The Secrets of Rosa Lee. Jodi Thomas

doesn’t need to hear it alone.”

      Lora nodded her agreement and offered Micah a cup of free coffee that looked strong enough to be motor oil. “Are the Rogers sisters all right?”

      Micah relaxed in the plastic chair between Lora and Billy. “I guess, I left them arguing.”

      Lora laughed. “They’ve done that for as long as I can remember. My father mentioned their parents were like that. Never said a word to one another except to yell. He said when they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary no one in town went because fifty years of fighting didn’t seem like something to celebrate.”

      “Strange thing is,” Billy added, “I’ve never known either of them to say a cross word to anyone else. Even when my uncle forgot to put the cap on and oil spilled out all over her engine, Miss Ada May just patted his hand and told him accidents happen. She wouldn’t even let him pay for the damage.”

      “Do you know of any reason someone would want to harm them?” Micah lowered his voice.

      Lora raised an eyebrow. “You buying into the sheriff’s idea that someone was after one of us?”

      “Not really. Just thinking.”

      Billy paced the room. “It’s just hell-raising. Nothing else. I’d be the one with enemies if anyone in that room had them, and I can’t think of one person who wouldn’t face me if he wanted me hurt.” He sat down as a family of ten came into the room in one big huddle.

      Micah’s heart ripped. Part of him didn’t want to see their sorrow, part knew offering comfort was his calling.

      Before he could stand, the hospital chaplain, Bible in hand, hurried into the waiting room and directed the family to one of the semiprivate areas in the back.

      A nurse stepped in to tell them that Sidney Dickerson was back in her room, and they would be limited to a fifteen-minute visit every two hours.

      “You two go ahead.” Micah reached for a magazine. “I’ll catch the next time.”

      “But don’t you…” Lora began.

      “I’ve nowhere else to be, and it’s quieter here than back in town answering questions.”

      “You’ve got a point.” Lora shrugged. “Mind if I stay? I’m not sure I can deal with my mother.”

      “No way. You’re not staying here,” Billy cut in. “We’re checking on the professor and heading out for food. I haven’t eaten all day.”

      Lora shrugged at Micah. “I promised the kid a meal if he let me drive his car over here.”

      They started down the hallway. Micah heard Billy add, “I’m twenty. I’m no longer a kid.”

      “Well, I’m twenty-four and divorced. That makes me a hundred years older than you.” When he said nothing, she added, “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

      “I promised not to, remember?” They turned a corner and disappeared from sight. “But, I’m thinking it,” echoed after them.

      Micah tried to get comfortable in chairs that offered little. Why were waiting-room chairs always the worst? You’d think somewhere, someone would invent a chair that offered some degree of comfort for all the people who had to wait.

      A tall man about forty wearing a Stetson stepped off the elevator. He seemed lost for a moment, then strolled in and took a seat on the other side of the TV. Micah couldn’t see his face, but his expensive ostrich boots were visible.

      Fifteen minutes later, Billy and Lora returned with lots of details about Sidney. The doctors thought her chest pains might have been something similar to a panic attack and not related to her heart. They would keep her the night anyway, but they seemed to think she’d be fine.

      Billy mentioned how the professor had almost cried with joy when he’d handed her the glasses. Once she’d put them on, she’d demanded to see his cuts. Apparently, she’d been so blind without them, she hadn’t noticed his bandages.

      Though Billy complained about the professor’s mothering, Micah sensed he hadn’t minded all that much.

      Micah thanked them and suggested they get home before the rain hit. Lora offered to bring back takeout, but he refused.

      After they left, Micah listened to CNN and acted as if he were reading the paper until the duty nurse returned and told everyone waiting that the fifteen-minute visitation was once again open.

      As Micah walked out, he noticed the man in the boots didn’t stand. Whoever he waited to see must not be in CCU or was too far gone to bother visiting.

      Micah found Sidney sleeping peacefully. Someone had combed out her hair and washed her face. She looked better than she had the few times he’d noticed her around town. The prim and proper line she always held had slipped. He couldn’t think of any way to say it but that she appeared more human.

      He sat her briefcase where she could see it, guessing she’d want to work if she woke. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her when the case hadn’t been in her hand.

      Leaving without waking her, Micah walked to his car as the day’s fading light glistened off the hood. Nothing waited for him at home, so he decided to visit a bookstore. Clifton Creek’s rack of top-sellers at the grocery was never enough. He liked the little bookstore on Southwest Parkway. All he had to do was tell the owner what he liked, and the man would start stacking up books he’d also love. Micah never drove over to Wichita Falls that he didn’t leave with at least half a dozen books.

      He’d read all his life. When he’d been a kid, with his parents moving around, he’d learned to escape in books and now they always seemed to welcome him like old friends.

      It was almost eight when he left the bookstore. The hint of rain now rode the north wind. Micah sat in his car and called to say good-night to Logan, keeping it short and cheery.

      As he drove out of the parking lot, he spotted a pet store and decided to go in. A few minutes later, he was lost in the cat aisle. Toys, cages, beds and food lined the shelves. After an hour, Micah settled on one toy and a children’s book for Logan about caring for a first pet. If Baptist planned to stay around for a few days, he and Logan better learn a little about the care and feeding of cats.

      When he walked back to the parking lot he wished he’d brought a coat. Even after three years, he still had trouble getting used to how fast the temperature changed in this part of the country.

      Micah drove home, in no hurry to reach an empty house. At least he had a few new books. Maybe he’d read until he fell asleep. Tomorrow was Tuesday, the day he spent most of his time counseling couples planning to marry. Reverend Milburn required anyone married in the church in Clifton Creek to go through at least six sessions. Unfortunately, Milburn never had time to do the counseling himself, so it had become part of Micah’s job description. He would also have to attend the Glory Days luncheon tomorrow and teach a biblical history class at the college.

      As he pulled into his drive, his cell phone buzzed. For a moment, Micah’s heart raced. Logan? Very few people knew or called his mobile number. Most waited until they caught him in his office or at home. What if something had happened at Jimmy’s house? What if Logan was homesick?

      Flipping open his phone, he made up his mind. No matter what the parenting books say about sleepovers, he’d go pick up Logan and bring him home. Sleepovers could wait a few months or even years, for all he cared.

      “Hello?”

      “Micah Parker?” A woman’s voice yelled into the phone.

      “Speaking.” He heard loud country-western music in the background. This wasn’t Betty Reed, or anyone else he knew. Logan must be fine, probably already asleep.

      “I got a problem here, and your number is the one they gave me to call,” the woman yelled over the music.

      Micah relaxed. Probably someone locked