Fatal Accusation Read online

  FATAL ACCUSATION

  RACHEL DYLAN

  Copyright

  This ebook is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only.

  This ebook may not be sold, shared, or given away.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Fatal Accusation

  Copyright © 2016 by Rachel Dylan

  Ebook ISBN: 9781943772698

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  NYLA Publishing

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  http://www.nyliterary.com

  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

  1 Peter 5:8

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to all the wonderful members of Rachel’s Justice League. The writing journey is so much more special because of all of you. You are truly a joy!

  I’d also like to thank Denise, Sue, and Gina for your help on this story. Many thanks to Leslie for her skillful and insightful editing.

  As always, many thanks to my agent Sarah Younger and the Nancy Yost Literary Agency. Sarah, you understand how much these stories mean to me, and you always embrace my ideas even when they may not fit inside a neat and tidy box.

  Windy Ridge holds a special place in my heart, and I hope that these stories will move you as much as they move me.

  Finally, Mama, I know how much you wanted to read more about Pastor Dan and Windy Ridge. I hope that his journey will inspire you.

  Chapter One

  Pastor Dan Light sat in his office at Windy Ridge Community Church and prayed. A chill shot through him, but it wasn’t from the Windy Ridge winter night. No, it was from knowing that there was a battle on the horizon.

  Ever since the settlement a couple of months ago in the lawsuit between the New Age companies that plagued Windy Ridge, he’d had an uneasy feeling that the groups known as Astral Tech and Optimism were planning a direct attack on the church. And on all the believers in the community.

  Lord, help me prepare the people in this church for what is to come.

  He was broken out of his prayer by the loud sound of heels clicking down the church corridor toward his office. He looked up at his doorway and smiled. Finally, some good news.

  “Olivia, it’s so good to see you.” He stood up to greet her.

  While Olivia Murray was small in stature, she was strong in her faith. The petite brunette attorney greeted him warmly with a hug.

  “I’m glad to be here,” Olivia said.

  “How was your vacation?”

  “It was great. I went back to DC and visited my best friend Lizzie, along with taking care of some firm business.” She took a seat on his couch. “And that’s actually why I’m here. I have some news. Big news, actually.”

  “What is it?”

  “The managing partner at my firm wants me to help start up the Chicago office of Brown, Carter, and Reed. Grant has already told me I can continue to stay at his rental condo for free, even though I’m going to still insist on paying him.”

  “That’s great news,” he said.

  “So what have I missed while I was gone?” she asked. “You were really vague about things in our email exchanges.”

  That was for a reason. He hadn’t wanted to bother her while she was taking a much needed break. But now that she was here, he would fill her in on what he knew. “While there haven’t been any direct attacks that I know of from Astral Tech or Optimism, I can see the results of their efforts. Church attendance is at its lowest point since I started preaching here.”

  “Oh no.” Her dark brown eyes widened.

  “Yes. And I also hate to report that Stacey Malone hasn’t stepped foot back in the church at all. I fear she may now be fully entrenched with Layton Alito and his people at Optimism.”

  Olivia stood up and walked over to where he sat behind his desk. “You don’t have to shoulder all of this alone. I’m not going to walk away from here. You know that, right?”

  “I do. But I also don’t want you to underestimate how difficult this is going to be. We have to assume Layton and Nina Marie have fully joined forces.”

  “As two powerful CEOs of lucrative companies, they have a lot of resources at their disposal. We knew that the lawsuit was just the beginning. I’ve been praying a lot about this, and though it may seem like they have the upper hand, we’re going to prevail. But we have to get organized and have a plan of our own. This isn’t something that can be dealt with piecemeal.”

  He admired Olivia’s staunch reliance on her faith. She was going to need it, as was he. They both had targets on their backs.

  “Looks like I came to the office at the right time.” Associate Pastor Chris Tanner walked through the door and made a beeline for Olivia. He gave her a hug before they both took a seat. “I didn’t realize you were back,” Chris said.

  “Just got back from DC today. This was one of my first stops. I just told Dan the news that I’ve been asked to help start the Chicago office of BCR. I’ll be here in the Chicago area indefinitely.”

  “That’s wonderful, right?” Chris asked.

  “I think so. I didn’t want to leave Windy Ridge because I felt I had a lot of unfinished business to take care of, but I was concerned about how I could stay here given my job responsibilities in DC.”

  “The Lord really works in amazing ways, doesn’t He?” Chris asked.

  Olivia nodded. “I hear things are pretty tough right now.”

  “Yeah,” Chris said. “Dan and I have been scratching our heads wondering how Layton and Nina Marie have been able to reach so many of our church members. We don’t know their exact strategy, but I have a feeling they’re responsible for our shrinking numbers.”

  Olivia frowned. “We have to find a way to stop them.”

  “I agree,” Dan said. “And I’m open to any suggestions you may have.”

  “There is one thing I can do.” Olivia paused and looked down.

  “What?” Dan asked.

  “Have a meeting with Nina Marie.”

  “Why?” Chris asked. “What good can come of that?”

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought while I was away, and I still believe there is hope for her.”

  Dan thought Olivia was being a bit naïve and overly optimistic about Nina Marie. “I understand that you don’t want anyone to be led astray, Olivia, but Nina Marie is really far gone.”

  “I realize that, but I can’t help but feel like I have to make an effort with her.”

  “You know she’s not going to want to hear any of that,” Chris said. “She made it her mission to destroy all the believers in this community.”

  “I hear your reservations, both of you, I really do, but I’m not going to change my mind on this one. Please let me tackle this issue my way, at least for the time being. It’s something I need to do.”

  “It’s not that we don’t want you to succeed. It’s just that we’re worried about your safety,” Dan said. The last thing they needed was for something to happen to Olivia. She played a central role in this struggle. Regardless of what Olivia thought, Dan was distrustful of Nina Marie.

  “I’ll be careful. I promise.” She rose up from her seat. “I’m going to call it a day. I was up super early to
catch my flight this morning. I’ll be in touch with any relevant information I can gather.”

  “Please do,” Dan said. “And we’re very glad you’re back.”

  “Me, too. Have a nice evening.” She walked out of the office leaving him alone with Chris.

  “I know you’re struggling right now.” Chris patted him on the shoulder. “Not only because you see the decline in the church, but also it was your first holiday season since losing Tina.”

  Dan felt his eyes get misty. Chris knew him all too well. The loss of his wife still weighed on him daily. He’d just experienced his first Christmas without her, and it was devastating.

  “You don’t have to say anything,” Chris said. “Just know I’m here for you. Whatever you need. We’ll get through all of this together as a church family.”

  “We’re going to be tested,” Dan said. He knew deep in his gut that it would probably be the biggest test of their lives.

  “You’re right, but we’re not going to back down. We’re going to fight this battle the Lord wants us to fight. We’re going to rid our community of these occult forces.”

  Dan could only pray that Chris was right.

  **

  Nina Marie Crane tried to keep her facial expression neutral as she sat across the table from Optimism CEO Layton Alito. Her sworn enemy had now become her ally. At least for a season.

  She would never forget that Layton had tried to kill her—and failed. Only after his inability to remove her did he want to join forces. And while she was definitely holding a grudge, she also wasn’t stupid. They shared common goals as far as the evil one was concerned. So for now, she was forced to work with Layton instead of against him. She was CEO of Astral Tech, and she had to think about what was best for the company.

  They were currently sitting at a large oak table in his study. The room was expansive and immaculately decorated, as was the rest of his mansion.

  “Thanks for meeting with me,” Layton said. He looked as handsome as ever. His striking blue eyes made direct contact with hers, but she knew better than to be influenced by his good looks and smooth ways. Underneath that exterior was a lethal man with a totally depraved heart.

  “What do you want to talk about?” she asked.

  “Our source on the inside at Windy Ridge Community Church.”

  “Yes, yes. How is Beverly doing?”

  “Very well.”

  “I still can’t believe you managed to turn her,” she said. Beverly Jenkins was the financial administrator at Windy Ridge Community Church and a lifelong churchgoer.

  “I can’t take all the credit on this one. It helped that her and Louise started going to the same hair salon a few years ago. That changed everything. An unlikely friendship blossomed into something much more.”

  Nina Marie nodded, knowing full well that having Judge Louise Martinique on the side of Optimism was a huge advantage for them. She wanted Louise to be on her side, not Layton’s. But that would require a lot of work, and she couldn’t afford to divert her attention. “However it happened, it’s a huge benefit to us now.”

  He smiled. “And the time has come, my dear.”

  “All right. So tell me about your plans.”

  “I can’t tell you that part just yet.”

  She let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re really starting to try me, Layton.”

  “Believe me. Once the news breaks, you’ll understand and you’ll thank me.”

  “But until then?”

  “Hold tight and wait for the glorious news.”

  She took a sip of the expensive Merlot that Layton had provided her. Layton appreciated all the finer things in life. She wasn’t quite as materialistic as him, but she loved nice things, too. Especially since she used to have nothing and be nothing—except a victim.

  But that part of her life was over. She was in charge of her own destiny, and she’d never let a man control her again—hurt her again. And definitely not Layton Alito.

  She’d placate him for now, but when the time was right, she’d destroy him. “Is that it?” she asked.

  “Enjoy the wine, Nina Marie. Why are you in such a rush?”

  “Since when do we actually enjoy spending time together?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, we used to enjoy it a lot.”

  “There’s no way I’m ever getting back in bed with you.” If he thought that was a possibility, she was going to shut that down right now.

  He waved his hand. “Don’t be so uptight. Relax. I do have one more thing to discuss.”

  “And that is?”

  “I heard a very interesting rumor this morning.”

  “And that is?”

  “That the law firm of BCR is opening a Chicago office.”

  “Why do you care what Astral Tech’s former law firm does in Chicago?”

  He leaned in closer to her. “Because I heard that your favorite lawyer is going to move here to start the office.”

  “What?” Her hand shook and red wine splashed on the oak table.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Ah, so I see this surprises you.”

  “I don’t have to remind you how strong Olivia Murray is or what a threat she could be to our enterprise.” Nina Marie stayed up at night remembering how Olivia had chosen to save her life. She still hadn’t fully come to grips with someone acting as selflessly as Olivia did. But even though she was grateful, she couldn’t have Olivia spoiling everything they were working toward.

  Layton lifted his glass. “You should have a chat with her. Feel her out.”

  “How did you even find out about this?”

  “Once again, Louise came through. She knows everything that goes on in the legal community, and the opening of a BCR office in Chicago is a big news item for law firms around here.”

  “Leave Olivia to me. I can take care of her.”

  Layton reached over and gripped her hand. Hard. “Make no mistake. If you don’t deal with her, I will.”

  “Understood.” She pulled away from his grip. “And don’t put your hands on me.” She’d had enough of this infuriating man. Throwing back the rest of her wine, she stood up. “I can see myself out. When you’re ready to actually tell me the plan with Beverly, let me know. Until then, I don’t think we have anything else to talk about.”

  **

  Olivia walked into Grant Baxter’s law firm the next day to take him to lunch. She had missed seeing him while she took her time in DC. Never could she have expected that her former opposing counsel would become such a good friend and a source of strength.

  She had one more day before starting work at the Chicago office of BCR, so she wanted to spend some time with Grant. She walked up to the front desk and smiled at the receptionist.

  “Grant’s expecting you, Olivia. You can walk on back.”

  “Thank you.” She strode down the long hallway passing Ryan Wilde’s office along the way. Grant’s office was at the end of the hall.

  When Grant saw her, he smiled widely and his blue eyes sparkled. His thick dark hair looked as if it had been freshly cut.

  “It’s great to see you.” He rose from his chair and hugged her tightly.

  “It’s good to see you, too. It’s nice to be back in Windy Ridge, even though I did enjoy my time in DC.”

  “How’s Lizzie?”

  “Great. She’s thinking about transitioning to a smaller litigation boutique to get more courtroom experience. It’s a big decision for her.”

  “I can understand that. If she wants to talk to anyone about transitioning from a larger firm to a smaller one, I’d be happy to discuss with her.”

  “Thanks. I’ll let her know.” Grant had left a big law firm to start his own, and Olivia knew how much stress that had put on him. She had misjudged him when they’d first met, assuming he was just in it for the money, but there was a lot more at stake for him than that. She understood that now.

  “You ready to go to lunch?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’
m starving.”

  They exited his office building and walked down the street to Grant’s favorite pizza place near work.

  Once they got settled in a booth and placed their orders—hers a slice of cheese and his two slices of supreme— she looked up at him. “Tell me what I’ve missed in Windy Ridge.”

  He looked her directly in the eyes. “I didn’t want to bother you while you were away, but I think something is going on with Pastor Dan.”

  She thought Dan had looked tired yesterday, but she had been exhausted so she didn’t think much of it. “How so?”

  “He seems really depressed. I know the holidays had to be rough for him, but I can’t help but think there’s something else deeper going on. When I first met him, he was always so full of energy and passionate about everything. Now he seems tired and downtrodden all the time.”

  “Did you ask him?”

  “Every time I ask how he’s doing, he claims he’s doing fine.”

  “Maybe it’s just a cumulative effect. He’s been through so much. First the death of his wife, and now this battle in his backyard. He’s taking it all very personally—especially the decline in church attendance.”

  “Whatever it is, I hope he can snap out of it. The church needs him. The community needs him. He’s the leader of the church, so he sets the tone for everyone.”

  She reached over and squeezed Grant’s hand. “It’s going to be okay. Pastor Dan shouldn’t have to bear the burden for all of us. We’ll get through this together.”

  “I’ve missed your optimism.”

  She laughed. “Please don’t use that word.”

  The pizza arrived, and they ate in silence for a few minutes.

  “How are you doing right now, Grant?” she asked.

  “I’ve still got so much to learn and a lot of questions, but I haven’t wanted to burden Dan with them so I’ve been talking a lot more to Chris.”

  “Your newfound faith is already strong. It’s perfectly normal to have questions and want to talk things through. I’m glad I’m back now.”