Memory's Door (A Well Spring Novel) (20 page)

“Tell me you got Brandon Scott to come on the show.”

Sooz slouched against Carson Tanner’s door frame, a few strands of her hair hanging in her face. She flashed a thumbs-up and smiled. “I got Brandon to come on the show.”

“Are you serious?” Carson lurched forward in his chair, his knees bumping his thick glass desk.

“No. Of course I’m not serious. You know this is mission extremely improbable. You made multiple attempts yourself. Remember when you liked Brandon and his music and tried for months and months to get him to come on? He doesn’t do interviews. He hasn’t for a long, long time. No exceptions.”

“I never stopped liking him, which is why I want him on the show. I’m trying to bring him back to the truth. Keep him from getting too wrapped up with this modern mystic Reece Roth wacko.” Carson rocked back in his chair, cradled the back of his head with his hands, and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t get Brandon. In this day and age where you’re supposed to connect with your fans—have give-and-take—interact with them, and the guy won’t—”

“He does connect with his fans. You should hear what he does after every concert. Apparently he stays for hours talking to people, praying with them. He just doesn’t connect with interviewers. Like you.”

“Any other discouraging news?”

“Yes. He just went in for some kind of vocal-cord surgery so he’ll be out for who knows how long recovering from that. Probably step out of the public light for at least a couple of months.”

“Those kinds of surgeries don’t take that long to recover from.” Carson tossed his pen across the room and it smacked into the wall.

“I’m just saying.”

“I’m not giving up on this, Sooz. I’m going to keep believing God is in this because I know he is. And that he will make it happen.”

“I still say you could get some of these people who are doing mini Warriors Riding retreats on the show—”

“There’s no point in cutting off the heads of dandelions. We could do that all day and they’d just grow back. We have to take off the head of the snake. Dam up the river at the source.”

“That’s three metaphors. I think one will do.”

“Just get him. Soon. Okay?”

“I’m not giving up either. And like you, I believe. This battle is God’s and he will not fail us.”

TWENTY-FIVE

A
S
R
EECE CLOMPED DOWN HIS STAIRS AT NOON EIGHT
days later, he heard his front door open and a voice he didn’t expect.

“Good morning, Reece.”

He smiled at the sound of Dana’s voice as she said hello to Brandon. A pleasant surprise. He’d put the odds of her showing up today to head for Well Spring with them at a hundred to one.

“You’re going?” Reece asked.

“I am indeed going. Don’t sound so shocked.”

“You were able to get out of your seemingly unbreakable commitment?”

She hesitated. “Yes, I was.”

The sound of the door opening again and footsteps on the wood floor of his entryway and a bag being set down filled his ears. It had to be the professor. “Looks like all members of the entourage are present.”

“Where’s Doug?” Dana asked.

“He’s meeting us at the ranch.”

“Hey, Marcus,” Brandon said.

“Your voice is quiet, but overall sounds quite adequate,” Marcus said. “All is well?”

“Yeah, the doc says I’m going to be fine. Won’t be singing for a bit, but things look good and it shouldn’t be long before I’m back onstage.”

Reece took a step in the direction Dana’s voice had come from. “Do you care to expand on how you escaped your obligation?”

“Not at all. Doug’s words the other night were simple but profound when he said, ‘A subtle attack can often be far more effective than a direct assault since an attack of subterfuge and nuance is often not noticed till the victim has crawled into the middle of the spider’s web.’

“You all probably saw it the whole time. I don’t know why I didn’t. My promotion—obvious to everyone but me that the enemy was using it to distract me, distance me from the game.”

“True.” Relief fell on Reece. He’d expected a much longer struggle to get Dana back firing on all cylinders.

“Why didn’t you try to tell me?”

“I did.”

“I mean, tell me specifically that it was the enemy.”

“Would you have listened?”

Reece heard Dana shift in her chair. “No.”

“So what does this mean for your job?”

“I’m not sure, but I am sure I’m all in with the Warriors.”

He took another step toward her and reached out for her shoulders. He wrapped an arm around them tight. “You’re a treasure, Dana. Never forget that.” He released her and motioned with his hands. “Gather ’round, let’s get ourselves to Well Spring.”

“I don’t care how many times we’ve done this teleportation thing. It still feels very, very strange,” Dana said to Brandon.

“I know.” Reece heard the smile in Brandon’s voice. “That’s why it’s such a cool rush. I’m ready. Beam me up, Reecy.”

After they settled in at Well Spring, they all gathered in the main cabin. Over lunch Marcus told of his encounter with Zennon. Dana tried to imagine what it would be like to have a daughter go through what Abbie had just endured. Sometimes not having children was a very good thing.

“Excellent,” Reece said when the professor finished.

“Excellent?” Brandon said. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t describe what the prof and his family went through as excellent.”

Doug set down his fork and patted Brandon’s arm. “What Reece means is—”

“I know, I know . . . things are on the right track, we’ve got the enemy upset, my throat, Dana’s promotion, Reece’s eyes not being healed yet, Zennon’s attack on the professor—how that’s all a good thing because he’s trying to take us out before we confront the Wolf, blah, blah, blah.” Brandon glanced around the table. “But don’t you ever get tired of the battle? Wouldn’t you like some peace and quiet sometimes?”

“Yes.” Reece smiled. “Absolutely. We all need a break. That’s why we’re going in this afternoon before the new recruits get here. To a place of peace. Refreshment.” He laughed. “I wish I could see the stunned looks on your faces, which I’m positive are there. Yes, I’m finally going to go back in. Scout’s honor.” He held up his fingers in the traditional Boy Scout’s salute.

“You feel prepared?” Brandon said.

“Funny,” Reece said as his countenance grew serious. “Yes, I am prepared, for whatever the Spirit has for me.”

Dana looked at her watch. One thirty. The new trainees wouldn’t be here till six, so they had plenty of time to go into wherever Reece wanted to go, get back out, and make any necessary last-minute prep to the ranch. The guys of course thought the place looked great. Reece had an excuse now, but the others should be able to see a bit of touch-up was sorely needed. These were the moments she wished another woman was part of the Warriors.

“Are we ready?” Doug glanced around the room, a look of glee on his face.

Dana opened her Bible. “Can I read something first?”

“Please.” Doug nodded.

She glanced at the others before focusing her gaze on Reece. “I don’t want to create any false expectations or stir hope without
reason, Reece, but as I was unpacking before lunch I think I heard the Spirit saying when you went in again, you’d like what you found there.” She flipped her Bible to Isaiah. “And then I saw this verse: ‘I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, and I will not leave them undone.’”

Reece didn’t comment but he nodded and put his hand on hers.

“Amen and so be it,” Doug said. “Anyone else?” No one spoke. “Then let’s do a quick cleanup and be off.”

Ten minutes later they took hold of each other’s hands. Dana closed her eyes and waited. Less than a moment later she opened her eyes and found herself standing on a beach that reminded her of Costa Rica, no, maybe it was more like Jamaica or Fiji. Tiny waves lapped at a white sand beach, the breeze off the crystal-blue water was perfect, and the warm sand felt like cotton against her bare feet.

As it had been in the realm of the Wall of Colors, the hues were far more brilliant here than on earth and they filled her soul with wonder. She turned to look at the tropical foliage behind her but was interrupted by the screams and roars of delight that poured out of Reece.

“I can see!” Reece bounded down the beach and sprinted through the water, his arms waving like he was trying to fly. He probably was flying, in his mind and heart and spirit at least.

Dana laughed and shouted, “Yes!” in chorus with the whoops and cheers of Doug, Brandon, and Marcus. She hadn’t known this would happen, but she had known.

After a few minutes he splashed back toward them through the water and stopped five feet away. He grinned, reached for his glasses, and pulled them off like he was unveiling his greatest photograph. For the first time in almost a year she looked into his brilliant blue eyes. Amazing. Full of love, and joy, and freedom. And even more penetrating than when she’d last seen them, if that was possible.

Dana continued to grin as Reece danced in an awkward circle, kicking up sand and letting out another whoop. She turned to Doug and frowned. He was smiling, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes she didn’t understand.

For the next ten minutes she and Marcus wandered up and down the beach. Brandon stepped into the sea and swam out to a tiny island of rocks sixty yards off the shore, and Doug pushed into the thick jungle behind them. It was exactly what Reece had said it would be. Refreshing, restorative, invigorating. Too soon Doug’s voice rang out over the beach. “It’s time to go back.”

They gathered at the spot they’d started from, all of their faces radiant and full of life.

“Do you know what this means?” Reece pointed to his eyes and grinned.

Brandon pointed at the big man. “What happens in here—”

“Becomes reality in the physical world.” Reece held his arms wide. “I’m healed. The prophecy has been fulfilled.”

Doug didn’t comment and motioned them together with his hands, his eyes down. “Are you ready?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Reece grinned. “Not even close. Five more minutes, friend. This is a moment to celebrate. It’s been a long time coming. I need to soak in a little more of this beauty.”

“I wish it could be longer.” The same look Dana had seen a few minutes ago passed over Doug’s face. “A few more at most.”

Reece walked to the water’s edge and turned his head slowly from one side to the other. Three or four minutes later he turned and trudged back up the beach. “Okay, Doug, I know we need to go. Seeing here is nothing like seeing back on earth. But trust me, I’m not complaining. I have a lot of photography to make up for. So yes, let’s go.”

Doug didn’t respond as he clasped Dana’s hand on one side and Marcus’s on the other. Reece grabbed the hands of Marcus and Brandon and an instant later they were back in the living room at Well Spring.

Dana whirled to find Reece. He was on his knees in the center of the room, his head resting on the area rug. “Are you okay, Reece?”

He didn’t answer and she looked at Doug. His face was ashen, and as he returned her gaze she realized why. He’d known this was going to happen, but there was nothing he could have done. Nothing any of them could have done to prepare Reece for the emotions of the moment.

The big man lifted his head and turned to them. He whipped off his sunglasses and stared at her and the others with the black, seared tissue that a moment ago had been his brilliant blue eyes. Reece opened his mouth. No noise came from his lips, but Dana could imagine what it would sound like if it did. Utter anguish.

She looked at Brandon and Marcus. At first their faces registered shock, then understanding, then horror. Doug glanced at her, then waited till Brandon and Marcus looked at him as well. Then he stood and motioned her and the others outside. No one spoke as they shuffled through the front door. None of them spoke as they stepped away from each other, all in different directions. There was no need. All of them would ask the Spirit why Reece wasn’t healed, and all of them would ask him to fall on Reece with a peace their guide couldn’t ignore.