Read Online One Chance: A Thrilling Christian Fiction Mystery Romance by Daniel Patterson - Free Book Online

uphill all weekend as it was, and began pulling on her jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt. A quick trip to the bathroom allowed her to use the toilet, then wash her hands and scrub her face, and run a brush through her hair until she could find the time for another shower. Afterward she made her way to the kitchen to get some cereal and coffee.
    She found Doug already there, munching Fruity Bits cereal right next to his little boy. "Morning Doug," Penelope said. "How'd you sleep?"
    "About as well as you could expect on a couch, I guess. It's a comfy couch and all, Penny, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my own bed soon." Not that he'd tell Penelope this, but he hadn't felt this good in a long time. And he knew it had a lot to do with not being on the drink for a change. If he could clear away certain dark clouds that hung over his head, life would be as close to perfect as it had been for him, ever.
    "We need to finish our talk from last night," Penelope started to say.
    "Later, Penelope, okay? When Trevor goes down for his nap. Okay?" His voice pleaded with his friend.
    And Penelope relented. "Okay. But then we talk, right?"
    With a fresh cup of coffee in hand, Penelope took out the box of instant oatmeal just in time to have the phone ring again. Sheriff's Office flashed on the caller display.
    Of course, Penelope thought.
    Answering, she said, "Deputy Chance."
    It was Jim Saunders on the other end of the phone. He'd located Missy and Tommy, or rather, where they had been. Penelope's idea had paid off. They had been at a low-rent motel right off one of the interstates near Disney, in a little town called Celebration. But they had already signed out of the motel and were most likely on their way home.
    "Accordin' to the time the clerk says they left," Jim told him, "if'n they're comin' straight back this way, they should be back here in just about an hour."
    "That will be a relief for the parents," Penelope said. "Missy's, anyway. I'm starting to get the idea that maybe Tommy's don't pay much attention to what he does."
    Jim chuckled. "I think Mrs. Clark probably done would've kissed me if I'd told her in person about her daughter. She was real worried about her little girl."
    "Yeah," Penelope agreed. "Missy and her folks have always been a tight-knit kind of family. I just assumed Tommy's was the same. Guess I was wrong."
    After a moment of silence, Jim said, "So should I try interceptin' the kids before they get home to their parents?"
    "That might be a good idea." Penelope nodded to herself even though Jim wouldn't see it. "There's only the two ways into Franklin. Not hard to watch both."
    "Well, maybe so Penelope, but I can't be at both ends of Main Street at the same time. We done need to keep someone here at the station. Sheriff's out of town. Davidson caught a domestic call. So, I was wonderin' if maybe..."
    Penelope sighed heavily through her nose. She had hoped to have at least one day off this weekend. It was Sunday, after all. She had planned on taking Doug and Trevor to church with her and Jacob. She'd missed services last weekend as it was. She knew God understood missing church when the cause was important, but still. She could really do with a recharge to her batteries right now.
    Just wasn't going to happen today.
    After a moment she said, "Okay, let's do it like this. You take the east end of Main and I'll head out to the west end. When one of us sees them, we'll radio the other. We'll bring them back to the station so we can have a talk with them."
    "Sounds like a great plan," Jim said. Penelope could hear the gratitude in his voice. "Thanks Penelope."
    "Yeah, sure," she said. "You really owe me lunch now. But, I'd like to know what got into those two's heads to make them do something like this."
    "The folly of youth?" Jim suggested.
    "Maybe. I'd still like to know."
    "Well, if'n they'd tell anyone, it's gonna be you."
    They spent the next couple of minutes hammering out the details on their plan to nab