Thirty and a Half Excuses

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Rose, how do you know that?” Jonah’s voice rose to a high pitch.

  I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, tears streaming down my cheeks. I fought to catch my breath.

  I’d just watched someone die.

  I’d had visions of myself dead and Joe dying, but I’d never witnessed someone else’s actual death. As violent as it was, I knew I could have witnessed far worse things. The poor woman could have been tortured. But this was the worst thing I’d ever seen.

  “Rose, how do you know that?” Jonah was panicking.

  I needed to get control. Freaking out wasn’t going to do either of us any good. I took a deep breath. “I…I have visions. I can see things in the future. I saw a woman murdered in your kitchen.”

  Jonah made the sign of the cross. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

  I gaped. “I thought you were Protestant.”

  “My church is non-denominational, but I was raised Catholic. Some habits die hard.”

  Wrong choice of words. I threw up again.

  Jonah was calmer. He’d gotten ahold of himself sooner than I had. But then again, he hadn’t watched someone get shot in the head. “Why would you have that vision?”

  When my stomach settled, I brushed back the hair hanging in my face. “I wanted to see if you were telling me the truth about being innocent. That was what I saw.”

  “So you believe me?”

  I nodded, a queasy feeling still in the pit of my stomach.

  “Who was the poor woman?”

  I swallowed down a sob. “I don’t know. The kitchen was dark, and she was tied to a chair. Her head was slumped forward, so I couldn’t see her face.”

  “Are you sure she was murdered?”

  The scene replayed in my head, blood and all, making me queasy. I nodded again, fighting to keep it together. “A person wearing a hood pointed a gun at the woman’s head and shot her.”

  “Oh, God.” Jonah started to hyperventilate. “Who killed her?”

  “I don’t know. I couldn’t recognize the voice, and the person’s features were completely concealed. He or she said that they’d brought you a present and that you’d thank them for it later. Then the person shot whoever the woman was and told you it was time to get to work.”

  “Work? Doing what?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Jonah rested his head between his hands. “We don’t know anything.”

  “That’s not true. I know you’re not involved. You were confused and horrified.”

  “Can we keep this from happening?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. “Not everything I see happens, so there’s a chance we can stop it. I just don’t know how to at this point.”

  “Lord help us.”

  I needed to clear my head and think straight. I cast a glance at Jonah. “Why did the person in my vision call you Jonas?”

  His face paled even more. “That’s my real name. I changed it to Jonah when I became a minister because of my record. The biblical Jonah needed a big wakeup call to do God’s work. It seemed fitting.”

  “Who around here knows your real name?”

  “No one. I made sure of it.” He paused. “Some people don’t believe in rehabilitation.”

  “But you do. That’s why you started the support group to give those kids a chance. Who shows up for it?”

  “Teens and rehabilitated criminals who become mentors to the kids.”

  “How do you know they’re rehabilitated?”

  He shrugged. “They have to provide references. Like employers.”

  “Does anyone in the group work at Weston’s Garage?”

  His eyes flew wide at the mention of the business name, and then he tried to cover his reaction. “I’m not at liberty to tell you. All participants are guaranteed anonymity.”

  I grabbed his arm. “This is important, Jonah. Do any of them work at Weston’s?”

  He grimaced. “Several.”

  My fingers pinched his arm. “Define several.”

  He pulled loose from my grasp. “Rose, I’ve sworn to give them protection.”

  “Jonah, this could be the difference between life and death.”

  He rubbed his temples. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He swallowed. “Five, maybe six.”

  “Is there a bald guy that comes? With snake tattoos on his neck?”

  Jonah tensed. “How did you know that?”

  My chest felt like an elephant had sat on it. “I don’t think you’re running a support group.”

  “Of course, I am. You don’t believe me?”

  “I believe that you think that’s what you’re doing. But it sounds like your group is using it to recruit kids for Daniel Crocker’s gang.”

  “What? No! I sit in on the meetings myself. They never discuss illegal activities. We have a Bible study.”

  “What happens after the meetings?”

  He looked bewildered. “They leave.”

  “Do they hang around in the parking lot and talk?”

  “Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes they just leave.”

  I didn’t know what Bruce Wayne had seen at the church, but I was sure it involved the support group. “Did Bruce Wayne go to your support group last Friday after I left?”

  Jonah stood and began to pace, looping his hands around the back of his neck. “Rose, I can’t tell you that. This group is supposed to be anonymous.”

  “Jonah, do you understand the enormity of this? Telling me whether he went or not could mean saving his life!”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration. “Yes. He came.”

  I jumped off the bench and headed to the park entrance. “I have to go.”

  “Wait!” he called after me. “Where are you going?”

  “I don’t know yet, but if you see Christy Hansen, run the other way. She has a gun, and I have no doubt she plans to shoot you with it.”

  “Wait!”

  Exasperated, I turned, putting my hand on my hip. “What?’

  “Does this mean you’re going to help me?”

  Was I? I didn’t owe Jonah Pruitt anything, but if helping him meant preventing the death of the woman in my vision and finding out who killed the other women, how could I refuse? “I’ll help you as best I can. I have to find Bruce Wayne first.”

  As I half-ran to my truck, I knew where I needed to go next.

  Weston’s Garage.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  When I got into the truck, I tore the charger cord out of the package and plugged in my phone. The thing was so dead I’d have to wait a while before I could make a call.

  Mason was bound to wonder where I’d disappeared to, not to mention he was probably worried if his secretary hadn’t given him my message. Had he figured out that I’d been kidnapped from the sheriff’s office? I needed to tell him what I’d learned since leaving with Christy that morning.

  Bottom line, I had to talk to him, and the sooner the better. But could I risk going to the courthouse? It was either that or call him. If I went to my house to use the home phone, Christy might be at her aunt’s house, waiting for me. I could go back to the nursery, but I honestly didn’t want to deal with Violet again. I also didn’t want to wait for my cell phone to charge. What if Mason had news about Bruce Wayne?

  The courthouse it was.

  I parked my truck several blocks away. I worried about getting through security since both guards knew me, but Ol’ Matt was on duty, and he greeted me with a big smile. “Second visit today, huh, Rose? Didn’t you leave with Mr. Deveraux this morning? Here to see Neely Kate this time?”

  “Nope, I’m here to see Mason Deveraux again. Do you know if he’s come back?”

  “I’ve been at this post since you all took off this morning, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Mr. Deveraux since.”

  My shoulders slumped in defeat. This was the only entrance Mason would have used. “Thanks, Matt.”

  “You still wantin’ to come inside?”

 
“Yeah, I might as well see Neely Kate since I’m here.”

  When I walked through the door to the personal property department, I found her sitting at her desk, thumbing through a pile of papers with a bored expression on her face. When she saw me, her face broke into a big grin. “Rose!”

  I leaned my hands on the counter. “Can you take a break? I really need to talk.”

  Her smile faded. “Of course.” She looked over her shoulder at the girl sitting at the other desk. “I’ll be back soon.”

  The girl rolled her eyes.

  “You can’t find good help these days,” Neely Kate muttered. I couldn’t help thinking that Jimmy DeWade had probably said the same thing about her before he’d decided to start murdering people.

  I would have laughed at the irony, but I was too on edge.

  We took the stairs down to the basement and sat at a table next to the vending machines. The basement was chilly, and Neely Kate rubbed her arms. “Rose, you look like you saw a ghost.”

  “Close. I saw a murder.”

  “What?”

  I squinted my eyes closed, trying to block out the memory. “I did what you suggested, Neely Kate. I made myself have a vision with Jonah Pruitt, and I saw a woman killed in his kitchen.” I looked up at her, and my voice broke. “She was shot in the head.”

  Neely Kate’s mouth formed an O as she stared at me in disbelief for several seconds. “So Jonah Pruitt really is a murderer.”

  “No, it was someone else. Jonah doesn’t have anything to do with any of this.”

  “But what about Miss Dorothy’s will? Her house?”

  “He swears he didn’t know anything about it. He says he found out after she died.”

  “And you believe him?”

  I took a deep breath. “Yeah, I do.”

  She nodded. “That’s good enough for me.”

  This was part of what I loved about Neely Kate. She took me at my word without a single doubt.

  I told her about the rest of my morning, but I just couldn’t bring myself to tell her about Joe coming home yesterday and confiding his big secret. She’d kill to know, and for all her gossiping ways, I trusted her to keep my secret. But talking about it made it more real. Right now I could pretend it was just a bad dream.

  Neely Kate rubbed her arms. “So what are you going to do?”

  “I have to help Bruce Wayne.”

  “Of course you do, but how are you gonna do it?’

  “I’m going out to Weston’s Garage.”

  Neely Kate narrowed her gaze. “Do you really think that’s a good idea, Rose? What if Thomas was right? What if Crocker’s guys are pissed at you?”

  I wasn’t stupid. The thought of going out there scared me to death, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to see if Bruce Wayne was okay.

  “Maybe you should wait for Mason. He seems pretty willing to help you two.”

  “Yeah, I know.” What she said made sense, but it seemed wrong to sit around without doing anything.

  “I know you.” She leaned forward. “You’re sitting here thinking about going out there anyway despite everything I just said.”

  A lump burned my throat. “I can’t just sit here and leave him out there, Neely Kate. What if they kidnapped him? What if they’re hurting him?”

  She stared into my eyes. “Rose, you don’t even know if he’s there. For all you know, he’s back home, kicked back in his Lazyboy and smokin’ a reefer.” She grabbed my hand, holding it tightly. “I know you feel responsible for him, but you can’t just strut out there like nothin’ can happen to you. Because it can. Just think it through a little bit before you do anything, and then think it through a little more. Okay?”

  She was right, and I knew it, even if I felt like I was abandoning Bruce Wayne. Mason had gone to the sheriff’s office to get them to go out to Weston’s Garage. They had a much better chance of helping my friend than I did. But I had to make sure they’d followed through.

  Neely Kate pulled me into a hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Then I shot her a glare. “But don’t be asking me to try to force any more visions. I don’t ever want to see anything like that again.”

  Neely Kate sucked in her lower lip, watching me and struggling with what she wanted to say. She shifted her weight. “Look Rose, remember when I told you I thought your visions were a blessing but you think they’re a curse?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, maybe we’re looking at it all wrong. Maybe they’re not a blessing or a curse, maybe your visions are a responsibility.”

  I pressed my lips together in irritation. “What does that mean?”

  “You just saw a murder, which had to be shocking, and I’m so, so sorry for that. But you saw Joe’s death, and you changed it.” Her eyes burned with her earnestness. “You have the power to really help people, Rose. You have the power to save them.”

  I stood and turned my back to her. I didn’t want that power. “That’s not me, Neely Kate.” Tears swam in my eyes. “I can’t handle that kind of responsibility. I can barely take care of Muffy, and she’s a dog.” I shook my head. “You don’t know what you’re asking me to do.”

  She stood behind me and wrapped her arm around my back, resting her head on my shoulder. “I do know, and I’m sorry. You saw someone die. But what if you can stop it? What if you can save her life?”

  I leaned my head against hers. “Joe will have a conniption.”

  “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”

  I sighed. Neely Kate was on a roll. I took a deep breath and braced my shoulders. I’d cried enough. It was time to do something. “Okay.”

  “You need to tell Mason.”

  I shook my head. “You’re like a ping pong ball. Mason won’t approve of this.”

  She gave me a smug smile. “Don’t be so sure of that.”

  We took the elevator, and I waved goodbye when she got off on the first floor, staying on so I could go to the second.

  Cecelia was at her desk when I got to Mason’s office. She took one look at me and frowned, but she quickly looked down to hide her reaction and kept typing.

  I decided being extra nice was the best way to handle her. “Hi, Cecelia. Has Mason come back since I called you?”

  She kept her eyes glued to her computer screen. “No.”

  “Has he called you since he left?”

  Her gaze lifted, and her eyes hardened. “You are not allowed to know about Mr. Deveraux’s official office business.”

  “I’m not asking about that. I’m asking if he’s called you.”

  She glared at me for a moment. “Yes.”

  “And did you give him my message?”

  “Yes.”

  “And…? Did he say anything?”

  She turned back to her work. “No.”

  I considered asking her to give me his cell phone number so I could call him from here, but I didn’t want her to hear my conversation. And if I went into his office to make the call, I couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t eavesdrop. I might be getting bolder about my visions, but I wasn’t ready to shout about them from the rooftop.

  Matt waved to me when I passed through the security line. “You have a good day, Rose.”

  “Thanks, Matt.” I stopped and spun back to face him. “If you see Mr. Deveraux, can you tell him I stopped by his office, and that I’m looking for him?”

  “Shouldn’t you tell his secretary?”

  Apparently, that was a waste of time. “Everyone knows you’re the most reliable employee in all of Fenton County.”

  He waved his hand. “Aren’t you sweet? Of course I’ll tell him. Even if you’re exaggerating.”

  “It’s not an exaggeration. It’s the unvarnished truth.”

  My phone hadn’t charged by the time I’d got back to my truck. Since I was used to charging it at home, I hadn’t realized it wouldn’t charge when the engine was turned off. I was practically back where I’d started.r />
  I sat behind the steering wheel of my truck, staring at the courthouse. Neely Kate had a good point. If I wanted to save that poor woman, I needed to talk to Jonah again. Whoever was killing the women in Henryetta seemed to be targeting women to whom he was connected. He was getting ready for his revival, but I was sure he’d take a few minutes to talk to me.

  The church grounds were bustling with activity when I pulled into the parking lot. A giant tent had been erected, and men were in the process of setting up chairs. We’d delivered extra pots of flowers, and they’d been set around the edges of the tent. I had to admit that the place looked great. Pride warmed my chest as I considered the part we’d played in the transformation.

  When I couldn’t find Jonah outside, I went into the church office. Rhonda was sitting at her desk still wearing her long sleeves despite the fact it was ninety degrees outside and the church wasn’t very cold. She grimaced when I entered the room, looking down her nose and puckering her mouth in disapproval.

  Why did secretaries hate me so much?

  “Rhonda, I need to talk to Jonah.”

  Her face puckered even more. “That’s Reverend Pruitt to you. And he’s busy.”

  “This is important.”

  She picked up a stack of papers and tapped them on the desk. “Nothing is more important than the Lord’s work. He’s preparing for the service tonight.”

  “If you’ll just tell him I’m here—”

  “I’ll be sure to tell him you stopped by, Miss Gardner. Good day.”

  Even though Jonah’s door was closed, he might be inside. I considered ignoring Rhonda and just going in. She wouldn’t reach me before I got the door open, although I wouldn’t put it past her to tackle me when she did reach me. I decided to make a round through the church to look for him, and if he still didn’t turn up, I’d come back and storm the door. The element of surprise would be on my side.

  I left the office and headed for the sanctuary, thinking it might be a quiet place to sort through my thoughts and come up with a plan. Jonah must have been thinking the same thing because I found him sitting on the steps to the altar, his forehead resting in his hand. He didn’t hear me until I was several feet away.

  He looked up at me with a tear-stained face. “This is all my fault, Rose. All those women are dead because of me.”