Page 50 of Hidden Chance

“Do you have any thoughts?” he said when she continued to stare at the table. “Any idea who might be involved?”

Her mouth bunched together while she tried to find a response.

She took another sip, then said, “So, let me get this straight.” Her voice had a slight tremor. “The school that TreadCraft paid for and built was being used by a militant group that was full of kids they were using for cover.”

“Yes.”

“And your conclusion was that I was the one who organized it?”

“I thought you were angry at the kids because of what happened to your dad. But I didn’t believe you were working alone. You’d need more than one person to organize an operation like that. Not to mention if your mental state was what I thought it was, you’d need someone with a clear head. So I thought you could lead me to who was involved. When I saw you with Sal, I knew something was up. I just didn’t know what. Then I found those documents in your desk, and that sealed it for me.”

“That’s why you said all those things at the office that made me hate you?”

He laughed. “Yeah. Knowing what I know now, I understand your reaction, but at the time, I was trying to show you I was on your side and wanted to help you get your revenge.”

“You wanted me to bring you in on whatever horrible plan I had going.”

“Exactly.”

“Besides me, who else did you think was involved?”

“Just you and Sal. I didn’t look anywhere else, because I was convinced it was you. Until I proved that wrong, you were my main line of inquiry.”

“You mean, you jumped to conclusions?”

“Yes, actually. I did. And I’m sorry about that.”

“Hang on a second.” She pushed her cup back. “At the grocery store where we first met. You were trying to pick me up so you could get close to me? That was all fake?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“That is so embarrassing. I can’t believe I fell for it.”

“Embarrassing for me, maybe. You turned me down, remember?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t want to.”

“Really?” He couldn’t help the smile. “Here I was thinking I tanked.”

“But you didn’t mean any of it.”

“That’s not true.”

“So you would have tried to pick me up if I was some random person you came across?”

“No. I don’t pick women up in the grocery store, but I’m not saying I wouldn’t have noticed you. You’ve certainly gotten my attention now. You’re a surprising person.”

“I’m more ordinary than you think.”

“I’ve seen enough to know that’s not true. The suffering you’ve been through, not just your dad, but the kids too. All that pain, and you still hold strongly to your faith. Or at least, I’m assuming what you said before about following God is true.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised you didn’t believe me. You didn’t believe anything else I said.”

“At the very least, I thought your understanding of him was warped.”

“It was my faith that kept me going through everything. Jesus was the reason I could hold it together. My mom fell apart after what happened. She was never really the same after we came back.”

“But wouldn’t it be easier to believe the opposite?That there is no way God can exist with all this suffering?”

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