Faith smiled slightly.“And what’s that?”
“Faithisthe evidence.Of things not seen.The substance of things hoped for.I said that verse backwards, but I felt it would drive the point home a little further considering your own definition of the word.”
Faith nodded.“It’s a good definition, sir.I’m just not entirely sure what it means.”
He smiled.“It means everything’s going to be okay.”
He squeezed her shoulder, then left the auditorium.Faith stood where she was for a long moment, letting herself process everything that had happened over the past three days.She looked at Turk, who returned her gaze with a love as pure and compassionate as the chaplains.Perhaps as pure and compassionate as God’s.“What do you think, boy?Will everything be okay?”
Turk barked firmly.Faith laughed and reached down to ruffle his fur.“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Pattering footsteps pulled Faith’s attention away.She looked up to see Bridgette approaching, a bright smile on her face.Faith tried not to imagine the grin of a crocodile and almost succeeded.
She pointed a finger at Faith.“You owe me an exclusive.Your partner was good, but let’s be honest.No one’s Faith Bold but Faith Bold.”
“I don’t owe you anything.I never agreed to give you an exclusive.”
“Ahem,” Bridgette said, smiling sweetly.“You said, and I quote, ‘Yeah, yeah.We’ll talk about it.’”
Faith opened her mouth to argue, but she was too exhausted.Besides, Bridgettehadgiven them their lead.She sighed and resigned herself to her fate.“Lucky me.”
Bridgette winked.“Some might say blessed.”
“They might,” Faith agreed.“All right.Let’s get this over with.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The door opened, and David looked up from the couch.He smiled at his wife a split second before a tornado of fur launched itself into the air and knocked him onto his back.
He laughed and accepted Turk’s enthusiastic affection, hugging him tightly and saying, “Oh, God.Turk, you better live forever.I really don’t know what we’re gonna do without you.”
Turk cocked his head, not comprehending why David would even think of a world without him.David laughed and kissed the tip of his nose.He got to his feet and tried to kiss, Faith but she put a hand in front of him and said, “Uh uh.I love Turk, but I’m not smooching you with his spittle slathered all over your lips.”
“Fair enough,” David said, contenting himself with an embrace, then moving to the kitchen to wash his face in the sink.“How was the case?”
Faith chuckled.“That is going to involve a long conversation and at least two glasses of wine.The short answer is that I’m seriously considering going to church.”
David blinked.“Really?”
“No, not really,” Faith said.“But I had to think about it.That’s saying something.”
“I don’t mind if you want to go to church.I used to go when I was a kid.”
“Really?”she said as she started warming up leftovers for Turk.“How did I not know this?Also, where are Rogers and Hammerton?”
“You didn’t know this because it stopped being a part of my life when I became an adult.And Rogers and Hammerton are in the garage grabbing drinks.”
“The garage?”
The door opened—the front door—and Rogers and Hammerton entered.Hammerton was carrying a case of beer, and Faith lifted an eyebrow.“I don’t recognize that brand.”
“You will, ma’am,” Rogers said.“Because it’s the best damned beer on Earth.”
“How did you guys go to the garage and come in through the front door?”David asked.
Hammerton grinned sheepishly.“Sorry.We saw Faith pull up and went out to investigate.We probably should have sent someone in for you and someone else out to look.”
“You should have,” Faith agreed, “but that’s all right.Are you two staying for dinner?”
