She grabbed a napkin from the table and dabbed it gently against his face. “No, you’re not. You’re bleeding.”
He took the cloth from her. “Would you take me home, please?”
The manager came running over. “I am so sorry, sir. I’ve called the police. If you’ll come to my office, you can wait there.”
Carson struggled to his feet. He walked slowly behind the manager until they reached the door. “Can you send the police to my place? It would be easier that way.”
“Are you sure?”
Carson nodded, his hand pressed tightly to his chest. “Carson Armitage. 32 Victoria Drive.” He looked at Maggie. “Good job you drove. Don’t think I could manage the bike.”
She nodded. “And I definitely can’t.”
They walked to the car, and she held the door open while he slid into the passenger seat. “I really think you should go to the hospital or wait here for the police.”
“I just want to go home.”
“OK, but I’m not leaving until I know for sure you’re going to be all right. I’m really sorry.”
“This wasn’t your fault. It’s OK.”
“It’s not OK. He had no right to hit you. It’s all my fault.”
“You did nothing wrong. I asked you to lunch, remember?”
“It wasn’t even a date.” But that didn’t stop her from feeling horrible as she started the car. “He was accusing me of cheating on him, and yet he was doing the same thing for months. When I realized he had been cheating on me, it was over between us.”
*****
Carson leaned back in the chair and held the pack of frozen peas to his face as he gave his statement to two uniformed police officers. He was eternally grateful neither attended his church. And that they didn’t ask about his past. Though he was mildly surprised they didn’t know about it, or if they did, bring it into the conversation somehow. Pilot sat by his chair, not having left Carson’s side since he got home.
He signed the form they gave him and then sat still as they spoke to Maggie. She was still blaming herself.
Finally, the officers stood to leave. “Are you sure you don’t want to press charges?”
He nodded. “I’m sure.”
“Well, if you change your mind let us know.” The officer handed him a card.
Maggie rose to her feet. “I’ll see you out.”
Carson watched them go and closed his eyes.
Lord, don’t let me refusing to press charges be a mistake. But I’ve seen enough of courtrooms to last me a lifetime. And interview rooms and police officers come to that. And with my record…why would they believe me over someone else?
He rubbed his jaw and adjusted the pack of peas.
Maggie came back into the room. “You know, you can take turning the other cheek too far.”
He grinned lopsidedly at her. “I did, remember?”
She picked up the cloth. “Let me.” She gently dabbed at the cuts on his face.
He winced and caught his breath.
“I’m sorry.” Her face creased in concern. “You’re going to look a right sight at the toddler group tomorrow morning. Perhaps you’d better give it a miss. You don’t want to scare them.”
“Don’t forget the senior’s lunch on Wednesday, prayer meeting on Thursday and two services on Sunday. Oh, and I’m preaching tonight.” Just the thought of all that left him exhausted, but he had responsibilities to uphold, no matter how bad he felt.
“No, you’re not.”
He gave her a look that in the past had terrified people and gotten him his own way. “Yes, I am. And you’ll never guess what the sermon title is.”
“No idea.”
“Turning the other cheek.”
She pointed a finger at him. “That is not remotely funny and you are
not
doing it. Surely there is someone else who can preach at short notice.”
The doorbell rang. Pilot jumped to his feet and barked. Carson started to get up.
Maggie pushed him back down. “Sit. I’ll get it.”
Pilot immediately sat at his heels and Carson snorted. “She meant me not you.”
“I meant both of you.” Maggie rolled her eyes and left the room.
Voices came from the hall and Carson sighed. The one person he really didn’t want to see. Nate Holmes, church elder—and detective sergeant—who no doubt would ask the questions the other cops hadn’t. He glanced warily at the door as they came back in. “Afternoon, Nate.”
“I just heard. Are you OK?” Nate didn’t bother with the pleasantries. He was obviously in work mode.
“I’m fine. Who told you?”
“Police grapevine. The custody sergeant is a friend of mine and when he booked a bloke for assaulting my pastor, I got a phone call.” Nate sat opposite him.
Carson shrugged, trying to act blasé. “It’s not so bad. You should see the other guy.”
Maggie glared at him. “You didn’t touch him.”
“So I heard,” Nate said dryly.
Maggie continued unabated. “He just stood there and took it, and now he intends to preach tonight.”
“I don’t think so.” Nate held out a hand. “Give me your sermon notes and I’ll do it.”
Carson shook his head, ignoring the wave of dizziness that shot through him as a result. “Like I told Maggie, I’m fine to preach. I can start a new trend and preach sitting down.”
“Have you seen yourself?” Nate asked.
“No.” He tried to stand and sat back down, his legs refusing to support him. His head spun. He rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the desire to close his eyes for a moment. Any show of weakness and they’d pack him off to bed or something.
“For crying out loud.” Maggie raised her hands in a gesture of despair. “Is there a shaving mirror in the bathroom?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go get it.”
Once Maggie was out of the room, Nate turned to Carson. “I hate to ask, but as you’re not pressing charges…”
“It was Maggie’s ex-boyfriend. He took exception to us having lunch. That’s all. It’s not gang related, I promise.”
“OK. You understand I had to ask.”
“As a cop or an elder?” Carson asked bluntly.
“Both. And as a friend,” Nate said, his tone softening.
Maggie came back with the mirror and held it in front of his face. “Now look at yourself and tell me honestly you can stand—or sit—in that pulpit tonight and preach.”
Carson started at the battered reflection and reluctantly handed Nate the sermon notes. “OK, you win. I’ll stay in tonight. What will you tell the congregation?”
“That you’ve been involved in an accident and will be out of circulation for a few days. But you’re not seriously hurt and will be fine after a few days’ rest.” He slid the notes into his jacket pocket. “I’ll give you a call in a couple of days. Think about pressing charges. I’ll see myself out.”
Carson let out a deep breath as Nate left. He glanced at Maggie. “Can you show me how to stream the evening service? I welcome the online listeners each week, but have no idea how to do it.”
“Sure.”
“Actually, would you stay and listen with me? If you’re not too busy that is?”
Maggie nodded. “I’ll make some tea first, if that’s all right with you. And afterwards I’ll take Pilot for a walk before I leave.”
“Thank you. Could you find me some paracetamol? There should be some in the bathroom cabinet.”
“Sure. I need to put the mirror away, anyway.”
Once Maggie was out of the room, Carson leaned back and closed his eyes. What had he gotten himself into and how was he going to get out of it? No one would believe he didn’t start the fight. Not with his history. The same reason he was single and likely to stay that way. As soon as any woman found out who he really was, they ran—ran as far away as they possibly could.
4
Maggie walked across the park with Gypsy on his leash. He’d had a good run in the early morning. She knew some of the church members, and her parents, would have a fit if they knew she walked across the park in the dark, but what was she meant to do with the dog? She knew most of the other dog walkers by sight, anyway. Though this morning she was earlier than usual and there was no one about. Besides, the whole point of having the dog was so she’d be safe. That was the only reason she left the house in the dark at all.
Gypsy’s feet clipped on the tarmac as they left the park and walked along the pavement. Her breath hung in the freezing air, a light frost glistening on the grass verges. No doubt the pavements were icy as well, but she couldn’t make that out in the orange sodium street lighting.
Her mind reviewed the previous day. Wesley had been waiting for her when she got back to her home. She’d told him that she wasn’t going to be intimidated by him or by anyone else. It was over between them, and if she wanted to see other men, she would. He hadn’t taken it too well, but she told him if he laid a finger on her again, she would press charges against him. After that, he’d left.
Thinking about the charges, brought her mind back to the topic it had barely left, that of Carson. Why hadn’t he pursued matters with the police? He’d taken a beating for her. Why? It wasn’t as if they were dating or doing anything more than having a friendly lunch after church. Although she had to admit if he did ask her out, which he wouldn’t, she’d say yes.
Why? That’s what she didn’t understand. He was a pastor. There was no way she was pastor’s wife material. And she knew he would need someone to support him in his ministry. And that someone wasn’t her and could never be her.
I don’t doubt my faith, Lord, but it’s nowhere near as strong as his. He’ll be such a good man, never doing anything wrong, not like me. I fail You on a daily basis, by not praying or forgetting to do my Bible reading, or getting angry when I’m driving or at work or anytime something doesn’t go according to my plan. I know I was never in love with Wesley. I’m not sure I ever really liked him, just wanted what I could get from him. How shallow does that make me?
The alarm on her phone beeped as she reached her front door. She looked down at Gypsy. “It’s time for me to go to work. You guard the house while I’m gone.” He barked at her. “Glad to hear it. And no chewing my slippers, you hear?”
****
Carson looked in the mirror and decided that Maggie was right; the toddler group would be a bad move. His jaw was far too painful to shave, so he’d give that a miss. Maybe he just grew the beard back. The phone had rung constantly since he got up that morning, after Nate mentioned his ‘accident’ in church the previous evening. He was tempted to record a new answerphone message and let that pick up calls for the rest of the day. Something along the lines of…
Before he thought any further, the phone rang again and he grabbed it. “Hello.”
“Carson, its Jack. Is everything OK?” Jack Chambers sounded unusually concerned. From what little Carson knew of his co-pastor, he seemed pretty unflappable, except where his wife and family were concerned.
Carson gingerly sat on the couch. “Everything’s fine. Why?”
“I was listening online last night. Well, my morning, your last night.”
“Oh.” He exhaled heavily.
“Nate said you’d been in an accident. What happened?”
There was no point hiding what happened from Jack. Nate would only tell him the truth when asked anyway. “I was having lunch at the carvery with Maggie Turner to talk about the nativity. Her ex-boyfriend took a dislike to this and hit me. Several times. And before you ask, no, I didn’t hit him back. Those days are long gone.”
“Are you pressing charges?”
“No, I’m not.”
Jack’s sharp intake of breath matched the drumming of his fingers on the edge of the phone. “May I ask why? Are you sure it wasn’t—”
“No, Jack, it wasn’t related to my past. It was Maggie’s ex, and even if it wasn’t, I can handle it. There are at least ten witnesses to the fact that he just walked in and started the fight unprovoked. He grabbed hold of Maggie, I stood and told him to leave her alone, and he hit me. I just want to forget it. And between you and me, I don’t want to see any more courtrooms.”
Pilot pushed his head onto Carson’s knee, and he petted him absently.
“Is something going on between you and Maggie Turner?”
“No. We were talking about YPSB and the nativity. Did you know she runs that on her own? YPSB that is, not the nativity. I’m giving her a hand with that.”
“No, I didn’t.” As Carson had hoped, Jack took the bait. “As far as I was aware, Esther Mulholland and Maggie did alternate weeks.”
“That hasn’t been happening for some time, apparently. Maggie can’t remember the last time she was in a morning service. Do you mind if I sort that? Either get Esther involved again, or find someone new? And insist that Maggie and the new teacher do the same rota as the other helpers—three weeks on and three weeks off.”
“Feel free. I hadn’t realized Maggie was coping with the teaching on her own. She hadn’t said anything to me at all.”
Carson gingerly rubbed his stomach. “She only mentioned it when I asked directly about the staffing and how often she got into the services. I doubt she would’ve mentioned it at all otherwise.”
“Probably not.”
“So, how’s your trip? Got any snow yet?”
“More snow than Cassie likes, but Lara is in her element. She’s taken to skiing like a duck to water. She hates the homeschooling. She thought this was a holiday from school work.”
Carson laughed. “I bet. Is she looking forward to Christmas?”
“Oh, yeah. She does keep asking if Santa is the same as Father Christmas and will he come visit us on real time or American time.”
“And which will he visit on?”
Jack laughed. “Neither. She knows full well that all presents come from me and Cassie and Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. I’ve never told her any different. She’s fine with it.”
Carson rubbed his neck as Pilot settled on the floor in front of the fireplace. “If I did…is this fight going to be a problem? With the congregation, I mean?”
Jack tutted. “Carson, the whole church voted on you becoming Pastor. You gave your testimony, and if anyone had a problem with you, they’d have voted no. You got an overwhelming majority. Besides the fact, you’d never have gotten into Bible College in the first place. God has a great work for you to do here. Starting with that nativity idea of yours. Just make sure someone records it so I can see it.” He yawned. “OK, time for bed. Call if you need anything.”