Chapters (51)
- Cover
- Books by Elizabeth Camden
- Title Page
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Historical Note
- Questions for Discussion
- In 2020, look forCaroline Delacroix’sstory in
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
Gray nodded, looking around the miserable cell, noting that it wasn’t quite so barren as the last time he was here. A jug of water rested on a crate that doubled as a table. Luke had writing implements and a few books. The book that had been lying on his chest when Gray entered still rested on the cot. He tilted it to see the spine and raised a curious brow.
“A Bible?”
Luke shrugged. “I’m working on saving my soul. Heaven knows I’ve got the time. I’ve read it three times since I’ve been in here. Go on—open it to any page and test me.”
Gray hadn’t come all this way to discuss the Bible with Luke. He needed answers, and their hour was getting short. He wished the light in the cell were better. He needed to scrutinize Luke’s reaction carefully.
“An odd rumor found its way to me. Something about you getting a diploma from the Naval Academy a while back.”
Luke froze, but there was no change of expression on his face. “Where did you hear that?”
“Around.”
“Philip?”
Gray shook his head. “Philip denied it. Caroline stormed his office and gave him the third degree. She probably terrified him out of his skin—you know how she can be when she’s on the warpath—but he claimed not to know anything about it.”
“What about Caroline?”
“She thinks it’s just a stupid rumor. She’s convinced you would never keep a secret like that from her.”
“You should listen to Caroline.”
Luke still hadn’t denied it. The rain had stopped, and it was getting hot again. Gray hadn’t traveled more than a thousand miles to let Luke dance around the issue.
“I want the truth,” he said earnestly. “None of this has smelled right from the day I learned you were arrested.”
“Gray, thanks for coming down here, but don’t push this, okay? I know what I’m doing.”
“Then tell me.”
“No. And get Caroline to back off as well. Tell her to leave Philip alone. He doesn’t know anything. I don’t have a degree from the Naval Academy or anywhere else. Even if I did, what does it matter? I was caught spying, and I’m guilty.”
A gnat swirled in the air, and Gray batted it away but didn’t break eye contact with Luke. “What does the Bible have to say about lying?”