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

until it was done."
    Penelope nodded her head. There was the confirmation she'd needed. "So you two went and got married."
    Tommy nodded. "We were married yesterday, ma'am."
    Penelope sighed. What's done was done. "Okay. Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to pull over and let you get by, and then I'm going to follow you to the Sheriff's Office so we can finish this conversation. I'll be right behind you to make sure you go straight there."
    "Yes ma'am," Tommy said. "I won't go anywhere else until you say so."
    At the Sheriff's Office, Missy and Tommy sat at Penelope's desk and explained the reason behind their secret trip. They had wanted to get married someday, because they were in love and knew they were meant for each other. They had done it now, instead of after school like they had originally planned, for a very simple reason.
    They had made a big mistake. Their teenage desires had gotten the better of them and Missy was now pregnant. It was just the one time, Missy said over and over with tears in her eyes, and they had decided they should not do it again before they were married, but of course it had already been too late. Both of them were devout Christians, and believed marriage was the only right thing.
    Penelope knew their logic was a little backward, but considering the position they had put themselves in, she kind of had to admire them for the way they had tried to work it out. God works in mysterious ways, indeed.
    After hearing their story, Penelope told them, "Okay, you need to tell your parents what you just told me, and the sooner, the better. They won't like it, but as you said, you're adults now. And like I said, you need to start acting like adults."
    "We were going to tell mom and dad when we got back," Missy said. Penelope noticed there was no mention of telling Tommy's parents. She made a note to find out more about Tommy's living situation, and see if there was anything she could do to help the boy out. One more thing on her list.
    "That's nice and all, Missy, but you really should have talked to them about all this before you did it."
    She looked away from Penelope, but nodded. "You're right, Deputy. I know. I was just so afraid."
    "Of what?"
    "Of what they'd think of me." Tommy held her as she fought back her tears.
    The teenagers looked at each other for a few moments and then nodded. "Okay, Deputy," Missy said. "Tommy's been working in the hardware store and I still have my job at the grocery store, so we should be able to save up enough by graduation to get our own place. I think Mr. Dobson will let me work until the baby's born."
    "Speaking of your job," Penelope said, "Mister Dobson says your register was forty dollars short Friday night."
    "Yes, it was," Missy replied, a look of surprise on her face, "but that's because I started with a short drawer. There weren't enough smaller bills to make up the full amount, so Mister Dobson set it up with what he had. He went to the bank to get more ones, but by the time he came back I'd had enough customers who paid with ones that I didn't need them anymore. He never put the ones from the bank into the register. I didn't take any money from him, Deputy. I never would."
    "I see," Penelope said. That sounded more like the Missy she knew. "Mister Dobson probably forgot. We'll tell him what you said and maybe he'll remember."
    "Thank you," Missy said. "I really need this job. Now more than ever."
    "I suppose you do," Penelope agreed.
    Jim had been standing nearby during the entire conversation and Penelope looked over at him. "Are you satisfied enough to let the kids go home now? It's your case."
    "Sure, I'm good with it," Jim replied. To Missy and Tommy he said, "I'm gonna call your parents and let them know you'll be home soon. So I expect you're gonna do just that, right?"
    "Yes sir, officer," Tommy said. Addressing Penelope, he added, "And thank you too, ma'am. I promise you that we take this seriously. We'll prove ourselves to you. Wait and