Reunited with the Sheriff Page 12

  Before he could even park his truck, he saw Cassidy standing on the sidewalk gazing up at the church. Her hand was over her mouth, and she was shaking her head back and forth. He quickly got out of his car and joined her. A throng of people had gathered on the sidewalk, along with a camera crew for an El Paso news station. It seemed that everyone was taking stock of the damage.

  “I can’t believe this. How did this even happen?” Cassidy threw her hands in the air. “Most of the structures in town haven’t even been touched by the storm. It’s like the storm focused all its wrath on Main Street Church.”

  “I heard one of the meteorologists saying the winds were upward of sixty-five miles an hour. Those kind of winds wreak havoc.” Given what had happened to the church, he felt grateful that West Falls hadn’t suffered any loss of life or major injuries. It was certainly something to be thankful for when he knew other communities had suffered much greater losses.

  Tate gazed up at the top of the church. This was much worse than he’d even imagined. A crew was going to have to get over here immediately and put a tarp over the missing roof. If it rained again the beautiful wooden pews and the interior of the church would be even further damaged. As it was, the damage to the interior amounted to minor water damage.

  “There must have been some structural problems with the roof,” he explained. “Looks like the storm blew through town and cut a path straight through this area.”

  He knew Cassidy was taking this very personally, but it was one of life’s random events. No one could have predicted it or planned for it. Simply put, Main Street Church had been in the direct route of the storm. The only one who knew the rhyme or reason for this was God.

  Cassidy seemed to be listening to him, and he noticed she was nodding her head at all the appropriate times. But she still wasn’t talking very much. He couldn’t get past the wounded look in her eyes. Even though she hadn’t been part of the congregation for many years, Main Street Church still had a place in her heart. A lot of it was tied to Pastor Blake and his leadership role in the church, but many of Cassidy’s memories revolved around her singing in the choir, meeting Holly for the first time at Bible Class and playing Mary in the Christmas pageant. They were good, solid memories that had laid a huge foundation for her faith.

  “Let’s go inside and find your father.” He led her by the elbow up the stairs and into Main Street Church. An eerie hush had fallen over it. Without its roof, the nave was bathed in natural light. It felt as if it had been cracked wide open. Tate wondered if the building was even structurally sound. Had the storm revealed some underlying weaknesses that needed to be brought to light?

  It didn’t take them long to find Pastor Blake. He was inside, standing in a huddle with members of the congregation. Some of the parishioners were openly sobbing while others were peppering him with questions about how quickly the roof would be repaired. There was a sense of urgency in their voices. He had to hand it to Pastor Blake. Despite the chaos swirling around him, he exuded a calm and steady presence. As soon as he saw them in the aisle, he excused himself and beat a path toward them.

  Cassidy met her father halfway and hurled herself into his arms. He pulled her close to his chest and ruffled her hair. Tate detected a little moisture in his eyes as he watched the pastor whisper something in Cassidy’s ear. Whatever it was, it made her smile. Seeing the love between father and daughter touched Tate’s heart. He knew they’d been down a dark road in the past few years and that their relationship wasn’t what it should be. Perhaps Cassidy’s return to West Falls was providence.

  As soon as he let Cassidy go, Pastor Blake reached out and shook Tate’s hand. Tate could see the look of fatigue on his face. In the past few months he’d had to weather his beloved wife’s illness, and now he’d been dealt this devastating blow to the church. Not that he would ever complain about it, but he’d been through the ringer. It was no small wonder that he had dark circles resting under his eyes.

  “Thanks for coming so quickly. How did the ranch make out in the storm, Tate?” Pastor Blake asked, his warm gray eyes filled with compassion.

  It was just like Pastor Blake to ask about the well-being of others. In the midst of his own crisis he was still reaching out to his congregation. He was still making sure the community was doing well and thriving. As he’d thought many times before, Pastor Blake was an amazing, compassionate man. He inspired Tate to do better, not only in his personal life but in his role as a law enforcement officer.

  “Thankfully the ranch didn’t have any major damage,” Tate answered. “Matter of fact, I just checked in with the Sheriff’s Office and so far there’s only minimal damage being reported in town.”

  “I wish I could say the same for Main Street Church.” Pastor Blake’s gaze shifted upward to the rafters where the sun was now streaming down on them. “I have a roofing company coming back later to give me some quotes. I can’t imagine how much it will cost to fix all this damage.” He let out a huge sigh.

  “Won’t the insurance cover the storm damage?” He knew all policies were different, but most would provide coverage for this.

  “Our particular policy doesn’t include roof coverage,” Pastor Blake answered, his mouth set in a grim line.

  Cassidy let out a shocked cry. “I can’t believe that. This was a storm...an act of God. It should be fully covered by the insurance company.” Her eyes were flashing dangerously, and her cheeks looked flushed. She was standing with her arms folded across her chest. If the situation weren’t so serious, Tate would have laughed at Cassidy’s feisty stance. She looked ready to wage war against the insurance company single-handedly.

  Pastor Blake shook his head at Cassidy. “I’m not letting God be the fall guy for this one, Cass. I was the one who selected the policy and the coverage. I’m the one at fault. If anyone in the congregation wants to point fingers, they should point them directly at me.”

  “Pastor Blake, you can’t blame yourself. No one could’ve predicted this would happen.”

  Tate felt a stab of guilt. It seemed as if the pastor was expecting his congregation to call him out, perhaps based on events from the past. He knew all too well the ruckus his parents had raised eight years ago when they’d tried to have Pastor Blake removed as head of Main Street Church. It had caused a lot of strife and pain for the Blakes and had nearly torn the congregation apart. It was the only time in his life he’d ever felt ashamed of his family. And his mother’s feelings hadn’t changed all that much either, considering she wanted him to have nothing to do with Cassidy or the Blakes.

  Pastor Blake raised his hands up. “I have no idea how we’re going to afford a new roof, not to mention the steeple. It was the original steeple from when this church was built back in the 1800s. We’re already mortgaged to the hilt. And all I keep thinking is that my congregation no longer has a place to worship.” He shook his head in disbelief.

  “Maybe you can raise a special collection to cover the costs,” Cassidy suggested.

  “Times are tough. West Falls has been hit hard by the recession, just like the rest of the country. Main Street Church is barely keeping the lights on as it is. We have programs to run, paychecks to write, missions to support...” Pastor Blake exhaled loudly. “We’ve already seen a drastic reduction in our weekly offerings. I don’t think the town has much more to give.”

  As one of his parishioners walked past, Pastor Blake excused himself for a moment. Tate watched in humble appreciation as he wrapped his arms around the distraught woman. Within a manner of minutes he’d managed to bring a smile to her face despite the tears coursing down her cheeks.

  Tate drew in a deep breath. No matter what the community needed to do to make it happen, Main Street Church needed to raise the funds to restore itself. Even though it might be a huge undertaking, he was going to commit himself heart and soul to the restoration of his beloved church.

 
* * *

  By the time her father rejoined her and Tate, the number of parishioners inside the church had dwindled down to a handful. Most of them were seated at the front of the church, their hands crossed in prayer. It moved Cassidy to see so many members of the congregation coming to support her father and send up prayers for the church. She’d spent the past ten minutes listening as members of the church choir brainstormed about ways to raise money for the repairs. Although she wished she could make a huge donation to the cause, she’d funneled all her savings into the gallery in order to make it a success. But she was dedicated to doing anything she possibly could to support the efforts.

  “We need to have a gathering,” Mona Jackson suggested, the words tumbling out of her mouth. “Not just any gathering, mind you. A coming together of the West Falls community to support the Main Street Church restoration.”

  Her father frowned. “Do you think the timing is right? We just held the church bazaar.”

  “And you saw how successful that was, right?” Doc Sampson asked. “It was jam-packed with people.”

  Doc was right. Everyone in West Falls had turned out to the fairgrounds for the event. It had been popular with all segments of the community—teens, seniors, married with kids. It had always been a can’t-miss event. This year was no different.

  “Yes, it was our largest fund-raiser to date,” her father acknowledged. “It allowed us to make a sizable donation to a woman’s shelter in Amarillo and get caught up with our bills.”

  “That shows that the community supports fund-raising efforts,” she added. “And who wouldn’t want to help restore the church?” Excitement was coursing through her. Perhaps Mona was on to something. West Falls was a town that came together in times of crisis to support one another. If they could just tap into that goodwill, they might just be able to raise the money for a new roof.

  Her father looked wary. “I don’t want the town to feel as if we’re nickel-and-diming them.”

  “It’s not nickel-and-diming if there’s an urgent need for help,” Tate said, glancing up at the missing roof. “I think this qualifies as an urgent need.”

  For the first time since she’d arrived her father broke into a wide smile.

  “I think it sounds wonderful,” he said. “Since it was your idea, I’m appointing you as organizer, Mona. I’m sure we can count on the church council, as well. We’re going to need a lot of hands to pull this together. I’m going to make some calls this afternoon and put a committee together.”

  Mona did a celebratory dance in the aisle. Tate threw his head back and laughed at Mona’s little jig, his rugged features appearing even more handsome in his relaxed state. Cassidy was overjoyed that her father had given the community gathering the green light despite his initial reservations.

  “Count me in to help,” Tate offered. “I’m sure you can count on Holly, too. In case you didn’t know, Pastor Blake, she’s your biggest fan. Main Street Church has always been there for her. I’m sure she’ll want to reciprocate.”

  “Bless you, Tate. I’m very thankful for this community.” Her father clapped Tate on the back. “Whenever I stumble in the darkness, I know the congregation will be there to lift me up.”

  Cassidy watched the wonderful rapport between the two men. She couldn’t help but think that Tate would’ve been his son-in-law if they’d gone through with the wedding. The mere thought of it caused a strangled sensation to bubble up in her stomach. The regret that trickled through her caught her off guard.

  “We need Main Street Church.” He shifted his gaze toward Cassidy. “All of us.”

  Tate was right. This church was home. Although not all her recollections of this place were perfect, she’d built memories here that would last a lifetime. With the help of her father, her spiritual journey had begun within the walls of this church. And her faith was still growing by leaps and bounds. She was beginning to understand that it was a never-ending journey.

  “It’s a marvelous idea, but where would we have this gathering? In order to increase our revenue we need to find a venue that is as cost-effective as possible so as not to cut into the proceeds.” Her father scratched his head, looking as stumped as she’d ever seen him.

  Tate grinned wide, showcasing his pearly whites. “I think I might be able to help you out with this one.”

  “I’m open to any suggestions,” her father said, his tone weary. “This aspect is crucial to the overall success of the event.”

  “How does this sound? A community gathering at the Horseshoe Bend Ranch, with one hundred percent of the proceeds to benefit Main Street Church restoration.”

  Her mouth swung open. She was stunned by Tate’s generosity. His beautiful gesture. Emotion began to well up inside her. Her eyes filled with tears. She forced herself to stuff it down inside her so she wouldn’t ruin the moment by blubbering like a baby.

  Dear, sweet, amazing Tate. A heart as big as Horseshoe Bend Ranch.

  “Oh, Tate. I can’t think of a more beautiful setting. Acres of land. Wide open spaces.” She clapped her hands together as ideas began to form in her head. Before she got ahead of herself with the details, she needed to get something straight with Tate. “Are you sure your parents will be okay with this?”

  Hosting an event at the ranch would be a huge undertaking. The Lynch family would be the unofficial hosts of the community event, standing side by side with her father, the man they’d tried to oust from the church. She also knew that the Lynches were very private people who had withdrawn a bit from the community after the accident. Would they even allow this event to take place at the ranch? Would Maggie welcome her and her family on to her property?

  Under the circumstances she wanted to be as diplomatic as possible. She didn’t want to insult Tate or his family, but she couldn’t ignore the huge elephant in the room.

  “I don’t want to bring up ancient history, but there was a point in time when Maggie and Frank were waging war against my father. If they had their way he wouldn’t still be leading Main Street Church. Do you think they’ll try to stand in our way?”

  Tate didn’t even flinch. “A fourth of that ranch belongs to me. Another fourth to Holly. There won’t be a problem with hosting the gathering at Horseshoe Bend Ranch, Cass. You have my word on that.”

  He was standing there with his arms folded across his chest, as strong and solid as a marble statue. She had no choice but to put her faith in him. He’d never once given her a reason not to. As always, Tate was as good as his word.

  “Instead of a set ticket price, maybe people will be asked to contribute only what they can afford to pay,” Cassidy added. “I think that’s fair.” That way no one would be excluded from the gathering.

  “That’s a wonderful idea. That way people who are hurting financially can still come,” Mona said in an exuberant voice.

  “It won’t matter whether they give five dollars or fifty,” Doc added, a huge grin breaking out on his face.

  “I’d like to add that the timing of this coincides with the church’s anniversary. Main Street Church has been standing for two hundred years. Perhaps we could tie that in with the gathering,” her father suggested.

  “That’s a great idea,” Tate said. “By emphasizing how long Main Street Church has been around it really forces folks to realize how important it is to the community.”

  “I was also thinking that I could paint with the kids at the gathering. I could show them different art techniques that I’ve learned over the years.” Cassidy threw her idea out there, feeling a bit uncertain as to how it would be received. She knew certain people in town didn’t view her favorably. And it wasn’t as if she lived here anymore. Would folks even view her as part of the West Falls community? It didn’t really matter, she realized. She wanted to do something to support them. She wanted to be able to help Main Street church. And teaching kids
how to paint was something she’d always dreamed of doing.

  “Cassidy, the kids would be thrilled,” Mona cried out.

  Tate shook his head at her, his eyes filled with a mysterious look she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “What?” she asked. “Don’t you like the idea?” She was practically holding her breath waiting for him to answer. She didn’t know why it mattered so much to her, but she cared deeply about his opinion. With a single word he could lift her up or crush her.

  “I love the idea. I was just thinking that West Falls has no idea what you could do for this town. With your huge heart and creativity, you could really whip this place into shape.”

  Tate’s warm praise lifted her spirits even higher. Although she’d come back home to tend to her mother, she’d thought a lot lately about being in West Falls for a higher purpose. She knew God worked in mysterious ways. Perhaps she was standing in the very place she’d been meant to be this whole time.

  * * *

  Tate practically had to drag himself away from Main Street Church. He was on the clock now, and he felt obligated to head to the Sheriff’s Office to relieve some of his deputies. Cullen had stepped up last night by riding out the storm there. He’d actually driven out during the downpour to help out one of the locals who’d been trapped in a stalled car off the Interstate. As far as Tate was concerned, he’d earned his stripes last night.

  Strangely enough, all he could think about was Cassidy. Beautiful, sweet Cassidy. Somehow he’d forgotten that she had a heart as big as the great outdoors. It had been convenient to forget all the wonderful things about her and focus on the negative. It had been a survival technique, he realized. In order to get through the most painful ordeal of his life he’d chosen to think of her in purely negative terms. That way he wouldn’t be tempted to miss her...to follow her to Phoenix and beg her to take him back.