Her I am. Send me.--Chapter Sixteen

Evelyn and Chris interview a member of the church to find out more about Josey and Leyla.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Claire Wilkins' home was one of the few remaining in Davidson County for which the directions still included the phrase 'and turn off the paved road'. It was an old, double-wide prefabricated home. The trailer itself was well-maintained and included a wooden front porch and a stick-built addition onto the back. There was a chicken coop in the yard behind, with a wire fence surrounding several hens. A rooster, perched on top of a corner post, screeched at Evelyn and Chris's arrival.

Chris parked the company car and, before he and Evelyn were fully out, a woman of about fifty was standing on the front porch, partially supporting her ample weight with a metal cane.

"You must be the preacher that Courtney said would be stopping by!" The older woman wore her extra pounds well.

A dog started yipping from inside the trailer, and she turned and screamed over her shoulder. "Pipe down, Brutus!" The Chihuahua trotted out onto the porch, quivering with excitement, and continued to bark. Claire scolded the dog as she leaned over and scooped it up. "It's not enough for you to trip me up and sprain my ankle. Now, you've got to go on and be impolite to our guests. Now hush." With a bowling motion, she smoothly deposited the dog back inside.

Chris had now made it to the bottom of the steps. "Mrs. Wilkins, I'm Chris Leighton..."

Claire's smile was broad. "Now, I'm not nearly old enough to be Mrs. Wilkins! Just call me Claire."

Chris smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I'm the chaplain for the Partner-in-Care program that works with the Metro Police Department. And this is Evelyn Dunham, who is a co-responder with the program."

The older woman took Evelyn's hand. "Co-responder?" Claire held Evelyn's fingers as she awaited an answer. Evelyn gave a gentle tug, but the grip held firm. The hand was being held hostage.

"I'm a licensed clinical social worker. I ride along with police officers and assist in de-escalating crisis situations."

Claire's smile redoubled. "I'm always pleased to meet a fellow medical professional." She finally let go.

Evelyn settled into banalities. "What's your field?"

"I'm a certified nurse-midwife."

"Where did you study?"

"TSU. Here in town. But enough about me. Don't you two just make a lovely couple! Come on in. People don't stop by to visit like they used to. Young people don't even talk on the phone anymore. It's text this and text that. The social graces are just being lost in today's youth-- present company excepted, of course. Because here you are."

As they entered, Evelyn waited for Chris's correction of Claire's assumption that they were a couple. It didn't come. The inside of the trailer was worn but clean and well-maintained. There was a television in the corner of the small living room, which was connected by wire to an adjustable aerial mounted on the wall. The grainy image showed that a soap opera was playing with the sound muted.

Chris continued. "We were hoping that we could ask you a few questions."

Evelyn was still wondering why he had let the couple statement pass. Should she bring it up?

Claire was still bubbling over with excitement. "Do you mind if we pray first? With this ankle, I missed service last night. There's nothing I love better than praying with my brothers and sisters in Christ."

Chris smiled. "I'll never turn down a chance for prayer."

As the door shut behind her, Evelyn felt like a trapped animal. She had never been involved in a prayer before, and the only time they ever showed anyone praying on television was when they were in danger or wanted something. Just praying for the sake of praying was a new concept.

It worsened. Chris and Claire stood side by side. He joined his left hand with her right, and they both extended their free hands toward Evelyn. She saw no choice and joined the small circle.

Claire started. "Father, thank you so much for these visitors, Pastor Chris and Evelyn. They've come here asking for my help. Please give me the knowledge that they seek so that they may help Rachel's family and especially that beautiful little girl. In your Son's name we pray."

Evelyn thought that would end it, but then Cris started. "Heavenly Father, thank you for this welcoming and gracious sister in Christ. We ask for your wisdom in discerning what is best for Leyla and her family. And we ask for your guidance in keeping us always on the path that You have laid out for us. Keep us in Your will. Always."

And then he stopped. Evelyn peeked out from behind her eyelids and saw that both Claire and Christ remained motionless with their eyes shut. Waiting for something... waiting for HER! She felt the beginning of an anxiety attack coming on when Chris finished. "As always, we pray in Jesus Christ's name. Amen."

Claire responded, "Amen!"

Evelyn managed to mumble something as everyone released each other's hands.

"Can I offer you two some coffee or tea?"

Evelyn was about to reply in the negative when Chris chirped. "Coffee would be great."

Claire turned to Evelyn, "And you, dear?"

Evelyn was at a loss again. Maybe this was some church thing? Breaking bread, maybe? She managed to smile. "Coffee would be great. If it's not too much bother."

Claire gestured at a small table with four mismatched chairs around it. "Have a seat. It's no bother at all." She continued to talk as she limped her way into the tiny kitchen. "Courtney gave me one of these Keurig things for Christmas. I pop in a couple of pods and press a couple of buttons and bam! Coffee! And not like that old instant stuff we used to drink. Will wonders never cease. Cream? Sugar?"

Chris answered first. "Just sugar for me, please."

Evelyn followed. "I take just creamer."

The older woman chortled. "Opposites attract."

This time, Evelyn had to say something, but Chris beat her to it. "We're co-workers. Not... together."

There. Now that it was said. Evelyn glanced over at Chris and wondered why she was disappointed.

Claire returned without her cane and placed two cups down on the table. As she stepped back behind the counter to make her own cup and retrieve the freestanding cane, Evelyn looked down at the permanent brown stains on the inside of the mug she had been given. She glanced at Chris' cup just as he glanced at hers. Their eyes met for a second, he gave the tiniest shrug and then took a sip. She grimaced slightly and followed suit. She would check to make sure that all her shots were up to date later.

The dog was at the far end of the living room, shaking and, judging by the smell, urinating on the wall-to-wall carpeting. But at least it wasn't barking.

Claire was unaffected by the smell and smiled at Evelyn. "Courtney tells me that you're with the police."

Evelyn tried not to think about the stains on the cup as she took another sip and answered. "As Chris... Pastor Chris said, we work with the Metro Police Department as part of the Partner-in-Care program."

"That sounds exciting."

A mental image of Josey's knife heading toward Leyla's throat filled Evelyn's mind, she shucked it away. "We prefer it not to be so exciting."

"You help the police put criminals in prison."

Evelyn recognized the first step toward a political discussion and sidestepped. "We help the police. Yes."

"That's nice. They need all the help they can get. It's a dangerous job." Claire either didn't notice the sidestep or chose to ignore it.

"Yes, ma'am. I don't know if Courtney told you, but we're doing a wellness follow-up on Leyla Marshall."

Claire shook her head. "That poor child. She's been through so much recently. How is she doing? The church was gathering together to pray for her last night. Like I said, I couldn't make it, but I was here, praying my lungs out."

Chris leaned forward. "Praying just for Leyla?"

The woman quieted and stared into her coffee. "The church would pray for Rachel and Cal, as well. And I prayed for Josey."

"Only you would pray for Josey?"

"Rachel and Courtney don't care much for the poor thing."

"They don't seem to like each other much, either."

Another pause as Claire gathered her thoughts. "I've known Rachel all my life. We grew up together in the church. I guess that you could say that she's my best friend. But she is an acquired taste."

"How many people acquire that taste?"

Claire laughed softly. "Not many. Probably just me. But she's mellowed a little with age."

Evelyn couldn't help herself, and a small laugh escaped her lips. "I'm sorry."

"No need to be. I know Rachel is a bit much. When we were young, she was quite full of herself. She was a very pretty girl, and the boys always hung around her until she drove them away. She was judgmental, harsh, and frequently cruel. If someone was sick or going through a bad time, she would say that it was because they were a sinner. And then lecture them about being more like her. She sat through a lot of sermons but didn't listen too closely, if you get my drift."

Chris nodded. Evelyn didn't have a clue.

"Then, when we graduated from high school, Rachel decided that she wanted to get married so she could move out of her parents' house and have a family of her own."

Evelyn couldn't help herself. "I don't mean to be rude, but how did she find someone who wanted to marry her?"

"That did pare down her options. And I would like to say that her marriage was God's Will. But I don't think it was. None of the boys from the church would even talk to her, all those bridges had been burned. She finally found an unchurched boy who wanted from her what she wouldn't give without a wedding ring. He wanted it badly enough that he walked her down the aisle. It was about two years later, right after Cal was born, that her husband left.

"At first, she refused to grant him a divorce. What would people think? But he threatened to challenge her custody. As her friend, I told her that she would have trouble with character witnesses. She signed the papers and became a divorc/span>e. It crushed her.

"That was when she had her wild period." Claire stopped talking and sipped from her cup. She was waiting for one of them to give her the cue.

Chris bit. "Her wild period?"

Now that Claire was officially cajoled into sharing a little well-intentioned gossip about her best friend, she launched in. "She fell in with her ex-husband's old friends. I think, at first, it was more to try to separate him from them as punishment for the divorce. But then, she left Cal with her parents and took off. Her mother was mortified. For that matter, so was I.

"We didn't hear from her for years. There was no telling what she got into. There were rumors that she had fallen in with criminals. You know how the gossipy old biddies of a church can be."

Claire looked back and forth between her two guests and then continued. "Just so you know, I realize that I'm accusing someone else of being a gossipy old biddy while I'm sitting here gossiping my fool head off. I may be a hypocrite, but at least I own it." She smiled at what she considered a joke.

The story continued. "Cal was raised by his grandparents. Then, one Sunday morning when Cal was a freshman in high school, Rachel showed up at the church and asked both God's and our forgiveness. You know that our Lord's capacity for forgiveness is infinite. Ours, of course, was a little slower in coming. Except for Cal. The boy had always felt that he was the reason his mother had left and he was determined to earn her love. They were inseparable until he met Josey."

"How well do you know Josey?"

"Pretty well. I spend a lot of time at Rachel's house, and Cal, I think, sees me as something of an aunt. He introduced me to her when they first started dating. He brought her here a few times for dinner or just to talk. When they got married, I'm fairly sure that I knew about it before Rachel did."

"What was Josey like when you first met her?"

"She was very quiet and polite. She was still taking her medication then..."

Evelyn took over. "Her medication?"

"She was taking some kind of pills. Rachel used to call her a 'snowflake' because she went to a psychiatrist."

"Do you know what type of pills she was taking?"

"I don't have a clue. I just know that either Rachel wore her down or their insurance wouldn't cover it, and she quit taking them."

"How long ago was that?"

"About a year, I guess."

"So, you said that she was quiet and polite when you first knew her. How about after she quit taking her meds? Did you notice any change?"

Claire nodded. "Where she had been quiet before, she was absolutely withdrawn. She also seemed edgy. The only people she would speak with were Cal and Leyla. And when Cal started getting longer hauls in the truck, it was just Leyla."

"But she had Rachel to talk with, right?"

"You don't talk to Rachel. Rachel talks to you." She smiled.

Chris jumped in. "Was there anyone at church that she seemed close with or spoke with?"

"No. No one. Courtney used to try to spend time with her and even had her over to her place a few times. But she told me that Josey would get frustrated and angry. She was afraid a couple of times that Josey would attack her."

Evelyn picked back up. "Did you ever see Josey act aggressively like that?"

"Me? No. She just seemed so very alone."

"What about Leyla? What is she like?"

"She's quiet, too, but not like her mother. Leyla seems comfortable in her solitude. She seems to prefer it. Which is good, I guess, since she's the only child her age in the church."

Chris kept on his theme. "Was there anyone in the church outside of her family toward whom Leyla gravitated?"

"Courtney is her Sunday school teacher. She spends more time with Leyla than anyone else."

"A Sunday school class of one?" Evelyn asked.

"Raising our children with a saving knowledge of God's Word is priority number one. Don't you agree, Pastor?"

He smiled. "I agree."

Evelyn now got to the main question. "In the last few weeks or months, have you noticed any changes in the way Josey treated Leyla?"

Claire's expression grew pensive. "She's been very defensive of the little girl. She would sit in on the Sunday school lessons and keep her away from me and the other members of the church. I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't have brought Leyla to church at all if Rachel didn't make her."

"But nothing aggressive? Nothing that made you take notice or worry?"

Claire shook her head. "No. Pretty much the opposite. Like I said, Josey was very protective of Leyla. When we had group prayers, I could see tears streaming down Josey's cheeks when she prayed for her daughter.

Evelyn stood. "Thank you. We appreciate you taking your time with us."

Chris also rose. "One last question, which might be a little personal."

Claire remained seated. "Go ahead. I can always not answer it."

"I would imagine that a certified nurse would make enough money to live in a more... solid home

"You would imagine wrong." She spoke with a twinkle in her eye, indicating that her words weren't meant to be harsh. "It's tough to make ends meet on a single income. God has always provided what I need. He keeps a roof over my head and food on the table."

Evelyn was edging toward the door. "Again, thank you."

Claire remained seated. "I would show you to the door, but it's right there. And I can feel my ankle beginning to swell. I'd better stay off it."

Chris followed Evelyn. "We can see ourselves out."

Brutus disagreed and leapt to his feet, barking and nipping at their heels as they left.