by Glen Ebisch
“How long have you been running this program?”
“Three years. We were up near Atlantic City for a while, and I moved down here six months ago.”
“Why did you relocate?”
Jonathan shrugged. “Atlantic City has a more bustling commercial atmosphere than I wanted. Shore Side is quieter and more family-oriented. This house is supposed to be a retreat from the world.”
“Do most of your young people have jobs outside of the church community?”
He laughed. “Of course, we only provide a safe place to live, but they still must support themselves, and also contribute to the community. A house like this in Shore Side, as you can imagine, comes with a healthy mortgage. Everyone who lives here tithes.”
“Since people must have jobs with different levels of income, their contributions must be quite varied.”
“Oh, yes. Some are working for minimum wage at fast food chains, while others are in executive positions–––accountants, or lawyers. We have a very diverse population, but as long as the percentage of the contribution remains the same, everyone feels they’re being treated fairly.”
“How many are presently in your community?”
“Three men and nine women. We have the capacity to house five more men and three more women.”
“And in addition to tithing, do the members also perform community duties?”
“Yes, we are, after all, like an extended family, so we all must do our chores. The various jobs rotate around, so no one gets stuck with bathroom duty every week,” he said with what appeared to be a smile.
“And I assume that people are free to leave if they wish?” asked Clarissa.
“Of course, we’re a community, not a prison. We do ask that anyone wishing to leave fill out a form giving their reasons for leaving, but that’s mostly for our own use. We want to be able to determine what we might be doing wrong that’s turning people away.”
“Do you have a high drop-out rate?”
Jonathan leaned forward. “You have to understand. Unlike most religious communities, this isn’t meant to be a permanent situation. It’s simply intended to provide a safe haven for a difficult period of time in a young person’s life. So it’s expected that everyone will eventually leave and move on to the next chapter in their lives. Some leave sooner, some leave later. I don’t really worry about people ‘dropping-out,’ as you put it. Although I do pay attention to the reasons why people leave, in case it will help me do my job better.”
Clarissa nodded and smiled. “It sounds like you’re providing an interesting and valuable service.”
He seemed to relax and leaned back in he chair. “I hope so. Not everyone finds communal living beneficial, but a surprisingly large number do. And the close, friendly atmosphere we provide is often lacking in today’s society.”
“Do you find that many members substitute this community for their birth families?”
“It all depends on what type of relationship they had with parents and siblings. As I said, some invite their families to our Sunday services; others make a more dramatic break with their former life.” Jonathan gave her a rather shrewd look. “Did you have a particular family in mind?”
Clarissa blushed, knowing she’d been found out. Not much got past Shepherd Jonathan.
“Actually, I do. A friend of the family of Rebecca Carlson mentioned to me that her parents were very upset because they were unable to make contact with their daughter since she’d joined The Good Grace Church. I was wondering if it would be possible for her to get in touch with them.”
Jonathan stared hard at her. “Were you ever actually interested in what we do here or was that all a subterfuge to find out about Rebecca?”
“Originally, I was more concerned about Rebecca, but I do find what you’re doing here to be very interesting.”
Jonathan sighed. “We haven’t discussed theology, but one of the tenets of the Church is that each member is fully responsible for their own decisions. Beyond tithing and doing congregational work, there are few requirements regarding belief or behavior. Of course, we encourage our members to be kind and understanding, and we’re strongly opposed to racial injustice, sexism, and bigotry. But beyond that people are in control of their own lives. So if Rebecca is refusing to see her parents, that’s a decision she’s making for herself.”
“Not a very kind or understanding one, I would say.”
“I don’t think we can judge without knowing what sort of history she has with her family.”
“Fair enough. All I’d ask is that you tell Rebecca that her parents very much want to speak with her. Beyond that, we’ll leave the decision up to her. Is that acceptable?”
Jonathan smiled under the mask. “You drive a hard bargain, Clarissa.”
“I imagine that you’re a pretty tough negotiator yourself.”
“Perhaps in an earlier life. I promise that I will speak with Rebecca, and I hope that you’ll return soon. Maybe you could join us for a Sunday service. We meet in the evenings on Sunday, so it wouldn’t conflict with your ministerial responsibilities. Might we even prevail upon you to share some words of wisdom with us one evening? I’m sure the community gets tired of hearing only from me.”
“I’d be happy to do so.”
Jonathan stood up. He took a step forward and put a hand on Clarissa’s shoulder. “Thank you for meeting with me. I hope we can be friends.”
Clarissa, who didn’t always approve of strange men touching her, surprisingly found that his gesture did not make her uncomfortable.
“I hope so as well,” she replied.
Shepherd Jonathan escorted her down the hall and said goodbye at the front door. As Clarissa walked the half mile from The Church of Good Grace to her own church, she tried to come up with some negative remarks to share with Rudinski with regard to the community, but there was little she could formulate. Although communal living had never been her thing, Clarissa knew that many people found it appealing, and she found little to object to in what Jonathan was doing. Rather than seeming cult-like, Good Grace appeared more like a shelter for people at a difficult time in their lives. Jonathan, himself, was rather charming in a somewhat intense sort of way, and Clarissa had to admit to herself that she’d enjoyed exchanging views with someone who tried to live what he believed.
Her final opinion, however, would depend on what happened with Rebecca Carlson.
Chapter 7
Clarissa walked into the church office. Ashley was at her desk sorting through some files.
“Do you have the newsletter ready to go for next month?” Ashley asked.
“I have a draft almost complete. I’m just waiting a couple of more days to see if anything else comes in before the end of the month. I’ll make sure to have it to you in plenty of time.”
“Good. That copying business we’ve been using to print it for us sometimes takes a while, and if the newsletter isn’t in folks’ mailboxes by the first of the month, they start calling me.”
“That’s good to hear. People must look forward to it.”
“Yeah, even though it generally confirms the gossip they already know.”
“And maybe corrects some of it.”
Clarissa had recently started a monthly newsletter covering news from the congregation and including a calendar of Church events. She’d been pleased to see that it generated some interest. She considered keeping people involved in the Church community to be one of her primary responsibilities.
“I see that you went out to lunch today?” Clarissa asked.
Ashley suddenly began to study her computer screen with renewed intensity.
“I brought my lunch from home, but I decided to walk over to the mall and eat on a bench. It was such a warm sunny day, I wanted to catch some rays and watch the people go by,” she replied.
Clarissa gave her assistant a long glance. She’d never known the rather pale young woman to be such a fan of the sun, but she decided not to pursue it.
&nbs
p; “Yes. It is a lovely day.” Before she felt compelled to engage in any more meaningless banalities, the phone rang. Ashley answered and listened for a moment before saying ‘okay.’
“It’s Brenda calling for you.”
“I’ll take it in my office.”
She walked into her office and picked up the phone.
“Hi, Clarissa. Sorry to bother you again so soon, but I was wondering if I could impose on you again for some help with this Karla Evanston matter.”
Although Clarissa was still rather annoyed at Brenda for spreading the rumor that Clarissa was going to be closely involved in solving the murder, she could detect a note of urgency in the realtor’s voice.
“What’s happened?”
“Karla’s sisters are coming down to Shore Side. In fact they’re going to be here by this afternoon. They’re staying at the Senator Hotel. They want to meet with me tomorrow.’
“Why?”
“Oh, they said something about wanting to find out about the last days of Karla’s life. Not that I can tell them very much about that. But I guess I’m one of the last people known to have seen her alive.”
“Did you explain to them that you don’t have much information?”
“Of course, but they were very insistent. I get the feeling that they’re determined to investigate her death themselves and leave no stone unturned.”
“Perhaps it’s part of their process of grieving. Some people feel that learning why someone died will give them comfort.”
“Okay. But it isn’t making me feel very comfortable. I called Lieutenant Baker, and he said that I didn’t have to meet with them if I don’t want to. He left it up to me. Jim Royal, the owner of the agency I work for, offered to join me for the meeting. We plan to hold it right here at the agency if we do it. I wanted to get your opinion.”
“I don’t see why it would do any harm. They’re probably just looking for a clue as to why their sister was down here. Just hearing what you know directly from you will probably be enough to satisfy them.”
Brenda paused as if considering the point. “I suppose you’re right. And if I don’t meet with them, they might think I’m hiding something. Look, I appreciate Jim’s offer, but he sort of intimidates me, being my boss and all. I was wondering if you could be the fourth person. I could say that you were there because you’re helping the police with their investigation.”
“No, you couldn’t,” Clarissa snapped. “And I’d rather you didn’t tell people that. If you recall, I’m just taking a very peripheral interest based on what Sergeant Rudinski is willing to share with me.”
Brenda paused. “I understand, and I’m sorry if I exaggerated your involvement when I talked to some people. But I really would like you to be there. I can introduce you as a concerned member of the community.”
“Perhaps, you should just call me a concerned friend.”
“Fine, as long as you’re there.”
“What time is the meeting?”
“Ten o’clock in the morning. We’re going to meet in the conference room.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
After hanging up the phone, Clarissa went out to where Ashley was still sorting through files.
“What did Brenda want?” Ashley asked.
Clarissa gave her a summary of the conversation.
“You’re not going to be able to avoid getting involved in this investigation, you know,” Ashley said when Clarissa finished. “Brenda’s going to hang onto you like a limpet. You’re going to be her security blanket through all of this. It’s going to put a real strain on your relationship with Rudinski.”
“Roger will understand,” Clarissa said, a bit doubtfully, recalling a similar conversation with Mrs. Morgan.
Ashley shrugged. “Challenge a man’s ability to do his job, and you challenge his masculinity. That can never come to any good.”
“So what are you saying? Should I refuse to give Brenda any help?”
“I’m saying that you should ease her tentacles off of you as soon as possible before she drags you down.”
“That’s very dramatic.”
Ashley smiled. “Just expressing myself forcefully.”
“Rudinski might be a bit more forgiving than you think because I’m doing him and Lieutenant Baker a favor right now.” Clarissa went on to fill Ashley in on her visit to The Church of Good Grace.
“Shepherd Jonathan,” Ashley said, when Clarissa was done. “Seriously. Isn’t that taking the whole idea of the congregation being your flock a bit too literally?”
Clarissa laughed. “I thought the same thing. When Miranda first told me that, I figured he’d turn out to be a pompous jerk. But he really wasn’t that way at all.”
“You said he was in his early thirties. Is he good looking?”
“How can you tell when someone’s wearing a mask?”
“Handsomeness transcends masks. It’s easy to fill in the missing parts. Just undress him with your eyes so to speak.”
“I guess he’s probably quite handsome,” Clarissa admitted.
“And he’s impressive?”
“He speaks well, and is committed to what he’s trying to do.”
“Which sounds to me like fleecing a lot of young people out of a tenth of their salaries.”
“That’s not a very generous interpretation. He’s providing people who are lonely with a home and a sense of community.”
Ashley paused. “Okay, I can see the value of that. I’m not sure where I’d be if I didn’t have my aunt and you. Being young and single can be difficult. But you have to admit that it seems to be paying off for this guy.”
“He has to live just like the rest of us. After all, this church is paying my salary.”
“Yeah, but you’re a salaried employee with a board overseeing what you do. The Good Shepherd seems to be more of an entrepreneur making a profit out of other people’s difficulties.”
“He offers them what they need.”
“And you like the guy?”
“I’m not sure about that. As I said, he’s impressive. But I’m withholding judgment until we see what happens with Rebecca Carlson.”
“All I’m saying is be careful. Remember your fiancé was a minister and a pretty impressive guy as well, and we know how that turned out.”
“Don’t worry,” Clarissa said, standing up. “The attraction here is purely intellectual.”
“That’s how it starts for you,” Ashley warned.
Chapter 8
Clarissa spent the next couple of hours answering mail, working on the newsletter, and practicing her sermon. Ashley stuck her head in around four and said she was leaving for the day. Clarissa asked her to lock the outer door when she left. There had been a couple of instances of intruders when Clarissa had been involved in other crimes, and Lieutenant Baker had warned her not to leave the door unlocked when she was working there alone. It was a half hour later when she heard a rapping on the outside door. She went into the outer office and peered through the pane of glass in the door window. Rudinski was standing there, and he wasn’t smiling.
She opened the door and said hello. Rudinski gave her a quick nod.
“I think we should talk,” he announced.
“Let’s go into my office,” Clarissa said, leading him into the back room.
When they were seated, Clarissa turned to him and said, “I just want you to know that what Brenda has been spreading around is very much exaggerated. I never promised her that I’d get involved directly in this investigation. She asked me to keep her informed on how the police investigation is going, and I told her I’d think about it.”
Rudinski seemed to relax. “Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
“Good. Because Lieutenant Baker has been on my case all day claiming that I was making you a partner in the investigation. I told him I wouldn’t do that, but he keeps saying that you’ve managed to insinuate yourself into cases in the past, so it could easily happen agai
n.”
Clarissa frowned. “I’ve only gotten involved when Lieutenant Baker wanted me to do so. You know that. Several times he’s needed my help. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”
Rudinski held up the hand of peace. “But you’re not planning to get involved this time, and you explained that to Brenda.”
“Yes. However . . . ”
Rudinski seemed to tense up all over again. “However, what?”
“Brenda called a few minute ago to tell me that Karla’s sisters are coming down tonight, and they want to speak with her tomorrow.”
“She called Lieutenant Baker already and told him. He said it was up to her whether she met with them or not.”
“Well, she does plan to meet with them, and she asked me to come along as her friend. I told her I would.”
“Jeez, Clarissa. Couldn’t you have come up with an excuse? This is going to put you right in the middle of the investigation.”
“How could I refuse? She’s a member of the congregation and needs my help.”
“At least try not to say more than you have to at the meeting. Baker and I are going to see the sisters next. If they start saying that you told them this or that, I’m going to be in a lot of hot water.”
Clarissa pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key. “I will be a quiet as a mouse. I’ll only speak if it’s absolutely necessary, and since they aren’t here to see me, I don’t think there will be much opportunity for me to speak.”
“I hope not,” Rudinski said, looking doubtful.
“Surely, even Lieutenant Baker can understand why I have to help Brenda. This is very stressful for her.”
“He says you can help her, but without taking part in the investigation.”
“That’s a very fine distinction.”
“Look, Baker isn’t going to be unreasonable, and he knows that you’re okay and have helped the department in the past. He just doesn’t want this murder investigation to spin out of control.”
“I understand that. In fact, I did something today to help the department. I went to see the head of The Church of Good Grace.”
