Free One Chance: A Thrilling Christian Fiction Mystery Romance by Daniel Patterson

see."
    "Couldn't ask for more than that," Penelope told him sincerely. "If either of you ever need to talk to someone about anything, I'm here for you."
    "Yes, ma'am," Tommy said, "we'll remember that."
    The newlyweds rose from their seats and walked out of the Sheriff's Office, hand in hand.
    When they were gone, Penelope turned to Jim and said, "You owe me lunch."
    Jim nodded. "Sure enough. Deal's a deal. You got anythin' in mind?"
    "As a matter of fact, I do."

CHAPTER 15
    Penelope returned home with a large pizza box from The Pizza Palace containing a stuffed crust with pepperoni and mushrooms. One half had anchovies on it. She'd come to accept that she was unique in her love for anchovies. Except for Jacob. Their first date had been over pepperoni and anchovy pizza. She had known then, that very night, that the two of them would be together, and that God had sent her someone special.
    Doug was waiting for her in the kitchen, downing another cup of coffee.
    "You could just start mainlining that stuff, you know," Penelope said to her friend as she set the box down on the kitchen table. The box was big enough to take up most of the table's space, but that wasn't very surprising. Penelope would have to update her furniture when Jacob and her finally got married. Of course, it wouldn't be hard to move his stuff in. She didn't have anything from her childhood in her house that she was particularly attached to. And the reasons for that still gave her nightmares.
    Now, Doug opened the pizza box and made a face. "Anchovies? Really?"
    Penelope laughed. "It's good to have you back to your old self, Doug. Even just a little. Having Trevor here has been good for you. Where is the little guy?"
    "Napping," Doug said, taking a slice out of the box from the non-anchovy side and starting in on it without waiting for Penelope to produce plates.
    Penelope sat down opposite her friend and took a slice of her own. "Good. Then let's you and me talk about Camille."
    For just a minute Doug's eyes opened wider and his pizza seemed to get stuck in his craw. "What do you mean?"
    Penelope chewed slowly. "You started to explain to me how she had told you about her current boyfriend."
    Doug nodded. "Right. That." He brushed crumbs from his hands. "Well. See. The guy's name is Michael Findley. Not a nice guy. I knew that. I met him once, just by accident, but it was enough. Real nasty piece of work. So, anyway. When I spoke to Camille she told me she thought the guy was, well, not who she thought. And she was worried about Trevor. That's why she brought him to me, Penelope. To keep him safe."
    Penelope put her pizza slice back into the box only half eaten. She wasn't very hungry anymore. For the first time in her life, the only time in her life, she had the feeling that Doug had been lying to her. She knew it couldn't be true. She knew that her best friend would never do that to her, but she still couldn't shake it. She tried to tell herself it was just the police officer in her, just that natural mistrust of people that police officers developed. But it wasn't. Doug was her lifelong friend. And she knew when something wasn't right.
    And right now, something was wrong.
    "So, Camille told you this Michael Findley guy was up to something."
    Doug looked down at his hands, at the clock, at the pizza, everywhere except at Penelope. "She did. I don't know what to do, Penny. I don't know what I can do, seeing as how I'm on house arrest with you and under suspicion of trying to kill one of my friends."
    "Doug you're not making a lot of sense," Penelope said, leaning forward, her elbows on the table. "What did Camille tell you? What exactly did she say?"
    "She told me," Doug's voice broke and he had to start over. "She told me her boyfriend was a murderer."
    Penelope couldn't believe what she had just heard. "You're telling me this now? Now, after Trevor's been here for two days and we can't reach Camille?"
    "I'm sorry, Penny, I am, but what was I supposed to