pointed in his direction.”
“He’s a politician. Covering their tails and trails is what they do best,” Blalock said with a shrug.
“Maybe so, but not embarrassing thewrong people isn’t high on my list of priorities. Getting answers is.”
FOUR
MONDAY
The following morning Ella awoke slowly. Although it felt as if she’d just fallen asleep, the alarm clock was ringing insistently and loudly. Grumbling, she reached over and shut it off, wishing she could just go back to sleep. As she lay there wondering if she could steal five more minutes, she could hear Rose fixing breakfast.
Ella joined her family in the kitchena short time later and headed straight for the coffeepot. Dawn was drinking orange juice while Rose fixed oatmeal from scratch. Her mom added milk from the very beginning, then cooked it slowly and thoroughly, bringing out the flavor and filling the kitchen with the wonderful scent of home-cooked breakfast. Rose wouldn’t even consider buying the thirty-second kind, much less instant.
As Ellasat down she heard a knock at the door, followed by footsteps announcing that the person had entered the house. Even before he called out a hello and came into view, Ella knew it was Ford. The sound of his footsteps were as familiar to her these days as Rose’s and Herman’s.
Ford came up behind Ella, placed his hands on hershoulders, and squeezed gently. “I heard about yesterday. Are you okay?”
Ella patted his hand. That was all the affection Ford—the Navajo minister at the ultra-conservative Good Shepherd Church—would condone in public. “I’m fine.”
“I went by the hospital first thing. Your child’s father is out of ICU and in his own room, but he’s still under sedation.”
Glancing at Dawn, Ella returned her bright smile. “See that? He’s going to be fine. Once he’s awake, he’ll wantto see you, but you’re going to have to keep your visits short. He’ll need rest most of all.”
“I know, Mom, I know. How about after school today? Can I go then?”
“Maybe, but no promises. We’ll have to wait and see,” Ella said.
As Rose set a steaming bowl of oatmeal in front of Dawn, Ella grabbed Ford gently by the hand and led him into the living room.
The moment they were out of view, hegathered her into his arms. “When I heard . . . ,” he whispered, then kissed her gently.
“It was rough going,” she answered in a soft voice, resting her chin on his shoulder, her cheek next to his.
Ford held her tightly for a moment, then eased his hold and moved away, taking her hands in his. “Your job is too dangerous and unpredictable,” he said, then in a heavy voice added, “But that’s exactlywhat attracts you to it.”
“You should understand that better than most. You weren’t always a preacher,” she said. To this day she still didn’t know what his job had been, only that he’d been part of the intelligence community and had done jobs for the FBI. When she’d tried to get answers she’d been officially warned to back off. Need to know didn’t include her. She’d followed orders, but thequestions remained.
“Dawn seems to be handling things very well,” he said.
“So far, yes,” Ella said slowly. “But I think she’s role-playing, trying to meet my expectations and be tough. Inside, she’s pretty scared.”
“She’s trying too hard to be just like her mother. But little girls need an outlet for their emotions. Big girls, too,” he added with a gentle smile.
“Don’t worry about me. I’vegot things covered. But Dawn . . .”
“Why don’t we both talk to her right now? That might help.”
They joined her at the breakfast table and, after Dawn finished eating, Ella asked her into the living room.
“Is it Dad? Something you’re not telling me?” Dawn asked immediately, her fists clinched and white-knuckled.
“That’s not it at all, sweetie,” Ella responded immediately, giving Dawn a bighug. “Sit down for a moment, okay?”
“Did I
“He’s a politician. Covering their tails and trails is what they do best,” Blalock said with a shrug.
“Maybe so, but not embarrassing thewrong people isn’t high on my list of priorities. Getting answers is.”
FOUR
MONDAY
The following morning Ella awoke slowly. Although it felt as if she’d just fallen asleep, the alarm clock was ringing insistently and loudly. Grumbling, she reached over and shut it off, wishing she could just go back to sleep. As she lay there wondering if she could steal five more minutes, she could hear Rose fixing breakfast.
Ella joined her family in the kitchena short time later and headed straight for the coffeepot. Dawn was drinking orange juice while Rose fixed oatmeal from scratch. Her mom added milk from the very beginning, then cooked it slowly and thoroughly, bringing out the flavor and filling the kitchen with the wonderful scent of home-cooked breakfast. Rose wouldn’t even consider buying the thirty-second kind, much less instant.
As Ellasat down she heard a knock at the door, followed by footsteps announcing that the person had entered the house. Even before he called out a hello and came into view, Ella knew it was Ford. The sound of his footsteps were as familiar to her these days as Rose’s and Herman’s.
Ford came up behind Ella, placed his hands on hershoulders, and squeezed gently. “I heard about yesterday. Are you okay?”
Ella patted his hand. That was all the affection Ford—the Navajo minister at the ultra-conservative Good Shepherd Church—would condone in public. “I’m fine.”
“I went by the hospital first thing. Your child’s father is out of ICU and in his own room, but he’s still under sedation.”
Glancing at Dawn, Ella returned her bright smile. “See that? He’s going to be fine. Once he’s awake, he’ll wantto see you, but you’re going to have to keep your visits short. He’ll need rest most of all.”
“I know, Mom, I know. How about after school today? Can I go then?”
“Maybe, but no promises. We’ll have to wait and see,” Ella said.
As Rose set a steaming bowl of oatmeal in front of Dawn, Ella grabbed Ford gently by the hand and led him into the living room.
The moment they were out of view, hegathered her into his arms. “When I heard . . . ,” he whispered, then kissed her gently.
“It was rough going,” she answered in a soft voice, resting her chin on his shoulder, her cheek next to his.
Ford held her tightly for a moment, then eased his hold and moved away, taking her hands in his. “Your job is too dangerous and unpredictable,” he said, then in a heavy voice added, “But that’s exactlywhat attracts you to it.”
“You should understand that better than most. You weren’t always a preacher,” she said. To this day she still didn’t know what his job had been, only that he’d been part of the intelligence community and had done jobs for the FBI. When she’d tried to get answers she’d been officially warned to back off. Need to know didn’t include her. She’d followed orders, but thequestions remained.
“Dawn seems to be handling things very well,” he said.
“So far, yes,” Ella said slowly. “But I think she’s role-playing, trying to meet my expectations and be tough. Inside, she’s pretty scared.”
“She’s trying too hard to be just like her mother. But little girls need an outlet for their emotions. Big girls, too,” he added with a gentle smile.
“Don’t worry about me. I’vegot things covered. But Dawn . . .”
“Why don’t we both talk to her right now? That might help.”
They joined her at the breakfast table and, after Dawn finished eating, Ella asked her into the living room.
“Is it Dad? Something you’re not telling me?” Dawn asked immediately, her fists clinched and white-knuckled.
“That’s not it at all, sweetie,” Ella responded immediately, giving Dawn a bighug. “Sit down for a moment, okay?”
“Did I
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