This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti Read Free Book Online

wholepopulation. He was a pathological soap-boxer. He destroyed the good faith of the people in their local government, their public servants, each other, and ultimately himself. That hurt. It was a wound in our side, and it’s taken time for all of us to heal up from that. I’ll cap it off by telling you, for your own information, that that man finally had to leave this town in disgrace. He’d molested a twelve-year-old girl. I tried to get that case settled as quietly as I could. But in this town it was really awkward, difficult. I did what I felt would cause the least amount of trouble and pain for the girl’s family and the people at large. I didn’t press for any legal proceedings against this man, provided he leave Ashton and never show his face around here again. He was agreeable to that. But I’ll never forget the impact it made, and I doubt that the town has ever forgotten it.
    “Which brings us to you, and we, the public servants, and also the citizens of this community. One of the greatest reasons I regret this mixup with Bernice is that I really desired a good relationship between this office and the Clarion , between myself and you personally. I’d hate to see anything ruin that. We need unity around here, comradeship, a good community spirit.” He paused for effect. “Marshall, we’d like to know that you’ll be standing with us in working toward that goal.”
    Then came the pause and the long, expectant gaze. Marshall was on. He shifted around a little in his chair, sorting his thoughts, probing his feelings, almost avoiding those gazing gray eyes. Maybe this guy was on the up and up, or maybe this whole little speech was some sly diplomatic ploy to shy him away from whatever Bernice may have stumbled upon.
    But Marshall couldn’t think straight, or even feel straight. His reporter had been arrested falsely and thrown into a sleazy jail for the night, and he didn’t seem to care anymore; this toothy-smiled police chief was making a liar out of her, and Marshall was buying it. C’mon, Hogan, remember why you came down here?
    But he just felt so tired. He kept recalling why he had moved to Ashton in the first place. It was supposed to be a change of lifestyle for him and his family, a time to quit fighting and scratching the big-city intrigues and just get down to the simpler stories, things like high school paper drives and cats up trees. Maybe it was just force of habit from all those years at the Times that made him think he had to takeon Brummel like some kind of inquisitor. For what? More hassles? For crying out loud, how about a little peace and quiet for a change?
    Suddenly, and contrary to his better instincts, he knew there was nothing at all to worry about; Bernice’s film would be just fine, and the pictures would prove that Brummel was right and Bernice was wrong. And Marshall really wanted it to be that way.
    But Brummel was still waiting for an answer, still giving him that numbing gaze.
    “I …” Marshall began, and now he felt stupidly awkward in trying to get started. “Listen, I really am tired of fighting, Alf. Maybe I was raised that way, maybe that’s what made me good at my job with the Times , but I did decide to move here, and that’s got to say something. I’m tired, Alf, and not any younger. I need to heal up. I need to learn what being human and living in a town with other humans is really like.”
    “Yes,” said Brummel, “that’s it. That’s exactly it.”
    “So … don’t worry. I’m here after some peace and quiet just like everybody else. I don’t want any fights, I don’t want any trouble. You’ve got nothing to fear from me.”
    Brummel was ecstatic, and shot out his hand to shake on it. As Marshall took the hand and they shook, he almost felt he had sold part of his soul. Did Marshall Hogan really say all that? I must be tired, he thought.
    Before he knew it, he was standing outside Brummel’s door. Apparently their meeting was over.

     
    AFTER