Tracie Peterson (11 page)

“Really?” Teri wiped her face with the cuff of her sleeve. “But you’re famous. You have this HEARTBEAT thing and everybody knows you.”

“It doesn’t stop evil people from trying to hurt the innocent.”

Teri’s head snapped up at this. “You think he’s evil, too?”

Cara nodded. “I know he’s evil. But, Teri, God can protect us from the likes of Bob Kerns.” She said the words even as she wondered how God might rescue them both. “I know it sounds simplistic, and maybe you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but God is watching and He cares. He will see that Bob Kerns gets what he deserves.”

“Well, I don’t plan to wait around for God,” Teri replied.

“What do you mean? What are you planning to do?” Cara asked, suddenly frightened for the young woman.

“I plan to get revenge!” Teri exclaimed, waking the baby. Jamie fussed only until Teri put her on her shoulder and patted her soothingly.

“Revenge is something best left to God,” Cara advised. “You have a baby to worry about. What if your plans backfire and Jamie ends up in the middle? Kerns is a powerful lawyer with friends in high places. He could easily take Jamie away and cause you all kinds of costly battles in court.”

“Not if he’s dead,” Teri said flatly.

“That’s no answer,” Cara replied, but even as the words left her mouth, she knew Teri wouldn’t hear them.

Teri got to her feet. “I thought you could help me. I’d heard you were a fair-minded person and that you cared about kids.”

“I do,” Cara said, coming to Teri. She touched her gently on the shoulder. “I really do care, Teri. That’s why I don’t
want you to try to take on Bob Kerns by yourself. Jamie needs you—your devotion, your love. Why don’t you let me help you. I could get you into a protective shelter and see to it that you have a place to sleep and plenty of food to eat. Then maybe . . .”

“No!” Teri replied. “He’d find me at those places. Look, I’ll do this my way. I just wanted you to know what kind of man he is. A nice lady like you shouldn’t be working with him.”

“I agree. But, like you, I found myself in a rather delicate situation. I’m working to figure a way out of my problem, but my problem doesn’t involve a helpless baby.”
Unless you count Brianna,
Cara thought grimly. Suddenly the answers seemed far from easy. Teri was probably right. If she went to a shelter, Bob would only hunt her down.

“I’m going to make him pay,” Teri finally said. “I’ll have my revenge and Bob Kerns won’t be hurting any more kids.”

“Please, at least let me help you find a place to stay.”

“I’m still living off the five grand. I rented a place using a fake ID. Don’t worry about us, Mrs. Kessler. I can take care of everything.”

Cara felt a great sense of regret watching Teri leave with Jamie. She felt so sorry for the woman whose childhood had been cut short by the death of her parents and the viciousness of a manipulative man.

“Who was that?” Joe questioned, coming out of his office.

“A very messed-up kid,” Cara replied. “Unfortunately, she’s probably only one in a line of many.”

Fifteen

“I’m really not sure I should leave her,” Cara said to her next-door neighbor. Brianna was suffering the effects of a summer head cold, and Mrs. Pritchard had graciously volunteered to keep her while Cara went to Melissa’s for supper. “I mean, the dinner is in Lawrence and after all—”

“Nonsense. The child isn’t dying. She just has the sniffles. A good dose of hot chocolate and a board game or two and she’ll be just fine. You go on to your dinner and enjoy yourself. After all, once you move next week, I won’t have an opportunity to offer this again.”

Cara smiled at the older woman. Mrs. Pritchard had been an angel on more than one occasion. “Thank you, I think I need it.”

“Of course you do. You’re a busy lady, especially with the campaign and all. You have a good time and we’ll do likewise.”

“Is that okay with you, Bri?” Cara asked her daughter. After a sneeze and a cough, Brianna nodded her approval.

****

Cara still wasn’t convinced she’d done the right thing even when she stood at Melissa’s door. Her mind was filled with images of Brianna growing gravely ill and needing her. Then, too, there were visions of another girl, not so very much older. Teri Davis and her baby still haunted Cara. Where would the girl go and what would she do with her life? Five thousand dollars wasn’t going to go very far in this day and age. And what about her threats of revenge?

“Well, come on in,” Melissa said, opening the door to Cara. “You look great!”

Cara looked down at her pastel print blouse tucked into
beige slacks. “I was hoping you hadn’t planned a formal affair,” she smiled.

“No way, not this gal,” Melissa laughed. She had chosen to wear jeans and a sporty top, so Cara felt quite at ease. “Come on in and let me get you something to drink. I have iced tea, cola, and fruit juice for Brianna. Say, where is Bri?”

“She has a cold, so I left her at home with a neighbor. I thought it might be easier to talk. I’m more anxious than ever to resolve this—”

“Well, hello again,” a man interrupted from the doorway.

Cara turned to find the highway patrolman she’d run into at the Capitol. “Mr. Oberlin,” she said in surprise.

“Please call me Harry.”

“You two know each other?” Melissa asked.

“We ran into each other at the Capitol,” Harry replied. “Literally.”

“Cara, I hope you don’t mind, but I kind of forgot about our dinner plans when I invited Harry. He’s an old friend of Peter’s.”

Cara looked at him with a million questions on her mind. She wanted very much to discuss her political woes with Melissa, but she couldn’t very well suggest Harry leave. Especially with him smiling at her that way. . . .

“—and I explained the situation to Harry.”

“What?” Cara questioned, realizing she hadn’t been paying attention.

Melissa laughed. “Look, you two go on out to the patio. Harry knows the way. I’ll bring out some drinks. Iced tea for you, Cara?”

“Yes, that’s fine,” she murmured.

“That’s good for me, too,” Harry said before Melissa could ask. “Come along, Mrs. Kessler.”

“Cara. Call me Cara.”

He smiled down at her with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’d like that.” He took hold of her arm and led her through the house to the sliding glass patio door. “Peter’s got some
steaks on the grill and potatoes in the coals. I’d say we’re in for a great meal.”

Melissa’s husband glanced up from the barbecue. “You must be Cara,” he said with a genuine smile of welcome. “I’m Peter.”

“It’s good to finally meet you. Melissa speaks very highly of you,” Cara replied sweetly, liking Peter immediately. He was about her own height, unlike Harry, who stood at least another six inches taller than her five-foot-seven-inch frame. Peter, also unlike Harry, seemed quite plain and simple.

“She can say some unfavorable things at times,” Peter said with a laugh. He seemed content behind his grill.

“But only when he deserves it,” Melissa called out from the door. “Come and get it.” She offered the tray up as if it were an award.

Harry reached out and took his and Cara’s tea. He handed Cara one of the glasses and offered a toast as Peter and Melissa took theirs. “To new friends,” he said, motioning Cara and Melissa’s way, “and to old.” He gave Peter a smile and Cara a sly wink. “I think the new friends may be ever so slightly more interesting than the old ones this time around.”

Peter laughed and exchanged a conspiratorial look with Melissa. All at once, Cara felt manipulated, but decided it didn’t matter. She rather liked the outcome.

****

“. . . but the dean never caught us, so we were off the hook,” Peter concluded with yet another story of his escapades with Harry during their college years. Empty plates and scattered condiments were about all that was left of their barbecue dinner.

Cara tried to concentrate on the stories, but her mind wandered in too many different directions. Harry and his most obvious interest in her . . . the dilemma regarding the campaign . . . and not yet forgotten was Teri Davis and her baby.

“Let me help you,” Cara offered as Melissa began picking up dishes.

“No, no. Peter and I can manage just fine. Why don’t you and Harry walk on out to the back fence and see Peter’s prize-winning roses.”

Harry smiled and offered his hand to Cara. “I’m game.”

Cara put her hand in his and hesitantly said, “Okay.”

They walked several paces before Harry said, “Well, the last time I saw you, you were just Cara Kessler the wonder woman of HEARTBEAT Ministries. Now you’re trying to kick my boss out of a job and take over the Capitol.”

“Hardly that,” Cara laughed nervously. She couldn’t very well explain to Harry that running for lieutenant governor was far from her idea.

“I think you’d make a great addition to the state,” Harry continued. “Maybe you’ll even need a pilot to run you around.”

“Maybe,” Cara murmured, trying to think of a way to change the subject.

“What made you hook up with Kerns?” It was the one question Cara had sincerely hoped Harry wouldn’t ask.

“It was a lot of things. A lot of little things.” There was a definite sound of regret in her voice, and before Cara could cover it up, Harry had stopped to look at her.

“You don’t sound too enthusiastic about it.”

“Let’s just say it wasn’t my idea and I’m not at all enthusiastic, and leave it at that. Please?” She implored him with a look of misery.

“Sure, Cara.” He tucked her arm more closely to his side. “What do you want to talk about?”

“How about you? You know all about me, but I know little about you.”

“Fire away. I never could deny a pretty lady much of anything.”

Cara felt herself blush. “Well, for starters, where are you from?”

“Topeka, and you?”

“I thought this was about you!”

Harry chuckled low in his chest, causing tiny goosebumps to form on Cara’s arms. “I had hoped that maybe it could be about us.”

“Us?”

“Sure.” He stopped before one of Peter’s rose bushes, pretending to study the blossoms. Refusing to look at her, Harry continued. “I’ve been thinking about you since that day in the Capitol.”

“You have?”

“Yeah.” He sounded so matter-of-fact. “I’d like for us to get better acquainted, you know, maybe spend some time together.”

A part of Cara sensed that this would be a wonderful way to get back into the dating scene, while another part faced the moment accompanied by bittersweet memories of Jack. The first time he’d asked her out had been during a cousin’s backyard birthday party. But Jack was gone and Harry was here.

“I think I’d like that, too,” she finally whispered. “But . . .”

Harry turned abruptly. “But?”

“Well, like you said, we really need to get to know each other a little better.”

“For instance?”

Cara smiled at his concern. He sounded like a boy afraid he might not get that new ball glove after all. “For instance, I have a ten-year-old daughter.”

Harry seemed to relax a bit. “Yes, I know. What’s her name?”

“Brianna.”

“And what is Brianna like?”

Taking an interest in her child was possibly the best thing Harry could have done. Cara instantly warmed to his reception of Brianna and started to describe her child in detail. “Brianna’s finishing fourth grade,” she began. “She likes school a great deal, probably because she’s gifted and it comes easily to her. She plays the piano, and her teacher has suggested she study it seriously. She loves strawberry ice cream and unicorns, and she’s totally devoted to the idea of spending this summer at the swimming pool across from our townhouse.”

Harry laughed and nodded. “Smart kid. Kansas summers can get a little unbearable.”

“She’s a good kid, too. She’s been my mainstay, along with God.”

“So is she pretty like her mother?”

Cara lowered her eyes and felt a wave of girlish delight wash over her. “Prettier. She’s got long dark hair and huge eyes like her father.” She mentioned Jack without feeling the usual twinge of regret.

“Well, I’ll just have to see it to believe it.”

“What do you mean?” Cara asked, looking up at Harry’s amused expression.

“I mean I’d love to meet her.”

“I think I’d like that.”

The evening sky faded into a pallet of pastels on the western horizon, and the sweet scent of the roses wafted up to fill the air.

Harry took her hand in his, and Cara had to remind herself to avoid games. “Who are you, Harry Oberlin?”

This tactic seemed to take Harry by surprise. “Who am I? Nobody special. I work for the governor, fly a plane, live in a small west-side apartment in Topeka, and eat out most nights because I’m a terrible cook.”

Cara shook her head. “No, who are you really?” The intensity of his eyes almost caused her to back down, but Cara held her ground. “Who are you?”

Harry grew thoughtful. “I’m a lonely Christian man, looking for someone to share my life. Honest enough?”

Cara nodded thoughtfully. “Exactly enough.”

****

Cara considered Harry’s words long after she’d returned home. Her heart was filled with the hope of possibilities as she looked in on Brianna and murmured a prayer over the sleeping child.

Kicking off her shoes, Cara realized that Bob Kerns had seemed a very distant problem in the wake of meeting Harry and agreeing to see him again. Now, however, with Harry far removed, Cara couldn’t help but remember her frustrating situation. She tried to pray but found herself distracted. “Oh, Lord,” she whispered, “please help me in this.” It seemed to be all she could think to say. As if in response, thunder rumbled outside. A storm front had moved toward Topeka, even as Cara had driven home from Lawrence.

Remembering Teri and the baby, Cara made a quick check of the time and picked up the telephone to call Melissa. She felt the need to share the situation with someone, and although she’d been gone from Melissa’s home for less than an hour, Cara was sure her friend would understand.

“Hello?” Melissa said, answering on the first ring.

“It’s Cara.”