The Key To the Kingdom (8 page)

“Hawk, I must say that you have made my tour much more enjoyable.” Kiran was now facing him. “I still don’t think you learned anything new, but I hope you had a good time.”

“I had a great time, thank you,” Hawk graciously responded. “Were you serious about wanting to come to church?” He would like the chance to see Kiran again, but most people who said they were going to visit a church just said it to be pleasant and make conversation.

“Of course I was serious. Are you inviting me?” Kiran was looking at him curiously.

“I am indeed. I know the preacher, and he’s a little boring, but if you can overlook him you might like it.” Hawk was in a very unfamiliar place as he
tried to blend inviting someone to church with a feeble attempt to flirt. If it was awkward, Kiran didn’t seem to notice.

“Just tell me where and when. I’ll try my best to get there.”

Hawk gave her his business card, which had a map to the church printed on the back. Making sure she knew what time the services started, he shook her hand and they said their good-byes. As she was leaving, Hawk called out to her.

“You know about all things Disney, right?”

Spinning, she turned back toward him and tilted her head. “Sure I do.”

“What time does the Disney Studios close tonight?”

“It closes at 7:00. Is that your next stop?” She grinned.

“Maybe.”

“Have fun!”

“One more thing,” Hawk remembered. “You forgot to tell us about the name Kepple.”

“No, I didn’t forget. I just didn’t tell you.” Kiran tossed her hair and moved off down Main Street.

Hawk watched as she walked away, then glanced down at his watch. It was two thirty. He considered jumping on Disney transportation and riding over to the Studios to take a look at Walt’s office. Lost in thought, he moved back through the tunnel below the train station. As he walked through the exit of the Magic Kingdom he decided to postpone his jaunt to the Studios because he had a sermon to complete if he was going to preach it tomorrow.

As Grayson Hawkes strode back across the redbrick walkway toward the Contemporary Resort, the footsteps of the person who followed him were lost in the background noise of the other people bustling around him.

His stalker, whose eyes had taken in his every movement since he arrived back in the Town Square, paused and watched as the preacher moved toward his car and got in to drive away.

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

Day Four Morning

T
HE FOLLOWING MORNING
the parking lot of Celebration Community Church bulged under the crush of cars crammed into the available parking spaces. Parking was a problem during services and today was no exception. Jonathan led the stage band in opening the worship service. The vocal team that led the singing took the congregation through a blend of traditional hymns that had been given new tunes, some contemporary praise songs, and some original pieces of worship music that Jonathan had created.

The singing was spirited and the people at the worship service reflected a variety of emotions as each song was unpacked and presented. The band and vocal team left the stage and Jonathan stood alone and sang a soft soulful song that bridged the block of worship songs to the teaching moment to follow. As the last notes of the song finished, Hawk made his way toward the platform from the side of the front row where he had been sitting. Dressed casually in a pair of jeans and button down shirt, he asked the worshipers to open their
Bibles to the text he would be teaching from. Allowing the sound of flipping pages to cease, he then bowed his head and led the congregation in prayer.

With an
amen
the prayer ended and right on cue there was once again the sound of rustling paper as the regular attendees prepared to take notes on what was going to be said. Hawk waited for a moment and then launched into a story that would set the tone for the topic of the morning.

Throughout time, preaching had always been an art form. Each generation and cultural setting might influence the style a preacher might use, but at the heart of every great preacher was the desire to take the Bible and make it come alive in the soul of the listener. Hawk was no exception. While he’d never considered himself a strong speaker, he did have the ability to take the Bible and make it clear and applicable to the people who heard him teach.

The story Hawk told had the desired effect. The audience was now fully immersed in the passage and were once again gathering gems of wisdom as he picked them from the text of the morning. Nearing the end of the message, Hawk slowed down and spoke softer as he began to conclude and challenge his listeners with his final thoughts. He allowed his eyes to move from one person to the next and was startled as he locked eyes with a guest seated near the back. It was Kiran.

Hawk had not really expected Kiran to come to church, and his surprise and pleasure at her presence made him lose his train of thought. The usually steady orator now felt his voice searching for words as he stood with mouth slightly opened but silent. Kiran cut her eyes away and with a slight smile bowed her head. Blushing, Hawk stammered through a few final sentences and asked everyone to pray. As he spoke to God once again he rediscovered his voice. Speaking with the familiarity of being with the closest of friends, Hawk asked God to imprint the words of the text on the hearts of the hearers and allow the words to come alive in their everyday lives. During the prayer, Jonathan had silently drifted back on the platform. The prayer concluded and a closing song dismissed the crowd for the week.

As was his habit, Hawk moved down the side aisle toward the exit to speak to every worshiper who attended. The encounters were brief, usually a handshake or a hug, but each was as personal as Hawk could make it. Some weeks he would stand outside and talk with the church members for as long as an hour after the service had ended.

The line of people waiting to speak with him began to shrink, and he caught himself rushing his conversations to move the crowd quicker. He expected to see Kiran as the next person in line as the previous one walked away, but time and time again the next person waiting was not her. The last person in line gave their pastor a hug and Hawk found himself standing alone at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door. Twisting his head to look at the few remaining people leaving the parking lot, he was disappointed to not see Kiran anywhere. He was confused as to how he had missed seeing her exit, and he ascended the four steps to the small porch that leveled off toward the front door. As he reached for the handle, the door unexpectedly opened from the other side. Stepping back for the swing of the door, Hawk was relieved to see Kiran stride out onto the porch.

Hawk had not thought it to be possible, but Kiran looked more stunning today than she had the day before. He firmly clasped her hand in his, and their hands remained joined together as they spoke.

“I’m so glad you decided to come,” Hawk began.

“I told you I would try my best to be here,” she said.

“You wouldn’t believe how often preachers hear people say that.”

“I’ll bet people tell you that so you don’t pester them about showing up.”

“Exactly,” he affirmed.

“Well,” she cheeringly said, “I’m not one of those people. To tell you the truth I really enjoyed it. The band and the preacher were great.”

“I don’t know about that.” He scuffed his shoe against the floor.

“At least he was doing well until he forgot what he was going to say,” she chided.

“Oh, you noticed that?”

“Everyone noticed it. The blushing was a dead giveaway.”

“I got distracted.”

“By what?” she teased.

Hawk merely smiled but decided to say nothing more on the subject. They ended their protracted handshake and stood awkwardly for a moment as silence fell across the front porch. Attempting to fill the silence Hawk asked, “Can I walk you to your car?”

“Sure, that would be great. It is a long walk though; you really pack ’em in here.”

Kiran and Hawk walked down the steps and made their way along the sidewalk toward the downtown area. They chatted about the church and how welcomed Kiran had felt being a guest for the first time. Tiring of the church chat, they rounded the corner on Front Street alongside the movie theatre.

“I have always loved this town,” Kiran reflected. “I remember when it was built and wished I could live here.”

“It is beautiful,” Hawk agreed. “It is a unique place.”

Their footsteps echoed on the sidewalk as Kiran slowed. Gesturing toward the corner and taking her keys out of her purse, she let Hawk know they had arrived. Kiran looked down toward the sidewalk and slowly raised her face as she spoke.

“Hawk, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?”

She asked so quickly and unexpectedly that Hawk was completely caught off guard. He found himself at a loss for words for the second time of the day. Recovering quickly he said, “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She looked away as she apologized.

“No, no, please don’t be sorry,” Hawk attempted to reassure her. “I am flattered you would ask.”

Kiran’s face flushed at her perceived blunder. Fussing with her keys, she walked briskly as though she couldn’t get to her car and away from him fast enough. Hawk almost had to run to keep up with her. He reached out and impulsively, but gently, grabbed Kiran by the arm and turned her toward him. Facing her, he steadied himself.

“I would love to take you to dinner. I just can’t do it tonight. Could we plan on it tomorrow night?”

She searched his face. “If you’re sure . . . tomorrow would be nice.”

“Great!” Hawk was genuinely glad she had agreed. “Where do you want me to pick you up?”

“Why don’t I meet you right here?” Kiran was now recovering and her confidence was slowly coming back.

“Here?”

“Right here,” she stated.

“You want me to pick you up right here on the street corner?”

“It’s safe, isn’t it?”

“Of course, but I can pick you—”

Kiran interrupted, “I can be here at seven o’clock if that’s okay with you.”

“That works for me. I’ll be here.”

“Great, see you then.” Kiran patted him twice on the chest and turned toward her car.

Hawk watched as she got into her car and drove away. Everything within him wanted to have dinner with Kiran tonight, but he had already made plans. He had decided before church began that he would head over to the Disney Studios to look at Walt Disney’s office in the One Man’s Dream attraction. If he was going to figure out what meaning the key to the kingdom Rales had given him possessed, then he had to follow the one idea he had. The plan was not complicated. He was going to look through the glass window at Walt’s old office. Hopefully inspiration would hit.

Hawk walked back toward the church, pulling out his cell phone and once again hitting the speed dial button in an attempt to contact Rales. The call was connected to Rale’s voice mail. Hawk did not leave a message. Battling back the growing concern, he reminded himself it would not be unlike Rales to avoid him in order to force him forward into the mystery. Arriving in front of the church, Hawk lifted his head toward the sky and whispered a barely audible prayer for his friend Farren.

C
HAPTER
N
INE