Precedent: Book Three: Covenant of Trust Series by Paula Wiseman Read Free Book Online

wasn’t part of my plan.”
    “ I doubt it was part of anybody’s plan, even the shooter.”
    “ Yeah, but I mean, I planned on following Brad to seminary, and maybe the mission.” His eyes began to brim with tears. “What do I do now?”
    Joel turned to face him. “Jack, you won’t hear this right now, but file it. You’re Jack, not Brad. God’s got something for you that only you can do. Find that.”
    “ How?”
    He grinned broadly. “The same way the rest of us figure that out. The hard way.”
    “ Thanks,” Jack said with mock aggravation.
    “ Looks like everybody’s gone home.” Joel stood and stretched.
    “ Finally,” Jack said with a sigh.
    “ It’ll be easier tomorrow.”
    “ In theory.” He saw Shannon look his direction, then turn her back. “Joel, I gotta check something. Thanks, man.” He crossed the room and tapped his sister on the shoulder. “Shannon?”
    “ What?” She whipped around to face him.
    “ Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me for something?”
    “ Jack, do you understand what happened here tonight? You’re the whole reason Brad was out on that street.”
    “ You think I don’t know that?” Jack jabbed at his temple. “I haven’t slept because I can’t get that out of my head.” Then he added quietly, “I wish it had been me instead.”
    “ Brad gave his life to protect you .”
    “ I know, I know.” Jack glanced at his parents, thankful they were talking to Rita and Gavin, unaware of their conversation. Shannon must have seen him.
    “ Of course, it’s Dad’s fault you were even born,” Shannon said with disgust.
    “ You wouldn’t have been born either if Dad hadn’t had the affair.”
    “ You don’t know that.” Shannon leaned in close to him. “But you certainly wouldn’t have, and if your mother hadn’t been such a head case, we would have never had to take you in.” Shannon walked away, leaving Jack feeling like he had been punched in the stomach. Did his mom and dad feel the same way? Did everybody else?
    Did Brad regret throwing him down and out of the line of fire? He shuffled over and stood at the foot of the casket, almost afraid to look. It was Brad’s idea to follow the old man, wasn’t it?
    “ Son, are you ready to go?” His dad put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He still hated that.
    Jack sidestepped him. “Do you think Uncle Gavin would give me a ride home?”
    “ Why don’t you want to ride with us?”
    “ Can we talk about it later? It’s a long story.”
    “ Did somebody say something or do something?”
    “ Dad, please. Not now.”
     
    * * *
     
    Against his better judgment, Chuck gave in and sent Jack home with the Heatleys. When Bobbi questioned him about it, he gave her the same answer he’d gotten—we’ll talk about it later. Shannon, alone in the backseat, never gave the slightest indication that she knew anything about it, but Chuck suspected she was the instigator. He’d seen the two of them talking moments before he approached Jack.
    Later that evening, Chuck knocked on Shannon’s bedroom door. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” After a long pause, she opened the door without speaking to him and climbed back on her bed. “Is something going on between you and Jack?”
    “ Is that what Jack said?”
    “ I asked you,” Chuck said firmly.
    Shannon fixed her eyes on him and spoke with uncharacteristic deliberation. “Jack and I had a discussion about Brad’s murder.”
    “ And?” She was holding something back.
    Shannon sighed. “Okay, this was gonna come out sooner or later anyway.” She twisted around and sat up on her bed, facing him. “Dad, what happened the night Brad died?”
    “ What are you getting at?”
    “ Brad and Jack were out on the street in that neighborhood because they were on some ridiculous search for Jack’s grandfather. It’s Jack’s fault they were there. It’s Jack’s fault that Brad is dead.”
    “ You’re wrong, Shannon,” Chuck