York now, just passing through.”
“You haven't heard then?”
Heard what? Had something happened to Faith? Jordan fought the urge to turn and run before his memories could be altered by whatever the man was about to share. “No, sir. Last I knew, they were still living here.”
The man swept his palm over the top of his white hair. “I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Bob Moses died not too long ago. Let's see, it's been about a month now Had a heart attack at his law office here in town.”
Jordan could think of nothing to say Bob Moses had been the only father figure he'd ever known, a man who personified everything good and honorable and trustworthy Even if he had lied to him. And now he was gone. A thickness in Jordan's throat made it difficult for him to talk. “The…the rest of the family? They moved, I guess?”
The stranger waved his hand as though he were chasing off flies. “Oh, they moved years back, bought a nice place in the country five miles out of town.”
What about Faith?
The question perched on his lips ready to take wing, but Jordan contained it. He'd had enough bad news for one day. He reached out and shook the older man's hand. “I'm Jordan Riley I should have introduced myself.”
“Joe Cooper.” The man's handshake was firm and strong despite his years. “Good to know you.”
Jordan took another step back. “Well, I guess I'll be going. I'm… I'm sorry about Mr. Moses.”
“All of us were. Whole town showed up at his funeral. Never saw two young women cry harder than those girls of his.”
Faith! Maybe she did live somewhere nearby “Girls?”
“Bob's girls. Faith and Sarah. You musta known ‘em if you lived next door.”
“Yes, sir, I did. Do they… are they still in the area?”
“Sarah married herself a chemist and moved a few hours away, I believe. And Faith…well, son, everyone knows about Faith.”
Again Jordan fought to keep control. He loosed a quick laugh. “Like I said I've been away for a while now. Lost touch, I'm afraid.”
Joe's eyebrows lifted. “Faith's a local star. Does the eleven o'clock news every weeknight. I think she married some football hero, but don't hold me to it. Not sure where she lives, either, but it must be close.”
Jordan fought the urge to race for his car and drive to the news station. So what if she was married? With everything they'd shared as kids he was sure she'd want to see him now. He jingled the keys in his pocket. He had come this far…
Suddenly he wanted to find Faith so badly he could barely stand to wait another moment. “What station is she with?”
The man cocked his head back and squinted.” I believe it's WKZN.” He leveled his gaze at Jordan. “Yeah, that's it. WKZN.”
Jordan backed up another two steps. “Listen, I gotta run, but thanks for the tip. Maybe I can find her before I leave town.”
Joe waved and let his hand hang in the air. “Nice meetin’ you, Jordan. Now don't go and get yourself lost in that big city of yours.”
Jordan waved one last time and climbed in his car. Maybe Faith would know what happened to Heidi. He was out of the neighborhood and on Main Street before he realized that Faith wouldn't be at the station yet. It was only ten thirty in the morning. Besides, Jordan had one more visit to pay Even if it was the hardest one he'd make all day he had no choice but to go. He stopped at a local florist, purchased a dozen long-stem yellow roses—his mother's favorites—and headed for the cemetery.
He had only been to the place where his mother was buried three times. Once on the day they buried her and twice after that—in the weeks before Social Services stepped in—when he had needed her strength and had ridden his bike to the cemetery to sit by her simple grave, marked by a flat, square stone sup-plied by the state. Jordan had promised himself he'd replace the marker with a proper tombstone when he had the money but he hadn't been back to Bethany to take care of
“You haven't heard then?”
Heard what? Had something happened to Faith? Jordan fought the urge to turn and run before his memories could be altered by whatever the man was about to share. “No, sir. Last I knew, they were still living here.”
The man swept his palm over the top of his white hair. “I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Bob Moses died not too long ago. Let's see, it's been about a month now Had a heart attack at his law office here in town.”
Jordan could think of nothing to say Bob Moses had been the only father figure he'd ever known, a man who personified everything good and honorable and trustworthy Even if he had lied to him. And now he was gone. A thickness in Jordan's throat made it difficult for him to talk. “The…the rest of the family? They moved, I guess?”
The stranger waved his hand as though he were chasing off flies. “Oh, they moved years back, bought a nice place in the country five miles out of town.”
What about Faith?
The question perched on his lips ready to take wing, but Jordan contained it. He'd had enough bad news for one day. He reached out and shook the older man's hand. “I'm Jordan Riley I should have introduced myself.”
“Joe Cooper.” The man's handshake was firm and strong despite his years. “Good to know you.”
Jordan took another step back. “Well, I guess I'll be going. I'm… I'm sorry about Mr. Moses.”
“All of us were. Whole town showed up at his funeral. Never saw two young women cry harder than those girls of his.”
Faith! Maybe she did live somewhere nearby “Girls?”
“Bob's girls. Faith and Sarah. You musta known ‘em if you lived next door.”
“Yes, sir, I did. Do they… are they still in the area?”
“Sarah married herself a chemist and moved a few hours away, I believe. And Faith…well, son, everyone knows about Faith.”
Again Jordan fought to keep control. He loosed a quick laugh. “Like I said I've been away for a while now. Lost touch, I'm afraid.”
Joe's eyebrows lifted. “Faith's a local star. Does the eleven o'clock news every weeknight. I think she married some football hero, but don't hold me to it. Not sure where she lives, either, but it must be close.”
Jordan fought the urge to race for his car and drive to the news station. So what if she was married? With everything they'd shared as kids he was sure she'd want to see him now. He jingled the keys in his pocket. He had come this far…
Suddenly he wanted to find Faith so badly he could barely stand to wait another moment. “What station is she with?”
The man cocked his head back and squinted.” I believe it's WKZN.” He leveled his gaze at Jordan. “Yeah, that's it. WKZN.”
Jordan backed up another two steps. “Listen, I gotta run, but thanks for the tip. Maybe I can find her before I leave town.”
Joe waved and let his hand hang in the air. “Nice meetin’ you, Jordan. Now don't go and get yourself lost in that big city of yours.”
Jordan waved one last time and climbed in his car. Maybe Faith would know what happened to Heidi. He was out of the neighborhood and on Main Street before he realized that Faith wouldn't be at the station yet. It was only ten thirty in the morning. Besides, Jordan had one more visit to pay Even if it was the hardest one he'd make all day he had no choice but to go. He stopped at a local florist, purchased a dozen long-stem yellow roses—his mother's favorites—and headed for the cemetery.
He had only been to the place where his mother was buried three times. Once on the day they buried her and twice after that—in the weeks before Social Services stepped in—when he had needed her strength and had ridden his bike to the cemetery to sit by her simple grave, marked by a flat, square stone sup-plied by the state. Jordan had promised himself he'd replace the marker with a proper tombstone when he had the money but he hadn't been back to Bethany to take care of
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