“Oh no...” Kate sat down heavily on the bed. “When is she going to move the children?”
“My mother and I both begged and pleaded to let them stay at least through Old Timer’s Day. She finally agreed to wait until Saturday. She’ll pick them up here at six o’clock. Kate, you have to do something to stop that woman.”
“Yes, I know. But what? I’m trying to help their father get his parole. Unless a miracle happens, he can’t possibly get parole for at least thirty days. Couldn’t she wait that long? Leave the children with you until we know if Wyn’s going to be released?”
“She seemed so adamant, Kate. You’ll have to talk to her. I simply didn’t know what else to say.”
For a long while after Kate hung up the phone, she sat on the bed, her head in her hands, trying to think of a way to delay what now seemed inevitable. No grand plan or revelation came to her.
FIRST THING THE NEXT MORNING, Kate called Valerie Hyland. The woman was as unmoved by Kate’s pleas as she had been by Renee’s.
Kate talked to Hyland’s supervisor, but the woman made it quite clear that she’d stand behind Hyland’s decision. When Kate finally reached the Director of Children’s Services, his answer was the same. For the children’s safety, they would be removed from the loving home they’d found with Renee and placed with strangers.
Kate felt like crying over the miscarriage of justice that she couldn’t prevent.
KATE WAS ON THE ROAD early Thursday morning en route to the Turney Center Industrial Prison for Wyn Carew’s parole hearing. In her slender briefcase, she carried the notarized papers to substantiate Wyn’s release plan. In her heart, she carried hope and a whole lot of prayers from Faith Briar’s prayer circle.
The prison with its guard towers and razor wire looked no less intimidating than it had the first time she’d visited. The grim surroundings still gave Kate the unsettled feeling that once inside, a person might never come out.
Deacon Moore greeted her with his broad gold-tooth smile and booming voice. “Mrs. Hanlon, good to see you again.” When she extended her hand, he took it in both of his. “Wyn’s been a nervous wreck since you were here last week.”
“I confess I’m a little nervous myself.”
“Everyone is at a parole hearing. All you have to do is present Wyn’s release plan to the hearing officer as thoroughly as you can. He’ll probably ask you some questions, which I’m sure you’ll be able to handle. He’ll be asking questions of both Wyn and myself as well. Then it will all be left up to the hearing officer’s recommendation and the parole board.”
“I’m rather hoping the Lord will have a hand in whatever the decision is.”
Deacon laughed a deep rolling sound. “Amen to that, sister.”
As they waited, Kate told Deacon about the social worker’s plan for Wyn’s children, the urgency of getting Wyn released so he could take custody instead of the state.
When she finished, Deacon said, “The Lord surely has his work cut out for him, doesn’t he?”
“I don’t often pray for a miracle, but I think that’s what it’s going to take this time.”
Finally a guard announced Wyn’s hearing.
Kate filed into a barren room with two metal conference tables facing each other. Wearing his prison garb, Wyn stood at the nearest table. Across from him was the hearing officer, a pale-faced, portly man in his fifties with a double chin and thinning hair. A stack of files balanced the table on either side of him. In between, a nameplate read August Huhn.
Kate forced a smile, acknowledging the hearing officer with a nod.
Wyn held out a chair for her. As he seated her, he whispered, “Did the kids get my letter?”
“Yes, they were so glad to hear from you. They want to come visit as soon as they can.”
August Huhn slapped his gavel on the table. “Let’s get on with it, folks.” He whipped open the file folder in front of him.
Moving away from Kate, Wyn seated himself in the middle, with Deacon on his left. Kate removed the notarized papers from her briefcase and placed them on the table. The uniformed guard who’d admitted them to the hearing room remained standing behind them, guarding the door.
Mr. Huhn rattled off case numbers, reason for incarceration, and other pertinent information before turning to Wyn, his tone sarcastic.
“All right, Mr. Carew, tell me why the good people of Tennessee should allow a fellow like you back into their midst.”
Wyn cleared his throat. “My children need me, sir. Their mother died recently, and they don’t have any other family. Mrs. Hanlon here, she’s a preacher’s wife, she’s been looking out for them. I’d like a chance to do that myself.”
“Everybody’s got a sad story today,” Huhn grumped. “So tell me, what’s your release plan?”
Kate spoke up. Step-by-step, she told the hearing officer about the arrangements she’d made for Wyn’s employment, a place to live, and supervision while he was on probation. When she finished, she handed the paperwork to the guard, who carried it to Huhn.
He flipped through them quickly, then looked up. “Anything else you want to say, Mrs. Hanlon?”
“Yes, sir. In order to keep the family intact, Mr. Carew needs to be released by this weekend. Therefore, I’d like to request that the parole board grant Mr. Carew a compassionate early release no later than this Saturday.”
Huhn squinted across the room at her. “You’ve got to be kidding. A compassionate early release? Never heard of such a thing.”
“Sir, I’ve been informed by Children’s Services that Mr. Carew’s three children will be separated and placed in different foster homes, the oldest girl in a group home.”
Kate heard Wyn suck in a shocked breath, but he held his tongue.
“They are to be removed from their current setting by six o’clock Saturday. I’m concerned about the long-term harm this separation, on top of their mother’s recent death, will do to the children. I’m hoping you’ll agree that Mr. Carew has earned his parole through his hard work, and that the interests of the state of Tennessee and its people are best served by keeping his family intact.”
Silently, Huhn smoothed his palm over his thinning hair. Beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead. “What do you have to say, Deacon Moore?”
“I believe Wyn Carew is repentant and has prepared himself well for his release and his life outside of prison. Given the circumstances of his children, I echo Mrs. Hanlon’s request for a compassionate early release for Mr. Carew.”
“Hunh. The parole board meets on Saturday.” The hearing officer stared at them for a few seconds, then pounded the table with his gavel again. “This hearing is closed. The prisoner is to be returned to his cell, and the civilians escorted out. Good day.”
Stunned by the sudden and inconclusive end of the hearing, Kate was ushered out of the room along with Deacon Moore.
“It’s all in the Lord’s hands now,” he said as he told her good-bye.
Kate could only hope the Lord had a miracle planned.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Paul left the house early Saturday morning to help set up the booths for Old Timer’s Day on the Town Green.
In the kitchen, Kate pulled a big mixing bowl from the cupboard and the pans she needed for the double batch of brownies she’d decided to contribute to the Faith Freezer booth.
The act of melting unsweetened chocolate and shortening together reminded her of the way two rivers came converged, at first separate and then flowing as one. She and Paul had joined in a single river of life and love many years before, in time bringing their children into the current that carried them along God’s path.
Not all families were as fortunate, she realized. For whatever reason, the Maddock family had been caught in unfriendly eddies. Fear gripped her as she thought of the children being separated and Wyn being denied his parole. What tributary would they all follow if the worst happened?
Sifting the flour and a cup of sugar with baking powder
and salt, she considered the ingredients that made for a happy family. Even without their mother, she believed with all her heart that Wyn could create that kind of family with his children, given the chance.
As she mixed the nuts into the dry ingredients, she acknowledged that the course of any family could hit some rough spots. A stubborn faith in the Lord had always helped her get past those moments.
Trying to shake off her melancholy mood, she finished mixing the ingredients together and poured half of the batter into each of two greased pans, then slipped the pans into the oven. While the brownies baked, she dressed, then loaded her meager contribution of stained-glass pieces for Steve Smith’s Appalachian craft booth into the car. When the brownies had cooled, she cut them into squares and packaged them for the booth.
There’d been no word from Deacon Moore about Wyn’s parole hearing, and her spirits were low as she drove into town.
Fearing the worst, the previous evening Kate had put together packets of writing paper and stamped envelopes she addressed to herself. She’d give those to the Maddock children so they could let her know their new addresses. Ms. Hyland, she was sure, wouldn’t be willing to provide that information.
Although the day’s events weren’t fully under way yet, there were dozens of people milling around on the Town Green. Many of the locals, including Kate, wore old-fashioned dresses, and the men had donned overalls and straw hats to help carry out the theme.
Colorful booths had been erected around the periphery of the green, with balloons attached that swayed gently in the morning breeze.
Kate delivered her brownies to the Faith Freezer booth first. Several cakes had already arrived, as well as trays of cookies.
“Looks like we’re going to have a successful bake sale,” she commented to Millie Lovelace and Dot Bagley, who had volunteered for the first shift of the day.
“It will be if Dot isn’t tempted to snitch too many cookies while no one is looking.” Millie appeared ready to keep careful track of the booth’s inventory of cookies and cakes and make sure no one made off with any merchandise without paying.
Dot laughed, “I’m sure you’ll save me from temptation, Millie. But you have to admit, Kate’s double-chocolate brownies are hard to resist.”
Not wanting to get in the middle of Millie’s snit, Kate excused herself, promising she’d be back for the afternoon shift. She retrieved her stained-glass pieces from the car and carried them to the craft booth.
Dressed in a turn-of-the-century merchant costume, a long black jacket, and a frilly white shirt with a string tie, Steve Smith was setting out displays of wooden tops, old-fashioned spin toys, hardwood yo-yos, hand-woven wool shawls, monoprint cards, baskets, and ceramics. At the back of the booth, Steve had hung two lovely handmade quilts.
“Goodness, Steve, what a wonderful assortment of crafts,” Kate said.
He smiled shyly. “We have a lot of talented people living in Copper Mill.”
Kate handed him her three meager pieces of stained glass. “I’m glad you didn’t rely on me to fill up your booth. I’m afraid I’ve been too busy to get much work done in my studio.”
“Yes, I heard about the diamond thieves you tracked down.” He held up each sun catcher to the light before placing it on the display table. “These are quite nice, Kate. They’ll be snapped up in no time.”
Kate was far more concerned about the Maddock children than the sale of her sun catchers.
From halfway across the Town Green, Renee called to her and waved. “Yoo-hoo, Kate! Here we are.” The older woman was tottering along on three-inch heels, carrying Megan’s colorful kite. Kisses bounced along in his tote, slung over Renee’s arm.
Megan, who had a cardboard box in her arms, trudged along behind Renee, and Gwen and Beck followed behind with their kites. The children’s heads were down, their shoulders slumped in obvious misery. They were fully aware that this was their last day in Copper Mill.
The thought of the children leaving, of them being separated from one another, made Kate almost physically ill. She forced a happy smile.
“Good morning! Did you bring your cornhusk dolls?” she asked Megan.
Megan’s silent shrug spoke volumes about her state of mind as she handed the box to Kate.
“Oh, let me take a look.”
Placing the box gingerly on the display counter, Kate examined Megan’s work. The diamond necklace on the old-fashioned doll had been replaced with bits of stained glass. Megan had also created a horse with a rider on his back, a kneeling boy playing marbles, and a guitar-playing cowboy.
“These are wonderful, Megan. You’re very talented.”
“For all the good it does.” The young adolescent, in obvious pain, studied the ground as though hoping a hole would open up and swallow her.
Kate lifted Megan’s chin. “You are talented and good and kind and smart. I’m very proud of you. Wherever you go, you remember that.”
Tears glistened in Megan’s eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”
Steve took the dolls out of the box, raving over each one and placing them in a prominent position on his counter. He arranged to pay Megan her share of the proceeds at the end of the day before she left for Chattanooga. Nothing he said, however, seemed to cheer Megan or her siblings.
In the middle of the green, Skip Spencer was beginning to organize games for the children. He used an electric bullhorn to announce the events. First up was a three-legged race.
With the promise of an ice-cream cone, Paul managed to lure Beck into being his partner for the race. The young man who’d been so taken with Megan at the SuperMart invited her to join in the fun. Kate and Gwen became partners for what turned out to be a failed but hilarious effort in the women’s division of the race.
By late afternoon, the children were into the spirit of the day, joining in the water-balloon toss and the hoop-rolling race. It didn’t matter whether or not they won. They were having a wonderful day. But Kate knew their time left in Copper Mill was ticking away as surely as the sun followed its ordained path into the western sky.
The next event was the kite-decoration-and-flying contest.
Watching from the Faith Freezer booth, Kate looked across the expanse of the Town Green. She squinted, spotting a large black man ambling toward her. For a moment, she thought—
“Deacon Moore!” Leaving the booth in Livvy’s capable hands, Kate hurried to meet Deacon and the man walking beside the chaplain, Wyn Carew. He’d shed his prison garb and was dressed in khaki slacks and a sport shirt.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Hanlon,” Deacon said, grinning broadly. “I brought you your miracle.”
Kate practically leaped into the chaplain’s arms to hug him. “How did you do it? How did you get Wyn out so fast?”
Chuckling, Deacon lifted her off her feet and hugged her back. “Wasn’t my doing. Seems the Lord sent us the perfect hearing officer. August Huhn was raised in foster homes and hated it. He didn’t want the same thing to happen to those little children you told him about. The parole board acted this morning.”
Thank you, Lord!
She turned to Wyn, hesitated a moment, then hugged him too. “You’re just in time for the kite-flying contest. Beck will be so excited you’re here. All the children will be.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Mrs. Hanlon—”
“Seeing you and your children reunited is all the thanks I’ll ever need.”
She hooked her arm through Wyn’s, ushering him toward the cluster of youngsters gathered around Skip with their kites. Paul was in the group as well.
“Paul!” she called, getting her husband’s attention. She mouthed the words, “Bring the children,” and gestured to Wyn.
Paul caught on right away.
“I’m kind of nervous about meeting the kids,” Wyn admitted.
“Don’t be.” Kate patted his arm. “They’re your family.”
Over the youngsters’ objections, Paul pulled them away from the crowd and headed them, feet dragging, t
oward Kate.
It was Megan who recognized Wyn first. Her eyes widened. Her pace increased until she was almost running.
“Pa!” Sobbing, she flew into her father’s arms.
Trying futilely to stanch the flow of her own tears, Kate stepped back out of the way to give the children room to meet their father.
Gwen and Beck approached Wyn more warily than their big sister had. In order not to tower over them, Wyn crouched down.
“How did you guys get so big?” he asked.
“I’m almost ten,” Beck proudly said.
“Yeah, I know. But last time I saw you, you were only that big.” He held his hands about a foot apart. “I’ve missed you so much. I thought I’d lost you...” His voice broke, and he started to cry.
Gwen stepped up. “Don’t cry, Pa. You found us. It’ll be okay now.”
Given all the hugging and crying, those attending Old Timer’s Day began to realize what was happening. They formed a protective circle around the reunited family, everyone smiling and some shedding their own tears.
Sheriff Roberts made his way through the crowd to Kate. “Looks like Mr. Carew got here in time for the big news.”
Puzzled, Kate asked, “What news?”
“The insurance company for the jewelry store in Knoxville called me. There’s a reward for the return of the stolen diamonds. They wanted to know who to make the check out to. It’s pretty substantial.”
He named an amount that made Kate’s jaw drop. That money could be put to use for any number of good causes. But Kate knew exactly where the Lord intended it to go.
“Have them make out the check to Wyn Carew. He’s going to need it to help put his family back on their feet.”
Sheriff Roberts shoved his hat back farther on his head and smiled. “I figured that’s what you’d say. I’ll let them know.”
Apparently, Skip Spencer was anxious to get on with the kite-flying contest and used his bullhorn to announce that fact.
“Pa, can you help me fly my kite?” Beck asked.
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