Jezebel (15 page)

Jessie Belle eyed the clothing once more. “You know what…I've changed my mind. I can't accept these.”

She turned and walked out of the store.

“I love my husband and I'm not going to cheat on him,” she whispered. “I'll just have to find another way to make money.”

“I'm meeting with the board this evening,” Traynor announced when he met Jessie Belle for lunch at a deli near the church. “Don't wait to eat with me because I'm not sure how long I'll be.”

Although she didn't show it, Traynor suspected his wife was still upset with him. They hadn't made love in a week, which was unusual for them, but he wasn't going to push—Jessie Belle would come around. She was smart and he was sure that once she thought things over, she would agree with him.

Jessie Belle took a sip of her iced tea. “That's great. I've actually been thinking about some things to take your ministry to the next level.”

He finished off one-half of his roast beef sub. “Like what?”

“I think we should increase the tithes to a mandatory fifteen percent instead of ten. This way, no one should have a problem with giving you a better salary package. Lord knows you deserve it.”

“Jessie Belle, I don't think the board will approve of these changes. To be completely honest, I'm not sure how I feel about them right now.” Traynor wiped his mouth on a napkin.

“Just put it before the board, honey. That's all I'm asking you to do.”

“I'll do that, but, Jessie Belle, the board isn't gonna approve it. They're very conservative.”

“A lot of churches have instituted the mandatory increase in tithes. Sara was the one who told me about it. Everyone should be paying tithes anyway. But don't worry, Traynor. The board will see things our way,” Jessie Belle murmured. “I'm sure of it.”

Traynor found Jessie Belle waiting for him when he got home later that evening. He knew she wanted to find out whether her suggestion had been approved. He'd already forewarned her that it wouldn't go through, so she shouldn't be disappointed.

“They turned it down,” she said. “I can tell from the look on your face.”

“It's been tabled until the next meeting. We couldn't come to an agreement.”

“Who opposed it?”

“Charles Maxwell, Tom Hopkins and Vernon Abbott. I expected it, though.” Traynor sighed softly. “Charles practically accused me of being greedy. It got ugly tonight.”

“That jerk,” Jessie Belle uttered. “I never liked that man. It's just something about him.”

“He's alright. Just a little power hungry, if you ask me. We butt heads sometimes but not like we did earlier.”

“Just give them some more time to think it over. Who knows?…They might change their minds by the next meeting.”

“I won't hold my breath.”

She hugged him. “Honey, it's going to be fine. I can feel it in my bones that we're not going to have a problem with this.”

Traynor wasn't convinced at all.

“Jessie Belle, don't go getting your hopes up, now. Like I told you before, a preacher is not the one in power. It's the board.”

He could tell from her expression that it just wasn't acceptable to Jessie Belle.

But there was nothing that could be done to change what had been in place for years.

The next day Jessie Belle stopped at the restaurant around the corner from her house to pick up a pepperoni and sausage pizza per Traynor's request. They were going to eat junk food and watch a movie together before he had to leave for an appointment at the church.

Jessie Belle eyed the two women sitting in the booth across from her. They were looking around, watching every move of the restaurant employees. She was pretty sure they were planning to dart out without paying.

She got up and walked over to their table.

“Hello, ladies,” she greeted. “My name is Jessie Belle Deveraux. May I sit down?”

“What do you want?” one of the women asked, spacing the words evenly.

Jessie Belle took a seat. “I'd like to pay for your meals,” she announced. “I know what you were planning to do.”

The two women exchanged looks.

“Lady, you don't know what you talking about,” one huffed. “Just go back over to your table and leave us alone.” Her tone was velvet, yet edged with steel.

“Do you have money?”

The two women glared at her in response.

“I didn't think so.”

The one with the yellow tube top and Afro puffs asked, “What's it to you?”

Jessie Belle's voice dropped in volume. “I know you two were planning to run out of here without paying. Truth is that I'd rather not see you get arrested because you're hungry.”

The other one in the red dress and the silver peace-sign necklace grunted, “I don't have no need for women.”

Jessie Belle met her gaze. “What is your name?”

Folding her arms across her buxom chest, she said, “Sabrina…why?”

Jessie Belle ignored her. “And yours?”

“Karla.”

“Ladies, I'm looking to hire a couple of girls to do some work for me. Interested?”

“What type of work?” Sabrina's voice faded, losing its steely edge.

“I guess you could call it acting.”

Karla's eyes lit up. “How much does it pay?”

“A couple of hundred dollars each, but if you're any good—I could see you making a whole lot more.”

Sabrina fingered her auburn-colored Afro. “We don't want no trouble.”

“You won't have any,” Jessie Belle assured them. “Unless you find some way to mess this up, this is not a difficult task.”

“Why do you want us to do this job?” Karla inquired.

Jessie Belle smiled at them. “Because you're perfect for what I have in mind.”

J
essie Belle met Sabrina and Karla at the same restaurant a few days later.

“So, how did it go?” she asked.

The two girls laughed.

“That well, huh?”

Sabrina handed her a thick envelope.

Jessie Belle scanned through the contents. She burst into a short laugh. “Oh my goodness, what a pervert!”

Karla chuckled. “The old fart has a fetish for toes. I thought he was gonna suck my nails off.”

Jessie Belle frowned. “Not an image I want to savor.”

Opening her purse, she pulled out two envelopes, each containing three hundred dollars.

Jessie Belle handed one to Sabrina and the other to Karla.

“You ladies did such a great job, I thought you deserved a little bonus.”

“It was nice working with you,” Sabrina stated with a grin. She wrote her number on a napkin and handed it to Jessie Belle. “Be sure and call me if you have any more
work
.”

“Yeah,” Karla agreed. “This is the easiest cash I ever made.”

“You know…I'll definitely keep you both in mind. I may need your services again.” Jessie Belle played with the idea of keeping Sabrina and Karla on her payroll. This way she didn't have to put her marriage in jeopardy.

She went home to relieve the babysitter.

After the girl left, Jessie Belle went upstairs to check on her son.

Holt was sound asleep in his crib.

He's such a good baby,
she thought to herself.
And getting so big.
He was six months old and crawling around.

“We're on our way, Holt,” she whispered. “Just wait until I see Charles Maxwell tonight. He'll be changing his tune pretty quick, won't he, sweetie? If he doesn't, the whole church will know about his little foot fetish. I wonder if he sucks Amy's toes? Uggh.”

That evening, Jessie Belle went to the church. The first person she saw was Charles.

She broke into a smile. “Hello, Charles.”

He walked over to her with a big grin on his face. Jessie Belle had deliberately worn sandals, and she bit back a grin when his eyes were drawn down to her feet.

“Mrs. Deveraux, it's good to see you.”

“I was hoping to run into you,” Jessie Belle stated. “Could I please have a word with you?”

Charles glanced around nervously. “Sure. What can I do for you?” he asked.

“Let's talk in here,” she suggested, referring to the library. “When you hear what I have to say, you'll understand the need for privacy.”

He gave her a puzzled look.

“You'll understand in a moment,” she assured him.

As soon as Jessie Belle closed the door, she said, “I understand you and your cohorts are planning to vote against the mandatory fifteen percent tithe increase.” The smile was gone. This was business.

His expression changed. “You heard right.”

“I think I'll be able to change your mind.” Jessie Belle sat down in a nearby chair.

A warning cloud settled on his features. “I doubt that, Mrs. Deveraux. There's no way I'd ever vote for something like that. This church was not built on greed. I thought you and your husband understood that.”

Jessie Belle pulled the manila envelope from her tote bag. “Why don't you take a look at these before you make a decision?”

Charles glanced down at the photos. “What…where did you get these?”

“Does it really matter?” she asked. “I don't think your poor wife will care one way or the other. Do you?”

Charles gave her a look filled with venom.

Jessie Belle settled back in her seat. “Now, now…I wasn't the one being unfaithful, as you can tell from these pictures.”

“You're supposed to be a Christian,” he spit. “How can you do something like this? This is blackmail.”

Jessie Belle's eyes narrowed. “You need to understand something, Charles. My husband is in charge of this church.”

His dark face was set in a vicious expression.
“You're telling me that Traynor is behind this?”

“Of course not,” Jessie Belle responded. “Traynor is a saint. Look, Charles, none of these photos will ever see the light of day if you just do as I suggest. I want you to convince Tom Hopkins and Vernon Abbott to vote for the tithe increase. If you do—then all is well. If you don't…well, I don't see your marriage being happily ever after.”

“They're not gonna listen to me.”

“Yes, they will,” Jessie Belle countered. “If not, just show them these. I have plenty of photos of each of you being naughty. And you have the nerve to accuse me of not being Christian.”

“Does Traynor know about this?” Charles demanded. “That you're blackmailing me?”

“No. This is just between us and it'll stay that way as long as you leave my husband out of it and vote the way you should. My husband is the best pastor this church has seen and with your support, his ministry will grow and be prosperous.”

“This is wrong what you're doing.”

“And it wasn't wrong for you to cheat on your wife?”

“You are nothing but a Jezebel. As long as I got breath in my body—I'ma see that you pay for this.”

“I can do without the threats and the name-calling,” Jessie Belle stated. “I don't appreciate it. Charles, you really don't want to make an enemy out of me.”

Jessie Belle pushed away from the desk and stood up. “I'm sure the meeting will be starting soon. I'll see you there.”

“I still can't believe it,” Traynor stated in the car on the drive home. “Jessie Belle, they all voted for mandatory fifteen percent tithing. I was prepared for Charles to come in there with his reasons to deny it. He was one of the main ones fighting against it.”

“I'm not surprised,” Jessie Belle murmured. “I told you that once they actually sat down and thought about it—they would go for it.”

Traynor was still stunned by all that happened. “Wow…look at God…. I prayed over it and I asked for God's best in this situation.” He glanced over and smiled at her. “You were right, as usual.”

“Honey, isn't it time that you started listening to me?” Jessie Belle asked. “I haven't steered you wrong yet.”

Traynor laughed. “I guess I should.” Maybe Jessie Belle was right. It was time he really started listening to her. She truly had his best interests at heart and she believed in him.

She was a good wife.

His attention traveled back to the meeting. Charles and the other two had voted with him, although now that he thought about it…they didn't look too happy about it.

So why did they do it?

Traynor questioned Charles afterward about his sudden change of mind, but the man acted as if he was in a hurry.

He'd gotten what he wanted, but Traynor couldn't ignore the sensation that something didn't seem quite right about it.

“You really believe this is the right thing to do?” he asked Jessie Belle.

“Yes, I do.”

Traynor gave a slight nod. “Then so do I.”

He trusted his wife.

Jessie Belle decided to keep Sabrina and Karla on her payroll.

To keep them off the streets, she rented an apartment in Mary Ellen's name and moved them in. She didn't want anything traced back to her should they get into trouble.

Jessie Belle opened three other bank accounts to keep from drawing attention to large amounts of money being deposited. Right now there wasn't any real money coming in, but soon there would be.

She was just getting prepared. Traynor had preached recently on walking in your faith and Jessie Belle had taken the sermon to heart. She wanted to be the first lady of a grand church.

It was time to put her dreams into action.

But first she needed to make sure she covered her tracks. Jessie Belle's first stop was to visit her girls.

Jessie Belle walked into the apartment without knocking.

Sabrina was lounging on the sofa watching television, while Karla sat on the love seat polishing her nails.

“Jessie Belle, we didn't expect to see you,” Sabrina said.

“I'm glad to see you're all moved in. Now that you're settled, I think it's important that we clear up some things. First being that you're not streetwalkers—don't charge like one and definitely don't act like one. Your services shouldn't come in less than two hundred dollars an hour.”

Karla's mouth dropped open. “You want us to charge two hundred dollars for some sex.”

Jessie Belle stood over by the fireplace. “I do. The type of men you'll be dealing with will pay that and more. The second thing is that no one is ever to know that you-all work for me,” she stated. “This is not negotiable. If you tell anyone—I will deny it and I will be believed. After all, I'm the wife of a pastor and you two…well, you're hookers.”

Karla bristled.

“I call a spade a spade, Karla. Now, I'm a fair woman. You can keep hooking, but you'll do it with class and you won't look like street hookers. You'll be given an allowance to buy new clothes, but understand that this is just an advance.”

“So how are we supposed to pay you back for all this?” Karla wanted to know.

“By doing what you do best,” Jessie Belle responded. “I'll allow you to keep fifty percent of your earnings—just don't try to cheat me.
Ever
. I will be good to you as long as you're good to me. Is that understood?”

“What happens if one of us is arrested?” asked Sabrina.

“Then you call Marcus Ackerman. I hear he's handled lots of cases like this. Sabrina, you meet with him and secure his services. You will be the main contact person. My name should never come up—I hope we're clear on this. I'm more of a silent partner.”

“Why are you doing this?” Karla inquired. “I'm surprised, with you being a pastor's wife and all.”

“I have certain aspirations for my husband, and you and Sabrina are going to help me achieve them.”