"But I don't like her in that way. I heard that Mark asked to court her and she turned him down. I hope it wasn’t because of me."
"Margaret is a really nice young lady, and she’s pretty. Why don’t you like her?"
"I know she’s a great person, but I have no interest in marrying her. So, please stop playing matchmaker," Dominic said firmly.
Damaris huffed and said, "I told her that there was no point and it would be a waste of time, but she told me I should still try. I told her with you, there is no hope. You have no plans to ever get married again, do you?"
He stopped shoveling.
"Damaris..." Dominic said with a warning glance, and it stopped her spiel.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She whipped around, her dress billowing as she walked away. She stopped in her stride and turned around, causing Dominic to groan. She was obviously not done with all she had to say yet. "You should open up your heart and give love a chance again."
Dominic growled in frustration. What did she know about it? She hadn’t had the person she’d loved the most ripped away from her. Damaris was young and naïve—she didn’t understand true loss, but that wasn’t her fault. Dominic knew his sister cared about him, but she had a funny way of showing it.
***
Adriana squinted in the assaulting wind, her face stinging as particles of ice blew in the dark. She clutched her knitted scarf tighter around her in a vain attempt to stay warm. A strong gust of wind chilled her as she hurried down the busy sidewalk of Portland, Maine, on her way home from work. The scent of saltwater from the nearby ocean hung in the air as she walked past a gelato shop.
Dejected, Adriana stared at the cobble-stone sidewalk as she trudged through the frigid weather. In one hand she held a coffee and a small paper bag with a bagel in it that she planned on eating in her car. In her other hand she held a shiny, red apple, and she bit into the fruit.
After seeing Jordan’s lawyer, Mr. Houser, earlier that morning, she’d felt so hopeless.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mr. Houser said when Adriana had asked him about the will Jordan had allegedly updated with him. “Jordan Phillips never contacted me about her will. She’s not one of my clients.”
“But her housekeeper, Mrs. Clement, said she was there and she signed it as a witness. Did Henry contact you? Is that why you won’t tell me about Jordan’s will?” Adriana persisted.
“You must be mistaken, Ms. Daniels. Your sister did not make or update her will with me. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help,” the lawyer said. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
When Adriana asked about getting custody of Megan, the lawyer had told her she couldn’t get custody of Megan unless a new will was found or her step-father, Henry, was proven unfit. And, of course, there was no evidence of that despite Adriana’s belief he murdered her sister. How could she find proof?
“But I know you have a copy of the new will!” Adriana snapped. “Or…you had one.”
She took a deep breath and lowered her voice when other people in the office looked at her. Obviously, this man was too afraid to give her the new will. “Henry is a manipulative, intimidating person. I’m sorry he got to you. I’ll find another way. Thank you, Mr. Houser.”
She left the firm and went to the police to report that the will Henry had was the older version, and that there was a new one stating she had inherited everything. But the police captain had told her that was just hearsay and that she had no evidence, even warning her not to make such serious accusations without evidence or it could result in civil liability for slander, or she could be charged for wasting police time by making a false report. On her way out of his office, she couldn’t help but notice the photograph of the police captain and Henry on the wall at some social gathering.
Was he in Henry’s pocket, too?
Right now, all she could do was find the new will. Going to Jordan’s house and aggravating Henry wouldn’t help her case. Even if she went when he wasn’t home, she suspected he had security cameras on his property. He might even report her for breaking and entering, and she had no doubt the police would believe him.
Adriana shook her head in frustration. Why didn’t Henry just let Megan stay with her? What did he want her there for? It wasn’t like he even loved her at all.
Adriana turned down a side street, shivering, but it wasn’t from the cold. She hated this part of town, especially at night. She took another bite of the apple, pulling her scarf tighter around her.
She heard footsteps behind her. Her hearing dulled against the sound of her own pulse. Panic shot through her as she looked over her shoulder, quickening her steps. No one was there, so she kept walking. Maybe her paranoia was making her hear things. Or it could have been a rat.
She slowed when she saw someone hunkered down, their face hidden by a tattered hooded sweatshirt. It was common to see homeless people in this city, but Adriana’s compassion for them never lessened. She’d seen this man outside the coffee shop where she worked, and many times she’d brought out hot coffee to him. She’d come to expect his visits, though the only words he’d uttered to her had been “thank you.”
Now, the man looked freezing. What could she do to help him?
“Hi, there,” Adriana said, bending down to his level and removing the knitted scarf from her neck. “Good to see you again. Please, take this."
The man slowly lifted his head to look at her. Adriana shrank back when she thought she saw evil in his eyes for a split second, and she almost ran. Then the look in his eyes melted away, revealing confusion.
“You’re…giving this to me?” he asked in a scratchy voice.
“Of course. And take this, too,” she said, handing him a paper bag with a bagel in it from the coffee shop and a hot coffee she hadn’t sipped yet. “It’s not much, but it’ll fill you up for a little while.”
The man just looked at her, completely befuddled. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“May I pray for you, sir?” Adriana asked. Sure, it might be considered out of the ordinary to pray for a stranger, but she felt a connection to this man, and she knew in her heart that the Holy Spirit was asking her to do this now, and she wanted to do what was right.
“Pray for me?” the man asked, scratching his chin in bewilderment. “No one has ever done that for me.”
“Let me be the first,” Adriana said. “You know, I’ve brought you coffee outside the shop a few times now, but you never told me your name. So, what’s your name?”
He hesitated. “Bill.”
“Dear Lord,” she said, bowing her head. She didn’t close her eyes, just so she could watch what was going on around her on the dark street, always staying alert. “Please watch over Bill. I don’t know his struggles, but you do. Please be with him, keep him safe, and keep him warm. You see when a sparrow falls, so surely you see what could be troubling Bill. Please be with him. Amen.”
When Adriana looked up, Bill’s eyes were filled with tears. He stood up so suddenly, Adriana jerked back and shot away from him in case she had to protect herself.
“I can’t do this,” Bill said, pacing, and that was when she noticed how his hand was gripping something at his side, hidden underneath his coat.