LOVE LIKE HIS - Chapter 26 - THE HOT SEAT

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Gary and Ray are still waiting patiently inside the church building. They have hopes of speaking the pastor privately, but one last straggler is still hanging out in the narthex. Of the fifteen different ways to let someone know that you enjoyed their sermon, she apparently wants to share every last one of them with the pastor before departing.

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Finally, the elderly lady finishes shaking his hand and creeps toward the exit.

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The pastor has seen the pair waiting and is more than aware of the situation between Mr. Swier and Ray, but he has no clue about Cromwell.

“Would you like to step into my office for a moment?” Pastor Wilkins asks.

The pair follow the man down the hall and through a doorway at the end. Motioning for Ray to pass and grab a seat, Gary cautiously shuts the door behind him.

“Is this the Ray Overton that I have been hearing so much about for all these years?” the pastor asks.

“No! Umm… actually it is Ray Foster now, though all the police reports still show my given name,” Rays cuts in.

An awkward moment of silence creeps into the office before Gary shifts the conversation back into gear.

“Yeah, well, this is Ray anyway,” he states with a smile, and Pastor Wilkins shakes Ray’s hand.

“Why the change, Ray?” He attempts to break the ice a little more.

“Well,” Ray begins, “I did not really want to be associated with my old man anymore after all that happened and with the death of my mom. After the accident and sentencing, he pretty much viewed me as deceased and my corpse as disowned. I figured that I might as well change my last name prior to my release and distance myself from him even more, since that was how he felt.” Ray thinks for a second before continuing.

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Outside, Cromwell is wiggling in his hot car seat.

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The sun is already registering at high noon and his pants are moist with sweat. If he was not trying to remain incognito, he would be pacing in the parking lot right now. At a moment like this though, he just can’t risk it.

First off, he has no intention of hanging out in the open where the cops can see him. Moreover, there is no way that he wants to potentially scare off his prey, if they are still here.

Their empty vehicles mock him in the parking lot, and the detective gets hotter. This time, it is emotionally though, and not physically. The detective optimistically glances towards the church building as he catches a flash of sunlight reflecting off of the glass door as it opens.

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Unfortunately, it is just as old lady working her way out of the building like a sloth trying to grow more moss.

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Cromwell is not impressed.

Back inside, the pastor is sharing with the pair.

“It is kind of like when you changed your name, Ray. In Chirst we are new creatures, and we are no longer who we once were. We can now allow the love that God Himself has for others to flow through us to them, and that is what Gary is allowing to happen towards you. We know that it will never make sense to man, whether it is this Detective Cromwell character or your probation officer, Ms. Shields.”

“Gary?” Ray believes that the time has come to take matters to the next level.

“Sure,” Mr. Swier responds and looks intently towards Pastor Wilkins. “We can still share confidential information, right?”

“Of course, Gary. You can trust me as a friend and brother, and I will not cross any line that you do not want me to answer.”

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That was the green light that Gary was waiting for.

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He now begins to share more deeply with the pastor about the real situation with Cromwell. This state of affairs escalated way beyond the detective asking a few questions a long time ago. Now, he’s threatened to kill Gary and may even have a history of forcing suspects into confessing.

Gary was hesitant to share everything that had happened, but he has two main reasons for doing so. First, someone needs to be aware of the situation in case anything happens to Ray or him. Secondly, a lot of prayer will be needed moving forward. Both for wisdom and guidance but also for Detective Cromwell.

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Wherever he is going, he’s getting close.

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Once Gary finishes, the three turn straight to prayer.

Outside, the old lady has long since left. Since the pastor’s car is parked out back, it is only Cromwell and the two empty vehicles in the lot now. “This is getting ridiculous,” Cromwell thinks to himself. What are the odds that the only vehicles that have not left are the ones that belong to Gary and Ray?

No, something is going on here, and Cromwell does not like it. He feels the weapon at his side. This may get hairy.

In a moment, Cromwell exits his vehicle and starts across the parking lot. In the back of his mind, he half-wishes that he had a piece to plant. It would be much easier to just shoot Gary “in self-defense” the moment he finds him rather than to take the scenic route to justice.

Timidly for a man of Cromwell’s nature, he opens the door and peeks inside of the large church building. Though all the lights are still on, it looks like no one is home… at least no one in the flesh.

There is no way that Cromwell is going to toss this place by himself in some twisted version of hide-and-go-seek, but he still wants to have a better look than that which simply sticking his head in the door can provide.

Cautiously, he enters the sanctuary...

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THE END OF CHAPTER 26

IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS STORY AND WOULD LIKE TO START AT THE BEGINNING, HERE ARE THE LINKS TO THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS:

• CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

• CHAPTER 2: THE FUNERAL

• CHAPTER 3: MONDAY, & FREEDOM

MY NAME IN PEPPERS

(I didn't have any lights....)

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Thank you, and stay tuned for LOVE LIKE HIS : Chapter 27 - Coming soon to a steemit near you!

Also, if you enjoyed this chapter, let me know by leaving a real comment. Thanks!

Until next time…

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