A Moment of Weakness

  “Sustained.” Judge Wells looked at Landsford.

  Luke sat down. He must’ve known that Landsford was showboating. A desperate move, for sure. Landsford’s question went against previous testimony by James Black. It was the attorney’s attempt to impact the jury. And it was wrong.

  The judge leaned forward, definitely bothered. “Stick to direct questions, Counsel.”

  “Yes, Your Honor.” He glared at Wendell. “Did you ask these students to come today?”

  “No, sir.” Wendell smiled at the students. “It was a surprise.”

  The attorney didn’t seem to like that answer. He checked his notes and changed the direction of his questioning. “Did you know it was unconstitutional to start a Bible study at Hamilton High?”

  It was the first in a long list of questions meant to get at Wendell’s motive. For every question, Wendell answered truthfully. Starting the Raise the Bar club was the only way he knew to do his job.

  “And violating the Constitution was the only way you could think to do your job?”

  Wendell didn’t blink. “My research tells me I did not violate the Constitution. Again, I was just trying to do the job I agreed to do.”

  “I see.” Landsford nodded, his tone sarcastic. “And your job was to teach students the Christian faith?” The lawyer’s tone mocked Wendell.

  Luke stayed in his seat, so Wendell responded. This was his chance. The one he’d been waiting for. The attorney had asked, so Wendell took a quick breath. “No, sir. My job was to establish a schoolwide vision of commitment to high standards and ensure the success of all students.”

  The definition seemed to take Landsford by surprise. “That sounds memorized. Is it memorized, Mr. Quinn?”

  “Yes, sir. It’s the job duties I agreed to as spelled out in my contract with Hamilton High.” Wendell looked at Jordy and his classmates. “And the students are better for it. You can see for yourself. They’re here. They will tell you themselves their lives have improved. Their grades are better. They are in class more regularly. Their lives are changed.”

  Wendell could feel the presence of God beside him, within him.

  Landsford looked exasperated, like he couldn’t be bothered putting each kid on the witness stand. It would take too much time, time he’d promised the jurors he wouldn’t waste. Wendell could feel the tide turning.

  Landsford stumbled through a few more questions. “Surely as an educator you can see the good that comes with separation of church and state, Mr. Quinn.” The attorney lost some of his sarcasm and found a modicum of the charm he’d had at the beginning of the trial. “You do see that, right?”

  “Well, yes.” Wendell nodded. “If I forced religion on my students, it wouldn’t be their own. It wouldn’t be real.” He smiled, polite to the core. “The reason you see change in the students at Hamilton High is because no one forced them. They chose Christianity all on their own.”

  Landsford looked like he was deflating. His shoulders sank and he stared at Wendell. Finally he shook his head and handed Wendell off to Luke Baxter. Luke was smiling before he stood up.

  He had a copy of Wendell’s contract and once Wendell established that the document was indeed his employment contract, Luke read the definition of Wendell’s job duties once more. Straight from the document. Luke’s questions moved to Wendell’s discouragement when things were in a dire state at Hamilton High, and then to the research Wendell had done that summer.

  “I needed to find a way to do my job,” Wendell said. “There was nothing in our district’s policy prohibiting me from starting a voluntary Bible study. So I decided to give it a try.”

  The next set of questions dealt with the success of the program. Overall, Wendell was sure his testimony couldn’t have gone better if he’d put the students, themselves, on the stand. And the fact that eighty of them had arrived just before he took his testimony was more than Wendell could take in.

  When he returned to his seat, he couldn’t stop the tears. Wendell wiped at them and tried to find his composure once more. Before court was adjourned for the day, Landsford rested his case. Tomorrow Luke would have his chance.

  “I have a surprise for everyone.” Luke patted Wendell on the shoulder. “Today was perfect, Wendell. Absolutely perfect.”

  “Only God could’ve worked things out the way they went today.”

  “I agree.” Luke chuckled. “I have a feeling we’ll say the same thing tomorrow.”

  Cami and Jordy and dozens of students were lined up behind the railing waiting to talk to Wendell. Alicia was waiting, too. But before Wendell could thank Luke again and move on, Andy Nelson approached the two of them.

  By then, Landsford was gone. He had packed up his things and exited the courtroom without talking to the media. Andy, though, had remained at the plaintiff’s table and now, as he approached, Wendell could see tears on the man’s face.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Quinn. I never . . . I never meant to hurt you or . . . the students at Hamilton.”

  Luke’s eyes grew wide, but he didn’t say anything. Wendell took the cue. “Well . . . I appreciate that. I’m sorry about you and your daughter. What’s happened between you.”

  “I have a lot of work to do.” Andy pressed his lips together, obviously emotional. He looked at Luke. “But I’m making changes for the better.” He paused. “I assume you’ll call me as a witness tomorrow. When you present your defense.”

  The look on Luke’s face told Wendell that his attorney was scrambling. “I . . . uh, yes. I’m planning on it.”

  “Good.” Andy nodded at Luke and then Wendell. “Again . . . I’m sorry.”

  With that he turned and left the courtroom. He avoided Cami and the other students and ignored the shouts from the reporters. Wendell watched him leave and then turned to Luke. “What in the world?”

  “Exactly.” Luke looked dazed. Andy had testified on the first day of the trial. Landsford had kept his questions brief and functional. Establishing only that yes, Andy had filed the lawsuit. That left Luke no chance to cross-examine the man beyond those questions. “I thought Landsford didn’t ask enough questions the first time around. Maybe he knew that Andy had become a liability to the case.”

  Wendell nodded. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

  “I can hardly wait.” Luke smiled at Wendell as he gathered his paperwork. “Go greet your fans. They won the game for us today.”

  “We serve a very good God, Luke.” Wendell patted his attorney on the shoulder.

  “Yes.” Luke’s eyes softened. “Win or lose. That much will always be true.”

  It took an hour for Wendell to greet the students. Alicia stayed by his side the whole time, saying hello to students she hadn’t seen in more than a year. Out in the parking lot there were two buses that had brought the students. A decision made by Wendell’s assistant principal.

  Before the students took off, Jordy and Cami came up to Wendell and Alicia. His son hugged him and then looked straight into his eyes. “Dad . . . this idea was Cami’s and mine. I thought you should know.”

  “I wondered.” Alicia gave Cami a hug. “What a wonderful thing to organize.”

  “She got the booster club to make us the shirts a few days ago.” Jordy smiled at the girl. He was clearly proud of her.

  “Wow . . . that’s . . . that’s amazing.” Wendell thought about the unkind things he’d said about her and her father the other night. He smiled at the girl. “Thank you, Cami. Jordy tells me the two of you have gotten very close.”

  A slight blush worked its way across Cami’s cheeks. “We have. Yes, sir.”

  Jordy took hold of Cami’s hand. He had never looked happier.

  “Well, then.” Wendell smiled from Cami to Jordy. “When all this is over, I hope you’ll join us for dinner.”

  Cami beamed. “I will. Thank you, sir.” Her smile faded some. “I’m sorry again. About all this.”

  “It’s not your fault.” He patted the girl’s shoulder. “Besides,
Jordy reminded me a few days ago. God’s got it.”

  Wendell walked Alicia to her car just as a dark SUV sped out of the far side of the parking lot. She stopped and shaded her eyes, watching the vehicle leave. “There it is.”

  “What?” Wendell followed her gaze. “Is that the car? The one you’ve seen following you?”

  “I think so.” She sighed and turned to Wendell. “I never see it in the daylight. Sometimes I think it’s all in my mind.” She wrapped her arms around Wendell and hugged him. “Tell me it’s all in my mind.”

  Wendell ran his hand along the back of her head. “It’s all in your mind.” He wanted desperately to believe that. “Who do you think it could be?”

  She lifted her pretty eyes to his. “Who else?”

  “Jack? But he’s married.” Wendell hadn’t considered for a minute that Jack Renton might be the one following Alicia. “You said he was out of your life.”

  “He was. It’s just . . . Only Jack would do something like that.” Her eyes told him she was fighting the fear, trying to keep it from rising up within her once more. “It has to be my imagination.”

  “Why don’t you come over for dinner? We’re getting takeout. Jordy’s picking it up on the way home.”

  “Really?” Her fear eased a little. Alicia smiled at him. “I’d love that.”

  “Okay, then.” He stepped back. They were still taking things one day at a time. For now, anyway. “See you there.”

  It wasn’t until Wendell backed out of his parking space that he saw something that made him wonder if Alicia was right. Maybe someone was watching her, following her. Parked thirty yards away from the exit was a familiar car, one very much like the car that had sped out of the lot a few minutes earlier.

  A dark SUV.

  Before Wendell could pull up beside the SUV, the driver raced off. Wendell thought about chasing the vehicle or calling the police, but then he stopped himself. What could he say? And what would the police be able to do?

  Crazy people hung out at courthouses. There were trials taking place in every courtroom. No one was following Alicia. Jack Renton was married. He hadn’t called her in months. Wendell waited at the next light. He and Alicia were about to have a fun evening together. Nothing to worry about.

  End of story.

  • • •

  ASHLEY BAXTER BLAKE was working in Janessa’s classroom that day, the way she always did on Thursday afternoons. It was story hour, time for the kids to read books they’d brought from home. Students could read either quietly to themselves or aloud with their classmates.

  Today Ms. Jenkins wanted the kids to read aloud.

  Janessa ran with the other children toward the cubbies lined up on one side of the classroom. Ashley watched her daughter pull a large book from her backpack and then carry it to her desk. Ashley was organizing puzzles on the other side of the room, but she was curious about the book.

  The other kids were still getting situated, so Ashley walked over to Janessa and only then did she see what her daughter had brought today. It was her pink Bible, the one Ashley and Landon had given her last Christmas.

  This ought to be interesting, Ashley thought. She knelt beside her daughter’s desk. “You brought your Bible?” She smiled into the girl’s blue eyes. “What made you choose that one, honey?”

  Janessa rubbed the leather cover, her expression completely free of guile. “Ms. Jenkins said to bring our favorite book.” She smiled at the Bible. “This is my favorite.”

  “Perfect, honey. That’s perfect.” She kissed Janessa’s cheek and returned to her organizing. All right, then. Ashley kept her trepidations to herself and waited.

  Ms. Jenkins took volunteers. The first little girl read a selection from Junie B. Jones. “That’s my favorite book,” the child said sweetly.

  Janessa’s hand was up next.

  “Go ahead, Janessa.” Ms. Jenkins was a young teacher, in her mid-twenties. The students were crazy about her. She smiled at Janessa. “Tell us about your book.”

  Like her classmate before her, Janessa stood and held up her book. “I brought the Bible. My favorite part is the Twenty-Third Psalm because—”

  “Oh, honey, no.” Ms. Jenkins approached Janessa quickly and reached for her book. “You can’t bring a Bible to school. That’s against the rules.”

  “Hold on, boys and girls.” Ashley couldn’t stop herself. She smiled at the students, all of whom were turning to hear her. “I need to have a little talk with Ms. Jenkins.” Ashley pointed to a few of the students. “Read your books quietly until we’re finished.”

  Ms. Jenkins looked shocked. But given the situation she didn’t seem to have any choice, so she followed Ashley to a back corner of the room. “Mrs. Blake . . . what’s this about? I’m the teacher here.”

  “I realize that.” Ashley had to make her point quickly. “I’m very sorry. No offense intended.” She hesitated. It was important for the teacher to understand the full weight of what she was about to say. “My brother is a lawyer, Ms. Jenkins. He takes on religious freedom cases. And I assure you that what you just did was a violation of Janessa’s First Amendment rights.”

  “What?” The young teacher looked confused. “I thought Bibles were against the law?”

  Ashley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You thought— Never mind. Ms. Jenkins, I assure you Bibles are not against the law. It would be a violation of church and state if you forced the students to read the Bible. But you cannot deny any child the right to read his or her own Bible.” She straightened herself. “I’m glad I was here to clear things up for you.”

  “Yes.” Ms. Jenkins looked bewildered. “I’m . . . I’m glad, too. I’ll have to check with my principal. But for now . . .”

  “Ms. Jenkins.” Ashley smiled. “For now and for always . . . any child may read the Bible during reading time.” She nodded, her voice kind. “And no one can stop them. That’s the law.”

  Ms. Jenkins nodded. “Thank you. I meant . . . no harm.”

  “I know.” Ashley patted the woman’s hand. “Sorry about the interruption.”

  “Right.” The teacher still looked bewildered. She returned to the front of the class. “Okay, boys and girls. We’ll resume reading now.” She turned her attention to Ashley’s daughter. “Janessa. You may read whatever part of the Bible you’d like.”

  Janessa looked uncertain. She glanced at Ashley.

  “It’s okay, honey.” Ashley whispered her encouragement. “Go ahead.”

  For a second Janessa seemed unsure. Then she opened the cover of her pink Bible and turned to the Twenty-Third Psalm. In a shaky voice she began, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want . . .”

  Janessa’s voice grew stronger as she read. Ashley fought back tears as she listened. Did the other children understand the weight of what was happening? How Janessa’s sweet young voice was the voice of religious freedom? Ashley felt sick about what would’ve happened if she hadn’t been here today.

  Janessa would’ve been told that her Bible was illegal. Prohibited from school grounds like drugs or guns. Ashley was devastated at the thought. This was how a nation was losing its freedoms. One teacher at a time, one classroom at a time.

  Ashley leaned against the back wall and listened to Janessa finish the Twenty-Third Psalm.

  “. . . and I will dwell in the house of the Lord . . . forever.”

  Forever. Which was how long Ashley and the others in her family needed to stand up for religious freedom in the United States.

  The whole ordeal reminded Ashley to pray for her brother. Luke’s case would wrap up in the next day or so. That night she told Landon what had happened at Janessa’s school. And how important it was to pray for Luke. Especially now.

  Landon held her in his arms, and he prayed the most beautiful prayer. That Luke would be helped by God, Himself, in the days to come, and that America might continue to be a place where people could openly worship the Lord.

  So that Janessa’s children woul
dn’t grow up in a world where Bibles really would be illegal. So that the name of God never had to be whispered. But rather shouted from on high.

  The way He deserved.

  22

  Luke’s surprise witness was Rosie Carter, mother of Rasha Carter.

  Rasha had been a promising sophomore when she was gunned down a few years ago in the parking lot of Hamilton High. Caught in the crossfire of two rival gangs.

  A week ago, Wendell had brought a video to his meeting with Luke. A video he had showed students when he first presented the idea of the Raise the Bar club.

  That day in his office, Luke had watched the short film through teary eyes. Rasha had been everything right about youth today. And now she was gone. Still, Luke had figured the video wasn’t going to be any help in the trial. He told Wendell as much.

  Luke had no permissible reason to show the emotional footage. Rasha had passed before Wendell’s Raise the Bar club was even founded. Therefore the video didn’t pertain to the case, and so Judge Wells would never allow it. But on the first day of testimony, God had given Luke a gift.

  Something he’d held on to until now.

  When court was in session, Luke stood and looked at Judge Wells. “I would like permission to show a brief video to the jury. It’s only a few minutes long.”

  Landsford slid to the edge of his seat. Beside him, Andy Nelson hung his head. He still appeared so very troubled. But now there was hope around the edges of his soul. There had to be. He had cut his hair and his eyes were more alert. He looked presentable.

  “What would this video contain, Mr. Baxter?” Judge Wells practically rolled her eyes.

  “It’s footage of a female Hamilton student who was killed in the parking lot a few years ago. Caught in the crossfire of two rival gangs.”

  Now Landsford couldn’t scramble to his feet fast enough. “Objection. Irrelevant. Mr. Baxter must only introduce evidence and witnesses that pertain directly to the defense in regards to the complaint.” He glared at Luke. “Counsel should know better.”

  “It does pertain to the case, Your Honor. As we’ve said, what’s brought up in the direct is permissible in the cross. That goes for the introduction of evidence.” Luke kept his voice humble, free of any of Landsford’s disdain. Luke was merely stating facts here. Trying to keep things in order.