Mother Mary

"Are you going to take me to the fair today?" Mary asked taking a drink of her tea.

James turned back to her and smiled. "Is that what you want to do?"

Mary nodded.

"I guess so."

Mary smiled again. Under the table, James felt her bare foot rub the inside of his lower leg. She was dressed in a white tank top, blue jean shorts, and sandals. She had slipped the sandal off before rubbing his leg with her foot.

"Eating a little late aren't we?" a voice said. James and Mary turned to see Hannam standing next to the table.

"Good afternoon Reverend," Mary said, never taking her foot off his leg. Instead, she moved it closer to his crotch.

"Yeah," James said, his voice nearly cracking. "Miss Mary was just showing me the wonderful sights of Redemption."

"Yes," Hannam said looking to Mary. "I sure hope it's all public sights."

"Of course," Mary said. "You know me Reverend."

"Yes, but him, I'm not so sure of," Hannam said never looking at James.

James struggled to keep his mouth shut.

"Oh Reverend," she said looking at James. "He's quite harmless."

"Yes, well," Hannam finally turned to James. "Afternoon."

"Morning and night too," James said raising his eyebrows and smiling at Hannam.

Hannam puffed out his chest before turning away. They both watched Hannam leave the restaurant before laughing.

"What a fucking asshole," James said before taking a bite of his cheese burger.

"I agree," Mary said before taking her own bite. James looked her in the eye for a moment.

If I had only met this girl seven years earlier, he thought. He could see a life with this woman. If his situation was only a little different. Like unmarried.

15

Next to the Redemption city park was a large empty field. That was where the fair was set up. Half the field was devoted to the rides, and the other half was lined with food stands and games. James and Mary had already had their share of the rides, now it was time for James to win his "date" a stuffed animal and get an elephant ear, and a lemon shake-up sure would hit the spot too.

They walked along the food stands, careful not to put their arms around each other, or let there hands touch more then a mere pass, which they did often, so's not to rouse the suspicion of the people of Redemption. Sure they were doing exactly what everyone would think they were doing if they walked hand in hand, but James felt more comfortable to let them think and not truly know. It was the best bit of chivalry he could do for her.

"Dane," he heard a familiar voice call.

James and Mary stopped and turned around to see Garret walking along with a rather large woman with greying curly black hair.

"Hello Garret," James said with a smile. It was nice to see a friendly face.

Garret and the woman crossed to them, Garret was empty handed, and the woman had a shish-k-bob in one hand and a large cup of pop in the other.

"Hello Mrs. Martin," Mary said with a smile.

"Hello Mary dear," Mrs. Martin said with a large smile of her own. "Who is this?" she asked her husband.

"This is Mr. Cole dear," Garret said. "He's the man whose truck I am working on."

"Oh," Mrs. Martin said. "Well, it's nice to meet you Mr. Cole."

"Please, just call me Dane," James said with a smile.

Mrs. Martin turned to Mary. "And what are you doing Mary?"

"Showing Dane around."

"Yes," James interrupted. "She is quiet the ambassador for Redemption."

"Yes well..." Mrs. Martin started, but Garret broke her next words off. He knew she was about to sprout off about the sins of the flesh or some other sermon. He didn't feel like hearing any of that tonight.

"I will have that radiator put in early tomorrow morning Dane," he said. "Your truck should be back on the road by ten."

James gave a laugh. "Not only did I meet Redemptions greatest tour guide, but I also Redemptions miracle man."

The four laughed, Mrs. Martin's was the shortest.

"Yes," Garret said. "We should let these youngsters be on their way." Garret took his wife gently by the arm and started to pull her away. "Good evening Dane, Mary."

"Good evening," James said as Garret and the missus walked away. James looked to Mary. "Now shall I win you that teddy bear I promised you?"

Mary smiled. "After you Mr. Cole."

James gave her a crooked smile before leading her away.

16

The park had one feature that attracted the romantic in everyone, a pond. The pond was surrounded by a wooden walkway lined with white Christmas lights wrapped around the railing facing the water, and on all four points of the compass sat a pavilion with picnic tables set up. It was the perfect family setting by day, and the perfect romance movie scene at night.

James and Mary made their way down the walkway, at Mary's suggestion, alone for the first time since leaving the hotel. They took advantage of the moment and held each other in their walk. James had his arm around her waist, and Mary rested her head against his shoulder, holding the pink stuffed teddy bear James had won her close to her chest.

When they reached the pavilion on the north side of the pond, and furthest from the fair, Mary led James to the picnic table. They sat down and looked out on the water. The Christmas lights threw diamond sparkles on the still surface of the water. It was perfect.

"So," Mary started, breaking the silence. "I guess you're leaving tomorrow."

James could hear the disappointment in her voice. It upset him more then anything, but he couldn't let her know that. "You knew I was leaving tomorrow from the beginning," he said, trying his best to put an edge of tenderness in his voice.

"I know," she said giving a small fake laugh. "But the past two days have just gone by too fast."

"Yeah," he said. The tenderness in his voice must have worked on her, but not for him. He stood up and walked away from Mary and leaned over the railing looking out on the water. Anger filled him and he knew why, he just didn't want to face that fact.

He was falling for this woman.

"What's wrong Dane?" she asked from the picnic table.

James turned around and leaned back on the railing. He shook his head. "Me," he said. "I'm a fucking ass."

"Don't say that," Mary said standing up. She set the teddy bear on the table and crossed to him. "You are a sweet man," she said when she reached him.

"No I'm not," he said stepping away from the railing. He felt he had to be away from her a moment. "I'm a married man, and here I am with you. Nearly forgetting about my wife and kids completely."

"The Lord does work in mysterious ways Dane," she said. James nearly lost it. "There's a reason you're here in Redemption, there's a reason you and I met, there's a reason why we have what we have together."

James did laugh. "Maybe, but it's not the reason you think."

"What do you mean?" Mary asked.

James looked at her before he stepped closer to her. He put his hand gently on her cheek, a tear spilled over her eye lid and James wiped it away. "I wish I could tell you Mary, I really do. But I can't."

Mary nodded and looked down. "I understand," she said sadly. "We all have our own little secrets I guess."

"I'm sorry," James said softly.

Mary looked up at him and smiled. More tears had fallen now. "I understand Dane," she said and sniffled. "Can we just act like this conversation didn't happen and have a good last night together?"

"I would like that," James said and kissed her. The kiss started out soft and tender, but Mary had soon turned it into something more passionate.

James took Mary under the arms and lifted her onto the railing. He kissed her a little longer, before working his way down her chin to her throat. When he reached her chest, he planted kisses on the top of her shirt where he thought her nipples were hidden underneath, he felt them harden under his lips. He worked his way down the belly to her waist.

When he reach the button of her shorts, he took a quick look around. Not a soul in sight. He quickly unbuttoned her shorts and kissed the skin under it. He worked the zipper down, letting his tongue run down over her panties. With her shorts undone, he lifted her slightly and pulled her shorts and panties down over her hips and buried his face between her legs.

Mary took a deep breath as James lips touched her bare skin. She reached down and ran her fingers through his hair as he went about his work.

Mary had orgasmed there on the railing shortly after, then the two made their way back to the hotel for their last night together.

17

James awoke the next morning in the hotel bed alone. For a moment sadness gripped him, then relief. It was better this way. No complications in his leaving. If Mary had been there when he woke up, who knows what would've happened.

He couldn't help but wonder. If she had still been there, naked and cuddled up to him, there was the possibility that he would have stayed, or even taken her with him the opposite way he needed to go. Then where would that leave Joy and the girls?

Dead. That's where.

James sat up and saw the note on Mary's pillow. He picked it up and unfolded the paper.

Dane,

I felt that maybe it would be better if I not be there when you woke up this morning. I knew that we would only be together a few days, so I guess there is no one to blame but myself. You're a great guy and I hope you and your wife live a long and happy life together. And I hope this don't cause problems, but I think I was starting to fall in love with you, so it's best you go without seeing me again.

Love,

Mary

James read over the note three times, a grin on his face. It felt good to know that he wasn't the only one feeling the way he did, but it didn't make things any easier. As much as he hated to, he ripped the note into tiny squares and tossed them into the trash before heading to the bathroom for the last shower he would take in Redemption.

18

It was noon when James reached Garret's. The garage doors were open, and the place looked ready for business, but when James went in and looked around, there was no sign of Garret anywhere.

"Garret," he yelled as he walked around the garage, looking in every corner and opening every door. After a ten minute search, James gave up. He went in and went through some papers at the front desk. There was no bill on the Expedition. "Fuck," he said.

He took a piece of paper and an envelope. He wrote Garret a short note telling him thanks for fixing the Expedition and that he didn't know how much was owed. He put ten one hundred dollar bills in the envelope and closed it. He set the envelope on the cash register and went back to the garage.

James took one more quick look around. Still no sign of Garret. James climbed behind the wheel of the Expedition to find the keys in the ignition. He grasped the keys and turned it.

The engine roared to life.

"Thank you Garret," James smiled. He threw the Expedition into drive and pulled out of the garage. Once on the road again, he called Enrique to assure him that he was on his way and would be at the meeting place in two days.

Things were starting to once again look better for him. Thank God.

19

James had nearly reached the west end of town. He could see the city limits just ahead. And it actually felt good to be nearly out of this town. Sure meeting Mary had been great, and Garret had been nice, but the rest of the town looked at him like he was the devil.

He passed the city limits sign and left Redemption behind him. Ahead, he could see three crosses sitting on the side of the road. As he got closer, there seemed to be something on the center

cross. He figured it was some sort of statue or maybe a dummy. After all this was the bible belt.

Just before he reached the crosses, he saw the red cap that Garret was always wearing. James slowed and saw that it was indeed just as he feared. It was Garret hanging on the cross. The coveralls and his face were covered in blood.

James slammed on the brakes and skidded into the ditch. He eased the Expedition forward so he could stand on the hood. He quickly jumped out and climbed onto the hood. He was nearly eye to eye with Garret.

James grabbed both sides of Garret's head and lifted it. His face was bruised and bloodied, most of the blood had already dried. Fresh blood spurted from a long slit in his throat.

"No Garret," James said. "Wake up."

He was too late. Garret was dead. Who would do this? Why would some one do this? Garret was a good man, and didn't deserve this. James lowered his head. The only other time in his life he had felt this helpless was that day in court two months ago. As he lowered his head, his eyes caught sight of something he hadn't noticed at first. His mind had been too focused on Garret to really register anything else.

There was a large bag hanging from Garret's neck, and James knew the bag the moment he saw it. It was the bag that held the 5 million dollars.

James stared at it, stunned for a moment. He then took the bag from Garret and jumped off the hood. He was scared to open it. It was too light in his hands to still have the money.

James walked to the back of the Expedition. He grabbed the door handle and took a deep breath before opening the back. The tarp was still there, but it looked a lot different. He grabbed the tarp and held it for a moment, scared to lift it. He lifted the tarp and glanced under it, then he pulled the tarp violently out of the Expedition.

Nothing.

"No," James whispered. He had been so glad to be done here, he didn't even think about looking to see if everything was where it should have been.

Had Enrique come here? Did he do this to Garret? If he had, where was Joy and the girls? Why hadn't he said something on the phone earlier?

The bag. The answer had to be in the bag. Why else would it be around Garret's neck?

James grabbed the zipper on the bag and unzipped it. Just as he had suspected, the money was gone, but the bag wasn't empty.

He pulled the pink teddy bear out and held it up.

"You fucking bitch," James said through clenched teeth.

Maybe he wasn't done in Redemption like he had hoped.

20

The Expedition came to a stop, the front tire jumping onto the curb, in front of Mary's two story home. James opened the door and climbed out, leaving the engine running. He stood on the sidewalk looking at the house. This woman had told him she loved him, kept him company, and slept with him for the past two nights. This woman had been something special in his life, but she had also killed Garret. He had a feeling things were about to get real ugly.

James reached into his pocket and pulled the cell phone out. Without looking away from the house, he dialed the number only a few people knew. There were two rings before a female voice filled his ears.

"Edward Anderson's office," the woman said. "How can I help you?"

"Hello Lois," James said. "I need to speak with Edward."

There was a silent moment. "Right away Mr. Whitten," she finally said before the line went silent.

James didn't move.

After a long wait, there was a click on the phone.

"Where are you James?" Edward said. James now started for the door.

"I'm not going to tell you Edward," James said. "Because I already know you're tracing this call."

"Then why did you call James?"

"Because there's about to be some shooting in this small town," James said. "You have about thirty seconds before it starts. So you better hurry, I know the election's coming up and you are so close to getting that head position. But let's see how the public likes knowing that you knew about this before it happened and could've stopped it."

"James, what ever you are about to do, please don't. We can work this out."

"No we can't. Goodbye you piece of shit."

James pulled the phone from his ear and dropped it into the flowers that lined the walkway to the house. He climbed the steps and stood on the porch a moment before trying the door knob. The knob didn't budge.

Locked.

James took a step back and kicked the door open. The door shot back and bounced off the wall. James stepped in the house before the door could shut. He pushed the door and saw a woman in white robes standing in the foyer of the house. The woman stood stiffly, scared of him.

"Where's Mary," James barked at the woman.

The woman turned and started to run from him. Enraged, James grabbed the woman by the neck of her robe and pulled her back. The woman fell backwards, turning as she went. The wall by the door stopped her. There was a loud thud as she hit face first and fell to the floor, a spot of blood

on the wall where her face had hit.

James looked at the woman a moment before he heard voices in the next room. James pulled a pistol from the waist of his jeans and held it at ready as he stepped around the nearest corner. He was now facing a living room full of women in white robes, all facing the opposite direction from him. There was a woman in a black robe standing before the other women. To the left of the woman in black's was a blanket draped over something, and on her right was the Reverend Hannam tied naked to a table top.

"Stop," James yelled.

All the women turned to James.

James aimed the gun at the woman in black. He had no idea what was going on here, but he wasn't about to let Hannam meet the same fate a Garret, no matter how much he didn't like the man. Plus there was the matter of the money and cocaine. James looked over the white robed women. He saw Mrs. Martin, Ms. Wetherby, and a few other faces he passed by every day he and Mary were out walking. No Mary.

The woman in the black robe pulled the hood down. It was Mary.

"There," Mary said pointing to James. "Not only does man use God as his authority, but he also uses weapons, because he knows woman is more powerful then he."

"Look Mary," James said. "I really don't give two shits about what's going on here. I just want what you have taken from me."

Mary smiled. That smile had melted him before, but not now. Mary grabbed the blanket and pulled it back. There was the cocaine and the money, stacked neatly on a table. "Is this what you want?"

James took a step in. "You bet your sweet ass it is."

"Such vulgarity," Mary said. She pulled a lighter from her robe and lit it. "How about you clean up your mouth and I'll think about it."

"Look," James said taking another step in. "I don't have the time to fuck with you."

James didn't see the woman behind him until it was too late. Bright light and pain shot through his head. James fell forward, the pistol shot from his hand and skidded across the floor.

Before he could turn himself over, something hard hit him in the ribs.

"No body threatens Mother Mary," A woman standing over him said before kicking him in the face. James collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily.

James looked up at the woman that had just kicked him, wincing at the pain that filled his body. Mary walked up to the woman and put an arm around her.

"That's enough Julie," Mary said and kissed the girl on the lips. Mary then knelt beside him. "Sorry, but my wife gets jealous easily."

"Your wife?" James choked.

"I know the past two days have been hard on her," Mary said ignoring James's question. "But she's been a real trooper."

"You fucking bitch."

Julie kicked James in the stomach.

"You shouldn't insult me James," Mary said.

James froze. He had never told Mary his real name. He looked up at her wide eyed.

"What, you think no one here watches the news," Mary said. "After seeing the news report on you Sunday night, I did a little research on the internet and learned quite a bit about you."

Mary ran a finger down the side of his face before standing.

"We're not just a bunch of Hilljacks down here you know."

Mary walked away, Julie close at her heels. James watched them walk to the front of the room. Against the wall, eight feet away, his pistol rested.