The Soul Redeemer: From Victim to Victory

by Bowser, Nancy

  She stepped outside the Saloon and took a deep breath of fresh, sweet air. The hills surrounding the town were not that different than the foothills near Samaria, but as she looked past them toward the mountains, she noticed the snow covered peaks that reached into the deep blue sky that was spotted with banks of large, dark storm clouds, and saw how different they were from her own mountains. There was no snow on her mountains. And the sky. It was big sky. That was how she had heard Wyoming described, and that is how it felt to her as she looked at it.

  She turned her attention to the picturesque little town that was now bustling with activity. Several people passed her on the boardwalk but something held her back from asking them what would be a stupid question from their perspective. She walked a few yards and looked across the street at a sign that read, "BIG SKY Bait and Tackle Shop." She spied a T-shirt hanging in another storefront window that had a large fish and the words "Jackson Hole, Wyoming" printed across the front of it.

  She stood looking at the sign and the T-shirt for several minutes while her brain once again struggled to understand what had happened. She recalled hearing people on "It's Supernatural" with Sid Roth talk about the Lord transporting them from one place to another; like Philip had been in Acts 8.

  "Is that what You did to Maria and me Jesus?" she questioned. "Because I can't come up with any other logical explanation for this. But if you did, why?"

  There was no answer and she turned and went back inside the Saloon.

  "What's the date, Detective?" Nicole asked as she sat back down at the table.

  "August 15th," he said as he checked the date on his watch.

  "Well, yesterday, August 14th, I was at home in Samaria running the Inn. I know it was the 14th because I wrote the date down several times. I drove into the mountains to take Eddie to his brother's house. I was supposed to meet Jake for dinner and a meeting, but instead I walked all night through the mountains and now I am in Wyoming. What do I do with that?"

  Nicole wasn't speaking to any one in particular; nor was she expecting an answer. She was past the denial stage and was coming to a recognition of her situation, if not quite acceptance of it.

  "You come with me to my ranch where we can all get some sleep so that we can deal with this more clearly later," the detective answered. "There may even be some things you can do to help our agency bring these guys down."

  Sleep sounded good. But she wasn't sure she liked the idea of going to a man's house that she didn't know. On the other hand, what choice did she have?

  "I'd like to speak to Maria alone for a moment," Nicole said.

  He closed up the box that held her things, and then he and his men got up and walked over to the bar together with the box.

  "Hey buddy," the bartender joked as he wiped down the counter, "Pickin' up on a couple a ladies, huh? I'd say it was time for you to make a move."

  The detective mumbled something unintelligible.

  The other man laughed, and said, "Whatever you say buddy. It's just that I was beginnin' to wonder if you even liked the human race. Now what can I get for you?"

  Another mumbled answer and another laugh followed by, "Comin' right up."

  Nicole turned her attention back to their situation. "What do you think Maria? Should we trust him? Our options are limited… We could take our chances, leave, and keep on running, face whatever danger we come against in trying to get home, or we could trust the detective to help us."

  Maria said, "I think Miss Nicki decide what to do." She took hold of Nicole's hand and said, "Whatever you do, Maria will go with you."

  "But do you think we should go to his ranch with him?"

  Maria's answer was to look inside her money pouch. She turned it upside down and two quarters fell out. "I paid the bill when you were outside. We can't sleep in Motel. We could sleep in park." She made a funny face as she said this.

  Nicole laughed in spite of her anxiety and dilemma. As crazy as all this sounded, she knew deep down in her spirit that what the detective said was true. She looked up and nodded at Detective Miller.

  He came back to the table and set the box down while he remained standing. He looked Nicole directly in the eyes. "Please trust me lady. I know that you don't know me, but the way I see it, however you got here, you were delivered to my doorstep so that I can help you. You have to believe that I am doing what has to be done in order to get you back home."

  Nicole didn't sense anything bad coming from him. In fact what he said about her being delivered to this spot for a purpose rang true in her spirit. She looked over at his two body guards who were still at the bar but who were looking at her as well and their eyes seemed to be speaking security, not fear to her.

  She asked, "Detective, if Maria and I want to walk out of here and never see you again, would you let us? Do we have a choice?"

  "You always have a choice. Even when you are being forced to do something, there are choices you can make." He must have seen the annoyance in her eyes at his avoidance of her question because he then added, "Yes, you have a choice. If you decide you want to do this on your own, I'll let you. It would be a mistake, but it's your call."

  Nicole looked at Maria for direction, but saw that there was no help there.

  With a deep sigh, the detective answered, "Look lady, I'm not kidnapping you. I'm trying to help you. So if you reject my help, refuse to listen to reason and want to stay here, then you are free to go; although I don't know where you can go where you'll be safe. They'll have an army out looking for you very soon."

  Nicole was too tired to think clearly and finally decided that she needed to listen to her spirit. She closed her eyes and entered into the tabernacle. "Jesus," she whispered. "I need help. I don't know what to do!"

  Jesus was clearly standing beside her, and without saying anything, He placed His hand on her shoulder and poured His peace into her heart.

  Nicole opened her eyes and said, "Ok Detective. We'll go with you."

  He smiled and thanked her for trusting him, then stood up and said, "My truck is right out front."

  Nicole suddenly thought of Jo. "Wait. Do you know where my dog is Detective? I was hoping that somehow he had gotten home, but Jake inferred that he wasn't." A hopeful thought pushed its way through all her weariness and fear. "You have my things, so do you have Jo too?"

  She jumped up, hope dawning in her soul. "Is he in your truck?"

  "Lady, your dog would have been able to tell that the pretender was not you and they would not have been willing to risk that. I'm sorry."

  Hope dashed, anger began to surface. "You mean they killed my dog? NO!"

  New waves of emotions began to flood her heart and threatened to overwhelm her. She fell back into the chair and buried her head in her arms as grief, pain, fear, and anger pulsed through her body and soul. Her poor, sweet, huge hearted Jo who didn't have a violent bone in his body. She couldn't bear to think of him suffering. Yet, she was powerless and helpless to do anything about this mess!

  She was used to fighting. She was a warrior, and yet here she was feeling totally disarmed and naked. She had worked so hard for so long, training herself not to respond to trauma or pain with the defense mechanisms she had used in the past, but the news of the loss of her constant companion seemed like too much, and she felt herself again searching for and then falling into the numbness and familiarity of dissociation.

  "Nicki, don't go away from me." The voice began as a whisper in her mind, a distant echo from the past. Jake had spoken those words to her after their first baby died at birth and she was being pulled into the counterfeit way of escape. She didn't know who was speaking them to her now, but the affect was the same. She remembered that she had chosen the path of truth, not of hiding.

  In that moment, Nicole's spirit cried out, "Jesus, come help me!"

  And He heard her. A calm peace began to replace the chaos in her soul, and even though there was pain, its grip was loosened and was no longer controlling her.

  S
he heard voices singing, "Sweet Jesus peace, water so free, flowing from Him to you and to me," ministering to her as they had once before. She didn't need to open her eyes to see who was singing. She knew they were angels and that no one else heard them. She knew they were giving her the message that Jesus, her Prince of Peace, had not abandoned her and that He would walk with her through this new part of her journey, no matter where it led.

  Nicole lifted her head, and even though she was physically tired, there was a new strength in her spirit. Hope. Hope that was rooted in faith.

  Just yesterday morning she had read in Mark 4 how Jesus had challenged the disciple's faith when they were in the storm on the sea. He wasn't asking them about their faith to calm the storm, but their faith in reaching the other side. It wasn't about the storm at all! It was about keeping their eyes on the plans God had for them when they reached the other side.

  This faith that had taken root in her was not faith in circumstances around her; but rather faith in the knowledge that the One who had plans for her would see her through this storm and safely deliver her to…wherever that would be.

  She opened her eyes, looked at Detective Miller, and with a sense of purpose and determination to battle through this nightmare, she said, "I'm ready. We'll go with you now."

  He nodded then held the door of the bar open as the five of them walked out into the uncertain, unfamiliar future.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Daemon was pacing the floor. He knew he should have used one of his own men to kidnap Nicole instead of that useless hired man. What had ever possessed him to do that in the first place?

  Eddie was late checking in, and when he had finally tried to call that incompetent fool, he had only gotten voice mail. He'd wait to see if his "package" got delivered at the expected time this morning, and if not, he'd send his own men to do the job the way he should have in the beginning.

  His phone rang. He looked at the number hopefully, then in disappointment he rudely answered, "Dorothy." He was in no mood for pleasantries.

  "We've lost her signal. Has Eddie checked in yet?" she asked.

  "What do you mean we've lost her signal?" Daemon shouted.

  "You dare shout at me Daemon?" Dorothy's words asked a question, but her tone commanded an apology.

  Daemon backed down. "I'm sorry, love. I have not heard from Eddie. He failed to check in, and now you are telling me that we lost signal? What happened?"

  "We tracked her as far as the ranch, then suddenly lost signal at approximately 7:00 pm, Pacific Time, last night." Dorothy explained. "There's been nothing since then."

  "That's it," Daemon scowled. "I'm sending our guys in."

  CHAPTER 14

  THE RANCH

  Nicole was too tired to pay much attention to where they were going. She must have dozed off for it seemed like only a moment later Maria was nudging her. "Wake up Miss Nicki. We are here."

  They had stopped at a gate and the detective got out of the truck and opened it. Nicole looked around, and was surprised at the beauty of the ranch. Set against the mountains, the ranch was dotted with pine trees. She could see an old corral ahead that looked as if it needed repair.

  The detective got back in the truck and said, "We have about a quarter mile to go. It's a bit bumpy." They continued on a rutted, dirt driveway, and as they rounded a clump of trees, Nicole saw an old two story farmhouse. Off to right of the house she could see an old barn nestled against a hill, and to the left was a fairly large garden and what appeared to be a chicken coup. Even close to the mountains the sky seemed so big that it made everything else feel small. Big sky and beautiful country.

  "Nicole," came the whisper in her spirit. "Remember that I make all things beautiful, even ashes. Don't allow the circumstances to rob you of the joy and peace that I have set before you. Enjoy the beauty."

  "I'll try God," she replied inside her mind.

  As they got out of the car and Nicole stepped onto the ground, she felt safe and offered up a thank-you prayer to God.

  The detective led Maria and Nicole to an upstairs bedroom with two single beds made up in it. They thanked him and without even thinking of cleaning up, they climbed into the beds.

  Nicole's last thoughts before sleep claimed her were of Jake and that other woman in her house. The dark angels were at work in her home, and she knew that whoever was trying to fill her shoes would be trying to spread her seed of destruction to her family, especially Jake.

  "Lord I am in my arsenal right now. Help me know which key of the Kingdom and weapon of warfare that I need to use to help fight for my husband."

  And she knew. Spiritual discernment! "Please God, send Your angels of truth and light to shine on the darkness in my home. Send angels to protect Jake physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Please send warrior angels to fight the demons. And last Lord Jesus, give Jake all the discernment he needs. Holy Spirit, please enlighten Him."

  She had no way of knowing that Jair was doing his job very well, and that her prayers were empowering him to reach Jake at an even deeper level, to prepare him to receive the truth that would rock his world.

  Nicole's body woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee, and her mind woke to reality a minute later as she realized where she was. So this wasn't just a dream.

  Maria was not in her bed, and Nicole assumed she was responsible for the good smells. She went down the stairs and into the kitchen. Maria was standing at the stove and the detective was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table.

  "So you're old school, Detective. I'm surprised. I thought I was the only dinosaur around here." She looked around. The kitchen was adequate, but was definitely lacking a woman's touch.

  He briefly glanced at Nicole with an expression of tolerance, made a sort of grunting noise and motioned for her to sit.

  Maria brought her a cup of hot coffee. "Good morning Miss Nicki. You sleep long and good. Now you eat and get strong."

  "Oh Maria, you and your worries about strength!" Nicole laughed. "Thank you. As a matter of fact, I hadn't thought of it till now, but I'm sure your sandwich did give me the strength I needed to be able to make it to the saloon this morning."

  Now the detective answered. "Not this morning. Yesterday morning. Like Maria said, you slept for almost eighteen hours."

  No. That couldn't be! Nicole did not have time to sleep life away, she had to get home! She had to figure out how! There was another woman in her house, her kitchen, her bed! She could feel the air in her lungs being squeezed out, trying to escape, yet her throat was being constricted as Panic once again tried to gain control. She felt like she was going to explode. A fleeting thought crossed her mind….Maybe this is what anxiety attacks felt like.

  "No Nicole, this is not the way," a whisper from somewhere deep inside called out to her. "Relax. You can cling to, trust in and rely on Me."

  "Yes, that's right," she thought. "I have chosen a better way and I serve a faithful God. Jesus help me!" She began to feel the choking sensation subside and could hear Maria asking again for her response about being ready for bacon and eggs. The detective was looking at her strangely, yet not without compassion.

  Nicole smiled weakly and told Maria that she would love some of her bacon and eggs. Then with renewed purpose, she looked intently at the detective and asked, "Now Detective Miller. What's the plan? Yesterday you said that there were things I could do to help this counter operation so that I can go home."

  He looked up from his paper and put the last of his toast into his mouth. Nicole watched as he seemed to swallow without chewing, and then he said, "There are things that you can help with. But you have to understand that this is going to take time. You need patience. So why don't you start by going up and taking a shower? Then we'll talk."

  Nicole smiled. "Are you saying that I stink?" She looked down at her crumpled dirty clothes and caught a whiff of something unpleasant. She said, "Don't answer that."

  After finishing her breakfast in s
ilence, she said, "Thank you for the breakfast Maria. You're a great cook!"

  "Thank you Miss Nicki. There are clean clothes on the chair in the bedroom that I think fit you."

  "Oh great! I hadn't thought about that yet."

  The water felt so good that she momentarily forgot that she was in a hurry to talk to the detective. She found that the clothes fit very well, and her impatience returned. For once she was glad that she didn't need to take the time to put makeup on. She didn't have any to put on!

  She went back downstairs, but the house was silent. She looked out the kitchen window and saw Maria in the garden pulling weeds. "Do you smile all the time?" Nicole asked as she joined the other lady.

  Maria just looked up at her still smiling. "Hey, who are you, pretty, clean lady?" she teased.

  Now Nicole smiled. "I'm looking for the detective. Do you know where he is?"

  "I see him go to barn I think," Maria said as she pointed toward the old structure that looked as if it was in desperate need of repair. Obviously he didn't have animals that used either the corral or the barn.

  The barn door stood ajar, just enough for her to enter without pushing it open any further. Nicole stood quietly inside allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Sunlight streamed in from the cracks in the wood and lit up the dirt floor with bright slat designs.

  She didn't see the detective and was about ready to go back out when she heard what she thought was a voice. It was very faint and she wasn't sure if she had imagined it or not. Then it came again, and this time, her attention was drawn to the back of the barn behind one of the horse stalls. There was a shaft of light emanating from a door at the back of the pen. She wasn't intending to spy, but as she got closer, she heard the detective's voice and no other. He must be talking on the phone. She was close enough now to understand what he was saying…

  "Yes sir, she's awake now. Yes, the other woman is still here…..No, I haven't said anything that would compromise the operation. I agree that she could be a plant, and am working on that…..Well, I don't think Nicole will be happy with that arrangement…."