Like Sheep Gone Astray (44 page)
The door to the office squeaked open and all eyes turned.
“Anything?” Reggie's voice echoed through the quiet room.
“He owns a lot of properties, and not only in Shepherd Hills. They could be anywhere within a hundred-mile radius.” Kent Cassell had a stack of folders under his arm. “Gloria, if you ever need a job, you can be my assistant. The work you did uncovering Wanjala Razi has taken this case further in six hours than I'd gotten in six months.”
“Has it taken us to Anthony and Terri?” When there was no reply, Gloria resumed nervously chomping on another cheese curl. “Then it wasn't good enough.”
“It's not over yet.” Kent was firm in his words, his sharp blue eyes zeroing back down on the files in his hand.
A woman tiptoed through the door behind him. It was Mona, and she carried two large Thermoses in her hands.
“I brought some coffee in case anyone wanted some.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I wasn't sure if there was anything else you needed,” she said to Kent. “I tried calling you on your cell phone, but I forgot you didn't have it.” She began pouring the steamy liquid into some mugs she had gathered around the station.
“Yeah, my cell phone.” Kent shook his head as he flipped back through the papers. Then he froze, his eyes locking into Mona's. “My cell phone! Did you say you called my cell phone?”
“Yes.” Mona suddenly looked uncertain, her eyes darting around to everyone in the room. “But I think I kept dialing the wrong number. The last time I called, the woman cursed me for ten minutes. Kent, darling, what is it?”
The detective had disappeared down the hall.
The edges of the evening sunlight had folded down into darkness. From the front porch of a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, Anthony fought the urge to fold down with the day.
“Hang in there, babygirl,” his voice was gentle, endearing as he whispered into her ear. “We're going to get out of this together.” He held Terri by the hand, stroking her relaxed hair as his eyes surveyed the thick foliage of the surrounding forest. He did not want to get them lost and stranded in such an isolated place, especially at night, but he knew that he had to get the two of them away. Nikki and Walter were not going to stand there and argue forever.
“I don't want to hear any more about your darn plan!” Nikki's voice screeched louder than Walter's. He had her by one fist, the gun still dangling in his left hand. “She and I are here now, so you're just going to have to figure out what to do. I'm not taking that thing back to Reggie! You said that I could have him!”
“Everything will be all right,” Anthony whispered as Walter began a long, violent tirade in Nikki's face. He kissed Terri's hairline as he fashioned out a plan. There were a couple of cars right in front of them but Bonnie and Clyde had the keys, so that wasn't an option. The woods surrounded them on every side. It was dark, but it was going to have to be do-able. Anthony looked down again at his wife hunched over the wooden steps.
“Terri.” Concern glowed in his eyes. “Do you think there's any way that you can walk?”
“What are you talking about? Of course I can walk. Why wouldn't I be able to walk?” Terri's face was buried in the wood planks, her eyes closed as Anthony gently lifted her head to face him.
“Your stomach, Terri. The bullet hit your stomach.”
“Bullet? What bullet?” Her eyes shot open as her mouth dropped.
“That
was a gunshot? I thought that darn limo was still backfiring. Who the heck is shooting guns around here?” She looked past Walter and Nikki, who were in the middle of a pushing and shoving match.
“So you're not hurt? Why are you holding your stomach like that?”
“I was trying not to throw up, if you must know.”
“What?” Anthony looked confused momentarily, and then a smile spread across his lips. “Oh, the baby.”
“Yes, the baby.” Terri closed her eyes again, but flung them back open. “The baby? How do you know about the baby?”
“The surprise, remember? Terri, your clues weren't exactly quantum physics.”
“My clues? Are you crazy? You thought—”
“Look, Terri, I'm not going to go back and forth with you anymore. Let's just talk. We haven't done that in a long time. You are my wife, and I love you, and I want to show my love for you the same way God shows His love for me.”
“So now you love me.” Terri was sitting up. “If that was true then why would yo—”
“Terri, look at me.”
“If God really—”
“Terri, look at me.” Anthony held her face close to his so that all she could do was look into his eyes. He held her like this, quiet, no words, no diversions, nothing but two wayfaring wanderers meeting at the same straight path. A tear blinked out from her lashes.
“What is it, Terri?” Anthony whispered as he tenderly massaged her wet cheek. “What do you see?”
“I see…love. And I see Jesus in you.”
“And you're about to see him face-to-face. I'm sorry, Terri.”
They never noticed that Nikki and Walter's argument had come to a close. Walter stood over the two of them, the gun pointed at the top of Terri's head. Nikki sulked nearby.
“It should have never come to this”—he glared at Nikki as he spoke—”but I've got too much to lose.”
Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a cell phone began ringing. Walter looked with impatience as Nikki began digging through her purse. She was still searching pockets, unzipping zippers, as the shrill notes of the cell phone became drowned out under piercing sirens. Blue-and-red flashing lights cut through the darkness in the near distance.
“You can get a signal out here?” Anthony smiled as he helped Terri to her feet. He felt it deep down in his spirit. The nightmare was over.
“Nikki! I told you to keep that phone off! Don't you know they can trace that signal to wherever you are?”
Nikki rolled her eyes as she pressed Talk. “Hello?”
“You've been
answering that phone?
“ Walter was horrified.
“Yeah, why?” Nikki rolled her eyes again, but then looked down at the cellular phone like she was seeing it for the first time.
“Oops.”
“That's all you can say?” FBI and state troopers were slamming into the driveway.
“Uh”—she paused—”it's for you?”
As she passed the phone to a stupefied Walter, Terri could have sworn Nikki winked at her.
One year Later
A
nd Lord, may every oppressed, enslaved soul find freedom within these gates; every sick and hurting body find grace within these walls; may the homeless and the destitute know that they have found a pillow, and every foot that would go astray find the path to life here. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!” Pastor Green shouted a word of high praise into the microphone as the tape was cut and the balloons were released.
Anthony followed with his eyes as the multi-colored dots dispersed above their heads. It was a perfect, blue, cloudless day for the opening dedication of Bethany Village's first wing. As the senior director of public relations and marketing of CASH, Anthony had made sure that the celebration was grand enough for the highest dignitary's standards, yet touchable enough for the meekest child's embrace. He welcomed the unusually sun-filled September day as an approving nod from God.
Eric Johnson, standing between Gloria Randall—his administrative assistant—and Pastor Green on the podium, gave Anthony a thumbs-up. The smile on Eric's face was overflowing. Anthony had found his niche, his calling. The pay surpassed dollars.
“Hallelujah!” He joined the others in celebration as he gave Terri a quick squeeze around her waist. She was fussing over Adrienne, as had become her custom over the past three months, but took a moment to smile up at her husband's face.
“You did good, Anthony. Your father would be proud. Your whole family would be proud.” Her voice softened. “I'm proud of you.” She kissed him lightly on the lips before pulling the fuzzy pink blanket tighter around the sleeping infant. Before she could reposition the pink and white DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL bib under her chubby chin, a sharp poke on her arm jabbed her back to attention.
“Oh my goodness, she looks more and more like you. You too, Anthony.” Cherisse squealed as she took the infant. “Give me my baby. I could hold this little angel all day.”
“You'll be fighting with Sister Porter for that privilege.” Terri laughed. “Ms. Kellye has pretty much adopted Adrienne as her own. She's always saying that Adrienne and I are the daughter and granddaughter she never had. I don't mind. God knew I was going to need all the help I could get, running this business from home.”
“And how's your new business faring these days?” Cherisse's voice was high and squeaky, as if she were talking to the baby and not Terri.
“Better than I ever imagined, girl. Anthony helped me fix up a work space comfortable enough for me to develop my designs yet professional enough to invite over clients. I never thought it would happen in that tiny little house we had to move into, but it has. Thank you, baby.” She gave Anthony another kiss on the lips. He ran his fingers through her hair but froze when he turned around to see Cherisse.
“Whoa, when did this happen?” He covered his eyes as if shielding them from the sun. “Reggie, come on now. Diamonds don't come that big. You tryin' to trap my sister with some cubic zirconium you found at the dollar store.”
“Don't hate.” Cherisse joined the laughter. “God's getting you through all this debt and taking you to a season of
true
prosperity that'll surpasses any you thought you had.”
“Whew!” Reggie used the program in his hand to fan Cherisse. “My woman is on fire! I'm telling you, those financial seminars you've been giving over at Second Baptist have been teaching
all
of us a thing or two about God and money. I need to have you as a speaker for one of the BEA meetings.”
“Yeah, how are things going with that?” Anthony pulled at one of Adrienne's chubby, curled fingers and she rustled in her sleep.
“Man, I tell you. God don't play when it comes to showing off His favor. Brother Eric just finished looking at the plans for the training center and vocational institute that's going to link our organizations. Thanks for your input and your contributions. It amazes me how much you've given to Eric despite your own financial setbacks.”
“Hey, the Word says give and it shall be given unto you. I'm holding God to it, and you know what? He's been faithful.” He nodded at Terri, who gave him a supportive smile.
“Look, Terri, I know I helped you max out all those credit cards, and even though you said selling the cars helped, it's only right of me to pay my share of the bills, interest included.” Cherisse squeezed her friend's shoulder.
“Can I get an amen?” Anthony joked.
“Ooh, that's cold, especially coming from a man who's only seen God's mercy these past few months. Please extend some to me, for everything.” Cherisse turned serious as she reached out a hand to Anthony.
He gave her a hug. “Every night as I watch the updates on the trials and see all those faces—Walter, Haberstick, Patterson, all of them—coming across the TV, all I think is but for the grace of God, there go I.”
“That's the truth,” Terri said while dabbing drool off the baby's lips. “You need to write a thank-you note to Gary Malloy for beating you up on national television. The state didn't even try to press charges against you.”
“And then they turned around and made you their star witness,” Cherisse added.
“Even Sheriff Cassell can't deny that evidence of God's presence and power.” Reggie grinned. “No matter how hard he tries.”
“I wouldn't worry about him,” Terri spoke again. “You know Mona's living out the Word for him now. And considering
our
testimonies”—she nodded her head at Reggie and Cherisse—”he'll be giving his life to Jesus like we finally did this past year.”
“Amen to that and thank you, Jesus!” Anthony looked at his wife, his awakening daughter, his friends, his community, his life. As they headed for the cake and punch table covered with confetti and fresh flowers, he took a quick glimpse back up at the sky. One single balloon was still barely visible, the tiny red dot seemingly determined to defy reason as it continued its journey upward.
“Stay on track. You'll get there,” he whispered as it disappeared into the heavens.
1. Anthony's sermon on Sunday seemed to preach as much to his own spirit as to the congregation. Have you ever spoken words to someone else that proved to be a Word to you as well? If you had that opportunity now, what Scripture text would you be “preaching” ?
2. Terri doesn't comprehend Anthony and others at Second Baptist Church who are seemingly obsessed with Jesus and the Bible. “They don't understand that there's more to life than religion,” she complains. She thinks they're fanatical; someone else might call them faithful. What do you think? What kind of churchgoer are you? What do Scriptures such as Romans 12:1–2 and Hebrews 10:24–25 suggest about the kind of churchgoer we
should
be?
3. Pastor Green prays for Anthony, saying, “Do what you've got to do to make things right, whatever it takes.” Does that prayer inspire you? Encourage or challenge you? Or terrify you? Why?
4. Throughout this novel, characters deal with the issue of wealth and the power, status, and stumbling blocks that are associated with money. In Chapter 2, Pastor Green speaks about spiritual status and blessings in relationship to material blessings. What do you think about his spin on a “prosperity gospel”? How does it relate to Jesus' attitudes about money (e.g., Luke 18:18–27)?
5. “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverbs 15:16). What has been your experience with the principle laid out in this proverb (which Anthony recalls was one of his Aunt Rosa's favorites)?
6. Being mindful of his own desperate need for a second chance, Eric gives that chance to Nikki. There's another expression related to second chances: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” How do you know when the generosity of a second chance may result in a “fool me twice”? Do you offer a second chance based on faith or reason or some combination of both? Why? How does our willingness to trust people reflect our trust in God?