are.”
The deep creases around his eyes softened. “I know. And as much as I don’t like to admit it, I understand your position. You’re speaking from experience. Shitty experience.”
“So we’re at a crossroads.”
“That’s up to you.” A cold gust of wind swept in from the north, and Todd pulled his coat more tightly around him. “I can’t change your opinion on Justin any more than you can change mine. And I won’t stop you from searching for Kailey, because I’m not a petty bastard. But I won’t let you railroad my brother into something he’s innocent of.”
“I’d never do that.”
An uneasy and confused tension hung between us for a moment before the ring of Todd’s cellphone shattered it. I stepped aside while he took his call. I meant what I said. I’d never send an innocent man to jail. That was an unforgivable sin in my book. But seeing Justin as innocent wasn’t something I was prepared to do.
Todd ended his call and shoved the phone back into his coat pocket. The creases on his forehead were crater-deep again. “Searchers are having an issue with one of the neighbors. I’ve got to go sort it out.”
“I’ll head into the church.” I glanced down the road at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, which looked forlorn and foreboding against the bright, morning sun. “See if anyone there recognizes her.”
“I’ll try to catch back up with you, but once you’re done there, can you work your way back up the street?”
“I’ll talk to everyone I see.”
Todd didn’t move. “It’s kind of a rough neighborhood. I hate to leave you.”
I’d rather he’d act brusque. Liking Todd didn’t make my job any easier. “I’ve got my pepper spray, as always.”
“Text me when you’re finished with the church.” He turned and hurried back up the street, his long coat waving in the wind.
Todd’s presence now a memory, I trod toward the church, the soaring tower reminding me what it was like to be shunned. My devout Catholic mother still attended mass, despite all the shunning and whispering that had gone on when my sister died. I was forced to attend, but I never saw the church as a refuge again. So many of the parishioners judged my sister for taking her own life and chose to forget the reasons behind the suicide. My mother, the woman who should have seen the truth and protected her daughter, relished the role of victim. I often thought the woman believed she needed to make up for her daughter killing herself to preserve her own space in heaven.
The familiar hurts of my past licked at my conscience as I loitered on the church steps, and then I immediately felt selfish. Kailey needed help. I bounded up the cracked concrete and tried the heavy door. It opened easily into a cavernous entryway. The ceiling was dome shaped, with faded murals decorating the walls. The heavy silence seemed like an admonishment. I carefully shut the door so as not to disturb the quiet.
Despite its aged appearance, the church smelled clean, with the faintest scent of flowers. A door to my right opened. A middle-aged nun smiled at me.
“I thought I heard the door close. We don’t have service today, and the priest is conducting a meeting. I’m Sister Abigail. Can I help you?”
Her friendly and open attitude surprised me; the nuns in Catholic school hadn’t been cruel, but they were the stereotypical stern-faced, serious women. Then again, they had a bunch of hormonal, cocky teenagers to deal with on a daily basis, so I couldn’t exactly blame them.
“I hope so.” I offered the nun a flier. “I’m looking for this little girl. You wouldn’t have seen her?”
Sister Abigail’s smile evaporated. She took the picture and studied it carefully. “No, I haven’t.”
“It was a long shot. She goes to Kipling Elementary, and I doubted she’d have come by the church on her walk home. But I wanted to check. Would you pass the flier around?”
“Absolutely.” Sister Abigail looked at the
The deep creases around his eyes softened. “I know. And as much as I don’t like to admit it, I understand your position. You’re speaking from experience. Shitty experience.”
“So we’re at a crossroads.”
“That’s up to you.” A cold gust of wind swept in from the north, and Todd pulled his coat more tightly around him. “I can’t change your opinion on Justin any more than you can change mine. And I won’t stop you from searching for Kailey, because I’m not a petty bastard. But I won’t let you railroad my brother into something he’s innocent of.”
“I’d never do that.”
An uneasy and confused tension hung between us for a moment before the ring of Todd’s cellphone shattered it. I stepped aside while he took his call. I meant what I said. I’d never send an innocent man to jail. That was an unforgivable sin in my book. But seeing Justin as innocent wasn’t something I was prepared to do.
Todd ended his call and shoved the phone back into his coat pocket. The creases on his forehead were crater-deep again. “Searchers are having an issue with one of the neighbors. I’ve got to go sort it out.”
“I’ll head into the church.” I glanced down the road at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, which looked forlorn and foreboding against the bright, morning sun. “See if anyone there recognizes her.”
“I’ll try to catch back up with you, but once you’re done there, can you work your way back up the street?”
“I’ll talk to everyone I see.”
Todd didn’t move. “It’s kind of a rough neighborhood. I hate to leave you.”
I’d rather he’d act brusque. Liking Todd didn’t make my job any easier. “I’ve got my pepper spray, as always.”
“Text me when you’re finished with the church.” He turned and hurried back up the street, his long coat waving in the wind.
Todd’s presence now a memory, I trod toward the church, the soaring tower reminding me what it was like to be shunned. My devout Catholic mother still attended mass, despite all the shunning and whispering that had gone on when my sister died. I was forced to attend, but I never saw the church as a refuge again. So many of the parishioners judged my sister for taking her own life and chose to forget the reasons behind the suicide. My mother, the woman who should have seen the truth and protected her daughter, relished the role of victim. I often thought the woman believed she needed to make up for her daughter killing herself to preserve her own space in heaven.
The familiar hurts of my past licked at my conscience as I loitered on the church steps, and then I immediately felt selfish. Kailey needed help. I bounded up the cracked concrete and tried the heavy door. It opened easily into a cavernous entryway. The ceiling was dome shaped, with faded murals decorating the walls. The heavy silence seemed like an admonishment. I carefully shut the door so as not to disturb the quiet.
Despite its aged appearance, the church smelled clean, with the faintest scent of flowers. A door to my right opened. A middle-aged nun smiled at me.
“I thought I heard the door close. We don’t have service today, and the priest is conducting a meeting. I’m Sister Abigail. Can I help you?”
Her friendly and open attitude surprised me; the nuns in Catholic school hadn’t been cruel, but they were the stereotypical stern-faced, serious women. Then again, they had a bunch of hormonal, cocky teenagers to deal with on a daily basis, so I couldn’t exactly blame them.
“I hope so.” I offered the nun a flier. “I’m looking for this little girl. You wouldn’t have seen her?”
Sister Abigail’s smile evaporated. She took the picture and studied it carefully. “No, I haven’t.”
“It was a long shot. She goes to Kipling Elementary, and I doubted she’d have come by the church on her walk home. But I wanted to check. Would you pass the flier around?”
“Absolutely.” Sister Abigail looked at the
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