Page 64 of Trace of Doubt
“I’m so glad you’re safe, and please give Denton my best. We’ll be praying for him. I picked up Joy last night. She’s fine. She misses you, I’m sure.” Edie paused, and I heard the hesitancy in her voice.
“What’s wrong?”
“Randy’s here, and I heard him yell at Timothy and Livy. Hold on while I check this out. I now have three kids to deal with.”
I thought she’d told her brother to stay away. She must have given in.
She returned within five minutes. “I banished one of them to his room.”
“Which one?”
“Randy. I’m mothering a forty-four-year-old man. Told him to go home until he could behave himself.”
“I’m sorry.” But I smiled anyway.
“I’ve been worried about you. Amy-Jo feels the same. Did you lie to us about visiting your mother yesterday, or are you so depressed that you had to get away?”
“I saw my mom, and we had precious time together. Lots of love and closure for us. I’m doing my best to manage the depression.”
“What about the rest of your family?”
“As expected.” Closing my eyes, I searched for the right words. “Edie, I care about you, and I’ll do anything to keep you, your kids, and Amy-Jo safe. If necessary, I’ll avoid telling you the truth. The less you know, the better.”
“My fears exactly. How will you protect yourself at the cabin? Your parole forbids your having a weapon.”
“Maybe I’ll keep my location a secret for a while. I have money put aside for the rent, but staying hidden makes sense. Would you consider having your brother stay for your family’s protection until this is over? Probably a week. I know he tries your patience, yet the safety precaution is worth his sometimes-disagreeable nature.” The caller, if still alive, knew how to find those in the line of fire. “Edie, think about your kids.”
She groaned. “No way. He drove me nuts today. But I might have another solution.”
“Which is?”
“I’ll ask Amy-Jo to stay with us. She can bring her trusty Smith& Wesson.”
“Does she know how to use it?”
Edie chuckled. “Without a doubt.”
When the week ended, I’d beg her to keep Amy-Jo around until arrests were made.
Back in Denton’s room, I eased into my former chair. This time I turned away from Isaac and Sheriff Wendall. Tears surfaced and needed to be private. My thoughts trailed to the misery in my life. If not for Jesus, I’d find no purpose. Yet I questioned if He was angry with me. My world continued to crumble, and people close to me met with the same destruction. I knew He was in the business of turning ashes into something beautiful, but enduring trials had to end soon.
“Shelby?” Denton peered at me through sleepy eyes. “I should shake you for refusing protection.”
“You’re the one who needs a safe house.” I swallowed my self-pity and reached deep for a facade of cheerfulness. “Aren’t you glad to see me?”
A pitiful, bruised smile met me. “Yeah. You look good.”
“Thank you. For the sake of conversation, I doubt your ability to shake me.” I touched the side of his bed. “I’ve been praying for you, thanking God you’re alive.”
“Thanks, I guess. Where was God when you and Aaron faced shooters and I flipped my truck?”
“Keeping us all alive.”
“For what purpose? To smack us again?”
“Trusting God doesn’t mean we have to understand why bad things happen.”
His face clouded. “Shelby, how can you believe in a God who allows us to suffer?”
