Fortune & Fame: A Novel (32 page)

“Just do what I said, Jasmine Larson. Your little hard-headed bestie wants to question my capabilities.” Mae Frances seemed severely offended.

Jasmine turned on the TV. The news anchor popped up on the screen. “. . . This just in, Herman Cain announced he will seek the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election.”

Mae Frances shook her head. “I told him not to do it. If those pictures of us get out—”

“Mae Frances!” Jasmine said, cutting her off.

Rachel was getting irritated. The whole Natasia situation had brightened her mood and gotten her mind off her pending court case tomorrow, but now, sitting here talking with Mae Frances had reminded Rachel of all that the old lady
hadn’t
done when it came to helping her.

“Why do you want us to see the news?” Rachel said. “I don’t care about Herman Cain.”

“Oh, just hold your horses,” Mae Francis snapped.

“We’ll have more on that story later in the newscast,” the anchor continued. “But we begin tonight with breaking news. Police have arrested Atlanta pastor Nathan Frazier.”

Both Rachel and Jasmine froze as they stared at the TV.

“Authorities raided Frazier’s North Atlanta church and found child pornography,” the anchor continued. “The minister has been taken into custody and police say the evidence against him is mounting.”

Rachel didn’t even hear the rest of the story as she turned to Mae Frances, speechless.

“What did you do?” Jasmine asked, horrified.

“Let Raquel here tell it, nothing.”

Jasmine fell into a chair, stunned. “Child pornography, Mae Frances?”

Mae Frances shrugged nonchalantly as she sipped her tea. “You wanted him to not be a problem, he’s not a problem.”

Rachel didn’t know whether to feel relieved or scared. Child pornography was serious. And Mae Frances had set that up?

“Wh-How . . . Oh, my God. Nathan is in jail?”

“That’s what that anchorman said.”

Rachel fell back in her seat. She didn’t know what to say. Mae Frances had delivered again.

*  *  *

The courtroom was filled with thieves, liars, and lawbreakers. Rachel couldn’t process why she was even here. If Nathan was in jail, why in the world did she still have to come to court?

Rachel couldn’t believe Lester wasn’t here, but his flight last night had been canceled and he was stuck in Houston trying to get on the first flight out.

Thankfully, Jasmine was here. Even Mae Frances had gotten a nurse for Natasia and showed up as well, although she claimed it was just to see “the fruits of her labor.”

Rachel had tried to tell her attorney that since Nathan had been arrested, the case would be dismissed, so there was no need for them to show up. Of course, he’d nixed that idea, saying that until the judge threw it out, they’d follow the rules.

“Would you stop pacing?” Jasmine said.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Rachel replied. “What’s taking them so long?” She motioned toward the judge’s chambers where her attorney and Nathan and Mary’s attorney had been for the past four hours.

They hadn’t seen Mary this morning, but then again, if her husband had been accused of being a pedophile, Rachel would stay low key as well.

Finally, the side door opened and Rachel’s attorney, Kirk, emerged. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead and he looked unnerved.

“What’s going on?” Rachel asked, racing over to him. She didn’t like the distressed look on his face.

“Well, technically, since the case is being brought forth by Mary and Nathan, it can still proceed, especially because Nathan has not been found guilty of anything. He’s maintaining his innocence and wants to move forward with the suit,” Kirk said.

Rachel’s heart sank. So, this wasn’t over? “What is Mary saying about all of this?” Rachel had hoped that without Nathan pulling her strings, Mary would give up this stupid quest to take her son.

“She just arrived, her and some other lady,” Kirk replied. “And well, they asked to speak to the judge privately.”

“For what?” Rachel started pacing again. “Oh Lord, she’s still gonna try to take Lewis.”

“Rachel, calm down,” Jasmine said.

Rachel wanted to cry, scream, curse, even go off on Mae Frances. What good was it to have all these connections if she couldn’t make them stick?

Rachel inhaled deeply and turned back to Kirk. “What now?”

Kirk tried to appear reassuring. “The judge wants me back in his chambers in fifteen, so why don’t you go get some coffee or something and meet me back here in ten minutes?”

Rachel didn’t want coffee, she didn’t want to wait, she just wanted this nightmare to be over.

“I’m going to call my husband.” Rachel didn’t give anyone time to reply as she stepped out into the hall and dialed Lester. He answered on the first ring.

“Honey?” His voice was low, nervous, almost like he was waiting on bad news.

“Hey,” she said, softly. Just hearing his voice gave her comfort. “Still waiting.”

A huge sigh of relief mixed with frustration filled the phone. “Baby, the thunderstorm just let up. We’re boarding right now. I’m so sorry. I tried everything short of hijacking one of these planes and flying it myself in order to get there.”

“I know,” Rachel said. She was quiet, then said, “I can’t lose him. I can’t lose Lewis.”

“We won’t,” Lester promised. Rachel had filled him in last night on the news of Nathan’s arrest and like her, Lester had hoped that meant this ordeal would be over.

“How do you know we won’t?” she whimpered.

“Because the Lord told me.”

In the old days, Rachel would’ve rolled her eyes, told him to go somewhere with that “voice of God” talk, or spouted her “faith without works” mantra. But right now, that’s all Rachel had—faith.

“Sweetie, I’m gonna have to go. But first, let’s pray,” Lester said.

Since she had nowhere else to turn—not to Jasmine, not Mae Francis, not even her husband—Rachel turned to the only place she had left. She closed her eyes and began to pray with her husband.

That prayer didn’t completely wipe away her fear, but it gave her strength.

“You okay?” Jasmine asked once she walked back into the courtroom.

“I am” was all Rachel could manage to say as she squeezed Jasmine’s hand. She looked at Mae Frances. “Thank you, Mae Frances. For trying to help me.”

“It ain’t over,” Mae Frances said matter-of-factly. “So, don’t come in here sounding all defeated.”

Rachel was about to say something when Kirk came out the side door. This time, he had a look of pure joy on his face.

“What?” Rachel exclaimed, racing over to him. “Please tell me you have good news.”

“I have great news!” Kirk said as the door opened again and Mary and some woman walked out. The woman looked extremely familiar, but Rachel couldn’t place her.

“What happened?” Rachel asked, turning back to Kirk.

He grinned widely. “This case has been dismissed.”

Rachel’s hands went to her mouth and Jasmine had to catch her to keep her from losing her balance.

“Seems Mary told the judge Lewis should stay with you and he agreed since the charges against the good reverend are a lot more serious than we thought,” Kirk continued. “He had pictures, videos, email correspondence. Looks like he was running a regular child pornography ring. The evidence was overwhelming.”

“And that was enough for the judge?” Rachel finally managed to say. “I thought you said he denied everything.”

“Oh, he did. But then,” Kirk glanced back at Mary and the woman as they approached, “they brought in a witness. A woman to whom Nathan tried to sell the pictures.” He smiled at the woman next to Mary. “I can’t thank you enough, Ms. Margaret, for coming forward.” Kirk glanced down at his phone as it rang. “Excuse me, ladies, I have got to take this call.” He stepped outside the courtroom as Rachel stood face-to-face with Mary and “the witness.” When Kirk said her name, Rachel remembered exactly where she knew the woman from. She had the same stringy hair and pale skin. The same bags under her eyes and the same dingy clothes.

“Mary, what’s going on?” Rachel asked.

Mary squeezed the woman’s arm and smiled. “My mother finally decided to do something right.”

Margaret returned her daughter’s smile. The last time Rachel had seen this woman, the state of Texas had given her custody of Lewis because Mary had been arrested. Since all Margaret had wanted was a check, and not a child, Rachel had managed to convince the social worker to let Lewis stay with her.

“I left those drugs alone. Two years clean,” Margaret said proudly. “I hadn’t done right by my baby”—she looked at Mary—“in, like, ever. Been trying to get her to forgive me, but . . .” She paused like she couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. “Well, when my daughter called and asked for my help, I was all too happy to oblige, especially since I’ve been trying to see her since she moved to Atlanta.”

Rachel was stunned as Margaret rambled on. It was actually Mae Frances who spoke up. She stepped next to Rachel, a confused look on her face. “Wait, so um, how, um, so what do you mean Nathan tried to sell you pictures?” Mae Frances asked.

Rachel knew Mae Frances was thinking the same thing she was. If Nathan had been set up, how could this woman have been working with him?

Margaret shrugged. “I just do what I’m told.” She looked at Mary proudly.

Rachel turned to Mary for an explanation.

“I knew that Nathan would try to wiggle his way out of this, and he might have been able to walk. I wasn’t sure if he was guilty or not, but I figured if he was in jail, he might as well stay. And I knew it would be a little harder for him to plead his innocence if there was someone else who could support what the police found,” Mary confessed.

“So, you manufactured a witness?” Mae Francis asked, in awe.

Mary shrugged. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

Mae Frances cackled. “Ha. Girl, I think I like you!”

“I . . . I don’t understand. Why would you do that?” was all Rachel could say.

Mary looked at Rachel and her eyes teared up. “I learned to love me.”

They stood in silence for a minute. Just for clarification, Rachel felt the need to ask, “So, you don’t want Lewis?”

Mary closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and smiled at Rachel. “I want him. Bad. But he’s yours. You and Lester are the only parents he knows. I’m not going to rip him from that. And I’m sorry for all the heartache.”

Rachel didn’t know what came over her, but she threw her arms around Mary’s neck. “Oh, my God! Thank you!” Rachel couldn’t wait for Lester to arrive so she could share the news.

“Hmph, where are the cameras when you need them?” Mae Frances asked.

At that moment, the side doors opened and a disheveled Nathan was shuttled out by two officers.

“Mary! Mary!” Nathan called out to his wife.

“Ladies, that’s my cue,” Mary said, ignoring him. “See you at the reunion show.” Mary didn’t look back as she and her mother left the courtroom.

Nathan continued yelling at her and when he saw Rachel, Jasmine, and Mae Frances staring at him, he snapped. “What are y’all looking at?”

Jasmine just shook her head pitifully.

Rachel flashed a big smile.

And Mae Frances said, “Hey, Preacher Man.” She pointed to the heavy hardware on his hands and legs. “You might want to learn the words to that gospel song, ‘Shackles on my Feet.’ ”

All three of them laughed as they walked out of the courtroom.

“We make a good team,” Rachel said as they approached the elevator.

“Unh-unh. I told you, y’all too soft to be on Team Mae Frances,” Mae Frances said, pulling her mink tighter around her body.

“And just what is the secret to being on your team, Mae Francis?” Rachel asked as they stepped on the elevator.

“Please, you’ll never get the answer to that,” Jasmine replied, pushing the Down button. “Her life is like the Bermuda Triangle, information goes in but it never comes out.”

Rachel eyed Mae Frances. She had literally snapped her fingers and brought Nathan down. In the short time that Rachel had known this woman, she’d discovered more secret contacts than the CIA.

“You know I’m good at investigating stuff,” Rachel said. “I’m gonna go home and spend time with my babies, but this weekend, I’m starting a book about you,” she told Mae Frances. “I’m going to expose how it is you do all the things you do. I’ll call it
The Unauthorized Autobiography of Mae Francis
.”

Both Rachel and Jasmine laughed. Mae Francis didn’t.

“And I will sue you for everything—including that twenty-six-inch yaky you’re parading around like it’s yours.” Mae Frances tugged at Rachel’s hair.

Rachel pulled her hair away. “It is mine. I bought it. And it’s Remy Bohemian, for your information.”

“You from Fifth Ward in Houston, wearing Korean nails, European clothes, and Bohemian hair.” Mae Francis shook her head.

“Say what you want,” Rachel replied, “but I’m going to find out your story. You sure you don’t want to tell me?”

“If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” Mae Francis stepped off the elevator.

“And you know she will,” Jasmine said, following her.

“Not personally.” Mae Frances stopped, turned back to face them. “I don’t get my hands dirty. Now, take me home, Jasmine Larson. I’m sure my roommate is missing me.”

“Take me home first,” Rachel said, “so I can see my kids.”

“I’m going home first. Get it? Got it? Good. It’s my world, my rules,” Mae Frances said as she walked out into the sunlight.

“Hey, she stole my catchphrase,” Rachel said.

Jasmine shook her head and smiled. “Let her have it. I’ll help you come up with another one because somehow I think the reality show
First Ladies
will definitely be back for season two.”