Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (86 page)

Smiling, Cranfield responded, “I'd have to be powerful drunk to work up enough courage to do that."

“When did you start hitting the bottle, Bud?” Borders asked with concern.

“I don't."

Shelly jumped as she heard a key turn in the massive door lock.

“Good evening, Mrs. Pond,” the blond-haired woman said. “I'm Chris Norway—one of the prison chaplains."

Someone locked the door behind the chaplain and Shelly shuddered at the sound. “I'm not religious,” she said. “I don't need a chaplain."

Chris smiled. “I've scanned your record, Shelly. May I call you Shelly?"

Shelly nodded her assent and clasped her knees with her arms as she sat on the bunk bed.

Chris sat opposite Shelly at the little desk. “What you need is a good attorney, Shelly. If you can't afford one, the state will provide an attorney for you."

“I have a little money put away for my daughter,” Shelly said.

“If you like, I'll ask my friend, Mariah Lyons, to call on you tomorrow. She's a good defense lawyer with considerable experience."

“Whatever."

“What's your daughter's name?"

“Annie. She's almost three. I have no idea where she is."

“I'll check on her for you tomorrow. Maybe I can arrange a telephone conversation. Would you like that?"

Shelly looked at the attractive young woman. “Can you do that?"

“I'll try. Are you comfortable, Shelly? Is there anything I can get for you?"

“More comfortable than I was in the jail in Charlotte. They put me in a cage with other women. We all used the same toilet in back of the cell. There was no privacy. We even had to shower together."

“As you can see, there are two bunk beds in here. You may have company later, but no more than four ever occupy a unit. And there is a private bathroom."

“All the comforts of home,” Shelly responded sarcastically.

Chris crossed the room, sat beside Shelly and took her hand. “Sometimes it helps to talk about it."

Shelly gazed into the woman's green eyes. “How did you wind up a prison chaplain?"

Chris grinned. “I feel that God wants me to be a minister. Unfortunately, I'm a Baptist and, right now, they look down their noses at women in the ministry. This job came open and I jumped at it."

“But you'd rather work in a church?"

“That would be my choice, but so far it doesn't seem to be God's plan for me."

“You should apply for the job in Dot."

“Dot?"

“A little town just outside of Charlotte. The place is growing so fast the Baptist Church is looking for an assistant pastor."

Chris smiled gently. “I thought you said you're not religious."

“My husband makes me go to church sometimes. He says it's good for my daughter."

“I agree with him,” Chris said.

“I'm a stripper. Delilah Delight. Does that shock you?"

“No, Shelly. With your looks, I'll bet you are very good at it. You know, in the Old Testament, prostitution was a respected vocation for women."

Shelly jumped to her feet and glared at Chris. “I'm a stripper, damn it—not a whore. I've spent a lot on time on my back with my feet pointed to the ceiling, but no man ever paid for it."

“I'm sorry, Shelly. I didn't mean to insult you."

Shelly crossed the room and sat at the desk. “It
is
a big deal to me. I'm an actress—an exotic dancer—not a whore."

“Of course. I like your stage name. How did you come up with it?"

Shelly shrugged her shoulders. “The manager of the first club I worked in gave it to me. I liked it, so I kept it."

“I understand your husband is in a coma. I'll try to keep you informed about his condition."

Shelly searched the woman's eyes and liked what she saw. “No one believes me, but I didn't have anything to do with shooting Sam."

Chris smiled. “Two biblical names,” she said.

“What?"

“Delilah and Samuel. They're both in the Old Testament."

“Sam's real name is Samson."

Chris clapped her hands. “Even better. There's a wonderful story in the Old Testament about Samson and Delilah. Delilah was Samson's girlfriend. She wasn't a very nice young lady, I'm afraid."

“You're kidding."

Chris shook her head while smiling broadly. “No I'm not.” She nodded towards the Gideon Bible on the desk. “Look it up. It's in the Book of Judges."

Shelly grasped the black iron bars and peered through the dingy window, wishing she could see the ocean. She pictured Sam and Annie playing on the beach and the tears came.

What am I supposed to do with myself? she wondered. There's no television—no magazines—nothing. She stretched out on the bunk and looked at the bottom of the mattress above. I'd give anything for a roommate—someone to talk with. Maybe the preacher lady will come back today. She glanced at the desk and saw the Gideon Bible. Why not? she asked herself as she moved across the room.

Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her
.

Not much has changed about men since those words were written.

And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.

And Samson lay til midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

Strong bastard. Must work out a lot.

And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

Aha!

And the lords of the Philistines came upon her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

Sounds like a ton of cash to me.

And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.

Bitch, he isn't going to tell you that.

And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

What the hell is a with?

Then the Lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.

I knew he wouldn't tell her.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.

And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and as another man.

Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.

If the money is all that important to you, honey, don't let him have any until he tells you the truth.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

And she fastened it with the pin and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awakened out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

Don't know what that means, but one thing is for sure. He's still lying to her.

And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Urged him, I'll bet. Refused him is more likely.

And she made him sleep upon her knees;

I wonder why men drop off to sleep so easily after a good screwing?

and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

Suddenly the story seemed personal. I could be that Delilah and Sam could be Samson. Boyd is the Philistines. Boyd tempted me with marriage and Sam's life insurance and I fell for it. Sam's strength is his great love, but his weakness is loving me. Boyd didn't put Sam's eyes out. He paralyzed Sam's entire body—turned him into a vegetable.

Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered unto our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

Nobody's going to make fun of you, Sam. So help me, I won't let that happen!

And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.

Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

And Samson called upon the Lord and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew with his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

“What happened to Delilah, damn it? Did she die in the temple or did the bitch get away?” Shelly said aloud as tears fell on the open book. “Sam, honey, you don't have to die to get your revenge against Boyd. The law will do that for you and I will help them all I can. If there is any way I can avoid a prison term, this Delilah will happily spend the rest of her life making it up to you. Live, Sam! Live, damn it!"

“Yes, this is Julius Borders, but I prefer to be called by my last name."

“Mr. Borders, my name is Chris Norway. I'm one of the prison chaplains. I've spent most of the day talking with Shelly Pond."

Borders cupped the mouthpiece of the telephone and motioned to Leora to pick up the extension. “Reverend Norway, both my wife and I are very concerned about Mrs. Pond. I've asked Leora to pick up the extension phone."

Chris chuckled as she said, “I'll call you Borders if you'll call me Chris. I hate the reverend title."

“Good afternoon, Chris. I'm Leora Borders. How is Shelly?"

“Leora, to be honest, Shelly is a very disturbed woman. She seems to feel she is guilty of some heinous crime and at the same time innocent. She is speaking with an attorney right now."

“I'm glad to hear that,” Borders said. “From what I hear, she desperately needs legal guidance."

“Mariah Lyons is a friend of mine and knows her way around a court of law. If anyone can help Shelly, Mariah can. While they are getting acquainted I promised to check on Annie and Sam for Shelly."

“Annie is fine. We were able to talk Social Services into letting Annie stay with us until Shelly's situation is resolved,” Leora said.

“What have you told Annie about her mother and dad?"

“Annie knows Sam is in the hospital,” Borders replied. “We told her he was in a bad accident. She thinks Shelly is at Myrtle Beach helping the police find the person who caused Sam's accident."

“And she's okay with that?"

“So far,” Leora said, “but she misses her mother and Sam. Chris, perhaps you should know that Sam Pond is not Annie's biological father."

“Shelly told me. Leora, Borders, do you think Annie is up to talking with Shelly on the telephone?"

“I think Annie would be delighted,” Borders replied.

“It might cause problems."

“What kind of problems?” Leora asked.

“Shelly is, as I said, emotionally disturbed. I'm afraid I caused it. Yesterday I said something about the Samson and Delilah story in the Bible. Shelly read it and now thinks it applies directly to her."

“I don't understand?” Leora said.

“Do you remember the biblical story?"

“Of course, but what does that have to do with Shelly?"

“Shelly's stage name is Delilah Delight. Sam's name is Samson."

“I knew Shelly's stage name, but I didn't know Sam is short for Samson,” Leora said.