by Sarah Holman
Kate had to agree with that.
“Oh, I found out something. That kid you saw alone is named Hal. Apparently, he is living with his grandmother who makes him go to a lot of the church events, but he isn’t happy. He has also expressed a lot of anger that he has to be twenty-one before he gets his inheritance. He fits the profile.”
“Shall I try to talk to him or do you want to?”
Logan pulled out a ball and started tossing it into the air. “I think you should. I come across way too bubbly for someone like that to even bother with.”
“Anyone else I should look out for?”
“Not that I heard about. Let’s keep our eyes open, Ribs.”
Warmth curled around Kate at the nickname. This time last year, she had been as alone as Hal probably felt. Now, she had friends and a nickname. Even if she didn’t make it home for Christmas, she guessed the holidays would still be good. That is, if they could catch this bomber.
An Update
Wednesday, December 2 8:30PM
Patrick could count on one hand the times that he had been in a bar, and all of them had been for work. At least this place wasn’t sleazy with bars on the windows like the last one his job had taken him to. That one had been filled with characters he couldn’t help but feel would have run out the back door if they knew a law enforcement officer had entered the building. This place was different.
This place was warm and inviting. A Christmas tree stood in one corner, beer bottles with lights inside decorating it. Several burlap wreaths with poinsettias hung on the wall. It was festive and in keeping with the brick walls and polished wood furniture.
Brian had taken a seat on a barstool next to Liam and ordered his drink, probably orange juice with club soda.
Patrick ordered a soda and some food and grabbed the nearest table. So far, he had already heard Liam call a couple of people names and tell one guy not to sit next to him. The guy had a temper that didn’t fit the mood of this place. However, it looked like he paid and tipped well.
“It was one of the best plays of the season, don’t you think?” Brian asked Liam, pointing to a screen that was showing great football plays.
Patrick smiled into his soda. Brian was good at this. Liam wouldn’t know what had hit him. Within ten minutes, the guy would be spilling his life story. Brian had a talent for it.
“I guess so,” Liam mumbled.
“I’m new in town, so I’m not sure what teams are popular down here. I just got here from Texas. I made the mistake of rooting for a team that wasn’t the Longhorns while in Austin. That got me in trouble.”
Patrick glanced up and watched Liam turn in his chair toward Brian. Yep, his best friend just had a special way about him. He studied the string of lights on the wall as he listened.
“What happened?”
“Well, for one, the girl I was with walked out on me. They take their football seriously down there. Actually, they take pretty much everything seriously down in Texas.”
“Don’t worry, man. I can teach you the sports ropes, and this is the place to come for a new girl.”
“For real?”
“Sure thing. I’ve picked up a beauty or two in here.”
Patrick rolled his eyes and focused on his food. He had to admit it was pretty good food. He ate his sandwich and half listened as Liam explained the ins and outs of the local sports scene. He wondered if a guy with his bad temper really did have as good a success with the ladies as he boasted.
“Did you order anything for me?”
Patrick looked up at Kim. “Hi!”
“Did you forget our date?” Kim said for show.
“No, I was just hungry.” He winked at her. She ordered her food and sat down.
“Busy day at the office?” Patrick asked.
“Everyone was pretty distracted at the news of another bombing.”
Patrick nodded. The death of one of the college faculty members had put everyone on edge. The bombs were homemade but well made. They had no idea how many bombs this guy had made or when he intended to stop. Would he stop after so many? Now that he had killed a professor? So many questions and they weren’t close to answers.
“How was your work today?” Kim asked, managing to make the act of picking up a sandwich look graceful.
“Pretty slow. What kept you busy?”
“A co-worker has a friend who was affected by today’s bombing.”
Patrick’s stomach clenched. “Who?”
“Someone Logan knows.”
Patrick closed his eyes for a moment. That meant someone at the church had lost someone. Poor Kate and Logan. It must have been hard for them to feel so close to these crimes. Their team needed to stop this. They had to stop this guy before one more person got hurt.
“There’s a lot more pressure at the office right now,” Kim continued. “Someone way up the ladder is talking to my boss. They’re pushing hard for him to wrap up the current project and are not happy with how slow the progress is.”
“I’m sure.” Patrick could only imagine how that conversation had gone. Thomas would be just as upset as he was about the death of another person. Now, with more pressure from those higher up in the organization and political officials, Thomas would be pushing them all hard and probably be in a foul mood. Honestly, he couldn’t blame him. After spending a lot of time on the street today, hearing the fear in so many people, he was not in the best mood himself.
Kim picked up her straw and stirred the ice in her cup. “With the upcoming Dickens of a Christmas festival, there is a lot to do. The project I’m working on comes due Friday.”
Oh dear. They were being told they had to solve this case by Friday so that the bombings weren’t hanging over the festival? Sure, they all wanted this over the sooner the better, but crimes and crime fighting didn’t respect deadlines. “What happens if you can’t meet it?”
Kim shrugged and took a sip of her soda. “Who knows? My boss is asking all of us to redouble our efforts, to push ourselves, and each other, harder.”
He got it. Thomas was asking them all to take risks and speed things up as much as they possibly could. “How’s your friend Logan?”
Kim giggled, something she only did when undercover. “Are you still jealous about him?”
He sighed. He supposed that was a good way to keep cover but sometimes it could be irritating. However, he trusted Kim. If she felt the need to build on their cover, he would play along. He hoped Logan never heard them referring to her as a guy. If she did, she would probably use them for targets on the shooting range. “Hey, you’re my girlfriend now.”
“He’s fine. Busy but not getting anywhere. Everyone’s too nice where he works to tell him that.”
So, the people at the church seemed pretty nice and there weren’t a lot of leads. He swept the crumbs from the table into his palm. “I have a friend who had to deal with a bombing before, about a year ago. I wonder how she’s handling this.” He glanced at Kim and she was staring into her cup.
“I’m sure she will handle it as well as she did the last time.”
Irritation was not something he was used to hearing in Kim’s tone, but he heard it clearly. She was irritated and he wasn’t sure why. He thought about it for a moment, then leaned back in his chair. “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”
She glanced toward Brian and Liam. “Not here.”
Patrick pulled out his phone and tapped out a message to Brian.
Need any help with the project this evening or can I take my girl for a stroll?
Brian’s text was quick in coming.
Take the stroll, the project is in hand.
Patrick stood. “Come on.”
Kim lifted an eyebrow but they exited the bar and were soon walking on the sidewalk. Everywhere twinkled with colored Christmas lights. The night was chilly and Patrick pulled on his coat.
“So?” he prompted. “What’s on your mind?”
“If the conversation I overheard between Th
omas and you is any indication, you’re trying to convince Thomas to help get Kate home.”
A mother walked past with a little girl in tow singing “Jingle Bells” at the top of her lungs. Patrick smiled at the girl as he thought about what his next words should be. “You don’t approve?”
“This isn’t about me.” Kim’s gaze was on the sky, dark with clouds. “Thomas has said he thinks it is a bad idea, and once again you are trying to save the world and Kate.”
Patrick shoved his hands into his jacket. “I talked with Thomas, yes. Kate wants desperately to make things right with her family and I want to help her do that.”
“Thomas has already said no.”
Patrick chuckled. “Thomas isn’t president yet, not outside our team anyway.”
There was no answering smile from Kim. She retied the belt of the black coat she wore.
Patrick stopped her with a touch on her arm. “Are you upset at me, or do you have a problem with Kate going home for Christmas?”
“You are trying to save the world again.”
He shook his head. “No, not this time. I talked with Thomas about what the security concerns are and what we would have to do to get Kate home. I’m not taking this into my own hands. I’m not going around Thomas. I’m trying to be a good friend to Kate. This year has been hard for her, not just because of all that she’s been through, but because she is learning a lot. From what I’ve heard, you were one of the leading voices talking about forgiveness and making things right.”
Kim shook her head and started moving forward.
Patrick silently prayed that God would grant him wisdom and insight. He was in over his head with this one. He had no idea what was wrong. Maybe he should just let it go.
“One visit home isn’t going to make this okay. Just because she apologizes and explains isn’t going to make it a good Christmas.”
Kim’s accent was as heavy as he had ever heard it. He gripped her shoulder and turned her around. “This has nothing to do with Kate, does it? Kate has an opportunity to make things right with her parents. I don’t think she is under any illusion that she’s going to walk in and they are suddenly going to be happy with all her decisions. Kate isn’t the problem. Your family is, isn’t it?”
Shaking off his hand, Kim started down the street. “I’m heading home. You better get back to your work.”
Patrick blinked as he watched Kim leave. This was so unlike her, but he wasn’t sure if there was anything he could do to help. Maybe Brian would have an idea after his chat with Liam.
Knocking Down Pins
Thursday, December 3 6:30PM
Logan lifted her hands and shook her head, sending her long hair dancing as she celebrated a strike.
“Logan, I’m realizing that you’re a showoff when it comes to your hair,” Kate said as her friend sat down next to her.
Logan only smiled and took a sip of her soda.
Looking around the bowling alley, Kate realized that this group was pretty amazing. Janice hadn’t been joking when she had said the young adults group had something going almost every night. The group occupied two lanes of the bowling alley.
She glanced over at Hal, the young man she had noticed at the church’s movie night. He was tucked into the corner of one of the benches, ignoring the group. She was waiting for an opening to talk with him.
“Janice, I didn’t know your brother was coming tonight,” Lana said, her eyes on one of the other lanes with obvious interest.
After glancing and realizing that she would have no way to identify the man from any other, Kate looked toward Janice. Instead of pleased, Janice looked confused and uncomfortable.
“I didn’t either,” Janice said and got up and moved toward a young man in a red T-shirt and dark jeans. He did look nice.
“Calvin decided a couple years ago that he was an atheist,” Lana said in a loud whisper to Kate and Logan.
“I bet that made the family upset,” Logan said.
Lana shrugged. “I guess, but they sure handled it better than my parents would have. Calvin’s dad has even been helping him to fix up a house that he bought. They stay connected, but Calvin hasn’t come to church in a while or any events.”
“I wish I could get out of them as easily as he does,” Hal grumbled, not looking up from his phone.
Kate saw her opening and took it. She moved to sit nearer Hal. “I guess you didn’t want to come tonight.”
Hal glanced at her and then turned back to his phone. “Look, I don’t need a friend. Until I turn twenty-one, I have to come to church stuff, go to that stupid school, and whatever else my grandmother’s whims decide this week. As soon as I’m done, I’m leaving.”
It was impossible to miss the bitterness behind those words.
“You don’t have to be my friend, but wouldn’t you like to bowl, knock down some pins, or at least have some of the pizza?”
Hal glanced at her, his whole body seeming to go stiff. When he spoke, it was dark, low, and everything that shouldn’t exist in someone so young. “I do not want anything to do with any of you.”
She moved back and made a mental note that they needed to see if Hal was capable of making a bomb. He fit the profile very well.
“Aww, isn’t Calvin going to join us?”
Kate looked up to see Lana pouting over Calvin moving away.
One of the boys, Jared, rolled his eyes. “Come on, Lana. He’s not comfortable around us anymore. He knows he’s welcome. I invited him to join us tonight and I think Tim did too.”
“If we just reached out to him…”
“Hush, here comes Janice.”
“She looks so sad,” Logan whispered to Kate.
Kate had to agree.
Janice came and sat with them. “Kate, thanks for trying with Hal.”
She was surprised that Janice had noticed since she had been with her brother.
“It’s good when people try to reach out,” Janice said.
It was Kate’s turn to bowl and for a few minutes, everyone focused on the food and game, trying to get over the awkward moments.
“You’ll never get through to Hal,” Lana said in her loud whisper, taking a seat between Kate and Tim. She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “His parents were super wealthy and left everything to Hal, only he doesn’t get it until he’s twenty-one. His grandmother is making him go to that McGregor school and go to church. He hates all of it. Personally, I think the grandmother is way too controlling. She could learn a thing or two from Calvin’s family.”
“Your crush on him is so…”
Lana sighed dramatically, cutting Tim off. “Ignore my brother, he doesn’t understand anything. I think that Calvin will come around; he has a lot of friends. Hal…he’s a lost cause.”
Tim huffed.
“You know, it really isn’t our place to talk about them,” Logan said from behind them. “I think that we should all try to reach out to those who are alone. That’s what Jesus did. It’s also not good for any of us to get isolated.”
Inwardly, Kate wanted to roll her eyes. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Logan was spot on, but that was a lot of thoughts just thrown together. Besides, keeping these people talking could help their case.
Lana did roll her eyes as she was getting up to bowl. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.” Her tone said she wasn’t sorry at all, only annoyed.
“Isn’t this fun?” Kate said in a sarcastic tone, rising to her feet. “I’m going to go refill my water.”
Logan followed behind her. “It’s really sad. Think how choosing to be isolated has affected those around Hal.”
“It’s obvious he’s miserable,” Kate said as they moved far enough away no one in the church group could hear them.
“There are people who are ready to welcome him into their group, the church, his school. He is choosing to be miserable and isolated. Isolated is a very dangerous thing to be. But like I said, think about how it’s affecting others.”
“
I guess Hal’s grandmother is probably hurt, and him sitting there refusing to take part isn’t the greatest for this group either.”
“Exactly. His isolation is hurting others. Yet, the greatest danger is for him. I believe that one of the biggest reasons that we as Christians are commanded to not forsake fellowship is because isolation causes our thinking to become warped and when it becomes warped, we start hurting others.”
“Well, it looks like you’re up. Why don’t you head back and I’ll send a quick message to let them know we need to move Hal up on our list.”
“Sounds good.” Logan winked and then tossed her hair again.
“Showoff,” Kate teased her.
Logan only smiled.
She’s a Warrior
Friday, December 4 8:30AM
“That’s him.” Brian lifted his chin.
Patrick turned in his chair, pretending to stretch, to see the young man slipping behind the counter. Brett Tryniski might be leading the life of an upstanding citizen who had gone through rehab, but at the moment he was in trouble.
“He’s late.” Patrick returned to typing info into the fake job application that he was filling out. Kim and Thomas had given him and Brian plenty of stuff that fit their cover to make them look busy. Though, Patrick had questioned if they, as poor as they were pretending to be, would be buying seven-dollar coffee.
“And the manager doesn’t look happy.” Brian took a sip of his drink.
“Half an hour late is a big deal.”
“I’m guessing if he didn’t know that before, he knows it now. His boss is really giving it to him.”
“I would feel sorry for him if he had been five minutes, maybe even ten. Half an hour, not so much.” Patrick hit the tab key and filled in another box.
“Remind me not to come to you with work-related problems. You have no sympathy.” Brian grinned.
“You better not. That isn’t how our friendship works. I come to you with all the issues and you have all the answers.”