Without Faith by Leslie J. Sherrod Page B

came running out of the alley, a dark-colored minivan came from behind her, nearly hitting her. A passenger exited the van, grabbed her, and threw her into the back of it, at which time the van sped away. Police at this time do not have a name or any other information about the victim, and are also not clear on the make and model of the vehicle. All that has been released is this still from a security camera that caught a few seconds of the victim when she was within its view.”
    I held my breath and pressed the pause button as a grainy photo filled the screen. The long weave, overdone boob job, and deep cocoa brown skin left no question. It was her.
    Silver.
    The woman who’d been on The Soul Mate Show locking lips with Brayden/Kwan/whatever his name was.
    I shut my eyes, rubbed my forehead. Too much was happening for a Thursday night. When I opened my eyes, I pressed play and watched as the camera zoomed in on the photo, close enough to see the genuine fear filling Silver’s eyes, the slight parting of her lips in terror and the butterfly tattoo on her neck.
    Wait a minute.
    A butterfly tattoo on her neck?
    I pressed pause again. I did not remember the woman on The Soul Mate Show having any tattoos, especially one as large and elaborate as the still showed. I had been tired last night when I watched the episode of the local dating show, but for as much as I studied the overdone fakeness of Silver, I think I would have noticed a large butterfly on the side of her neck.
    That can’t be Silver.
    A part of me felt relieved, though I wasn’t sure why. A woman was still in danger.
    But I had no other responsibility toward her than to pray. I mean, what else could I do for a stranger?
    I pressed play and let the story finish playing. Laz reappeared on the screen. “Despite the additional tax and community dollars going toward keeping this trendy, upscale neighborhood near the Inner Harbor safe—money, I must add, that has not been equally invested in other areas that experience far higher crime rates and need more of a police presence—a young woman has gone missing violently and against her will. Police are asking that if you have any information at all that can help either identify this young woman or provide information about the crime committed against her, to immediately contact Metro Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted anonymously. This is Lazarus Tyson reporting live from the Baltimore City Police headquarters. Back to you in the studio, John.”
    I sat dazed, and, yes, confused, as the news turned to a story about a controversial new home development in an agricultural zone.
    â€œIs everything okay, Sister St. James?”
    Sadie Spriggs was staring at me, her mouth uncharacteristically still. I had not noticed that she’d stopped humming. Her alto voice had been a comforting white noise against the backdrop of my mother’s stern demands and my sister’s nonstop accusations. My father had retreated from the fight. I had not noticed him leaving the room.
    The safe.
    He kept it in the basement. I prayed a silent prayer for the unidentified woman kidnapped in Fells Point, and then prayed that my father hadn’t rummaged through his safe where his most prized, smaller sports treasures were kept. Along with the lion’s head ring I hid.
    â€œI’m okay. I’m just . . .” Really, what was I supposed to say?
    â€œFather!” Sadie’s sudden shout startled me. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she raised a hand in the air. “Help this family during this difficult time, Lord Jesus. Bring the baby boys back home safe. Comfort the mothers, calm the grandmother, bring healing and peace that only you can bring to all these burdened relationships. In Jesus the Christ’s name I pray, Ayyyy-man.”
    And then the tambourine began to rattle and the hums from a few minutes ago turned into full-blown singing. My mother and Yvette had no choice but to shut up