Soul Survivor

by I Beacham

  The other night in church, Neil referred to Joey as “your American.” The sentiment had stuck in Sam’s mind. An array of new feelings ran through her. She couldn’t stop thinking of her own strange behavior toward Carrie, resenting her apparent interest in Joey.

  She thought also of Louise and her words “not to let life and love pass her by.” Had Louise sensed Sam’s growing fear? She was right. It was what made her unhappy, and why she no longer felt fulfilled by her vocation.

  The strangest seed germinated in Sam’s mind. What if she found someone? Was it really too late for her? Reality kicked her in the gut as it reminded her she was a vicar and that any relationship of her choosing would be lesbian. The church was making huge strides forward. There were many in it who announced their sexuality, but it always came with great rancor and bitterness. The church was still divided regardless of what anyone decreed. Did Sam want to get caught up in that? People would leave her congregation in a show of resistance. She’d seen it happen. This was not why she’d chosen to follow God. She didn’t want to be the source of people leaving the church. She wanted to welcome them to it.

  But why couldn’t she love and be loved back?

  Her thoughts strayed to Joey.

  She was a true woman of the world, not someone who existed in a parochial narrow channel such as Sam’s. But it didn’t stop Sam recognizing how attractive Joey was both inside and out. Sam also knew she was attracted to her. Of course, she’d invited her back to the vicarage. Not with any intentions but just to pass time with someone she enjoyed being with. Joey would have no interest in the likes of her. Who would look twice at a fifty-something-year-old, a religious minister who had the onslaught of gray hair? Joey was a renowned journalist.

  But Sam could dream.

  Chapter Seven

  Half a dozen cigarette ends lay on the ground around the more sheltered side of the church. They weren’t there yesterday evening.

  Sam studied them with a forensic eye. They weren’t the same brand. She noticed several different boot imprints in the soil by a freshly dug grave. She also noticed tire marks in the grass over by the far end of the church. It must have been a vehicle of some height because there was a newly broken tree branch now lying on the ground, its sap still wet.

  It was morning, and one of the builders had called her outside to the foot of the scaffolding.

  “Someone’s been up on the roof,” he said. “They haven’t taken anything, but tools have been moved.” The young lad was one of Robert’s workers. He was tanned and looked strong.

  “Bob’s away today, but I thought you ought to know. I think they’ve been scouting around looking for lead.”

  Sam didn’t doubt it. Other churches had recently been targeted—alas successfully.

  “Can’t think why they didn’t take it,” the lad said.

  “Full moon,” Sam answered. “They might have been seen. It’s too light. They’ll return when the moon wanes.”

  “I’ll remove all the ladders before we leave tonight…lock them up. It won’t stop them, Vicar, but it’ll make their life more difficult.”

  She thanked him and went back into the church to phone the police. They weren’t as helpful as she hoped. They talked about not having the resources to stake out the church on an off chance that thieves might turn up. All they could do was get a patrol car to pass by regularly and keep an eye out.

  Later, when Sam returned to the vicarage, she checked out the lunar cycle on the Internet. The full moon was waning, and last night hadn’t been as bright as the night before. Might the light-fingered crooks return tonight? Sam wasn’t taking chances. She would stake out the church herself. She was already missing half a roof and was damned if anyone was going to steal what was left.

  *

  Joey grabbed a pint of milk from the supermarket refrigerator and was surprised to see Sam doing the same. Dressed in her motorcycle gear, Sam looked exhausted and her hair stuck out at odd angles, but the smile she threw Joey was genuine.

  “Hey,” Joey said. “I stopped at the vicarage on my way home from work last night. You weren’t in.”

  “I was out.”

  Joey grinned. “I know that. It was late.”

  “I spent the night at church.” Sam yawned.

  “All of it?”

  “Yes. I’ve got potential lead roof thieves, and I’m waiting for them to come back.”

  “They’ve left a calling card?”

  “They’ve been up on what roof I have left scouting about,” Sam said with no enthusiasm.

  “Why haven’t you told the police?”

  “I have, but they work on a ‘catch them while they’re doing it or catch them when they’ve done it’ system. Manpower issues,” Sam explained. “So I’m going back there again tonight. That way, if they strike, I’ll be there and can call the police, and hopefully get them lead-handed as it were.”

  Sam seemed to brighten at her own joke.

  “You’re crazy!” Joey exclaimed.

  “No, I just love my lead.” Sam blinked the tiredness out of her eyes. “Why did you call? Anything wrong?”

  “No. I just wanted to say hey. I haven’t seen you for over a week. The job’s been busy—nice busy—but busy. And so have you by the sound of it. I just wanted to touch base.”

  Sam looked genuinely pleased, and Joey relaxed. She didn’t want Sam to think she was needy.

  “I wish I’d been in, but as you see, life is happening at the moment.”

  Joey had called with a reason. Now was an opportune moment. “I also wanted to ask, when you can, if you’d like to come over for dinner one night.”

  “What, to your place?”

  Joey raised her eyebrows. “No, I was thinking the graveyard. Yes, Sam, to my place.”

  Sam grinned. “I’d love that. I’ll bring wine. Can I just sort my roof thieves out first?”

  “Sure, but don’t go doing anything brave like tackling them or anything.”

  “No chance of that. I’ll just call the police. Promise.”

  “Yeah.” Joey didn’t really believe her.

  It was probably what made her turn up at the church later that night. She wasn’t going to sleep anyway so she might as well go help Sam, and make sure she didn’t get herself into any trouble.

  “What are you doing here?” Sam said as Joey crept into the side door of the church, the one she used to gain access when the main church door was shut. “I thought you were a thief.”

  “You didn’t think I was going to let you do this by yourself. It’s dangerous.”

  “It’s gone midnight!” Sam exclaimed.

  Inside the church was dark and quiet. There was the smallest of residue light from an outside lamp. Joey could just make Sam out. She was dressed in black from tip to toe, and with a dark wool beanie on her head. “You look like a thug,” she whispered.

  “I’m blending in,” Sam whispered back.

  Joey was in dark clothing too. “What time do you think they’ll come?”

  “No idea. I’m thinking after one. They’ll assume all nice people are in bed. Of course, they may not turn up. Where have you parked?”

  “Next road down. I thought I might give the game away turning up this time of night dressed like a poacher and carrying a flashlight.”

  Sam giggled like a kid. “If this wasn’t so serious, it’d be fun.”

  “I’ve brought coffee.” Joey produced a thermos. “Stakeouts can take time.”

  “I’m really beginning to like you,” Sam said wryly. “Let’s go through to the vestry. If anyone gets onto the roof, we can hear better.”

  They settled in and drank the coffee, talking in low whispers.

  “Shit, Sam, I can’t believe you spent last night here alone. This is a spooky place at best, but at night? It gives me the creeps.”

  “I can’t argue with that, but I suppose over the years I’ve got used to the place, and the ghosts haven’t bothered me yet.”

  “You have gho
sts?”

  “Yes, the place is full of them,” Sam said.

  Joey wrapped her jacket around her.

  “During the English Civil War, the church was invaded by Roundhead troops who came to ransack it for valuables. An Anglican bishop tried to protect the church but ended up having his throat cut. He bled to death just where you’re sitting.”

  Joey looked down and shifted uncomfortably.

  “Countless people have seen him, Joey, mostly at night and after concerts. And there are many who swear they’ve seen that slab beneath your chair turn blood red. Others say they’ve heard a man’s voice chanting prayers in old English. Sometimes I—” Sam stopped dead.

  “Sometimes you what?”

  “No, I don’t want to frighten you. You’re here to help me.”

  “I don’t scare easy. I’m American.”

  Sam scrutinized her, then made up her mind. “Sometimes I think I’ve felt his breath on my neck as I’ve been giving a sermon. Of course, it might be a draft. This is a big old place. But once, when I was here alone, I’m damn sure someone touched my arm.”

  There was a loud noise above them, and Joey leapt with shock. “Someone’s on the roof.”

  “No guesses who.” Sam rose to go outside.

  Joey put an arm out to stop her. “You can’t go out there. You might get hurt.”

  “I just need to make sure it’s the thieves.”

  “Who else is likely to be on the roof at this hour?”

  “It could be a squirrel,” Sam said.

  “Damn big squirrel!” Joey said.

  More noises came from above, and it was clear there was a colony of squirrels on the roof and they were all wearing heavy boots.

  Joey couldn’t stop Sam from marching to the door.

  “I know what I’m doing. I just need to see it’s them, and then…” she waved her cell phone in the air, “we dial 999 and call the big boys in.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “You might get hurt.”

  “And you won’t?” Joey said.

  Sam gave up. She nodded and put a finger to her lips to signal silence. They crept out and around the other side of the church using bushes as cover. They crept up behind one larger bush and squatted down. There they could see a large dark colored van that had reversed down the narrow path from the far end of the church. Its rear doors were already open. They could also make out the shadows of two or three men up on the roof, and hear them pulling at the lead.

  “Bastards,” Sam muttered. “They’ve brought their own ladders.”

  Joey could just make out a series of ladders leading up through the different levels of the scaffolding allowing access to the roof. The thieves had come prepared and were daring.

  Sam whispered to Joey. “Take the cell. Go back into the church and call the police.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to wait here. If it looks like they’re leaving, I’m going to push that bloody ladder to the ground so they can’t make their escape.” There was one long ladder at the base that provided the final part of the burglars’ exit strategy.

  “You’re what?” Joey mouthed. “You’re a lunatic.”

  Sam frowned and started pushing her. Relief surged through her as Joey did as she was told.

  When Sam knew Joey was safely gone, she edged up closer to the van. She wanted to be in place if she needed to push the ladder. She hoped she wouldn’t have to and that the police would turn up in time. But her heart sank as she realized one of the men was coming down from the roof.

  Shit. I’m going to have to do something.

  “I hope you’re ready for this, God,” she sighed.

  She moved from behind the van and crept toward the ladder giving it an almighty shove and sending it crashing to the ground. At about the same time, she heard the driver’s door open. The first thing she saw was a dot of red light. This was one of her smokers. The second thing she saw was the stocky, overweight shadow of the man behind the cigarette as he exited the vehicle.

  She froze and at first she didn’t think he’d seen her, but then she realized he had. He was coming at her and cursing.

  “Oh, bugger.” Her ordination training had been lacking in lead protection techniques and hand-to-hand combat. She must mention that to Neil when she next saw him.

  Sam smelled the tobacco on his breath as he reached out for her.

  Trapped up against the scaffolding, he’d just got hold of her by the shoulders when a large lump of dark matter moving at speed pushed him away from her and forced him to the ground. He fell heavily, and the fall sounded as if it had winded him. He seemed in no fit state to get up. The lump turned to her and spoke. It was Joey. She was sitting on top of the man.

  “I thought you said you were just going to look.” Joey was angry.

  Sam was about to help Joey and was in the act of moving forward when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her back by the shoulders. A deep male voice resonated.

  “Got you, you little thug.”

  Sam turned to see a police officer. He was about to cuff her as Joey shouted, “No, she’s the vicar.”

  The officer removed Sam’s beanie allowing her hair to fall free. He looked at Joey. “And who the hell are you?”

  “I’m an investigative journalist.”

  Sam heard the pride in her voice.

  “God help us,” the officer muttered.

  A voice in the darkness said, “Got one, Sergeant. I think it’s Wesley Chaste.”

  Another police officer appeared out of the shadows. He looked far too young for his profession and was dragging a cuffed skinny man who had tried to shimmy down a scaffolding pole but landed straight into the waiting hands of the law.

  “Mike’s chasing another down out the front,” the same young officer added.

  “And I’m sitting on one,” Joey said with all the dignity she could muster.

  Amidst an array of flashlights, Sam saw the sergeant beckon to one of his team to cuff the driver.

  “There’s one still up on the roof, Sergeant.”

  “Go, fetch,” his superior ordered dourly before turning to Sam. “So what’s your name, Vicar? Death?”

  “Savage.”

  “That figures.” The sergeant wasn’t impressed. “You two could have been hurt. These aren’t the types you find in any church congregation. They’re violent and got plenty of form. You should have left them to us.”

  “They were after my lead.” Sam was indignant.

  The sergeant still wasn’t impressed, and by the time the police left, it was nearly four in the morning.

  Sam and Joey made their way back into the vestry. Sam put the lights on.

  Joey sat down wearily. She had a feeling she would sleep when she got home although she had to be up before six thirty. It probably wasn’t worth the effort. “We’re idiots, Sam,” she said. “That could all have gone very wrong.”

  “They could have got my lead roofing.” Sam seemed pleased with herself.

  “They could have really kicked our ass.”

  “I didn’t see you hesitating.”

  “I was following your lead. You were very brave, Sam.”

  “So were you, and the way you tackled that man was impressive. I thought I was in big trouble.”

  “Just as well I came back out then. You were lucky.”

  “Thanks to you.” Sam collapsed onto a plain wooden chair and stretched her legs.

  Joey grinned. “It sure feels good though, yeah?”

  “It does. The bastards are off the street and off my roof. They’ll be in custody by now.”

  As Joey nodded, the collar of her jacket rubbed against her face and she flinched.

  Sam saw. “Are you okay?”

  Joey realized she’d hurt herself in the fall. Her face was stinging and she rubbed it. “Sure, but I think I grazed my chin when I took that guy down.”

  Sam picked up her chair and moved closer to Joey.
>
  “Let me have a look.”

  She leaned in to look at the abrasion, and Joey was aware of how close their faces were. Sam had her finger and thumb on her chin evaluating the damage. Her touch made Joey’s heart beat faster, and she fought to control her breath.

  Sam seemed innocent of the affect she was having on Joey. “I’m aware,” she said as she continued to inspect the graze, “that I flung you in the deep end tonight. I placed you in some danger. I hope you’re okay.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Well, you’ve been through a lot the past few years and this might have upset you.” Sam was pouring bottled water over a handkerchief and starting to wipe the wound clean.

  “No, I’m good.” Joey’s mind was not on past experiences. Her present concerns were more to do with how cozy this moment was. She was struggling to maintain her composure.

  “Oh, you’re better than that,” Sam whispered. Her gray eyes fixed on Joey who was reminded that it was the same look that had passed between them on the bike in the kitchen.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Sam added, her voice soft.

  Joey found the moment intimate, and under normal circumstances she might have leaned forward and kissed Sam. She realized she wanted to. But she held back. These weren’t usual circumstances. This was a vicar in front of her, and one who was very grateful for her assistance tonight. Joey was on dangerous ground. She didn’t even know Sam’s sexual leaning. An internal klaxon warned her that this was not the place or time to test theory. It might go horribly wrong.

  “I couldn’t let you handle this by yourself.” Joey played safe.

  Sam seemed to scrutinize her for a moment before diverting her eyes toward the slabbed flooring. “No, I mean…I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad that you’ve moved into the area. I like having you around. Life seems better. Sweeter.”

  Their faces were so close, and for a moment, when Sam looked back at her, Joey thought Sam was going to kiss her. Instead Sam leaned back.

  Joey’s heart had been beating wildly with the excitement of the evening. Now it was beating wildly again but for different reasons. All her experience told her what was going on here, and yet she couldn’t believe it. She had to be wrong. Sam was too important to mess with. This wasn’t one of her casual follies, the “love them and leave them” type. Even if she was right and Sam was attracted to her, she didn’t want to ruin anything and she might. Her track record wasn’t good. It occurred to her that she thought more of Sam than any other woman she’d met. It also occurred to her that she might just be falling in love with her. She kept her response measured and meaningful.