Secrets in the Grave (Serenity's Plain Secrets Book 3) by Karen Ann Hopkins

knew and loved.
    “It’s always an unnerving experience to witness a healing. There are forces…” I paused, searching for the right words. “…present that feel unnatural in a way.”
    “Exactly!” Serenity exclaimed. “I didn’t see anything, but it felt as if something else was in the room with us. For the life of me, I can’t decide whether it was good or bad.” Serenity snorted. “No one is going to believe me.”
    “I believe you.”
    Serenity barked a laugh. “That’s different. You’re used to this kind of insanity. How many times have you witnessed a healing, by the way?”
    I breathed deeply, thinking back to my childhood and counting the incidences. “Other than Ma healing Lester, there were three times. Two were by my great-grand
Mammi
. She’s the one that passed the gift down to Ma. She laid her hands on an infant who came into the world as blue as the evening sky and completely still. I was only about six at the time myself, so I don’t remember it very well, but I’ll never forget the giant gulp of air the baby took and the oppressive heaviness that hung in the air when I’d snuck a peek through the crack in the door. The next time was at a livestock sale. I was probably about thirteen. Great-grand
Mammi
was ancient by then. She shuffled around with a cane and her hair was as white as snow. I was standing beside her, gazing into a pen at some bulls that were going to be driven into the stock shoot. A cowboy was climbing along the top of the corral, working his way to the far gate when one of the bigger bulls slammed its head into the panel. The cowboy lost his balance and fell into the pen. A huge bull gored the man with its long, curved horns. I knew that man was a goner.
    “Several cowboys shimmied over the fence to help their friend. Luckily one of them had a cattle prod. He distracted the attacking bull long enough for the others to drag the injured man from the pen. His gut was bleeding and his pale face was pained. I remember
Mammi
asking him in English whether he believed the Lord was his savior. The man’s eyes opened and he managed a limp nod. ‘Yes ma’am, I do,’ he’d answered weakly.
    “
Mammi
laid her hands on the outsider just like she had the tiny, newborn infant. The air became heavy and the lights flickered.
Mammi
kept her hands on the man until the emergency personnel arrived. I distinctly remember the paramedic commenting that he was surprised that such a large wound wasn’t bleeding more. The man recovered fully. I even saw him working the cattle at a sale the following year.”
    When I grew quiet, Serenity said coaxingly, “You said you’d witnessed three times, what was the third?”
    Even though the storm had passed, the sky was dotted with swiftly moving clouds. Intermittently, a cloud passed over the sun, causing the sky to darken. The clouds blew by and the sun brightened the wet roadway once again.
    I took a shaky breath. “I was fifteen. Our family traveled to Ohio to visit cousins. At least that’s what I was told. Later I found out the truth. Ma had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Father sought out Jonas to do a healing on her. In a very creepy fashion, Jonas was expecting our arrival. He’d dreamed about it the week before. He agreed to a healing. My siblings and I were told stay in the guest room. Of course I didn’t listen. I snuck out the window while my sister and brother begged me stay.”
    “What did you see?” Serenity asked, her voice breathy.
    “Nothing. That’s the really scary part. Just when I was rising up on my tip toes to peek through the window, I became dizzy. I must have fainted. The next thing I remember is my father splashing a cup of water on my face. When I opened my eyes, the first person I saw was Ma. She was peering over Father’s shoulder at me, smiling. Her cancer was gone.” I shook my head to dislodge the uncomfortable memory. “I can’t explain it. She never had any radiation or chemotherapy. The English