Free Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young

wine. He was basically turning into an all-around health nut.
    Eugene had actually enjoyed his first new members’ class at Ever Faithful on Monday night and was feeling as if his life was finally back on track. And Belynda was absolutely incredible.
    For the first time in his life, he felt comfortable enough with a woman to tell her everything about his past. His attraction to men, his promiscuity, even Maya’s death. Belynda had listened without comment, clearly in shock at first. But later, she told him she truly believed that he was ready to commit himself to God. The fact that he was being so honest with her was proof of that. If God could forgive him, so could she.
    Turning off the engine, Eugene pulled his cell phone from his shirt pocket and dialed Belynda’s number. He couldn’t believe how he had connected with her on such a strong, spiritual level in just two short days. They had talked on the phone for nearly three hours after brunch on Sunday, and last night after class, she had invited him over to her place.
    When Eugene heard Belynda’s voice on the phone, he grinned. “I just wanted to be the first to tell you good morning. I really had a nice time last night.”
    “So did I,” Belynda said. They had read Bible verses, then gone for a long walk at Fox Hills Park. Belynda was deeply religious and did not believe in sex or even intimate kissing before marriage. With everything going on in his life, Eugene welcomed her rules.
    “I’m wearing that lapel pin you gave me.” He glanced down at the small, gold circle with a mustard seed glued to the center.
    “I didn’t expect you to wear it to work.” Belynda was obviously pleased.
    “I plan on wearing it everywhere I go.”
    “Just remember what it represents,” she said. “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, God will do the rest.”
    “You have no idea how much your support means to me. I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. I’ll call you later.”
    Eugene opened the car door and removed his jacket from the back of the headrest. His buttoned-down Hugo Boss was the most expensive suit in his closet and wearing it always made him feel like a million bucks.
    He stepped off the elevator onto the twenty-first floor and waved at the receptionist, a Filipino chick who had been hitting on him since the day he’d joined the firm.
    “Good morning, Marci.”
    She frowned and turned up her nose.
    What was that about?
    He strolled down the hallway, past cubicle after cubicle where the secretaries sat. Either he was being paranoid or all of them were shooting him hateful looks. When he passed an older black woman who’d always been chatty with him, she rolled her eyes. The woman in the next cubicle looked away.
    What was going on?
    When he reached his office, his secretary wasn’t at her desk. He set his briefcase down and turned on his computer. While it was booting up, he checked his voicemail.
    “Hey, man, call me as soon as you get this message. It’s extremely important.” It was Liam, an associate in the Tax Department. The urgency in Liam’s voice concerned him. Liam was the only openly gay associate in the firm. His partner was HIV positive. They had spent many hours talking about Eugene’s situation.
    He dialed his coworker’s extension and Liam picked up on the first ring. “Have you read your email?” Eugene sensed panic in Liam’s voice.
    “No. I just turned on my computer.”
    “Well, you should check it. Right now.”
    “What’s going on?”
    “You’ll see in a minute. I’m on my way down.”
    Eugene typed in his password and waited for access. There were ten new email messages. He opened the one that read, “Important Alert—Read Immediately!”
    When the words of the email hit him, he felt like someone had bashed him in the head with a baseball bat.
     
    Did you know that your coworker Eugene Nelson is a murderer? His beautiful fiancée, Maya Washington, recently died after a long, painful