Page 115 of Hidden Chance

Robby stood by the back door, his arms crossed as he watched Hannah share the truth. He was proud of her, but his focus adjusted as several people rose from their tables and headed his way.

“Excuse me,” said a woman. The first to reach him. “I need to use the restroom.”

“I’m afraid not. Emma.”

Her eyes widened. “Have we met before?”

“No. But I know who you are.”

“I demand you get out of my way, or I’ll call the police.”

“There’s no need. The feds are outside waiting for you anyway. You should stay and enjoy the show.”

She stepped back several paces, bumping into a chair before hurrying back to her seat.

Robby smiled. He hadn’t expected to enjoy this so much.

After Hannah was finished with her presentation, a dozen agents entered the room and rounded up the guilty parties while the rest of the audience discussed what had transpired, making calls to spread the word. It wouldn’t be long before the media got hold of it and the news exploded.

It was another hour before the room was cleared, and Hannah found Robby in the foyer on his own.

She walked up silently behind him and slipped an arm around him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Where’d you disappear to?” he said.

“I got a phone call.”

“From who?”

“You remember Sal?”

“The guy in the closet?”

“Yeah. He called to tell me he got a job. And that he’s been clean and sober all week.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.”

“I couldn’t believe it when he told me. I made him repeat it. He enjoyed giving me that surprise over again.”

“You think it will stick?”

“No idea. With Sal, it’s usually two steps forward and one back, but it’s a start. The most important thing is that he keeps trying.”

“Who is he to you anyway? You never fully explained why he means so much to you.”

“Sal was a part of the church that supported my family. He was on the board. After my dad died, he made sure my mom and I were looked after.”

“What happened?”

“His wife cheated on him and took the kids. I think he may have had the drinking problem already, but when she left, he snapped. Lost his job, his house, everything.”

“That’s terrible.”

“I know. It’s sad. I’d really like to see him get his life together. He’s got a good heart, and I know God can still use him. How have things gone here? Looks like everything’s taken care of.”

“Yeah. You didn’t miss much. It’s been a slow process. Mostly, the people who are hanging around just want to see if they can find out any more juicy details.”

She yawned. “I think tonight I’ll have the best sleep I’ve had in a while knowing Henry is behind bars.”

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