Fake Me To Church

Chapter 19.2 - Sins of the Father

- STEVEN -

Sam sprinted up the hallway to where I was, and I slid the sanctuary doors open just enough to squeeze through. I kept the door cracked slightly to see my dad walk in at the church's front, then hurry up the hall to his office, passing the area where I'd been standing mere moments before.

"Sam, you're not gonna believe what I just heard," I whispered to him as Landon opened the door to greet my dad. "I think I know why Marissa was murdered. She did way more than just preside over that case against Lane. She was—"

"LANDON!"

I jumped instinctively, shivering as I turned to peek between the crack in the sanctuary doors to where my father stood outraged in the hallway. Landon was in front of my father, and he bowed his head in shame; to his left, Charity stood unflinching.

"What is the meaning of this!?" my father raged.

"Marcus, it's...I had to call her. She needs to know; she has a right to."

Dad turned to Charity. "Get out of this church. Now."

"Well," Charity replied, "this certainly feels familiar. I recall being thrown out of EdgeWay once before. How little I knew of you back then."

Dad folded his arms, eyes narrowing. "And just what is it that you think you know now?"

"That you're scared. That you're in danger." She took a single, fearless step forward. "That Lane Martin is still alive."

Landon's mouth fell agape.

"Landon told me about you and Marissa, Marcus. And that's when everything finally clicked."

"Clicked?" my father laughed. "Charity, what are you on about? This isn't some Saturday-morning cartoon—"

"You're right," she mused. "And what you did to that poor girl is something too horrible to ignore."

"I'm not sure what you're insinuating—"

"Then let me be abundantly clear, Marcus," Charity fired back. "I met Lane Martin. I knew her. I loved her. But the night I found her, the one thing I could never figure out was the tiniest pieces of red hair I found under her nails." Charity took three steps backward, placed her hand on the door to my dad's office. "How many people have a key to this room?" she asked.

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh, but it is," Charity spoke up. "In fact, I think we all deserve to know what happened here."

"You listen to me—"

"No, Marcus," Charity's voice took on an edge I'd never known possible. "You listen to me! You are a pastor! An agent of God! But you've abused His name so cruelly; you've disrespected His every mercy—His inexhaustible forgiveness! You've lied and cheated and stolen from His people!" She exhaled, gave a long pause. "Repent, Marcus. For the wrath of God is upon you."

Dad stepped closer to Charity, staring down at her imposingly. "You dare condescend to me. IN MY OWN CHURCH!"

"EdgeWay may be yours," Charity answered evenly, standing her ground, "but this is not a church."

ZZZING! ZZING! ZZING! My leg began to buzz.

"Crap!" I whispered, fishing my phone from my pocket and clicking Ignore.

Dad whirled around to face the sanctuary. "Who's there?"

"Sam, we've gotta get out—"

The doors flew open, hallway light raining into the sanctuary.