Into the Wilderness

by Traci DePree

  Into the

  Wilderness

  Mystery

  and the Minister’s Wife

  Through the Fire

  A State of Grace

  Beauty Shop Tales

  A Test of Faith

  The Best Is Yet to Be

  Angels Undercover

  Into the Wilderness

  Where There’s a Will

  Dog Days

  The Missing Ingredient

  Open Arms

  A Token of Truth

  Who’s That Girl?

  For the Least of These

  A Matter of Trust

  Funny Money

  To Have and to Hold

  How the Heart Runs

  A Thousand Generations

  Home to Briar Mountain

  Flight of the Sparrows

  A Firm Foundation

  Off the Record

  A Distant Memory

  Tea and Sympathy

  The Master’s Hand

  Strangers in Their Midst

  Mystery and the Minister’s Wife is a trademark of Guideposts.

  Copyright © 2008 by Guideposts. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. Inquiries should be addressed to the Rights & Permissions Department, Guideposts, 110 William Street, New York, New York 10038.

  The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

  All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

  Guideposts.org

  (800) 932-2145

  Guideposts Books & Inspirational Media Division

  Cover design by Dugan Design Group

  Cover illustration by Rose Lowry, www.illustrations.com

  Interior design by Cris Kossow

  Typeset by Nancy Tardi

  Printed in the United States of America

  For Caitlin

  Chapter One

  With the coming of autumn, nights were getting colder in the mountains surrounding Copper Mill, Tennessee. The trees had turned from vibrant green to shades of honey, amber, crimson, chestnut and rust. Kate Hanlon opened the window above the light table in her small stained-glass studio. The breeze floated gently into the room, a refreshing tang of fallen leaves in its scent. Kate straightened on her stool, stretching to release the tension that had built up from hours of bending over her work. She had been working on a new piece, a pastoral scene of a horse in a pasture. It was a commissioned job for one of the nearby horse farms. She’d promised to have it ready for her client by the following weekend, but at this rate, that wasn’t going to happen. She’d been putting in long hours to complete it, but there were so many intricate cuts and curved edges that it required more time than a simpler design.

  She’d finished a series of smaller projects to sell at Smith Street Gifts the previous week. She’d sold so many windows and candleholders and lampshades at the shop that she’d needed to replenish that inventory as well.

  She wiped her forehead, careful to use the back of her hand in case there were any glass shards on her palm. Glass cuts were a hazard of the job and the reason she stocked a hefty supply of Band-Aids.

  The sound of her husband clearing his throat at the door drew her attention. Paul was still in exercise clothes from his morning run, and his salt-and-pepper hair was rumpled and stood at spiked angles.

  “Sorry to disrupt your train of thought, but I was hoping you had an opinion...,” he said.

  He held up two backpacks, one a vivid orange with soft sides and the other a dark forest green with an aluminum frame.

  Kate glanced at her artwork, then back at Paul. “Can it wait?” she asked, not wanting to interrupt her work.

  His face fell, and she felt a pang of guilt.

  “Okay, okay,” she said before taking a deep breath. “My opinion? Orange is definitely your color.” She offered him a cheesy grin.

  “That wasn’t what I was looking for,” he protested as his face broke into a smile. “I’m serious. Which one do you think I should take?”

  Paul had been planning the first annual Faith Briar men’s Smoky Mountains National Park camping and hiking outing for more than a month. He’d made campsite reservations, bought numerous maps and guides, and scoured Web sites for tips on the best sights to see. He’d prepared itineraries for the three-day event that seven men from Faith Briar Church had signed up to attend, and he had written morning devotionals to share at the start of each day.

  Kate studied his handsome face. His vivid blue eyes met hers as he waited for an answer. Finally she said, “You’re only going on day hikes. It’s not as if you’re hauling your tent and sleeping bag with you everywhere you go. Why did you buy that big pack anyway?”

  Paul lifted up the green backpack so he could admire it. “I thought you’d be proud of me. It was fifty percent off! Besides, I figure if we ever go on a longer trip, say to Glacier, I’ll be all set.”

  “Glacier,” Kate deadpanned. She loved teasing her husband. “I doubt I’ll be backpacking in Montana anytime soon, honey!”

  “I can be pretty persuasive,” he winked at her. “Anyway, I think this trip will be a great male-bonding time with some of the guys from church.”

  “I think you’ve mentioned that a few times.” She laughed.

  “Come on.” He motioned for her to follow. “I want to show you what I have laid out for tomorrow.”

  Kate glanced longingly toward her already-late project, then said, “All right. I’ll humor you. At least I’ll get some work done on this piece while you’re gone. I have a deadline to meet!”

  Paul clapped a hand to his heart. “Is that why you’re so eager for me to go? Because I’m in your way? I’m offended!”

  She slid off her stool and met him at the doorway, lifting on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Come on. Let’s see what you have.” Then she followed him into the master bedroom.

  On the bed, he had laid out all the possible accoutrements of a camping and hiking adventure, including hygienic items, waterproof matches, a large Sam’s Club-sized box of Nature Valley granola bars, his prescription allergy medication and weekly vitamin pillbox, extra Ziploc bags, several bandannas, a first-aid kit, a large Sharpie marker, a thermal first-aid blanket, sunscreen and bug repellant, a canteen, a collapsible cup that was still in its plastic wrap, a pile of assorted hiking clothes and shoes, a sleeping bag that would keep him warm well below freezing, the tent he’d purchased just for the trip, and his Coleman stove. Kate reached for an ivory-handled pocketknife that lay next to a tin plate and cup set.

  “Are you sure you want to take this?” she asked, holding up the knife. “It means so much to you. I’d hate to see anything happen to it.”

  When Paul had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout as a senior in high school, the knife had been a treasured gift from his scoutmaster.

  Paul shrugged. “It doesn’t do me much good sitting in a drawer, does it? Besides, I’ve managed to hang on to it more than forty years now. I’d rather put it to good use. And it reminds me to be ever vigilant and ‘leave no trace.’” He smiled. “Do you think I need to take these?” He held up a packet of iodine tablets.

  “What are they for?”

  “Purifying water.”

  “Honey,” Kate said, “these are day hikes, remember? You’re taking bottled water.”

  Paul shrugged and tossed the packet onto the dresser.

&nb
sp; Kate scanned the items on the bed again. “You look ready to me. But there’s no way you can fit all this gear into that small backpack.”

  “The pack is for while we’re hiking. I have this”—he hoisted one of Kate’s large, soft leather suitcases onto the bed—“for camp.”

  “Well, then, you obviously don’t need me.” Kate shrugged. “You’re the Eagle Scout.”

  “True. Plus,” Paul added, “who knows what dangerous creatures may be lurking in the wilderness—bears, mountain lions...Sam Gorman, Eli Weston.” He let out a hearty laugh, and Kate smiled.

  “Boys will always be boys,” Kate said, then leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Looks like you’ve got everything under control here, camper. But let me know if you need anything else from me.”

  He raised his hand in a salute, and Kate smiled. Just as she turned to head back to her studio, the sound of a car in the driveway pulled her attention to the window.

  “Who in the world?” She drew aside the curtains and spotted a red convertible with the top down. A pretty blonde wearing a Tennessee Bucs ball cap was looking around eagerly from the passenger seat.

  A squeal of delight escaped Kate’s lips. “I can’t believe it!”

  “What is it?” Paul said, but Kate was already on her way to the front door.

  “It’s Rebecca!” she called back. Kate had already swung the door open and was hurrying down the steps toward the car.

  “What are you doing here?” she called to her youngest daughter.

  Rebecca Hanlon’s gaze met her mother’s, and she broke into a huge grin. “Surprise!” she shouted, then jumped out of the car and flew to Kate for a hug. Paul was behind them, standing in the open doorway.

  “You came all the way from New York without telling us?” he said, heading toward the vehicle.

  “It’s a surprise, Daddy!” She lifted on tiptoes to hug her father and kiss his cheek.

  “Consider us surprised!” he exclaimed with a smile.

  Kate had been so overcome with joy that she hadn’t noticed the trim, good-looking man in the car with Rebecca. He opened the door and climbed out, a shy smile crossing his face.

  “I hope you’ll forgive us for not calling,” he said.

  “Oh, Mom, Daddy.” Rebecca turned and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “This is Marcus Kingsley. He’s an actor like me.”

  Kate noted the blush in her daughter’s cheeks when she gazed at Marcus.

  Kate smiled and held out a hand to him. “I’m happy to meet you.”

  Rebecca hadn’t mentioned the young actor to her, and Kate wondered why. They talked on the phone weekly.

  Marcus dipped his head in greeting and shook Kate’s hand. “Becky has told me so much about you.”

  Kate had never heard anyone call her daughter by that name. It had always been Rebecca, even in grade school. She glanced at her daughter, who was grinning at Marcus with adoring eyes, and knew at that moment that he was no casual acquaintance. Rebecca obviously had feelings for him. Kate turned to Paul, who was also studying the young man. He held out a hand.

  “I’m Rebecca’s father. What was your name?”

  “Marcus Kingsley.”

  His voice was rich and full, definitely an actor’s voice, and his smile reached his hazel eyes. Kate imagined he was also a singer, given the melodious cadence of his speaking voice.

  “Becky and I are...good friends,” he said, then winked at Rebecca. She reached for his hand.

  “Actually, we’re dating,” she said.

  “Really?” Paul asked. He ran his fingers through his hair, then placed his hand on his hip.

  “I wanted to tell you in person,” Rebecca said. “Coming spur of the moment like this was Marcus’ idea. He really wanted to meet you, so we took off work and here we are!” She gave them a sheepish grin.

  “How long have you two been dating?” Paul asked.

  Kate knew his tone; he’d used it often enough when the girls had brought home new boyfriends in the past. It was the interrogation tone, slightly intimidating with overtones of “I’ll decide whether I approve of you when the questioning is finished.”

  “Oh,” Rebecca said, a big grin still pasted on her face as if she hadn’t noticed her father’s tone. “We’ve been going out a couple of months. Marcus helped me get the waitressing job at the Empire State Café. He’s a cook there.”

  Paul cleared his throat and looked at Marcus. “So you’re an actor?”

  “Yes, sir,” Marcus said.

  Paul’s gaze moved to Rebecca, and his face relaxed slightly. “So...how long are you planning to stay? The week?”

  His gaze traveled to Kate, and she knew immediately that he’d remembered his camping plans. They hadn’t seen Rebecca in ages; for him to leave the next day would be impossible.

  “Well, a long weekend, really. We have to be back to work by Thursday morning,” Rebecca said. “So we’ll head for home early Wednesday.” She squeezed Marcus’ hand and gazed at him lovingly.

  Kate had to admit that she’d rarely seen a man as good looking. With that five o’clock shadow, dark hair, and perfectly straight teeth, he reminded her of Hugh Jackman, an actor she’d seen in a Broadway show the last time she and Paul had visited New York City. Marcus’ dark looks were a striking complement to Rebecca’s fair-skinned beauty, her long blonde hair, and her father’s vivid blue eyes. She was as pretty as any high-fashion model, and as tall.

  “When did you leave New York?” Paul asked.

  “Last night,” Rebecca said.

  “You drove all night? You must be tired,” Kate said, leading the way into the house. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee. Do you drink coffee, Marcus?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Marcus said, that irresistible smile in place.

  “Our showing up unannounced isn’t a problem, is it?” Rebecca asked as she turned to look at her father. No doubt she had seen his strained expression.

  They moved into the tiny kitchen and gathered around the L-shaped counter. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling in true Food Network fashion, despite the seventies-era feel of the rest of the room. Across from the counter was an old oak dining-room table that had been the centerpiece of many family meals over the years.

  Kate and Paul exchanged an awkward glance as Rebecca and Marcus sat down at the table, then Kate squeezed past Paul to the coffeemaker.

  “Uh oh,” Rebecca said. “Did you have plans for the next few days?” She looked at her father who was taking a chair next to her at the table. When he didn’t say anything, she shifted her gaze to Kate.

  “Well,” Kate began as she filled the coffeemaker with cold water, then pulled down a can of Folgers from the cupboard and lifted the lid. The scent of ground, roasted coffee wafted into the air. “Your father was scheduled to lead a men’s group from church to the Smokies for a few days of hiking. He’s been planning it forever—”

  “It’s okay,” Paul interrupted. “How often do I get to see my favorite girl?”

  “Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry!” Rebecca said. “I should have called first. It was just that when Marcus suggested coming to meet you, I got so excited about surprising you that I didn’t think about your plans.”

  “I feel awful,” Marcus added, shaking his head.

  Paul patted Rebecca’s hand. “Really, it’s okay. Sam Gorman can take the group. I’ll just give him my notes—”

  “That’s my daddy, making notes for a simple weekend camping trip!” Rebecca laughed and turned to Marcus, whose gaze had shifted toward the window.

  Kate thought he seemed preoccupied with something, and wondered what it could be. She poured the coffee into the machine, closed the lid, and hit the Start button.

  “My dad was such a Boy Scout when I was growing up,” Rebecca went on as Marcus returned his gaze to her. “He used to type up these long notes before every vacation so we’d know the historical background of wherever we were going. Like when we went to Gettysburg; he gave us a fifteen-page report on the place and t
hen quizzed us before we could leave the driveway!”

  Marcus laughed good-naturedly, then glanced out the window again. Kate followed his gaze and decided that he must be enjoying the fall view.

  “It was educational,” Paul protested, chuckling.

  “No kidding!” Rebecca said, nudging her father.

  “So,” Kate said, turning to Marcus, “how did you two meet?”

  Marcus reached for Rebecca’s hand, the dimples in his cheeks like parentheses. “Becky and I were both auditioning for parts in a small off-Broadway show. She, of course, was spectacular! Well...long story short, neither of us got the parts, but we got to talking—”

  “Marcus has the most amazing singing voice!” Rebecca interrupted. “Sing something for them, honey.”

  Marcus blushed.

  Kate tried to suppress a flinch when her daughter called him “honey.” She’d never heard Rebecca use pet names with any of her previous boyfriends, and Marcus was practically a total stranger. Then she had to remind herself that he wasn’t a stranger to Rebecca.

  “You’re embarrassing him, Rebecca!” Kate admonished.

  “He’s an actor, Mom. He likes the attention.”

  Marcus gave Rebecca a slight shake of his head. “Another time, hon.”

  “Okay, fine. Another time,” Rebecca said with a pout.

  “Rebecca’s the one who likes attention,” Paul said to Marcus. “Have you noticed that already? Give her the slightest bit of interest, and she’s on it like a hound on a fox—”

  “Anyway,” Rebecca cut in, ignoring her father’s jab, “we went out for coffee afterward, and Marcus told me about the job opening at the Empire State Café.”

  Rebecca had phoned Kate in July with the news that she’d gotten the full-time waitressing job, but she hadn’t mentioned a new love interest. Kate glanced at the young couple. Rebecca sat a little too close to her man, holding his hand and sending those tender glances Kate had seen when her two older children had been dating their future spouses.