AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll get straight on it,” Jackson responded. “Are you on your way to the station?”
“Yeah. I’ll pull over and take the photo. It’ll be about a half hour; I have to make a stop on the way,” Mitch said.
“See you soon,” Jackson responded.
Mitch ended the call as he pulled up in the church parking lot. He hadn’t grown up religious, despite living in Redwater all his life. His parents had gone to church, but they had never really been that devout. A few years ago, though, Mitch had gone to church one day to catch up with a local resident who was refusing to pay a thousand dollars for overdue parking tickets the local councilman had issued him. The councilman wanted Mitch to deal with it. He advised him it really wasn’t his job, but to help the man out, Mitch decided to have a little chat with the parking offender. The man was known for being prickly and didn’t like people on his property uninvited, especially the police, so Mitch had decided to catch him at church. That was Mitch’s first day at church—as an adult, at least. He hadn’t known what to expect, but he’d experienced a sense of peace unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He went every Sunday now, unless work meant he couldn’t.
This afternoon there would be no service, but Mitch walked through the arched doors regardless. Sitting in the pews cleared his mind and helped him think—and right now he needed a clear mind.
The pews were empty and the only sign that someone had been there recently was a flickering candle on the altar.
Mitch walked to the front and slid into one of the pews. He kneeled, bowing his head. He inhaled deeply, letting his racing mind quiet down.
Guide me, Lord.
Protect the citizens of Redwater.
Protect Zoe.
Ease Graham’s worried mind and heart.
Show me where to look, who to follow.
Amen.
His prayer was short and sweet—the only way he knew how to pray.
He sat back on the pew and closed his eyes, further calming his mind.
He heard footsteps behind him and recognized the old shuffle: the Redwater pastor—Pastor Martin.
“Ask God for what you need,” Martin said.
“What if you don’t know what you need?” Mitch asked sheepishly. He felt like he should know the answer to that question, but he didn’t.
The pastor searched his eyes. “How are you holding up? There’s lots of news around town.”
Mitch nodded. “It’s been a long few days. Lots of work to do, lots of questions to be asked and answered.”
“May I?” Pastor Martin asked, gesturing to the pew Mitch was sitting on.
“Sure,” he said, sliding across to make room for him.
“People often tell me they don’t know how to pray—they don’t know what to say to God,” Pastor Martin said. “I tell them what I’m about to tell you: Ask God. Ask Him to show you what you need. Ask Him to reveal the answers to you. Don’t beat around the bush. God loves it when we straight-out ask Him for what we need,” he said with a warm smile. “You’re a good man, Mitch. Your father protected this town, and he did it with integrity and honor. You’re following in his footsteps. Don’t be afraid. Ask God for what you need.”
Mitch inhaled deeply, feeling less alone—he didn’t have to fix every problem on his own.
“Thank you,” he said with a smile.
The pastor touched his shoulder. “Come and visit me any time you need a chat.” He stood and slid out of the pew, his signature shuffle becoming quieter the farther away he walked.
Mitch sighed, tilting his head back.
Help me find the killer, Lord.
Mitch smiled—it was the simplest prayer of his life.
He sat for a few more moments, basking in the quietness of the church.
