Rachel sat back. “I see. This really has you upset, doesn’t it? Then, don’t worry. Just enjoy the afternoon, and we’ll all go home.”
“That’s my plan. Where’re the cherubs?”
Rachel pointed toward the side yard. Billy and Molly were taking turns throwing the ball for Rufus.
Susannah felt something touch her ankle, Tiger Lily. Without invitation, the cat sprung into her lap and settled in.
Rachel smiled. “You certainly have a way with animals. Tiger Lily hates everyone, even Ginny. Careful, you might inherit a cat.”
Susannah shook her head. “Absolutely not. I couldn’t torture Buddy like that.”
“Don’t look, but you are definitely being noticed.”
“By whom?”
Rachel looked at her.
“Oh.”
“He’s coming over.”
“Coming over here?”
“Just relax, remember this is only a group of people gathered for a barbeque. Keep that in mind and forget the rest.”
“Yes, but then in one respect, this is different. There’s more at stake here than just my heart. What if he can help with the children?”
Rachel nudged her.
“Is this seat taken?” Val gestured toward the empty chair next to her.
Susannah shook her head.
“So, you spent six weeks in Africa. What did you think of the continent?”
“Well, I loved it. I’d go back in a heartbeat if I could. You know, they say Africa has a magic about it, and they are so right….”
Rachel glided away. Susannah didn’t notice. The sun sank lower toward the horizon, shadows lengthened, guests thinned and they still talked.
Susannah looked up as Rachel walked over. “Frank and I are heading out. No reason for you to leave, Susannah. Val, you wouldn’t mind taking her home, would you?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Before Susannah could protest, Rachel disappeared around the corner of the house.
“Would you rather go with them?”
“No, I’m not ready to leave yet, unless I am keeping you.”
“Not at all. In fact, I know we’ve just met but I’d like to continue our conversation beyond tonight. May I ask you out for dinner next Sunday?”
The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I’d like that.”
Ginny strolled over. “I’m making coffee. Would the two of you like some?”
Simultaneously they both answered. “Cream, no sugar.”
It was a sign, right out of her favorite movie. Now she really was being silly.
Ginny laughed and Susannah blushed.
Val looked confused. “Did I miss something?”
Ginny shook her head. “Not a thing. I’ll bring your coffee.”
An hour later, Vale escorted Susannah to his car and opened the door for her. He climbed in and back out to the main road. Susannah gave him directions and their conversation continued. They were still talking while he walked her to the front door. He also insisted on opening the door.
Val endured Buddy’s exuberant greeting and then handed her the key. “I really enjoyed tonight and am looking forward to next Sunday.”
“Me too.”
“Okay, goodnight. Be sure to lock the door after me.”
“I will.”
Susannah watched Val back out of the driveway. Was this what she wanted? The man was easy to talk with, and there was an uncanny amount of common interests, down to the personal preferences, like coffee. Was it a sign, like in her favorite movie, or was her imagination in overdrive?
She locked the door and set the deadbolt.
“Susannah, do you love me so little?”
She turned around. Mark was standing in the foyer. How was that possible?
“Susannah, do you love me so little?”
“What do you mean?”
“What happened to the traditional year of bereavement? I am barely in my grave and you are entertaining other men.”
Susannah narrowed her eyes. The face was Mark’s, but the voice wasn’t.
The eyes flashed red.
Susannah took a step back.
It stepped forward.
The door pressed against her back. She shook her head. “Go away.”
It smiled. An inferno of emotions engulfed her: shame, guilt, fear, doubt, hate.
“No!” Susannah pushed away from the door. “I believe in God Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. You may destroy my body, but you can’t have my soul!”
The thing uttered a horrific howl and vanished.
Susannah sank to the floor, shaking and crying. “How can I fight a spirit?”
The old Indian appeared next to her. “You don’t, Susannah, God does. All you need is faith.”
***
The demon’s tortured howls followed it back to its dark abode. So close, she had come close to accepting its disguise ― and the accusations. However, there were other weaknesses to exploit, and he would try them all until she succumbed. Then he could move on without interference, increasing his hold on this portion of the human race. They would begin the spiral downward toward the complete subjugation of the earth and all the creatures that trod upon it. Man was weak, easy to entice, to delude, to deceive, and in the end to exploit and conquer. He would see who would stand and who would fall.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rachel leaned back in the rattan chair, her eyes open wide. “No.”
The women, at Ginny’s insistence were sitting on the small patio behind the shop having tea and scones.
Susannah sipped her tea and nodded. “I know. Even I have a hard time believing it.” She cradled her mug in both hands and leaned back against the cushions of her chair. “For the first time in my adult life I slept with all the lights on.”
“I wouldn’t have stayed. Why didn’t you come over?”
“It was late. I was tired, but I’m not ever really alone.”
“Right, but he seems to show up after the fact.” Rachel shook her head. “But why Mark?”
Susannah shrugged. “Meeting Val has stirred up all kinds of feelings, including guilt.”
“Guilt?”
“Yes. It claimed I didn’t love Mark enough to fulfill the traditional one year bereavement period.”
“You fulfilled your vow to love until ‘until death do us part’. The Bible states there are no husbands and wives in heaven. And just because you love someone else, doesn’t mean you didn’t, or don’t, love Mark. You can love more than one person at the same time.”
“I know, here.” She pointed to her temple. “But, here,” She touched her heart. “I still miss and yearn for what I lost and replay that awful night, wishing I could change it.”
“You should talk to our pastor.”
“Maybe.”
Rachel touched her arm. “Susannah, be very, very careful. This isn’t a game. Just last Sunday, our pastor spoke on how too many refuse to believe the devil is real. He is a roaring lion, searching the world for those he can devour, and it sounds like he’s now roaring at your doorstep.”
“I know, but the old Indian told me my faith would be enough.”
Ginny bounced out of the shop and plunked down in one of the wicker chairs. She picked up a mug, poured tea, and sat back. “I understand you and Val are going to dinner Sunday?” Her smile couldn’t have been any wider had she been auditioning for a certain striped feline in a famous fairy tale. “You guys look so serious. Did I interrupt something?”
Rachel glanced at Susannah. Susannah shrugged.
“Susannah had a bad experience last night after Val dropped her off. She might need an exorcist.”
Ginny’s broad smile faded. “What?”
Susannah explained.
Ginny set her mug down. “Wow.”
Rachel said, “But God sent the disciples out in twos. I think Val is very much a part of this. You and he just don’t realize that, yet.�
�
“But I’m not a prophet or one of the disciples. I’m just me, floundering around trying to make a difference in a few lives and doing a poor job of it. Just look what happened to Mark. If I knew more…”
“Stop. That was an accident. It could have happened regardless of that pursuit.”
“You don’t believe that any more than I do, but I have to accept what I cannot change. So, one way or the other, I need to first convince Val I’m not a nut, then drop the bomb, and then hope there is something left after the explosion.”
Rachel refilled her mug and set back against the cushions of her chair. “I think you are looking at this only one way, when there are numerous views. Have you considered God may have sent Val not only to be your companion in your fight against these monsters, but also to help you heal, to be literally your companion? And that you just might be God’s gift to him as well?”
Susannah shook her head. “I doubt that. I am more of a curse than a blessing, just look what happened between Mark and I, even before the accident.”
“Stop that. Just keep an open mind. Don’t overlook a blessing because of preconceived beliefs ― or unnecessary guilt.”
“Well, I did accept his dinner invitation, and we’ll just see where it leads, and how long he stays after I shatter all of his perceptions about this world.”
And hopefully there won’t be any uninvited guests to make things any more complicated.
She drained the rest of her tea and stood. “If it’s all right, Ginny, I think I’ll head home. I promise to hit the gardens early in the morning.”
“Certainly. Go get some rest.”
Rachel held out her hand to stop her. “Are you sure you want to go home? You can stay with Frank and I, or ―” She looked at Ginny. “I am sure Ginny wouldn’t mind if you stayed there.”
“No, I prefer to go home. It is still my home and I refuse to allow anything to run me out.”
Susannah drove straight home. After Buddy’s enthusiastic greeting, she stepped into the foyer. The heavy, oppressive feeling and the slithering, scratching noises she had heard since coming back from Africa were gone. The house was silent, an empty, hollow silence.
She went into the kitchen, made coffee, and stepped out onto the deck. A vibrant rainbow arched over the panorama of the city. She flashed back to Africa, the falls, and God’s promises. What choice did she have but to trust?
***
The following Sunday came as quickly as the last, but this time the butterflies in her stomach didn’t make her ill.
She analyzed her reflection in the full-length mirror.
“Buddy, what do you think? Does this look okay?”
Buddy wagged his tail.
Bending down she ruffled his ears. “You always like anything I say or do, except when I limit your cookies.”
She didn’t think to ask how to dress. Surely, it wouldn’t be anything special, just a casual dinner. In which case the sundress, without heels, just dressy sandals, would be perfect regardless of where they went, right? She slumped down onto the bed. Who was she kidding? There was so much more at stake besides whether she was dressed appropriately or not. Somehow, she had to convince this man that his logical, scientific world wasn’t the only reality. Other worlds intersected, interacted, and influenced theirs, realms few recognized and fewer wanted to accept. She wouldn’t have, except for recent experiences. For some, seeing is believing, and rarely would they believe without seeing. So, how was she supposed to convince anyone using only words?
The mantle clock in the den struck the hour and set the butterflies in her stomach off on a new migration.
She looked at the woman in the mirror. “Okay, just stop now. You are not a giddy teenager. You are a grown woman with life experience, for goodness sake. So get a grip and act like one.”
The doorbell rang.
“Oh God, I don’t know if I can do this.”
Too late to change her mind, after all, she couldn’t leave the man standing on her doorstep, could she?
Her heart skipped a beat when she opened the door. Ginny was right. She had to keep an open mind and just see where things led.
She stepped back. “Come in.”
Buddy was on him instantly.
“Buddy, get down. I’m sorry he gets overly exuberant when I have company. Can’t seem to break him of it.”
“It’s okay. I like dogs. Wish I could have one now, but my job keeps me away from home a lot, and it isn’t fair to leave a dog alone so much.”
“Understandable.”
He stood up. “Are you ready?”
Susannah nodded.
Val stepped aside and gestured for her to pass. He closed the door. “Locked?”
“I’ll just set the dead bolt with the key.”
“Good.”
Val took her arm as they descended the steps. Her heart was soaring in spite of the cautionary voice that told her to slow it down.
He opened her car door and then hurried around to the driver’s side. “I’ve made reservations at Alexander’s. I hope that was all right?”
Susannah’s heart skipped. Alexander’s was Mark’s and her favorite restaurant. But, maybe it was time to forge new memories.
“Oh, that’s fine. I love their food, and the view.”
The waiter escorted them to a table on the terrace overlooking the river and handed each a large menu. The specialty of the house was a wide assortment of Pacific fish and seafood.
“Is this table okay?” Val asked.
“Perfect.”
“Good.”
Susannah made her dinner choice and set the menu aside. “So, tell me, what lured you into police work?”
“Well, most of us do not go into law enforcement with the altruistic notion we are going to save the world. We get into it because we’re adrenaline junkies, and the work is interesting. Then in the course of doing something exciting and interesting, we get a chance to do some good.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
“When officers first get into the business, they can’t believe they are getting paid to do the job. After a few years, that wears thin. The excitement is actually sporadic. Most of the time the job is grunt work, tediously following up on leads. But, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
“Well, I’m grateful there are men like you who want to be in law enforcement. Without you, our world would be in chaos.”
“Sometimes it seems we just spin our wheels. For every creep we pull off the street, it ten more fill in the gap. But, at least we stem the tide a little and save one or two lives.”
Starfish.
“Ginny tells me you are assigned to the local chapter of the National Amber Alert Coalition.”
“Yes, by presidential mandate, the Secret Service gives forensic and sometimes field expertise to local law enforcement for missing children investigations.”
“Do you ever act on Amber Alerts?”
“No. Local enforcement responds to those calls. Our crime lab offers assistance with the analysis of forensic evidence and we agents are sometimes called to the crime scene to assist, but we mostly work after the fact.”
“The Amber Alert has sure saved a lot of lives.”
“Yes. The quicker officers can react, the better the chances the child will be rescued. Of course ninety-percent of the child abductions are by a non-custodial parent or other family members, and so not necessarily a direct threat to the child, in most cases.”
“It’s the stranger abductions that are the most frightening.”
“Unfortunately, those do not usually end happily. Human trafficking is escalating and becoming a real problem, even here in the Northwest, and too many people have their heads in the sand.”
“At least the Coalition is making people more aware. I see their posters in so many businesses.”
“They do make a difference. Many successful rescues happened as a result of good citizens recognizing and reporting sightings.”
�
��Then, there are the runaways.”
“Those are the ones most likely to end up in trafficking rings. So many of those kids just disappear without any trace.” He set his menu aside. “You seem to have quite an interest and knowledge of this.”
“Well, I have personal experience. I was assaulted.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I was lucky. I lived. It breaks my heart to think of those who don’t.”
“Have you ever thought of doing something to help? Volunteer at the Coalition, or something?”
“Oh, I do I volunteer my time and a few talents.”
Was that what she was doing, volunteering time and what skills she had? She hadn’t thought of it that way before, but it fit. Some volunteered for charities, crises hotlines, or homeless shelters. She followed the guidance of a divine spirit disguised as an old Indian and ran interference for children against pedophiles, except, now that had changed. The men now snatching the kids had other motives far worse than the individual pedophile. How could she make enough of a difference against an enemy as powerful as them?
The conversation gradually turned to happier subjects, history, outdoors, childhood antics. They lingered over the main course, then coffee, both declining dessert.
As they exited the restaurant, Val said. “We’ve got an hour or two before sundown. Feel like a walk?”
“It’s such a beautiful evening, I’d love to.”
Ten minutes later, they parked at the Finch Arboretum, sixty-five wooded acres of over six hundred varieties of trees, flowers, and shrubs.
Val opened her door, took her hand, and helped her to her feet. “I hope this is okay? I know Manitoba Park is a favorite of most, but I thought something a little less crowded would be nice.”
“This is perfect. I don’t feel like a crowd tonight either.”
“Shall we?” He indicated the trailhead.
They passed through the Walnut, the Dogwood, and the Mock Orange Groves, and paused on the bridge spanning Garden Springs Creek. Susannah flashed back to another bridge.
This time the man won’t leave.
Susannah closed her eyes. If those words were indeed a promise, she’d accept, right now, this moment, without reservations and with her whole heart.
And Then Came A Lion (Lions and Lambs Book 1) Page 19
