldn’t get enough air into her lungs.
Nicholas saw that she was short of breath. He pulled her into his arms and held her very close to him. If Michelle didn’t get control of her breathing, Nicholas feared she would pass out. “Shhh, calm down and breathe.”
“But, Daddy—”
“Calm down first. Please don’t faint on me.”
Nicholas walked Michelle into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. He filled a glass with water from the sink and gave it to her. He saw that her hands were shaking, so he held the glass to her lips. “Take a sip.”
Michelle did as she was told and leaned back in the chair. Nicholas set the glass on the counter and sat across from her. “Now tell me what happened.”
She told her father about the telephone call she’d received from Amaryllis’ friend, Bridgette. When she was done, she was breathless. Nicholas came and knelt in front of her and pulled her into his arms.
“I don’t wanna hear the I-told-you-so’s, Daddy,” Michelle told him before he could even get started.
“Baby Girl, you should know me better than that. Have you spoken to James?”
“No, I left the firm and drove str
aight here. Daddy, I took Amaryllis’ side over his and I accused him of lying and cheating. But James was right all along. I doubt if he’ll ever talk to me again.”
“James is a good man, Michelle.” Nicholas stood and walked out of the kitchen.
“Where are you going?”
“To get dressed.”
Five minutes later, Nicholas was standing at the kitchen door dressed in a nylon jogging suit and K Swiss gym shoes on his feet. With his keys in his hand, he said to Michelle, “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
When they got in Nicholas’ car, he turned to his daughter and asked, “What’s James’ number at the precinct?”
“Why, Daddy? What are you gonna say to him?”
“Just give me the number.”
Michelle reluctantly recited the number and watched her father dial.
“Homicide, Detective Bradley here.” Michelle could hear her fiancé’s voice from where she sat. The sadness in his voice broke her heart.
“James, this is Nick. Don’t ask any questions, just drop whatever you’re doing and go to Michelle’s house. She’s with me and we’ll meet you there.
Nicholas and Michelle got to the town home first. Once inside, he went straight to the third floor and Michelle was close on his heels. He turned the knob on Amaryllis’ bedroom door and found that it was locked. “Where’s the key?” he asked Michelle.
“There isn’t a key. I never lock any of the bedroom doors.”
“Stand back.” Nicholas took two steps backward and kicked the door with his right foot. It flew open and banged against the wall. They walked in and Nicholas went to Amaryllis’ dresser drawer.
“What are you looking for, Daddy?”
“I won’t know ’til I find it.”
While he was rummaging through the drawers, Michelle went over to Amaryllis’ closet and opened shoe boxes and looked in pockets, not even certain what she was searching for.
Nicholas was throwing everything onto the floor, searching through her clothes. He found a bottle of pills with Vicodin written on the bottom of it. He held it up for Michelle to see. “What’s this?”
Michelle looked at the bottle. “That’s Amaryllis’ medication.”
Amaryllis Page 14
