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parish.” He held up the thermos. “And coffee comes with it.” He couldn’t believe that his nerves were as knotted as a cypress tree. Sure, he’d never been a Casanova around the ladies, but something about Monique Harris made him feel like an awkward schoolboy.
    She hesitated only a moment before opening the door. When she smiled at him, his heart stuttered for a moment. He forced himself to calm down. She was a subject, nothing more. He had too much to lose if he didn’t stay on top of his game. That was his only interest in her—solving her case.
    â€œThank you. I appreciate it. I was wondering how I was going to go out for something to eat in my pajamas.” She took the thermos and set it on the little table by the window. “I didn’t think the motel would have room service.”
    He chuckled, admiring her sense of humor when he knew she had to be devastated. “And there’s more. Mom gathered some clothes for you. Probably nothing worthy of a fashion magazine, but it’ll be something to hold you over until you can go shopping.” He headed back to the car to grab the sacks when a thought hit him. What if she didn’t have any money to buy clothes and other necessities? She’d just bought a house.
    â€œOh, my.” Monique took one of the sacks from him and set it on the foot of the bed. “Wow. This is too much. Your mother didn’t have to do all this.”
    Heat crept up his neck. Was she insulted? “That’s just the way Mom is, always wanting to help. She doesn’t mean anything by it.” He set the remaining bags beside the other and took a seat in one of the two chairs by the little table.
    Monique tossed him a funny look, much like the one his mother sent him when he’d fidgeted too much in church, and glanced inside the sack. “This is wonderful. I’m very grateful. I didn’t have a clue how I was going to be able to get out and buy anything.”
    â€œGreat. Let’s eat.” He put one of the containers in front of the vacant chairs.
    She stopped. “Oh. That’s right, you need to finish questioning me.” She hobbled to the chair and plopped down, pulling the cheap motel blanket around her.
    â€œWe don’t have to do that just yet.” He opened the thermos and filled the two plastic motel cups with strong coffee. “Why don’t we just eat for now? We’ll need to make arrangements for you to get your vehicle.”
    â€œIf it wasn’t damaged by the fire. I can’t remember how close I parked to the house.” She shook her head. “And I’d just gotten that SUV before I moved here. Traded in my old hatchback.”
    â€œIt looks fine.”
    She caught his gaze over the table.
    Her wide-eyed stare kicked him in the gut. If he did his job as he should, he’d be able to help this poor woman. And that’s all he needed to worry about—doing his job. He cleared his throat. “I had to get my car last night, remember?”
    â€œRight.” She opened the lid off the container. “Wow, this is a lot of food.”
    â€œMom believes in never leaving a table hungry.” He chuckled.
    She joined in his laughter. “I can see that.”
    â€œWould you like to offer grace?”
    Monique froze, fork midair. “Um, you go ahead.”
    His heart fell. She wasn’t a believer. He ducked his head, offered a prayer and then met her gaze again.
    â€œSorry. It’s just that after what happened with Kent, God and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”
    â€œI see.”
    But he didn’t. In the roughest times of his life, his faith had often been the only thing that got him through. If Monique couldn’t turn to God now when she’d lost everything else, she truly was lost herself.
    Dear Lord, please use me to minister to her. Guide me to be Your witness in her life right now.

FOUR
    â€œC an you think