“Anything else?”
“I eliminated Bruce. He wouldn’t kidnap Joshua to get back at Marci. I mean, what would he do with him? Kill him? No way. And Marci would never hurt her own child. Neither would Ted. He’s obnoxious sometimes, but he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Marci. So, that left them out. I could see Abbey “murdering” the dolls for spite, but not actually kidnapping Joshua. Again, what would she do with him? I started thinking about substitution and thought of Ryann, but that had the same problem. Whoever took Joshua would have to disappear with him. I didn’t think Ryann would leave her family and just disappear. And then I remembered about the boy who died in the accident. What about his mother? And how would she kidnap him? The easiest way? Join the church. Then when the time presented itself, that person could snatch the baby and go. So, I asked myself who was new that might fill the requirements, and the only one I could come up with was Roseanne. It all fell together.”
“Why didn’t you tell the detectives all this? Why go over there by yourself?”
“I don’t know. I…you probably won’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
“I felt God leading me.”
He inclined his head but only said, “That was risky.”
“It didn’t matter. Joshua mattered.”
John muttered something, but the deputy said nothing.
“I told you it wasn’t John.”
John shot her a glance. “What?”
The deputy’s mouth lifted. “I didn’t think it was.”
“But you…”
“I was trying to shake you enough to find out what you weren’t telling me.”
“But I wasn’t…” Sharee halted; her face grew hot.
“She took my lead, I think,” John said.
“I thought so. You covered well for her.”
John shrugged.
“For what reason?”
“I didn’t want to say anything about the note. Or Abbey.”
“Abbey?”
“Yes. At the time, we both thought the note was from Abbey. I couldn’t bring you,” John smiled an apology, “the Law, down on her without more evidence.”
The deputy said nothing for a moment then shook his head. “You know, you should trust us next time. We’re the good guys.”
Chapter 36
At midnight, John stretched his legs under the table and cupped his hand around the hot coffee Lynn had fixed for them. Pastor Alan and Daneen drew their chairs up to the table in the fellowship hall and set their mugs on it. Lynn and Sharee sat across from him.
Finally, law enforcement, the media, and the others had gone. The relief sliding from his shoulders was like a turtle sliding from its log perch into the dark pond water.
“It’s hard to believe Mrs. Sheraton just waited until the police got there,” Sharee said. She warmed her hands on her cup, also. “Just sitting there, rocking.”
“You took her gun,” Pastor Alan said. “Maybe at God’s leading.”
“She might have killed herself, you mean? Her life has been so hard these last few years.”
Lynn shook her head. “I don’t know. Yes, she lost her son, but she kidnapped Joshua. Not to mention what she did to you.”
“I know, but, well, I can forgive her.”
Lynn shook her head.
Pastor Alan nodded. “God’s all about forgiveness. And speaking of that, Bruce said you would have to forgive him, Sharee. He just couldn’t believe that after all God had done, you showed up at Anderson Park to tell him the police were looking for him.”
John straightened. “What are you talking about?”
“When Pedro told me he knew where Bruce might be, I wanted to find him before the police did.”
“You what? Wait. What has Pedro to do with Bruce?”
“When you sent me to get some sleep. I spotted Pedro on the road, and he mentioned that Bruce often went to Anderson Park—”
“You picked up Pedro and went looking for Bruce?” He tried to keep his voice level. What else didn’t he know? His shoulders began to tighten again.
Pastor Alan cleared his throat. “John, you were telling me about Matthew earlier.”
John’s glance raked him. He rose from the table and began to pace up and down. His eyes went to Sharee, lingered a moment, then skipped back to the pastor. “Yes, we were wrong about Abbey. Matthew wrote that note.”
“Matt?” Sharee’s voice left no doubt of her surprise.
“Yes. Ryann came to tell me about an hour ago. I guess Deputy Richards mentioned that I found it.”
Daneen shifted in her chair. “Does this have to do with the adoption?”
Everyone’s heads swung her way.
“What adoption?” Pastor Alan asked.
Daneen threw a look at her husband. “Marci and I went to lunch a while ago, and she told me that Matt’s girlfriend became pregnant. She placed the baby for adoption. She asked me not to say anything to anyone.” She threw another look at her husband. “Sorry.”
He shrugged and shook his head.
“When Joshua was kidnapped, Matt told Marci he knew how devastated she was because not only did he love Joshua, but he loved his own baby, too. He also still wonders about him. Fathers have no say. He really thought when the girlfriend didn’t want the baby, that his parents would take him. But it was so soon after the accident, and Marci was overwhelmed with guilt. She couldn’t do it. She just told him to place the baby for adoption like his girlfriend wanted. Now she feels terrible.”
“I can’t believe this. I had no idea.” Sharee’s eyes were wide. “I never knew, and Marci is one of my closest friends.”
Daneen put her hand out. “It has nothing to do with that. She felt she had to protect Matt. That if anything was said, it should come from him. I just caught her on a terrible day. She felt nothing was going right and wondering where God was.”
Lynn sat forward. “And Matt’s all right with everyone knowing now?”
Daneen shrugged. “The investigation brought out a lot.”
Sharee set her cup on the table. “Maybe that’s why he helps at the Pregnancy Center. It seemed odd when John and I saw him at the park.”
Lynn pulled the band from her long hair and ran her fingers through it. “I didn’t think guys cared for babies that much.”
“Have you ever watched Matt with his siblings?” Daneen asked. “He’s more like a father than Stephen, but then Stephen works long hours to bring in money just to feed that family.”
Sharee propped her elbows on the table. “You know who I feel bad for? Abbey. I really judged her. Her clothes. Her attitude. And yet I never took the time to know her. Not like Ryann did. Ryann just reached out when Abbey joined the church.”
“But why did Ryann keep the note?”
Sharee nodded at John. “Did she say?”
“She said she had it in her Bible to remind her to pray for Matt. Anyway, after Ryann told the detectives who wrote the note, they asked him to come and talk with them.”
“Okay. But let’s come back to Roseanne or Midge Sheraton or whoever.” Lynn settled in her chair and took another sip of coffee. “You mean she came here with the idea of revenge?”
Sharee nodded. “Yeah, she did.”
John stopped pacing and caught Sharee’s look. “She might have killed you.”
“I don’t think so. The strangest thing is I wasn’t scared. Well, until she brought in the dog.”
“Huh!” Lynn said. “I guess so.”
Sharee grinned. “Petrified of the dog, but even then God was there.”
“She might have killed you,” John said again as if they had not interrupted. He couldn’t stop the emotion this time. His voice was rough with it. She’d endangered herself so many times.
Sharee stood and put her hand out to him. “John, I wanted you there.”
“Did you even think about what you were doing?”
Her hand droppe
d. “Of course, I did. I told you already. I texted you. Not that it did any good.”
“Texted?” He picked up his phone from the table. “I never got a text.”
“You must have.” Sharee grabbed his phone, looking down at it, her fingers gliding over its face. “I replied to your text from Friday.”
“Friday?” His brow wrinkled. He reached over and plucked the phone from her hand. “I didn’t text you Friday. I was too busy with all the last-minute stuff you wanted. We talked two or three times, that’s all. And Saturday, we didn’t talk.” He stopped at that. They both knew why. “I picked up Pedro Saturday, took him to lunch, and brought him here that evening.”
“You picked up Pedro—off the side of the road? A hitchhiker?”
“It’s different.”
“It is? Why? Because you’re a man?”
“Yes. Face it. It’s just the way it is.”
Her jaw clenched. “That’s ridiculous. And what if I see Pedro on the road? Do I just wave and keep going?”
“All right. There might be times…”
“Ha! There are times.”
He gritted his teeth. “This has nothing to do with Roseanne or what we were talking about.”
“I think it does.”
“Sharee.” Pastor Alan’s voice rose. “I texted you the other day. I haven’t looked at my phone today. Too much was happening. In fact, I left it in the back office. You were late the other night and things were getting rowdy, so I texted you. Didn’t you see my number?”
“No. I just glanced at the message. I was running out the door and assumed John sent it.” She had wondered briefly why his picture hadn’t appeared. Too much going on that night. Right.
John shoved his phone into his pocket and put his hand out to her. Their arguing only clouded the issues and got them nowhere. “Come on,” he said.
“Where to?”
“Outside. We need to talk.”
“Talk?” Her voice dropped, and something changed in her face. “No, let’s do that later.”
“Later? You said that before. We have some things to discuss. Come outside.”
“No.”
He raised an eyebrow and studied her. What was the problem now? Joshua was back with his family, and he’d wanted to talk with her for two days. He frowned at her, and she lifted her chin. The woman was more aggravating than the flashing cameras and nosy reporters. He stepped forward, grabbed her, and lifted her into his arms.
“Hey! What are you doing?” Sharee squirmed against his chest. “Put me down!”
“No. We’re going to talk.” His grip tightened, and he indicated the door with a nod. “Alan, do you mind?”
Pastor Alan grinned, stood, and moved past the two other women, before shoving the door open.
“Hey!” Sharee struggled to get free.
The door slammed behind them. Okay, door stops. All over. He stood a minute in the darkness, getting his bearings.
“Put me down.” Sharee’s voice sounded hoarse. “John—”
“I told you we need to talk. I’ve got something to tell you.” He walked toward the bleachers, into the moonlight, holding tight while she pushed against him.
“You can’t just pick me up like a sack of potatoes!”
He shook her. “Only if you make me. Stop struggling.”
“John, I…” her voice broke this time.
He halted, moved his head out of the moon’s light and tried to read her expression. When she shoved against his chest once more, he dropped her to her feet.
“What is your problem?” Impatience filled his voice. Great. How could he tell her what God had done in his life when he couldn’t keep his voice level?
“I don’t want to talk. It’s been a long day. I… Can’t we just concentrate on the good things?”
Then remembrance hit, and he swallowed his irritation. Friday night seemed a lifetime away, but they’d left their relationship in the air. Was she afraid of that?
He tugged her to him. “Please. Just hear me out.”
She didn’t respond.
“Sharee?”
She shook her head, keeping it against his chest. “I’ve given you to God once. I don’t know if I can do it again.”
His hand went to her hair. “You gave me to God? Gave me up, you mean?”
She nodded.
“When was this?”
“Friday night.”
Just what he thought. He leaned down, lifted her into his arms again, and walked toward the bleachers. “Well, I guess you don’t have much to say about anything then. You need to hear me out.”
He stopped at the bleachers and set her down on the first step, clasped her hand in his and led her to the highest row. Silence enveloped them. The moonlight highlighted everything, painting the program scenes the color of warm butter. Stars shimmered against the night sky. Across the field, from the houses on the next street, multi-colored Christmas lights flickered here and there through the cypress trees.
Her head stayed averted. He stared past the program site, past the yellow crime scene tape, and wondered how to begin.
“Look, you’re going to have to get used to having me around.” He waited until she looked up. Moonlight lit her face, and he couldn’t control his wide smile. “You’ve got what you wanted, you know. I’ve committed—no, recommitted—my life to God.”
She straightened. “You what?”
“I recommitted my life. God did move during the Christmas program and afterward, even during all this…horror… that we’ve been through. Between you, and God, and Joshua, and the program, even talking to Abbey…well, you’ve got what you wanted.”
She met his look with a frown as if she didn’t believe him. “You recommitted your life to God?”
“Yes.”
“But when? When did this happen?”
“During the program, and again today.” He felt lightness inside but wasn’t sure how to explain that to her. Instead, he caught her hand and squeezed it.
“You’re serious?”
He almost laughed at her tone. “Yes. You should never have given me to God if you weren’t prepared for him to do something.”
She threw her arms around his neck. He slipped his around her waist and drew her close. She leaned into him, and he kissed her hair, tilted her face up and kissed her mouth.
In a moment, she traced his jawline with her finger. “When Joshua disappeared, I kept wondering where God was and how he could let this happen.”
“That’s natural.”
“To you, maybe, but…”
“But you aren’t used to that?”
“No, I…” Her voice stilled. “I guess it’s easy to be full of faith when you have nothing that challenges your faith.”
“You’ve had challenges.”
“But not like yours. Or Abbey’s. Or Ryann’s.”
“Are you disappointed with yourself, or do you think you disappointed God?”
“Both. I’ve been pretty prideful about my faith.” She took a long breath. “And about taking care of myself. I…I wanted you so much when I was at Roseanne’s.”
Surprise went through him. She’d wanted him? Needed him? “Sharee, it’s okay to need help others sometimes. No one can handle everything.”
He heard her ragged breath. “I know. It’s just…”
“What?”
“It was so hard for mom and dad to let go. I was just determined to make it on my own when I got out.”
“But you’re close to your family.”
“I know. It doesn’t mean we don’t have issues.”
He laughed. “It’s good to hear you’re not perfect.”
She slugged him on the arm. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” His thumb rubbed her mouth. He bent his head toward hers, but the thing he’d never told her filled his mind. He lifted his head. “Sharee, there is still something I need to tell you. I—”
“Wait,” she interrupted him. “Wait. Say that again.”
“There is something…”
“No, the other.”
He stopped, reflecting. “That I love you?”
“You’ve never said it.”
“Haven’t I?” He smiled. “I love you.” And he kissed her again, his mouth moving, searching, drawing her response. When he drew back, his uneven breathing fogged the air between them. Better say it now, or he’d get side-tracked for sure.
“I need to tell you something.” His voice sounded rough to his own ears. “Okay.” She put a hand on his chest and pushed away. “Okay. Tell me.”
“It’s about Janice and me.” She didn’t move, but something of her vulnerability, of her immediate uneasiness, came through to him. He pressed her close.
“I told you that when I met Janice, she’d just become a Christian. Her enthusiasm for God drew me to her. After we married, we planned to go overseas as missionaries.”
“As missionaries?”
He nodded. “My father’s a pilot, and I’ve been flying since I turned fifteen. After I received the Lord, I heard about Nate Saint and that whole story of their work with the Wuaorani Indians. By the time I met Janice, I already knew God had called me overseas—to be a missionary pilot.”
He paused before continuing. “Satan tripped us up, though. We were still in church. I studied all I could about small one- and two-engine planes, how to fly them, how to fix them; but something happened. I don’t know what, exactly. We began to drift away from God.” He paused, feeling the regret.
“John, it’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”
“Yes, I do. I told you the truth when I said before that we were enjoying all that the world had to offer. We chased after the world.” Another pause. “When Janice died, I couldn’t deal with the guilt or the pain. Anger at myself and at God took over. But I have to give up my right to know why, to be god; and to admit that He’s sovereign, whether I like what happens or not.” A long pause. “I know we live in a fallen world. I know this is not heaven, but that’s what I wanted. Heaven on earth. I wanted everything to work out right. All the time.”
Amber Alert: Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 1) Page 27
