But she didn’t. Nor did the man with the green toothpick sticking out the side of his mouth next to her. He scribbled in his notebook faster than she could think.
###
When the rally finally ended, Kate followed the crowd outside where the cooler air fanned her fiery cheeks. She peered upward. The moon showed behind the steeple. She preferred to be safely locked in her new home before darkness descended, but she wasn’t quite ready to leave. She glanced at her notebook. Pictured a heading: Determined Folk Take Back the Bend. Maybe her editor would run her story on the first page.
She studied the women who gathered in a tight group in the parking lot. Then the men who had done the same, but on the opposite side. Why the seriousness? Again, she thought of Canton and how her home town had fought against the growing cultists among them. But those followers had been crazy—filled with anger toward the Christian faith.
The Bend and its people loved God. Didn't they?
She scanned the parking lot for the stranger who had sat beside her. There, standing by a two-toned van. Deep in conversation with a man. As the crowd thinned, she made a quick decision. Get her story.
Brother Earl stood in the dimly lit sanctuary gathering a sheaf of papers by the platform, his huge ring catching on a folder. He huffed, then pulled up straight when she tapped him on the arm.
Dark hooded eyes glared down at her.
“I don’t think I’ve met you before. Are you new to the Bend?” His words came out softly, sounding not at all like the man who had riled the crowd with such fierceness earlier.
“I work for the newspaper. This is my first rally, actually. I was hoping I might conduct a short interview with you, take your picture and write up a story about your plans for the B-e-nd.” She stuttered on the name of the town. What was wrong with her? She licked her dry lips. Normally, she wasn’t nervous doing her job, but something about him put her off her game.
He grew larger by the minute, soon towering over her. His chest expanded. She couldn’t help but think of a grizzly bear and found herself shrinking backward. “The Bend is falling into evil hands, Miss. It’s the town’s job to see it doesn’t happen. We’ve failed. We’ve failed miserably. My hope is to turn the corner on the corrupt, sinful, and wrongdoings that have put our community at risk. We must be the salt of the earth. Be different than the world. Put that in your paper. Maybe the pack of wolves devouring our community will realize we mean business.” With a curt nod, he brushed past her and tromped down the aisle to where a group of older men gathered. A few slaps on the back peppered with a few more amens and they moved outside.
Kate followed trying to overhear their conversation. When it appeared she’d get nothing more, she trekked to her car, favoring her bad leg. At least she had something. Maybe with further digging tomorrow, she could whip up a printable story.
“Ma’am.” The same sweet boy who had greeted her on her arrival ran up to her car door. He held out a delicate daisy, probably plucked from one of the many fields surrounding the church. Kate took the wilted flower.
“Thank you. What’s your name?”
“I’m Brother Earl’s son. He asked me to invite you to our home next week for dinner.” From his other palm, he produced a blue business card. “Call him tomorrow.” After he planted the card firmly in her hand, he scuttled toward a large van where several women and children waited.
She raised the embossed card to her face and read it in the waning light.
FOREMAN’S FUNERAL HOME. Visitors always welcome.
CHAPTER 4
Seth Abrams peeled his Jeep onto the highway, roaring away from the church. If only he’d had a chance to speak with Earl again. But that redhead beat him to it. It wasn’t his style to butt in but maybe he needed to change his style. It was his story, after all. One he’d been working on ever since arriving in the Bend last year.
He tore down the steep hill, navigating his vehicle through the darkened streets. As he passed through the center of town, he stared at the local movie theater. Poor Mr. Jeffers. After tonight’s rally, he might be the only one watching his movies.
His foot hit the brake. A basset hound glared at him from inside his headlights then continued his path across the road. Stupid dog.
Stupid owner.
Seth groped the seat next to him for his opened bag of Tootsie Pops. He unwrapped one and shoved it into his mouth. Not as soothing as a cigarette but it helped. He reminded himself to stop at the grocery store tomorrow for another bag. Between pops and flavored toothpicks, he’d managed to kick his pack-a-day habit.
He tapped the steering wheel as he rounded the final curve to his rental house.
The one-story log cabin wasn’t much but he could afford it. The silhouette of pine trees greeted him as he pulled into the short driveway. He glared at the unlit porch
Thankfully, he left a light on over the sink in his laundry room. His crazy tabby cat, Daisy, greeted him with a scolding meow when he came through the back door.
“Hold your mouth. I’m getting your dinner.” He reached into the cupboard over the washer and dumped a handful of cat food into Daisy’s blue dish. Patted her head. Then he moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator for a soda.
Seth next flipped on the desk lamp and fired up his computer in the spare bedroom. Not really an office, but it would do for now.
He should have taken pictures tonight. Earlier in the day, his editor told him he’d finally hired a photographer. Maybe once the guy started, Seth could bring him to events like the one tonight. A few candid pictures of the crowd getting all riled up. Maybe a few of the women with the up-do hairstyles piling out of the vans while their kids clung to their prairie dresses.
He gulped his soda, burped, and shoved it aside.
When he finished this story, he’d win the Pulitzer. At the very least, a page in the New York Times or a guest appearance on the Good Morning Show.
He’d waited his entire life for this opportunity. Made working hard all through school worth it.
Seth flexed his fingers. Hit the keys.
A little more digging. A little more nose-poking. He would expose the evil that was growing in this town.
He had to.
The story of the year—his story of the year—was unfolding right here in little old Bend.
CHAPTER 5
The alarm clock jarred Kate awake. Another bad dream. This one found her racing down the street with her clothing on fire. Would they never end? The same one all the time. The man with the black hood over his head. Chasing her. Each time she escaped by jumping off the bridge into a swirling icy river. She’d kick, fighting to rise to the surface, her chest constricting from no oxygen. Gasping, she’d finally awaken drenched in sweat.
And the press wanted her to remember that time? Right.
After a quick shower, a breakfast of cold cereal and buttered toast, Kate drove over the bridge and down a few narrow streets until she found her new place of employment. Starting another job stunk. She’d lost count of how many times she’d done this before. Too many. Hopefully her new boss and coworkers would go easy on her like they did in Michigan.
She slowed, eying the dilapidated building. A dump from the 1800s. A faded sign. A scuffed white entry door. A folding chair and dead flowers in a plastic pot.
Who was she to judge? After parking out back, she hiked around to the front door, her briefcase stuffed under one arm. She’d stayed up too late last night jotting down her thoughts from the meeting. She’d added the photo of the church she snapped before leaving but knew the story needed more detail. She would set that dinner date with Brother Earl. An interview with the man who fueled the town’s pulse. Perfect.
A bell tinkled from overhead when she entered. “May I help you?” A woman with streaked blonde hair sat behind a desk painting her nails a bright red.
“I’m Kate Song. I start work here today.” She held out her hand then withdrew it. No need to ruin the girl’s manicure or her own hands.<
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The receptionist greeted her with a wave and gestured to a nearby chair. “Have a seat, Kate, I’ll get Tim for you. He’s eager to meet you in person.”
Kate did as instructed, drawing a deep breath to steady herself. Hopefully, Tim would like what he saw and skip past the particulars of her previous employment.
The bell tinkled a second time.
Kate looked up. The man with the cooties from the rally. She gulped and tried to look away, but his strong gaze held hers.
“We meet again. Too bad there isn’t another chair. I’d sit by you, cooties and all.” His tone was warm but his smile didn’t quite reach his sparkling eyes. He tipped his head and strode through a doorway.
The receptionist soon returned with a familiar-looking older gentleman in tow. Standing, Kate waited for introductions to her new boss.
“I see you made it to the Bend. Come on in. I’ll show you your desk. Oh, I’m Tim.” Tim stood at least six foot, a good half foot taller than Kate. Broad shoulders. Wavy hair. Glasses. All in all, a friendly face. The kind one instantly trusts. Just like on Skype.
Kate held out her hand. “It’s great to be here. Thank you.”
“You’ve met Rhonda?” After a firm grip he gestured toward the woman who first greeted her. Kate smiled at Rhonda again before following him into a large room cluttered with metal desks and outdated computers. A smaller space looped off to the right. Tim’s office, she assumed, as he tapped a desk for her near an opened window.
When she’d settled into her seat, he pulled up a nearby chair. He gave a few instructions, and told her she would be given assignments as they came. When she wasn’t busy with those, she was to drive around town to scout out news, take calls as they came and assist Seth.
“Seth?” She scanned the room in search of her fellow reporter.
Tim looked over his shoulder, let out a high-pitched whistle. She heard the flush of a toilet, running water, and then a door opened in the far corner. Mr. Cooties stepped out. He wiped his hands on a paper towel, tossed it in a nearby paper can.
He wound his way toward them.
Kate squelched a groan as understanding filled Seth’s eyes. She stood and put her hand out. “It’s nice to officially meet you. I’m Kate Song.”
Seth shot Tim a wary look before he shook. “All clean.”
A smile found her mouth. Thank goodness. A sense of humor.
“Have you two met already?” Tim looked from her face to Seth’s.
“Briefly,” she said. “We were at the same meeting last night.” She remembered her notes. “Oh, and I have the beginnings of a story for you if you’re interested. I need to gather a little more information but I think you might like it. Saving the Bend.”
Seth’s face reddened. Was he embarrassed that he hadn’t offered a story too?
Tim clapped his hand on her shoulder. “Good work. I like a reporter who jumps right in. Give me the details on paper and we’ll see where you go with it. Seth can help with the writing. I know you’re better at taking pictures.” He slapped his palm to his forehead and shut his eyes briefly. “Let me think. I’ve got a list of upcoming functions for you to cover. Where did I leave that list?” He wandered away from them, mumbling about too much to do and why couldn’t Rhonda file better.
Seth tossed her a half-smile. “Welcome to the club. Coffee?” He pointed to a setup on a counter.
“Thanks. I’d like that.”
She followed and poured herself a cup. Black. Like she remembered her parents drinking. Seth poured himself one as well then led them back to their desks. His butted up next to hers. Handy, but she’d have preferred her own cubicle like at her last job.
“So it’s your first day on the job. Where are you from?” He took a long sip and rocked back in his chair, the ancient coils groaning from his weight.
Kate shuffled the pens and pads on her desk and placed her coffee next to the computer. Stalling for time. Her best defense. Whenever anyone asked her where she came from, her throat froze. She’d yet to come up with a great answer.
She gave the usual. “All over. I saw this job online. The area sounded pretty.”
“Pretty.” He smiled showing his nice even teeth. Kate’s tongue ran over a chipped tooth she still hadn’t found the funds to fix.
“Very pretty. Mountains, lakes, rivers. What more could a girl want?”
“Pretty,” he said again as he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward—uncomfortably close. “Do you know where you are? This is the Bend. I’m sure you didn’t read about the Bend in your studies of Pennsylvania.” He inched closer, lowering his voice.
A strong sugary odor danced between them. Chocolate.
“This is the place time has forgotten. The place maybe even God forgot. You saw those people last night. Long skirts, hair pulled up in buns.” He nodded toward her attire. “You might want to trade those slacks for an ankle-length dress. You’ll fit in better. Forget about going to the movies or walking around town with a cell phone, too. Didn’t you hear the old man last night? Change is in the wind and anyone who gets in the way is begging for trouble.”
She drew back. A menacing tone or giving her the facts? Probably more like a sore ego because she’d scooped a story. She’d run into a lot of reporters like him in her years working at newspapers. Ego-filled. Looking for the story that propelled their career. Didn’t matter who got in their way.
So she’d met another.
Kate steeled her voice.
“What I saw was a group of people eager to keep the town simple and clean. They care about where they live. The morals. Family. God. Country. All-American. Trust me, that doesn’t happen too often. People don’t care who their neighbors are anymore or what’s happening to their community. Not from what I’ve seen.” She was not about to admit that strange feeling Earl’s speech gave her.
He frowned—long and hard. “Give yourself time, Red. You might sing a different tune.”
His use of her childhood nickname irritated her. She gripped her mug—imagined his throat. “How long have you been here?” Seth definitely didn’t fit her picture of a Bend resident. He was probably from New York City where people smacked into you on the street without apology. He wouldn’t be able to appreciate a small-town atmosphere.
“Long enough to know something about this town.” He turned toward his computer, cutting off their conversation—thrusting up a brick wall more like. Kate wanted to ask him another question but decided against it. Maybe after she went to dinner with Brother Earl.
The day spun by with Rhonda giving her forms to fill out and Tim instructing her to follow his schedule. She devoured a quick tuna sandwich at her desk at noon, and grabbed her gear at one to catch the meeting at the library.
She found the place easily enough. A plain brick building tucked behind the laundromat. The musty odor of mildew greeted her as she stepped over the threshold. Already, a group of young mothers and children had gathered toward the front of the main room. The kids who read the most books during the past school year were receiving an award.
Kate introduced herself to the woman in charge.
“They call me Miss Lillian.” The woman with the twist of hair on the back of her head informed her. A pair of pink readers hung from a chain around her slender neck. Her dark skirt folded like a blanket when she leaned against the counter. Kate couldn’t help but notice the quick glance Miss Lillian gave her pants.
“After the presentations, may I speak with you to get the proper spelling of names and other information?”
Miss Lillian nodded. “Of course. We are grateful to have children’s accomplishments published in our local newspaper. The Bend needs to applaud these fine young residents. They are our future, you know. We are nothing without our children. Nothing. It’s every woman’s job here to see to that. Every precaution must be taken with them.”
Kate nodded, anxious to get away from over-the-top Miss Lillian. “I’ll sit over there and take pictures as they come forward.”
She limped toward a bright display of first readers and dropped onto a wooden bench.
The children appeared to be in the age range of six to ten. Five girls and three boys. The best of the best readers. Kate set up her camera.
“My mother said she’ll cook your favorite meal when you visit us.” Kate looked up. The boy from the night before. Today he dressed in dark black pants with a button-down shirt. No tie. His brown eyes sparked like he knew something she didn’t.
“That’s so kind. I haven’t set up the dinner yet but I promise you I’ll call later today.”
He matched her smile. “My mother says she can’t wait to meet you.” He nodded toward a petite woman on the left bank of folding chairs. The woman appeared to be in her early twenties. Brother Earl’s wife? So young?
“Your mother is the woman in the navy blue skirt?” She couldn’t be. She must have been a child when she married.
The boy nodded. A solemn look overtook his previous smile. “My other mother couldn’t come today. She’s feeling poorly.”
Kate caught the camera that almost slipped from her fingers. “Your other mother? Do you mean you have two mothers?” Surely he was confused. Although Kate once thought of her grandmother like a second mother. Maybe that was the case here, too.
“Don’t you?” He gave her another sweet smile and skipped over to the assembly. Miss Lillian had already started directing everyone with a firm voice.
Concentration came hard as the awards were presented. Kate’s thoughts kept colliding on the woman in the third row from the front. The woman who kept her head lowered the entire time, never once raising it until her son received his certificate. Then a ghost of a smile appeared and she applauded softly.
When the gathering ended, the boy’s mother hustled her son through the doors without stopping to speak to Kate or acknowledge her presence. Kate watched them climb into an older model vehicle parked along the curb. A man with longish hair sat in the driver’s seat. He frowned in Kate’s direction.
The Bend Page 2
