Path Of The Wicked Part 17

"This next song was written by two our very own members," the band leader announced. "Lyrics by Quinton Enderly and music by Jake Lombardi. Here's Teach Us How to Pray."

The drums and guitar burst into life and immediately, the congregation began to clap. Quinton was staring at Jake in astonishment, but his friend was too busy responding to Savannah's questions. Jake's face was animated with delight and Cooper wondered how long he had been planning this surprise. When the band began to sing, Cooper did her best to add her voice to the rising swell of sound within the room. They sang: There's a little church

Down a long dirt road

It's packed from door

to door Hands are lifted to the rafters

And feet stomp upon the floor

These are your children, Lord

These are your children, Lord

Gathered beneath this roof to say

Our hearts are open to your presence

Can you teach us how to pray?

Can you teach us how to pray?

Toward the end of the fourth verse, Cooper stole another glance at Quinton and Jake. Both men looked incredibly pleased by their joint composition. She also noticed that Leo had arrived sometime after the song's opening and had taken a seat next to Savannah. He swayed his shoulders and sang as though he had known the song since birth.

Jennifer Stanley Sometimes my favorite church

Is a canopy of indigo blue

I bow my head, get down on my knees

And have a good long talk with You

And as the warm breeze blows

'Cross my face and I am bathed in Your light

I become infused with Your holy presence

Awed by Your tenderness and might

One of Your children, Lord

One of Your children, Lord

You walk beside me every day

Everywhere I go

Can You teach me how to pray?

During the moment of silent prayer, once the congregation had finished offering a hearty round of applause to Quinton and Jake, Cooper prayed that Ashley's surgery would go smoothly the next day. She then asked for forgiveness over being angry with Lincoln for insisting that he be the only one at Ashley's side while she was at the hospital. Finally, Cooper prayed that the Lord would be right beside her as she walked into Henrico County Police Department's Headquarters.

14.

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness 1 John 3:4 (NIV) True to her word, Cooper left Hope Street Church and, after grabbing a bagel with honey-almond cream cheese at Einstein's, drove north toward the cl.u.s.ter of governmental buildings located on Parham Road. She had to explain herself to several officers before a gruff woman wearing an extremely form-fitting uniform took her name and phone number. The female cop reluctantly took the diary from Cooper's hands, flipped it over and, not finding anything interesting on the front or back covers, tossed the Ziploc onto her desk.

"That's it?" Cooper was incredibly relieved that she had gotten off so lightly.

The woman snorted. "No, it isn't it. Investigator Rector will be calling you tomorrow. I'm sure he's gonna want to hear your colorful story in person."

"Do you think I'm going to," Cooper gulped, "be arrested?"

Smiling maliciously, the woman shrugged. "Who knows? You broke into a crime scene, tampered with evidence, and maybe compromised a police investigation. It'd sure be within our rights to read you your Miranda warning." She pointed a stubby finger at Cooper's chest. "Just don't go anywhere. You come marching straight here the second he calls, no matter what you're doing. Investigator Rector doesn't like people to be late."

Beads of perspiration dotted Cooper's brow. "Yes, ma'am. And I'm really sorry. It wasn't my intention to make things harder for the police. I mean," she quickly amended the latter statement, "I wasn't trying to mess things up. I just wanted to find out what happened to Mr. Crosby. I was actually hoping to help you all."

The female officer hitched her weighted belt higher on her round hips. "Save your speeches for tomorrow. Lucky for you, I'm not the one you need to convince."

And with that, Cooper was dismissed.

Monday morning was unusually fair and mild. The weather was at odds with the displays of Halloween decorations, chrysanthemums, hay-stuffed scarecrows, and pyramids of rotund pumpkins gracing every storefront Cooper pa.s.sed during the course of her commute.

Cooper had barely stepped foot through Make It Work!'s front door when Angela rushed over, grabbed her by the hand, and pulled her toward the magnificent a.s.sortment of cut roses bursting from the dark brown wicker basket. The professional arrangement, which was the size of a picnic basket, took the customary place of the rose bouquet Angela purchased every Sunday afternoon from Costco.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and a.s.sume you didn't get those from a discount warehouse," Cooper said as the secretary sniffed the l.u.s.trous petals of the red, pink, and fuchsia roses.

"Look at the tag!" Angela thrust a label bearing watering instructions into Cooper's hand. "This design is called The Kiss." She pulled a florist's greeting card from its plastic fork in the center of the group of roses with a flourish. "Now read this!"

Obediently, Cooper examined the card. " 'Because I dream of kissing you.' "

"Who do you think it's from?" Angela clutched the card against her heart. "Emilio? Did you see the way he danced with me in the garage the other day?"

"It's not him!" Cooper immediately responded. Seeing the hurt on her friend's face, she softened her tone. "I'm sorry, Angela, but this is way too cla.s.sy for Emilio. Take the wording of the note, for example. It doesn't sound at all like how he talks." She lowered her voice. "I think it's from Mr. Farmer. You made him jealous and he's trying to tell you that he cares."

Angela rolled her eyes. "I doubt it. I told you before, he's had a bazillion chances to reel me in." She crossed her arms defensively and stared at Cooper from beneath her fake eyelashes. "What is with you today? Your tongue is sharp as a lightnin' bolt and you look like you haven't had a wink of sleep. Is it Nathan?"

"No. Everything's going fine with him." Cooper felt queasy just thinking about the phone call she would inevitably be receiving from Investigator Rector. "Ashley's having surgery today," she provided Angela with a partial truth. "I'm a little worried about her. I just won't be able to concentrate until Mama calls and tells me she's okay."

"Oh, honey. She's gonna be right as rain." Angela threw her arms around Cooper. "And I'm sorry that I've been so self-centered lately. It's gettin' older that's doin' it. I wanna take care of somebody and I want somebody to take care of me." She smiled and her eyes turned misty. "Now. I want you to take the white roses from Costco to your sister with best wishes for a speedy recovery from all of us. I've got a drawer full of Hallmark cards and I'm gonna get everybody to sign one for her. And you tell me if you need to leave early today. I'll rearrange your schedule in a flash." She snapped her manicured fingers.

Cooper felt a rush of affection for her friend. "Enjoy your flowers, Angela. No matter who they're from, someone obviously recognizes what a catch you are."

A flicker of genuine sadness pa.s.sed across the secretary's face and it was that brief glimpse of Angela's fear of aloneness that propelled Cooper to march right into Mr. Farmer's office. Her boss was bent over a spreadsheet, an adding machine close to his right hand and the latest issue of Popular Mechanics next to his left. He looked up at her, blinking, as though surprised to see another human being in his lair.

"Good morning." He removed his gla.s.ses, drew his hand away from the adding machine, and waited for her to speak.