Beyond Doubt.

5. Means of escape

Martin got up early to go stalk Miss Francine. At seven he was already sitting in his black SUV sipping coffee and listening to the radio. He waited for an hour and a half before she finally came out. Dressed in a pencil grey skirt and a black crop top, with a grey blazer to match, really high black strapped heels. He had to admit she looked too good to just be going to church. Most churchgoers he knew just did it casually, Jeans and a top, sneakers at best. But she dressed like someone heading for a party if she'd lost the blazer and the large hat that sat at the back of her head, pushing her natural curls out to frame her face.

He still wondered why Xander seemed so interested in her, sure enough, she was pretty but he had certainly come across prettier. He started his ignition as she got into a cab, lucky for her she managed to hail one in less than ten minutes.  Giving a little distance so as not to be noticed he followed her.

He was so sure she wasn't going to a church until the cab pulled up in front of one. 'The Redeemed of God'. Well, he stood to be corrected.

He checked his watch for 9:17, was she late? Because she sprinted into the church grabbing her purse and holding her hat firm against her head as she did.

He contemplated staying outside in the car and waiting for her but decided against it. Xander's orders were clear, never let her out of your sight. He got out of the car and put on his shades as he went in. The last time he was in a holy house had been when his father died, three years ago. He never imagined that he would ever enter a church willingly if it wasn't a funeral or a marriage. Ah, the things you do for your boss.

He walked in quietly and sat at the back pew, making sure to keep Francine in his line of sight, not that he'd miss her with that hat she had on.

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Francine felt a little overdressed as she walked into the church, should she have picked a black church? Maybe, but gosh their services lasted forever she wouldn't be able to stand it. And she liked this church, although the worship was a little too bland, quieter than what she was used to, she loved that they preached the word of God. Undiluted and as it was, and that was all that mattered, besides she was coming to meet her father so what if she was dressed up.

Not long after she got in she didn't think that way anymore, these heels were killing her. She wanted nothing more than to slip them out and get some relief, but she wasn't sure if taking shoes off in public was looked down upon in America. She certainly didn't want to find out the hard way. So she wiggled her toes and tried to find a comfortable position, swallowing the discomfort. 10:45 the sermon was just about rounding up, why did she feel nervous? She'd never felt bad about having to leave church no matter how good the sermon was, she was always happy to close early. But not today and even though she didn't want to admit it to herself she knew the truth.

After the service she stood up and lingered for a bit, saying hi to people something she didn't normally do.

All to kill time, she wondered if she could just wing it again, maybe call him and tell him that she couldn't make it.

But that would be lying.

Of course, it would, wouldn't it? Ugh, sometimes she hated her Spirit. It always condemned her before she even did anything bad. It was so annoying the way she was always just kept in line, but looking on the bright side she was hardly ashamed in her prayer time.

She walked out finally, at 11:22. She had more than an hour, maybe she could go change, that was always the plan. She went to the road and tried to hail a cab and to her luck, she immediately got one. As she was about to enter she heard a voice.

Look to your right.

And she did, there was um... Lacey? She was a sweet old lady that attended the service too, she immediately knew what she had to do.