Never Ending Spring

by Darrell Case

  Ruth had prayed that Jack would be able to relax and have some sense of peace once the killer was caught but as winter turned to spring, he continued to wander the fields at night. During the day, he worked the farm like a madman, barely stopping for meals. The only pause in his day was an hour he would spend with Emily during which they would play games or take walks in the woods, saving the last ten minutes for a bareback ride on Gideon.

  The big horse would patiently wait as Jack placed the bridle on his head and Emily on his back. Then carefully stepping around puddles and holes with Jack at the lead, he carried his precious cargo.

  Grace Temple had difficulty finding someone to fit the personality of the church and with the permission of the Elm Grove congregation, persuaded Barry to stay for a few weeks that quickly turned into three months. In the end, Barry felt he could delay no longer and moved into the parsonage the last of April.

  Randy, Peggy, and Jeffrey Green spent many hours at the Johnson's. Randy learned the art of farming while Ruth shared her ability for prize-wining baking with Peggy. One day in late April, Peggy asked Ruth if she would show her how to sew.

  "I know I shouldn't ask, after all the time you've spent teaching me to cook."

  "Nonsense, dear, what is it?" Ruth asked, laying her hand on Peggy's arm.

  "Well," Peggy said hesitantly. "Jeffrey is outgrowing his shirts and Randy could use some new ones too but our finances are getting low. Randy said we need to save enough to buy seed."

  Peggy let her breath out slowly, "Would you please teach me to sew?"

  "Why of course," Ruth said dabbing at her eyes. "I would love to."

  Ruth feared the confrontation with the murderer of Kristie and Jim would trigger a strong reaction in Emily and cause her nightmares to return, but after a long discussion in which Ruth read passages from the Bible concerning eternal life, and after a week of sleeping with Ruth and Jack, she seemed to bounce back.

  During the time Jack spent with her, Emily would often ask him about heaven. To avoid asking Ruth the answers to these questions, Jack would wait until she was busy in another part of the house, then secretly search her Bible. Ruth had marked many passages and reading them, Jack felt a strange tugging at his heart. Two verses in Revelation Jack read time and time again:

  'And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the work of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore, rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and to the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.'

  Each time, he would close the Bible in deep thought.

  Chapter 25

  Billy Bob's trial was set for May 15, a time when Jack and every other farmer would normally be in the field from first light till dark. Yet every day, the court room was packed to capacity.

  Midway through the trial, Billy Bob's defense attorney requested a meeting with the prosecutor.

  "David, we both know my client isn't doing well. I'd like to propose a compromise. I believe he needs help; a stay in the state asylum would do him a world of good."

  "You're putting up a good defense, Al. You're a great lawyer but your client killed four people in cold blood, one a sixteen-year-old boy, as well as a minister and his wife. No, I'm sorry; I'm going for the death penalty."

  Billy Bob's knees were shaking as the jury of nine men and three women filed back in. Behind him, Ruth and Jack held hands.

  "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?" the judge asked, looking at them over his spectacles.

  The foreman rose. He was a gaunt man of seventy-five with sad eyes. Now he turned those eyes on Billy Bob.

  "Yes, Your Honor, we have," he said, still looking at Billy Bob.

  "We the jury find the defendant guilty of four counts of first degree murder.

  "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen," the judge said. Then turning to Billy Bob, his voice became hard.

  "Stand up young man, do you have anything to say before I pass sentence on you?

  "It's all a mistake, I never meant to kill anyone," Twisting his body to where he could see Jack, Ruth, Mrs. Greggs, and the Browns, he said, "I'm sorry, please forgive me."

  "William Robert Strickland."

  Billy Bob suddenly realized the judge was speaking to him. His voice was strong and passionate.

  "It is the sentence of this court that you be taken to the State Prison at Michigan City where upon such a date convenient to the State of Indiana, you shall be put to death by means of electrocution. May God have mercy on your soul."

  Watching the sobbing little man being carried away, Jack felt as if he had just attended another funeral.

  ****

  Jack took to driving by the jail early each Saturday morning to assure himself Billy Bob was still there. He knew that if he saw little activity, all was secure. He never stopped but continued on down to the city park. One morning in June, the park seemed to be deserted.

  "You gonna get wet."

  In the middle of lowering himself onto a wooden bench in the park, Jack stopped halfway. The voice seemed to come from a flowering bush.

  Stepping from behind a shrub, an ancient black man came over to where Jack stood. Pulling a red bandanna from the back pocket of his bib overalls, the man wiped first his forehead then the bench.

  "Go on, go on, you kin sit down now."

  Easing himself down on the seat beside Jack, he held out a wrinkled, gnarled hand.

  "I'm Amos Moses. I take care of the flowers, been doin' it forty years. Yes sir, these flowers, they depend on me."

  With a sweep of his other hand he indicated the vast array of plants, most of which were in bloom.

  "I'm Jack Johnson, from over at Elm Grove," Jack said, taking his hand.

  "So Mr. Johnson from over at Elm Grove, what are you doin' over here this time of mornin'?" Amos asked, his face breaking into a wide smile.

  "I had to get some fresh air."

  "You got a loved one in the hospital?"

  "No."

  "Mr. Johnson."

  "Jack."

  "Jack, you'd be surprised how many people I meet out here this time o'mornin'," Amos said, the smile disappearing to be replaced with a look of concern. "Last week, a woman that just lost her little boy sat right where you're sittin'. I took some time out from my flowers, they don't mind and we cried together and talked to the Lord. You might try doin' that, Jack, he listen real good."

  "How can you believe in a God who treats you like dirt?" Jack snapped.

  Amos recoiled as if Jack had slapped him.

  "Why, Mr. Jack, my Jesus, he treat me real good. I got a wonderful wife, a roof over my head, food in my belly, and he let me take care of his flowers. But you know the best thing he done for me? He shed His blood on the cross, yes sir, He wash away my sins so I kin go to heaven. He's a-waitin' for me up there, it won't be long."

  "I have to go," Jack said, standing.

  "I'm goin' to be praying for you, Jack Johnson. I goin' to be praying for you to know my Jesus. Here," Amos held out a small card with black printing.

  "What's this?" Jack asked, turning the card over.

  "That's my name and address. Don't got no phone, I want you to let me know when you get saved."

  "Well, Amos Moses, you can pray all you want but I am not goin' to get saved."

  "Oh, yes sir, you gonna get saved a-right, you just let me know when you do."

  ****

  A few weeks after moving into the parsonage of Elm Grove, Barry Wells had reinstated the jail ministry. Each Saturday, he would send word to Billy Bob asking if he wanted to see him for spiritual counseling but each time he refused. The Saturday before Billy Bob was to leave for death row, Ike stopped Barry on his way out of the cellblock.

  "Strickland would like to see you," Ike said, unable to bring himself to address the man by his familiar name that he had called friend. "Be careful, Pastor, we don't
want to add you to his list of victims," Ike warned.

  When Barry walked up to the bars, Billy Bob was sitting on his bunk. His head in his hands, he hadn't heard Barry's approach which gave Barry time to observe the murderer without Billy Bob's knowing he was there. Barry wasn't sure what his feelings would be when he finally met the man who had killed his friend but now he felt only pity.

  "Billy Bob," Barry said softly.

  Billy Bob jerked and sprang to his feet. Barry jumped back from the bars.

  "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't hear you."

  "That's all right, how can I help you?" Barry asked, stepping back up to the cell.

  "Sir, am I goin' to hell for killing Rev. and Mrs. Mays? I know I shouldn't have killed the others too, but the Mays, they were good people, and I was just sittin' here thinking...." Billy Bob's voice trailed off.

  "Billy Bob, did you attend Sunday School when you were a child?"

  "Yes sir, my mother would take me when dad was working. He didn't much like the idea but he would allow us to go along if we came straight home."

  "Do you remember hearing about a man called the Apostle Paul?" Barry asked, opening his Bible.

  "Yes, but it always confused me. The preacher called him Saul and Paul, I never knew why."

  "Both names are correct; he was Saul originally but after he received Christ on the road to Damascus, God changed his name to Paul. He became a great man used mightily of the Lord. But before he was saved he was a murderer. Look at this passage." Barry said, opening his Bible to the seventh chapter of Acts.

  When Barry left the jail an hour later, his heart was singing. Billy Bob would have to pay for his crime but he was assured of a home in heaven.

  ****

  Standing behind the pulpit on Sunday morning, Barry surveyed the congregation. He started to make the announcement but hesitated. Emily had persuaded her grandfather to come hear her sing with the children's choir.

  "What a great joy and privilege it is to see anyone receive Christ as their Saviour," Barry said, his eyes sweeping the crowded room.

  "Yesterday I had the privilege of leading Robert Strickland to the Lord."

  Jack's head snapped up, he had been half dozing trying not to listen to Barry when he thought he heard him mention the name Strickland.

  "I'm sure if Jim and Kristie were here, they would welcome Billy Bob into the family of God."

  The blood drained from Jack's face. Rising, he stomped out of the church and slammed the door. It was misting rain when Ruth and Emily left the church. On this type of day, Jack would normally be waiting for them in the truck, but as Ruth took in the vehicles in the parking lot, there was no sign of Jack or the pickup.

  Seeing her dilemma, Mary Turner said, "Jacob and I will drop you off."

  As they pulled into the driveway, Jacob jumped out and opened the far door for Ruth and Emily. He said, "I know you folks are going through a rough time. We'll be praying and anything we can do, just let us know."

  "Thank you, Jacob, you and Mary are dear friends," Ruth said, taking Jacob's offered hand in both of hers.

  Jack's mood didn't improve as the days progressed. He seemed to become more withdrawn. The time he spent with Emily became shorter and shorter until one day as he got up from game they had just started.

  "Don't you love me anymore, Gramps?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears. Hugging her tightly, Jack began to cry. Great sobs shook his body and when it was over, he released her.

  "I love you, Gramps," she said, touching his wet cheeks. "I pray to Jesus for you every day."

  "You do that honey," Jack said, drying his eyes with handkerchief. "You do that."

  Though each one of the congregation agreed that Barry was quite different from James Mays, he was, as Bill Skinner put it, 'the right man for the job.' He seemed to be at home whether playing on the floor with the beginners' Sunday School class, fishing with a farmer who was taking a day off, or preaching a powerful message. Norma took over the leadership of the Women's Missionary Society from Mary Card who had reluctantly held the post since Kristie's death.

  The old ship of Zion righted itself and was sailing smoothly on after taking a direct hit the year before. Norma supplemented Barry's income by giving private voice and piano lessons. Ruth had never learned to play and Jack's expertise with the violin didn't extend to his singing. "I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket," he often jokingly said.

  One day in late June, Jack came home with a secondhand piano tied securely in the back of the pickup. A car with three men in it pulled to the side of the road and stopped by the mailbox. While Ruth held Emily back at a safe distance, they helped Jack unload the piano, running it down a makeshift ramp and into a far corner of the living room.

  Norma was delighted at the prospect of giving lessons to Kristie's daughter and insisted on giving them for free.

  True to her word, Emily prayed often for Jack. Most of the time, her prayers consisted of one or two sentences but they would bring a look of uncertainty to Jack's face and a sad smile to Ruth's as she remembered the many times Kristie had prayed for her father.

  Billy Bob was transferred to death row at Michigan City State Prison. He wrote to Barry weekly, giving glowing accounts of the Bible studies held with the chaplain. His letters never failed to bring a thrill to Barry and Norma's hearts but one in particular brought a special joy.

  Dear Rev. Wells,

  I have wonderful news. This week, J.D. went home to be with his Lord. Tuesday night after his lawyer called to tell him they had turned down his stay, I heard him crying in his cell. He asked me if God would forgive him so I showed him the same verses you shared with me. We stayed up all night talking about God, the Bible, and Jesus. When they came for him on Wednesday morning, he was smiling. The last words I heard him say on this earth were 'Thank you,' so I pass these words on to you, my brother.

  God bless you.

  Thank you,

  Billy Bob.

  Chapter 26

  "Gramps, are you going to heaven?" Emily asked as she and Jack walked down the path leading through the woods. At eight o'clock, the July sun was already hot. Jack welcomed the coolness of the forest.

  "Oh. Uh..I guess so. Look, Emily, see the deer?" Jack said, grateful to be able to change the subject. In a small clearing to their left, a doe and her fawn were grazing.

  Emily stared wide-eyed; trying to get a closer look, she stepped on a twig. The sound, almost inaudible to Jack's ear, nevertheless brought the deer's head up immediately. After what seemed an eternity to Emily, the deer resumed eating.

  Emily's question haunted Jack for the rest of the week. Was he going to heaven? Did he lie to Emily? Deep in his heart, he knew the truth.

  On Sunday, Jack was setting on the porch reading the paper when Ruth and Emily walked up the road from church. Emily climbed on Jack's lap and he picked up the comics. This was a ritual they performed each Sunday, but today things were different. Jack could not interest Emily even in her favorite cartoon.

  "Look, Emily, Sarge is getting mad at Beetle again," Jack said, pointing to the Beetle Bailey comic strip.

  "Gramps, Mrs. Norma said Jesus is the only door to God and we have to go through that door if we want to go to heaven."

  Picking at a button on Jack's shirt, she said, "Mrs. Norma called it getting saved. Are you saved, Gramps?"

  Jack hesitated, then decided to tell her the truth.

  "No honey, I'm not. Look at what Bugs Bunny is doing," he said, trying to distract her.

  "But Gramps, if you ain't, you can't go to heaven with Mommy and Daddy and Gram," she wailed, big tears squeezing out of her eyes.

  "What's wrong?" Ruth asked, coming out onto the porch.

  "Gramps said he's not going to heaven," Emily said. Sliding down from Jack's lap, she ran to Ruth and hugged her around the legs.

  "Yes, sweetheart, I know."

  "Then do something!"

  "I can't. He has to make the decision himself," Ruth said, looking at Jack sadly. "
Dinner's ready anytime you are."

  Ruth's Sunday dinners were always a culinary delight. On this as on most Sundays, she served chicken cooked golden brown, skillet gravy, green beans, corn, and fluffy mashed potatoes, with blackberry, apple or cherry pie for desert. Jack had anticipated the taste of this meal all morning, now he picked at his food, just moving it around.

  Pushing his chair back, he said, "I'll be back later."

  "Aren't you going to take Emily for a ride on Gideon?"