The small parking lot was full of cars, several of them rather new. The church itself was a modest white building with blue doors and a steeple. It sat atop a slight hill, overlooking an open field. Climbing out of the car, Michael noticed the young man, looking discouraged and forlorn, sitting on the steps leading up to the chapel’s porch.
“Daniel?” Michael called. The ghost looked up at him.
“You came!” His astonishment was apparent in both his eyes and his voice.
“Sorry we’re late. We hit some pretty nasty traffic on 75,” Luke apologized. Daniel looked surprised.
“Can he see me?” he asked Michael. Michael shook his head.
“So what’s the plan?” Kate asked. “Should we just go in?”
“I’ll go see where they are in the service,” Daniel offered before disappearing into the closed doors.
“Daniel’s going to check where they are,” Michael relayed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and taking a deep breath. He’d never known exactly how he felt about church, or the idea of God for that matter. He knew that something had to exist beyond the physical realm, but church had always taught him that the spirits of those who’d died either went to Heaven or Hell. There was no in-between. Yet the countless number of souls left wandering the Earth indicated otherwise.
“You gonna be okay?” Kate asked, linking her arm through his.
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her.
“Just let me do the talking,” Luke told him. “Remember, you’re only here so you can tell me who I need to talk to. And to back me up when these people don’t believe that I host the greatest paranormal investigation show on television.”
Daniel returned before Michael could think of a snide remark that may or may not have been altogether appropriate for church grounds. He informed them that the congregants were singing and that they should be able to sneak in before the sermon began.
Inside, the church was a lot more open than the outside would have led Michael to believe. The twenty or so rows of pews were full of people, from small children to young adults to elderly couples. The white, sunlit walls were decorated with an assortment of blue and gold crosses and the simple wooden altar at the front of the chapel bore a large book, the cover of which looked to be cast in gold and silver.
“Do you see them?” Michael muttered to Daniel as he, Kate, and Luke slipped casually into the back pew.
“My mom’s the one in the teal dress. Second row. My dad’s sitting next to her. He just got through with chemo,” he replied. Michael spotted them instantly. Although he could not see their faces, he knew the last two painful years of their lives would be reflected there. Mr. Ford looked shaky and feeble as he bent over and coughed into his hand. Mrs. Ford, in turn, rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder as she leaned in and whispered something in his ear.
Meanwhile, a distinguished man with a head full of silver hair and dressed in a simple white robe made his way to the front of the alter and held his hands out.
“Welcome friends, family,” he announced, “and a special welcome to those of you just joining us.”
Michael didn’t realize he was addressing them until he noticed several pairs of eyes glancing around to look at them. A few of them chuckled, one person sneered, but overall, the general consensus seemed to be that the newcomers were not all that interesting. That is, until one of the three teenage girls sitting in front of them took a second look at Luke. Her eyes widened, a lot like the way Kate’s had the first afternoon he’d shown up at their door. With a sharp gasp, the girl turned to her friends and whispered, “That’s Luke Rainer!”
“Who?” one of her friends whispered back.
“You know, that hot ghost hunter guy from the Discovery Channel?”
The third girl looked around very indiscreetly. “Nuh-uh, that’s not him,” she whispered.
“It is!”
“What would Luke Rainer be doing all the way out here?”
“I’m on a top secret mission,” Luke leaned forward and answered her. That was a mistake. The girls dissolved into a disruptive frenzy of giggles and excited whispers. A few adults, one of whom looked to be the first girl’s mother shushed them. They quieted down, but they kept stealing glances at Luke over their shoulders.
“It seems there’s something quite exhilarating happening in the last few pews,” the pastor observed. Michael glared at Luke.
“Sorry, Father. Continue,” Luke announced. A few members of the congregation chuckled. Most, however, muttered their disapproval before turning their attention back to the priest.
“Are you insane? You’re going to get us kicked out!” Michael hissed at Luke.
“Relax. No one is going to kick us out of church.” But the woman who turned and shushed him certainly looked like she wanted to.
“Michael’s right, Luke. This is a place of worship for these people,” Kate whispered.
“What, God doesn’t have a sense of humor?” Luke asked, but he seemed to understand what they were trying to tell him, because he didn’t say another word for the rest of the sermon, which turned out to be a passionate, if not slightly unnerving speech about faith, words, and actions that set true Christians apart from the rest of the world.
“Now, it is easy,” the pastor said, “for a person to say that he believes in God, that he believes in the power of Jesus Christ. Talkin‘ is the easiest thing in the world, because we all know how much we love to hear ourselves talk. But being a Christian, a true follower of Christ, isn’t about sayin‘ stuff. It’s about doin‘ stuff. Reachin’ out to our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Helpin‘ them. Not bein‘ afraid to do the right thing, no matter the consequence. Those who do so, they are truly the ones who walk with our Lord and they shall be the ones who inherit His Kingdom. There are folks out there who will try to tell you that everyone goes to Heaven. There are folks out there who will tell you that believin’ that God died for your sins is enough to get you into Heaven. They are all wrong. Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew states that many will call out to Him, ‘Lord! Lord!‘ but that is not enough. Those who speak His name, but do not live out His words will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ will cast them out Himself.”
“This is a little different from the church I grew up in,” Kate muttered, her eyes fixed and her brows furrowed. Michael hadn’t been raised in a specific denomination like Kate or Luke, but he had to admit that he’d never heard such harsh words or accusations from any of his religious friends. The members of the congregation, however, appeared enthralled by the man standing before them. One man scribbled down notes in a journal while a woman next to him clutched a handkerchief to her chest and stared at the pastor with wide, awestruck eyes. Even the girls who, moments earlier, had been starstruck by Luke seemed enraptured by their pastor’s words.
“That’s Pastor Augustus Cannon,” Daniel informed Michael. “He’s... a little out there. But everyone in the congregation just loves him.”
A little out there was putting it lightly, Michael thought, as the man lost himself in a prayer, raising both hands to the ceiling and invoking the power and might of the Lord.
“If that guy starts speaking in Tongues, I’m out,” Luke remarked quietly.
“Oh, that’s where you draw the line?” Michael asked. Fortunately, Augustus Cannon ended his prayer in English.
As the service progressed, Michael began to grow more and more agitated. He knew Luke had volunteered to do the talking, but that didn’t make him any less nervous. Kate seemed to sense his anxiety, because she reached over and took his hand, lacing her fingers through his.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” she assured him.
He glanced back at the Fords, who looked so small and meek in the second row, and prayed to the God he didn’t know that she was right.
Chapter 19
The service ended with a fast-paced contemporary Christian song that Kate thought she may have recognized from her days in her church’s youth group.
Immediately after the song ended, the three girls sitting in front of them flocked to Luke to beg for autographs and pictures. Watching them fawn over him made Kate realize how silly she must have seemed the day she met him. While he obliged, signing autographs and posing for pictures, four more girls meandered over to find out what the fuss was about.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s Luke Rainer! You know, from Cemetery Tours?”
“The TV show?”
“What are you doing here?” one of the girls getting an autograph asked.
“Classified,” he grinned.
“Is it for the show? Are you guys here filming?”
“Not right now. It’s more of a personal favor.”
Speaking of that personal favor, Kate looked up at Michael. She followed his eyes to the front of the sanctuary, where a man and a woman stood talking with the preacher. Kate couldn’t help but think they didn’t look like they were doing very well. In spite of the bright color of her dress, a veil of sadness hung over the woman, so heavy Kate could almost feel it. The man looked sickly and tired as he shook the preacher’s hand, unwillingly reminding Kate of Gavin.
“Is that them?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Michael replied, glancing back to look at Luke, who was still caught up in the small swarm of fans and curious onlookers. Kate, meanwhile, kept her eyes locked on the Fords. They exchanged pleasantries with a few other couples before Mrs. Ford took her husband’s hand.
“Michael,” Kate said. “I think they’re getting ready to leave.”
Michael turned his attention back on the Fords who, sure enough, were making their way not toward the front doors where Michael, Kate, and Luke had entered, but toward a side door next to their seats.
“We’re gonna lose them,” Michael said. And without bothering to tear Luke away from his fans, he took off, making his way through the congregants who lingered to catch up and reflect on the service. Kate followed, unsure if he would need her or not, but wanting to be there in case he did.
“Are you Mr. and Mrs. Ford?” he was asking as she caught up with him. She kept her distance, far enough away to remain inconspicuous, but close enough to be able to hear what he was saying. They didn’t even seem to notice her as they answered him, both of them eyeing Michael with confusion and curiosity. “My name is Michael. I uh... I’m sorry to bother you like this...”
“Come on, Michael. You can do it,” Kate whispered.
“Are you new here?” Mr. Ford asked. His voice rough and hoarse, like he had an upper respiratory infection.
“Um... no, sir. I actually came here to talk to you. I have a message. From your son, Daniel.” Mr. and Mrs. Ford stared at him with heartbreaking disbelief.
“Daniel?” Mrs. Ford whispered.
“That’s impossible,” Mr. Ford informed him. “Our son is dead.”
“I know. But you’ve got to hear me out. Daniel told me about everything that happened two years ago. He - ”
“Young man, I don’t know what you thought you were going to accomplish by coming here and throwing all of this back in our faces - ”
“Hi!” An unexpected and cheerful voice in Kate’s ear startled her so much, she leapt nearly a foot off the ground. She turned to see a young woman around her age, with hair the color of honey and eyes the color of the sky, smiling at her. “I don’t think I recognize you. Is this your first time at Calvary? Or as we call it, ‘Cool-vary?’” she giggled.
“Yeah...” Kate replied, hoping the girl wouldn’t notice her unease.
“Oh, you don’t have to be shy. We’re always so happy to welcome new members to our big, happy, church family. My name is Chastity Cannon. I’m Pastor Augustus’ daughter.”
“Oh, was he the one speaking today?”
“Yes. Wasn’t he wonderful? I am so blessed to have such a wise, godly man as my father.”
“He was something,” Kate acknowledged.
“So what is your name?”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I’m Kate. Kate Avery.”
“Kate. Is that short for Katherine?”
“Yeah, but no one calls me that.”
“I don’t see why. It’s a lovely name.”
“Thanks, but I don’t really like it.”
“That’s a shame. I believe we should all go by our true names. They are, after all, the names God intended for us.”
“Huh. You’d think the guy who designed the universe would be a little more creative,” Kate remarked with a quick grin. When Chastity didn’t respond, she added, “You know, because there are so many people named Katherine?”
“I don’t think that’s funny,” Chastity replied sternly. Kate was taken aback. It almost sounded like the girl who, moments before, had been so friendly and welcoming was scolding her.
Before she could respond, a commotion broke out behind them. Kate whirled around to see sickly Mr. Ford, clutching the front of Michael’s shirt and shoving him up against a wall, knocking down several crosses in the process.
“John!” Pastor Augustus was with them in an instant, trying to pry Michael away from Mr. Ford’s grasp. Mrs. Ford watched helplessly with a hand clamped over her mouth and tears streaming down her weary face. “John, let him go!” Finally, the older man relinquished his hold on Michael, who stumbled backward, looking aghast. Kate raced forward, abandoning Chastity and her contemptuous look of disapproval, and pulled Michael away from the scene.
“Are you alright?” she asked, taking him by the shoulders.
“Yeah...” he replied, obviously still shaken.
“Now what is going on?” the pastor demanded.
“Ask him,” Mr. Ford sneered, pointing a shaky finger at Michael. “Him and his devil speak!”
“His what?”
“My son is dead. You know my son is dead. And here he comes, trying to tell me that he didn’t do what he did...” At these words, Mr. Ford dissolved into tears. His wife stepped forward and tried to comfort him, but he shook her off, and, with one last disdainful look at Michael, walked out the door. Mrs. Ford made to follow him, hesitated for a moment, and then turned her tearstained face back to Michael.
“Thank you,” she whispered. Then, she slipped silently out the door after her husband. Kate looked up at Michael, who stood staring at the door like he wasn’t sure he understood what had just happened, and moved in closer to him.
“Well, I believe introductions are in order,” Pastor Cannon said, eyeing the couple with great interest. “My name is Augustus Cannon. I’m one of the pastors here at Calvary Hill. I believe you’ve met my daughter, Chastity.” He smiled as Chastity walked over and stood faithfully by his side.
“Yes, Daddy,” Chastity beamed. “This is Katherine Avery and her friend, um...”
“Michael.”
“Good to meet you, Katherine and Michael. Now why don’t you tell me what that was all about.” Kate and Michael exchanged glances.
“It’s kind of a long story,” Michael began.
“I assure you, I’ve got the time,” Cannon replied.
“Well, you see - ”
“Hey, guys,” Luke interrupted, bounding forward with just as much energy and enthusiasm as he’d displayed earlier that morning. Kate had been a fan of his long enough to know the positive effect that meeting fans had on his mood. “Hey, Father. Great sermon.”
“Thank you, young man. But I’m not a Father. I’m a Pastor.”
“Oh, sorry. I’m Episcopalian,” Luke told him as though that cleared everything up. Cannon didn’t seem to understand, but he didn’t pursue the matter.
“And I seem to be the only person in this building who doesn’t know who you are.”
“Luke Rainer. Host and lead paranormal investigator of the highly rated television series, Cemetery Tours. Good to meet you.”
“Cemetery Tours? What do you do? Do you travel to different cemeteries and study their history?”
“We’re ghost hunters,” Luke replied. “But every location we investigate
has a ton of dark history and we try to learn as much as we can about what went on there. We convey as much of that as we can to our viewers, but with commercials, we only get about forty-two minutes of actual screen time. To be honest, we could probably take every location we’ve ever investigated and do an entire season on every single one of them.”
“Well, it sounds like you’re very passionate about what you do,” Cannon observed.
“Yes, sir, I am,” Luke answered proudly.
“But that still doesn’t tell me what you - ” he looked back at Michael - “said to a sick and elderly man to make him angry enough to pin you to a wall.”
“Woah, seriously? You pissed him off that bad?” Luke asked. Cannon and his daughter both glared at him. “Oh, sorry. You pissed him off that badly?”
Cannon turned his attention back to Michael. “Maybe we should talk alone.”
Michael looked like that was the absolute last thing he wanted, but he didn’t object. Leaving Kate and Luke with his daughter, Augustus Cannon took Michael by the shoulder and directed him through a door back behind the altar and out of sight.
~*~
Michael reluctantly followed the pastor through a short and narrow hallway and into a small room that seemed to serve as an office, a dressing space, and a storage closet all in one. In the far left corner of the room sat an old wooden dresser, and just to the right of the dresser hung a full length rectangular mirror. The opposite side of the room was a cluttered mess of books, boxes, filing cabinets, and even a few potted plants. There was just enough space for the simple wooden desk, covered in scattered papers, pens, and a miniature portable fan, to fit in the center of the mess and confusion. Michael couldn’t imagine having to work in such a tight space.
But the ghost standing in the midst of the boxes and plants didn’t seem to mind.
The first thing Michael noticed about him was that he wasn’t Daniel Ford. In fact, Michael hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Daniel Ford since before he’d talked to his parents. Perhaps it didn’t matter to him that his father didn’t believe him as long as he’d heard the message.
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