illiam put on some Sunday go to meeting threads, grabbed his Bible and stepped out the door. Kelly was coming up the drive carrying a basket with some clothes in it. Anyone could see she was distraught by the red eyes and tears coursing down her face. William immediately suspicioned she had learned the truth about Randal.

"Hello Kelly, how are you doing?" He asked. "Is there anything I can do for you? Is there anything you need?"

"I just found out about Randal this afternoon. I've been wondering about him for over a month now, and, well . . . " she burst out weeping uncontrollably. She started up the steps and stumbled. William grabbed her to keep her from falling, but the clothes fell onto the floor.

William helped her into the house and to a chair where she could regain her composure. He stepped back out onto the porch and picked up the clothes and placing them in the basket. He carried the basket into the house where Kelly had started sobbing again. He came up close to her, and gave her a one arm hug to try to console her.

"I learned this afternoon that Randal had disappeared. He disappeared as soon as he was let out of jail on bond. They told me he had been arrested for trying to bomb an airplane. They told me the airplane was yours. Oh William, I'm so sorry. I'm so embarrassed, I, I just don't know what to say. They have no idea where he is. He has just disappeared," she managed to say between the sobs.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've already gotten over it.' William said in an attempt to console her. It did little.

"You knew about it? And you let me go on wondering about Randal? How could you? I thought you were my friend. Get away from me!" she screamed. She just put her face into her hands and her hands on her knees.

"Kelly, I didn't know. I only thought some of the circumstances were coincidental, that's all. I promise! I didn't know for sure until you just told me it was him that was arrested. I didn't know where he came from or anything of the sort. You've gotta believe me!" William pleaded.

"Find someone else to clean for you. I don't want to work for you any more," she said as she stormed out of the house. She ran down the driveway and into her own front yard with William standing on the porch watching her as she went. He sure didn't create this problem, but he was getting blamed for it.

He looked at his watch and it was past time to leave. He locked up the house, jumped into his truck and headed for church. He walked into the little church just as they were about to commence. Lane motioned for him to come and sit with him. He obviously had a concerned look on his face because Lane leaned over and said "what's wrong?"

"Kelly, next door, just found out about Randal. When she found out I knew, she became very mad and stormed out of the house, telling me to find someone else to work for me.

Dr. Kny-pel had several holdings over in the Las Vegas area including several abandoned gold mines. I think he's probably in old #34. I remember hearing him tell one of the thugs, the one that beat me up pretty good, that they had once put a corpse in the hole of old #34. Don Siegal also knows about the dumping hole, and, probably knows where it's at."

"William," Lane said quietly, then paused until he got Williams full attention. Don Siegal committed suicide last week,".

William could feel the grim reaper running his spiny fingers up and down his spine. He knew it was just a matter of time before the reaper would be coming to claim himself.

William thought for few seconds, then looked at Lane and asked "How did he do it?"

He hung himself with the noose hanging in the warehouse where you were found . . ." Lane said sadly.

Somehow, he felt he already knew that before Lane told him how. William felt the Death Sentence on himself heavier than he'd ever felt it. It seemed as if the reaper was sitting right next to him.

The music was going pretty good now, and some were beginning to stand to their feet. The singing was loud and joyous, and people raised their hands in worship to God. They sang songs from a book. Songs like Everybody Will Be Happy Over There, Home Of The Soul, I Would Not Be Denied, Thank God For The Blood. They warmed Williams soul, and pushed the noose far from his mind.

Then a couple of testimonies were heard, they passed an offering plate, then a couple of people sang special or "solo" songs. After that the visitors were announced, and each were asked to stand. William stood momentarily when his name was called, and sat back down. Then he heard a name called that nearly knocked him off his seat. Sharon Travis.

William turned rather quickly around to locate her, but could not find her. He turned the other direction, but was unable to find her there either. Several times he looked all over the church, but never found her. Finally, the Pastor, Rev Steven Ritehouser took the floor and after welcoming the visitors again, took a the text John 3:16.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (KJV)

William was very familiar with the scripture, and believed on him. He was just a little confused as to why a loving God would send His Son to die instead of coming Himself. That sounds like human sacrifice. That was no different than the Ammonites who worshipped Molech. While it was true that Jesus was a sacrificial Lamb, it didn't sound right that a father would send his son as sacrifice.

"There's just something here that doesn't fit," he thought to himself. It doesn't fit with the Old Testament, neither does it fit with John's writings about Jesus.

After service Pastor Ritehouser made a beeline for William to shake his hand. But, William, although friendly and courteous, was distracted by a name that was called of another visitor. He couldn't find that visitor, and he wanted to very badly. But Pastor Ritehouser wanted to talk, and he began asking some very pointed questions of William.

"I'd really like to sit down and talk with you some time about your experience with God," he was saying. But William was barely half listening.

"I'm sorry Pastor. I didn't mean to ignore you. Please forgive me. I've been so distracted lately. Would you please repeat your question?" William asked.

"I said I'd really like to sit down and talk with you some time about your experience with God," he repeated.

William responded with "I'd like that too. Would you please excuse me? I'm trying to find someone. I really would like to get together with you sometime. I've some questions on which I am confused. Lord Bless."

He scooted around Lane and Pastor Ritehouser. He looked in halls, and checked to see if the restrooms were occupied. Satisfied she was not in the place he walked outside, and around to where his truck was parked. Just as he reached to place his key in the door lock, he heard a sound beside him and turned to see what it was. It was a small boy holding out his hand in which was a note.

Williams knees went weak, and his heart skipped a beat, then revved up to turbo. There was only one person that ever said that to him, and he had heard her name called as a visitor this very night in the same service as he had attended.

When he turned back to question the little fellow, he was gone. Vanished, into thin air it seemed. He looked around the parking lot, nothing. He went to the back side of the building, and nothing. He made a trip back inside, looked all around and nothing. He did notice Lane was motioning to him, but, he had other things on his mind than talking to Lane.

He finally made his way over to Lane who asked when he was near, "What's going on William?" He had a scowl on his face.

"Not a whole lot. I'm just distracted. I need to go now. See you later." He then slipped around Lane and headed for the door again. He was nearly outside when he saw the little tyke. He headed over to where the little fella was. He was nearly to him when the little fellow spotted William, and scooted away and out of sight.

"Well, no use in chasing him. Don't know what I'm gonna do with him when I catch him," William thought to himself. He turned, walked out the door to his pickup. He got in, shut the door, started the pickup and put the truck into reverse. He checked in his left mirror before backing up, turned to the right, and there she was. Standing outside his truck.

He stomped the brake, put the vehicle in park and got out. He walked around, opened the passenger door and asked, "Mrs. Travis, would you like to go get a coke?"

"Why, I certainly would Mr. Travis. She climbed into the truck, scooted over into the middle, and he shut the door, walked around and climbed into the drivers seat. He backed out of the little church parking lot, and headed for the nearest drive-in hamburger joint with his date.