Through the Flames Read Online Free PDF Page A

refused to play by our rules, then fine. He’s never been afraid to speak his mind. He wouldn’t leave and not say anything. Anyway, he has to come back sometime to get his stuff.”
    Judd knew she was right. “But why didn’t he call? He knows he’s risking getting kicked out of the house.”
    “I’m afraid he’s in some kind of trouble,” she said.
    “I could be wrong,” Lionel said, “but I think he’s too chicken to get himself into trouble. That kid wouldn’t go with me into his own house in broad daylight.”
    “He knows you think that too,” Vicki said. “Maybe he went and did something foolish to try to prove himself to you.”
    “I doubt it,” Lionel said. “I told you he just blew me off when I tried to apologize.”
    “So he doesn’t know how to accept an apology. Is that a crime? He didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and you can bet his parents didn’t apologize to him much.”
    Judd was beginning to think Vicki was onto something. “So, if we’re going to look out for him,” he said, “where do we start? Where was he going?”
    “I have no idea,” Lionel said, and Vicki shrugged too.
    “He was on his bike,” Judd said. “Let’s just drive around Mount Prospect and take the long way to the church.”
    “Should we call Bruce?” Vicki said. “Tell him we’re going to be a little late?”
    There she went again with suggestions, Judd thought. But again, she was probably right. He wasn’t used to catering to adults like Bruce. Respecting people was something new for him, and, he knew, for her too. “My dad’s car has a phone in it,” he said. “That’ll save us some time.”
    They piled into the car, and Judd dialed the church as he drove. Loretta, Bruce’s secretary, answered in her southern accent. She said Bruce was on the phone. Judd told her his problem. “Why, young man, I believe Ryan is the one on the phone with Pastor Barnes right now.”
    “Where was he calling from?”
    “I don’t rightly know. Shall I have Bruce call you when he’s free?”
    “No, thanks. Just tell him we’re on our way.”
    That was encouraging, at least. Judd hated the thought of Ryan having called his bluff and making him follow through on his ultimatum. Ryan reminded Judd so much of himself at that age. Judd had been in a church family, of course, but it was late in his twelfth year that he began to become rebellious. A rage had grown inside him that he didn’t understand. He saw some of that in Ryan, and he didn’t want him to run from the group. Ryan needed them. And they wanted him.
    “I begged Ryan to tell me where he was,” Bruce said a few minutes later. “He sounded really scared. All he said was to tell you, Judd, that he would get to the meeting as soon as the coast was clear.”
    “ ‘The coast was clear’?” Judd said. “What in the world is he talking about?”
    “I told him I’d come and get him, wherever he is, but he said he doesn’t want me leading anybody to him, whatever that means.”
    Judd could see from the looks on the others’ faces that they were as dumbfounded as he was.
    “I’ve got a lot I want to tell you tonight,” Bruce said, “and I’d like Ryan to hear it. But I’ve had a long day and don’t want to be up till all hours like I have been the last two nights. Should we get started, and then you can bring Ryan up-to-date when he gets here?”
    That sounded good to Judd, but Vicki said, “I don’t know if I can concentrate while I’m worrying about Ryan.”
    “I think he’s safe,” Bruce said, “as scared and mysterious as he sounded. Let’s try to get something accomplished and not just spend our time worrying. Be praying for him, but let me teach you some things.”
    Bruce spent about half an hour going over the passages he had encouraged them to read since the last time he had seen them. “People are coming in here every day, hungry to read and learn what God has for them,” he said. “We’re planning a big service