Free Redeeming Heart by Pat Simmons Page A

equal
opportunities, whether it was in housing, employment or legal
representation, there would always be a minority organization that
would fight for access. NAREB groomed the underserved on how to
qualify for home ownership and stay in possession of their
houses.
    When she graduated with a BA in business
management, she knew she had to encourage and help people climb out
of poverty. If that meant a series of seminars on money management
in order to qualify for a first home, then she would do it, so
Terri’s arguments against that fell on deaf ears.
    “Well, please be careful going by yourself
into the city,” Terri warned.
    “Always, I’m thinking about asking Landon.
Maybe he won’t mind tagging along. Who knows? This info may help
him get back on his feet.”
    “You and your charity cases. I don’t care if
the man is good-looking. Be careful with him, too. He could have
been on drugs, dealt drugs, served prison time, run a prostitution
ring. He did something wrong for him to fall out of God’s graces,”
she mocked. “The bottom line is he had to make some bad choices
along the way.”
    Octavia waved. “See you later.”
    “Have you called James yet?” Terri said in a
sing-song voice.
    “Not yet…” She grinned and hurried to her
car. As far as she was concerned, James was an open book; Landon
wasn’t and that curiosity made Octavia want to get to know him
better.

Chapter 11
     
     
    Church. Landon huffed. He wasn’t looking
forward to going, but Octavia was his incentive. Boy, he missed
being around her and watching her dance for the Lord. It was as if
he had known her for years instead of barely a week and only two
days in her presence. How did she get into his head like that?
    Rossi had been right. Octavia definitely
ruled, because she was taking over his thoughts as he stared out of
the empty room at the Tolliver office building. Rossi had a
computer setup for Landon to use as his work space for employment
searches and to make follow-up calls. Rossi went a step farther and
gave Landon tasks: monitor and update Tolliver Design &
Construction Company’s website. As if that wasn’t enough, Rossi’s
assistant paid him out of the petty cash fund.
    Rossi’s business partner, Levi Tolliver, had
welcomed him with a handshake. “If my cousin says you’re a good
person, then you’re good. We’ll have lunch delivered before noon,
so don’t be shy.”
    After creating business cards, Landon had
busied himself with updating his résumé, using Rossi’s office
address and an email for contacts.
    “Hey, I’m heading out early,” Rossi said,
sticking his head into the small room. “I’ll give you a ride to
Mac’s.”
    Standing, Landon stretched. He couldn’t
believe it was after four. “Thanks.”
    During the short ride from the Metro East in
Illinois across the bridge to downtown St. Louis, Rossi chatted
about sports and his family. Landon kept his secrets close. Ten
minutes later, he pulled up to Mac’s Place and Landon climbed
out.
    “Call me if you need anything, including a
ride to the church street service.”
    “Keiner Plaza isn’t far. I’ll walk,” Landon
said less than enthused. “Thanks.”
    He strolled inside and scribbled his
signature on the sign-in sheet, so the staff knew that he had
returned. Landon was relieved to have the room to himself. Grady
wasn’t there, but his Bible was lying open on his unmade twin bed.
He eyed it a couple of times. “Who am I kidding?” He didn’t have it
in him to repent and mean it. Dropping his head into his hands,
Landon sighed. It seemed like his seed of salvation had fell on
rocky soil and never took root after all those years of living and
breathing in the church.
    He shut out the voices in the hall. Things
were starting to turn around, right? He was off the street for the
next ninety days for sure. He had a place to sleep, hot meals and a
friend, so why wasn’t he happy with progress?
    You knew Me once, Landon, but you didn’t
glorify