Page 24 of Every Deadly Suspicion

“I’ve never believed that God really had much to offer me. I’ve heard about him my whole life, from my parents, from my friends...”

“What do you want God to offer you?”

“I wanted my mom to live. No matter what my dad prayed, she died.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why that happened. When I’m faced with things I don’t know, I stick to things that I do know. Jared, I do know that God loves you. I also know that he has answers for you if you ask.”

“I’m asking.”

“That’s a start. Next, let go of the burden you carry about the past.” He handed Jared a Bible. “This is yours to keep. Sounds as if you know a little already. Read the Gospel of John and join the fellowship here, if you plan to stay.”

Jared took the book and held it in both hands for a moment. He looked up at the old pastor. “Is it really possible for me to get right with God when I’ve spent most of my life running away from him?”

“It is. You’re at the end of yourself, Jared. Turn the rest of your life over to Jesus. Ask him to forgive you and help you. He will. It sounds simple because it is.”

Jared did just that. He felt as if he opened his hands and dumped the mess his life had become in God’s lap.

When he walked out of the church, he felt like he was a thousand pounds lighter. Accepting the free gift the old man told him about had changed his entire perspective.

It was time to go home.

If nothing else, he needed to pay his respects to his father. Jared felt new and different, ready to stop wasting time and do something with his life. He bought a phone and asked Gary to send him job listings from Dry Oaks and Tuolumne County.

The wandering bug had run its course. He found what he was looking for when he found faith. When he got home, Jared hoped to reconnect with Hanna. After all, the one hurdle that had kept them apart all those years ago was gone.

But Hanna had moved on. She had an important job and a steady guy. It surprised Jared how much it hurt to realize he was still stuck in a world where he and Hanna were a couple, and for her that was ancient history. Now, every spot in Dry Oaks was a place they had shared, and his memories of that time had not dimmed.

Still, he was glad he’d come back, found a job, and got settled. Jared was where he should be. Now, if he could just win Hanna back.

CHAPTER 12

PANIC DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO SET IN.Hanna’s anchor line held, jerking her body to a stop, then snapping her into the face of the cliff. The hard stop yanked her left shoulder, but it wasn’t unbearable. The dog squealed and bit Hanna’s thumb, though the heavy glove she wore protected her. She realized she was holding him too tight.

“You okay?” Asa hollered down.

“Good. Get me back on the ledge. I think I’ll let you pull the dog up first.”

Juggling the dog, she pulled some extra rope from her pack and fashioned a harness for Pancho. He’d calmed down quite a bit, and she had no trouble hooking him up. He didn’t squirm while Asa pulled him up.

Once free of the dog, Hanna climbed back up to where Asa waited.

“Whoa.” Hanna rested on her back until her breathing returned to normal. Drenched in sweat, she yearned for a nice, cool shower.

“Still with us, Chief?” Asa asked.

“Yeah, yeah. I am completely wilted.”

“We’re out here in the heat of the day. Let’s head into Big Red for some AC.”

“Good idea.”

Together, they gathered up their gear and started the walk back to the truck. In the distance, the smoke from the Crest Fire still billowed.

“Is it my imagination, or is there more smoke over there?” Hanna gestured toward the Crest Fire.

“Could be,” Asa answered. “But it’s still blowing away from us. We’ll be fine unless the wind shifts.”

“I pray that the wind doesn’t shift,” Hanna said. As they finished the hike in silence, her thoughts fell unavoidably back on Joe.

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