Authors: Karen Ball
“Yes, Annie, let’s.” Killian started to accompany them, but Serafina halted him with an upraised hand.
“I’m sorry, but no.”
Killian’s mouth spread into a thin smile. “Excuse me?”
“I said no.” Such iron in that soft voice. “I prefer Annie show me. And only Annie.”
For a moment Annie thought Killian was going to throw one of his infamous fits right then and there, but he surprised her by bowing his head and stepping back. “Whatever you say, dear lady”
Casting him an apology over Serafina’s head, and glad that Ryan had moved in to soothe his boss’s ruffled feathers, Annie led the woman to the edge of the pews. “You need to see the window twice.”
“Twice?”
“The first time from a little distance, to see the big picture.”
Serafina’s focus moved to the window. “And the second?”
“You’ll see.”
They started walking, and Annie kept their pace slow and even.
“Oh my” Serafina’s eyes followed the length of the window. “It’s … quite large, isn’t it?”
Indeed, it was. It actually was more of a wall of glass rather than a window, one that glittered in every hue. The lower edge of
the window started just two feet from the floor. The window measured five feet, top to bottom, and fifteen feet from left to right. Colors and textures—waterglass, baroque, cobblestone, iridescent, opalescent, granite, rippled—all flowed and swirled into each other, creating a panorama of the life of Christ.
Annie walked Serafina beside the window, watching the older woman’s expression as she studied each image. The nativity … a young Jesus teaching at the temple … Jesus rejoicing, a lamb draped across His shoulders … Peter, his face awash with shame as the rooster crowed … the mocking crowds at the crucifixion … a soldier piercing Jesus’ side with a spear; others casting lots on Jesus’ robe … Mary, outside the tomb, reaching out to the man she just realized is the resurrected Christ … and, in the last panel, framed by an explosion of brilliant colors, Jesus’ face, His features filled with tenderness and joy as He looked down at the open Book of Life.
Serafina lifted one hand, her fingers brushing across the glass. “The details are exquisite, my dear. They’re so lifelike. I almost expect them to step from the glass.”
The words were clearly praise, and yet, there was an odd note in Serafina’s tone. Just the faintest hint of disappointment. Annie started to say something but didn’t get the chance.
“Well? Isn’t it
glorious
?” There wasn’t one iota of disappointment in Killian’s voice. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”
The older woman’s gaze fell to the floor, her disquiet evident in the slump of her thin shoulders. Annie forced herself to sheath her feelings, and when she spoke, her voice was carefully colored in neutral. “Please, don’t worry. You haven’t truly seen the window yet.”
The woman’s soft hands patted her arm. “Oh no, my dear. Really, it’s quite lovely I’m sure you did your best.”
“Please.” Annie held out her hand. “Come with me.”
The woman let Annie lead her closer to the window, where the images seemed life-sized. Annie looked over her shoulder to where Jed stood next to the light switches and nodded. Jed flipped the switch, and lights designed to accentuate the angles of
the glass—from both above and behind the window—came on. The glass welcomed the light, amplifying it so that it set the pigments free to wash the sanctuary in a shimmering kaleidoscope.
Serafina caught her breath, and the hand resting on Annie’s arm trembled. “Oh! It’s so beautiful.”
“Now … ” Annie guided her to face the scene before them. “Look again.”
The woman did so, and her fingers tightened on Annie’s arm. She opened her mouth, breathing out her amazement. “It’s … ” She turned to Annie, eyes misty, voice hushed. “It’s me. I’m in the window.”
Annie’s smile blossomed. “Yes, you are. And so am I, and so is anyone who looks at each scene close up. They see themselves, their faces, in the image.” Once again, she led Serafina past the images of the window. “See? You’re the shepherd, looking down at the Christ child. You’re one of the crowd Jesus is teaching at the temple.”
Serafina exclaimed each time she saw her face reflected. She sighed when she was the lamb on Jesus’ shoulders, trembled when she was Peter denying his master, and then the soldier mocking the crucified Lord. The tears started when she cast lots, then held the spear. They flowed in earnest when she was outside the empty tomb, reunited with the only One who’d ever loved her with a pure love.
When they reached the last image, and Serafina saw Jesus looking down at her face in the pages of the Book of Life, she turned to Annie. “But how?”
Apparently Killian couldn’t stand not taking part a moment longer. “She’s a master at her art, that’s how.” He turned to Ryan. “Do you have the photos of the process?”
Two spots of color bloomed in Ryan’s pale cheeks. “I left them in the car.”
“In the car? Good heavens, man, use your head. What possible good can they do us in the car?” Killian waved his hand. “Go get them.”
The spots took over Ryan’s features as he turned and made his way to the front of the church. Killian turned back to Annie. “Please, continue.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to scold him, both for the way he’d talked to Ryan and for acting like some kind of circus ringmaster, but she decided now wasn’t the time. She turned back to Serafina.
“It took some doing, but I finally found the right mix of mirrored and dichroic glass to use for the faces. When you look from a distance or stand and a certain angle, you see the images painted on the glass. But close up, the effect is like a muted mirror. So you see your own image—”
“And become part of the story.” Serafina clasped her hands.
“Exactly.”
“Oh, Annie, it’s more wonderful than I hoped.” She pressed a hand to her throat. “Cletus would be so pleased.”
“I’m so glad.”
“Hey! Who turned out the lights?”
They all turned to the front of the church, and Annie started forward with a pleased cry. “Brianna! Mark! What are you guys doing here?” She waved at the little girl between them. “And Amberly It’s so good to see you.”
“Hi, doggy lady.”
Bree winked at Annie. “I heard we had an unveiling of a masterpiece today, so we came to pay our respects to the artist.”
“A masterpiece, eh?” Annie laughed and looked over her shoulder. “Sounds like Killian invited yo—” She frowned. Where did he go? “Killie?”
“No, actually, Dan told us about it.”
Dan?
Jed leaned on the pew. “Killian said Ryan was taking too long to get the photos and went to get them himself.”
A yelp from the front of the sanctuary, followed by the sound of a scuffle, drew their attention. Alarm skittered up Annie’s spine, and she turned to call to Jed—but he was already on his way.
They needn’t have worried. Apparently Dan had everything under control. He appeared near the pulpit, Killian in tow. “Look who I found heading out the back door.”
Annie took a step toward them. “There you are, Killie. I wondered where you … you … ”
Why was Jed pushing Killian in front of him? Annie’s mouth fell open. Were those
handcuffs
on Killian’s wrists?
“Annie, will you tell this barbarian of a brother of yours to turn me
loose?”
She stepped forward. “Dan, what’s going on?”
He didn’t answer her. He just poked Killian forward. “Come on, Killian. Let’s go meet Amberly”
Killian held up his handcuffed hands. “Fine, fine! Lead me to the child. Though why you think it’s so world-shattering important—”
“My angel!”
Annie spun at the delighted cry. Amberly was skipping up the middle aisle, clapping her hands, and looking at—
The shock of discovery slammed into her.
Killian?
“Where have you been, Angel? I missed you.”
Dan’s gaze hardened as he watched Amberly walk to Killian—then widened when she passed him right by
Annie caught her breath, and they all spun to look back toward the pulpit area. Ryan stood there, alarm on his features, as Amberly ran to him. She reached for his hands, but he jerked away.
“Get away from me, you little monster.”
Amberly pulled back, then turned and ran back down the aisle to her parents.
As Annie fought through the cobwebs of confusion, she realized Dan had spun and was making his way to Ryan, even as Jed grabbed Mark Heller, restraining him.
“You took my little girl?” Rancor sharpened his voice as he tried to push past Jed. “Why? We don’t even
know
you!”
Jed held the furious man fast. “Mark, if I can’t belt him,
you
can’t belt him. Let Dan handle it.”
“After what he did—” He spun, a fist drawn back, and Annie cried out, sure Mark was going to take his rage out on Jed.
“Daddy!”
Amberly’s alarm stopped her father cold. He stood there, fist suspended in the air, then let it drop. Amberly put both hands around his. “Why are you mad, Daddy?”
He dropped to his knees, pulling his little girl into his arms. “I’m not mad, honey. Not anymore.” He opened one arm and Bree knelt, letting her husband draw her into the hug. “I’m just happy you’re safe.”
Annie swallowed back the emotions clogging her throat and turned to Serafina. Amazingly enough, the woman watched the goings on with a serene calm. Her smile touched Annie. “Go ahead, dear. I can tell you want to talk to your brother.” She looked toward the front of the sanctuary “And that man.”
“Jed—” Dan tossed him a small key—“let Killian loose.”
Amazingly enough, Killian didn’t say a thing. He just watched, tight-lipped, as Jed set him free, then rubbed his wrists as Annie made her way between the pews to where Jed awaited her. Jed circled her waist with one arm, and Killian fell in step on the other side of her. Together, the three of them walked toward Dan and the man he now held captive.
Killian handed Dan the cuffs. “I believe you need these.”
Dan nodded, then jerked Ryan’s wrists behind his back and slapped the cuffs in place.
“So you sent the notes, Ryan?” Annie couldn’t hold back the angry edge in her voice.
Killian met Dan’s hard stare. “And you thought
I’d
sent them? That I was the one who took that little girl?” His eyes widened.
“Kodi?
You thought I would try to kill Kodi, knowing what she means to Annie?”
Regret weighted Dan’s words. “I’m sorry, Killian. All the evidence seemed to point to you.”
“You thought he did it all?”
They all turned stunned eyes to the raging Ryan. Fury blazed
in the gaze he aimed at Killian. “Him? He’s so caught up in himself, he’d never be able to pull something like this off.”
Killian spread his hands in front of him, grief in his voice. “How could you do all that, Ryan? Why?”
“Everyone thinks you’re such a genius.” He all but spat the words out. “But I saw. I know. You made a couple of good calls, but your wonderful success? Dumb luck.
I’m
the one who organized the gallery, who took it to the next level. Me! I should have been a partner
years
ago. But all you ever see is yourself.”
“But why Annie?” Killian took a step closer. “Why do all this to her?”
Ryan dragged his gaze from Killian to look at her, and what she saw glittering in the man’s eyes chilled her to the bone.
“Because, dear Killian, you said it yourself. She belonged to the art. It was the only endeavor worthy of her attention.” He tugged against Dan’s hold, leaning toward her, then sagged when she recoiled. “And you needed Annie. Expressions needed her. All I wanted to do was help her. And you.”
Killian looked from Ryan to Annie. “You can’t possibly believe I wanted this. That I wanted you to do anything like this.”
“He didn’t.”
There was something in Dan’s tone that drew everyone’s attention. He gave a slow nod. “I should have seen it.” He pressed his lips together. “I’m sorry, Killian. I was following the evidence, and it led me to you.” His hard gaze fixed on Ryan. “Because that’s what
you
intended all along. That day in the gallery when I stopped by about the notes, I thought it was awfully convenient that Killian said he didn’t know anything about the computers. Well, it was convenient. But not for Killian.” Dan’s gaze narrowed. “It was convenient for you. You sent the note on Expressions stationery to lead me to Killian. You used the computer at the gallery to lead me to Killian.”
An ugly smirk painted Ryan’s features. “Like I said, Killian taught me everything I know. He showed me how important it was to be focused on your goal. To do whatever it takes to accomplish it.”
“Annie. Amberly. They weren’t the real targets, were they?”
Annie shivered at the cold anger in her brother’s tone.
“They were just a means to an end.”
“Me.”
Dan met Killian’s gaze. “You. And Expressions.”
Killian turned to slip his arms around Annie, hugging her close. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This was all my fault. If I hadn’t said all those things … hadn’t put those ideas in Ryan’s mind … ”
“Stop trying to take credit for my work!”
Killian let Annie go and turned to face Ryan. “You’re crazy.”
Ryan’s harsh laugh cut across Annie’s nerves. “Fools often mistake genius for crazy.”
“And crazy people—” Dan gave Ryan a hard shake—“mistake delusion for genius. Now you’ve got the right to remain silent. Do us all a favor and exercise it.”
Ryan opened his mouth, but fortunately whatever he was about to spew was halted when two policemen came in the front doors.
“You radioed for help, Deputy?”
Dan took hold of Ryan’s arm. “That I did.” He nudged the man down the aisle, delivering him to the officers. Annie caught bits and pieces of her brother’s explanation: “Charges of harassment … stalking … kidnapping…”
Annie buried her face in Jed’s chest; he cradled her against him.
“My dear?”
Drawing a steadying breath, Annie pulled away from Jed. “Serafina, oh, I’m so sorry about all this … ”
The woman waved away Annie’s concern. “You need make no apologies. I’m only sorry you’ve been hurt by what that man did.” She took Annie’s hand in her own. “I don’t know the details, of course, but I wanted to reassure you that it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do it out of obedience. There’s only one place you need to belong, and that’s in the center of God’s will.”