Out of a Dream (Sandy Cove Series Book 1)

by Rosemary Hines

  “Sounds great! What do you have in mind?”

  “How about a weekend at a bed and breakfast on the lake?” he asked.

  “Are you serious?” She looked excited about the idea.

  “Serious.”

  “Wow! I’d love that, honey. When do you think you could get away? And what will we do with Max?”

  “Max will be fine for a weekend. Maybe Monica can keep an eye on him. I should be done with this case in about three more weeks. How about the weekend of the twelfth?”

  Michelle’s expression changed. “Well, actually, I was thinking about going to a conference that weekend with some people from my class,” she stammered.

  “Really? You never mentioned it to me.”

  “I’m sorry. It just came up this week,” she explained, adding, “I don’t have to go. It’s not a big deal.”

  “Listen, Michelle, if this conference is something you want to attend, it’s fine. Really. We could go to the lake the following weekend. I’ll make it work.”

  “Are you sure, Steve?” she asked him.

  “Positive. You gave up a lot to move here with me. If this class and conference are important and interesting to you, then I think you should go,” he answered decisively.

  “Okay. Well, thanks for understanding. We’ll plan for the lake the weekend of the nineteenth then.”

  “Good. I’ll talk to Roger and try to get a half day off on Friday so we can leave early.” He could already picture relaxing at the lake with his beautiful wife and a fishing pole.

  “I love you, Steve,” Michelle said, pulling him close.

  “Love you too, babe,” he replied, returning her embrace.

  Michelle put the last glass in the dishwasher and turned it on. The hum of the machine had a reassuring sound to it. Another day done. And she was set to go to the conference! Michelle wandered upstairs with Steve, completely forgetting to return her father’s call.

  Sheila awoke around midnight and noticed that John was not in bed. She pulled on her robe and felt around for her slippers. Walking out into the hallway, she could see a light on in the den. She found John asleep in his leather chair, looking years older than she remembered. On his lap was the file with the court documents. Gently she eased it out from under his hands and placed it on the table beside the lamp.

  He stirred slightly, and she encouraged him to his feet, guiding him to bed. She was worried. Really worried. John was always so strong and in control. Now he seemed hopelessly lost and afraid.

  What could she do? How could she help this man with whom she had shared more than thirty years? There must be some way out of this legal and emotional mess, some way to bring back the man she knew and loved.

  It did not help that Mathers had forced John into a leave of absence until the case was resolved. Now he spent every waking hour focused on trying to solve the puzzle of who was framing him. She could see the tremendous toll it was taking on him. After all, John took pride in his self-sufficient nature. Now that was crumbling, too.

  After settling him into bed, Sheila did something she had not done in years. She prayed.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “Hey, Michelle! Do we have a Bible around here somewhere?” Steve called to her from the garage.

  “A what?” Michelle asked, poking her head through the kitchen door, a cup of coffee in her hand.

  “A Bible. You know. The ‘good book’?” he teased as he continued to dig through a box of books.

  “Gosh, Steve. I don’t know. I haven’t seen my Bible since we moved,” she admitted.

  “What about that old one I had? You know, the one with the blue cover?”

  “I haven’t seen either of them, hon. Why do you need a Bible?” she asked curiously.

  “Well I had an unexpected visitor at work yesterday. Ben Johnson. I used to play football with him in high school,” he began.

  “In high school? How did he find you up here?” Michelle wondered.

  “Actually, he wasn’t looking for me. He just spotted my name on my shingle in front of the office and took a wild chance it might be me.”

  “Wow! Small world!”

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

  “So what does this have to do with finding a Bible?” she asked.

  “Well, I’ll tell you the story.” He sat down on another box, and Michelle leaned back against the door.

  “Ben was the star quarterback at Claremont High. Great athlete, but a real jerk of a guy. Thought he was God’s gift to planet Earth. Strutted around school like he owned the place. Most of the guys respected him for his athletic abilities, but hated him for his arrogance. The girls seemed blinded to his weaknesses, and he always had some cheerleader hanging on his arm. His date for the senior prom was the homecoming queen.”

  “Oh, one of those,” Michelle nodded knowingly.

  “Anyway, the last time I saw Ben was after freshman year at college. We ran into each other at McDonalds. He didn’t seem the same. Said he didn’t like college much, but his parents insisted on him finishing.”

  “What. He couldn’t live without his harem?” she asked sarcastically.

  “Actually, yeah. You’re right in a sense. He couldn’t adjust to not being the big man on campus.”

  “I’ve heard of that kind of thing before,” she remarked, sitting down on another box to listen to the rest of the story.

  “Well, anyway, you would not have recognized Ben yesterday. He was a totally different guy.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “It’s kind of hard to explain. He just seems so much more mature. Friendly. Down to earth. Like a regular guy,” Steve grasped for words.

  “We went out to lunch together,” he continued, “and had a great visit. He started telling me about his wife, Kelly, and then—get this Michelle—he told me he is setting out to be a pastor. Can you beat that? Ben got religion. He started sharing with me about this Bible study on campus, and how he met Kelly there. Then he said some stuff about the Spirit of God doing a work in his heart.

  “I know it sounds weird, but he was dead serious. He said that his life was completely changed. Now he’s looking to start some kind of church up here. I guess he and Kelly have wanted to move to Oregon to get away from the rat race down south.”

  “Wow,” Michelle replied.

  “Yeah. Anyway, he asked me about my life. I told him about you, and how I ended up with the most gorgeous girl in all of California.” He looked into her eyes and smiled.

  She gave him a loving and patient look. “So what else did you guys talk about?”

  “Well, then—this is where the Bible comes in—Ben started to tell me some stuff he had been studying about end times.”

  “What’s that mean?” Michelle asked, looking suspicious.

  “I don’t know all of it, but from what I gather he was talking about the end of the world or something.”

  “Sounds pretty strange to me, honey,” Michelle countered.

  “I know what you mean. Those were my first thoughts, too. But then he started showing me a few things in the newspaper and telling me about how they were fulfillments of Bible prophecies. He had scriptures for every one of them. It was actually pretty fascinating.

  “So anyway, he kind of challenged me to look into it. Said he would help me if I was interested. He’s coming back to the office to meet me for lunch on Monday. That’s why I need to find a Bible. I want to look up all this stuff he is talking about,” he concluded.

  “Okay, well I’ll help you look if you want me to. Just be careful. Some of these religious fanatics are pretty convincing,” she warned.

  Steve smiled. “That’s an interesting comment coming from someone who’s exploring some pretty far-out stuff. But thanks for your concern, babe. I think I can handle this. Remember, I’m a lawyer. I don’t fall for stories without checking out all the evidence.”

  He could see her countenance turning defensive. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that. Come here.” He
patted his knee and she sat down on his lap. “I appreciate your concern, honey. I know there are some wackos out there, and I promise to keep my guard up, okay?”

  She leaned against him, seemingly satisfied by his apology. “Okay.”

  Michelle stood up and opened a box beside the one he was sitting on. “Let’s look through this one. It’s from my old closet at my parents’ house. Maybe my Bible is in here.”

  Sure enough, near the bottom of the box, under her yearbooks from junior high and high school, was an old leather-bound Bible. The inscription inside read, “To our darling granddaughter, Michelle. You are a special blessing sent from God. Happy Thirteenth Birthday! Love, Grandpa Phil and Grandma Joan.”

  Steve noticed Michelle’s expression change to an almost sad look. “What is it?” he asked.

  “I remember when I got this. I was so excited to become a teenager at last. By the time I got this, I’d long ago outgrown listening to Bible stories on my grandpa’s lap. I remember politely thanking them, but I think they could tell I was not really that interested in reading it. I feel bad remembering the look of disappointment on my grandmother’s face. She must have thought I’d be really excited to get it.”

  Steve nodded. “This is real leather,” he observed. “These things are pretty expensive, I think.”

  “Yeah, I guess they must be. Well, anyway, now you have one for Monday. Just don’t lose it, okay? It has sentimental value,” she added.

  “No problem, babe. I’ll be careful with it. Hey look! We should enter our wedding date on this line here. There are also places where we can list the births of our babies.”

  “Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself?” she replied. “Remember, I still have college to finish before we work on that project!”

  He smiled. “I know, I know. But it sure sounds like fun!” He winked at her and watched her blush. Man, I’m lucky to have such a gorgeous wife.

  “You’re a pervert, Steve. Maybe you should just start reading that Bible,” she quipped. She stood up, tossed her hair back, and walked into the house.

  Later that evening, Michelle spotted the old Bible on the counter. Steve was out jogging, and she decided to glance through the pages. It felt heavy and important in her hands. The smell of the burgundy leather and the feel of the tissue thin pages seemed distantly familiar.

  She was just starting to read the first chapter in Genesis when the phone rang. It was just some salesman for the local newspaper, but it diverted her attention from the Bible, and she ended up deciding to take a hot bubble bath. Sinking down into the suds, she looked over the brochure for the conference. It still amazed her that she was actually going.

  “Are you beginning to see what I mean?” Ben asked Steve as he stirred the cream in his coffee. “Like the Eurodollar. See how that fits in with the idea of a global economy? And what about those identification cards they are using at the PX near where I live. They even call it the ‘Marc’. A different spelling, but sure seems like a step toward the Mark of the Beast in scripture. You know, no buying or selling without it? Now the military’s concern is what to do if someone loses their Marc. It’s just natural they would proceed to the next step of a microchip implant.”

  “Whoa! You’re moving pretty fast here,” Steve countered.

  “Sorry. I guess I get a little carried away. It’s just so clear to me. And so exciting.” Ben shifted his stocky body, running his fingers through his wavy, chestnut hair. He was still quite handsome, in a muscular sort of way. Steve noticed the continuous shaking of Ben’s right leg, but Ben seemed oblivious to the motion.

  “If you ask me, it sounds a little unnerving,” Steve replied.

  “Listen, Steve. This is stuff you need to know. How about if you and I conduct a little informal research together over lunch each day while I’m in town. I’ll only be here for about two more weeks, but we could cover a lot of material if you’re interested. What do you say?” he asked, his pale blue eyes fixed on him.

  “Okay. You’ve got yourself a study partner,” Steve agreed. He’d never realized that biblical prophecy could be so relevant to current events. His interest was definitely piqued. Maybe the Bible was more than a history book. Maybe it really did have some significance today. The investigative attorney in him was intrigued.

  Ben smiled warmly and extended his hand to Steve as he rose from his seat.

  As Ben drove away, he thought about his time with Steve. Maybe God sent him here for more than just finding a church site. He could hardly wait to call his wife, Kelly, and tell her about meeting up with Steve Baron in Sandy Cove.

  Knowing her, she’d probably say, “No coincidences in God’s kingdom.” He smiled as he pictured her face. It was hard being separated from his wife like this, even if it was only for a couple of weeks. But it was clear he was supposed to be here.

  Trevor was obviously pleased when Michelle told him she could go to the conference. He proposed that they try to book side-by-side rooms at the hotel since it was such a large complex. She agreed, and they called for the reservations. It was not a problem. There were two rooms on the west wing that overlooked the lush courtyard. Michelle felt a little uneasy, but reminded herself that they were separate rooms.

  “What should I bring with me?” she asked him.

  “An open mind and spirit,” he replied with a smile.

  “You know what I mean, Trevor. Should I bring a notebook or laptop? Also what about clothes?”

  “Yeah, you should probably bring clothes,” he teased. Michelle threw up her hands in exasperation.

  “Okay, okay. Yes, bring a notebook. You won’t need a laptop. I’d suggest warm clothes. It can get pretty cold out there.”

  “Casual or business attire?” she asked.

  “Definitely casual. You won’t see any stuffy suits or anything like that at this conference.”

  “Then jeans and sweats are okay?”

  “Perfect. Just bring a jacket,” he said. Then he added, “I’m really glad you’re going, Michelle. You will love this!”

  They continued planning and made reservations for their airline tickets. Michelle felt a little guilty spending so much money for a weekend she wouldn’t even be spending with Steve. But he had reassured her that money was not an issue and she was to go and enjoy herself. He’d invited Ben to stay at their house while she was gone to save him some money on a hotel room and to give them the weekend to continue their studying.

  Michelle was glad he was having such a good time researching all this with Ben, but she was also a little uneasy. This Bible stuff did not seem to blend very well with the direction she was taking spiritually. She made a mental note to discuss it with Trevor while they were at the conference.

  Steve cradled Michelle in his arms while they were lying on the bed. “I’m gonna miss you, babe.”

  “I’ll miss you too. But it’s just for the weekend,” she replied.

  “Well, call me as soon as you get there, so I know you arrived safely.”

  “I know. And call Saturday morning and Saturday night and Sunday morning.”

  “Are you making fun of me, Miss Jet Set?” he asked jokingly.

  “No, Steve. I think it’s sweet. And I will call. Promise.” She sighed and snuggled against her husband’s chest. Her mind was reeling with so many thoughts, but for now she just wanted to cuddle and enjoy this time with Steve.

  Trevor sat in his living room smiling to himself. He was really excited about the conference, especially about introducing his new protégé to the fascinating concepts and testimonies he knew they would experience there.

  He thought back to their dinner together. What a beauty she is. I can imagine what her skin must feel like.

  His mind replayed their time together on the motorcycle with her body pressed firmly against his and her arms wrapped around him. He smiled, nodding to himself. We’re going to have a great weekend.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Steve maneuvered his sports car thro
ugh a maze of other cars, taxis, and shuttles to the passenger unloading curb beside the Pacific West Airlines terminal. Attendants with rolling luggage carts were standing along the sidewalk, ready to tag and take luggage. Steve popped the trunk and leaned over to kiss Michelle.

  “Are you sure you want me to drop you off here? I really don’t mind paying the parking, babe,” he said.

  “This is fine, Steve. It’s not like I’m leaving for a month. I only have that one little rolling carry-on bag. I’m sure I can manage from here. Besides, I don’t want you to be late for your golf date!” she teased as she looked into his eyes and ruffled his hair.

  “Okay, well if you’re sure. I’ll miss you, babe. Don’t forget to call tonight as soon as you get settled,” he reminded her.

  “I will. Promise.” She smiled as she held up her cell phone.

  Steve got out of the driver’s seat and went around to the back of the car. He lifted out her small bag and placed it upright on the ground. She pulled up the handle, locking it in place. Then she turned to Steve, embraced and kissed him, told him to behave himself while she was gone, and started walking into the terminal, turning at the sliding door for a final wave.

  Once Michelle was out of sight, Steve climbed back in and drove off, heading for Fairview Country Club. To celebrate the successful conclusion of his case, Durand Simmonds had extended an invitation to Steve and Roger to join him on the course for the afternoon. One of the perks of working for wealthy clients! Steve was looking forward to a few relaxing hours golfing, followed by a weekend of study with Ben concerning the books of Daniel and Revelation.

  Although he hated to admit it, a part of him was glad that Michelle was happily occupied for the next couple of days. These Bible studies were becoming more and more fascinating to him, but there was no way he would have allowed himself a whole weekend of study if she had been home. Besides, it had been a long time since he had the freedom of bachelorhood.