Free Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury Page A

years earlier had prepared her for this sort of moment, but Tad had killed himself with drugs. Ben Hanover never even got the chance to live.
    Rhonda was crying, her head still in her hands. Katy’s eyes were dry, but only because fear and shock hadn’t given sorrow the upper hand. She looked at the doctor. “How are the Hanovers?”
    “Times like this are never easy.” The doctor pursed his lips. “They want to be alone with their daughter.”
    “Of course.” Katy pressed her fists against her middle, trying to relieve the tightness there. Ben was gone, and now what about the injured kids? “Have they told Brandy?”
    “Not yet.”
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    She held the doctor’s eyes for a few more seconds. Then she put her hand on Rhonda’s shoulder. “We’ll be okay.”
    The doctor gave them a sad nod, turned, and walked back through the doors into the emergency room.
    Another low moan came from Katy as her eyes met Rhonda’s.
    “What’re we supposed to do next?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Katy leaned back against the vinyl seat, and her eyes welled up. They’d lost little Ben, and now they would have to wait and see about Sarah Jo. The scream from a few minutes ago played again in Katy’s mind. Of course the Hanovers weren’t okay. They’d never be the same again.
    “Alice Stryker never takes kids out after CKT.” Rhonda pulled her knees up to her chest. “She’s the most standoffish woman in the group, and now…”
    “Now this.”
    They were quiet for a while. There was nothing to say, no words that could undo the news they’d learned. They had practi cal concerns too. A decision had to be made about the next day. Katy drew a long, sad-sounding breath. “What about auditions tomorrow?”
    Rhonda shook her head, her eyes distant. “We can hardly can cel it now. Besides, canceling it wouldn’t change anything here.”
    She was right. Katy thought about the options. They could cancel auditions with a round of calls in the morning. But that would send shock waves throughout the organization. They would have to reschedule the session, anyway. And with every one knowing the truth about what happened, it would be even harder to get through.
    Finally Katy pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “I’m call ing Bethany.
    She’ll know what to do.”
    The call was short. She explained the situation, that Ben Hanover was dead and the rest were seriously injured. “Sarah Jo’s in bad shape. They’ll know more in twenty-four hours.”
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    “Okay, then.” Bethany was emotional. “Go ahead with callbacks. Then you can make an announcement when auditions are finished.”
    “Right.” Katy brushed her hair off her face. “That’ll work.” Tears fell onto her cheeks, and she caught them on her fingertips. “Keep praying.”
    Bethany’s voice was thick. “I haven’t stopped.”
    When she folded her cell phone, Katy and Rhonda bowed their heads and begged God to breathe life into Sarah Jo and the others.
    After that, there was nothing to do but go home. On the way, Katy caught herself humming an old show tune, one that filled the car even as tears slid down her face. The song was “I’m Flying,” a favorite from the musical Peter Pan, and one that all the kids liked. A few had sung it at auditions just hours ago.
    But the song was especially loved by a little six-year-old boy, a boy who would never tug on her sleeve again.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
    ……….
    DAYNE MATTHEWS MADE THE DECISION over the weekend. He would go to Bloomington a few days early, get familiar with the location, and have a little quiet time. At least that’s what he was about to tell Mitch Henry, the director of Dream On.
    He pulled into the studio parking lot and looked—for a second-at the place where the yellow Honda had parked during the summer. The place where Margie Madden—the psycho fan who called herself Chloe and Anna and probably a dozen other names—would sit for hours, watching, waiting for him.