His First Lady (11 page)

Sam groaned. One thing he couldn’t do and that was scripture compete with Emily. “He’s got an ego problem and he’s a little selfish but we’re going to keep praying for him, dear.”

Emily huffed and crossed her arms. “Well, I think we need a vacation from him and the church.”

Sam smiled not willing to fight with the woman. “You might be right. Let’s look into it tomorrow, baby.” Sam removed his glasses and put them back on the night stand.

Emily snuggled closer to Sam. “No cruise Sam cause I can’t swallow all that water, I’d rather fly.”

“You got some wings I don’t know about baby,” Sam grinned wrapping his arms around her.

She nodded and smiled. “They shall mount up with wings like eagles,” Emily answered him.

The dogs began barking nonstop again. Emily frowned. “There they go again,” Emily said, “makes it so hard for me to sleep.” Emily turned the television volume down with the remote control.

“Just relax sweetheart, it’s nothing.”

“Can you check again?”

Sam frowned. “Come on Emily, it’s nothing,” He said.

“Sammy,” Emily said.

It was all she had to say. When she was worried, he was worried and it wouldn’t be a good night unless he did a final check. Sam got out of bed and slipped his feet back into his house slippers. “I’ll check the back window but I’m not going back out.”

“Thank you Sammy,” Emily said as she turned the television volume back up.

That last sentence was meant to assert his authority but he knew that it was merely a formality. Emily had already asked and he was already out of bed doing it. Sam walked toward the kitchen to look out of the back window. Those dogs were really ruining his evening and tomorrow, they wouldn’t get those bacon treats he had bought, he could guarantee that. Sam flipped on the flood light and pulled back the curtains on the backdoor window and peeked out; nothing.

Foolishness,
Sam shook his head and turned around to a black figure standing in front of him with a wire held up in the air. A stunned Sam didn’t hesitate but instinctively lunged at the figure in front of him but was grabbed by the man and placed in a headlock. The two fell to the floor, Sam struggled to get up and overpower the man but the man was stronger and Sam felt the wire begin to wrap around his neck. On his knees, Sam clawed at his neck attempting to loosen the increasingly tighter wire cutting off his air.

Sam scooted across the floor, fighting to get up from the floor against the will of the man but unable to, reached up to the counter to try and grab anything but there was nothing. He tried to make noise, any kind of noise, but he couldn’t breathe; his lungs feeling betrayed attempting to get some air to his body. The man punched him in the side of the head and the blow made Sam’s head hit the side of the kitchen counter.

Getting weaker, Sam swung his arms, hitting the violator who punched Sam in the head again with great force. But Sam kept swinging and grabbed the black cap off of the perpetrator’s face but it was too dark and Sam didn’t know who it was. He thought about Emily in the bedroom and swung harder, scratching the perpetrator’s face. But the wire tightened around his neck as Sam felt his strength wane. Sam thought about Emily again, he prayed that she wouldn’t be hurt.
Please God, protect her.
He loved her. He loved her so much and he hoped she knew it. Sam knew his struggle was over. Sam said a prayer in his head and closed his eyes.

The dogs were still barking. Emily frowned and sat up. “Sammy!” She yelled out for him. “Those dogs are still barking!”

She shook her head in frustration. How was she going to get any sleep with those dogs barking like that? Sam knew she had to get her hair done in the morning. Why wasn’t he answering her? Emily pulled the covers off of her and got out of bed to see what was taking Sam so long. Emily turned on the hall light and walked toward the kitchen. She stopped and gasped seeing Sam on the floor. She screamed, ran to Sam and fell in front of him.

“Sammy!” Emily screamed Sam’s name and slapped him on his face. She kept screaming his name and began crying as her heart pounded. She got up and ran to the phone on the wall and dialed 911.

Emily yelled into the phone at the operator as she continued screaming in between her tears. Emily dropped the phone and ran back over to Sam. She screamed Sam’s name again then began CPR. She pushed on his chest but there was nothing. She cried out to God and began her counts again as she pumped on his chest. She checked to see if he was breathing but there was nothing. She counted again loudly between her tears and pressed on his chest but there was no movement.

“Please Sammy,” she cried collapsing on his chest. “Please don’t leave me! Please God; don’t take him away from me!”

Restless, Leon had tossed and turned in bed all night. He didn’t want to wake Evan so he had gotten up. She’d only make matters worse with her questions. He had walked the floor earlier and watched a little TV but nothing passed the time quite like he wished. Now that he’d gotten back in bed, he lay on his back staring at the ceiling before turning over on his side facing Evan who was on her side facing away from him.

He stared at the back of her head remembering a time when he loved to spoon her and lay behind her all night holding her.
Oh well, that was then
. He shifted and turned the opposite way and lay on his other side. He glared at the clock on the nightstand. It was 1:30 in the morning. Then his cell phone rang, he quickly answered it.

“Yeah,”

“It’s finished,” The heavy voice said before the line went silent.

Leon closed his eyes and smiled. He placed the cellphone back on the nightstand with a sigh of relief. It was over. He lay back on his back maintaining his smile.

It had been a sad day all around for everyone that loved Sam. Evan had been in a daze ever since she and Leon had received the call. The news was unbelievable until they had arrived at Sam and Emily’s home which was crawling with police and realized that it was all true. Sam and Emily’s home had been transformed to what Evan could only describe as something out of a movie scene. When Evan realized that Sam was still lying on the floor in the home, she thought she’d vomit. She had never seen the tragedy of such a death before.

She and Leon walked into the living room where a distraught Emily sat with Greg and an investigator who attempted to question her without success. Emily sat motionless in a state of shock on the living room sofa with a blanket around her shoulders. The investigator gave Evan permission to get a few of Emily’s personal things to take with her. When Leon explained to Emily that it was time for her to leave with them, a distraught Emily kicked and screamed refusing to leave Sam alone. As Emily clung to the chair, Leon held her legs and Greg carried her to their car.

Now at their home, Emily had been resting for hours in the guest room. Evan was protective of her but soon found out that she did so unnecessarily. As soon as Emily found out that people began arriving and calling for her, she insisted on seeing and speaking to them. In all of her church life, Evan had never seen so much outpouring of love for anyone. There were so many church folk, friends, and coworkers who adored Sam and came to support Emily that it was unreal but after spending time with Emily, it was easy to see why.

The funeral hadn’t even occurred yet and food was everywhere but Emily would have none. As Evan sat with Emily, Mimi called out to get her attention. Evan excused herself and walked into the kitchen.

Mimi threw her arms up in the air. “There’s so much food that I’m not sure where to put everything.” Mimi said as she began arranging coffee cups on a platter to take out into the living room and the dining room areas.

Evan was trying to keep herself together while keeping everything organized. She was so thankful for Mimi who seemed always prepared for such times as this. Evan looked at the food that was scattered about the kitchen and felt overwhelmed realizing how blessed Sam and Emily were to have been so loved.

“Okay, let’s get some trays, separate some of it, and get some of the ladies together to make some plates and take it to our seniors,” Evan said starting to separate the bowls and platters of food around the kitchen.

“Go back in there. I’ve got this,” Mimi said placing some food in the refrigerator.

Evan nodded then headed back out. She looked over at Leon who flitted around the room shaking the hands of some and hugging others. Evan shifted her focus to Emily who was still sitting as a crowd sat around her. Emily looked over at Evan who rushed over to her getting the sense from Emily that it was all becoming overwhelming.

Evan reached out and touched Emily’s arm. “Emily, would you like to lay down?”

Emily nodded. “Yes, please.”

Evan ushered Emily out of the group of people that surrounded her and helped her walk upstairs to the guest room.

Emily cried walking up the staircase. “I’m so sorry, I thought I was ready. Everyone has been so thoughtful.”

“Don’t apologize Emily, You need some rest.”

“I wonder where my Sammy is. I don’t know where they’re going to take him. I should be with him.”

Evan didn’t know how to respond as they reached the top of the stairs. She opened the guest bedroom door. “Um, Emily I think they’re still investigating and then they’ll release him to you so that he can be taken to the funeral home.”

She walked in and sat on the bed. Emily stared in Evan’s face for a second then forced a smile. Evan opened the closet door and took out some towels.

“Emily, if you need anything please don’t hesitate to let me know. I mean anything. I have everything you need in the bathroom.”

Emily nodded sitting on the bed and staring off not looking at Evan. “I should’ve waited to call 911 and just performed CPR on Sammy. Did you know that I was a nurse for thirty years? I panicked Evan. I just panicked.”

Evan sat down next to Emily. “He was already gone. There was nothing you could do. You did the right thing.”

Emily put her hands to her face and began crying. “I was in there. I was in the bedroom and I didn’t even know that somebody was in our house. Why would they hurt Sammy? He never hurt anybody!”

Evan didn’t know what to say. There just weren’t any answers. She just prayed that Emily’s children would arrive soon because Emily really needed them.

“What am I going to do without him?” Emily cried out. “I can’t live without Sammy.” Evan wrapped her arms around Emily. The ladies held each other tightly as they both allowed the tears to run down their faces. Evan sat and listened to Emily until Emily fell asleep shortly after. Evan knew that no matter what anyone said, it wouldn’t be enough.

Closing Emily’s door, Evan walked down the hall toward her bedroom hearing the chatter of the crowd below. She walked into her bedroom and closed the door. She stood staring out of her bedroom window at the cars parked in front of and on the side of their house and those still pulling in. She wondered if any one of those visiting her home could be Sam’s killer. Yes, it was possible that a killer was in her house. She was shaken out of her thoughts when Leon walked in the bedroom.

“What are you doing? There are a lot of people downstairs,” He said walking over to their mirror and admiring himself.

“I was just thinking,” She said turning around to face him.

“About what?” Leon asked rubbing his palms over his wavy, neatly taped hair.

Evan walked over to their bed and sat down. “I wonder who could have possibly done this? I mean, Sam didn’t seem to have an enemy in the world, they didn’t take anything from the house and they didn’t hurt Emily.”

“That’s what the police get paid to do; not you,” Leon replied. “Besides, we only know what Emily has told us,” Leon said adjusting his tie still looking in the mirror.

Evan’s eyebrows rose in curiosity. “Are you serious?”

Leon turned around and looked at her. “Yes, I’m serious.”

“You aren’t suggesting that Emily had something to do with this?” Evan asked with a disgusted look on her face.