An Offering of Hope

by Greenwood Muir, Diane

  "No, Mom gave her the chance. The two of you are so much better with people than I am. Do you think Jessie will remember?"

  "I'll call her when she gets to work this morning." Polly pursed her lips. "I wonder if she'd be interested in helping with Lexi. They actually aren't that far apart in age."

  "How old is this girl?" Heath asked.

  "Twenty-two. Just graduated from college."

  "That's young."

  "You were pretty young when your life fell apart," Polly said. She'd walked over to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup. "Anyone?"

  Both boys nodded, and she took two more mugs down from the cupboard.

  Heath whisked batter in a bowl. "I think about something like that happening to Ella. It's like she's a little girl. Who would hurt a little girl?"

  "Bad people," Henry said. "People who care more about money and power than they do about others."

  "What about those other girls?" Hayden asked. "Henry said you told him there were two that left before her and then two more that were brought in."

  "I don't know," Polly said. "Tab Hudson is in charge of the case. She'll do everything she can to make this stop. You know that."

  Heath set the whisk in the bowl and took the cup of coffee she handed to him. "As long as you're on the case, we know they'll be caught."

  "Stop that." She grinned at him.

  "Well, it's true."

  "I'm very grateful that you guys are willing to pitch in and help me help Lexi," Polly said. "I'm heading over to Sycamore House. I want to sit where it's quiet and think through the rest of this week. You’re sure that you can get the kids off to school?"

  Hayden chuckled. "Cat will keep us on task."

  "I'm leaving her the Suburban again."

  He nodded. "I'll let her know."

  Polly rinsed out her nearly empty coffee mug and left it in the sink, then went to the porch, put on her jacket, patted her pockets to make sure she had what she needed and headed outside. The temperatures had gone below freezing again last night and she zipped her jacket against the brisk morning.

  "Good morning!"

  She looked up and saw Andrea stretching on her stoop across the street.

  "What in the world?" she asked. "Are you running?"

  Andrea jogged across the street to her. "Started about a month ago. If I’m up and out early enough, I can be home to get everyone moving for school. It helps with my sanity."

  "You never said anything."

  "It's my thing. If I tell people, they tend to want to go running with me. I want to be by myself."

  "But running?" Polly laughed out loud. "That's, like, the worst thing ever."

  "I like it. I used to run cross country and track in high school. When I was in college, it was the only thing that kept me sane with my idiot roommates my freshman year. After that, it was just part of my day. It feels good to run." She smiled at Polly. "And I've learned more about Bellingwood than I knew before."

  "You weren't running when you first got to town, though, right? I mean, how did I miss that?"

  "I stopped running when Kirk came home from the hospital. There was just too much." Andrea sighed. "At the point I needed running the most, I wasn't doing it. Then we got here, and I was out of the habit." She jogged in place. "No more, though. Where are you off to early this morning?"

  "Work. I need some quiet time and it is never quiet inside that house in the morning."

  "Everything okay? Can I help?"

  Polly shook her head. "Not yet. There's a young girl in the hospital who needs me. I need to plan my time so that I don’t forget things while being there for her."

  "The girl who showed up outside your door at Sycamore House? Rebecca told us about her. Poor thing. How do you know her?"

  "I don't. Well, I didn't. I do now."

  "Does she have family?"

  "Not around here. She's on her own."

  "Except for you."

  "Except for me." Polly put her hand on the car door, then stopped. "I have something strange to ask you."

  "Sure. How can I help?"

  "Joss and Nate want to talk to you and Kirk about a friend of ours who would like to open a garage in Bellingwood."

  Andrea nodded. "Bruce McKenzie. Kirk's talked about him."

  "Is Kirk ready to work for someone? Joss asked me yesterday and I told her that I wasn't the person to talk to, but here I am asking the question anyway. Should I tell her to back off?"

  "You ask a good question. I know he enjoys working out at Nate's place, but there's no pressure. No customers, no boss pushing him to meet a deadline. I don't know how he'd handle it."

  "I was going to invite you to have dinner with them and us sometime this week, but things are upside down right now and I don't know when I'll have a free minute."

  "The thing is," Andrea said. "I don't want to answer for Kirk."

  "Neither did I."

  "I don't know if he'd be honest. He used to push himself no matter what. He always had to be better, faster, stronger. Now, he's so afraid that he can't do things, he doesn't bother trying. If it's difficult, he gives up before he starts." Andrea shook her head. "I know he has a lot to work through. It isn't fair of me to judge."

  Polly took a step forward, but Andrea jogged back down the driveway.

  "Let me know if you need anything to help with that girl," Andrea said.

  "Thanks," Polly said and opened her car door. She was glad she'd asked before setting Kirk up in front of Joss and Nate. If they wanted to talk to him, they needed to do it without anyone else around. Kirk would hate having to hem and haw in front of Henry.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Sweet Beans was right there. Polly tried to drive past, but she found that the car turned into a parking space. She didn't complain. Instead, she obeyed the car's apparent mission and went inside. She was surprised at how many people were here at six thirty in the morning. They all looked as if this hour was a normal time for them to gather at a coffee shop.

  She smiled and waved and realized that she hadn't taken her usual moment to savor the warmth and scents at the front door. She'd have to do that later. When she was more awake.

  "What are you doing here so early on a Wednesday morning?" Josie Riddle asked.

  "Believe it or not, I'm trying to get my head together. I need more coffee." Polly handed over her mug. "Darkest and strongest you've got."

  Josie took the mug. "Maybe some sugar, or would you like something more substantial to eat?"

  Polly thought about the breakfast her family was having and sighed. "Do you have any cinnamon rolls?"

  "A fresh pan just came out. Anything else?" Josie put Polly's mug in front of her on the counter. "Will this be enough to help?"

  "I hope so. I don't do well at this hour," Polly said. "But I really need to be where no one talks to me or expects anything of me so I can think."

  "What time does Rachel usually get to Sycamore House?"

  "Unless there's something big going on, everyone shows up between seven-thirty and eight. You didn't see me yet, okay?"

  Josie chuckled and handed over a small sack. "I saw nothing. I hope you have a great day."

  "You too." Polly smiled and turned to leave, then stopped in her tracks. "What are you doing here?"

  Aaron Merritt was standing in front of her, grinning like a fool. "Startle you?"

  "You have no idea. I'm too tired to be playing games this morning. So, why isn't your cuddlebug making you breakfast?"

  "She spent the night in Dayton with Marilyn's family. There's a school program today and the kids wanted her to be there."

  "So you're a bachelor."

  "Only until I get home from work tonight. Now, why are you up and around so early. This doesn't seem like a Polly Giller time of day."

  "Trying to find a little quiet time."

  "How late were you at the hospital last night?"

  "Just 'til midnight."

  "Polly," he scolded. "You have a big family and a busin
ess to manage. You have to take care of yourself."

  "Thank you," she said. "But there is a young girl whose life has been destroyed. I'll take care of her first."

  He started to protest, and she put her hand up. "Don't start with me. If I can't sacrifice a little sleep and time to take care of someone who has been through as much as that young lady, what good am I?"

  "You're planning to take her home with you." He didn't ask a question; he merely stated the obvious.

  "Unless you can give me a good reason why I shouldn't. Henry and the boys are clearing out a room this morning. When she's ready to leave the hospital, she'll have a safe place to stay until she figures out what comes next."

  "I don't know how you find 'em, Polly."

  "They're finding me, now."

  He frowned. "Speaking of that, do you have any idea who her knight in shining armor was?"

  Polly stepped back. "The jerk who yanked her baby away from her while she had a hood over her head? The one who left her on my doorstep, dying? The freak who kept her locked in a room until she gave birth? That knight in shining armor?"

  Aaron took in a breath, his eyes darting back and forth. "I misspoke."

  "He could have dropped her in front of an emergency room, or maybe not have stolen her baby, or even, I don't know, not been part of this." Polly shook her head. "When she spoke of living in that room, her voice was flat and her emotions were gone. It was as if that period of time only existed for her as a nightmare. How is this girl supposed to come to terms with what he did to her? Yet she sees him as some kind of hero because he brought her to me. Why her? Why not any of the other girls he kept in captivity?"

  "Polly," Aaron said, reaching out to touch her.

  She yanked away from him. "I’m going to find out who he is and then I will do everything in my power to see that he is dropped in a deep dark hole with no one around to care for him. How many more girls were there before Lexi? How many more girls will there be?" Polly stepped around him to head for the front door. "No more. That's the answer. No more." She knew that she'd attracted everyone's attention, but she was so blinded by anger, she just needed to get out of the building.

  Last night, she'd gotten caught up in concern for Lexi and when she got home, she’d dropped into bed from exhaustion. She was still exhausted, and now her own emotions jumped to the forefront. She was furious. How could people believe they had license to strip away basic human rights from anyone? By the time she stood at the door of the car, her breaths came in short, sharp bursts.

  Polly kicked the tire of her car. "Damn it."

  "Polly."

  She spun.

  Aaron had followed her outside. "I didn't mean to upset you."

  "No. I'm sorry. It's my fault. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the evil in the world. The injustice of it is so hard to fathom. And this guy knows me. I think he’s been in my home. He knows what I do. I'm calling Jessie Locke when she gets to work this morning. Hopefully she remembers him and can give us details that will lead us to him. Have you had a chance to look at the video?"

  Aaron nodded. "He was wearing a hoodie, so we didn't see his face. We got the license plate."

  "What kind of car was he driving?"

  "It was an older model Chevy, maybe 2000 or so."

  She grinned. "I will never be able to identify that car."

  "Henry will."

  "Great. Now I have to take him with me everywhere I go."

  "Just to be safe, you should do that anyway."

  Polly looked up to see if he was serious.

  "You know I worry about you."

  "Do you worry about your daughters as much?"

  Aaron shook his head. "No. My daughters don't find dead bodies and put themselves in harm's way. They're good girls who know how to stay out of trouble."

  "Whew," Polly said, wiping her hand across her forehead. "At least you have me around to give you some excitement. Otherwise, you'd be an old fuddy duddy."

  "I like fuddy. And duddy helps me sleep better at night."

  She gave him a quick hug. "No getting old before your time, pumpkinbuns. I'm not ready for you to stop watching over me."

  "Call Tab after you speak with Miss Locke, would you?"

  "Of course." Polly got into the car and waved at Aaron. When she checked her rear-view mirror, he was still standing in the same place, watching her drive away. She knew how fortunate she was that he took care of her. That man did all he could to overcome evil and injustice. Sometimes it was so overwhelming. She had a house filled with kids who had seen more than their share.

  Polly smiled to herself as she stopped to wait for traffic to pass on the highway. She had a house filled with kids who had seen more than their share of evil and yet, every single one of them was doing all they could to live happy, joy-filled lives. Who was she to deny the truth of that in order to stoke her anger-filled emotions? Talk about an unproductive attitude.

  Eliseo's truck and Jason's car were already parked in front of the barn. On normal days, she'd spend time with the horses to find her center again, but this morning she wanted to be alone. It was amazing how that office had become a haven in such a short period of time.

  The horses and donkeys were in the pasture, but Jason and Eliseo were still inside the barn. It was chilly to be out running with the equines today. She wondered how Jason was doing. Poor kid. She liked Mel, but it was obvious last year that the girl was moving on without him. He'd tried, but their lives had diverged. Jason was one of those young men who fully committed to a relationship, never seeing that others might be paying attention to him. Once he took those blinders off, he was going to be surprised at the number of girls who were there all along. He was a wonderful catch; he just needed to know that about himself. Or, maybe it was better this way. His father was an arrogant jerk who treated everyone who cared for him with disdain and disrespect. Jason had never been like that and thank goodness. It would be fun to watch him discover girls as a young adult.

  High school was hard on kids. For that reason, Polly was almost glad Andrew and Rebecca had each other. It certainly saved them time. Rather than worrying about relationship junk, they focused on their work, their futures, and on their friends.

  She sat down in her chair and turned to look out the window. This was the best seat in the house. As she turned back to her desk, her cell phone buzzed with a text.

  "Can I help you after school?" Rebecca asked. "I can sit with this girl in the hospital. I’ll be in Boone."

  Polly felt tears well up. This was the Rebecca who would change the world. "You'll have Cilla and Kayla to bring home, but thank you."

  "They can get a ride from someone else if you need me. They'll understand. Please, let me help. You know I won't be pushy with her or anything. I can just sit there and hold her hand if that's all I need to do. I don't even have to hold her hand."

  She started to respond with a 'no,' and then wondered why Rebecca shouldn’t be part of this. If Lexi was moving into the house, she might as well have a friend who already lived there. And it wasn't like Rebecca was ignorant about the awful things in the world. While Polly and Henry tried to shield their kids from most of the worst things Polly experienced, Rebecca was no dummy. She'd been part of some awful events and because her mother had brought her up to be strong and compassionate, the girl rarely flinched when someone needed her.

  "Talk to Cilla and Kayla. I'd rather they didn't join you at the hospital, so if they can find rides back to Bellingwood, I'd love to have you come over. Otherwise, she'll probably be home in a couple of days."

  "Home," Rebecca replied. "It's pretty cool that you make this a home for so many different kinds of people. Henry was wondering about a rug and bedding. Your curtains are cool in there, but if she's been stuck in a bare room, this one needs to be soft and inviting. What if I called Beryl and Agnes? See if they have anything extra."

  Polly laughed and sent back, "Because they're old? What?"

  Her phone rang and she picked it
up. "Okay, so what?"

  Rebecca was laughing. "Well, yeah. Partly. But both of them take good care of their things. Beryl has extra rugs lying around. She's always talking about getting rid of some, but she never does. And Agnes probably has closets full of things she should take to the thrift store, but can't bear getting rid of. I'll bet they'd share, especially knowing that they're helping you help someone."

  "You're pretty smart, young lady."

  "Do you want me to call Beryl this afternoon? I'd call Agnes, but she's always making jokes and I never know if she's kidding or not."

  "I was just starting to think about how to decorate that room."

  "It's like I'm in your brain."

  "This old brain of mine is a busy place. You might get lost."

  "But it's a good idea, isn't it?"

  "I was going to have to go shopping, but you're right, it's better this way. I'll reach out to Agnes. You call Beryl. I'll let you have free rein in that room."

  "Then it's good for me to meet Lexi today. I'll try to find out what kinds of things she likes. Do you have a plan for clothes for her? I don't even know what she looks like."

  Polly thought about it. "Huh. That's interesting."

  "What is?"

  "She's built like Jessie."

  "Jessie Locke? Molly's mom?"

  "Yeah. She looks a lot like Jessie. I wonder …"

  Rebecca waited a few moments and then said, "You wonder what?"

  "Oh, sorry. Nothing. I'm going to talk to Jessie this morning, too. Everyone has clothing they never wear. Do you think she does?"

  "She absolutely does," Rebecca said.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Everybody does. Even you."

  "Let's find out her size. Lexi will need maternity clothes for a while. I wonder what she wore in that house?"

  "Can you even imagine being confined to a single room?"

  "No," Polly said. "I can't."

  "How can people do that to other people?"

  "I'll never understand any of it, Rebecca. But then, it's not my job. My job is to help people heal when bad things happen to them."

  "You're good at your job," Rebecca said. "Don't ever give it up."

  "Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?"