Winter Winds (35 page)

Trev shook his head. “Jonathan would never carry on like this if he thought Ed was around. He’s in the room off to the right, out of sight just like you. Two other elders, Frank Shaw—remember him?—and Jerome Player, are with him. They’ve been waiting for my call that I’m here.”

He pulled his cell from his belt and punched in a number. “I’m in the narthex.” He nodded, hit off, and returned the phone
to his belt. He held out his hand to Dori. “Now come and stand with me in the doorway.”

“All right!” She nodded, thinking how good it would feel when Jonathan finally got his comeuppance.

“You look ready to cut out Jonathan’s innards,” Trev said, a restraining hand on her arm. He smiled that wry smile she so loved. “My fierce Dori. I thank you for caring so deeply. It’s a very wifely attitude.”

“That’s because I’m your wife.”

He studied her face for a long moment and must have seen things there she wasn’t aware were showing, not that she cared.

“I love you, too” he said, “but you have to promise me not to say a word.”

“What? You didn’t hear all the things he said! And everyone else is too cowardly to even challenge his version of things. Somebody’s got to defend you.”

He gave her a quick hug, chuckling softly. “Dori, the idea here is to keep peace, not declare war.”

“Jonathan already declared it,” she said, feeling a holy militancy.

He put his hands on her shoulders. “Let Ed take care of it, sweetheart. Promise.”

Her eyes fell to the bottom of the vee in the yellow sweater he wore over a navy and yellow plaid shirt and beneath the red Lands’ End Squall that hung open. She took a deep breath.

She lifted her eyes to his. “You’ve been talking to the Lord a lot more than I have in recent years, and you undoubtedly have a better feel for what He’d want. I’ll keep quiet.”

He gave her a little shake of approval. “That’s my girl.” He released her, took her hand, and led her to the doorway into the sanctuary.

In the few minutes Dori had been talking to Trev, she’d missed part of Jonathan’s rant. She’d also missed his mother rising to her feet. She stood, rouged cheeks vivid against her pallor. Her voice shook as she spoke.

“Please don’t do this, Jonny.”

Jonathan looked appalled. “Mother, take your seat.”

“I haven’t said anything when you spoke against the others,
but I know I was wrong then. I don’t want to be wrong now.”

“Sit down, Mother. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know about lots of things, Jonny.” Tears started to run down her cheeks right through her rouge circles. “I know you’re only telling half-truths, and it shames me that you would do that in the house of the Lord. It shames me.”

With a sigh, Grayce collapsed into her seat, and the other Graces, one on each side, began comforting her.

Jonathan was so intent on his mother and the giant monkey wrench she’d just thrown into his pseudospiritual, self-righteous plans that he didn’t notice Ed Masterson until Ed was standing on the platform beside him.

“Excuse me a minute, Jonathan.” Ed was obviously nervous, but he stepped toward the microphone anyway.

Jonathan, taken off guard, sputtered but could do nothing but move to the side. Anything else would look petty, and he was going for the high road of principle, at least in his words.

“Good evening, folks,” Ed said. “I want you to know that Jerome, Frank and I appreciate your caring enough about Seaside Chapel to come to this meeting tonight.” Ed indicated the two men who had come to stand beside him. “I also want you to know that we’re going to adjourn in just a couple of minutes.”

“Now wait a minute,” Jonathan roared. “We have things to discuss!”

Ed nodded. “I agree with you. We do. However, we want to do it according to the chapel’s bylaws.” He opened the folder he had in his hand and began to read from the paper in it. “ ‘Any business meeting of this assembly may be called by the majority of the board of elders, the congregation being given two weeks notice of said meeting.’ ”

Ed looked at the people in the pews. “In keeping with this specifically spelled-out policy, the majority of the four-member board of elders—Jerome, Frank, and I—call a meeting for two weeks from tonight.” He turned to Jonathan. “We know that you will agree with us that following already-legislated church policy is by far the best way to do things.”

Jonathan looked ready to explode, but he again had no choice but to agree.

Ed turned back to the people. “At that time we shall address any and all issues affecting Pastor Paul Trevelyan, in particular the circumstances of his marriage. In the meantime, we request that you all be in prayer about this meeting. Our main objectives are to air all issues honestly and to do so in a spirit of Christian love and concern.”

Dori stood by Trev, amazed at the way Jonathan had been defanged, and all without the spilling of any blood. Suddenly Trev pulled her hand, and she found herself walking down the center aisle beside him.

“And to close tonight, I’ve asked Pastor Paul, who was out of town at an important conference but who rushed back to be with us in this potentially divisive time, to close with prayer.”

Trev walked onto the platform, pulling Dori with him. A united front. She couldn’t wait to hear his prayer. In fact, she hoped he said a few pointed words first.

“Lord,” Trev began as he stopped at the mike. “We are your people. Seaside Chapel is but one small part of the Body of Christ, but it is our part, and we love it. We want above all that Christ be glorified here. Come lead us. Show us what, given our present circumstances, is the best way that we can bring glory, not dishonor, to the name of Christ through whom we pray, amen.”

Ed stepped to the mike again. “Good night, everyone.”

In mere minutes the church was empty.

M
AUREEN, SOMETHING
’
S WRONG
with Trudy.” Ryan held the little dog in his arms. Instead of her usual lavish licking of his face, she lay inert, her little paws drooping listlessly.

Maureen looked at the too-still dog and felt instant alarm. She laid her hand on the animal’s chest.

“Is she dead?” Ryan’s eyes were huge.

For a moment Maureen thought the answer was yes, and she paled at the thought. Ryan didn’t need another loss; he’d faced more than his share in his short life. And how would she tell Dori that her dog had died on her watch?

“I feel a heartbeat,” she cried, her knees going weak with relief. She ran her hand over the little dog’s head. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Ryan hugged the animal close. “She went out back with Jack a few minutes ago. She doesn’t like the cold weather at all, so I didn’t wait too long before calling for her to come in. She came, walked funny to her water, took a few slurps, and sort of fell over.”

Maureen frowned. She had known from the beginning that the main flaw in the plan to have the suitcase taken was always the dogs. But if the dogs were removed from the scene … “Where’s Jack?”

“He’s still out.”

Maureen flew to the back door and threw it open. “Jack!” she called. “Jack!”

No big black dog bounded to her.

Ryan pushed in front of her, Trudy still in his arms. “Jack! Come here, boy. Come on, Jack. Come on.”

No dog appeared.

“Maybe he’s being stubborn,” Ryan suggested, his eyes worried behind his replacement glasses.

Maureen doubted it but had to acknowledge the possibility “He could be out there, and we’d never see him in the dark. The porch light doesn’t reach that far.”

“There’s a light on the garage,” Ryan said. “It shines on the backyard so you can see when you come in from the alley.”

Maureen hit all the switches by the door. The kitchen and porch went dark, but the spotlight on the garage poured brightness onto the fenced yard.

“The gate’s open!” Ryan yelled and began running. “We never leave it open!” Maureen was right behind him. They stopped at the gate, and Maureen looked carefully at the sturdy latch that had to be opened by sliding it up the heavy support pole. There was no way that latch had been opened by a dog, even one as big and smart as Jack.

“Was it open when you let the dogs out?” Maureen asked as she studied the yard, especially the shadows behind the edge of the garage.

“I don’t think so,” Ryan said. “But I’m not sure. I never thought to check because we always keep it shut.” He peered into the darkness and called, “Here, Jack. Come on, boy!”

Maureen laid a hand on his sleeve. “Don’t bother. If he’s escaped, he’s not hanging around. He’s out running.”

“The beach.” Ryan’s voice was firm and certain. “He’d head there. He loves it.”

Maureen nodded. It was as good a guess as any, probably better than most. “One gate mysteriously open, one dog missing, and the other unaccountably unconscious.”

“The suitcase!” Ryan’s eyes were big.

“Probably Let’s go in. I’ll call Greg and Fleishman. Then I’ll get you out of here.”

“What? No way!”

“Way” Maureen said. “Nonnegotiable. And we’ve got to get Trudy to the vet’s.”

Ryan stopped with his hand on the back doorknob. “They drugged her, didn’t they?”

Maureen shrugged as she pushed him inside. “Probably.” She reached for her cell.

“How about Jack?”

She punched the quick dial number. “I wouldn’t be surprised.” The phone was answered, and she turned her attention to it. “Hello, Greg. Tonight’s the night. The dogs have been drugged.”

“We can’t just let him be sick out there,” Ryan wailed. “We’ve got to find him! We’ve got to!”

“Ryan and I are the only ones here. Everyone else is at church, work, or out of town.” She put her hand over the mouthpiece and spoke to Ryan. “Get a blanket and wrap Trudy in it. Find a couple of flashlights.”

“So we can look for Jack?”

Maureen nodded. “Get going and wrap yourself up well, too.”

The boy charged from the room.

“Get yourself and the kid out of the house,” Greg said in Maureen’s ear. “We want that suitcase as accessible as possible. Fleishman is lurking down the street behind a hedge. Great shadows to hide in. His car’s around the corner. I’ll alert him. And I just took up position in the back alley.”

“All my time on this case, and I’m going to miss all the fun!” She knew she had no choice with Ryan and the dogs, but it was a distinct letdown to know she was going to miss the collar.

“Go, Galloway. That’s an order.” And he hung up.

She was pushing her arms into her bright blue coat when Ryan rushed into the room with Trudy lolling in his arms, a green fleece blanket wrapped around her so that only her head with her glassy, unfocused eyes, black button nose, and floppy little ears showed.

They rushed out of the house to Maureen’s car parked along the curb out front. Maureen blinked to keep the tears of frustration and aggravation from doing anything more than sting the backs of her eyes. She was a professional. She could take disappointment. Besides, the kid and the dogs needed her.

She drove to the end of the block and turned toward the beach. She parked illegally at the break in the dunes where a path led to the beach. She and Ryan jumped out, leaving Trudy snug in her blanket on the backseat.

The cold bit through her coat, making her shiver as they rushed onto the sand. The night was very dark, the moon a mere sliver covered by clouds much of the time. Since the homes lining the beach were mostly summer residences, there was no artificial light to help them find a black dog on a black night.

In the distant north, Atlantic City was just visible, more a brightness reflected against the clouds than actual lights, and several blocks to the north, light poured from the windows of two homes onto the beach. Neither was close enough to be of help. A small bobbing light appeared closer, but again it provided them with no aid.

To the south it was all black. Directly ahead the ocean’s ebony was relieved by the muted curling of the foam-flocked waves as the sea relentlessly tried to reclaim the beaches that the taxpayers had paid for and the Army Corps of Engineers had dredged up and piped in.

“If he ate something drugged like Trudy did, he can’t be too far, can he?” Ryan asked as he peered into the darkness.

“I wouldn’t think so.” Maureen gave him a quick hug. “Don’t worry We’ll find him.”

“Yeah.” But Ry didn’t sound convinced. “Which way?”

“You go left. I’ll go right,” Maureen said. “Call if you see anything.”

She turned south, and a feeling of helplessness overcame her. How would they ever find him? And how long could they afford to hunt for Jack before Trudy was truly endangered by the delay in seeking treatment for her?

Lord, let us see Jack and fast. Help us find him! Day and night are alike to You. Lead us to him
.

“Maureen! Maureen! I found him.”

She turned and ran toward Ryan’s voice. The beam of her flashlight found him crouched beside a black bulk that lay inert on the sand. Ry was stroking Jack’s head, crooning to him in that soft, caressing voice used instinctively on invalids and babies.

She dropped to her knees beside Ryan and slid her hand down the dog’s chest. She went limp with relief when she felt a heartbeat.

“We’ve got to get him to the car.” She stood and looked back at the break in the dunes. She turned and stared at the unmoving Jack. She walked behind him, bent, wrapped her arms around him under his forelegs, and pulled.

Nothing. Absolutely not one inch.

Vaguely aware that the bobbing light was getting nearer but paying it no attention, she straightened. “Maybe we can roll him on the blanket and pull him to the car that way.”

“What about Trudy? She’ll freeze if we take her blanket.”

“It’ll only be for a little while. Unless you have a better idea, guy, I don’t see what else we can do.” She turned and ran back to the car, her flashlight beam jumping with each step, the sand dragging against her feet. She skidded to a stop beside her car and opened the back door. She grabbed the green fleece and the little dog wrapped in it. She reached into the blanket with trepidation and felt Trudy’s chest. Her heartbeat was still faint but steady.