The Way of the Wicked (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 2) (33 page)

“Why?” Cooper paused in her writing to drink some coffee.

“Because it’s where people go to better themselves. A place where those who’ve been hurt can find healing and where lonely people can make friends.” Cooper was surprised to see genuine concern on Ashley’s face. “After all, without me living here anymore, you must not have anyone to talk to. You and Drew spent all your time with each other.”

Cooper had never considered her sister to be a close friend, but she nodded anyway. “I told you, I have plans in the works, okay? Now, just drop the subject. Don’t you have a husband waiting for you at home?”

“I certainly do,” Ashley said with a satisfied nod. She then whipped her lightweight suede coat closed, cinched a crocodile belt around her shapely waist, and strutted away, her hair bouncing in a shiny wave of honey as she walked. Cooper studied her own athletic body and long, straight blonde hair in the greenhouse glass and, satisfied with what she saw, finished completing the order form.

Later that evening, she headed out to the mailbox with a lit cigarette and her order form. She lingered for a moment at the end of the driveway, watching the sun sink into the spindly arms of the trees and listening to the excited chatter of bats as they fluttered above her head. Cooper blew a stream of smoke into the spring air, still tinged with some of winter’s lingering coolness, and wondered if she was truly ready to put the pain of her broken heart behind her and begin living her life again.

She picked a piece of tobacco from the tip of her tongue and flicked it onto the ground. Her eyes became fixated on the glowing end of her cigarette. Bending down, she crushed it out in the gravel and spent several moments crouched there, observing the spent stub. “I really wish I could kick this damn habit.”

Searching in her pocket for a tissue in which to wrap the cigarette butt, Cooper’s fingers closed around the Hope Street brochure. She gazed at the words of welcome printed on the front cover for several moments.

“Should I go?” she whispered to the first evening star. “Could you send me a sign?” When the only response she received was a tickle on the cheek by a momentary breeze, she slowly walked back toward the house.

• • •

The workweek flew by and Cooper nearly forgot about both Brooke Hughes and Hope Street. She and her mother spent most of Saturday preparing the vegetable and herb beds behind the house for planting. Together they weeded, tilled, and mixed compost with the soil, which was still damp from the previous evening’s rain.

Earl Lee also spent the mild spring day outside. He mowed the lawn, replaced rotted posts on the split-rail fence, and tinkered around in the garage, undoubtedly trying to coax his ’71 Chevy Malibu back to life.

When the family reconvened for dinner, Earl spoke a quick blessing before they ate. He’d barely finished before Grammy Lee launched into a tirade over being served soft tacos with refried beans.

“What’s this mush?” she demanded of no one in particular. “I still got my teeth, ya know.” She plucked her dentures from her mouth and waved them around for everyone to see. “How about a nice piece of meat—one you gotta cut with a knife, not slurp up like pig slop?”

“We had rib eyes earlier this week, Grammy,” Maggie said calmly. “You know we can’t have steak all the time. They’re too expensive.”

“At least tomorrow’s Sunday,” Grammy mumbled, glaring at her plate with her cataract-clouded eyes. “That means ham or bacon.” She took a bite of beans and grimaced. “You at least gonna make some cinnamon rolls?” she asked Maggie.

“From scratch,” Maggie replied cheerfully, passing her husband a bowl of shredded cheese. Cooper was amazed by how her mother was able to listen to Grammy’s cantankerous remarks without ever getting ruffled.

“So I see you’re goin’ to church tomorrow, girlie.” Grammy pointed her fork at Cooper. “What brought this on? You got a cravin’ to listen to those tone-deaf songbirds with us, Granddaughter? I don’t think there’s a single member under fifty. You’d best go where the young folks are.” She cackled and then went on to remind them that she had been married for twenty years, a mother for fifteen years, and the owner of her own farm stand for ten years by the time she turned thirty-five.

“How’d you know I was planning to go to church tomorrow?” Cooper asked in surprise. “I only made up my mind a little while ago while I was working in the garden.”

“How did I know?” Grammy guffawed, spraying the table in front of her with bits of refried beans. “Because my room is right next to the washin’ machine. You left the iron out to cool down and you haven’t ironed anythin’ since you graduated from high school.” She took a sip of iced tea and choked down the rest of the beans. “I figured you were either goin’ to church or on a date.” She gave Cooper an assessing glance and made it clear that she didn’t approve of what she saw. “I’m bettin’ on church.”

• • •

Cooper opened the yellow Hope Street brochure and read it over for the tenth time.

“I wonder if Brooke’s here today,” Cooper said to her image in the rearview mirror and then retrieved her pack of Camel Lights from her faux-leather purse. She lit a cigarette and hung her arm out the window of her red Jeep Cherokee.

Her reflection blew a veil of smoke from between her thin lips. “I know,” Cooper said to the mirror. “You don’t look very sexy doing that.” She scowled at the burning cigarette. “I’m going to give these things up. Time for a fresh start, right?” After staring at the weathered brick building for a minute, she straightened the collar of her freshly ironed blouse and said, “Let’s go.”

Cooper got out of the truck, put out her cigarette using the bottom of her shoe, and walked to one of the church’s side entrances. She paused at the trash can positioned several feet from the double doors.

“Okay, I can do this.” She threw the nearly full pack of Camels and a plastic Bic lighter inside. The two items hit the bottom with a satisfying
thunk.
“I never smoked until I met Drew, so if I’m going to start over”—she dug around in her purse until she found a package of gum—“then I’m going to do it with a little help from Wrigley’s.”

Hope Street Church was unlike any church Cooper had ever experienced. She was accustomed to the small, white clapboard structures of country churches, the pealing of bells at every hour, and rows of lovely stained-glass windows to stare at should the sermon become a tad dull. Hope Street was an impressive brick building whose cornerstone had been placed over one hundred years ago. The original chapel had been expanded after World War I and a roomy wing had been built in the early eighties for the Hope Street Christian Academy.

Daydreaming students on the north side of the building were treated to a view of the church’s lush garden, while those on the south side were stuck gazing out at the vast parking lot. When the bells called people to worship, the sound was like that of a symphony. The powerful melody carried far across the rooftops and made its way into area subdivisions.

“This is some church,” Cooper muttered to herself and looked around the deserted hallway. She noticed a bulletin board for Students Against Drunk Driving and a sign-up sheet for prom queen nominations. “I am
so
glad to be out of high school. I don’t think I could survive it a second time around.” Cooper tapped the bulletin board and listened to the sound echo around her. Where was everyone? She glanced at her watch. It was almost nine. Didn’t the service start at nine? Which hallway would take her to the chapel?

Aware of the noisy
clip-clop
of her only pair of heels, which had lain dormant in the far reaches of her closet since the office Christmas party, Cooper made an attempt to walk on the balls of her feet. Tiptoeing, she glanced down every hall she passed but didn’t see another human being until she ran smack into a long torso clad in a blue-and-yellow-checked button-down.

“Sorry!” said a baritone voice coming from over her head. After collecting herself, Cooper glanced up into the face of the very tall man she’d collided with. She saw a pair of warm brown eyes and a slightly bashful smile. It was a pleasant face all around, though rather high in the forehead and sharp in the chin.

“Are you new to Hope Street?” the man asked softly.

Cooper nodded. “Yes, and I’m totally lost.” She laughed nervously. “This wing is like a rabbit warren, only I think their burrows smell less like Lysol.”

The man’s grin widened. “Come on, I’ll show you where to go. I’m Nathan Dexter, by the way.”

Pleased that she had an escort to the service, Cooper smiled in relief. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cooper.”

“That’s an unusual name for a woman.” Nathan shook Cooper’s hand. “Must have been a barrel maker somewhere in your family history,” he said as though the idea was fascinating. “I really like familial names. I think it’s a great way to honor an ancestor, you know? A way of uniting people from different generations.” He cleared his throat, seemingly embarrassed. “That’s my backward way of saying I think your name is cool.”

“Thanks.” No one had ever complimented Cooper on her name before. “It was my great-grandfather’s. And you’re right, he was named after his aunt—her last name was Cooper—and her father
was
a barrel maker. She didn’t make barrels, but she filled her fair share with whiskey and dill pickles.”

“Two of my favorites.” Nathan grinned. “And don’t be too impressed with my attempt at intelligence. I’m just a computer geek who likes crossword puzzles, so my nose is often stuck in a dictionary.” He gestured with one of his long arms. “We’re in here, to your left.”

Cooper hesitated for a moment, as the doorway appeared to lead into a classroom, not a chapel. She could hear the murmur of several voices, but not the rumble of dozens and dozens of parishioners getting settled for service. What was going on? With Nathan right on her heels and closing fast, she had no other choice but to enter.

All chatting ceased as soon as Cooper stepped through the threshold. Four people were seated in a circle, their hands folded on top of student desks. Each person had a copy of the Bible opened in front of them, along with a few sheets of paper covered with notes, and a pen. Their postures were relaxed and they all smiled at her in welcome.

“Who’s there?” asked a woman seated closest to the door. She had black hair, dark blue eyes, and unusually pale skin. She also seemed to be trying to figure out who had entered the room.

“It’s Nathan, Savannah,” Nathan called from the doorway. “And this is Cooper.” Nathan gave Cooper a gentle push, indicating she should move closer to the woman. “This is Savannah,” he said. “She’s the leader of our little group.” The woman held out a hand speckled with colorful stains, like a child who’d used permanent markers and was only able to wash away the surface layer of pigment. The woman’s fingers closed around Cooper’s and she used her free hand to probe the skin of Cooper’s palm. “Aha! Another woman who works with her hands! How wonderful.”

As Cooper glanced around, wondering how to make a polite escape in order to locate the actual worship service, she noticed a white cane beneath Savannah’s desk.

“In case you haven’t guessed, I’m legally blind,” Savannah said as if she knew exactly what Cooper had spotted. “But I can still see shapes and, thank the Lord, colors. I ‘see’ people by recognizing their body shape and smell.” She gave a series of sniffs like a bloodhound catching a fresh fox scent. “You’re Dove soap, aloe lotion, guava-scented shampoo, and . . . She inhaled deeply and Cooper took a step backward. “Well, I’ll be. I believe you might work on machines. Am I totally off the mark?”

“I repair office machines,” Cooper said in surprise, staring at the woman. “How did you know?” She pretended to check her armpits. “Am I giving off a whiff of toner? Maybe some grease? I use baby powder Secret every morning, I swear.”

Savannah laughed.

“Okay, okay,” a man who looked like he was in need of a haircut and shave quickly interjected. “Let the lovely lady get situated before we pry her open like a mussel and check out her innards.” He held out his hand for Cooper to shake. “I’m Jake. Master plumber and electrician, detective novel addict, and Little League baseball coach. I’m here because one of my buddies started reading Scripture during our lunch breaks and I felt called to learn more. Come sit by me and I’ll get you some coffee.”

Cooper gave him a grateful nod but didn’t settle into the empty desk he pulled over. “Actually, I think I’m in the wrong place,” she said and smiled politely.

“We’re the Sunrise Bible Study Group,” a woman wearing gobs of makeup beneath a helmet of copper hair explained. “I’m Trish Tyler. My husband is one of Hope’s elders,” she said importantly. “And I’m sure you know my name because you’re bound to have seen my billboards. My assistants joke that I’m trying to get as many as South of the Border!” She leapt up and placed a business card on Cooper’s desk. “No cacti or sombreros, though. Anyway, welcome to Hope Street.”

Cooper had heard of Trish Tyler. Her picture was plastered on billboards, moving vans, and on the hundreds of Tyler Realty
FOR SALE
signs across the city. Trish was seated next to another well-known Richmonder. Bryant Shelton was the meteorologist for Channel 6 news. He was notorious for being incredibly vague in his forecasts, for his string of marriages to women much younger than himself, and for raising funds for poverty-stricken senior citizens.

Bryant offered Cooper his best TV smile, nearly blinding her with the stark whiteness of his porcelain veneers, and said, “I’m new as well. Just joined a few weeks ago.” He pointed at Trish. “She gave
me
a business card within the first ten seconds of my arrival too. Personally,” he said, raising his voice as he winked playfully at Trish, “I think she puts them in the offering plate.”

“That’s not a bad idea, Bryant.” Trish pretended to count her business cards. “Do you think I have enough?”

Bryant gave Cooper a flirtatious smile. “I like the young and hip feel of this church. It might look old school, but this church is hi-tech.” The light in his eyes dimmed slightly. “Ever since my wife left, Sunday mornings were getting kind of lonely, so I came here to meet some new friends. The band is really good too. I never knew that church could be so much like a party. We really rock out during the service.”