by Sarah Holman
In the Car
Unkown Day, Unknown Time
Patrick laughed as the smoke filled his room. He knew it wasn’t smoke from a fire, it was a smoke bomb. Sure enough, a moment later, a man in a gas mask entered the room and hauled him to his feet. He felt like a kid as he was slung over the guy’s shoulder, rushed out of the building, and then dumped into a car.
“Will you ever learn to listen to me?”
Patrick looked up from the floor of the car. Thomas sat in a relaxed pose against the back seat, his arms crossed.
“I think I’ve learned my lesson,” Patrick said, trying to struggle into a sitting position, but it wasn’t working; his arms and legs were still bound. “I was wrong. I should have listened to you.”
Thomas nodded. “Yes, you should have.”
“And I should have given you the respect that you deserve as my boss.”
“I agree.”
Patrick tried again to sit up, but he couldn’t. “I’m also sorry for encouraging others to say and do things that disrespected you. I’m sorry, Thomas.”
“As well you should be.”
Patrick huffed and ceased struggling. “Okay, have I groveled enough that you are going to let me out of these ropes?”
Thomas rubbed his chin and stared down at Patrick. “You do realize you’ll be receiving a formal reprimand.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you do realize that could hurt you when it comes to future promotions, pay raises, and the like.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thomas didn’t make a move.
Patrick sighed. “Will I still be welcomed on the team?”
Thomas stared at him for a moment. “Patrick, I picked this team not only because they were the best on paper, but because they had a history of following their gut and being right. I’m not sure how I ended up with so many righteous kooks in one group, but this is the best team in the FBI. We are a team. I don’t plan to break it up because of this mistake. Just get your act together.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thomas grabbed the ropes and twisted Patrick around. Within a moment, he had Patrick free, and all his limbs rejoiced and protested at the same time.
“I’m starving, how long was I in there?”
Thomas looked toward the building. “Overnight. It seems like it did you some good.”
“That long? What did they knock me out with?”
The car door opened and Kate was placed beside him. Her arms had red marks where ropes had rubbed against her flesh.
“Kate!”
Kate rubbed her eyes and then coughed, obviously having inhaled quite a bit of the smoke. “Hey.” Her voice was squeaky and cute.
Patrick wanted to hug her. He forced himself not to touch her and instead smiled. “So, Kathrine, tell him what they knocked us out with.”
“Ether,” Brian said.
Patrick jerked his head up. Brian had slid into the front seat while he wasn’t looking.
Kate coughed and shook her head. “It was not, it was chloroform. I don’t think ether is even around anymore. Chloroform does a better job.”
“Sure kept me loopy,” Brian said with a grin. “And loosened your tongue.”
Kate glared at Brian. He only laughed.
Suddenly, Patrick wished he had been the one with Kate. He would have liked to be the one to hear about the things she normally didn’t want to talk about. He wanted to ask her questions when she wouldn’t argue with him.
He swallowed back his jealousy. Brian was probably a much better companion her at that time. He shifted to give Kate some more room only to bump into Thomas, who pushed him back into the middle.
Kim opened the driver side and sat down. “The extraction has been successful, and they caught several of the bad guys.”
Thomas lifted an eyebrow. “Bad guys?”
“Alleged perpetrators,” Kim corrected. “We’re now taking them in for questioning. It looks like we’ll be putting a good dent into the organization.”
Patrick sighed. “Which isn’t the same as bringing them down.”
Thomas ribbed him. “Hey, we can’t win them all. I, for one, count this as a win as we have everyone back in one piece, exposed some bad cops, and put a dent in the drug running operation.”
Patrick watched as Kate’s hands went to her head. It seemed she had as much of a headache as he did.
“Where to?” Kim asked.
“Somewhere to get these sorry-looking people some food and drinks,” Thomas said. “Somewhere with a drive-through so that we can go back to the hotel and make our plans for how we are going to wrap everything up.” He turned to Patrick. “You know this means you won’t get a perfect attendance record for your classes.”
Patrick leaned back, grateful for the headrest that supported his neck. “I think I can live with that.”
“Do you think we put a big enough dent in the operation that it will stop the counterfeit CDs?” Kate asked, rubbing her arms and wincing.
Patrick again resisted the urge to reach out. He wanted to ease her pain somehow, but he knew there would be others who could do it. She didn’t need him to rescue her. Patrick Connor couldn’t rescue Kate from everything.
“We put a stop to it for now,” Thomas said. “Who knows what will happen in a few months.”
“Is the FBI buying us food, or are you?” Brian asked, turning in his seat toward Thomas.
Thomas stared at Brian for a moment and then a grin, an honest-to-goodness grin, spread across his face. “I’ll treat everyone this time.”
Everyone cheered loudly except for Kate. Patrick turned, expecting her to have her arms crossed, but instead he found her smiling and looking sleepy. At least it seemed that progress had been made.
The memory hit him.
Kate had said something about leaving them. She had sounded like she had already made up her mind that this would be her last case. Had she changed her mind? Or would this be one of the last times he saw her? He looked at her and his gut twisted. He didn’t want her to leave.
All to Jesus
Monday, June 22 2:00PM
“So the police were basically helping the drug runners by turning a blind eye,” Kate asked as they stopped at a stoplight.
Brian nodded. “They got a kickback. Sadly, this happens more than we would like to believe. It’s part of the reason Thomas has a chip on his shoulder for local cops.”
The rain started again. Kate had never thought of Charleston as such a rainy place, but she had learned a lot about this city during her time here.
Brian flicked on the windshield wipers as they drove down the busy street. “The CDs were a cover and a little extra income. As suspected, they’re being made in North Carolina, but that seems to be shut down. The only thing we’ve managed to get out of anyone is some stuff on Jasper.”
“The guy that hit Patrick?”
Brian nodded as he pulled into a parking lot. “Yeah, that’s the guy. Apparently, he had fallen into the bad graces of a lot of people. He got mad at Sharleen and used drugs to do away with her. Unfortunately, he sold some of the same batches to the other college students and hurt business.”
“And drug people are not the kind that you want on your bad side.”
Brian picked up the umbrella from the center console. “You got that right. Jasper will be going to jail for murder, several drug charges, as well as assault.”
“What a waste,” Kate said. Brian got out of the car. As he made his way around to her side, she looked up at the spire of St. Michael’s Church. Gus was here today. They had been trying to figure it out, but someone had posted a picture on Twitter that had given it away. Both of them had wanted to see him one last time before they left.
Her door opened, and Brian offered his hand to help her out of the car. She accepted it and walked with him under the umbrella.
He sighed and turned to Kate. “It’s always a waste. There isn’t a case we work that I don’t think about how different things wou
ld be if those we arrest had chosen a different path.”
She nodded, but when she looked ahead, she didn’t see the wet sidewalk or the church, she saw the two paths before her. She could choose to stay with this team or leave. Looking back two years from now, which would she wish she had chosen? Which one did she think would cause her the most regret? Would staying cause hurt that she would wish she had avoided? Would leaving deprive her of a wonderful gift that God wanted to hand to her? Sharleen, her brother, Jasper, and who knows how many other people probably wished they could change their decisions. Was it one step that took them into the dark underworld, or had it been a dozen little compromises that led them to the middle of somewhere they never thought they would be?
“I think I owe you an apology.” Brian opened the door to the sanctuary.
Kate cocked her head. “For what?”
They entered the church and Brian placed the umbrella in a designated place. When he spoke again, his voice was a whisper, as the soft strains of Gus’s guitar drifted toward them. “The ether—”
“I keep telling you, it was chloroform.”
“Whatever, it messed with me some. I realized I violated a promise I made you. I delved into subjects that you said you didn’t want to. I’m sorry.”
She looked toward the front of the church, enjoying the beauty and the comforting scene of Gus strumming while a few people sat in the pews and listened. “I’m beginning to realize that if I stay with this team, that’s something I’ll have to accept.”
“But it’s only because we care. We don’t mean to be a bother, we just want to help.”
Her lips tugged upward, and she turned toward Brian. “You sound like a kid.”
He grinned back at her. “That’s what happens when you have kids; they start rubbing off on you.”
They moved forward and slipped into the pew as Gus continued to strum his guitar, filling the beautiful sanctuary with the soft music of an old sacred hymn.
“I really am sorry,” Brian whispered.
She looked at him. This wasn’t an obligatory apology or a reference to pity he felt; he truly seemed to regret his words. “It’s forgiven. I should probably be the one to apologize to you and the others. I was thinking about it last night. I’ve said some hurtful things.”
“As I said, there is grace here. We aren’t going to stay angry for some slight offenses.” He gave her a quick side hug that made her feel almost as if she really were his sister. “I bet you didn’t know I was a hugger. Jamie teases me that I would hug our bank teller if there weren’t a desk between us.”
That was a comical picture, but Kate could see Brian doing that. “Would you?”
“If they needed it, sure. There is nothing like a little physical contact to let people know you care. You just have to be careful that people don’t think you’re being weird.”
Gus came to the end of the song and shifted in his chair and leaned toward the microphone that had been set up for him.
“The churches are some of my favorite places to come,” Gus said. “Their spires define this city, and they are very special to me. The church buildings inspire me often, but the truths that are found within the walls inspire me more.”
Kate exchanged a glance with Brian. Neither of them had guessed. However, there was no mistaking the earnestness in his tone. He started picking at the strings and soon, a sweet-sounding melody filled the church. A moment later, he sang softly and reverently.
They point to the sky, but we don’t look
They stand straight and tall, but we don’t notice
They’re visible all the time, but we don’t see
Spires of Charleston, point the way,
To the light that guides each day
Spires of Charleston, you are always here,
To point to Jesus, who is always near
Kate looked upward and felt her heart still within her, reaching toward her Maker for the answers she needed.
People admire them but fail to understand
People take pictures, but don’t see
People see their beauty, but miss the point
Spires of Charleston, point the way,
To the light that guides each day,
Spires of Charleston, you are always here,
To point to Jesus, who is always near
Suddenly, Kate knew. Deep down in her heart, she knew what she needed to do. She looked around, almost expecting Jesus or an angel was whispering in her ear. There was no one there but Brian. She looked at Gus as he changed keys for his finale. Perhaps merely stopping for a moment in her frantic pace was all she had needed to do.
Just for today, I will choose to look
Just for today, I will listen to the message
Just for today, I will stop to see
Spires of Charleston, you point the way,
To the light that guides each day
Spires of Charleston, you are always here,
To point to Jesus, who is always near
The guitar strumming slowly faded, and there was a smattering of applause, but Kate felt clapping would ruin the moment. It seemed so sacred.
Gus sat staring at the ground for a moment; when he looked up, his eyes were sad. “I appreciate you all coming here today. I’m not sure how to tell all my followers this, but I guess this is a good time to start: I’m not going to be doing this as much anymore. I’ve accepted a job in town and will be doing my music on weekends and evenings some. I’ll miss this, but things change. I was never going to make it big, but sales have taken a huge hit. Some would call me a victim of modern-day piracy, but I know better. I know that nothing happens that God doesn’t know about and use to fulfill His purpose. I’ve enjoyed playing music for a living, it has been an amazing three years, but now He is calling me to other things.”
Kate swallowed a lump in her throat. How could he say that? How could he not blame the drug runners who stole his profits? She lowered her head. Would she ever be able to say the same things this young man did?
He started strumming again when he started singing; the passion in his words nearly made Kate cry.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
I surrender all
About Kate
Tuesday, June 23 8:00AM
Patrick watched the world grow smaller and smaller below him. The case was over. It didn’t feel satisfying. They hadn’t knocked down a major operation, but they had put a dent in it, and escaped with their lives.
“Hey, don’t look so glum. At least your mug wasn’t passed around,” Brian said, elbowing him from the seat next to him.
Patrick offered him a weak smile in response. He should be grateful for that gift. It seemed their identity hadn’t been spread far. They didn’t have to worry about future cases. Yet, his heart felt heavy. Gus would have to give up his dream; the drug organization was still out there and wouldn’t be crippled for long. Six members of the Charleston Police Department were now in jail, not only wounding their families but also damaging the view people have of the police in their city.
And then there was Kate.
Yesterday, as they had hung out after eating and writing their reports, she had joined them in joking and sharing various parts of the story. She had felt more a part of the team than ever. It hurt him to think that she would be leaving them.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Brian asked.
Patrick glanced at his friend, already leaning back in his chair, eyes half-closed. He knew he needed to talk with Brian. They had been working such different angles of this case that they hadn’t had much time together. “She is a good coworker, I don’t want her to leave.”
“Ummm-hmm.”
Patrick sighed. “She acts as if she’s the only one who has ever struggled. I know s
he hasn’t treated the girls well the last couple of weeks, but…”
Brian chuckled. “She does seem to have a unique ability to worm her way into this team’s affections. I think Thomas even likes having her around.”
“Scary thought. I’m not sure if I should find that comforting.”
“My point is, you’re not the only one that wants her to stay.”
The world around the plane was gray as they went through a cloud bank. Patrick watched as they broke through the clouds. He took a deep breath and, for a moment, reveled in the beauty around him.
“Do you really care about her?”
Patrick jerked back to his friend. “What?”
“If we care for her, we have to be willing to let her go. We’re not God. We might think that the best thing for her is for her to stay here with us, but we need to be willing to let her go. We cannot rescue everyone.”
“Patrick Connor cannot save the world.”
“As Christians, aren’t we supposed to help those who are hurting?” Patrick asked.
“Yes, but we cannot force them to accept even what we know is for their good. Just as Jesus never forces anyone to accept the gift of salvation, even though an eternity with Him is infinitely better than hell.”
With a heavy sigh, Patrick leaned back in his chair. “I know you’re right. I want to do the right thing. It’s hard to let go.”
Brian chuckled. “That’s what makes you a good coworker, Patrick. In our job, following your gut and determination are important. All of our good attributes have a flipside. Oftentimes it is our greatest strengths that also present our greatest weakness.”
“Brian, how come you aren’t that much older than me, but you are so much wiser?”
“It comes with being a dad.”
“Are you saying I have to have a kid before I can be wise?”
“That’s part of it, but you have to marry an amazing girl like Jamie.” Brian leaned over and put his hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “Sorry, my friend. I got the best girl, so you’ll have to find the second best.”
