Free I Shall Not Want by Debbie Viguié

what can we help you with today?” Cindy asked.
    “I was driving by on my way to pick up Clarice, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
    “I’m fine,” she said. “You can pick her up?”
    He frowned. “They called and said I could come get her. They got DNA samples off her. They think she was in a fight with another animal.”
    “It took long enough.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “Let me know about the collar.”
    “You got it,” he said. “Well, if everything is under control here, I’ll be on my way.”
    “We’re fine,” Cindy assured him.
    “See you Thursday,” Geanie added.
    Cindy watched the expression on Geanie’s face as Geanie watched Joseph leave and suddenly knew why Geanie had questioned her so sharply about their relationship. “So, maybe you should date Joseph,” she teased once the door had closed.
    Geanie tossed her hair over her shoulder but refused to say a word.
    Cindy briefly considered forcing Geanie to admit it, but her silence spoke volumes. Cindy stared at her contemplatively. Geanie was wild, unorthodox, and a bit of a free spirit. Cindy wondered how she would do paired up with the more practical, traditional Joseph.
    Either it would be a match made in heaven or… someplace else , Cindy thought to herself.
    She shrugged. It would be interesting to watch the two of them at the dinner. They were both great people, and if they could find happiness together, then she would be thrilled forthem. If they could be happy together, then maybe someday I’ll find someone too.
    She thought of the computer programmer and their upcoming date. Then she instantly felt guilty about it as she thought of the dead men. That had always been her problem, though. When she was faced with death, she didn’t know how to get on with life. She could feel a dark mood creeping over her, and she stood up abruptly, determined not to let it take root.
    “Where are you going?”
    “To find out what Wildman’s problem is with the food drive.”
    “You’re a braver soul than I.”
    Wanna bet?
    She found the youth pastor in the teen room, scribbling furiously on the chalkboard. He didn’t seem to hear her come in.
    “Dave?”
    He jumped, dropped the chalk, and spun to look at her, eyes bulging from his head.
    She took a step backward. “Sorry to startle you.”
    He ran a hand through his hair. “Not your fault. I’m just concentrating too hard.”
    “The food drive?” she asked.
    “Yeah,” he said, retrieving the chalk.
    “What seems to be the problem?”
    “I’m trying to work out how I’m going to get enough teams to deliver all the food.”
    “Okay. Can you be a bit more specific?”
    He waved at the board. “We’ve adopted ten families from the community and collected enough food to give them all really great Thanksgiving meals. We’re scheduled to deliver all the boxes Wednesday afternoon, after the kids get out of school.”
    “All right, with you so far.”
    “We’re only sending one team to each house and then all meeting afterward at the homeless shelter to donate some more food and to help with food preparation for the next day.”
    “Sounds like a great plan.”
    “It is. The problem is that only eight of the thirty-nine kids who have volunteered to deliver food have driver’s licenses. I can take a group, but that still leaves us a driver and a car short.”
    “No other kids can do it?”
    He shook his head. “A lot have extracurriculars at that time of day, or they’re going out of town with their families, or don’t have access to a car, or just really don’t want to do it.”
    “How about one of the parents or one of the college kids who worked as camp counselors?”
    “Believe me, I’ve tried everyone.” He put down the chalk and turned to stare glumly at her. A second later a smile tugged at his lips.
    “Dave, don’t look at me like that.”
    “What, it would be work related.”
    “No.”
    “And you’d only have to leave work an hour