dropped divorce papers on him.
How had Will turned to God in the middle of that?
“People who don’t have faith turn to God when they don’t have anywhere else to go,” Don had told Shel on more than one occasion. “It’s a shame they wait till then, but that’s usually when they get the wake-up call that they need help in their lives or they’re not going to make it through. That’s the whole thing about free will, Shel. God is there, but he leaves the choice in your hands.”
Shel wondered if that was true, though. Did God move in ways to coerce people into believing in him? He figured if he’d asked that question of Don, his brother would have gotten irate with him.
Maybe he’d even committed a sin by thinking that way.
Then again, by believing that God was coercing you into accepting him, wasn’t that faith too? Believing that God cared enough to blackmail you into faith was also an admission that you believed. Shel wasn’t certain about that.
One thing was certain, though: he didn’t have anywhere else to go. No one could help him.
No, he corrected himself, no one can help Daddy. His eyes burned as he thought about that. He stared at the cross. What about it, God? Do I have to knuckle under for myself? Or can you blackmail me into believing in you by threatening Daddy?
Anger swept through Shel at that moment. But at the same time, he let out a breath and calmed himself. He thought for a long time, but he couldn’t come up with another plan of action.
He was at a standstill and up against a stone wall. And all that time, his daddy was fighting for his life.
All right, God, I don’t know if you planned this or are just around as you’ve always been. We can sort all that out later. Shel bowed his head and let go of his anger. He didn’t have room in his heart for that and hope at the same time. Right now, God, I’m asking for your help. Not for me, but for Daddy. I don’t know if you take prayers for others, but I know a lot of people pray for other people who have trouble in their lives.
Daddy’s got a lot of trouble in his life. It’s been there for a long time. But I expect you already knew that if you’re everything Don believes you are. Daddy needs help that Don can’t give and I can’t give. I’m asking you to give him that help. If he can’t help himself, then please help me help him.
Shel sat there quietly for a time and thought about all the Sunday school classes he’d gone to when his mama had been alive. He thought about her too, and for a moment while he sat in the chapel, he could have sworn he felt her around him.
Then the feeling was gone, but a peace like none he’d ever before experienced descended on him. Before he knew it, he was totally at rest and fell asleep effortlessly.
›› Cafeteria
›› Las Palmas Medical Center
›› El Paso, Texas
›› 1139 Hours (Central Time Zone)
“Your father surprised the doctor just a short time ago,” Isabella said as she placed her tray on one of the back tables.
Shel sat on the other side of the table from her. Max made himself at home to one side. All around them, visitors and hospital staff lunched and talked. It was busy and noisy.
“How?” Shel asked. He dropped part of a turkey sandwich and Max caught it before it hit the floor.
“He’s agreed to talk to the doctor about the pacemaker.”
Worry gnawed at Shel. “Did something happen?”
“You mean with his heart?”
Shel nodded.
“No. He just changed his mind.”
“Daddy don’t often do that once he settles on a game plan.”
“Just be glad that he did.”
“I am.”
They ate and swapped small talk for a little while, but Shel couldn’t help thinking about his prayer in the chapel and how he’d felt his mama there. Isabella was pleasant and easy company, and she didn’t mind keeping up both ends of the conversation when she had to.
As they were putting their trays away and getting ready to leave, Shel’s cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and flipped it open.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” Will asked.
“Now is good,” Shel replied.
“Estrella found one of Victor Gant’s old crew that was wounded before he got out of Vietnam. Maggie and Remy went to see him. He was there the night your father shot PFC Hinton.”
Shel’s stomach knotted up at little at that. The murder wasn’t going to go away.
“He’s also identified an area where he thinks the body was buried,” Will went on.
Excitement blazed within Shel as he guessed where Will was going.
“I asked Director Larkin to pull some strings with the State Department and the Vietnamese government for us,” Will said. “He came through. I just got word a few minutes ago. You were my first call. We’ll get to double- down on this one. We can see if we can answer some questions about the shooting that night, and we can bring an MIA soldier back to his family.”
Shel couldn’t believe it. His spirits soared when he thought about the ramifications.
“When are we leaving?” Shel asked.
“As soon as we can get mobile.”
“I’m on my way.” Shel closed his phone and put it away.
“Good news?” Isabella asked.
“I don’t know,” Shel answered honestly. “But it’s something to do. Maybe it can help Daddy. I don’t know. I’m going to try.”
Isabella smiled at him. It was a good smile, one that Shel knew he would remember.
Shel hesitated. “I don’t like leaving Daddy right now. Not with him in the shape he’s in.”
“Your father is a tough man,” Isabella said. “He’s going to be all right.”
“I shouldn’t be gone more than a few days.”
“If this is something you need to do,” Isabella said, “then do it. Your father has one of the best heart surgeons I know looking after him. And I’m looking after him too.”
Shel took an NCIS business card from his ID. “I’m going to give you my personal number. You’ll be able to reach me anytime.” He wrote the number on the back of the card. “If anything changes, I’d appreciate it if you’d call me.”
“I will,” Isabella said. “Promise.”
“Thank you.” Shel touched the Marine Corps baseball cap he wore. Then he turned and got under way. Max fell into step beside him, and the dog seemed to understand that they weren’t just going for the usual walk.
58
›› Phu Cat Airport
›› Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh Province
›› Socialist Republic of Vietnam
›› 1341 Hours (Local Time Zone)
“You watch all those movies like Full Metal Jacket, you don’t expect Vietnam to look like this,” Remy said.
Shel gazed out at the long runway in front of him and silently agreed. The city, looking very modern with the tall buildings that hadn’t been there during the war, flanked the airport to the southeast and ran deeply into the jungle. The metropolis fought the creeping vegetation back, and a few paved roads snaked up into the mountains surrounding the port city.
“Doesn’t look like the pictures Daddy took of the area,” Shel admitted. “He was here in 1967. The United
