Read Online Just in Time: Portals of Time by Kathryn Shay - Free Book Online Page B

preoccupied, she collided with someone when she reached the paved path in front of Jess’s just as he did. “Oh.”
    The man grabbed for her shoulders. “Easy there.” He had a deep voice and firm grip.
    Alisha slid her glasses to the top of her head. “I seek your forgiveness. I didn’t see you.”
    Now that she did, she took in details. He was about four inches taller than she was, broad shouldered, and slim hipped. His face was…interesting. Not as classic as Alex Lansing’s or as rugged as Luke Cromwell’s, but…nice looking and kind. And his hair had…curls, another anomaly of her time.
    Then her gaze dropped lower. “What’s that around your neck?” she blurted out.
    His hand went to the white ring inside a black shirt.
    “This? It’s a collar.” When she frowned, he added, “I’m a minister. Helen and Jess’s minister. Helen called and asked me to come over. She said it was urgent.”
    Alisha took a moment to recall what she knew about clerics of the time. Spiritual leaders. Heads of congregations. Confessors.
    Confessors.
Unholy godheads, they couldn’t divulge anything to this man!
    She said, “My name is Alisha. And I’ll go back in with you.”
    o0o
    DORIAN STARED ACROSS the table where she now sat with Jess and Helen. They were unable to rest and had come out to the eating space thirty minutes ago for tea. But when Jess served her some, Helen began weeping and he sat down and slid his arm around her. Celeste had gotten misty-eyed sometimes, but Dorian had never seen women leak tears openly like this. It fascinated her, made her wonder if she could do it.
    “Shh, sweetheart, it’s okay. I told you over and over, I’m going to be all right. Dorian came here to save my life.”
    Burying her head in his shoulder, she murmured, “I still can’t believe you’re supposed to die.”
    Dorian tried to keep her voice even, but the events of the last twenty-four hours had upset even her. “I’m here to preclude his death, Helen.”
    The woman raised bruised eyes to her. “What if you can’t?”
    “It’s all hard to comprehend, I know. But as I said, we have evidence to prove we can change the future.”
    “And you want to? You’ll make everything different.” Helen sniffed as she asked the question.
    “Yes, we want to because by our calculations, society as we know it ends in 2589. I already explained this to you.” Several times. To her and Luke.
    “I can’t take it in. Neither can Luke, which is why he left.”
    Apprehensive, Dorian glanced up when she heard the front door open. “Maybe that’s him.”
    Instead, a man wearing a black shirt, a white neck-circle and gray pants stepped inside. With him was Alisha, her expression even more dour than usual.
    Jess stood and held out his hand. “Hello, David.”
    David, the pastor. In the time Dorian had been here, they’d told her about him, but she hadn’t met him.
    The men shook hands, another odd custom, which surely transmitted germs. “Jess.” David moved to Helen and touched her shoulder. “Helen, what’s wrong?”
    Alisha stepped forward. “Jess, Helen, I have to insist you keep what we’ve told you to yourselves. Please ask this person to leave.”
    David spun around and faced her. “There is no way on God’s earth I will leave this house until I find out why my friends and parishioners called me.” He sat down at the table and grasped Helen’s hands. “Do you want to talk to me alone, Helen? Without these people to intimidate you?”
    “No, it’s nothing like that.” Her grip on David tightened. “It’s just…”
    When she didn’t finish, David glanced at Jess.
    “Dr. Cromwell,” Alisha warned. “Please, don’t say anymore.”
    Jess looked to Dorian with pleading eyes. Dorian said, “Alisha, we’ve shocked Helen and Luke, too. From what Jess has told me, this man’s job is to help with problems. Maybe he can make everybody feel better. Helen’s been leaking tears since she came out