“On one hand, yes, it does. But on the other hand, I think if he did repent and change, like Cherry did, he could apologize to all the people he’s hurt, maybe heal some wounds, in a small way do some good. But he can never bring back the people whose deaths he caused. I guess I don’t want him escaping punishment.”

“I understand, but even if he truly did ask the Lord for forgiveness and change, it would not negate the consequences of his misspent life. He is looking at a long prison term, maybe a death sentence. There’s no such thing as a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

Tess grasped Oliver’s hand, realizing that as much as she struggled with men as evil as Beck being redeemable, it touched her deeply that Oliver believed it was possible.

“I love that about you, you know that?”

He smiled, brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “What’s that?”

“That you can look at what looks completely hopeless and see hope.”

“I can do that because I serve a big God, and with him there is always hope.”

“Yeah, Tami, Chevy, and Livie would testify to that. So I guess the police chief can come around in agreement.”

“Amen to that,” Oliver said and then leaned forward, this time pressing the kiss to her lips.

–––

Winter was coming, and the temperature reflected that fact. Normally, Tess didn’t mind the cold, but on this particular Sunday she was going to be baptized, so she whined a little about the cold.

“Ah, my tough friend,” Oliver teased, “the baptismal is heated. You won’t feel the cold.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Tess said.

She’d been baptized years ago, in her teens, before her father’s murder, but since Tess knew that she was rededicating her life, she wanted to be baptized again, and she loved the fact that Oliver would do the dunking.

He or one of the other pastors did baptisms every fourth Sunday, so Tess wouldn’t be the only person, but when she saw the list, she was pleasantly surprised.

“No kidding—Livie Harp and Chevy are also going to be baptized?”

“Yeah, and one other late arrival. Garrett Cooper added himself to the list this morning.”

“Oh, speaking of him, I talked to Win Yarrow about Garrett today.”

“Good news, I hope.”

“Yeah, fish and game isn’t going to charge him with any crime.”

“That’s nice of them.”

“Not really. There just isn’t any evidence. Blakely is dead; everything Garrett hid for him burned up.” She hiked a shoulder. “No evidence, no case. But I’ll tell you what is nice.”

“What?”

“Yarrow really surprised me. I always thought he was a jerk. But he did the nicest thing. He put Janie Cooper’s name in for the poacher reward money.”