Chapter Twenty-three

A few hours later, Sam and Nicole entered the police station and no one was more surprised to find Deek Johnson sitting across from Detective Anderson than Sam. The grocery delivery man was the last person Sam expected to be involved, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized Deek had been the perfect spy. Regina and Nicole did all their shopping at Wyman’s and they took advantage of Wyman’s free delivery service. Deek showed up every few days with groceries, and last week he’d delivered salt for the water softener. But if so, what Sam couldn’t understand was why Deek had alerted them to the danger in the basement two days earlier?

“I didn’t mean to hurt nobody. I just was trying to make a few extra bucks. You know, my hours got cut at the store on account of business being so bad. I was worried if things didn’t pick up soon, I’d be out on the streets like Gus. Telling Bill about repairs and monkeying with a float in the basement is one thing, but I got worried some of those kids would get hurt when the rain didn’t stop after a day. So I said something. Bill was piping mad too when he found out what I did. But when he asked me to burn the place down… I don’t think I could’ve gone through with it even if Dr. Morgan didn’t come by.”

Well, there was the proof to stop Pendleton. Nicole and Grace House would be safe. But Sam’s relief was tempered with disappointment. As soon as all the repairs were done, Nicole would be able to move the preschool back to her home. She wouldn’t need his help any longer. Then it would be time for him and Joshua to move on.

“We’ll need you to sign this statement. Miss James, Dr. Morgan, do you want to press charges against Deek?” Detective Anderson asked.

The wrinkle between Nicole’s eyebrows made her look like the guilty party. “Deek came forward when he didn’t have to. Do I have to press charges against him?”

Detective Anderson tapped his fingers on his desk. “No. You don’t have to, but we do need his testimony to stop Bill Pendleton. Pressing charges will ensure this.”

“I’ll testify anyway. I swear I will.” Deek sat up straight and raised his right hand like he was taking an oath. “I’m done working with that man, and even if I do lose my job at the store, I promise. I’ll never do anything illegal again.”

Nicole turned pleading eyes to Sam and he knew there was no way he was going to put this man behind bars, even if he wanted to. “If Nicole wants to drop the charges, so will I.”

Gratitude flooded her face and his chest squeezed. He wanted to please her like he’d never pleased anyone before. The thought scared him half to death. If he cared too much, he’d be anchored to this town forever—the one thing he never wanted to be.

“That’s it then, I’ll put out a warrant for William Pendleton’s arrest,” the detective said.

“We don’t have to stay here do we? I have a school to run and I think Dr. Morgan should get some rest.” Nicole rose from her seat.

The detective rose too. “It’s fine. We’ll call you when we have more information.”

Sam walked with Nicole to her car. Again they drove in silence. Finally he couldn’t stand it any longer. “What’s the matter, Nicole? I thought you’d be happy this is almost over. You’ll get to keep Grace House and there’ll be no more sabotages.”

She shook her head without taking her eyes off the road. “I know. But I still can’t stop thinking about William Pendleton. It’s all very sad.”

“Yeah, but you, Regina and the kids will be safe. And in my book that’s a win-win situation.”

“Win-win? What an odd way to put it. How is it a win for him? If a man has a hard heart, I consider that a loss.” He wondered if she’d had the same thoughts concerning him when he had rejected God.

“Look, nobody is happy that Pendleton will have to do time, but you won’t be safe until he’s behind bars. You know there are prison ministries that can help him, if he wants to be helped or shown the way.”

She pulled the car into his driveway and turned off the ignition. “I know you’re right. I’ll just have to pray God will open his heart to the Word.” Without saying another thing she exited, coming around to his side to give him a hand.

He walked into the house. The children ran to his side. Joshua came up and gave him a big hug. “I miss you, Dad. You’ll stay here with me.”

Dad. Sam’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Things were going his way. He had his faith and his son. He had everything he wanted. He should be doing cartwheels, but something wasn’t right.

His gaze caught Nicole’s when Joshua raced back into the makeshift classroom. She wasn’t thrilled either. And somehow, deep down, he knew her sour mood wasn’t just because of Pendleton’s fate.

* * *

Later that evening, Nicole trudged to the study with heavy feet and sat down in a comfy chair. Joshua was in bed and Sam had already retired to one of the spare bedrooms upstairs.

Regina entered with a cup of tea and what looked like a piece of her homemade marble cake. “Thought you could use a pick-me-up. You’ve been dragging yourself around here ever since you returned home with Sam.” She placed the plate on the end table next to Nicole’s chair and handed her the cup.

The soothing liquid lightened Nicole’s spirits a tad. “Thanks, this is great.”

“That’s one thing the English got right. A cup of tea can revive a weary soul. So you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Oh, I’m just a little sad about William Pendleton. I can’t believe things got so out of hand.”

“Uh-huh, but there’s something else digging at you. Are you going to tell me or are we going to play twenty questions?”

Nicole placed her tea cup on the end table. “There’s nothing for you to drag out.” Regina gave a hoot of laughter. “I’ve known you since you were sixteen when you ran away from home ’cause you wanted to stay put in St. Louis. There’s something bothering you, so what is it?”

Nicole reached for her cake, feigning a great interest in the sweet. “Mmm. This is really good.”

“Something happen at the hospital?” Regina asked.

Nicole took a hard swallow. The sweet cake turned tart in her mouth. “Sam found God again.”

A wide smile grew on Regina’s face. She clapped her hands together. “Praise be. That’s wonderful.”

Nicole slid the cake plate next to the tea and shook her head. There was more, a lot more, but she couldn’t manage to get her mouth to form the words.

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “I think we both knew that would happen. That’s not the problem here, is it?”

A heaviness grew in Nicole’s throat. She shook her head, fearing talk would bring out the tears.

For a few minutes, the older woman studied her. It didn’t take long before she burst out with, “Saints be praised! You’ve fallen for the man. I’ve been praying for this since he rescued Michael from the oak tree. I said to myself, Regina, those two young people belong together. And now the Lord has answered my prayers. So are you staying here or traipsing off to Guatemala?”

“No!” Nicole held up her hands. She had to stop this nonsense before Regina raced into the kitchen and started baking a wedding cake. “Sam and I aren’t in love.”

The older woman stared at Nicole as if she’d announced the Fourth of July fireworks had been canceled. Then she leaned forward. “You mean you haven’t talked about it yet?”

Nicole folded her hands in her lap and lifted her chin as high as she could get it. “Nothing has changed. Sam’s going to leave with Joshua. He said so at the hospital today.”

Regina cocked a skeptical eyebrow. “He might stay if he knew you cared about him.”

Nicole jumped out of her seat and circled the room. She stopped by the large cherry-wood desk and let her fingers glide over a silver-framed picture of Joshua, smiling and holding a baseball bat over his shoulder. “I’m not discussing this.”

Regina crossed her arms. “You’re worried he’ll ask you to go with him, aren’t you?”

The question lanced right through Nicole. She swung around to face her friend. “I’m not discussing this,” she repeated.

Regina was out of her chair in a flash and wrapped her caring arms around Nicole.

“Honey, you need to talk to Sam. You need to tell him all about your father and your mother. You need to tell him why it’s so important for you to have roots.”

“I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair. I can’t force someone to stay here out of pity.”

Regina released the embrace and put her hands on Nicole’s shoulders. “Maybe Sam needs to work a few things out too. He’s had a tough time, losing his wife, and also losing Joshua in a way. Did you ever think of that?”

Nicole’s insides ached to the point she thought the pain would crack her chest wide open. “Of course I know that. I’m the one who made his life miserable after all those awful things.”

“Maybe in the beginning, but the last few weeks, every time he looks at you, his face lights up like the sun busting out from behind a dark cloud. The two of you need to sit down and have a long talk.”

Nicole pulled away and turned toward Joshua’s picture again. “I will, but no matter what happens, I’m not standing in his way again. Sam and Joshua’s happiness is what’s important here. Even if it means I’ll never see them again.”