“Well, then I have to say that maybe there is a small—” she held up her thumb and forefinger, very close together—“very small chance for Beck. Cherry was certainly a surprise to me—I’ll give you that. He turned state’s evidence on the most vicious prison-slash-street gang there is, so unless he has a death wish . . .” She held her hands up. “You got me; he’s a true answer to prayer.”

“Miracles all around for you to admit that, I’d say.”

Tess laughed.

Oliver sipped his water and prayed, for Tess and Garrett and Janie and the children, that a solution and true healing would come to the situation.

16

Sunday service marked the first Sunday when all the extraneous equipment was gone from the church parking lot—the trailers and fifth wheels and everything else that had been staged there for the fire emergency. The baptisms that had been planned the day everything exploded had been rescheduled. It felt like a normal Sunday. But Oliver had a lot more on his mind than a truly normal Sunday, and it was hard to focus on one topic. He didn’t want to be random; he wanted to tie everything together.

He was proud and inspired at how the community had come together for the emergency, he was gratified for Don Cherry, and he was very happy to see Tess seated in the front row. It wasn’t the first time she’d been in church; she’d been attending regularly since the shoot-out. But Oliver had left dinner at her house knowing that he loved Tess. The knowledge had hit him like a thunderbolt when he’d kissed her good night. He hadn’t told her yet but knew that he would soon, and the anticipation was sweet.

The text he’d finally settled on for the message was in 1 Corinthians, and it dealt with the body of Christ working together in love. It applied to how the Hollow had come together, to his work and effort with a criminal like Don Cherry, and to how he felt about Tess. Last year had been so dark when he lost Anna. Now there was light in his world again.

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The routine of Sunday service had become welcome and comfortable to Tess. She’d come to know many in the congregation, and she enjoyed listening to Oliver. His voice sang more with his Scottish background when he preached than at any other time, and it was mesmerizing. She knew the first time she sat to listen that this was one reason why his church was so popular. The other was the way he made the Bible come alive. Tess had been away from the Bible for so long, it had taken time to learn her way around. Oliver always had them turning pages.