Another Deception (3 page)

     He called back to her.

“Wonderful!”

     He was very interested in Jacks trip to New York. There was a special bond between the four of them since Asa abducted the women. He had dealt with evil his entire life but this Asa person took the cake as far as he was concerned.
Pure evil!

     He came out just in time for his hugs before answering the door for Jacks and Honey. The two men followed Honey into the kitchen where Gem claimed Dwight’s arms, as Jacks gave Sheila a kiss and after a chaotic few minutes, Sheila managed to get them all into the dining room. Seats taken and hands held, Dwight said an uncomplicated but touching blessing over the food.

“Father, we thank you for your goodness and grace and for abundant food and good friends. Let the food be nourishment to our bodies and forgive us where we fail you. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”

    
Four other
amen’s
followed, with Gem repeating hers a second time. Her little voice said so very seriously,

“Amen!” 

     Plates
were passed
, while talk was light and lively through garlic-mashed potatoes, roast, asparagus, salad, and French bread. Gem almost fell asleep during the special chocolate mousse desert made just for her and Dwight excused himself while he took her to bed and tucked her in.

     The table
was cleared
and coffee served when he got back and the four adults were ready for some serious adult conversation. He took his seat and asked the question they were all thinking about during dinner.

“Jacks, we want to hear all about your trip. Did you hear anything about Asa?”

“I sort of did. I saw William, you all remember William?”

     Honey and Sheila both exclaimed,

“William! Yes!”

     Dwight added,

“Yes, one of the kids from the mountains.”

     Honey was troubled for Jacks had not mentioned to her about seeing one of the young people who escaped with them from
Asa’s
clutches. Her protest
was filled
with worry.

“Jacks, we agreed not to make contact with any of those kids. It is far too dangerous!”

    
Jacks was
almost sorry for not having discussed the meeting with her earlier.

“It is okay darling, it was a very private meeting, and it was he who initiated it. He called me just before the deposition and asked if I would meet with him. He said it was important…no, he said urgent, so I agreed.”

     Not understanding what could possibly cause William to contact one of them she asked,

“What could be so important that he would risk everything?”

     It was upsetting to her, for she knew just how great a risk it really was. If Asa found out the kids remembered anything from their captivity, she was sure they would not live long. When she had deprogrammed them from
Asa’s
hypnosis, all seven of them understood how crucial it was to show up at their respective homes, without any evident memory of what had happened to them. Their sudden appearance after being missing and assumed dead for two years had made the national headlines. So far, none had revealed the truth of what had happened and the horrible things that they endured at the hands of the pure evil
Asa,
changed them all. Because of it, they all were now followers of Jesus Christ.

    Though Honey was concerned, she also trusted Jacks’ instinct and was curious to learn more about his visit with William. She listened as he agreed with her.

“That is precisely what I thought too and believe me, no one could possibly know about our meeting. Will is a smart kid. The reason I did not mention this before is because after the night you had last night, I dreaded to tell you. I knew Dwight and Sheila would want to hear what I have to say also, so I decided to wait and discuss it tonight. I feel that we need to stay up to date on any activities, which concerns Asa. We all know how dangerous he is to
all
the
Christian world.

     Dwight frowned, his eyes taking on a reflection of Jacks seriousness. He knew that things were happening and Biblical prophecy
was being fulfilled
at a rapid pace. He urged Jacks,

“Okay, we are listening, go on.”

     Jacks nodded.

“William saw on the news where a famous doctor was found dead of a drug overdose the other day. When he saw his picture, he recognized him as one of
Asa’s
visitors while he and the others were held there in the mountains…”

     He hesitated, not sure how to proceed with the story. The last four months had been wonderful not only for him, but for all of them. Dwight and Sheila were expecting a new baby. He and Honey were hoping to be doing the same soon. Half of him wanted to scream, not now Lord, while the other half was excited to be part of what was to come. He certainly was no expert, but in the months of being a Christian, he had learned so much that it was overwhelming! For him to have come so close to evil consuming his life, he could never be thankful enough. Nevertheless, he was well aware that evil
was not done
with him yet.

“Jacks, you are frightening me.”

     Honey spoke anxiously, for Jacks’ look was very grave and he seldom had a loss for words. Sheila agreed with her.

“Me too.
Whatever could be worse than being married to Morgan? Or, held captive by that stinking old devil, Asa?”

     Jacks sucked in a deep breath. The last thing he wanted was to have the two women concerned but after what had happened before in New York with the two of them kidnapped, he could not take a chance that they would let their guard down now.

“At least then we knew what he looked like.”

“What do you mean we knew? He took Garrett’s body. We still know…don’t we?”

     Dwight became apprehensive by Jacks’ words and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise in alarm. He said it again.

“Don’t we?”

“Not any more. I am afraid Garrett looks nothing like Garrett any longer.”

“Why? What did William know that makes you say this?”

     Dwight pushed. After what he had witnessed personally, nothing would surprise him.

      Jacks sighed,

“I am trying to tell you. This doctor made several trips just before we were there. I am sure he made even more after we escaped. He was a plastic surgeon in New York. From what I understand he was the best available.”

     Dwight was beginning to understand where Jacks was going with this.

“So you think that Asa, or Garrett, no longer looks like he did when we were there, because he had plastic surgery? Ah, and you think the man was murdered by
Asa’s
people, but why kill someone for doing him a service? Wouldn’t he want to reward him instead?”

     Jacks shook his head.

“No, I think he would not want to leave anyone alive that could recognize him…except for his very top people of course.”

     Sheila felt a shudder go through her body and said heatedly.

“I never want to see him again, period! Am I scared of him? No! He has already been judged to death…and ….”

     She laughed, but they could all feel the uncertainty in her voice as she kept on.

“…and I’m sure he has bigger fish to fry, as people down here are fond of saying, than to have his cohorts plague us.”

     She reached over and held Dwight’s hand. She was so happy with him and Gem now, but could not help but to remember before, when she and Jacks first met the two men who would change their lives forever.

     She remembered as if it were just yesterday. Garrett’s visit first and then the next day when Abe Cannon and Morgan Belk walked through the door to Jacks’ law office and practically demanded he be their runner for a senate seat which was soon to be vacated. The dinner she accompanied Jacks to and the following events, which sent Jacks to live in Mississippi and her to Morgan’s mansion to be his wife. It was not what her father, John Herbert had ever envisioned for his only child and she was sure he died from a broken heart. Though his death released her from the blackmail Morgan forced her into marriage with, she desperately missed his presence in her life.

     She placed her hand over her stomach. It was going to be a baby boy, a little boy who would grow up never knowing his grandfather. How thrilled she knew he would be, to know they were naming this firstborn son for him. She smiled and squeezed Dwight’s hand. Realizing the conversation had continued without her, she said,

“What? Jacks, what did you just say?”

“I said that the, uh, message said I would never be free…Sheila, are you alright? You look a little funny. Maybe I should not have told you about this with the baby and all.”

     Dwight turned to her. The thought of his first wife Kim reverberated through his body. Her death at Gem’s birth would always be a horror to him and he was not sure he could endure another such loss. 

     Being a minister was his life, his faith unsurpassable, his humility enduring and yet his humanity inescapable. He felt hurts and pain deeply and because he had suffered loss, he had greater compassion. He was a loving shepherd to the flock God entrusted to him and they loved him.

     Seeing his distress, Sheila felt a rush of shame for causing it. She understood his horror of losing Kim and would do anything not to cause him worry. When they unexpectedly got pregnant, he was almost suffocating. It was as if he thought he had to be at her side constantly until she balked. They had a
heart to heart
discussion and he loosened up. Still, he was too overprotective at times. She reassured him,

“Please, I am fine. Sweetheart really, the baby is fine too! I just lost myself in my thoughts for a while there and missed what
was being said
. I am so sorry. I did not mean to worry you!”

     She kissed her husband’s hand.

“Now Jacks, what were you saying that I missed?”

      Jacks looked at Dwight with uncertainty and then asked her,

“You are sure?”

       Giving him the look she used in the past when he would swear, she answered irritated,

“What? Look, I know that you know me better than to think I am a wimp! Remember who my father was and how he and my mother raised me. It was not to be afraid of any ole scary thing either, including the devil himself!”

     Laughing at her fierceness, they all agreed that she certainly was no wimp. It lightened the mood to one less somber and Jacks hated to continue. However, he felt it was important that his wife and Shelia understand that the evil man once called Asa, was now anonymous and they would not recognize him, even if he were amongst them. Honey rubbed his arm.

“Come on and tell us the rest.”

     Jacks smiled at her hoping she was forgetting to be upset for him not telling her earlier.

“Okay, I was telling you all that while in New York, Sang-Mi insisted that I stay with her so we could catch up and she had my room ready for me. It was late when I got there so we did not get a chance to visit until the next morning. After she made me my very favorite breakfast, she asked me many questions about our imprisonment and escape. I thanked her for her help and tried to get her to tell me how we could have been invisible like we were, but she only said to thank God and to remember the miracles Jesus preformed when he was on Earth as man. I told her that I did not know she knew anything about the Bible. She answered that if one has to tell another that one is a Christian, then one might not be living, as a Christian should.  She asked me if I had learned anything from the years I had known her.”

“Well?”

     Sheila said when Jacks paused.

     Jacks had a sad look come over his face as he remembered this part of his life. When he was a teen, doing
foolish things and how Sang-Mi caught him while trying to leave her restaurant with friends without paying
. He was the only one she did catch and his life changed because of her. At seventeen, she instilled in him a desire to do better, to set goals, and to get an education beyond high school.

“She taught me not to steal, cheat and lie….she taught me love, for she was the first adult I ever knew who showed me love. She taught me to respect the Earth and all of its inhabitants, to help people, children especially, who could not help themselves.”

     He smiled.

“She taught me much more. Then she told me a story. It was a story about a wolf that found a baby fox in the woods and took him to nurse. The baby fox only knew that the wolf was kind, feeding him and keeping him warm. The wolf knew the Fox could not understand her, but by her actions, she taught the fox love. She also taught him how to survive. Though the wolf knew that the fox would grow up someday and go off on his own, she also knew that he would take what he had learned from her to his own kind. In time he would learn much more but she had given him a good start.”

     Jacks stood as he finished.