The Joneses (23 page)

The phone started ringing as early as seven o'clock. I spent most of the day filtering calls from reporters.

“I think the people need to see your dad on TV, to know that he's okay,” my mom said, as we all sat around the dining room table.

My dad, who had been quiet most of the day, said, “Lexi's right. Let the reporters know we'll do a quick news conference right outside in front.”

Two hours later, our family stood outside in front of the house surrounded by local media.

My dad read a statement my mom helped him to write. “We want to thank the community for their outpouring of support. I thank God that He spared my life, but we are saddened that during the ordeal, a young man lost his life. Pray for his family. Pray for the Joneses.”

One of the reporters asked, “Why was he there?”

I stepped in front of the microphone. “My father won't be answering any questions at this time. We do thank you for coming and please, keep the Joneses in your prayers.”

With our hands locked with each other's, the entire family walked back inside of the house. The reporters were disappointed that their questions weren't answered but the less my dad said, the better.

“Dad, I think it's time you got your attorney involved.”

“Lovie, I haven't done anything wrong. Tyler came after me.”

“While you two discuss this, I'm going to whip up something for dinner,” my mom said. “Girls, follow me.”

Charity and Hope followed her. This was the first opportunity my dad and I had time to talk alone. We walked into the den. I glanced at the doorway to make sure we were still alone.

“Dad, what happened yesterday?”

I bit my tongue, trying my best not to interrupt, as he gave me full details.

“I should have handled Tyler when I had the chance.”

“And you would be behind bars. I'm glad you didn't do anything to jeopardize your freedom.”

“I would do anything to protect the family.”

His face fell into his hands. “My sins have caused this family problems. I'm paying for what I did.”

“Dad, if you've asked God to forgive you, then He has.”

“But your mom is in the dark. I need to confess everything, but I don't think she'll be able to forgive me.” He bowed his head in shame.

I patted him on the shoulder. “Your secret's safe with me.”

He placed his hand on top of mine, but didn't look up. “I can't do this. I can't let another day go by without telling Lexi the truth about why Tyler was in my office.”

“Dad, are you sure? Maybe let things cool down a little. Right now, you're emotional.”

I heard my dad sob. “I've failed. I've failed you kids. Your mom.”

“We're okay. Shooting Tyler was an accident. It's not like you shot him on purpose.”

“But I wanted him dead. If he was, I wouldn't have to worry about him exposing what I'd done to Lexi.”

I couldn't argue with him there. “Looks like he solved the problem.”

“It appears that way.”

I wiped the sweat off my forehead. “So, no more talks of telling mom anything.”

“Fine.” He shrugged his shoulders.

I looked at my dad's bowed head, then up at the ceiling.
When did I become the bearer of secrets?

I
didn't want my family out of my sight. I knew the kids had to go home, but I didn't want them to leave. I hugged them and stood in the doorway with Royce as we watched them walk to Lovie's SUV.

“Dear, it's just the two of us.” Royce closed the door.

“Yes, it is.”

We walked hand in hand up the stairs. Royce sat on the bed. I stood in front of him. I ran my hand over his head. “I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you.”

He kissed my hand. “I hope we never have to find out.”

“I'll go run you some bath water.”

While Royce was taking a bath, I decided to go downstairs to make sure all the doors were locked. The books on the shelf in the hallway seemed out of place. I moved the books around. I picked up the short one.

“What in the world?” I said out loud. It wasn't a book. It was a photo album, and it was a photo album filled with pictures of Royce and some woman—a woman I didn't recognize.

Just like that, my life had changed. The pictures appeared to be old, but how old was the question? And how did they end up on my shelf?

I held on to the photo album and went back upstairs. I sat on the bed going through the pictures. Many questions floated in my
mind, but one question didn't. Royce sported his wedding band on his finger in the pictures, so I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were married when some of the pictures were taken.

My heart broke into pieces when I removed the pictures and saw the dates on them to confirm. We had only been married for two years. How could he do this to me?

Everything was coming back to me. It all made sense now. During that period of time, Royce took overnight trips almost every weekend. Young and naive, I believed he was working for his dad. I used to cry myself to sleep at night sometimes because I missed him.

Tears streamed down my face as I stared at the pictures.

“Baby, what's wrong?” Royce asked.

I looked up at Royce, and it was as if I was looking at a stranger. Were the last twenty-eight years of my life a facade? Until now, I was proud to be a Jones. But at this very moment, I felt numb.

I threw the photo album at him. Some of the pages fell to the floor. He bent down and picked them up. His face showed shock, and then recognition. He sat down on the side of the bed. “Lexi, I can explain.”

He placed his arm around me. I pushed his arm away. “Don't touch me.”

“It happened years ago.”

“I don't care if it happened yesterday. The fact that it happened at all is what disturbs me.” I moved to the other side of the bed and crossed my arms.

“I wanted to tell you, but didn't know how.”

“That little boy in that picture looks awfully familiar,” I said between clenched teeth.

“That was Tyler. Ruth Ann's son.”

I could barely breathe. My hand flew to my chest. “You killed your own son? Oh my God!”

“Tyler wasn't my son,” Royce attempted to assure me.

“He was your lover's son. How do you know?” I asked.

“He was already born when I met Ruth Ann.”

“I guess I should be relieved, but still. How could you do this to me? To us?”

“I was young. Stupid. We were having problems.”

I held my fist up. “So, every time we had problems, you ran into the arms of another woman?”

“No, baby. That was the only time I stepped out on you. I promise you that.”

“Now it all makes sense. He threatened to expose your affair, so that's when you killed him.”

Royce got up and sat next to me. “I promise you on a stack of Bibles, that it was an accident. Everything happened the way I told you, except the fact he wanted me to tell you about Ruth Ann.”

“Tell me this. Were you ever going to tell me about your little fling?”

Royce looked away. “Not if I didn't have to.”

“I need you to leave. Leave right now.”

“Lexi, you're upset. I understand that, but I'm not going anywhere.”

“Fine. But you are leaving this room.”

Royce sat there. I said, “Royce, I'm serious. You don't have to leave the house, but you need to get away from me or else I'm going to make sure you're ready to fit in one of those caskets.”

This time Royce got up. The anger I felt showed on my face, and he could tell I meant business. I exhaled when I heard the door shut. I fell back on the bed and clung to the pillow.

L
eaving Lexi alone was the last thing I wanted to do, but I felt as if I had no choice. She normally would have gotten up, hit me, or threw something at me, but she did none of those things. That's what scared me. Under the circumstances, she was calm. In fact, too calm. So, when she threatened to put me in a casket, I believed her.

I went down the stairs and opened up a new bottle of bourbon. I poured myself a glass. I sat the glass on the table and took a drink directly from the bottle.

The phone rang. Neither Lexi nor answered. My attempts to drown out my sorrows with alcohol failed. With a heavy heart and a headache, I stumbled into one of the guest bedrooms downstairs. I fell on top of the covers and slept until the next morning.

I woke up hoping that I'd had a nightmare, but reality set in. This was my life. I went up the stairs. With each step, I wondered if Lexi would be able to find it in her heart to forgive me.

I turned the doorknob of our bedroom. It wouldn't open. I knocked on the door. “Lexi, let me in.”

“Go away, Royce.”

“I need to get some clothes. What am I supposed to do? Wear pajamas all day?”

“I don't care what you do,” she responded.

“Please. We don't have to talk unless you want to.”

I leaned on the door. I heard a clicking noise. I moved. Lexi opened the door. “Get some clothes, and get the hell out.”

“I was hoping we could have a peaceful conversation this morning.”

“Well, people in hell want ice water, too, so we don't always get what we want.”

I refused to argue with her. I'd caused her enough pain. I went to my closet and got a suit. I went to the dresser and I got a clean pair of boxers, a t-shirt, and socks.

“Will you hurry it up?” She patted her foot.

“Lexi, I'm moving as fast as I can.” I lied.

“I'm going to take a shower. Please be gone when I return.” Lexi left me alone in the bedroom.

I noticed the photo album on the bed; she must have been looking at it before I came in. I picked it up and threw it in the trash. Lexi could avoid me for now, but she wouldn't be able to avoid me forever. We needed to talk, but I would give her the space she needed.

I dressed and went into work.

“Royce, what are you doing here?” Shannon asked. “I thought you were taking some time off.”

“Where did you get that idea from?” I asked, as I walked past the receptionist's area and to my office.

The yellow crime tape was still across the door. I kept walking and went into one of the other rooms.

Lovie rushed in. “Shannon told me you were here. You should be at home. I got things covered here.”

“Lovie, you're an accountant, not a mortician. There are things I need to do. People are depending on me to handle their loved ones with care.”

“I've been thinking. I should take more interest on that side of the family business, so I want to study mortuary science.”

“Son, you don't have to do that on my account.”

“It's not. With everything that's been happening, I think I'm finally ready to really learn more about the family business.”

I smiled. “You don't know how happy I am to hear that. After the night I've had, I needed some good news.” I dropped my head. “She knows.”

Lovie walked into the room where I was. “You shouldn't have told her.”

I scratched my head. “She found a photo album. I'm still trying to figure out where it was, and how it ended up in my house.”

“Please don't get mad. Hope got it from Tyler's apartment. She gave it to me, and I didn't know what else to do with it. So, I put it on the bookshelf. I'd planned to get it and take it with me, but the opportunity never presented itself.”

“It's not your fault. It's probably best that everything is out in the open now.”

“I guess I should go check on Mom.”

“She'd love to see you.”

Lovie left to go check on Lexi. Tyler was dead, but yet, he still succeeded in his quest to cause problems in my marriage. I wondered how things would be if I had been on the other end of the bullet instead of him.

I shook the bad thought away.

M
y business phone rang constantly. Some of my mom's friends claimed to be calling because they wanted to book me for their next event, but truth be told, they were calling me to be nosy. What happened in the Jones household stayed in the Jones household. They could get their information from the media. If my mom wanted her friends to know more, she would tell them herself.

My best friend, Lisa, sat across from me at the kitchen table. She placed the phone down on the table. “An Officer Underwood says he's coming over. It's something he wants to talk to you about. He sounds sexy.”

“I wonder what that's about.”

“Girl, is he sexy?” Lisa asked.

“Don't even go there. You know what happened the last time I listened to you.”

“It's not my fault Tyler ended up being a two-timing jerk.”

“He almost killed my dad.”

“Who told you to listen to me anyway?” Lisa ranted.

“You don't have to worry about that…ever again.”

The doorbell rang. I got up.

Lisa said, “You might want to smooth your bangs down in the front in case it's that officer with the sexy voice.”

“I'm not listening to you,” I said, as I used my right hand to move the hair out of my face.

I looked through the peephole, and the eyes of Officer Underwood stared back at me.

I opened the door.

“Ms. Jones, did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked.

“No, come right on in.”

I moved to the side so he could come in. I don't know what kind of cologne he wore, but it smelled good. It filled up my nostrils as I led him into the living room.

“I hate to bother you. Is your sister here too? I just had a few questions to ask you both.”

“Sure. I'll be right back.”

Less than five minutes later, I'd returned with Hope following behind me. They greeted each other. Hope and I sat on the sofa.