Not even twenty-four hours spent in Rancho Lorena and here he was, sitting in church having prayed himself to sleep, half-nuts over the beautiful woman next to him who might well be a crook.
Make that whole-nuts, and he didn’t really think she was a crook.
Worst thing, Rhee liked all of it. The pew wasn’t that comfortable, but he’d sit on a bench of nails if it meant he could sit this close to Caffey. Close enough to feel her warm skin, to bask in the rich, unusual scent of her. To hear her true, clear voice sing in praise.
She was brighter than a sunburst in that yellow dress and more beautiful than any magazine shot or news clip of Katherine Morton Bradford. Turning her head a bit, she looked at him from beneath her lashes in a way that set his heart thumping.
And all she was doing was putting the hymnal in a rack on the pew in front of her.
Then the pastor rose to preach, and Rhee turned serious.
“Today’s texts are found in Romans. In the first chapter. Verse seventeen.” Some of the folks busied themselves with Bibles. “‘As it is written, the just shall live by faith.’ And verse seventeen in chapter ten. ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’”
Live by faith? Rhee squirmed, and Caffey gently laid her hand over his on the pew between them. Rhee was a just man. He might use subterfuge, might do the occasional B and E, might snoop, track and trail the unsuspecting, but all for a righteous cause. He was for the most part a law-abiding, justice-and-truth-seeking kind of man.
Even if he knew full-well that the California Penal Code Section 637.7 made it a crime to use an electronic tracking device on somebody. He hadn’t done it yet, but Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” was always ripe in his mind.
Sure he got paid well, but he did good, too. Sent cash to Pa, to his alma mater, to Defenders of Wildlife and the Humane Society and Haiti and Katrina.
But today, sitting here with the jeweled rays of stained glass coloring his skin, he learned none of that mattered because he wasn’t living by faith. And apparently, faith came by hearing, and he’d just heard the Word of God.
“For us Christians,” the pastor went on, “life must be lived by faith. For the grace of our salvation is given to us by faith in Jesus alone. And that same grace of salvation also helps us grow in godliness, in His name, here on earth. Every day of our lives. Let Him help you live that godly life. The godly life you were meant to live. Every single day. Have faith in God. Be assured God has faith in you. Hear and learn His Word.”
What a gut punch. Rhee almost gasped out loud. God had faith in him? He hadn’t lived an ungodly—sinful—life far as he could tell, but God sure hadn’t had much of a presence in it. Right then and there, he asked for forgiveness for the lapse since Ma left. He knew she’d been a Christian. If God had faith in him, he had to earn it. He had to get over his trust in technology, redeem the arrogance that made it his life’s work to skulk through people’s lives to find out their deepest and darkest. Just because he was smart enough to do so, didn’t mean he should, no matter how high the paycheck.
He needed to start living as Ma had advised him way back when—the way, deep down, he’d always known he should. The seeds of faith planted back then still had roots. Pastor Glade just now had reminded him to let God help them to grow again. Getting called to Rancho Lorena might have been to find Katherine Morton Bradford, but in so doing, Rhee Ryland had found his soul.
He squeezed Caffey’s hand, almost tearing up when a group of teens rose from the front pews to stand by a long table in the chancel and bang out a lively tune on a collection of little bells.
Caffey Matthews wasn’t a crook. He knew it now for sure. She’d never insult God that way; he knew that deep down already. He had to get her to trust him, to find out what really happened. He couldn’t accept his next paycheck if he didn’t know the truth.
For the first time ever, he might just walk away from a case. And in this case, he knew he’d be doing the right thing. Taking a fifty from his wallet, he dropped it in the offering plate in such a way she couldn’t see the amount, and wished he had a million dollars in his pocket.
Likely, they’d take a check, though. He smiled as she caught his eye again, and he hoped she saw the forever in his face that he willed there.
A funny thrill coursed through him. Where had that word come from?
Like they were a real couple, she held his hand as they marched out after the Benediction, a benediction that ruffled his skin like a warm wind. “The Lord bless you and keep you…”
“Fine sermon, Reverend,” Rhee told the pastor, meaning every word. “All stuff I needed to hear.”
“Glad to hear that, young man. I’m Walt Glade. And you are?”
“Rhee Ryland, wedding guest,” Caffey said promptly, and he admitted right off that he liked her proprietary air.
“Will we see you at services next week? We’ve also got a young adult Bible study on Wednesday nights,” the pastor said as they shook hands.
Rhee almost wished it could be so. “Sorry, Pastor Glade. Just in town for the wedding. I’m off for home tonight.” The words were true and made him sad. He watched Caffey blink fast as though she might be holding off a tear. His own eyes did that fuzzy thing again.
But then her smile almost blinded him. “Oh, Rhee. Come on. I see Zak’s parents. I don’t know…they were so busy at the wedding. Did you get to talk to them much? Let’s stay for coffee hour.”
Zak’s parents? His heart fell to the soles of his boots. “What about the pups?” was the only protest he could think of.
She waved her hand toward the sky. “They’ll be just fine. It’s a beautiful day. They need the sun and the freedom from that pokey little kennel cage. Come on.”
“Maybe we could take them on our picnic with us?” He reminded her of their date.
“Sure.” Caffey shrugged. “I’m sure they’d love it.”
“So we’re still on for the picnic?” He wondered if hope glazed his eyes the way saying the word did his tongue.
“You bet! And I forgot…I traded shifts and have the whole day off!”
Rhee’s heart lightened more than a kid’s with a hand-tooled saddle on Christmas day. “You don’t say.”
“I do say. Now, let’s go say hello to the Penders.”
“All righty.” He didn’t have much choice. Not that he couldn’t subterfuge his way out of a paper bag. He just didn’t want to anymore.
Especially with Caffey at his side.
****
“Oh, the wedding. Wasn’t it splendid?” Mrs. Pender hugged Caffey tight. “I can’t believe it’s all over now.”
“You sure looked pretty, sugar,” Mr. Pender kissed her cheek, then his plump face pinked. “Not that you don’t know.”
“Thanks. You’re always my number-one sweetheart.” Caffey kissed him back. The Penders didn’t know the truth about her, but she felt amazingly close to them. Their example of living faith and true Christian marriage had taught her well these past fifteen months and brought upon her the shame of the wasted years as trophy wife for a non-believing man. Opening their home and hearts to her let her feel less homesick for her folks in Montana. Less a lost soul.
“I don’t know how much time you got to spend with Rhee yesterday.” She moved over sad thoughts, hand clasped tight with the handsome man next to her. “Here’s Zak’s pal, Rhee. I guess from…” Where had he said he lived? “Colorado.”
Rhee used two fingers to touch his hat as he nodded at Mrs. Pender, then gave Zak’s dad a hearty shake. “Mighty good to meet you.”
“You must be from Zak’s Denver University days.” Dorothy Pender kissed Rhee’s cheek. “I know how much y’all supported each other through grad school.”
“Yep.” Rhee grinned. “We had some wild times way back when.”
Mrs. Pender visibly tensed. Caffey smiled at a mother’s misgivings about a wayward son until mistrust waved its ugly head the next second. Her shoulders ached. Could gentle, faith-filled Zak had ever been rowdy? Or could Rhee really not know him at all?
“Before we all grew up for good and got respectable.” Rhee shot Mrs. Pender a dazzling smile, and Caffey relaxed.
“Well, he did have a detention or two in high school,” Dorothy nodded. “I imagine those antics grow exponentially in grad school.”
“Wild times.” Caffey had to laugh along with his mother. “That doesn’t sound much like Zak.”
“Now, now.” Bob Pender chuckled now. “Everybody deserves a wild oat or two. Sure glad you could make the trip.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it,” Rhee drawled.
“How about let’s get some coffee?” Dorothy, ever the hostess, led the way to a long table set with pastries and paper cups. “All from the Brew Basket.” She winked at Caffey as she waved her hand over the luscious display of pastries.
“And I had nothing to do with any of it.” Caffey smiled back. In the sun-warmed patio, still covered in the love of God in the gentle message of Pastor Glade’s sermon, standing in the company of an older couple who loved her and a handsome man who obviously enjoyed her company, reminded her of how blessed she was. How at peace, even given her circumstances and the limits they placed on her well being. God was good.
And she still had an afternoon with Rhee to look forward to. Maybe even the evening before he left. She’d never tried cooking dinner for a man in her miniature kitchen but maybe she’d give it a try. It wouldn’t be too hard to open a jar of spaghetti sauce and boil up some al dente pasta.
Even though, of course, it would be letting a stranger know just where she lived. Her heart thudded. Where had that thought come from?
“We can pick up some lunch at the Brew Basket for our picnic,” Calming down, Caffey told Rhee as he chomped into a delicious-looking chocolate croissant. “We’ve got some excellent deli sandwiches on the menu.”
“Picnic?” Mrs. Pender’s eyes widened like a true mom’s.
Caffey nodded. “Rhee’s got to move along tonight.” She tried to mask her sad tone but heard her disappointment anyway, doubt gone again. “So we’re going to soak up some true Rancho Lorena local color before he does. Brew Basket’s finest, sitting under a live oak by Cold Spring.”
“Sounds divine.” Mrs. Pender’s teeth gleamed in a true matchmaking smile. But there wasn’t time for matchmaking. Just one day of feeling like a regular woman again. Not a widow on the run.
Caffey tried to dull the admiration she was sure shone in her eyes. “I better get home and change.” She waved a hand at Rhee. “You, too. That fancy suit is not going to make it at Cold Spring. Not with two puppies on the prowl. You have time to get back to the Painted Cave to change while I get ready and pick up some lunch.”
“All righty.” Rhee nodded politely at the Penders, then bent and kissed the corner of Caffey’s cheek. It was a casual peck, but definitely romantic, and she felt his touch to the tip of her toes. “Meet you at Nikki’s in an hour? We can pick up the puppies.”
Caffey nodded then burst into laughter. “Let’s make it an hour and a half. There’s a newbie in charge at the Brew Basket this morning. He’s a cutie, but I just might have to step behind the counter and get our grub ready myself.”
“Thanks for being here, Rhee,” Dorothy Pender said. “It means so much to us. You taking the time and making the trip to be with our boy on his special day.”
Rhee tipped his hat like he’d done upon introduction. “Least I could do, ma’am.” Somehow, his voice had changed, like he swallowed on a sore throat.
As he nodded a farewell to Pastor Glade, Rhee offered Caffey his arm. She couldn’t help the interested glances and downright stares from other members of the congregation. Little did they know Rhee was a one-day wonder, but she nodded her head happily, anyway. Her heart hadn’t felt this light since, well, since Everett had caught her eye at that art gallery. Her spirits plummeted. Look how that had all turned out.
Caution and suspicion reared their ugly heads.
Rhee’s fingers tensed around hers as he led her to her car. Maybe he wasn’t having a good flashback either. Her heart stopped, and then pounded. He might be married himself. What on earth did she know about him? So he’d gone to grad school with Zak.
Or had he? Doubt screamed inside her head, and her jaw clenched to shut it up. He didn’t kiss her again at her car, so the peck at church had just been for show. She closed her eyes as she started up the ignition. Maybe she ought not to waste money on a picnic lunch. Likely, this time he wouldn’t show. But his handsome face, the warm touch of his lips, the strength of his fingers all beckoned.
She squashed the negative vibes and decided to take the chance.
However, back in her apartment, the little flickers of dread crawled up and down her back. Mama Cat’s kittens lay in a heap on the daybed. Her heart pounded until she noticed the worn Velcro. Still. She’d let her guard down yesterday. Let’s not do it two days in a row. She relaxed. The door had been locked just fine. One thing she’d made sure of and paid for herself: an impervious front door lock. She’d explained to her landlady a single girl couldn’t be too careful, even in a small town.
That had only caused Mrs. Warburton major alarm, so Caffey had paid for a lock upgrade for Mrs. Warburton as well.
But when she opened the jewelry drawer for a bracelet, wasn’t everything a bit more jumbled than usual? She shook away her paranoia. Yesterday she’d had wedding jitters almost as bad as Nikki. She’d probably messed things up then and not realized it this morning when she got ready for church, worried as she’d been about Rhee standing her up or not.
Still. The mafia-esque thugs who’d paid her a terrifying visit the night of Everett’s funeral slammed inside her head with a vengeance. We’ll find you wherever you go. It’d be best to tell us what you know. Now.
I don’t know anything, she’d screamed, other than the sham companies he set up in my name. You already know about those, anyway. The horrible leers and vicious grip on her wrist contrasted so evilly with Rhee’s gentle touch and sweet grin.
But at least she’d had the means to get false documents quickly, to build up a new identity in half a day. To leave the past behind and not care one single whit about those lost years of her life. Or her faith.
Oh well. That was then. Today was now. One last day to spend with Rhee Ryland and pretend it was a real date.