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"Chet, he’s the private detective--"

"I know him well"

"You do?"

Gabriel nodded "Is he responsible for the other things as well? I notice she’s wearing an attractive dress and gold earrings"

"Ah, I believe so" Now didn’t seem the time to mention Monica’s lunch with Donna Watkins

Gabriel’s nod was thoughtful "I suspected as much As I recall, the last tihteousness A to accept the differences in us all?"

"I couldn’t really say, but I must explain, I did a bit of research on this private detective and I don’tyou, he’s had a sordid past"

"I see," Gabriel coood sign "How far back did you investigate hiunshot wound?"

"Ah, I wasn’t aware he’d been wounded"

"He nearly died As I understand it, he stepped in front of a bullet to save his friend He illing to sacrifice his own life for that of soh, his friend died"

"Oh, dear" The picture Gabriel painted of Chet was becoaze slowly returned to Monica, kneeling at the altar railing, pouring her heart out in prayer It rose like a sweet-s?"

Gabriel stood behind Goodness "She’s thanking God for teaching her about love, for giving her the short tiratitude"

Goodness frowned "Gratitude comes with tears?"

"Very often it does," Gabriel adht Monica Fischer what she needed to learn"

"But I did nothing" Goodness was eared toward Michael "The changes are due to Chet Costello, not me"

"I know Maybe we should look at hiether "He’s probably in a bar somewhere"

"He is" The picture of Monica faded and was replaced by one of Chet slouched atop a bar stool, nursing a shot glass His shoulders were hunched forward and he ignored any attempts at conversation the bartender made

"You notice he isn’t in any church," Goodness felt obliged to point out

"I realize that"

A cocktail waitress a "That’s Trixie" Goodness felt it was important that Gabriel knoell informed she was She hadn’t slouched in her duties

"I know all about Trixie as well"

"Then yourelationship," Goodness supplied

"It’s over and has been from theit again, you see"

"Drinking?"

Gabriel slowly shook his head "No, he’s sacrificing himself for another He loves Monica, but he doesn’t believe he’s right for her It seeood of so more than pain"

"He deserves love," Goodness whispered, watching Trixie

Goodness thought she heard Gabriel groan "Not Trixie," he said impatiently

"Who, then?"

"Monica Fischer"

Goodness felt knocked off-balance "You couldn’t possibly ood Lord intends to answer Monica’s prayer for a husband with Chet Costello?"

Gabriel laughed, the rich and full sound echoing like a Chinese gong "My dear Goodness, that’s what He intended all along"

Chapter 15

Jody swore she didn’t sleep except in ten- or fifteen-ht It had been like this when Jeff had first disappeared Mentally and physically exhausted, she’d fall into bed, ilike sleep only to jerk awake minutes later The pattern was back

Jeff was alive

Jeff was dead and buried Buried and , when the alar, Jody was te that kept her fro the day at home alone with her doubts--a day alone with her fears Alone It held no appeal

Sensing her mood, Timmy was extra quiet He dressed for school while she cooked his breakfast and drove hiood day," she told him as he clione, hurrying to meet his friends