The Way of the Wicked (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 2) (29 page)

Savannah, who’d been listening intently, shook her cane at Nathan. “I can’t take the suspense, my friend!”

“Sorry,” Nathan hastened to finish his tale. “Do you remember when we started studying Joseph and I was having that dream about a person outside my door? Well, I believe that person represented Tobey Dodge, the client I took on with some reservations. As I’ve now discovered, Tobey is a crook and a low-life swindler. And I totally fell for his act.”

“Me too,” Cooper added. “He was a real smooth talker. He convinced us that his products would help people.”

“I’d been searching for him all week,” Nathan continued. “Dozens of clients wanted refunds because the Big Man muscle builders didn’t work. A few of them wanted to sue because the products had actually made them sick. Two men ended up in the hospital. Tobey’s clients believed they were buying all-natural products, but the Big Man muscle builders were actually animal steroids. They’re quite dangerous, but a heck of a lot cheaper than steroids made for humans.”

“What a snake!” Quinton declared. “You know, I’ve bought plenty of weight-loss products that made me feel pretty awful. Looking back, it’s a wonder I didn’t require medical care myself. Remember when all the diet stuff used to contain that dangerous fen-phen stuff? I think I’ve tried it all.”

Seeing the glum expression on Quinton’s face, Jake said, “I wouldn’t want there to be a pound less of you, my man.”

Trish gave Nathan an impatient wave, signaling for him to finish his story. “How does Tobey fit into the Kroger scene?”

“He was the guy in the Hummer! By the time the cops arrived and Cooper’s boss and I had finished coming up with a list of Tobey’s infractions, Mr. Farmer and I felt like old friends.”

“Go on,” Bryant prompted.

“Well, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but Cooper and I . . . we . . .”

Jake finished the sentence for him. “Have the hots for each other? We know, my man.”

As Cooper flushed bright pink, Nathan hurried to finish. “I’d been giving Cooper the cold shoulder all week because I thought, in a moment of total insanity, that she was involved with the new guy at work.”

“Which would
never
happen!” Cooper exclaimed. “Emilio is the perfect man for someone, but not me. He tried to kiss me in the break room but I wouldn’t let him. He thought I was playing hard-to-get so he sent me a text message saying that he wanted to get me alone in the break room again. The problem was that Nathan read the message.”

“And you didn’t give Cooper a chance to explain?” Trish swatted at Nathan. “You bad boy.”

“I know.” Nathan’s voice was contrite. “I was so tortured by that text that I asked Angela if there was something going on between Emilio and Cooper. That woman sure set me straight.”

“And then you went flying to Cooper’s house to apologize,” Savannah guessed.

Nathan nodded. “I passed a car parked on the side of the road about a half mile from her driveway. I knew I’d seen that car before, so I pulled over to check it out. A Door-2-Door cooler was on the front seat and a bunch of boxes and bags were in the back. It looked like someone was ready to go on a long trip.”

“And you guessed it was the killer,” Jake whispered, entranced.

“I felt like all the blood in my body surged through my heart at once. I don’t think I even remembered to breathe the rest of the way. I was imagining the worst . . .” Nathan’s voice cracked and he had to stop and collect himself. “I practically crashed through her parents’ screen door. I can’t even remember what I told them. They knew who I was and they trusted me immediately. The next thing I knew, we were storming up the stairs to Cooper’s apartment. I was so scared that I was too late . . .”

“It’s okay, Nathan,” Savannah said. “We would have been just as afraid. When we care about another person, our love is often mixed with fear. Look at Joseph’s father. Jacob loved young Joseph so much that he kept him by his side. Joseph didn’t tend the flocks or do the chores his brothers did. Fear and love prompted Jacob to hold Joseph close, but too much fear is destructive. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sent far from his homeland because Jacob treated him differently from the rest.”

“At least Jacob’s was a sweet ending,” Trish said.

“And a dignified one,” Quinton added. “Jacob prophesied the future of the tribes of Israel, blessed everyone, drew up his knees, and breathed his last.” Looking aggrieved, he sighed. “Warren’s victims weren’t fortunate enough to die like that. He took away precious time—the opportunity to experience life and all its joys and sorrows.”

Cooper bowed her head. She kept seeing the photograph of Vera in her mind’s eye. She was haunted by the old woman’s contented smile, the purple rhinestone glasses, and the childlike innocence shining in her eyes.

Separating herself from the others, she walked over to the food table and mechanically poured a cup of coffee. She could feel her friends watching her, their stares filled with compassion and concern.

“There is grief in this life,” Savannah spoke in a hushed tone. “Wrongs are done to good people every day. Sometimes it’s hard to understand the world we live in—the motives that drive folks to commit acts of violence. If we set aside our reasons to mourn for a moment, what do we have left? What have we gained by being placed in the center of these trying events?”

Bryant cleared his throat. “I’ve realized that I don’t know my mother as well as I should. I want her to feel at peace, and I need to find out what that means to her and make it happen.”

“I learned that we’re part of a bigger picture,” Quinton said. “We hear that in church all the time, but until this happened, it was just a phrase. Because of Trish, I met people in need of my help. And in helping them, I was the one who was enriched.”

Jake glanced at Trish. “We’d better get a bunch of people on board if we want to save Door-2-Door. I’ll talk to my boss about a sponsorship, but can your company swing a few more weeks?”

“Of course I’ll help.” Trish pointed at Quinton. “Can you convince your firm to sponsor a month or two? And maybe some of your clients? I’ve never asked my own clients to contribute to a cause, but it wouldn’t hurt to have flyers and a collection box at our office.”

Savannah nodded in approval. “I spoke to some of the elders last week and Hope Street is already organizing a group of volunteers. They’re also discussing creating a mission trip that’ll stay right here in Richmond and assist Door-2-Door clients with home repairs and such.”

“I’ll offer to spiff up their website. It could use an update,” Nathan said.

Cooper smiled at him. “As for me, I’ve been feeling like I have something left to do for Frank Crosby. I’m going to visit his son tomorrow afternoon, so please pray that I’ll find the right words to use when I tell him about the secret his daddy had been trying to keep hidden for so long. And about Warren.” She shrugged. “I’m more than a little intimidated by the Colonel. We’re from such different worlds, but I understand what you said about the bigger picture, Quinton. I think we need to take some risks if we truly want to be changed.”

“Well said, all of you.” Savannah closed her workbook. “I realize we didn’t review the homework questions, but I believe you have all grown incredibly during this study. I also want to say that I have never felt so united with a group of people in my life. When I think of the word
family,
I think of you.” She reached out and her hands were grasped by the rest of the group. “It is scary to love, but I love you, my friends. Now, let’s pray to the One who loves us most.”

• • •

Cooper invited her friends to join her after church in order to experience Sunday supper Lee-style.

Maggie had gone all out—roasting a turkey, making green bean casserole, homemade oyster stuffing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes, caramelized yams, corn in butter sauce, sunflower rolls, and a smorgasbord of desserts. Though the food was formal, like a holiday dinner, the actual meal was not. The Lee table could only seat six, so the rest of the diners ate standing up, sitting in the living room, or, in Nathan and Cooper’s case, seated cross-legged on the floor.

“We ain’t seen this much company since Ashley’s weddin’!” Grammy exclaimed. “How you feelin’ these days, little darlin’?”

“Just fine, thank you.” Ashley kissed Grammy’s wrinkled cheek. “I’ll give you those grandbabies yet.”

“Then go get yourself another plate,” Grammy ordered. “Babies like to grow in a belly filled regularly with food.”

Once the supper plates had been cleared, desserts sampled, and coffee poured, Savannah whispered something into Jake’s ear and he exited the house expediently. Upon his return, he handed a rectangular package wrapped in butcher paper to Cooper’s grandmother.

“What’s this?” Grammy demanded, eyeing Jake with suspicion.

“It’s one of my paintings,” Savannah said. “A while back, Cooper told us how much the pin you gave her means to her. I’ve thought about that butterfly many times since then.” She smiled. “This is my way of thanking you for your story of hope and courage.”

Grammy squirmed in the face of the compliment. “Well, I’ve never done a single thing to merit that kind of praise, but I won’t say no to a present.” Ripping the paper with glee, Grammy beamed with pleasure as she gazed at Savannah’s work.

“Come on, Grammy,” Ashley prodded. “Turn it around and let us all see.”

“Keep your socks on, Granddaughter. I’m havin’ a fine time just soakin’ in this picture.” She handed the painting back to Jake and shuffled over to Savannah. “It’s right lovely. Thank you.” As the two women embraced, Maggie burst into tears.

“Isn’t the Lord amazing? Look how He’s brought all of us together!” she cried, dabbing at her brimming eyes with the corner of her apron. Cooper slipped an arm around her mother’s waist and simultaneously they bent down in order to properly examine the artwork.

The scene depicted Noah and his family stepping onto dry land for the first time in forty days and nights. The family members held hands as they raised their faces toward the sun-filled sky, seemingly oblivious to the stampede of freed animals bursting past them. Birds and insects filled the air and Cooper was amazed at the energy Savannah had managed to infuse into the movements of every creature, from a pair of ants to the magnificent grace of an antelope couple. Lions roared in rejoicing, elephants trumpeted in celebration of their survival, and a group of primates launched themselves into the trees with rapturous animation.

The most personal detail of the painting, however, had to do with the rainbow stretching across the horizon as a reminder of God’s covenant. Unlike most rainbows, which seemed like ephemeral blurs of pale color, Savannah’s rainbow was alive—literally. Brilliant shades of violet, indigo, emerald, saffron, pumpkin, and crimson were represented by dozens and dozens of butterflies. The beautiful insects had been designed so that their delicate wings touched one another, but not so completely that pinpricks of light couldn’t find their way through the openings.

“Amazing,” Maggie breathed. “You gave Mama more butterflies than she’s ever dreamed of havin’. And what these stand for . . . oh, it’s too lovely!” She began crying all over again.

To everyone’s surprise, Trish was weeping as well.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to detract from this moment, but I’ve been trying to keep my worries inside for days now and I just can’t.” She buried her face in her hands.

Maggie rubbed Trish’s back. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“I had a biopsy on Friday,” Trish whimpered. “I won’t get the results back until Wednesday, and the waiting is tearing me apart. Breast cancer runs in my family and I’ve been pretending like it can’t touch me. But it
can
and I’m frightened!”

Cooper watched her mother stroke her friend’s copper hair and murmur into her ear.

“No matter what the results are,” Bryant said to Trish, “we’ll be here for you.”

Jake nodded. “Yeah, you tell us what you need.”

Trish pulled away from Maggie and looked at her friends, her expression anguished. Grammy rubbed at her chin and then locked eyes with Cooper. Immediately comprehending what Grammy was silently telling her, Cooper unpinned the silver butterfly from her cardigan and gently fastened it to Trish’s umber-hued suit jacket.

Cooper took her friend’s hand in hers. “Wherever you go. We’re right there.”

Later, after Cooper’s friends had gone home, Cooper and Grammy took Columbus out for his final flight of the day. With the hawk on her left arm and her grandmother clutching her right, Cooper felt amazingly balanced considering the experiences of the past few weeks.

“I hope this doesn’t sound weird,” Cooper began once the hawk had jumped from her arm and circled skyward. “But this tragedy with the Door-2-Door folks has me thinking. You’ve been such an important part of my life, Grammy, and—”

“Don’t go pushin’ me in the grave yet, girlie!” Grammy interrupted with a cackle. “I walked all the way out to this here fence in case you weren’t payin’ attention. No need to talk about me like I’m on the way out.”

Cooper smiled at her grandmother, soaking up the laugh lines fanning out from the corners of her eyes, the soft white curls of her hair, the delicateness of her hands. For once, she didn’t notice age spots or wrinkles, the shiny tracksuit or mismatched argyle socks, but only a strong, determined, and loyal woman who placed her family above all other things.

“I just wanted to know if you felt like you’d missed out on something. Is there anything I could do to, I don’t know, to fulfill a wish?” Cooper finished, feeling a bit lame in her inability to express what she wanted to say.

Grammy snorted. “Like takin’ me to climb a pyramid or toss a quarter into that famous fountain in Rome? That sort of thing?”

Cooper shrugged. “Yeah. Kind of.”

“I got a heart that beats, a mind that thinks, and two arms to put around the folks I love.” She squeezed Cooper’s hand. “My only wish is for you to be happy. Do that, and I’ve got everythin’ I ever wanted.”

As Columbus called out a cry of delight, his tawny feathers tinted gold by the waning light, Cooper hugged her grandmother. She held on to the small and bony frame until the first star winked into life above the ridge of trees.