Page 48 of One Final Target

Her gaze fell on Sam Gresham, her hero for a second day. He was a believer, she thought. At least he’d handed her a book of Psalms. How did he reconcile God’s plan with the death of his partner? Did he still believe God heard his prayers?

Her thoughts drifted back to the days and months after her parents’ deaths. It had been hard to lose them, but in an odd way it was simple as well. Her family became the church family andthe emphasis in her life was on a good God who heard prayers. Talking to God and believing he heard helped her feel safe. She didn’t understand—she simply believed. And often she felt God’s presence, knew he answered her every cry.

Why was simple belief so hard now?

Jodie had no answer.

Thinking back to that time made her realize again how much she’d missed the family of faith. Being around Estella reminded her how warm her family had been. At one time, Estella, Shannon, and Tracy were all people she’d loved being around. But she wasn’t the same person anymore. She was broken, with pieces missing. How could anything ever be like it was before? Even as she asked herself the question, she knew nothing would ever be the same—not ever.

Eyes open, she studied Sam. The old cop, George Upton, made her angry when he told her God could turn evil into good. But...God works all things out for good.The verse from Romans still didn’t give her the peace it used to. Yet, here today, she didn’t know how she ever would have met Sam under any other circumstances.

He turned toward her, catching her watching him, and she felt her face redden. Levi got up to answer another knock on the door, and Sergeant Barstow entered.

“We’ve cleared the house of all explosive material,” he announced. “The coroner is enroute for the bodies, but before they’re removed, Detectives—” he looked at Mike and Smiley—“there’s something you all need to see.”

“You saidbodies,” Jodie interrupted. “There was more than one?”

He nodded. “We think there are two. We didn’t move anything, but there are clearly two more legs underneath the first body.”

Jodie stood. “I’m coming with Mike.”

Mike looked at her and held up a hand. “Jodie, I’d love to have you come in an official capacity, but you quit. And you’ve spent today poking your nose where it doesn’t belong. You’ll be in a bad place if someone wants to make trouble for you. You should stay put.”

Barstow jumped in before Jodie could speak. “Sorry, Mike, I will overrule you here. She needs to come.”

Mike frowned and then gave a wave of his hand. “Fine.”

Jodie kept her mouth shut and fell into step with Sam as they all followed Barstow out of the house. The neighborhood was awash in emergency vehicles and news vans. Residents were out in force, watching, as was the news media. There were even news choppers circling in the sky above. Jodie heard an occasional hollered question.

“Is it true there was a terrorist in our midst?”

“How many dead bodies are in the house?”

“Is this a house of horrors?”

“You doing okay, Jodie?” Gresham asked.

“I...” She paused, organizing her thoughts. “I’ve come to grips with reality. Collins is crazy, but...” Her voice trailed off. She wasn’t certain where to go next.

“But what?”

“I don’t know.... The only thing I am sure of is I’m glad you came by when you did.”

“I’m glad I was there as well. It’s hard not to see God’s hand in things when everything goes well. You have to look harder when they go sideways. Remember, God works all things out.”

She jerked toward him. Romans 8:28 had just popped into her mind a minute ago, though she’d not read her Bible in months.Her prayer, the unanswered one, had the same verse at its core. How would the death of her team ever work out for good?

“All things work together?”

“Yeah, they do, eventually. I believe it.”

“Your partner, my team...” Jodie felt her jaw tighten.

“I’d be lying if I told you I understood the how and the why of it. George also said, ‘Trust what you do know, not what you can’t see.’ What do you know about God, Jodie?”

The question gave her pause and Jodie stammered, “I, uh, well, I know he’s in control, but I will never understand the why of it.”

“Maybe not here in this life.” He smiled and Jodie felt some tension leave her. There was a sure confidence about him. “I hate to sound so philosophical, but honestly, from personal experience, you need to find one thing to hang on to, one true north, or you’ll spend your life flapping in the breeze.”

---