Carolina Mercy (A Southern Breeze Series Book 2)

by Regina Rudd Merrick

  “He’ll never do police work again, will he?” Her quiet voice amplified her concern.

  Tom shook his head. “No, he’s burned that bridge. The best he could hope for would be security in the private sector. He’s got some recovery to go through first.”

  “And does he even realize he needs it?” Sarah asked, more comment than question.

  They were all quiet. While a load had been lifted off Jared’s shoulders, Lucy still sensed a sadness in the room. Sadness for a girl she’d never heard of until today. Sadness for the wasted, bitter years in Nate’s life. Sadness for the choices Sam had made.

  “But why you?” Lucy walked over to Tom, hands on her hips. “Why did he try to frame you?”

  “Probably for the same reason Nate blamed Jared for Annabelle’s death. Bitterness, jealousy, and anger.”

  “It’s that verse.” Lucy was struggling to remember all the pieces of the verse in Micah. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” She looked from the tall, handsome man beside her to the one in the hospital bed. “That verse describes you both.”

  Tom put his arm around her shoulders. “I think you’re giving us way too much credit.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m giving God credit.” She smiled up at Tom. “And maybe the two of you a little bit.”

  Sarah turned and kissed Jared on the cheek. “I for one am proud to be marrying you, Jared Benton.”

  Lucy tilted her head up and whispered to Tom. “I think it’s time those wedding plans got finished up, don’t you?”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Knock-knock.” Lucy called through the kitchen screen door at Pilot Oaks.

  “Lucy-girl, you get on in here. You know you don’t have to knock. You’re family.” Prudie was taking pies out of the larger of the dual ovens in the large commercial range.

  Lucy took in a deep breath and sighed with delight. “It smells wonderful in here.”

  “Pecans from our own trees, and this new whiz-bang stove doesn’t hurt, either. Mercy, I don’t want to think about how much this thing cost.” Prudie laid down her potholder and turned to Lucy. “It wasn’t a necessity, but I surely am glad the Crawfords decided to spring for it.”

  “I, for one, am happy you have it. I keep thinking about all the good stuff we can cook on this beauty. I drool a little bit every time I see it.”

  “What brings you out here?”

  “Sarah and I have an appointment at the bridal shop for a final fitting. The wedding dress is ready, and mine is too. We’ll need to go back in a few days when Susan and the girls get here, and again when John and Allie get here with Jared’s niece and nephew. Do you think it’s crazy to have a four-year-old and two three-year-old girls as flower girls?” Lucy’s giggle was infectious.

  “Maybe you should tie their wrists together to go down the aisle. That way it’ll be easier to catch them if they’re stuck together!” Prudie laughed along with Lucy. “Is little Alex in the wedding?”

  “Yes, he’s an honorary usher. Since he’s eight, and not so little, he convinced them he was too old to be a ring-bearer. He’ll usher in his great-grandparents and grandparents.”

  Prudie nodded. “He’s a good boy. Looks for all the world like his Uncle Jared.” She smiled then pointed a finger at her. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been sketching out ideas for the groom’s cake.” Prudie bustled over to the small desk in the corner of the kitchen. “Get yourself some coffee and have a seat. I made a fresh pot.”

  “Good timing. I was thinking a cuppa would taste pretty good right now. You know I would have been glad to have the bakery doing the wedding cake do the groom’s cake too. I know it will mean a lot to Jared that you’re making his cake.”

  Prudie brought the notepad over to the table and sat down. She didn’t say a word but simply pushed it across the table.

  Lucy was speechless. This woman wasn’t only a good cook, she was an artist. The drawing was of a scale-replica of the house Jared had bought Sarah. It was his childhood home and was just down the road from Pilot Oaks.

  “Prudie. What can I even say?” She couldn’t get her head to stop shaking in disbelief. “This is amazing. You drew this? And you can make a cake that looks like this?”

  “I believe I can. I’ve been online studying up on some techniques.” She adjusted her glasses. “See what looks like tabby there on the foundation and the porch columns? Mixed nuts and toffee. The basic structure is cake, and the rest is more like decorating a gingerbread cake. Do you think it’ll do? Will he like it?” Prudie’s self-confidence seemed to waver now that she had shared her creation.

  “Like it? I think they’ll both love it.” Lucy grinned. “Can we keep it a secret?”

  “I hope to. It’s not going to be easy with Jared staying here and both of them making themselves at home in the kitchen.” The older woman smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. “I’m glad I get the chance to do this for them. Jared’s a blessed young man to come out of not one, but two accidents that could have killed him.”

  “I guess God’s not done with him yet, you think?” Lucy squeezed Prudie’s hand. “This is going to be the prettiest wedding yet. Do you think Mr. Crawford would have liked it?”

  “Alex? I think he would have been over the moon. Oh, he’d have grouched a bit about all the people around, but deep down? He would have had the time of his life. Jared made life bearable for him. Having family around would have been the icing on the cake.” Prudie laughed. “Speaking of icing, I need to drive over to Jared’s house and get a better idea what color to make that icing!”

  Lucy got up from the table. “I can’t thank you enough. You know, this place would be a great wedding venue for anyone. The double parlor is nice and open, the dining room is amazing, and the patio? Oh my. Anyone would love to get married here. I don’t know why they didn’t think of it before the hurricane.”

  Prudie pondered as she pushed herself up from the table. “I’ve lived through several hurricanes in my lifetime. A few have been scary, some have been run-of-the-mill and not much punkin’, but I think this one has made those two even more aware of appreciatin’ what they have.”

  “I think you’re right. This place is a touchstone.”

  “Yep, it’s where it all started. I think Alex’s prayers over this place have made it pretty special.”

  “I think yours had something to do with it too.”

  “Maybe so, maybe so.” She caught sight of the clock as she hugged the young woman. “What time is your appointment?”

  “Not for another hour. I thought I’d stop in and visit the invalid for a few minutes.”

  Prudie harrumphed. “That boy is so excited to be out of the hospital, you can hardly hold him down.”

  “The fact that his wedding is less than three weeks away might have something to do with it.” Lucy arched an eyebrow and grinned. “I don’t blame him. He was still way too long.”

  “Amen to that. Now you scoot out of here so’s I can work on my secret plans some more. I’m thinkin’ about putting a bell on Jared in case I need time to hide the evidence if he’s coming close.”

  “Good idea.”

  The drive home from Blythewood gave Tom plenty of time to think. Sam Watson was being held there, at the state police headquarters. His deposition would be enough to put him away for a while. He hoped Lucy wouldn’t have to testify.

  As upside-down as life had been the last few weeks, he knew he hadn’t spent enough time reading the Bible or praying. He had quite a list of things to think about and to pray about, and in no particular order.

  His personal life was spinning out of control, and control was what he wanted. Or at least he thought he did.

  “Of course I want a family, Lord. Someday. But until I get Mom and Sis settled, I can’t think about that. And this whole deal with Sam. Wow, God, where did that even come from? Was Sam that desperate, or did he see getting m
e in trouble as a way to get back at Jared?” His mind wandered as the landscape passed by in a blur. Focus, Tom. “Jared. Lord, You outdid Yourself there. You’ve got a lot left for him. I hope his wedding, and his marriage is all You could ever want for him. Sarah too. She’s a peach.”

  Tom prayed out loud in his car, which was the norm for him. If anybody saw him, they would think he was talking on his phone. Making his way south, away from the scrub of sandy lawns and flat farmland to sand and surf, he tried to empty his mind. He knew he couldn’t hear God through all the clutter.

  Lucy.

  He almost jumped when her name popped into his head. “Uh, Lord, did I do that?”

  Lucy.

  “I know, Lucy’s been on my mind a lot. I’m ready to listen now. What do You have for me? How can I help Mom? What about Jared? How can You use me to help him, the way he’s always helped me? And Sam––Lord, I want to be someone he’s not angry with. If I can say anything, do anything, let me know what it is.”

  Lucy.

  He began thinking about her. Here he was, in his thirties, and had never had a serious relationship. He had thought maybe he was destined for bachelorhood, but that wasn’t what he wanted, deep-down. When he met Lucy, he didn’t want to think he fell for her because Jared had fallen for Sarah. That would be too easy. Life wasn’t supposed to be easy. You worked hard, and you settled for what you thought God had for you.

  Then again, maybe God didn’t want him to settle. Maybe He did want the absolute best for him. Maybe Lucy wasn’t the distraction. Maybe everything else was. It was easier to summon up anxiety and worry about his mother and his sister than to summon up contentment and peace.

  The concept hit him. Hard. He wasn’t supposed to manufacture contentment and peace.

  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

  Three things: do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. In other words, as Jared always said, “do the next right thing.”

  He drove a few miles in silence then expelled the breath he seemed to be holding.

  “Forgive me, Lord, for not listening. Forgive me for trying to put on Your shoes, and for trying to ‘fix’ everything for everyone. It’s not my job, but if You want to use me, I’m available. Thank You for loving me, for giving all for me, and for wanting the absolute best for me. And I can’t imagine any more ‘best’ than Lucy Dixon.”

  His smile broadened at the thought of the blonde pixie on top of the roof, holding her hands up in the glorious sunshine. That was a girl to spend the rest of your life with. A humble thought hit him. Had he pushed her away one too many times? Shaking his head, he banished the thought. That was the ‘fixer’ within him trying to work it out. This was a job for God.

  As he drove into the parking lot of the Georgetown County Sheriff’s office, he thought about his former dream of working for the FBI and what his life would have been like. He wouldn’t have been close to home for his family when his dad died. He wouldn’t have been there to help Jared.

  Tom parked the car and laughed out loud. And he wouldn’t have been there to meet Lucy. “Thank you, Lord, for Romans 8:28. We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. You knew what was going to happen before I was born. Thank you for reminding me, and keep on reminding me.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  When Lucy tried on her bridesmaid dress, she realized she had lost a little weight in the last few weeks, and her roofing tan line did not go with her dress. She had to laugh.

  “Okay, Miss Perfect, your wedding dress fit you perfectly. What’s going on here?”

  Sarah chuckled. “Well, you’ve been running all over the place doing my wedding planning for me, as well as catching criminals, and I’ve been sitting at the hospital. Note the fact that I have no tan lines at all.” She held her arm up and scrunched her nose. The time spent indoors had made her creamy complexion that much creamier.

  “I’m going to have to give in and get a spray-on tan to even this up.” Lucy sighed. She turned this way and that, looking at herself in the dusty pink dress. “Oh well, I hope they’ve improved since the last time I had one. I rubbed orange on everything I touched for a week.”

  “You could do that, or we could spend a day at the beach sometime before the big day.” Sarah raised her eyebrows.

  “I could go for that.” The seamstress unzipped her dress and held it up while Lucy stepped out of it. After getting dressed in her shorts, shirt, and sandals, she sat down next to Sarah and hugged her. “It’s good to see you smiling again.”

  “It’s been pretty rough.” An involuntary shiver ran through her. “When I think about how close I came to losing Jared . . .”

  “But you didn’t.” Lucy was in staunch-friend mode today.

  “No, I didn’t. I kept repeating that verse, Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” She smiled. “It was tough to ‘delight’ when Jared was in surgery or lying there unconscious, but you know what?”

  “What?”

  “I learned to listen a lot while I sat there by his bedside.”

  “You mean, listen to God?” Lucy was pretty sure that’s what she meant, but there was something that made her ask.

  “Partly.” Sarah tilted her head. “It’s hard to explain. I learned to listen to the sounds of the hospital, the inflection of the doctors’ and nurses’ voices, to Jared’s breathing, and then, I started hearing God’s voice coming through. Honestly? He speaks through everything.”

  “Amen, sister.” Lucy stood and stared at her face in the mirror. “Sometimes He speaks through mirrors too. I think I’m being led to get a facial before the wedding. What do you think?”

  Sarah quirked an eyebrow. “I think that sounds fabulous. In fact, so fabulous that I’ve made appointments for us, Susan, Allie, and Jessica to have the works. Mani-pedi, facial, and massage on Saturday, before the bachelorette party, because I love you all.” She grinned. “I also figure we’ll need the relaxation after taking the kiddos to their fittings.”

  Lucy nodded and laughed. “You are the best friend a girl could have. And when did you learn to be spontaneous? I thought that was my department?”

  “You, girlfriend, have been spending way too much time with Tom Livingston. Jared and I have decided that organization is winning out over spontaneity.” Sarah cut her a sideways look.

  Lucy put her hands on her hips and stretched her full height. “No way. I’ve always been able to do both. Very organized people have time to be spontaneous.”

  Sarah laughed at her diminutive friend. “Hmm. It looks like you need to work on Detective Livingston. When he does something spontaneous, I’ll declare you the winner.”

  Lucy shook her head in dismay. “I’m doomed.”

  The yard and barnyard area around Tom’s ancestral home was cleared of hurricane debris. There would be enough limbs and fallen branches in the pile for a great bonfire later in the fall. That is, if his mother still owned the property.

  Tom put the mower away in the barn and walked up to the house in the fading sunlight. The shadows were getting longer, earlier, with each passing day.

  He was trying to drink it all in. A few people had come to look at the house. It seemed like people were more curious than interested in buying an almost-three-hundred-year-old house. The historical society had expressed an interest, but they wanted a better deal than they could give them. They seemed surprised that his mother wanted enough to buy herself another place to live.

  He opened the front screen door and noticed his mother sitting on the swing on the front porch, keeping the swing going with one foot.

  “Hey.” Tom walked over to her and sat on the swing, his arm around her shoulders.

  “Hey, yourself.” She seemed quiet.

  “Everything okay?”

  She gave her son a sad smi
le. “Pretty much. Smellin’ the fresh-cut grass and missin’ your daddy.”

  “Me too.”

  They sat this way, swinging and thinking of days gone by. The crickets had started, as had the frogs, bringing the sounds of his childhood to the present. The mosquitoes would be out any minute now. He was thankful his mother always insisted on planting marigolds and lemongrass close to the porch to repel the unwanted pests. It occurred to him that summertime lasted much longer here than in a lot of places. The trees hadn’t even started turning yet.

  “I went to see Jared today and visited with the folks too. How does he look? He was always such a good-lookin’ boy.”

  “They had to shave off part of his hair, but it’s growing back. He looks like he got a crew cut for the wedding.” He laughed, hoping his mother would perk up.

  She smiled. “I’m glad. He seemed in good spirits, excited about the wedding. It was good to visit with Liz and Conrad, and with Sarah’s folks. That wedding is right around the corner, isn’t it?”

  “It is.”

  “They said you’d been helping Lucy with some of the plans. You haven’t said a word.” She swatted him on the knee.

  “Not much to tell. She picks stuff, and I agree. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?” He grinned when she started laughing.

  “I did train you right, didn’t I? Oh, Tommy, I wanted to see you and Charly get married.” She heaved a sigh and shook her head.

  “Mama?”

  “Oh, I’m not dyin’ or anything. I just can’t see. Don’t worry. I get a little maudlin and a little lonesome.”

  Did she regret trying to sell the house? Or was this a case of the blues? He was trying hard to listen, to find out what God was trying to tell him in all situations.

  “Mama, I need to ask you something.”

  “Anything I can help you with?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Well, go on, then.” She had perked up a little. Her impatience amused him.