“But that doesn’t make any sense, Newton. The Charbonneaus are paying guests here. Why would they shoot an old high school buddy?”
Laskey shook his head. “I don’t know, Sheriff. But it makes me think there is some kind of criminal operation going on here. What sort of crime I don’t know.” Laskey paused as he tried to connect the dots. “Maybe Barrett knew about tonight all along. Perhaps he was just supposed to look the other way. But then he got the call about a missing old man that may have wandered up here. And when he answered the call, Barrett got into a heated discussion with one of the Charbonneaus, and that led to his death.”
“You have to admit, that’s quite a stretch, Newton,” Tubbs said.
Laskey nodded. “But it’s also a stretch that Jon Rafter would shoot a cop. He’s the most virtuous man I know.”
“We talked about this before, Newton. Rafter is capable of violence. His recent past is proof.”
“But only when violence is warranted.” Laskey turned his attention away from Sheriff Tubbs and to Roy Nixon. “When you talked to the person inside did you notice any kind of accent?”
Nixon shook his head. “No, I didn’t, but I concentrated more on assessing his emotional state than listening to his inflection and enunciation.”
“Rafter is originally from New York. He has an east coast accent. It’s slight but it’s there. If you’ll allow me to talk to the hostage taker the next time you have him on the phone, I’m confident I can tell whether it’s really Jon Rafter.”
Nixon shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mr. Laskey. I’ve already established a rapport with him.”
“I understand and agree. But what if I give you a list of questions to ask, questions only the true Jon Rafter could answer. Would you ask them for me?”
“Sure, I don’t see why I couldn’t mix them into the conversation,” Nixon said.
Laskey turned to Lieutenant Brock. “The hostage taker will be distracted when Roy is talking to him. You might want to slip your cameras under the doors then.”
Brock nodded. “I thought the same thing just now. I’ll tell my men.”
“Hold up, Kyle,” Nixon said. “We have to make a show of backing up first. And you don’t want to put your cameras under the door when the hostages are coming out. Let’s allow the release to happen first.”
“Okay, Roy. We’ll give you some more time to do your magic.”
Lester Tubbs put two fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. Everyone outside the house turned to face him. Tubbs motioned all law enforcement personnel to come in. When they all were within earshot he spoke. “I want every car and light tower moved back near the road. We’re going to operate from there now. This may be only temporary. But for now we’re going to move back. So let’s get this done ASAP.”
Chapter 44
Josiah Barrett and his mother sat in stone chairs on a patio. Unspoiled nature surrounded them on all sides. The greatest national park on planet earth paled in comparison.
Barrett couldn’t stop smiling as he took in his sprawling backyard. Mammoth trees grew straight and true up from verdant, weed-free grass. The trees soared into the sky and provided ample shade. Heavenly light beamed through the leaf canopy and splashed everything in a golden hue.
Barrett’s gaze followed the property lines. The trees eventually opened up into a meadow supporting a small vineyard. He realized then that he possessed incredible vision. The vineyard stood at least two-hundred yards away, yet he could see the vines hung heavy with grapes. A crystalline brook, complete with a waterfall intersected the back edge of his property. Overhead, songbirds whistled happy songs to the Creator. Barrett felt like breaking into song along with the birds.
“How do you like your place, Josiah?”
Barrett turned and looked back at his home, a house hewn from what looked to him like jasper and quartz. The house was an architectural marvel—ingeniously designed and symmetrically perfect. Barrett noticed for the first time the stone walls were inlaid with precious gems, and even veins of gold. Somehow the jasper and quartz and gemstones and gold dust all melded tastefully together to form a beautiful building material.
Flowering vines covered the house on one side and helped the home blend in with the bucolic setting, complimenting it. Barrett shook his head. Arcadias is searching for treasure on earth and will probably never find it, while I’ve found treasure in heaven, even though I wasn’t looking for it. “I love the home, Mama, but I like the grounds even more. I don’t even feel like I’m living in a city. I feel like I’m way out in the country. I even have a vineyard.”
Susan Barrett smiled. “Heaven is a big, big place. There’s plenty of room for everyone,” she said, and grabbed an apple from a bowl sitting on a table. “I see the welcoming committee has been here. You should try these apples, Josiah. They’re not just any apples. They’re from the Garden, from the Tree of Life.”
Barrett took an apple and bit into it. The fruit tasted better than any fruit he’d ever eaten. “It’s luscious, and satisfying.”
Susan Barrett nodded knowingly. She pointed to the brook. “And you can drink from the brook. The water originates from atop the holy mountain. It’s living water.”
Barrett paused from eating the apple. He looked at his mother. “Where is Pop? I haven’t seen him.”
“He’s not here, son. He never accepted the Gift. Your father never wanted anything to do with God. He rejected Jesus—the only sin that can’t be forgiven.”
Barrett shook his head. “Pop was a good man. He was honest and hardworking. He never complained. He did volunteer work and helped strangers in need. He was everything I wasn’t.”
Susan Barrett touched her son’s knee. “But all his good works didn’t allow Xavier entrance into heaven. But you, my precious son, recognized your need for forgiveness and believed Jesus would save you. And he did.”
“I waited so long to ask Him to forgive me, almost too long.”
“But when it counted the most you stepped into the Light. And now you are here with me. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Mama, can you see the people down on Earth?”
“Of course I can. All saints can. But why concern ourselves with a dying planet? This is our home now. Earth holds nothing for us now.”
“Can you show me how to do it, how to look at those below?”
“Why do you want to look back at Earth? That planet is going to eventually melt away along with the heavens. After the fire burns it up, God will renew Earth back to its original state.”
“I want to see if Jon and Annie Rafter and Ned Hoxley are okay. It’s my entire fault their lives are in danger. I knew what Arcadias and Damien were planning to do. I had the power to stop it from happening. But I did nothing.”
“I never did approve of the Charbonneau boys. I feared they would lead you down a wrong path, a journey you didn’t have to take. But I wouldn’t say you did nothing in your mortal life. You went from villain to hero there at the end, Josiah.”
“Too little too late, I should’ve done more.”
Susan Barrett took his hand. “We all could’ve done more to love our fellow man. But we didn’t. So the best thing we can do now is pray. Jon and Annie and Ned Hoxley are Christ followers. We should lift them up in prayer and ask our Father to move his angels into position. Every believer has their own guardian angel.”