“Had on faded jeans. But not the stylish kind, ya know. Looked like they were worn from hard labor or something.”
“So, you say an officer came to the bar and spoke to you about it?”
“Yeah, well, like I said, I was running late for work, but I was worried about the kid. So, I told the operator where they could find me if they needed a statement. Turns out those guys were arrested for harassing another girl a couple nights later. It wasn’t her though. Haven’t seen that girl since. Just assumed she’d got some sense and went back home.” She grabbed her lighter and flicked it. As she stared at the flame, she said, “Wish I’d have gone back home when I had the chance.”
“No family to go back to?” Erika asked gently.
“Nah, my mom wrote me off a long time ago. I pushed her too far, too often.”
“I can tell you from experience, Candace,” Erika said with compassion, “that a mother never stops loving her child.”
The girl’s eyes misted. “She did take my baby girl. Lara. I haven’t seen the sweet thing since she was two.” She pointed to a picture on the wall of a toddler dressed in a summer outfit and smiling brightly. “I miss that sweet girl, but I just can’t take care of her. Mama won’t let me see her until I get my life together. Got off the streets and got me a full time now, but that’s still not good enough for her.”
How could Erika explain to the woman that her mother was doing the right thing by keeping her child from her? That her mother was doing what she could to bring her daughter back around. To make her want to do right.
“Whatever her reasons, it’s good to know Lara is well taken care of. Maybe someday the bridges between you and your mother will be mended.”
“Yeah, maybe.” She didn’t sound hopeful.
“Anyway, thank you for your time. And thank you for calling the police about those men. We need more people on these streets like you,” Erika said, and she meant it.
Candace seemed to have a good heart. A bit misplaced, but she was heading back in the right direction.
Erika stood and extended a hand. “Thanks again for your help. Good luck to you.” She smiled warmly. “And if you happen to see that girl around again, give me a call.” She reached into her top pocket for a card.
There weren’t any.
“I got one here, Chief.” Tanner came to the rescue. He handed it to the woman.
“Thank you. And I’m sorry I didn’t do more. I should have —”
“No. You did the right thing. If you’d have gotten involved, you may have been hurt too,” Erika said.
As Candace grabbed for another cigarette, Erika stood. “Thanks again,” she said and headed for the door before the girl could light up.
Chapter 13 - Rachel
Rachel had walked for so long her feet were numb. Her dirty dress clung mercilessly to her sweaty, sticky body. She smacked her parched lips to keep the small amount of saliva she had left from departing entirely as she scanned the barren desert surrounding her. How far had she gone?
Not a single vehicle had driven past on the long stretch of never-ending pavement. She’d walked all day and had not seen a single sign of civilization. They had left her out there to die, knowing she would never make it more than a day out in the sweltering heat.
The purples and reds of the sun as it slid behind the nearby mountains would have been extraordinary if she weren’t so exhausted.
As the day turned into night, a faint dizziness rushed over her. White spots danced in her vision, making it hard to see the road ahead. She had to keep moving. If she stopped, she’d be prey to some hungry animal in the night. Like the buzzard which had followed her since she’d gotten out of the truck hours and hours ago. It watched and waited. When she slowed, it circled. There were other things, too. Scorpions and rattlesnakes came out in the night time.
As she concentrated on keeping one foot in front of the other, she prayed.
God, please help me. I know I have sinned against You. And maybe I am not welcome in Your kingdom any longer, but please show me mercy while I am on this earth. I am willing to toil as Adam and Eve did. But You forgave them, did you not? Why not me?
He had shown them mercy. Elder Joseph had spoken of it in one of his sermons. God had given them a second chance. Did she deserve the same?
She sucked in a deep breath, warning herself not to cry. She couldn’t spare one more drop of water. Still, her eyes blurred and a humming sounded in her ears. This was it. She couldn’t take another step. She would die in the desert, alone and afraid. The humming grew louder, and then a faint muffled voice rang out.
“Hey, are you okay?”
She’d heard of it before. She was hallucinating. It happened when you were out in the hot sun for too long.
“Hey. It’s dangerous out here. Do you need a ride?” The voice grew closer, and it sounded real. All a part of the dehydration. She stumbled as she continued to walk. A few more steps and she would be . . .
“Miss, are you okay?” A woman’s voice.
Rachel's steps faltered.
“You shouldn’t be out here in the middle of nowhere.”
It sounded kind.
“It’s almost dark. Can I drop you somewhere?”
Before she could turn, her head spun out of control, and the world went black.
RACHEL WOKE TO COOL air rushing over her face. She opened her eyes and flashes of dark scenery played before her making her head spin. She closed them again. Where was she? The humming in her ears alerted her she was inside a vehicle. But how?
The ache in her legs reminded her of the long hours she’d walked. A voice had called out to her just before everything had gone black. It had been kind. Would it have mattered if it wasn’t? They had sent her out to die. They’d been certain no one would come in her direction before she keeled over from heat exhaustion. They had intended to kill her. Hagar. Cast out with her child to die in the desert. A tear fell down her face.
She opened her eyes again and dared to turn her head. A woman who wore attire more fitting for a man sat in the seat next to her.
“You’re awake?” the woman asked without looking in her direction.
Rachel nodded.
“I got you some water. You’re very dehydrated.” She handed a bottle of water to her. Rachel opened it and drank thirstily.
“My name is Shelly. What’s yours?”
“Rachel,” she answered as she took another drink.
“Rachel,” the woman repeated. “Slow down, honey. You’ll get sick if you drink too fast. I’ve got more in the back.”
“Thank you.” Rachel tried to slow her drinking.
“You’re one lucky girl that I came by when I did. Funny thing is, I was heading home and got turned around. I don’t usually come out this way but . . . well anyway, traffic was bad on the freeway so I got off, thinking I could take a back road. Boy, was I wrong. I drove about twenty miles out before I realized it wasn’t bringing me back to the freeway anytime soon.” She glanced over at Rachel. “Oh, honey. You’re crying. Are you okay?”
She wasn’t okay. She would never be okay again. She shook her head.
“Is there somewhere I can bring you?”
Rachel shook her head again. "There is nowhere."
“You must have some place to go. Where were you headed?”
Rachel shrugged, too frightened to speak.
If you speak a word of your indiscretion, God shall strike you down into the depths of hell.
“Honey, you gotta talk to me. There must be someone out there who is missing you.”
“No. There is no one,” she answered quietly.
“Look, Rachel. Maybe you and your mom got into it, and you took off. Let me bring you back home. I’m sure the two of you can work it out.”
At the mention of her family, a fury rose from deep within her chest. Her family had left her to die. The ones who were supposed to love her. They had allowed her to be driven out to the middle of nowhere ― to die a slow agonizing
death. But she had defied them, and she would live at least another day.
“It cannot be worked out,” she said with determination. “I am missed by no one.”
“Oh, Rachel, I’m sure you’re—"
“I have been fleshed-out. No one will look for me.”
“Fleshed-out?” The woman glanced at her before turning her eyes back to the road. “What do you mean?”
“Shunned, banned. I have been thrown away like the trash.” She stared straight forward and allowed her anger to be her crutch. “My flesh is no longer welcome among the followers of God.”
Chapter 14 - Linda
Tuesday had finally arrived, and Linda was a complete wreck. How long had it been since she’d seen Blake? Seventeen years? What would she say to him? Did they still have anything in common? What did he tell his wife? Maybe she’d come with him.
Too many questions ran through her mind. At any moment the only man she’d ever loved would knock on her door. What would she say to him?
Keep your head on your shoulders. Don’t go falling all over him. He’s coming about his daughter. Luna, she’s what’s important right now. Finding her is the only thing that matters.
A knock sounded at her door. She shrunk back into the couch, regretting she’d ever agreed for him to come. How could she face the man she’d dreamed about meeting up with for the last decade and a half? She was frozen in place.
Another knock.
Answer the door. He wouldn’t have come if he hadn’t wanted to. He offered to come. He wants to help.
Linda got up slowly. She’d have to answer, or he’d go away. She didn’t want him to leave, but could she take the heartbreak of seeing him, knowing he was forbidden to her?
Think of Luna, she told herself as the knock sounded once more.
Slowly she stood and headed on shaky limbs to the door. Absently she touched her hair, hoping she didn’t look like the mess she felt. Another knock sounded as she reached for the knob. This was it, do, or die. Slowly she opened the door, but what she found before her was not quite what she expected. She covered her mouth in shock.
“Blake?” she asked as she stared down at a man sitting in an electric wheelchair.
“Not exactly how you remembered me, huh?”
He was precisely how she remembered him. The same handsome man she’d fallen in love with so many years before. All except for the legs that hung lifeless in the chair in front of him.
“Come in,” she said, opening the door wider. “I’m so glad you came.” She wasn’t sure what to say or do.
Did she help him over the small bump in the threshold or could he make it on his own? Like an idiot, she stood, staring at the man, blocking his entry.
“If you could move a little to the left, I can maneuver my way in.”
“Oh, yes. Right.” Linda slipped to the side.
“I guess you’re wondering what happened to me?” he asked.
Linda had many questions. His physical condition was extremely low on that list. She didn’t care that he was in a wheelchair. But she couldn’t seem to find her voice. So instead she stared at him. She wanted to speak, but her brain didn’t seem to want to cooperate at the moment.
She’d waited so long to see him, dreamed of him, loved him. She’d even asked God to reunite them. And now, here he was, standing, no ― sitting, in her living room and like a dummy, she was tongue-tied.
“Linny, are you okay? I know this is a lot to take in. Me being in a wheelchair and all.”
“No.” She found her voice. “It’s not that at all. I just feel like I’m in some kind of fantastic dream.” Did I just say fantastic? She blushed.
Blake smiled. It was that same old sweet smile that she’d fallen in love with. The one that made his eyes shine. The one that made her feel there was no one else on the earth except for him and her.
“Fantastic? Wow!” he answered. “I can’t imagine how you’d react if I’d come here standing on my own two feet.”
“What happened?” she asked in almost a whisper.
“Car accident. Hit by a drunk driver.”
“I mean with you. Your family. Are they here with you?” she asked, hoping he’d say the words she wanted to hear, yet not wanting to all at the same time.
“Sharon left me a couple years back. She said I worked too many hours and wasn’t attentive enough for her and the kids. She got remarried last— wait.” He stared at Linda for a second. “Have you been spying on me?” He raised an eyebrow, giving her that cocky grin she used to adore.
“No, well, I ... I guess you could call it that. I’ve followed your career through your website. I saw no mention of the divorce, so I assumed you were still married. You have some cute kids, by the way.”
“Phil thought it best that I kept the divorce quiet. You know, being an attorney and all, it looks better if you’re a family man.”
“Phil is your partner?”
“Yep. He’s the Kent in Kent and McKenzie.”
Linda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Could it really be true? Was Blake McKenzie really sitting in her living room?
“Is Luna okay? That is why you asked me here, right?”
“Oh.” How could she have forgotten her reason for calling him in the first place? “She ran away from home, and she never came back. This was a couple of months ago. I thought she would come home. She always came home before.”
“She’s missing?” Blake stared at her. “Why did you wait so long to contact me?”
“Blake, I’m sorry.” Her body shook with sobs as she stared at the man. “I made you that stupid promise. How could I call you after vowing to you I wouldn’t?” She sniffled as she tried to control her emotions.
“No, you’re right,” he answered. “I have no right to snap at you. I haven’t been there for the two of you.”
“I’ve made such a mess of things. I should never have tried to be a mother on my own.”
“Don’t say that. You did the right thing. I was the one who was wrong. We were young and irresponsible. I should never have given you that ultimatum. I should have manned up and taken care of my child.” His face contorted as if from pain. “I’ve regretted that decision every day of my life. If Luna hasn’t had the proper upbringing, it’s my fault. No child should grow up without a father.”
“But you were so set on law school. What kind of life would you have had if you’d been strapped to a wife and a kid?”
“The same as you. But together, we could have made it work. It might have been tough, but we’d have made it. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Of course.”
She wanted to say the words she’d spoken that night out in the park. The night they had gotten carried away and created a life that would separate them for the next seventeen years. Those three words that had never left her — I love you. But she couldn’t. Things had changed. They had different lives. Luna was her priority now.
“What can I do to help find her?” he asked.
“I don’t know. The police don’t seem to have any leads. It’s like she fell off the face of the earth.”
Before Blake could respond, Linda’s phone rang. “I better take this,” she said. “It’s the Chief of Police.”
Chapter 15 - Jacob
“You cannot be serious, Father.” Jacob had pushed too far, but he didn't care. “Rachel is out there somewhere and she—”
“Jacob!” His father’s eyes narrowed to match the harshness of his voice. “That name must never be spoken in this household again.”
“But Father, Ra— she is with child. My child. You would allow your grandchild to be . . .” Jacob trembled at the thought. “Fleshed-out?”
“That . . . that. . . child. . .” his father stammered, “was created in sin. I shall have no part of it . . . or that harlot.”
“She is not a harlot!” Spots flashed before Jacob’s eyes as heat rushed to his face. “And it was not . . . I love her!”
“You think love excuses si
n? You have much to learn, my son.”
“But he . . . the High Prophet . . . he said I was to marry Abigail. How can he do that? Why, Father? What will that solve?”
His father’s lips tightened, but his eyes belied them with compassion.
“Son, you have heard the story of Jacob, no? He was the father of God’s people. He wanted to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter. Laban agreed to it if Jacob would serve him for seven years. Jacob loved Rachel, so he served Laban faithfully. After seven years of labor, Laban told Jacob he must first marry his older daughter, Leah. So, you see, the elders ―”
“But Father, Abigail is only older by mere days, and the elders have no intention of allowing me to marry Ra— her. And what will happen to her out in the sinful world? She does not understand the ways of the English. She shall die. Your grandchild will die.”
His father turned his back and left Jacob standing alone. There was nothing more to be said. He had been dismissed. His father did not care that a thirteen-year-old girl was out on the streets in a world she knew nothing about . . . and was with child.
Jacob would find her, and he would take care of her. Somehow, someway, he would. But in the meantime, until he figured out how to go about it, he would have to remain in his father's home and not make waves. Rachel's life depended on it.
For a split-second, his instinct was to go to God in prayer, but God had turned His back on him as well. There would be no forgiveness extended for this unpardonable sin. He ground his teeth in quiet anger as he left for his bedroom. He'd made a mess of his life, and of Rachel’s, not to mention that of their unborn child.
Getting off the compound would be no easy task. He would need supplies. It made no sense to get himself fleshed-out. He would have no resources to find her. The nearest city was at least thirty miles away. The only chance he had was to play it cool, hope she got to safety, and plan an escape. Helplessness settled in the pit of his stomach. What if she did not make it? If harm came to her, he would never forgive himself.
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