For the Least of These

by Charlotte Carter

  Paul felt as though his number had come up in the lottery and he was about to be drafted into some trigger-happy general’s army.

  Sam studied the board and scratched at his sideburns. “Are you sure you haven’t gone a little overboard, Skip?”

  “Not at all. I’ve given this operation a lot of thought. Let me explain.” Skip picked up a long stick to use as a pointer. He tapped the end on the first item listed below Strategy. “First we need to lure the vandals into action. We’re going to seed the Dumpster behind your store with such tempting trash that the vandals won’t be able to stay away.”

  Sam didn’t seem fully impressed, nor was Paul. “Let’s say we do lure the vandals to the Dumpster again, what happens next?”

  “Right.” Skip tapped the board with his pointer again. “This is when we turn on the floodlights we’ve rented from A1 Rentals in Pine Ridge. We’ll light up the alley like it’s noon in the middle of summer.”

  “Has the sheriff given you a budget to rent floodlights?” Paul asked.

  Skip looked a bit sheepish. “I’m working on that, okay? The point is, we’ve got a plan and a strategy. What’s going to happen after the lights go on is that two gates, one at either end of the alley, will be slid into place, cutting off the vandals with no means of escape. We’ll have ’em trapped in a pincer movement from both ends of the alley at once.”

  Shaking his head, Sam sat down on the edge of Skip’s desk. “There aren’t any gates at either end of the alley, Skip. Where’re you gonna get those?”

  “I haven’t quite worked that out yet, but I will.” He grabbed hold of the whiteboard and tried to flip it over to the other side. “Let me show you the layout of the alley I’ve drawn. Every Dumpster is marked, and so are the security lights.”

  “This is a very interesting plan,” Paul said, “and I know you’ve worked hard to come up with it. But I think in this case, the simpler the better.”

  Skip’s freckled face pulled into a frown. “What do you mean?”

  “He means we lie in wait for those juvenile delinquents on a dark night and scare the stuffin’ out of them when they show up,” Sam explained.

  “That’s pretty much what I had in mind,” Paul agreed.

  “Oh.” Skip sounded dejected. “Okay. Well, I thought it was a good idea.”

  “It is, Skip,” Paul said. “A stakeout is a great idea.”

  Chapter Nine

  By Saturday, Kate had run out of leads to follow. As far as she could tell, Glynis had vanished into thin air. Kate knew she’d have to file a formal missing-person’s report soon. The children couldn’t be left in limbo forever. Eventually, children’s services would have to get into the mix.

  But not yet. Kate was determined to treat the girls to a day of pampering at Betty’s Beauty Parlor. Or rather, it was Betty and her cohorts who had generously offered to give the Maddock children the royal treatment.

  “I don’t wanna be made over,” Beck complained.

  Paul ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’re just going to get a haircut, buddy. Then you and I are going to a baseball game down in Chattanooga.”

  The boy’s eyes widened. “A real baseball game?”

  “Yep. The Chattanooga Lookouts. They’re a Double-A team, but they’ve got some pretty good players.” Paul ushered Beck out the front door. “We’ll ride in the truck and let the girls have the car.”

  Megan and Gwen were only a little less reluctant than Beck about a makeover, but they dutifully climbed into the car.

  “What are they gonna do to us?” Gwen asked from the backseat.

  “I imagine Betty or one of the other gals will start you both with a shampoo and rinse, and then trim your hair.”

  “I washed my hair last night.” Megan snapped her seat belt in place. “Ma’s the only one who’s ever cut our hair.”

  Kate backed the car out of the garage. Because of the note she’d found in the trailer and the possible danger the children might be in, she’d made it a point to start checking for any unfamiliar cars or people lurking in the neighborhood before she left the house. A simple precaution, she told herself. So far there’d been no sign of an imminent threat.

  “You’ll love having a beautician cut your hair. And after your hair is styled, they’ll give you a facial.”

  “A facial?” Clearly concerned, Gwen scrunched up her nose. “I don’t need a new face. I like the one I’ve got.”

  “I do too, sweetie. Especially your cute little turned-up nose.” Kate smiled into the rearview mirror. “But you’ll love the facial, I promise. Maybe Betty can do a little makeup for you. Nothing too grown-up, of course. And fingernail polish and a pedicure. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds expensive,” Megan said softly.

  “Don’t worry.” She patted the girl’s arm. “It’s a special gift from Betty. And after we’re all done getting pampered and prettied up, we girls will go on a little shopping spree at the SuperMart in Pine Ridge.” If Kate did have to eventually send the children off to foster care, she wanted them feeling better about themselves than they ever had before.

  Located two doors down from the Mercantile, Betty’s Beauty Parlor occupied a small storefront with a plate-glass window decorated with faded posters of women sporting various hairdos.

  The bell tinkled when Kate opened the door, and they all went inside, with Beck and Paul trailing behind.

  “This place is for girls,” Beck announced in a stage whisper that reached the back of the shop, where Betty was combing out a customer’s hair.

  “Hey, Kate.” She waved the comb in Kate’s direction. “Tell that handsome young guy that the best lookin’ men in town get their haircuts here. I don’t give ’em girlie haircuts either.”

  Skeptical, Beck looked up at Paul for confirmation.

  “She’ll take good care of you, buddy. Get that long hair out of your eyes so you can see the baseball players better.”

  Kate urged the children to a padded-vinyl bench by the window where they could wait, but before she sat down with them, Renee Lambert called to her.

  “Kate, dear, who are those little ragamuffins you’ve got with you?”

  Trying not to grimace, Kate smiled back at her. “They’re friends of ours who are staying with us for a while.”

  Ronda, one of Betty’s stylists apparently yanked too hard on Renee’s hair, and she cried out. “Ouch! Do be careful, Ronda!”

  Renee’s distress roused Kisses from his tote, and his little head popped up.

  Gwen tugged on Kate’s arm. “MizHanlon, is that a dog she’s got?”

  “Yes it is. His name is Kisses, and he goes everywhere with Mrs. Lambert.” Unless Renee dropped the dog off for Kate to babysit, which happened more often than Kate cared to think about.

  “Can I go pet him?” Gwen whispered.

  “We can ask.” Taking the girl’s hand, Kate led her to Renee’s chair. “This is Gwen Maddock, Renee. She saw Kisses and wondered if she could take a closer look.”

  “Well, now, I don’t know, dear.” Renee eyed Gwen with considerable reluctance. “You know Little Umpkins doesn’t always like—”

  Before Renee could say no, Kisses took matters into his own hands...or paws. He popped up again and gazed at Gwen with his big brown eyes. She gingerly reached for him, and he licked her hand.

  “Oh, isn’t he cute,” Gwen cooed as she scratched him on the top of his head. “I love him. He’s so tiny.”

  Renee’s sense of pride overcame her hesitancy. “Well, yes. He’s a teacup Chihuahua. You won’t see many as sweet as my Little Umpkins.”

  Before Kate knew what was happening, Beck had joined the coo-and-adore party for Kisses. The dog ate up all the attention. So did Renee.

  From the doorway, Paul looked on with amusement. Kate wasn’t too sure he felt any more at ease in the beauty shop than Beck.

  Betty announced that she was ready for Beck. “Come on, young man. Let’s see what a handsome devil you are underneath all that gorgeou
s hair.”

  “Boys aren’t gorgeous,” he insisted.

  “They are to me, darlin’.”

  By the force of her personality, Betty swept Beck back to the shampoo room and out of sight. A moment later, Alicia, who was stationed at the third chair in the salon, was ready for Megan.

  “I don’t want it cut too short,” Megan protested.

  Tall, with hair that rippled in dark waves halfway down her back, Alicia smiled and ran her fingers through the teenager’s hair. “I wouldn’t dream of cutting off too much. To think you were born with hair just like sunshine. I know women who would kill to have this color hair.”

  Megan grinned and blushed with embarrassment. “Well, I hope they don’t kill me for a hank of my hair.”

  Kate couldn’t help but feel sad for the girl’s literal interpretation of the phrase. With a father in jail for murder, the word kill took on a much more personal meaning for Megan than it normally would for a thirteen-year-old.

  “No, sweetie, I promise they won’t.” Alicia sat Megan in her chair, turning her toward the mirror and lifting Megan’s long hair off her shoulders. “But the boys will sure take notice when I trim it up a bit and give you a soft, conditioning rinse.”

  Betty reappeared with Beck, who now wore a black nylon cape around his shoulders. He climbed up into Betty’s chair, formed fists with both his hands, and made a macho face into the mirror.

  Kate smothered a laugh.

  As Renee got up, it was Gwen’s turn to head back to the shampoo room. She gave Kisses one last air smooch before following Ronda.

  “What dear children.” Renee hooked her tote over her arm. “Where are they from?”

  “They’re from Smoky Mountain Hollow, but their mother is...away for a while.” As a minister’s wife, Kate made it a point not to lie. Sometimes not telling the whole truth was the best she could do to keep that vow.

  Taking Kate’s arm, Renee urged her away from Megan and Alicia where they wouldn’t hear the conversation.

  “How could anyone leave those sweet youngsters?” she asked in a low whisper.

  Kate exhaled and spoke softly. “I’m not sure.”

  Though Renee might lack many charming qualities, her intuition was razor sharp. “Did she desert them?” she asked with a quiet gasp.

  “I’m honestly not sure.”

  “Well, where is she?”

  “I don’t know.” Kate admitted, wishing she hadn’t said anything about Glynis. “I’m trying to locate her. There may be a problem—”

  “Surely Livvy can help you find the woman. She’s a genius at working that computer of hers.”

  “I’ve already spent some time Googling at the library, but I’ll talk to Livvy and see what other search tools might work.” Kate decided she’d return to the library first thing Monday morning and enlist Livvy’s help.

  “There, you see?” Apparently deciding she’d done her good deed for the day, Renee told everyone good-bye and floated out the door, Kisses happily bouncing along in his tote.

  Betty finished with Beck’s haircut pretty quickly. Kate resisted telling him how handsome he looked as he raced out the door with Paul, both of them eager to get to the baseball game.

  Chuckling to herself, Kate followed Betty to the cramped shampoo room in the back of the shop to begin her own beauty treatment.

  BY THE TIME the girls had their facials, pedicures, and manicures, Gwen was all giggles and Megan simply glowed. The light touch of makeup Alicia had applied gave Megan’s face a radiant appearance and let the promise of the beautiful young woman she’d become show through.

  Meanwhile, Gwen kept flourishing her blue fingernails, admiring them at arm’s length.

  “Shopping next, or do you want lunch first?” Kate asked.

  “Shopping!” the girls chorused.

  Laughing, Kate led them back to the car for the drive to Pine Ridge.

  The SuperMart parking lot was filled with cars, and customers packed the aisles inside. Kate and her young charges made their way to the juniors’ and girls’ departments.

  “I think two outfits apiece will do it,” Kate said. “Pick out one that you’d like to wear to church tomorrow and the other for everyday school wear.”

  “We’re going to church?” Gwen gaped.

  Megan nudged her sister with her elbow. “Mr. Hanlon’s the preacher, so we gotta hear him preach, right?”

  Gwen shrugged, apparently unconcerned with her big sister’s pronouncement. “I guess.”

  “While you girls are picking out a few things you like, I’ll pick up a couple pairs of jeans and shirts for Beck. Then you can try your outfits on in the dressing room.”

  Kate left them on their own while she went to the nearby boys’ department.

  By the time Kate had picked up a pair of nice jeans and a pair of khaki cargo pants similar to those she’d seen the boys in town wearing, plus matching shirts, the girls had arms full of clothes to try on.

  Megan first tried on a denim skirt that came just above her knees and a long-sleeved, pale blue knit top with a scooped neckline. When she stepped out of the dressing room to show Kate, she smiled.

  “You’re beautiful,” Kate said.

  Megan’s hair was pulled back on both sides and held up with pretty clips Alicia had given her. The style made her Wedgwood blue eyes stand out and revealed her perfect oval face.

  Right then, a boy about Megan’s age trudged by with his mother. He halted abruptly. “Megan?”

  “Hey, Boyd.”

  “Wow. You look...pretty.”

  A blush colored Megan’s cheeks as she gave him a shrug that said ‘high time you noticed.’ “Thanks” was all she said.

  Walking backward, not able to take his eyes off Megan, Boyd bumped into a rack filled with frilly clothes. He blushed, turned, and fled in the direction his mother had gone.

  “I think that outfit is a keeper,” Kate said. “What do you think?”

  Megan smiled shyly. “Can I wear it to church tomorrow?”

  “Of course you may.”

  Gwen picked out an ankle-length, flower-print cotton skirt and a knit top for church. Both girls got new jeans and summery tops for school wear.

  Kate wished she could buy them dozens of new outfits. The happy glow in the girls’ eyes and the smiles on their faces as they proudly carried their packages out to the car made it all worthwhile.

  Back at the Hanlon house, both Megan and Gwen settled down at the dining table. Megan created a cornhusk cowboy on a horse. Working quietly beside her sister, Gwen began drawing a mountain scene with crayons on the big sheet of paper Paul had given her for a kite.

  It was almost dinnertime when Kate heard the sound of Paul’s truck in the garage, and a moment later, Beck burst into the house.

  “We won! We beat Huntsville! It was so cool. And I got to eat two hot dogs and caramel corn and a Coke, and then I puked. But I’m fine now.”

  Kate smiled despite her lurching stomach. “So you had a really good time, huh?”

  “Yeah! It was great.” He looked up at her from beneath the bill of a new red and white Chattanooga Lookout baseball cap with a grin so broad it nearly reached his ears.

  Unable to resist, Kate pulled Beck into her arms and gave him the biggest hug she could muster. Thank you, Father, for giving all the Maddock children a special day to remember.

  JUST BEFORE KATE DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP that night, she bolted upright in bed.

  Paul came awake instantly. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ve been researching Hank Weller.”

  “Who’s Hank Weller?” he asked groggily.

  “Glynis’ boyfriend. The one she went to Nashville with. But his name’s probably not Hank.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No. I’d bet on it. I should have been looking for Henry Weller. Hank is a nickname.”

  “If you say so, honey.” He tugged her back down next to him. “G’night.”

  A moment later, he was softly snoring, b
ut Kate’s mind whirled. Now she had even more fodder for her research Monday morning at the library. If Kate could find Henry Weller, with Livvy’s help, perhaps Glynis would be with him. Then the children could reunite with their mother.

  That thought tightened Kate’s throat and caused tears to burn in her eyes. In a very short time, she’d come to love those three youngsters. She’d miss having them around.

  It seemed impossible that the children’s father, a man capable of committing murder, and their mother, who’d left them unsupervised for weeks, could produce such beautiful offspring, both inside and out.

  Surely the Lord had a hand in that.

  Chapter Ten

  From her seat in the choir, Kate kept an eye on Megan, Gwen, and Beck where they sat together on an oak pew near the front of the church. Renee, bless her heart, had begged off of her choir responsibilities to take charge of the youngsters. She sat with them, helping them find the correct hymns in the hymnal and the appropriate responsive readings.

  The children were all wearing their new clothes, their hair freshly trimmed and neatly combed, their faces washed. It was enough to make any mother proud. Too bad Glynis wasn’t there to see them.

  Granted, Beck had done some restless squirming during the sermon, but overall they’d been well behaved. Kisses seemed particularly pleased to have Gwen nearby. He kept popping up in his tote to check that she was still there.

  For the last hymn, the entire congregation rose and sang at full volume. Paul gave the final benediction and dismissed the congregation.

  Kate exited the building and met the children as they came out the door. The sun had turned a cool morning into a lovely spring day. Only the top branches of the trees that skirted the parking lot moved in the light breeze.

  “You kids were so great.” Kate gave Beck and Gwen a hug and smiled at Megan. “I was proud of you all.”

  Beck jammed his hands in the pockets of his new jeans. “When are we gonna have lunch? I’m hungry.”

  Cupping the back of the boy’s head, Kate stroked his newly trimmed hair. “Maybe we can talk Pastor Hanlon into taking us out to lunch.”

  Beck brightened at the prospect.