the door and I keep eating my food. I guess he’s at the beginning of yet another tantrum.
I crane my neck to see who’s at the door when I hear a man’s voice. Actually, it’s two men and they’re wearing suits. Jehovah’s Witnesses this late in the evening? When did they start doing that?
Bryan lets the men in and walks back to the table with a slight grin on his face. “Camille, it’s for you.”
“ What?”
“ Ma’am, is your name Camille James?” the first man asks.
I nod. “Yes. Who are you?”
“ My name is Detective Franco, and I’m with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is my associate, Detective Burkes.”
My stomach drops. The FBI?
“Well, Detective Franco, how can I help you?” I ask, hoping they don’t hear the tremble in my voice.
“ We’d like to ask you a few questions, about an illegal house flipping ring that we’re investigating in the Atlanta area.”
My eyes dart to Bryan, and I want to slap him in the head. He’s sitting at the table, enjoying his meal. And still smiling.
“What kind of questions?”
“ May I sit?” Detective Franco asks. He sits before I reply and helps himself to a biscuit from the bowl in the center of the table. Detective Burkes sits on the other side.
“ Mrs. James, we’ve been investigating this particular ring for about three years, and have identified many of the small players, such as yourself,” Detective Franco says.
“ I’m not a player at all! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
He shakes his head. “Come on now, Mrs. James. You just purchased three houses in the last two weeks. All appraised by the same appraiser, and all of the loans through one lender. These are the signs of classic house flipping.”
Bryan is cracking up laughing now, and has spooned extra food onto his plate. “This is just like an episode of Law and Order,” he says.
Detective Franco says, “Look, we know that you’re new to this, because we have no previous file on you, nor do you have a record of any kind. We might even be inclined to believe that you were clueless, but only if you cooperate fully with our investigation.”
“ I don’t know anything about any illegal activities,” I say.
“ Well, we did find it curious that your husband’s name wasn’t on any of the documentation. Mr. James, were you aware of your wife’s purchases?”
“ Nope!” Bryan says.
“ Mrs. James, we want to take down the masterminds of this operation, and would be willing to overlook your participation and grant you immunity if you could help us bring them down.”
I close my eyes and swallow. This means I’ll have to give them Lenora’s name. She’s my sister in Christ. My co-laborer in the vineyard.
“You could spend up to eight years in prison,” Detective Franco says.
“ What do you need to know?”
I love Lenora. Lawd knows I do. But there is no way I’m spending one night in the clink because of this. Prison time does not equal reaping season.
After I spill my guts for two hours, Detectives Franco and Burkes let me know that they might come back and ask me more questions. They might even want me to help with a setup.
Bryan lets them out of the house, and bids them good evening, like they’re our friends. I don’t know what is wrong with him! Those two men just threatened to take his wife to prison.
He walks back to the table and sits. For the first time in two hours, his smile fades.
“ I need you to pack a bag and get out Camille. Go to your sister’s house, because I swear if you don’t get out of my sight I’m going to wring your stupid neck.”
His tone worries me. He sounds serious.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, Bryan.”
“ You bought three houses without telling me, Camille. I could’ve been implicated in this. What would that have done to my ministry?”
“ Do you think I knew there was something illegal happening,
I crane my neck to see who’s at the door when I hear a man’s voice. Actually, it’s two men and they’re wearing suits. Jehovah’s Witnesses this late in the evening? When did they start doing that?
Bryan lets the men in and walks back to the table with a slight grin on his face. “Camille, it’s for you.”
“ What?”
“ Ma’am, is your name Camille James?” the first man asks.
I nod. “Yes. Who are you?”
“ My name is Detective Franco, and I’m with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This is my associate, Detective Burkes.”
My stomach drops. The FBI?
“Well, Detective Franco, how can I help you?” I ask, hoping they don’t hear the tremble in my voice.
“ We’d like to ask you a few questions, about an illegal house flipping ring that we’re investigating in the Atlanta area.”
My eyes dart to Bryan, and I want to slap him in the head. He’s sitting at the table, enjoying his meal. And still smiling.
“What kind of questions?”
“ May I sit?” Detective Franco asks. He sits before I reply and helps himself to a biscuit from the bowl in the center of the table. Detective Burkes sits on the other side.
“ Mrs. James, we’ve been investigating this particular ring for about three years, and have identified many of the small players, such as yourself,” Detective Franco says.
“ I’m not a player at all! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
He shakes his head. “Come on now, Mrs. James. You just purchased three houses in the last two weeks. All appraised by the same appraiser, and all of the loans through one lender. These are the signs of classic house flipping.”
Bryan is cracking up laughing now, and has spooned extra food onto his plate. “This is just like an episode of Law and Order,” he says.
Detective Franco says, “Look, we know that you’re new to this, because we have no previous file on you, nor do you have a record of any kind. We might even be inclined to believe that you were clueless, but only if you cooperate fully with our investigation.”
“ I don’t know anything about any illegal activities,” I say.
“ Well, we did find it curious that your husband’s name wasn’t on any of the documentation. Mr. James, were you aware of your wife’s purchases?”
“ Nope!” Bryan says.
“ Mrs. James, we want to take down the masterminds of this operation, and would be willing to overlook your participation and grant you immunity if you could help us bring them down.”
I close my eyes and swallow. This means I’ll have to give them Lenora’s name. She’s my sister in Christ. My co-laborer in the vineyard.
“You could spend up to eight years in prison,” Detective Franco says.
“ What do you need to know?”
I love Lenora. Lawd knows I do. But there is no way I’m spending one night in the clink because of this. Prison time does not equal reaping season.
After I spill my guts for two hours, Detectives Franco and Burkes let me know that they might come back and ask me more questions. They might even want me to help with a setup.
Bryan lets them out of the house, and bids them good evening, like they’re our friends. I don’t know what is wrong with him! Those two men just threatened to take his wife to prison.
He walks back to the table and sits. For the first time in two hours, his smile fades.
“ I need you to pack a bag and get out Camille. Go to your sister’s house, because I swear if you don’t get out of my sight I’m going to wring your stupid neck.”
His tone worries me. He sounds serious.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, Bryan.”
“ You bought three houses without telling me, Camille. I could’ve been implicated in this. What would that have done to my ministry?”
“ Do you think I knew there was something illegal happening,
Similar Books
