Page 91 of Every Deadly Suspicion

Jared arrived at the coffee shop first, ordered two cups of coffee, and found a table. He had to wipe his palms, smiling because he was so nervous. When Hanna arrived, he stood, praying that today would be the day they could start a life together—a second chance for him. Maybe a chance he didn’t deserve—a realization of a hope that hadn’t died over the years.

Hanna saw Jared and her heart skipped a beat. He had broken her heart ten years ago; she couldn’t deny it. In spite of that memory, she knew she still loved him. They’d been together too much, grown up together. No matter the years, he was still the guy for her.

She remembered the sentences Joe had written:I took the path God had for me. It seems wrong and sad and hard, but God chose to be with me through it, not take me out of it.

When Jared left that day, so many years ago, Hanna knew, though she didn’t like it, that he had taken the road God had for him.

“Jared.” She stopped at the table, not sure how to proceed.

He solved her dilemma when he stepped forward, taking her in his arms. Hanna buried her head in his shoulder. It felt right. So many years ago, Jared was her best guy. Time hadn’t changed anything but their age.

“Hanna,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m so sorry I left. I never forgot you. I never could.”

His warm breath on her ear gave her goose bumps. She breathed deeply the scent of his aftershave.

After a minute, he pulled back, their eyes met.

“I’m so sorry—” he started to say, and Hanna put her finger on his lips to quiet him.

“Don’t, Jared. You’re back now and we have faith in common now. Don’t apologize. As hard as seeing you leave was ten years ago, I know that it was a journey you had to take.”

He gripped both of her hands in his. “Maybe so, but I can still lament the wasted time. And make up for it. What about Nathan, is he okay?”

“He’s in for a lot of rehab. He knew how I truly felt about you before I admitted it to myself. He’s a good guy.”

“I agree. And us, can we go forward here?”

An inexpressible feeling of joy rippled through Hanna. “I want to. You’ve always been the one for me.”

He smiled, brought her hands to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. “I got you a cup of coffee.” He released her hands.

They sat at the table and Hanna sipped her coffee. After a few minutes, she filled him in on the progress in the investigation.

He shook his head when she told him about Ellen. “Ellen Fargo. I don’t remember the name. I remember the story was she left Chase because he was maimed.”

“There are a lot of stories we’ve always heard that have turned out to be lies.”

“Yeah, sorry about your dad.”

“Me too. But I know that he’s in heaven.”

“Can you clear his name?”

“I don’t know. There is so little evidence. Everett would have to come clean and, in the process, incriminate himself and Big Al.”

“Not likely he’d do that.”

“No, and Chase isn’t talking either.”

“We’ll pray.” Jared reached across the table to grip Hanna’s hand.

“Thanks, Jared.” They bowed their heads and Jared prayed.

“Lord, I pray you lead us the right way, that the truth, which is precious to you, comes out, and Joe’s name is cleared. He wasn’t a perfect man, but no one is. We all need your forgiveness, whether we know it or not. And you are a forgiving God. Amen.”

Hanna looked up and smiled. “Betty said that to me a long time ago. We all need forgiveness, whether we know it or not.”

“Betty has always been a tower of faith. I saw that even when I was dense about things of faith.”

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