The Promise of Jesse Woods

Praise for Chris Fabry

EVERY WAKING MOMENT

“Fabry crafts a character-driven tale of dignity and compassion for those who seem to have lost importance to society. This thought-provoking read challenges the prevailing cultural calculations of the value of a person’s life.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Writing in his trademark lyrical style, Fabry spins a poignant tale.”

BOOKLIST

“This is a heartbreaking but very hopeful story that left me with a satisfied sigh when I turned the last page.”

NOVEL REVIEWS

BORDERS OF THE HEART

“A thoroughly enjoyable read. . . . Chris Fabry is a masterful storyteller.”

CBA RETAILERS+RESOURCES

“In this edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense, all of the characters ring true. . . .”

BOOKLIST
, STARRED REVIEW

“Ups the ante for fans of Fabry’s high-charged, emotionally driven fiction by adding a strong suspense thread.”

TITLETRAKK.COM

NOT IN THE HEART

“A story of hope, redemption, and sacrifice. . . . It’s hard to imagine inspirational fiction done better than this.”

WORLD
MAGAZINE

“Christy Award–winning Fabry has written a nail-biter with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers riveted. Fans of Jerry B. Jenkins and Jodi Picoult might want to try this title.”

LIBRARY JOURNAL

“A fine piece of storytelling. . . . Down to its final pages,
Not in the Heart
is a gripping read. While the mystery at its core is compelling, it’s Wiley’s inner conflict that’s truly engrossing.”

CROSSWALK.COM

“This absorbing novel should further boost Fabry’s reputation as one of the most talented authors in Christian fiction.”

CBA RETAILERS+RESOURCES

ALMOST HEAVEN

“This mesmerizing tale . . . will surprise readers in the best possible way; plot twists unfold and unexpected character transformations occur throughout this tender story.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Fabry has a true gift for prose, and [
Almost Heaven
] is amazing. . . . You’ll most definitely want to move this to the top of your ‘to buy’ list.”

ROMANTIC TIMES
, 4½-STAR TOP PICK REVIEW

“Fabry is a talented writer with a lilting flow to his words.”

CROSSWALK.COM

JUNE BUG

“[
June Bug
] is a stunning success, and readers will find themselves responding with enthusiastic inner applause.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“An involving novel with enough plot twists and dramatic tension to keep readers turning the pages.”

BOOKLIST

“I haven’t read anything so riveting and unforgettable since
Redeeming Love
by Francine Rivers. . . .
A remarkable love story, one that’s filled with sacrifice, hope, and forgiveness!”

NOVEL REVIEWS

“Precise details of places and experiences immediately set you in the story, and the complex, likable characters give
June Bug
the enduring quality of a classic.”

TITLETRAKK.COM

DOGWOOD

“[
Dogwood
] is difficult to put down, what with Fabry’s surprising plot resolution and themes of forgiveness, sacrificial love, and suffering.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“Ultimately a story of love and forgiveness, [
Dogwood
] should appeal to a wide audience.”

CBA RETAILERS+RESOURCES

“Solidly literary fiction with deep, flawed characters and beautiful prose,
Dogwood
also contains a mystery within the story that adds tension and a deepening plot.”

NOVEL REVIEWS

Visit Tyndale online at
www.tyndale.com
.

Visit Chris Fabry’s website at
www.chrisfabry.com
.

TYNDALE
and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

The Promise of Jesse Woods

Copyright © 2016 by Chris Fabry. All rights reserved.

Cover illustration of silhouettes copyright © by whiteisthecolor/Shutterstock. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph of lake copyright © by Skreidzeleu/Shutterstock. All rights reserved.

Cover designed by Gearbox

Interior designed by Dean H. Renninger

Edited by Sarah Mason Rische

Scripture quotations are taken from the
Holy Bible
, King James Version.

The Promise of Jesse Woods
is a work of fiction. Where real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales appear, they are used fictitiously. All other elements of the novel are drawn from the author’s imagination.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Fabry, Chris, date, author.

Title: The promise of Jesse Woods / Chris Fabry.

Description: Carol Stream, Illinois : Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., [2016]

Identifiers: LCCN 2016005373 | ISBN 9781414387772 (softcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Life change events—Fiction. | Family secrets—Fiction. |

  Friendship—Fiction. | GSAFD: Christian fiction.

Classification: LCC PS3556.A26 P76 2016 | DDC 813/.54—dc23 LC record available at
http://lccn.loc.gov/2016005373

ISBN 978-1-4964-1463-2 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-8783-3 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-4964-1464-9 (Apple)

Build: 2016-06-09 19:13:02

In memory of Kristin Kent and Dantrell Davis

Contents

1. Chapter 1
   
2. Chapter 2
   
3. Chapter 3
   
4. Chapter 4
   
5. Chapter 5
   
6. Chapter 6
   
7. Chapter 7
   
8. Chapter 8
   
9. Chapter 9
   
10. Chapter 10
    
11. Chapter 11
    
12. Chapter 12
    
13. Chapter 13
    
14. Chapter 14
    
15. Chapter 15
    
16. Chapter 16
    
17. Chapter 17
    
18. Chapter 18
    
19. Chapter 19
    
20. Chapter 20
    
21. Chapter 21
    
22. Chapter 22
    
23. Chapter 23
    
24. Chapter 24
    
25. Chapter 25
    
26. Chapter 26
    
27. Chapter 27
    
28. Chapter 28
    
29. Chapter 29
    
30. Chapter 30
    
31. Acknowledgments
    
32. About the Author
    
33. Discussion Questions
    

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1984

The elevated train clacked outside my apartment, meandering on its predetermined path through Chicago. Beyond the tracks loomed the Cabrini-Green housing project, where Dantrelle Garrett lived. Dantrelle sat on my couch tossing a weathered baseball into my old glove, watching the final game of the NLCS between the Cubs and Padres.

“Who’s that?” Dantrelle said, pointing at a picture on my bookshelf.

“My brother and me. That was a long time ago.”

He studied the photo. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

It was the first time in the three months since I’d met
Dantrelle that he had asked anything about my background. I took it as an invitation.

“I grew up in Pittsburgh, then moved to a little town in West Virginia.”

“Where’s that?”

“A long way from Cabrini,” I said.

“Do you love you mama and daddy?”

“Sure.”

“Then how come you don’t have a picture of them?”

“I do, in an album somewhere.”

“If you love somebody, they ought to be on top of the shelf.”

I shrugged.

“How come you moved to Chicago?”

These were penetrating questions from an eight-year-old kid, but they grow up quickly in the projects. I told him about my schooling, how I had majored in theater and minored in counseling, but his eyes glazed.

“You want popcorn?” I said.

Dantrelle nodded and I pulled out my biggest pot and heated the oil. The smell of the popcorn and drizzled butter triggered a memory, but I pushed it aside and sat beside Dantrelle.

“When I was a kid, I loved the Pirates. The Pirates were my life. But we moved to this town where everybody rooted for the Reds. And the Pirates and Reds were rivals.”

“Like the Cubs and the White Sox.”

“Yeah, sort of. Except they were in the same league.”

Dantrelle shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth
and butter dripped from his chin. I handed him a napkin and he put it on his lap.

“You think the Cubs are going to win?” he said, ignoring my story.

It had been a phenomenal year to be a Cubs fan. Every game on channel 9. Harry Caray and Steve Stone and “Jump” by Van Halen. Sutcliffe and Sandberg and Cey.