Page 115 of Hidden Ascent

“I know there’s more to you than what I saw. Yes, I made a snap judgement, but it was wrong. And I know there’s good inside of you. That’s why you want to help your daughter get out of this life. I just hope you won’t give up looking for it in your own.”

“Wow. That’s probably the most profound pile of garbage anyone has ever said to me.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He laughed loudly. “You flatter me, but there’s no good left in my life.”

“There is, but you have to be willing to receive it.”

“You’re talking about God.”

“I am.”

“You’re a Christian?”

“Yes.”

“That explains the self-righteous talk from before, but not this. You think God’s interested in a guy like me?”

“I know He is.”

“You’re not the first Christian to cross my path. I’ve had a few people tell me how much of a sinner I am and that, if I would only repent and turn to Jesus, my life would be perfect.”

“Your life wouldn’t be perfect, but you’d be a whole lot happier.”

“Oh yeah? Are you happy?”

She had no answer for that.

“That’s what I thought. If God doesn’t like the man I am, then why’d he make me like this?”

“Like what?”

“A sinner.”

“That wasn’t His plan.”

“That’s a cop-out answer.”

Isla dropped her head. She’d messed this up. Did she really think she could come in here and offer this man salvation and he’d lap it up? She had nothing to offer him.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t come in here to preach at you.”

“Then why did you come? You thought you could waltz in here and ask me for a favor because Jay’s a friend of mine?”

“No. I came because of what you’re doing for your daughter. I came to make an appeal to that part of you that knows what’s right, not according to the law, but in the higher sense. I didn’t even intend to bring God into it. It’s just that I can see He’s reaching out to you.” She opened her mouth to say more but stopped. “I’m sorry. I’m doing it again. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of the mess that I got caught up in. You’re right about trouble following me. It’s all I can manage at the moment. That’s why I need to make it right.”

“You should tell Jay.”

“What difference would that make? He’s not the one who can get me inside. You are.”

“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“I might.”

“You know why he’s helping you, right?”

“He got offered a job, and he took it.” How could Carl know about anything between them?

---