Read Online The Path of the Crooked (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 1) by Ellery Adams - Free Book Online Page A

workbook. Do you need the leader’s guide or the student guide?”
    “Oh, I’m definitely not the leader!” Cooper laughed at the idea. “To tell the truth, this is my first Bible study and I’m a little nervous about the whole thing. I haven’t cracked open a Bible since the first Bush was in office.”
    The girl smiled. “I just started my first in the fall. We’re doing a Beth Moore study called ‘Breaking Free’ and I totally love it. Don’t worry, it’ll be awesome. Let me know if you need anything else.”
    Cooper thanked the enthusiastic young woman and surveyed the different workbook titles. She then meandered over to a wall filled with assorted Bibles. Her illustrated children’s Bible wasn’t going to cut it for the Ephesians study.
    She flipped through a hardcover study Bible but decided that it was too cumbersome to carry to class. A New Living Translation with a smooth brown leather cover appealed to her, but the print was way too small. Another New International Version seemed like the perfect size, but the pages were so thin Cooper feared she’d tear them. Having no idea what an amplified version was or the difference between a 21st Century King James and an American Standard Bible, Cooper sank back on her heels, a pile of Bibles strewn out around her on the floor.
    “You look like you’re building yourself an enclosure,” a man standing behind her said. “It can be overwhelming to pick one, I know.” He squatted down next to her and chuckled. “My wife said it was harder for her to shop for a new Bible than it was to find a husband. Lucky for me, she’s stuck with both her Bible and me for over twenty-two years.”
    Cooper held out her workbook so that he could see the cover. “Any idea what would be the best Bible to go with this book?”
    The man flipped the workbook open. “Looks like the author refers to passages in the NIV.” He gestured at the wall and grinned. “That narrows your search to a few hundred. Don’t worry, the right Bible will find its way to you. Good luck.” He saluted her playfully and walked away, leaving Cooper alone with six rows of the New International Version before her.
    Passing on the illustrated, large print, daily, and study Bibles, or those geared toward a specific gender or age group, Cooper’s fingers brushed against the caramel spine of a novel-sized Bible with a soft leather cover. As she opened the pages, she was pleased by the font size and the summaries presented in the front of each book. She liked the chocolate-colored ribbon that would help mark her place and the way the Bible was fastened with a slide-tab closure in the same dark walnut hue. Everything about it felt right.
    Gathering her two books, Cooper made her way to the register. Feeling excited about this new chapter in her life, she decided to add three peanut-butter meltaways to her pile and handed the cashier her Visa card.
    “I just hope there’s room on this card,” she told the young male cashier ruefully.
    “Almost maxed out?” he inquired kindly.
    “Yep. I used to split the payments with my boyfriend, but he’s gone and all I have left is a whopper of a Visa bill.”
    “Well, from where I’m standing, that guy’s crazy.” The cashier grinned and handed Cooper her purchases. “Pretty lady like you. With those super-cool eyes?” He stopped as Cooper blushed. “Sorry. But if you want someone to compliment you some more, you know where to find me.” Cooper gave him a grateful smile and left the store. Inside the Jeep, she sank back against the seat, popped one of the candies in her mouth, pulled her new Bible out of the plastic bag and began to finger its gilt edges.
    “Let’s see what you have to say.” Cooper closed her eyes, opened the Bible, and placed her index finger onto a random line of text. Opening her eyes, she read aloud, “The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand.”
    Cooper glanced at her empty passenger seat and