Her bandage needed to be changed again, and after she was cleaned up and fed, I turned in for the night. Sleep came easily that night.
*******
I had a lot waiting for me at the office. I spent the next several days taking care of old business, and the evenings visiting Mandy at my mother’s. The visitations had the side benefit of a quality hot meal every night, something I began to notice on my waistline.
I knew it was time to get back to training, especially because of the warning I’d received from the Council. All four of the names on Harbinger’s list had now relocated to Missouri. The only one I had a location on was Richard Douglas, which meant the other three were still out there and would be coming for me sooner or later.
I’d been back in town exactly a week when one night Mandy met me at my mother’s door, her bag packed.
“What’s this?”
She laughed. “I’ve been discharged by your mother!”
I looked around Mandy toward the kitchen where I could see my mother standing at the sink. “Is this true?”
“It is. She’s a free woman.”
“No last supper?”
Mom stopped what she was doing and came out to the hallway. “I think she deserves a nice dinner out, and I think you should take her!”
I looked at Mandy, who was grinning, and I knew this was a set up. “Okay then, let’s go out to dinner.”
I picked up her bag, opened the door, accepted a kiss on the cheek from Mom, and followed Mandy to the Ranchero.
Once in the car, I leaned over and kissed Mandy. “I’ve got a stop to make.”
“Where?”
“Journey Chapel. Do you mind?”
“Nope.”
We held hands and rode in silence to the church. When we arrived, I pulled into the back lot and got out. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
True to my word, I was back in less than five minutes. I came around to her side of the car, and opened her door. Confusion played on her face. “What are you doing?”
“There’s something I need to show you, do you mind?”
She gave me a suspicious look, but took my hand when I offered it, and got out. We held hands, walking across the lawn in front of the church, until we were standing near the neon streaming signboard. I stopped, and faced her.
“Jack, what is this all about?”
“Close your eyes.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it, please.”
“Okay, but no funny business.”
I laughed as she closed them, then I kneeled in front of her. The sign stopped streaming and five words began to flash repeatedly.
“Okay…open them.”
When she looked, I was holding a ring. Her eyes went from it to the flashing words: MANDY, WILL YOU MARRY ME?
I watched as her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip started to quiver. “Oh, Jack!”
She reached out and helped me off the ground. Pulling me to her, she wrapped me in hug that felt unbreakable. I could feel the moistness of her tears on my neck, and she was shaking all over.
“Mandy?”
“Yes?”
“You didn’t answer me.”
She laughed, her face against my shoulder. “You men are so literal. The answer is yes, Jack Carter, I will marry you!”
She wasn’t letting go, but then suddenly she pulled back. “Who is that?”
I looked in the direction she was pointing. The lights in Brother Gary’s office had come on, revealing four figures looking through the wall of windows. “Oh, them. That’s Gary, Buddy, Sarah, and Mom.”
What had happened slowly dawned on her. “You had this all arranged!”
“Well, yeah! Mom said she broke the sound barrier trying to get here before us.”
Mandy waved at our audience while I put the ring on her finger. They waved back at her as she took me in her arms and kissed me like I was her fiancé, which, of course, I now was.
One thing filled my head.
Miracles do happen! Thank you, Lord.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
The completion of Inner Demons has brought THE CHASER CHRONICLES to a total of four books. It has been great fun to present problems for Jack and see how he gets out of them.
With the introduction of the Council, the series has moved out of St. Louis, and will now take Jack, Mandy, and the rest of the gang to places unknown.
Jack’s power is sure to grow as he becomes the Chaser that Harbinger had feared in the very beginning.
Thank you so much to all who have taken time to read these books and especially those who have written to encourage me about the series.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
You can get hold of me by writing to mailto:[email protected] or visiting my author Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DetectiveJasonStrong?ref=hl
Also, visit my web page for updates on new books, giveaways, and news of works in progress. http://jcdalglish.webs.com/.
Thanks, and the Lord Bless, John
MORE BY JOHN C. DALGLISH
THE DETECTIVE JASON STRONG SERIES
“Where’s My Son?”- #1
Bloodstain - #2
For My Brother - #3
Silent Justice - #4
Tied to Murder –#5
One of their Own – #6
Death Still – #7
Lethal Injection - #8
Cruel Deception - #9
THE CHASER CHRONICLES SERIES
CROSSOVER– #1
JOURNEY- #2
DESTINY -#3
INNER DEMONS (THE CHASER CHRONICLES Book 4) Page 8
