of her. Nearly stumbling, she fell into her chair again and hugged the folder to her chest. “Why are you doing this? I’ve done nothing to you. You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough,” Kerns said with frightening certainty. “I know you don’t need the money generated by HEARTBEAT for your living. Your husband’s life insurance and the award from his wrongful death suit have left you and your daughter financially solid.” Cara’s mouth dropped open in shock. “But your friend Joe Milken is not as fortunate. He desperately needs this job to help subsidize his meager earnings as a youth pastor.”
“And you don’t care that an innocent man and his wife will be ruined if you carry out your plans?”
Kerns eyed her with contempt. “I leave caring about such things to big-hearted people like you, Mrs. Kessler. What Milken does with his future is of little interest to me, but you should know one other thing.”
“And what’s that?” Cara questioned warily. What more could he possibly throw her way?
“Milken’s wife is expecting a baby. She just found out today.”
Cara stared in disbelief. “Joe said nothing to me about it.”
“It’s my understanding they are keeping it to themselves. You see, Mrs. Milken has suffered through two miscarriages. I guess they’re a little afraid to get their hopes up.”
Cara looked at Russell Owens as if expecting him to deny the truth of Kerns’ words.
“It’s all true, Cara,” he said, seeming to read her mind.
“How can you know these things?” Cara asked, turning her attention back to Kerns.
“I learn what I need to know when and where I need to know it most. Remember that. There will be no secrets between us.”
Ten
Cara looked across her desk to find Joe Milken’s puzzled expression most disturbing. She couldn’t help but recall what Kerns had said in regard to Suzanne and the pregnancy, but because Joe hadn’t volunteered any information, Cara hadn’t brought up the subject. What she had brought up was her resignation.
“I don’t understand,” Joe said again. “Just a few days ago you assured me that leaving HEARTBEAT was the furthest thing from your mind. If you don’t mind my asking, what changed?”
Cara bit her lip. There was no way to explain that she had to leave because an overbearing tyrant with secrets and power beyond her imagination was forcing her. She tried to smile at Joe, but it was a poor attempt. “I can’t begin to give you all the details,” she said, “but another project, of sorts, has come up.”
“Something that means more to you than HEARTBEAT?”
“No, not really,” Cara replied. She knew the conversation was headed in the wrong direction. If she continued along these lines, she’d soon be spilling the truth of Kerns’ threats, and that was something she was determined not to do. She couldn’t add stress to Joe’s life. Especially not if Suzanne needed to remain calm in order to bring her child to term. Cara couldn’t do anything that might risk that happiness. “It’s just something I feel I must do,” she said, knowing that it wasn’t a lie.
“I see.”
Joe sounded so dejected that Cara immediately pushed the conversation forward. “It will be a tremendous financial benefit for you, Joe. And as director of HEARTBEAT you will be able to take the ministry in the direction you have felt it should go.”
“But we were going to decide those things together. You and me. This is your baby. I can’t just take it over.”
The word “baby” stabbed at Cara. She desperately tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. “The baby has grown up and needs a man with vision at the helm. I’m just starting to move forward in my life. You agreed that I needed a little change.”
“A little change, yes,” Joe admitted. “But you’ve already done more than a little with the plan to move to Misty Glen. Changing jobs is another matter entirely.”
Cara nodded. “I know this
“I know enough,” Kerns said with frightening certainty. “I know you don’t need the money generated by HEARTBEAT for your living. Your husband’s life insurance and the award from his wrongful death suit have left you and your daughter financially solid.” Cara’s mouth dropped open in shock. “But your friend Joe Milken is not as fortunate. He desperately needs this job to help subsidize his meager earnings as a youth pastor.”
“And you don’t care that an innocent man and his wife will be ruined if you carry out your plans?”
Kerns eyed her with contempt. “I leave caring about such things to big-hearted people like you, Mrs. Kessler. What Milken does with his future is of little interest to me, but you should know one other thing.”
“And what’s that?” Cara questioned warily. What more could he possibly throw her way?
“Milken’s wife is expecting a baby. She just found out today.”
Cara stared in disbelief. “Joe said nothing to me about it.”
“It’s my understanding they are keeping it to themselves. You see, Mrs. Milken has suffered through two miscarriages. I guess they’re a little afraid to get their hopes up.”
Cara looked at Russell Owens as if expecting him to deny the truth of Kerns’ words.
“It’s all true, Cara,” he said, seeming to read her mind.
“How can you know these things?” Cara asked, turning her attention back to Kerns.
“I learn what I need to know when and where I need to know it most. Remember that. There will be no secrets between us.”
Ten
Cara looked across her desk to find Joe Milken’s puzzled expression most disturbing. She couldn’t help but recall what Kerns had said in regard to Suzanne and the pregnancy, but because Joe hadn’t volunteered any information, Cara hadn’t brought up the subject. What she had brought up was her resignation.
“I don’t understand,” Joe said again. “Just a few days ago you assured me that leaving HEARTBEAT was the furthest thing from your mind. If you don’t mind my asking, what changed?”
Cara bit her lip. There was no way to explain that she had to leave because an overbearing tyrant with secrets and power beyond her imagination was forcing her. She tried to smile at Joe, but it was a poor attempt. “I can’t begin to give you all the details,” she said, “but another project, of sorts, has come up.”
“Something that means more to you than HEARTBEAT?”
“No, not really,” Cara replied. She knew the conversation was headed in the wrong direction. If she continued along these lines, she’d soon be spilling the truth of Kerns’ threats, and that was something she was determined not to do. She couldn’t add stress to Joe’s life. Especially not if Suzanne needed to remain calm in order to bring her child to term. Cara couldn’t do anything that might risk that happiness. “It’s just something I feel I must do,” she said, knowing that it wasn’t a lie.
“I see.”
Joe sounded so dejected that Cara immediately pushed the conversation forward. “It will be a tremendous financial benefit for you, Joe. And as director of HEARTBEAT you will be able to take the ministry in the direction you have felt it should go.”
“But we were going to decide those things together. You and me. This is your baby. I can’t just take it over.”
The word “baby” stabbed at Cara. She desperately tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. “The baby has grown up and needs a man with vision at the helm. I’m just starting to move forward in my life. You agreed that I needed a little change.”
“A little change, yes,” Joe admitted. “But you’ve already done more than a little with the plan to move to Misty Glen. Changing jobs is another matter entirely.”
Cara nodded. “I know this
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