The Riches of Mercy (49 page)
Read The Riches of Mercy Online
Authors: C. E. Case
He pointed right at Meredith. "A murderer!"
Beau squeaked. Natalie pulled him into her lap and put her arm around Merritt's shoulders.
Meredith had gone completely white. If she told Natalie to bolt, she'd bolt. If she told the kids to scream, they'd scream.
"She reminds us evil is in all of us. Not in 'them.' Not some bad neighbor. Or some bad driver. In us. In her. In all of us."
A tear appeared at the corner of Meredith's eye. Natalie wanted to reach for her but she couldn't move. If she reacted, the boys would react. Merritt shivered beside her.
"She is a mother, and she has helped many of us in this town. We all know her. And she is a murderer."
If he said that word one more time, Natalie was going to choke.
"We are all her victims. Her children, growing up without their father. His friends and family. Those who would have benefited from his labors. Our very country, for he was a soldier."
Natalie hung her head.
"But there is another part to the equation," Waters said. "There is God's part. And I don't presume to speak for God, but I can guess." He was at the entrance to Meredith's pew. Only the wooden railing separated them. "I can guess," he said, his voice bellowing in the tiny chapel.
Meredith met his eyes.
"God forgives you," he said.
"Did you hear that?" He looked around, making eye contact with a dozen people before going back to Meredith. "God forgives you."
Meredith trembled.
He touched her cheek. "Sister. God forgives you."
Meredith's tears trickled over his fingers.
"Let no one accost this woman! God has forgiven her. And if God can forgive her for the most heinous of crimes--Then God can forgive you, too. God loves you just as much as he loves this woman. If you open your hearts to him. If you have a personal relationship with God, He will forgive you." He let go of Meredith. "Will you stand with me?"
She swallowed and gave a tiny nod. He guided her up, holding her elbow, and then embraced her. She cried in his arms. Beau cried, too, his head buried in Natalie's shoulder. Merritt watched, wide-eyed.
Waters addressed his audience. "God forgives her. Do we forgive her?"
"I forgive her," voices murmured in the crowd. "I forgive her." The sound got louder and hands touched Meredith's back, and Natalie's shoulder, and Merritt's head.
"I forgive her."
END
About the Author
C. E. Case lives in Northern Virginia.
The Riches of Mercy
is her second novel. Her first,
Little Disquietude
, came out in 2011 and is available worldwide.
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