* * * * *
Epilogue
Andrea stumbled over the uneven gravel. The landscape was still not finished around her new home. It had been six months but the wait was worth it. She knew that when she moved in next week, it would have everything in place including all of the new furniture she had purchased since returning from Haiti.
Benitos Construction had done a wonderful job. They built her the perfect home. Andrea couldn’t wait to move in. As she looked around, she spotted the construction foreman coming toward her. “Hi, Mark. I love the progress that I see on the house.”
“Hi, Andrea. We’ll begin landscaping later today. Is there anything in particular that you want done?”
“I’ve asked the landscape architect to keep the front yard pretty simple. I visualize flower gardens and a patio in the back yard. If the finished result is anything like his renderings, I will be satisfied. They encompassed everything I wanted and more. I also want the back yard fenced so Pokey and Patches can be free to roam within those boundaries. No more being tied up for them. Do you think you could have the fence done before we move in next week?”
“As long as the landscape company gets their work done, we can install the fence as well. We are almost done on the inside of the house and it won’t take too long, maybe a couple of days, to do the fence. We could have sections completed, ready to install, by the time the grounds are done.”
“That’s great. I’m excited. Living in a temporary place can lose its luster after a while. Especially since I decided to put the dogs back in the kennels. I can’t wait to have them home with me.” The sun was just beginning to set as she watched the men leave the building for another day.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She waved good-bye to the man who had become a friend during the past months.
•
“How’s it going?” Brian startled her.
“Brian, don’t sneak up on me like that! How are you? You walked so quietly I didn’t hear you come up. The construction is just about finished, and I will be able to move in next week. I’m so excited!”
“You’ve waited a long time for a permanent place to call home. Have you got enough help moving in?”
“Yah, I’ll be okay, but I can always use another pair of hands. Are you offering?” Andrea cocked her head to one side giving Brian that familiar glance he had come to expect from her. Since their return from Haiti, she’d worked hard to give him the impression that friendship was all she wanted, but … he was very hopeful.
Somehow his interest in anyone else paled when he compared them to this feisty young woman who would go to any lengths for a friend. That he’d found out when they were trying to find Trent and Diane. She was spirited, but careful as well, and their agency would succeed because of her.
“ Ahem-m…Speaking of helpful,” Brian interrupted his thoughts…again. “Angelia is the best secretary I’ve ever worked with. You were right in hiring her.”
“I just had a feeling about her, and since we’ve begun getting some clients, we’ll need all the office help we can get…so we can do the sleuthing, etc. etc. etc.” Andrea turned and began to walk towards her car. “I need to go and take Patches and Pokey for a walk. They’ve been cooped up in that kennel all day. I’ll be so glad when I can just open the back door and let them roam free again.”
As they walked, she added, “I hope Shuster Detective Agency will be able to do all that we envision. When the Lord laid that plan on our hearts, I was a little skeptical, but it seems that our names have gotten out since the Haiti thing. By the way, what’s new with Trent and Diane? I haven’t had a chance to talk to her in the last week.”
“A whole week! Wow, that’s a record for you two, isn’t it?”
“Ve-ry funny. With building this new house, talking to organizations about Father Bertrand’s orphanage, and getting all the necessary paperwork done to make us a legal agency. I haven’t had time to think. When is your last day at Hartford Industries?”
“Tomorrow. Then I will be free to detect … or whatever it is that we will be asked to do. I am actually looking forward to this. Can you imagine who the Lord might place in our paths and what kind of problems we will be asked to solve? I have a hard time thinking of us as serious detectives, but it seems we have a knack for it.”
Andrea chuckled as she recalled the first time she’d approached Brian with the idea of using some of Max’s money to open their own agency. He had almost laughed out loud, but then he’d confessed he’d thought the same thing.
“The Holy Spirit is clearly in this thing, don’t you think?” Andrea’s sense of peace was almost overwhelming at times. She shook her head when she contemplated the changes that had taken place in her life. Never in her life had she imagined going down this path. “Walking with God is an adventure, all right.”
Brian spoke his thoughts out loud. “I imagine we’ll have plenty of opportunity to share our faith. I’m thinking that there are a lot of Christians around who will feel more comfortable asking us to become involved in their lives when they know we are Christians as well.”
•
“I hope so. I quit my job at General Warehouse to help people.” Brian knew that the position of personal secretary to Mr. Forrester had been given to someone else while Andrea was in Haiti. She would have been just a member of the secretary pool anyway. “The details for this new business have taken a lot of time. I hope that Angelia will be able to handle those details from here on so we can do what God has called us to do.”
As they walked towards their respective cars, Andrea remembered some of those details. When they got back from Haiti, she’d booked another hotel. This one allowed dogs but the process of building took too long so back they went to the kennel. That meant extra trips, just to be with them for a few minutes each day. Oh well, by next week we’ll all be much happier in our own place.
Just before she got into her car, she said, “Why don’t we go over to Trent and Diane’s? They probably have enough food for two extra mouths, and I would like to catch up on how she’s feeling.”
“Great idea! Trent and I can plan that fishing trip that we’ve been meaning to take before winter sets in. Want to come with me or take separate cars?”
“No, I’ll take my own car. I don’t want to leave mine out here all night. I’ll need it first thing in the morning. Besides, you live on the other side of town. I want to stop by the kennels to let the dogs out before it gets too dark. My babies need me!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll see you at the Michners.” Brian chuckled as she watched him get in the driver’s side of his car. He sped off in the direction of the Michner residence. She turned on the ignition and put her car in gear to follow close behind. What a difference a few months can make in a person’s life. Just a little over six months ago, I hardly knew Brian Strait, and now here I am, going into business with him. He’s become my second best friend. I guess situations like we faced together can bring people close together.
It took only about twenty minutes for Brian and Andrea to arrive at the Michners new home. Trent and Diane had returned home from Haiti to a house that they were not able to feel safe in again. They sold it two months ago and moved into a larger home on the other side of town. This one had a security system.
Andrea stepped out of her car but not before three year old Jeffrey had seen his two adoptive relatives arrive.
“Unca Brian, Aunty Andy,” he squealed as he rushed out the front door with Trent and Diane close on his heels. They hardly ever let him out of their sight anymore, but their counselors said that time would help them relax their hold on him again.
Diane was beginning to look pregnant, a condition that had happened shortly after their return to a normal life again. The baby was due just after Christmas and everyone, including Andrea and Brian, was excited over the prospect of a new member in the family.
Diane hugged Andrea as Brian swung Jeffrey in a large circle over his head. “You sure have a lead
foot.” He chuckled toward Andrea. “How did you get here the same time as me almost when I started out long before you?”
“I know a short cut.” She tossed her head with a new self assurance as she and Diane walked towards the front door.
“We were just about to sit down to eat.” Diane was ever the perfect hostess. “There’s plenty.”
“I figured as much. You always cook for an army.”
“Well, I never know when we might get company.” Diane gave Andrea a playful punch on the arm, and they both laughed together.
Trent and Brian were already busy in conversation by the time they joined the women at the table. Jeffrey was occupied with his food almost immediately so the adults sat down to visit and enjoy Diane’s great cooking. Trent and Brian huddled together making plans for their fishing trip.
“Look at the two of them.” Diane nodded toward her husband, his head bowed in conversation with his best bud. “You’d think that’s all they ever talked about, fishing! How is the house coming, Andrea?”
The rest of the evening progressed with the casual camaraderie expected when these two couples shared a meal together. Amidst laughter and the occasional ribbing, the four adults included Jeffrey as often as they could, making him feel important too. Diane had just served everyone dessert and coffee when the topic of the detective agency came up.
“How soon will you be able to handle some clients? A friend of ours is coming over tonight to discuss…well, it’s something that we were going to talk to you guys about. Since you’re here anyway, you can talk to him yourselves.” Trent took a bite of the cheesecake Diane had set before him. “M-m-m.” He gave her an appreciative look.
“We’ve already had some inquiries for a few simple jobs. Does your friend have someone missing?” Andrea spoke up before Brian could ask the same thing.
“Before you get into the details of this, I’ll put Jeffrey to bed.” Diane had noticed her son nodding off from time to time. “Go ahead, Trent, explain why we’re interested.”
“DJ belongs to a Christian motorcycle group.” Trent sipped his coffee. “He’s been with them for some time. They’ve been developing relationships with outlaw biker groups hoping to build friendships. Their goal is to share the Lord’s love with these people any way they can. Well, a friend of his was murdered two days ago. He was wondering if you guys could find out who and why.”
“Oh…no. Trent.” Andrea sank back into the sofa cushions. “We don’t know anything about bikers.”
Just then the doorbell rang. Diane hollered from the other room. “I’ll get it.” She soon returned with a tall, long haired man dressed from head to toe in black leather. His strut, the walk of a tough biker, brought him over to the table as Trent pulled up another chair. His hair was tied back in a Steven Segal styled pony tail showing off pierced ears and a tattoo on the left side of his neck. Removing his jacket to reveal a black denim shirt with the sleeves cut off, he straddled the chair backwards. He held out his hand for Brian to shake as Trent introduced him.
“Brian, Andrea, this is Donald Wiebe or DJ as we all call him.”
•
Donald grinned showing a definite set of dimples, a sharp contrast to his somber, no nonsense look. The look on the faces of the couple sitting with Trent was not unusual, especially in Christian circles. He had heard so much about how Andrea and Brian had saved the Michners that he felt as if he knew them already. It was clear; they were not sure how to respond to his presence though.
Taking their silence as a cue for more information, he stood up and turned around for everyone to see the crest on his back. There was a bright blue, red, and orange patch on his back identifying him as a Christian biker with the words ‘Riding with the Son’ clearly visible for all the world to see.
Brian rose and shook his hand. Then Andrea did the same. DJ enjoyed the intimidating image of testosterone he portrayed especially when he encountered the ‘one percenters’ or outlaw bikers.
“It’s good to meet you both,” he said. “I’ve heard all about you.” His grin widened. “It seems Trent and Diane are your biggest supporters. They think you’re the right people for this job.” His happy-go-lucky mannerisms immediately became somber as he began to tell the story of his friend’s murder.
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