Always Yesterday (16 page)

“Just talk to God like you’re talking to me. Tell Him you want to accept His forgiveness for. . .name a few things that come to mind. Tell Him you want to come home.”

Eli nodded.

“Would you like a few minutes alone with God?”

Again he bobbed his head, unable to speak. His throat burned.

“I’ll give you about thirty minutes, and then I’ll come back and we can pray together.” The chief grabbed a Bible off the desk and flipped through it. He handed it open to Eli and pointed to a passage. “Here’s the story if you want to read it for yourself.” He quietly shut the door on his way out.

Eli hung his head and cried as he hadn’t cried since Ronny’s funeral. He listed the sins that came to mind in his conversation with God and asked Him to forgive them. Just as he couldn’t see the wind but often felt its presence, he knew God was right there, and he experienced His love.

After he finished praying for himself and his dad, he reread the story in Luke 15. Eli understood not being worthy to be called God’s son, but he also knew that because of Jesus’ death on the cross, he was indeed worthy. As he read in verse twenty-four, “This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” Eli knew he’d been found, and he, too, felt like celebrating.

The person he’d most like to celebrate with was Delanie, but that wouldn’t work. He asked God to help him forgive his brother, his mom, his dad, and all of the other people who’d hurt and disappointed him along the way. He longed to find freedom from yesterday and freedom from his feelings for Delanie.

Chief Cooper returned and hugged Eli and then prayed for him, asking God to grow Eli into a man of the Word, a man of prayer, and a man of integrity like Daniel. After his prayer he presented Eli with a brand-new Bible. “Start with John. And remember life is going to happen—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and through it all, God’s provisions can be seen if we look for them.”

“I’ll remember that, sir.”

The chief stopped, his hand on the door handle. “And when you’re ready, I’d like you to share your testimony. Who knows? It might be just what someone else needs to hear.”

Eli grinned. He felt a hundred pounds lighter. “Will you give me a couple of weeks?”

“Done.”

“And, sir, will you not tell Delanie? I’d like to surprise her when I share my story.” He knew he should apologize to her for crossing the line the other day.

“Deal. And welcome to the family.” The chief held out his right hand.

Welcome to the family?

“The family of God.”

“Oh.”

“You’re now my brother in Christ.”

“Got it.”

❧

The next morning Delanie arrived a few minutes late. Upon unlocking the office door, she found Eli humming. Humming!
What in the world?

“Good morning.” His greeting was exuberant.

“ ’Morning,” she said, still bleary-eyed.

“Before Mildred arrives and we have to focus solely on her, I wanted to apologize to you.”

Delanie nearly dropped her coffee. She set it on the desk and slipped her purse off her shoulder. “To me? For what?”

“I’m sorry about the other day, and it won’t
ever
happen again. I was out of line.”

“I’m sorry, too, Eli. I way overreacted.” She forced her feet to remain planted, wanting nothing more than to run into his arms.

“Then let’s forget it, okay?”

“Done.” She settled at her desk, pondering what had just taken place. She booted up her computer, contemplating the change in Eli. He’d apologized, and he wasn’t the apologizing type.
What gives?

Soon both she and Eli stared into the video feed of George’s empty waiting room. She laughed. “Wonder what he’d think of his nickname
Georgie
.”

Eli chuckled.

Delanie sipped her coffee and waited, waited and wondered, wondered about the change in Eli.

Mildred arrived at the office about ten minutes before eight, and she, too, hummed in the morning. Delanie wondered if she’d missed out on some phenomenon that was going around. She had zero desire to hum in the morning.

A couple of hours later, a pregnant teen and her parents entered the office across the hall. Delanie glanced at Eli and he at her.

Mildred greeted them. “I’m new, so you’ll have to bear with me. Is this your first visit?”

“Yes,” the man answered. “Dr. Barnes sent us.”

“Dr. Barnes, huh?” Mildred searched the desk. “Oh, here it is. I’ll need you to fill out this intake form, and Mr. Benavides will be with you shortly.”

The gentleman took the form and returned to the seat next to his wife.

Delanie already had the phone book open. “Dr. George Barnes,” she whispered. “An ob-gyn.”

“Why are you whispering?” Eli asked.

She laughed. “So they don’t hear me. Guess that can’t happen, can it?”

“Not likely.”

Eli took the phone book and found the listing. “Now the question is, how do all these young girls get connected with this doctor?”

“Another missing piece of the puzzle.”

When the attorney took the clients back to his office, Mildred searched some files. Every time she found another patient of Dr. Barnes, she gave a thumbs-up. Eli kept track of Mildred’s signals while Delanie listened in on the conversation back in George’s private office, jotting down a few notes as they conversed.

“I think I may have found our link,” she whispered. She handed Eli a piece of paper with the name of a school guidance counselor scribbled across it.

Eli acknowledged her lead and refocused on the monitor. “Shut the file cabinet.” Eli coached Mildred, though she couldn’t hear him. “They’re coming. Mildred, they. . .are. . .coming.”

Mildred must have heard them coming down the hall, because she quietly closed the cabinet and whipped out a feather duster. She smiled at George as he escorted his new clients to the door.

“You are good, woman,” Eli praised her. “You are good! Quick thinker, that Mildred.”

“Are there any tasks you’d like done while I’m here?” Mildred asked George when the clients left. “I thought I’d dust, but is there any typing, filing, or anything else you need?”

“No, but thanks.”

“Am I doing the job all right? I’m hoping for a good reference from you to the temp agency, so I want to be certain you’re pleased.”

“You’re doing fine.” He appeared distracted. “I have a luncheon appointment. I’ll be back later.”

“Yes, sir.”

He left the office.

“What did you learn from eavesdropping on the meeting with George?” Eli questioned.

“I’ll play it back for you.” Delanie hit a couple of keys on her computer and replayed the tape from a few minutes before.

A very compassionate George Benavides explained the adoption process to the family. There was no mention of money. The only headway was a doctor’s name. The same referral name found in fifteen other files.

Eli phoned and updated Sarge.

Delanie spent a long afternoon watching Mildred dig through files and listening to her hum. Eli said he’d plant himself in the lobby so he could warn her when George returned. The day dragged on much as their time did watching Brandi.

Delanie phoned Joe. “How late will you be there tonight?”

“Sixish. Why?”

“I just wanted to drop in and have a chat.”

“Alone?”

“Alone. I won’t make it until 5:45 or so.”

“I’ll be here.”

The day ended uneventfully, and Delanie headed straight for the department. Upon entering Joe’s office, she pushed his door shut.

“One of those kinds of talks, huh?” Joe raised his eyebrow.

Delanie sat on the edge of the padded chair. “When this case ends, and it may soon, I need a new partner.”

“Eli getting to you?”

“Not in the way you might think.”

Joe frowned. “I’m not following.”

“I’m in love with him.”

“I thought so!” His face lit up, and he slapped his knee.

How could he possibly be excited?

“Not a good idea for two lovebirds to work together.” He resembled the cat who swallowed the little yellow bird.

“I cannot be in love with Eli. You know what the Bible says about being unequally yoked.” The sadness weighing down her heart made it feel heavy in her chest.

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Joe rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “I guess I’d hoped, with all the time he was spending with God’s people, hearing God’s Word, a seed would have sprouted.”

“Me, too.” Delanie sighed.

“After this assignment we’ll figure out something. Hey, I already called Eli, but in the morning I need you two in here instead of the bank building. I got someone else to cover Mildred. You and Eli have a doctor’s appointment.”

“But I’m not really pregnant. Don’t you think he may figure that out?”

Joe winked. “I’ve got a plan, but”—he glanced at his watch—“I’m late. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.” He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and was gone.

Delanie both dreaded and ached for this case to end. The sooner the better. Maybe then her heart could start to heal. Maybe Eli’s would, too.

❧

Eli arranged to meet with Sarge a half hour before Delanie’s arrival time. When Eli got there, he closed the door. Sarge raised his brows but said nothing.

“When this case ends, I need a new partner.”

“I thought by now you’d have figured out she’s a decent cop.”

“She’s better than decent,” Eli corrected.

“What, then? Are you still on your ‘I won’t work with a woman’ kick?”

“Not completely, but I’d still prefer my next partner to be a man. I believe Delanie is the exception rather than the rule.”

“So you respect her as a cop. What’s the problem, then?”

“It’s complicated,” Eli said hesitantly. He’d humiliated himself enough for one lifetime and didn’t want to relive it for another human being.

Sarge said nothing but gave Eli the eye as his dad used to years ago.

“All right. I’m in love with her—but it won’t work. Are you satisfied?”

“When the case closes, I’ll see who’s available.”

Not a firm promise, Eli noted. “I’d like to put in for the drug detail again.”

Sarge nodded.

There was a single rap on the door. “Yo!” Sarge hollered.

Delanie entered. She glanced from one to the other. Her eyes filled with questions, such as why she’d been left out of this powwow.

Neither offered her an explanation.

A second later a pregnant woman entered. She could have been Delanie’s sister—small, blond, but not nearly as pretty.

“Delanie, Eli, meet Suzy Jones, aka Lanie Lucas—for today.” Delanie’s gaze met his. “Eli and Lanie have a doctor’s appointment in”—he checked his watch—“two hours. Turns out old Doc Barnes had a cancellation today. Delanie, you and I will attend the appointment from the parking lot, via earpiece. We can only wire Eli for obvious reasons. During the doctor’s exam he might stumble across the equipment.”

“Wait.” Eli didn’t care for the sound of this. “I’m going in with her for an examination?”

“Where’s cool, calm Eli?” Delanie teased.

“We have it all figured out, and Suzy’s husband gave his blessing,” Sarge assured them. “It will be aboveboard. The appointment is for a consultation, so there shouldn’t be an exam; but in case there is, Eli will play the squeamish boyfriend and station himself at Suzy’s head. Should anything get personal, he can turn away and close his eyes.”

Eli arched his brow. “And Mr. Jones isn’t going to hunt me down later?” He wasn’t liking this one bit.

“No, he’s very mild-mannered. Anything for the force, you know.” Suzy patted her slightly protruding tummy.

“How far along are you?” Delanie asked.

Eli heard a tinge of longing in her question.

“Five months. We just found out it’s a little girl, which is what we hoped for. We already have a two-year-old son.”

“Nice.” Delanie smiled.

Eli left them to their chitchat and ran down to get a body pack. He brought back the earpieces for Sarge and Delanie.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” Sarge headed for the door. He led them to an SUV parked in the police lot.

Y

Delanie sat in the back with Suzy, and they talked about having a police job with a husband and kids. When Suzy and Eli went into the office building, Delanie joined Sarge in the front, claiming the passenger seat.

They listened to Eli and Suzy as they signed in and filled out forms. Since it had been discussed beforehand, Delanie knew the couple would write that Eli was unemployed and Lanie worked at the Burger House. They would check the no-insurance box. And Eli would pay with cash. Joe had every detail covered. He always did.