Not by Sight (38 page)

“Sure.” Kate dried her hands with a towel. “Everyone’s gone at the moment. Let’s sit here at the table. What is it?”

Hawk sat quickly at the table and waited to speak until Kate was seated across from him. “I … I did a Google search of the word
custos
, the name of Riley Jo’s angel.”

“You mean her imaginary friend.”

“Uh, actually, Mama, I meant her angel.”

“Okay. And what did you find?”

“The name is Latin. Spelled C-U-S-T-O-S. Know what it means?”

“You know I don’t,” Kate said.

“Guardian! It’s the Latin phrase for guardian. There’s no way a seven-year-old who can barely read and had no access to TV or a computer could know that, unless … what she told you and Abby and Jay is true.”

Kate studied her son’s face. He was serious. “Hawk, your sister could have heard that name anywhere. I’m not willing to decide a spiritual reality based on the story told by a little girl with a big imagination.”

Hawk’s eyes glistened. “Well, how about the testimony of your oldest son with the imagination of a tree stump?”

“What are you talking about?”

Hawk blinked several times to clear his eyes. “I haven’t told anyone, but when I lifted my rifle to shoot Isaiah … I felt something … steadying my hand.”

“Like what?”

“I know this is going to sound crazy, but you know I’m not crazy, right?”

Kate smiled. “You’re not crazy, Hawk. What did you feel?”

Hawk swallowed hard. “It felt to me like … a wing. A
huge
wing. I felt the feathers and the weight of it.”

“Don’t you think in the adrenaline rush of the moment, there could be another explanation? After all, you were intent on stopping Isaiah from shooting Jay.”

“Mama, I was shaking so hard I could barely aim. I just shot the rifle. I must’ve had a little help. I didn’t imagine feeling that huge wing holding me steady. What if God wanted to show me that Riley Jo
did
have an angel with her the whole time she was missing? And that maybe I have one too? Maybe we all do.”

Kate’s heart pounded. Her son had a lot of strong qualities, but a good imagination wasn’t one of them. She reached across the table and took his hand. He was trembling.

“I can’t answer that,” she said. “But it’s possible that, in the confusion of the moment, you did imagine it.”

“I
didn’t
,” Hawk said. “I know what I felt because it shocked the socks off me at the time. I wanted to tell the family right off, but I couldn’t handle it if y’all thought I was nuts. Shoot, at first,
I
wondered if I was nuts. But it was real, Mama. Just as real as you sitting here holding my hand.”

Kate decided not to try and talk him out of it. “You say the name means guard?”

“It’s the Latin phrase for guardian. Google it yourself. You’ll see.”

“But how do you even know it’s the correct spelling?” Kate said. “It could just be coincidence.”

“I looked it up every which way, and this is all I found. It can be spelled with a
k
, too, but it means the same thing. That’d be some pretty amazing coincidence, don’t you think?”

Kate considered the implications if this were true. Was it possible that God really had been listening to their prayers? That He really did use angels to accomplish His purposes? That Hawk and Riley Jo had indeed encountered at least one of them?

Kate looked into Hawk’s eyes, her mind racing with clever ways to discount his experience, but none of them were adequate.

“This was very real to you,” she said, letting go of his hand. “I can see that.”

Hawk smiled. “About the most real thing I’ve ever experienced. I think maybe God wants to call a truce. I’ve shut Him out for five years. Maybe it was His way of showing He hasn’t given up on me—and doesn’t want me to give up on Him.”

“Is that why you joined hands with Grandpa and then pulled me into the prayer circle that day at the command post?” Kate said.

Hawk nodded. “Yeah. I don’t really know how to get back to God. But I knew I had to stop running.” Hawk’s eyes turned to dark pools. “Think about it. What if God actually sent an angel to help
me
?
I wasn’t even speaking to Him. I bad-mouthed Him up one side and down the other. Yet He helped me, even when I didn’t ask for help. And He helped Riley Jo when she was so vulnerable. He’s been right there all along. You and I were just too hurt and mad to accept it.”

“You know this is a lot for me to take in.” Kate sighed. “I just assumed Riley Jo had imagined it. I do believe what you’re telling me. Obviously, it made a huge impact on you. I just don’t know what to do with it.”

“Me, either,” Hawk said. “I thought maybe, together, you and I could figure it out.”

Chapter 40

The following Monday, Kate sat in the office of Stella Rhodes, Riley Jo’s caseworker, at the Department of Children and Family Services.

“I’ve started preparing your daughter for the idea of moving to your home,” Stella said. “As we discussed on the phone, the results of her tests were encouraging. There’s absolutely no indication of sexual abuse. What physical abuse there was left no permanent injuries. And her psych evaluation indicates she handles stress well and has a remarkably bright outlook, considering all she’s been through. From what I can see, she’s eager and ready to join your family.”

Kate felt almost giddy. Was it finally going to happen? “I’d like to think it helps that our family loves her and can hardly wait to have her back with us.”

Stella nodded. “Yes, that’s a huge part of it. I don’t see any reason to draw this out much longer. It’ll be better for her when she’s settled. My only real concern now is that the two of you haven’t decided on her name.”

“She said she would have her mind made up the next time I see her. And that’s today.”

“Good.” Stella squeezed Kate’s hand and smiled. “Go. Talk to your daughter. I’m dying to know what she’s decided.”

Kate took a slow, deep breath, then got up and walked across the hall. She turned the knob and slowly pushed open the door to the pleasant room with pale blue walls painted with white clouds and colorful balloons.

Riley Jo jumped up and ran to the door, throwing her arms around Kate’s waist. “Hi, Mama!”

“Hello, sweet girl. Miss Stella just told me that it won’t be long until you can come home to us. Abby’s already got your side of the room ready with the pink-and-yellow comforter and matching curtains you picked out.”

“Yippeeeee!”

Her daughter’s bright blue eyes sparkled with delight.

“Let’s sit at the table,” Kate said. “We have a very important issue to deal with today.”

Riley Jo nodded. “My name.”

Kate sat facing her daughter, her heart pounding. Would she be able to handle it if her daughter wanted to keep the name Ella?

“Have you decided?” Kate asked.

Riley Jo drew an imaginary circle on the table with her finger. “I been thinkin’ lots and lots about it. I know I ain’t gonna be Ella Tutt no more. I don’t wanna be Ella neither, ’cause that name was given to me by Pa, and it was a lie.”

“So what are you thinking?” Kate tried not to look or sound relieved.

“Well … can Micah be a girl’s name?”

“It can if you want it to.”

“Then how about … Riley Micah Cummings? I ain’t never had a middle name before. That way I’d be named for my real pa who really
did
care about me.”

Kate blinked to clear her eyes, but a tear spilled down her cheek.

Riley’s lips turned down. “If you don’t like it, I might could think of somethin’ else.”

“No, I
love
it!” Kate gently took her daughter’s wrists. “It’s
perfect
. You just caught me off guard, sweetie. These are tears of joy. I think it’s so special that you’ll have your real daddy’s name now.”

“You can just call me Riley—and not Jo. I might miss the name Ella some. But I’ll git used to it.”

Kate studied her daughter’s china-doll face, remembering the day she and Micah dedicated their baby girl to the Lord. How could she possibly have imagined that, after five agonizing years, Riley would come back to her, changed and wanting to use her father’s name as part of her own?

“Riley Micah Cummings,” Kate said aloud for the first time. “It’s just right. And beautiful—like my precious daughter.” She brushed Riley’s soft dark hair out of her eyes and relished the glow of excitement on her face.

“I ain’t sure my forever family’ll like it.”

“They will,” Kate said. “It’s a wonderful choice. I had never even thought of it. But I’m glad you did.”

“Now I got a name. Can I go to your house with you?”

“Not today,” Kate said. “But very soon. And you need to think of it as
our
house. It’s yours, too.”

Chapter 41

That same afternoon, Abby sat out in the grass, several yards from the shady oak tree where she had sat with Jay on all their previous encounters on the slope. Jay had brought his easel and paints and positioned Abby so Beaver Lake would be the backdrop for the portrait she had agreed to let him paint.

“You’re a good sport to let me do this,” he said. “This is the right spot. I love the way the sun makes your hair look almost copper.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “I hope you know I’m not doing this just for you. Once Mama sees what a good artist you are, she’s going to want you to do a family portrait with Riley Jo in it.”

“I can do that from a good photo,” Jay said. “I won’t need everyone to pose every day.”

“Then why don’t you just use a photograph to paint
me
?”

Jay grinned, his shadowy beard looking masculine—and rather artsy. “Because I love looking at you. And being with you.”

“Mama’s worried we’re too young to be this crazy about each other.”

“I can’t help what I feel,” Jay said. “I think it might ease her mind if we had a face-to-face. But in the meantime, Hawk made me promise to treat you with respect and not do anything I’d be embarrassed to tell my grandmother.”

Abby laughed. “He made me promise the same thing and reminded me that I’ve still got my senior year ahead of me and that you’re just starting junior college. You have to admit the timing’s not ideal.”

“I know. But this is so much more than just the boy-girl thing. What we’ve been through together was life-changing. And I saw a side of you no one else has. I admire your courage—and your faith. You’re a strong person. And you’re still my best friend.”

“I feel the same way. I hope nothing ever changes that.”

“My mom insists it won’t last,” Jay said. “She said we’ll outgrow each other eventually. Like she ever held on to anyone in her life. Though she does seem crazy about the Stump.”

“You’ve got to stop calling her husband the Stump. It’s disrespectful.”

“I don’t mean it that way, Abby. I’m just afraid of getting too comfortable thinking of them as Mr. and Mrs. Richie Stump. About the time I do, Mom’ll divorce him.”

“At least you’ve got your real dad back in your life.”

“Yes, but you don’t.”

“Coming to grips with Daddy’s death is hard,” Abby admitted. “But I’m grateful we finally know what happened to him. I’ll be glad when the time is right for you and Mama to talk. I know she doesn’t hold you responsible for anything. She just needs time to let everything sink in first. I think she’ll be in a better frame of mind after Riley Jo is home with us.”

“That’s all right. I’m not in a big hurry to face her. I’m still freaked out about it.”

“Don’t be. You suffered too. Mama understands why you did what you did.”

“I hope so. The regret is just something I have to live with.” Jay seemed to study her. “Turn your head slightly to the left. There. That’s good. Ready? Here goes.”

Abby watched Jay as he dipped his brush in the paint and made the first strokes on the canvas. He was silent for a long time and appeared to be intensely focused. He chewed his lip the way he always did when he was deep in thought.

“What are you thinking about?” she said. “Please don’t tell me we have to move again.”

“Nope. This is the perfect spot.” Jay dabbed his brush in paint and continued working. “Abby, be honest with me. Do you think your mother will be able to find peace if we never discover what Isaiah did with your dad’s body?”

“Truthfully, I’m not sure that discovering what Isaiah did with Daddy’s body will bring any of us peace. We’re probably better off
not
knowing.”

Virgil scanned the preliminary report regarding the remains of at least eleven bodies found in the mass grave. It was the consensus of the experts that the remains had been buried between three and five years. The skull sizes and shapes suggested Hispanic descent. And several artifacts discovered—a silver necklace, buttons, and a turquoise and silver ring—supported that idea.

Virgil heard a knock at his door and looked up into the eyes of Kevin Mann.

“You reading the prelim?” Kevin said.

Virgil nodded. “Sounds like they’re on to something. But it’s too soon to tell us much.”

“Not necessarily.” Kevin walked in and handed Virgil a fax.

“What’s this?”

“Seems news of our mass grave got back to a Mexican priest in Laredo who’s been trying to track several families who left there illegally four years ago to find work. Each had paid their life savings to be transported across the border and into Eureka Springs to work for some wealthy landowner. Family members in Mexico never got word that they had arrived and feared that the contact in the US was bogus. The Eureka Springs PD has had a missing-person report on file for each of these folks, and we’re getting that information faxed to us shortly. Sure sounds possible that we’ve uncovered their remains.”