Riven - Jerry B. Jenkins [77]
“Yes, mine. In ten weeks and a day, but who’s counting?”
“And whom did you want to call? A family member?”
“My family abandoned me years ago. I want to call Chaplain Russ. Want him there when they string me up.”
“I can’t allow that, Deke. Sorry.”
“Why?”
“He’s retired; you know that. I asked him specifically if there were any loose ends, anything he needed to come back for, anything to finish up. He told me no, that he had promised his wife he was done and gone. He did say he would send you a note, remind you of a few things, tell you he’d be thinking about you.”
“On my special day?” the Deacon said with a smirk.
“I suppose that’s what he meant, yes.”
“So I got to be alone up there with just a screw and an executioner?”
“You’re permitted a spiritual counselor, but you’re aware of that, too.”
Henry Trenton looked away and shook his head. “You volunteering?”
It was the last thing Thomas cared to do. He did not know this man, didn’t like him, and didn’t need to be just a few feet from a hanging. “I’m willing,” he said.
“I’ll think about it,” Trenton said. “I don’t guess I want to be alone.”
“Can I ask you where you are spiritually, Deke?”
“That’s personal.”
“As you wish. You know I only care that you’re right with God. You wouldn’t want to face eternity apart from Him.”
“I’m sort of used to that by now.”
Thomas prayed silently for wisdom and the right words. “He hasn’t abandoned you, Deke. Not even in here.”
“Well, I’ve abandoned Him.”
“Have you? Someone told me they thought you were right with your Maker. I hope you are, and if you aren’t, I’d like to show you how you can be.”
“Do you know what I’m in here for, Chaplain?”
“I’ve seen your file.”
“I told you I murdered those kids so they wouldn’t rat me out. But most people think what I did to ’em before that was worse than killing them. Do you?”
Thomas hesitated but held the Deacon’s gaze. “I suppose I do.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“Tell me something. Why do people call you the Deacon?”
The old man shrugged. “I read the Bible. Pray. Talked to Russ a lot.”
“Ever share your faith with other guys? try to get them to become believers?”
“Nah. That’s rude. Anyway, I’m not sure what I believe.”
“You want to be sure?”
“I don’t know. I’m just tired. All I know is, I want to die, but I don’t want to die alone.”
Thomas sighed. “I can guarantee you won’t have to die alone, Deke. But I can also guarantee you’ll spend eternity with God if you want to.”
“I’ll think about it.”
27
Dennis Asphalt & Paving | Addison
The work crews were huddled in the outbuilding out of the rain as Brady sloshed past and mounted the steps of the double-wide into Alejandro’s cluttered office. The secretary was out, and Alejandro was on the phone, his back to the door. He spun and stared at Brady, holding up a finger as he finished his conversation. But the more Alejandro stared, the wider his eyes grew. Finally he covered the phone and said, “Grab a towel from the bathroom and get yourself dried off, man. You look like a drowned rat!”
Brady caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror as he toweled down. He ran both hands through his hair. What a mess. When he returned to sit across from Alejandro’s desk, the foreman hung up and smiled at him. “I don’t know where to start, dude. Did your brother love the play? Did you see the paper? No school today? What’re you doing here?”
“Yeah, he loved it. Did you?”
“’Course! And now you’re a star, a celebrity!”
“Thanks.”
“So, what are you doing here?”
“I quit school. I need to work full-time.”
“Quit? Why, muchacho? You don’t wanna do that! Best you can do around here is what you’re doing, and maybe drive truck now and then. But I don’t know how many more hours I can give you. Times are tough.”
“I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”
“What do you need money for?”
“A car. And to live. I don’t want to live at home any longer than I have to.”
“The guys who work here live together in that shack at the edge of the property. You don’t want to do that, do you?”
“I might.”
“You’d be the only gringo, but