“Is that fair?”
“Sure it is. Doc didn’t say I had to throw away all my facials—just the green one. And what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
D-day dawned bright and clear. When Danny woke up, he could hear Gil singing off-key in his bathroom. Grinning to himself, he threw back the covers. Today was gonna be a wonderful day! If he could get through today, he’d be in the clear. He was sure he could do it.
* * *
As the first rays of dawn pierced the lab windows, Director Matthews rubbed his tired eyes and sighed. Tests had been completed on the beer bottle, and GAP had pieced together some disturbing information. In light of the data, he’d refused to go home—running GAP scenarios throughout the night. As he waited for the next batch of data to be compiled, he rubbed the back of his neck, willing the computer to work faster. He was finding results—more results than he liked—and GAP was still discovering additional, alarming information.
* * *
William paced in his office, clenching and unclenching his fists. He’d spent the night wandering the halls, trying not to imagine the worst. As he paced between his desk and office door, he kicked at balloons on the floor—remnants of a student prank. He looked at the clock. The hands hadn’t moved. He’d been hoping D-day would pass uneventfully, but in light of the upsetting new data, that seemed unlikely.
He looked back at the clock and groaned. Would the blasted hands ever move? Peering down at his watch and seeing it was five minutes slower, he tore it from his wrist and flung it to the floor.
* * *
In Charlesberg, Danny pelted to the bathroom door and knocked. “Gil,” he called softly, “you big bathroom hog, get a wiggle on! Hurry up, will you?”
Opening the door a crack, Gil peeked out wearing a purple facial. “Sorry, do I have a minute, or should I get out now?”
Danny hopped on one foot. “That depends on your definition of a minute!”
* * *
As the clock in Danny’s cozy living room chimed the hour, across town in the seedy trailer he called home, Rick was lying on his unmade bed surrounded by empty beer bottles. An arm with a tightly clenched fist was thrown up over his face, and his lips were moving, muttering angry things no one could hear.
As a dog’s frantic barks filled the air, Rick got up and walked to his dresser. Seeing his reflection in the mirror, he punched the glass just to hear it shatter. After a long moment, he reached into a drawer and pulled out a long red cord…
* * *
Later that morning, with the delicious smell of Sue’s pancakes wafting through the air, Gil sat cross-legged on the floor of Danny’s bedroom and marked some verses with a ribbon.
“Whatcha doing?” Danny asked, licking his buttery fingers as he came into the room.
“I’ve marked a Bible passage for your mom to read. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Cool! I’ll hurry and brush my teeth.”
“Make sure you wash your face. You’ve got a bit of egg on your nose.”
“You sound just like Mom.”
“That’s ’cause I care.”
Pulling a face, Danny rushed into the bathroom.
While he brushed his teeth, Gil bowed her head. “Dear Lord,” she whispered, “it’s D-day. Please protect us. Help me know what to do and when to do it. I’ve come to love this family. I don’t want them hurt…” As her eyes filled with tears, her whispered words stumbled to a halt. Sitting in silent submission, she began to feel God’s peace stealing its way into her heart.
As Danny came back to the bedroom, Gil watched with a smile as he picked up his Bible and flashed her a grin. She followed a few paces behind as he loped into the kitchen and tackled his mom with a hug.
“I’ve got a passage for us to read,” he said excitedly. “A friend of mine says it’s one of her favorites.”
“Let’s read it then,” Sue said, sitting down and opening to Isaiah 43:1-5. “Don’t be afraid for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you...you are precious to Me and honored, and I love you. Don’t be afraid for I am with you.”
When Sue finished reading, Danny asked, “Does that mean God’s gonna help us today?”
“That’s exactly what it means.” Sue smiled, thumbing through his Bible. “I have a passage for us to read too. I want us to study the Book of John. Let’s read chapter one, okay?”
Danny nodded.
After reading the chapter and answering Danny’s questions about Jesus and John the Baptist, Sue took her son’s hand and prayed over their day.
When Danny was ready to leave for school, Gil watched as he paused and said hesitantly, “Mom, you’ll be extra careful today, won’t you? You won’t take any chances?”
Sue bent down and put her cheek next to her son’s. “I promise with the very best promise I can make. You have nothing to worry about. The diner’s a public place, and Sam’s promised to be there.”
“I know,” Danny said, “but what about afterwards, when Sam leaves?”
“I’ll probably be working at the hospital, but if not, I’ll come home and lock the doors.”
“I don’t want you alone t-today,” Danny said with a catch in his voice. “I have a bad feeling.”
“If you’re that worried, I’ll go to Mr. Jacobson’s if I’m not needed at the hospital.”
“That’s good,” Danny said, giving her a hug. “I love you so much it hurts!”
“I don’t want you in pain.” Sue laughed. “You can love me less and keep your health.”
“No, I can’t. You mean the world to me.”
“That makes two of us then,” Sue said. “Now, no more worrying. We’ve made our plans as best we can, and we’ve prayed. All that’s left is to face today with courage and a smile.”
Gil moved away from the wall and gave Danny’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Come on, trooper, let’s get to school. Everything’s gonna be fine.”
As Danny shouldered his backpack and went out the door, Gil murmured beneath her breath, “Here we go. Ready or not. It’s D-day.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Walking to school, Danny saw Slim running toward him. Cringing a little, he braced for confrontation, but for the first time in weeks, Slim didn’t harass him. Instead, Slim waved and asked, “Hey, do any kung fu last night?”
Danny gave a relieved smile. “Nope, did you?”
“Nah, but I did watch a movie about a Japanese warrior who teamed up with a cowboy. He wasn’t as fast as you, but he had some great moves.” Slim paused. “Hey, Danny, will you tell me how you moved so fast?”
“It’s hard to explain,” Danny replied, looking over at Gil. “But someday, I might. You won’t believe me though.”
Slim tossed Danny a candy bar. “Try me sometime.”
As the bell rang, they rushed into school and shouted a quick so-long. Glancing at Slim over his shoulder, Danny gave a satisfied sigh. D-day, or not, things were going just fine.
* * *
William balanced two cups of coffee as he entered the lab. Putting a steaming mug by the director’s elbow, he asked as calmly as he could, “What have you found, Peter?”
The director picked up the mug and took a long sip. “About Danny or about Rick?”
“Both.”
“Neither one is good.”
Hearing the gruffness in the director’s voice, and knowing it was due to lack of sleep, William said, “Take another drink and explain.”
Director Matthews nodded and rubbed his eyes. “It’s worse than we assumed. This assignment should’ve been conducted by a professional, not a student cadet.”
“Gil was perfect for this job.”
“It doesn’t matter. The information I’m digging up about Rick Olse
n is staggering. When Gil reports in, she needs to be warned that Rick’s extremely dangerous—and I mean extremely.”
“Gil doesn’t pay attention to warnings.”
“She has to!” the director exclaimed. “If she doesn’t use extra caution, we won’t get her back. I’ve never lost a cadet yet, but she could easily be my first.”
Feeling his stomach churning, William clenched his hands. “What about Danny? What’s GAP saying about the boy’s future? Is the risk to Gil worth it?”
“Right now, it’s running straight up fifty-fifty. Half the time, GAP says Danny dodges D-day. A few seconds later, it has him back on death row. I don’t know what to say. These are the most inconsistent predictions I’ve ever observed. I can’t call it.”
* * *
Sue walked downtown to hustle through some errands before her shift started at the diner. As she entered Wiseman’s Jewelry Emporium to replace her watch battery, she began to hum Some Enchanted Evening. She smiled softly. Sam was taking up a lion’s share of her thoughts. She hadn’t felt so comfortable around a man since her husband passed away.
It was funny how life worked. When she’d started her job at Stubby’s, another waitress pointed out Sam as the nicest man in town. After that, she’d kept a casual eye out for him. From the diner’s windows, she’d seen him carrying groceries for elderly ladies and helping tourists with directions. Walking home from work one day, she’d spotted him helping a little boy search for a lost puppy. And from her desk in the emergency room, she’d watched him comforting people in pain. It seemed that everywhere she went she caught a glimpse of “the nicest man in town.” She’d never expected to meet him, of course. But now that she had, she’d freely admit he was more wonderful than rumor reported.
Still humming, she wandered over to the counter and noticed a man in his eighties buying jewelry.
“You sure know how to pick ’em,” the clerk said as he handed the old man a couple of ring boxes. “That sapphire’s a beauty.”
“It has to be. It’s going on the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world. My wife and I will be celebrating our Sapphire Anniversary next week.” The old man put the velvet cases in his pocket and turned around. When he saw Sue, he smiled.
Sue smiled back at him. “Congratulations, I overheard you saying your anniversary’s coming up.”
“Thank you, miss, I’m blessed indeed. I have the best wife in the world.”
“Forty-five years is quite an accomplishment.”
“True, but I had wonderful parents who set a grand example. They celebrated over fifty years together. My siblings and I have kept the tradition. All our marriages have lasted.”
“What’s your secret?”
Twinkling, the old man whispered in her ear, “Lots of love and separate bathrooms!”
Sue threw back her head and laughed.
* * *
Across the street from the jewelry store, Rick stood in an alley, watching Sue laughing with the old man. Grinding his cigarette out against a brick, he spat contemptuously. She had no right to be happy. No right at all. Sue Winston was nothing but a cheap, two-timing tramp.
* * *
As the relentless sun forced itself through his bedroom curtains, Sam began to pray. He kept waiting for God’s peace to come, but when it didn’t, he went to the bathroom to splash water on his face. As he scrubbed the back of his neck, he groaned and peered at his reflection. His face was haggard—it was obvious he hadn’t slept. Truth be told, he’d been thrown off balance by Sue, and his emotions were all over the map.
Roughly rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand, Sam sighed. He wondered if Sue knew how her eyes sparkled when she smiled and just how pretty she looked in blue. As he pictured her face, his breath caught in his throat.
Tossing the washcloth in the sink, Sam set his jaw. He couldn’t afford to get close to a woman—it simply wasn’t a good idea. If Sue was going to have such an effect on him, he needed to take precautions. Keep things formal. Business like. He may like Sue, but dating her wasn’t worth the risk. He had too much to lose.
“I want you to read Philippians 2:7.”
Sam froze. He knew the Lord’s voice when he heard it. Going back to his bedroom, he picked up his Bible and flipped to the verse. “But Christ made Himself of no reputation…”
Sam stopped reading and peered at the ceiling. “What are you trying to say?”
The Lord’s voice came again, soft and still inside his heart, “Christ put aside His reputation, and so must you.”
Sam squirmed. When he graduated from seminary, the woman he’d been dating had spread nasty rumors after they broke up. Since then, he’d steered clear of women. It didn’t take much to set people talking, and he hated to be the topic of malicious gossip. In fact, he hated it so much that guarding his reputation had become an obsession.
“I want all of you,” the Lord’s voice said, “not just the parts of your life you’re willing to share. I want you to trust Me with the things you hold most dear.”
“But God,” Sam protested, “my sterling reputation is honoring to You. I like Sue, but if I get too close to her, the gossips will be marrying us off before we have our second date. And if we break up, it could hurt my ministry. It’s wise for me to keep separate from—”
“Look up 1 Corinthians 3:19.”
Hunching a shoulder, Sam opened his Bible. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
“By trying to be wise,” the Lord said gently, “you are being a fool.”
Sam stared at the ceiling in confusion. “I don’t understand what You want from me. I’ll help Sue. I’ll be nice to her. But I’m not getting involved beyond a certain point. Living a single life is a sacrifice, but it’s better than—”
“1 Samuel 15:22.”
Giving a gusty sigh, Sam turned to the verse. “...Obedience is far better than sacrifice.” Tossing his Bible on the bed, Sam shouted, “What do You want from me?”
“I’ve already told you. I want you to yield your reputation. I want your obedience. I want you to listen to Me rather than your own fears.”
“But what about the gossips? If they—”
“Think about Christ.”
Knowing that God’s words were a command and not a suggestion, Sam mentally reviewed the life of Jesus. As he did, he realized that Christ wasn’t swayed by people’s opinions. He also realized that Christ didn’t spend His time trying to squelch gossip.
“I think I understand,” Sam said, “but why are You telling me this?”
The Lord’s voice came again, “You’ll find your answer in Jeremiah 29:11.”
“I don’t need to read that verse. I can quote it,” Sam said. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
“Knowing doesn’t always mean understanding. Look it up.”
Sam flipped through the worn pages of his Bible. When he found the verse, he blinked in astonishment. Taped over Jeremiah 29:11 was a note from his brother.
“Read what Nathan has to say,” the Lord prompted softly.
With a shaking voice, Sam read the note, “Brother-of-mine, God has great plans for your life, and I believe a wife is one of them. Put aside your fears, and open your heart. The love of a good woman is one of God’s greatest gifts.”
Sam felt a lump rising in his throat. “What are you trying to tell me, God? Are You saying Sue and I are meant to be together?”
“I’m saying that if you will trust Me with your reputation, you will allow Me to do something wonderful. Never let the fear of people’s opinions rob you of the blessings I have in store.”
* * *
Humming to herself, Sue glanced at her watch and turned toward the diner. The rest of her errands would have to wait or she’d be late for work. Suddenly, she felt a prickling on the back of her neck. Fearing she was being watched, she turned and looked. Rick wasn’t in sight.
Has
tening her step, she crossed the street. The feeling of being watched came again. She swung around. Rick wasn’t behind her—at least not where she could see him. Flinching at shadows, she made short work of the walk to the diner, and when she reached it, she sighed in relief. Giving a customer a wobbly smile, she grabbed a polka dot apron from beneath the counter. Seeing the way her hands were shaking, she chided herself for her fear. After all, there was no reason to be anxious.
No reason at all.
Rick had always been kind to her. He certainly wasn’t following her. She’d just been imagining things...
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Crystal stared at a note taped to the door of Hertz Lecture Hall. Spinning on her heel, she collided with someone standing behind her. As her head crashed into the man’s chin, her backpack fell and her glasses slipped and hung by one ear.
“Careful, Cris,” the man said, grabbing her elbows and steading her.
Hearing the voice, Crystal groaned inside. Straightening her glasses, she mumbled, “Sorry, Marc. Didn’t see you.”
“So I gathered.” He pointed at the note. “Is Doc cancelling the recapitulation session?”
Crystal nodded. “The note says our graded finals will be mailed to us.”
“So that’s it? The semester’s over?”
“I guess so.” Pushing her owlish glasses further up on her nose, she said in a worried voice, “I don’t like it.”
“What’s not to like? Summer vacation, here we come!”
“That’s not what I meant,” she muttered. “Doc never cancels anything. Last year, he held classes even though he had double pneumonia. Something’s wrong.”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“I’m not! Something’s up!”
“Just because Dr. Ableman cancelled one measly review session?”
“No, because Dr. Nelson cancelled her classes too. I’m going to wander over to the lab and see if I can figure out what’s happening.”
“It won’t do you a bit of good,” Ryan said, coming up behind them. “TEMCO’s locked down tighter than a drum. Only those with Alpha-Blue clearance are being allowed onto the second floor of Hawking Hall.”
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