Page 50 of Hidden Ascent

“You look like you could use a bite to eat. I can get you a sandwich or a bagel or something if you’re hungry.”

“No. I don’t have much of an appetite.”

“Candy bar? Coffee? I don’t know how much longer it will be. You could still have hours to wait.”

“I’ve already waited hours.”

“Then what will you have?”

“Nothing, I’m fine. But thank you.”

“Suit yourself. I’ve posted an officer outside the door, so if you need anything, just ask.”

If talking her way out of here was possible, now was the time.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Didn’t know I was.”

“Did they tell you why I’m in here?”

“Not the specifics. I know you’re a federal agent, and whatever you did constitutes a federal crime.”

“I really am innocent.”

“Then I hope you get a fair trial.”

“I won’t.”

Bloomsbury crossed his arms. “That’s very fatalistic. You have so little faith in our judicial system?”

“No. I have little faith in making it to trial alive.”

“Like I said, I’ve posted an officer outside your door. You’ll be safe in our custody.”

“What about when I’m not anymore?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we?”

“Sure.”

He could do nothing for her, but it was a nice thought.

After he left the room, Isla stood and leaned on the table. She could hear Peter telling her to pray. Jemi had said they would be.

“There’s no point.”

Peter’s words came to mind.I don’t know how to get it into your head that God cares about you more than you realize. He knows every single hair that is on your head. He knows the birds and cares for them, but he cares for you more.

He’d said it to her on a number of occasions. But she still didn’t believe it. How could she be special enough to God that he’d be working for her right now to save her?

Hopefully, when she turned up missing or dead, it would spook Whitlock into investigating further. God didn’t need her alive to get her team justice. He didn’t need her for anything.

Isla paced the room, shaking out her hands as she went. “Okay, God. I don’t want to die. I want to be free and find out what’s really going on.”

She squeezed her eyes closed, but all she could see was God’s back to her. He didn’t want to hear her problems. With everything that was going on in the world. He didn’t need her bothering Him.

“Never mind. I’ll take whatever you give me. If this is the end for me, so be it. I don’t expect you to come down here and open the door to let me out like you did in the Bible stories. I’m grown up enough to know that’s not how this all works.”

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