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He shook his head and headed into the back rooms. Kevin was a nice kid. Smart as a whip when it came to genus and species. Even had a knack for technology. His lack of common sense irked Malachi.
Nothing. The rooms were all empty save the musty smell he imagined came from the bear cubs. A park map was pinned to one wall though. He strolled over to it. Something shiny on the windowsill caught his eye, and he reached for it and ran his fingers over the smooth, cool surface of the jasper stone. It dangled from a cord. Familiar. A flash hit him of his mother sitting on a cot in the women’s shelter, running her fingers over a similar gem. She’d told him his father had given it to her because she was his favorite wife. Second in command. His other wives were only identified from their simple gold rings. Pushing the memory aside, he refocused on the map. An area outside of the park boundaries—near where the bear-cub exchange had taken place—was circled. That was probably why it was circled, but it couldn’t hurt to look into it further. He pulled out the thumbtacks holding it to the logs and a slip of paper fell to the floor.
From mountain heights to shadows deep, your strength is found in what you keep. Uncover the roots of the past for in them your future is cast.
She’d meant for him to find the note and the stone. What little doubt he’d had dissipated in an instant. Becky Groves was his biological mother. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. Why the cryptic message? She’d been in his office days earlier. Why not open up then? Forcing his tight jaw to loosen, he considered his next steps. He owed her nothing. But the fear in her eyes and those shaking hands hadn’t been for show. Regardless of what she’d done to him, she was a vulnerable woman in a bad situation. And he wasn’t sure he could turn his back on her.
Kevin knocked on the door frame. “You all right in here?”
“Just peachy.” He unclenched his fist and stuffed the stone into his pocket as he turned to face his coworker. “Call in the cleaning crew, will you? They left this place smelling like a zoo.”
The young park ranger tapped his hat. “Sure thing.”
Cate arrived home and stopped by her landlady’s place to pick up her cat before going inside. She rented an apartment above Maggie’s garage. At her knock, Maggie smiled and ushered her into the house.
“I’ll make some tea.”
“That’d be lovely.” Cate bent and picked up Penny. The calico purred in welcome and nuzzled her chin. She smiled against her soft fur. A few seconds passed before the cat jumped down to investigate her food bowl.
Cate waited in the doorway between the dining room and kitchen. “Aren’t you supposed to be retired?” She gestured to the dining table strewn with worn textbooks along with a few true crime novels.
“I am, but I was invited to guest lecture. The new religion professor is going to be out of town for a few weeks.”
“Do you use the true-crime stories in your classes?”
“I do, yes. Reading a few passages from one of those captivates young minds more than the sterile writing in their textbooks.”
“Maybe I’ll sit in. Heard the new guy is an atheist.”
“That he is. Which gives me the opportunity to encourage his students to think for themselves. Investigate and form their own conclusions.”
“Hope you have success.” She pulled out a kitchen chair and sat.
“You look troubled, hon.”
“We placed a bear cub with an adoptive mother this morning. Her own mom was killed by poachers a few days back.”
“It’s wonderful that you were able to place her, so why are you so glum?”
“I’ll sound like a lovesick teenager if I tell you.”
“You met someone?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” Penny leapt into her lap, and she stroked her soft fur. “He’s great, but he lives a couple of hours from here, so nothing can come of it.”
“Don’t be so sure about that.” Maggie poured the tea and set out a jar of local honey along with a teaspoon. “God has a way of working things out.”
“I suppose you’re right. My faith is on shaky ground lately.”
“I’ve had seasons in my life when I placed my hope in worldly things, but even when I got what I wanted it never gave me any satisfaction. Only God can make sense of our troubles. We must focus on spiritual things rather than carnal.” Maggie made eye contact as she added honey to her mug. “You need to spend time with God if you want to mend your relationship with Him.”
She stared at the liquid swirling in her mug as she stirred it. “It’s not as if I stopped believing.”
“Come to services with me Sunday morning.”
Cate lifted the stoneware mug and took a tiny sip of her tea, testing the temperature. Too hot. She knew she should be attending a local church, but she hadn’t since she’d started school. It was far easier to forgive others than it was to forgive herself. Mistakes she made in the past cost her friends dearly, and it was hard to put them behind her.
Chapter Thirteen
