The Atonement Child
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About this ebook
Dynah Carey knew where her life was headed. Engaged to a wonderful man, the daughter of doting parents, a faithful child of God—she has it all. Then the unthinkable happens: Dynah’s perfect life is irrevocably changed by a rape that results in an unwanted pregnancy.
Her family is torn apart and her seemingly rock-solid faith is pushed to the limits as she faces the most momentous choice of her life: to embrace or to end the life within her.
This is ultimately a tale of three women, as Dynah’s plight forces both her mother and her grandmother to confront the choices they made. Written with balance and compassion, The Atonement Child brings a new perspective to a widely debated topic.
Francine Rivers
New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers is one of the leading authors of women's Christian fiction. With nearly thirty published novels with Christian themes to her credit, she continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers, including Redeeming Love, have been translated into more than thirty different languages. Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. This retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. Redeeming Love continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association’s top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian bestsellers list for nearly a decade. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit Francine online at www.francinerivers.com and connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers) and Twitter (@FrancineRivers).
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Reviews for The Atonement Child
111 ratings27 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a touching and inspiring book that explores themes of guilt, love, and finding balance in a decaying world. While some readers felt that the story was unnecessarily long and predictable, others appreciated the thought-provoking message and the way it exposed the depths of human flaws. Overall, this book is seen as another great Christian book from one of the favorite authors, Francine Rivers, that inspires and uplifts readers.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5January 2010 - Review by Alina Oselio (daughter of Tim & Cheryl Walker): All of Francine Rivers' books are excellent. They are recommended for older teen to adult. Highly recommended.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers - the story follows a young college virgin who is raped and becomes pregnant. So many of her family and friends are wanting her to get an abortion but she is not so sure that is the thing to do.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding beauty in a moment of tragedy.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dynah is a young college student who has lived a somewhat sheltered life, until she is raped and finds herself pregnant. I enjoyed this book. It deals with serious issues on rape, abortion, and forgiveness--among other things. It is an easy read that can be completed in one or two sittings.I have read other Francine Rivers books that I liked better, but that doesn't mean this one wasn't enjoyable. I would have liked a little more suspense though, because the outcome is somewhat predictable.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The story and the topic it hits head on are compelling which is why I read this whole book in two sittings. I did want to find out how it ended (though I predicted it pretty well from the beginning.) However, the style is not my preference. Some of the descriptions are weak, repetitious and predictable. Some of the foreshadowing (especially with regards to the character, Ethan) is extremely predictable and caricatured (not that I deny such persons exist.) So, style-wise, I did not truly love the book. As to content, however, I thought she did a good job dealing with the issue. I don't particularly like how Joe, in the end, waits for the heroine to propose to him. For all his strength of character, this seemed to not really follow.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A powerful story that speaks to the heart.Dyna Carey, student at New Life Christian College, is raped and falls pregnant. While a fiction story, the trauma and despair feels very real whether it be from the aftermath of rape, the realisation of pregnancy or the reaction to abortion. Francine Rivers has thoroughly researched the subject and woven a story that is sad, touching, painful, joyous and honours God who heals and restores and gives us immeasurable love and grace.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I read Francine Rivers' Atonement Child today. It is about a girl who is a freshman at a Christian College across the country from her childhood home. She is raped and conceives a child. Despite the fact that she is engaged to a future minister, a student at a Christian college and a child of Christians, everyone who is important to her either urges or accepts aborting the child. She however, can never bring herself to go through with the procedure and ends up bringing conversion to an abortionist and healing to her family. I had mixed feelings about the book. I found it preachy, much more so than I have found most of her other Christian novels. I also found it predictable. On the other hand, I found it troubling, perhaps because I suspect there is truth there. All these God-loving people in her life were pushing her to have an abortion. Her college kicked her out, even though they knew she'd been raped, saying people would think she and her fiance had sinned, unless she was willing to publically state that she'd been raped. I have to wonder sometimes how many women end up in abortion clinics because of what they perceive as lack of support?
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A friend told me that this book changed her views on abortion. It is a pro-life book, but is also filled with compassion and love for those who have had abortions. Characters have doubts and struggles, and so seem more real than in other Christian fiction, but the characters sometimes too conveniently represent various positions on the issue.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Some of my seminary-mates had to read this for Dr. Jones' ethics class. I read it for fun. I cried through it, saw different sides of the abortion issue. This is another one of Rivers' must reads!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this book. God is merciful and always loving. Turned out to be one of my favourites!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very inspiring book, i felt the Lord speaking to me through the book as well. Thank you and may the Lord grant you more grace to bring people to Christ through reading your books.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Awesome read, every word, every expression emoted beautifully. Thank you Francine Rivers!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another great Christian book from one of my favorite authors. Francine Rivers writes books that inspire and uplift me.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A tough one to read, still the message was necessary to be heard. May all who struggle with guilt find peace.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I loved the main idea and story that Francine rivers tried to portray, but like many of her books, the story was unnecessarily long & dragged on. I would have much preferred it if she didn't keep switching to different characters view points especially ones that didn't really add to the theme or progress the point of the story in any way; for example, her grandma having cancer, and endless discussion with her grandmas women's group, her parents arguments etc. (It made the book more boring) lastly, I did like the pursuit of joe, but I found that their conversation lacked intrigue or something that showed they connected as a couple apart from his care towards her. In the end the story ended up being very predictable, I wish rivers had added spice to the storyline somehow. The fact that she randomly realizes at the end of the story that joe was the man of her dreams was so abrupt. Her proposing to him was even more random, I wish that had progressed gentler with some more romance sparking them together. Ahh. In the end, the point was made. Having read redeeming Love, I expected a little more finesse I guess. Still Francine rivers is wonderful :)
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very thought provoking
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5amazing
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An amazing read. Very touching and exposes the depths of one’s own flaws.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thank you the author for writing a touching novel.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5revising Gods love for us by giving his only son.....finding balance in a decaying world as ours ...this book has yet more truths to reveal if we cn let our hearts be pierced by it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Touching story
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm inclined to read anything by Rivers. While I'm partial to her Redeeming Love and the Mark of the Lion Trilogy, I haven't been disappointed by any of her other work. This was not exception. Although I found The Atonement Child a bit clichéd, a bit happily-ever-after, and a bit preachy, overall, I enjoyed this work. Rivers tackled a controversial subject - rape, abortion and the church's response. I thought she did an excellent job writing about this, saying what she believes, but not doing so in an abrasive manner. Her characters, while a bit shallow, struggled with real issues - God's forgiveness, mercy, judgement and family. I thought the resolution was a bit predictable and clichéd and convenient, but it ended the way a book should
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm impressed that a popular Christian author would be bold enough to write about a subject like this. At the time that this book was published, she was already well-known and could have chosen to stick to less controversial topics to avoid offending the masses and losing her broad support base. The fact that she chose to write a novel tackling rape and abortion from a pro-life stance is admirable and demonstrates the prioritising of Christian values in her profession as a writer. One might assume that all Christian writers would do this, but sadly that is not the case as many have sacrificed and compromised to entertain or avoid being controversial. Indeed, those who don't like this book have focused on the overt pro-life stance and the fact that it is "overly preachy." But maybe that is what is needed in a day when Christian compromise is the norm and thorny issues are avoided.
The story itself is well told and believable. Dynah is heading for the American Christian dream--pretty, popular, doing well at school, prospective pastor boyfriend etc. All of this is shattered by rape when she is walking home alone one night. The resulting pregnancy exposes the hypocrisy of the mostly Christians around her who in their different ways begin pushing her towards having an abortion. After all, her circumstances are exceptional and surely God would understand.....
Dynah's dilemma opens up deep wounds in her own family as well as in the lives of those performing the abortions in the clinics. Although some of the dialogue and scenes were a little predictable, I liked that the author touched on the fact that abortion can effect every person involved for a very long time, some may never get over the trauma or physical consequences. I wasn't sure about the supposed link between abortion and increased chance of breast cancer but it wouldn't surprise me if it was proven one day.
The obvious message of the book is that every life is precious to God and created by Him in the womb, regardless the circumstance. That He can redeem any situation and bring peace to those that believe it is impossible. I liked that Rivers chose to focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on the act of rape itself or of the attempts to identify and bring the offender to justice. The book carries the pro-life message but shows how difficult it might be to take that stance when someone is seemingly alone with their life-changing decisions. However, Rivers makes it clear that the person doesn't have to be alone--God is always present and waiting for the cry of help from a repentant soul.
This book is not suitable for children and may disturb some sensitive readers. Although the rape itself is not detailed, some details of the abortion procedures are mentioned. There is no bad language and no graphic violence. I note that some readers felt that the psychological trauma of the rape itself had not been considered and that the story followed a kind-of predictable happy-ever-after pattern. I don't agree with this. The aftermath struggles that the main character faces are traumatic and make the important point that all of us need to learn to trust God completely. She struggles with guilt, shame and questions why God allowed the experience which shattered her perfect life....that is not unrealistic nor is it a cliche. If Rivers had introduced too much psychological trauma it would have made the book more graphic and would have changed the focus from God's plan of redemption to the crime, victim and criminal. The reality is that all of us are broken through sin--sin in our own lives and the sin of others against us--the focus needs always to be on God and the price that has already been paid by Jesus on the cross for our sin.
Although not perfect, I rate this highly and hope it will influence those considering abortions, those working in the clinics/hospitals, those providing funding for services and most importantly, those counseling people dealing with choices they have made in the past and the consequences of them.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Ok. I have loved other Francine rivers books, but this? This is the most belittling, victimized, sexist piece of work I've read. Why do Christians do this to women? Paint us as weak, timid, innocent, subservient humans? I cant even get through the first section. This material is offensive. She does everything her parents tell her. She gets engaged after 3 months. She goes to a school for a boy. She lets him tell her what type of worship to like. She's a waitress. She plans to aid his ministry. And she's attacked in the night by a dark figure who raped her yet she can't even remember what he looks like and then is more concerned with a potential rape baby than the police catching her rapist. This is literally embarrassing to me as a Christian woman. And if you didnt pick up any of these themes within the first 20 pages, maybe you need to reconsider your opinions.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5First, I am not sharing this review anywhere but here because I do not want a discussion string on abortion to start on Facebook or Twitter. I also am going to share parts of the plot, so let this be your spoiler alert warning. I will not recommend this book, no matter what your stand on abortion might be. I have read a couple of other books by Rivers and found them to be good reads. I picked this one up, wondering how she was going to handle the topic of pregnancy caused by rape. I figured it would be anti-abortion, but I didn't expect this. The book is so poorly written and all the characters stereotypical and contrived. Anyone even remotely associated with abortion clinics are troubled and disturbed with such messed up lives, to the point that it becomes unbelievable. Next, we have multi-generational abortions taking place. The main character is Dynah. Her mother had an illegal abortion prior to marrying Dynah's father. Despite 27 years of marriage, the man cannot bring himself to forgive this poor woman for getting an abortion before he even entered the picture. Seriously?? Shouldn't there be a lesson there somewhere? I mean, Christ was forgiving! Then later we learn that Dynah's grandmother also had a medical abortion when she had TB, done to save her life. Fifty plus years later, she is still haunted and ashamed to the point that she feels she has totally humiliated herself when she tells her close group of friends. I guess the fact that she and the baby could have died doesn't enter into it. Of course both Dynah's mother and grandmother think that their abortions have led to all the problems in their lives and that Dynah is being punished for their sins. The book ends, of course, with Dynah having a perfect baby and falling in love with the perfect guy. I am sure she will live a perfect life too. If I have offended anyone with this review, I apologize. I am not sharing my views on abortion at all. I think that on whatever side of the issue you stand, this book is just plain bad. It could have been written in a thought-provoking manner by being more realistic. This issue is not as cut and dried as Rivers makes it appear.
3 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Right from the start, this book grabs at your heart and soul. It continually pulls and tugs you in all directions as you read about what the main character and her family has gone through. The author causes you to really think about sensitive topics...rape, abortion, and adoption...all the while using God's word, as well as both personal character history and what has happened in the past as tools to guide the reader. Yet, it doesn't come off as preachy or as though the characters are better than everyone just because they are Christian. Instead, the author makes sure to portray them just as flawed and struggling with issues as everyone.
I highly recommend this if you want a book that will challenge you and keep you guessing right up to the end.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5It was a struggle for me to get through this book. Once I started it I had to finish it, but I was very eager to see it end.The general theme of the book was wonderful. It was most definitely a great book to promote pro-life. She approached the topic through many different viewpoints and really hit it home.However, I found myself lost in many of the conversations between characters, especially those of Hannah and Doug. I was confused when angry words would start flying out of Hannah's mouth as I didn't think her thoughts represented the anger. The dialogue was a bit off throughout the book.I was very thankful for a book full of clean content, but probably won't read another of Francine Rivers' because of the lack of connection I had with the content.
Book preview
The Atonement Child - Francine Rivers
CHAPTER 1
I
T WAS ON
a cold January night when the unthinkable, unpardonable happened.
The evening had gone as usual for Dynah Carey as she served food at the Stanton Manor House, a retirement home established for Middleton’s city employees. She enjoyed her work, often talking animatedly with the elderly patrons who came down from their small apartments for communal meals in the basement cafeteria. Sally Wentworth was a great cook and planned a varied menu. The only complaint Dynah had heard in five months on the job was how much food there was left over. Most of the people who lived at the manor had come through the Depression years and hated to see waste.
The rest of the diners had left for the evening, all but Mr. Packard, who was taking his time sipping his cup of decaf. Your car still in the shop, Dynah?
Yes, sir. They’re still waiting for a part to come in.
Thought it was supposed to be fixed yesterday.
I guess there was some kind of delay,
she said with a shrug. She wasn’t worried about it.
Is that young man of yours going to come pick you up tonight?
he said, watching Dynah fill the saltshakers.
She smiled at him as she moved on to the next table. Not this evening, Mr. Packard. He’s teaching a Bible study.
Maybe Sally can take you home.
It’s not far to the bus stop.
A mile at least, and a pretty girl like you shouldn’t be out on her own after dark.
I’m always careful.
Careful isn’t always good enough these days. I’ve gotten so I hate reading the newspaper. Time was you could walk from one end of town to the other without worrying.
He shook his head sadly. Now the town’s gotten so big you don’t know anybody anymore. People coming and going all the time. You never know who’s living next door. Could be Pollyanna or Son of Sam. Houses spreading all over tarnation, and no plan to the way it’s sprawling. I remember when I was a boy, we knew everybody. We left our doors unlocked. Never had to be afraid. I don’t know what the world’s coming to these days. Makes me glad I’m almost to the end of my life. When I was growing up, we used to sit outside on the front porch and talk. Neighbors would come by and have lemonade. Those were good times. Now nobody has time for anything. They don’t even build porches on houses anymore. Everybody’s inside watching television and not saying much of anything to anybody.
Dynah stayed close, responding to the ache of loneliness she heard in his words and voice. He wasn’t whining. He was grieving. His wife had passed away four months before. The family had gathered around him long enough for the memorial service and then scattered across the States again. His two sons lived on the West Coast, too far away to make frequent visits. His daughter lived in Indiana but called him every Sunday. Sundays were good days for Mr. Packard.
Tonight was Wednesday.
I miss Trooper,
he said quietly. He smiled wistfully. I used to call Freda ‘Trooper.’
Mr. Packard told Dynah how he had come up with the nickname just after World War II. He had fought in the Pacific two years before being blown off a transport. He landed in a field hospital, where he spent another three months before he was shipped stateside.
While I was away, Freda had our son and managed a part-time job. When my father got sick with cancer, she quit and stepped into his shoes to help my mother run the family grocery store. My Freda was a home-front soldier.
His expression softened in memory, his eyes glistening with tears. So I called her ‘Trooper,’ and it stuck.
We have to close down, Dynah!
Sally said from behind the counter. She said it loudly enough so that poor Mr. Packard would hear. Dynah looked at his face and wanted to weep.
Taking the hint, the old man got up. Everybody’s in a hurry these days,
he said with a glance toward the kitchen. Then his eyes came to rest on her again. Good night, Dynah. You be careful out there tonight.
I will, sir,
she said with a fond smile, touching his shoulder as he passed. Try not to worry.
Juan Garcia began putting chairs upside down on the tables. Gathering Mr. Packard’s spoon, cup, and saucer, Dynah watched the old man walk stiffly across the room. His arthritis was troubling him again.
I didn’t mean to break up your little chat,
Sally said as Dynah put the things into the big industrial dishwasher and pulled the door down. Some of these old people could talk until your hair turned gray.
She took her sweater from the hook on the wall. They’ve got no place to go and nothing to do.
He misses his wife,
Dynah said and thought about following Mr. Packard’s suggestion and asking Sally for a ride.
I know. I miss my husband. I miss my kids. You miss your handsome fiancé.
She dumped her shoulder bag onto the counter and shrugged into her sweater and parka. And as Scarlett O’Hara always said, ‘Tomorrow is another day.’
Picking up her bag, she said a brisk good night and headed for the back door.
Sally seemed in such a hurry, Dynah didn’t want to impose upon her. Besides, it wasn’t that far to the bus stop, and there were plenty of streetlights along the way. Getting her backpack from the storage room, Dynah slipped off her rubber-soled white shoes and pulled on her snow boots. Zipping the shoes into the backpack, she said good night to Juan. Crossing the dining room, she went into the lobby that opened out onto the back parking lot. Sally had already turned the lights down for the night. There was only the soft glow of security lights and the bright lights behind Dynah where Juan was getting ready to wash and wax the floors.
Pulling on her parka, Dynah went to the back door.
The idea that she needed to be concerned hadn’t ever crossed her mind before. The manor wasn’t exactly a center of crime. The worst thing that had happened was someone’s spray-painting graffiti on the walls three months ago. The manager had painted over the bubble letters and numbers by the next afternoon, and the police increased the number of times they drove by each evening. The vandals hadn’t returned.
Pushing the door open, Dynah stepped outside. The air was crisp; the snow from last week’s fall was packed hard and dingy. Her breath puffed white in the stillness. She heard the lock click behind her and shivered slightly. She zipped her parka up to her neck and looked around. Maybe it was Mr. Packard’s warning that made her edgy. There was nothing else to bother her. It was an evening like any other, no darker, no colder.
There were shadows all around, but nothing unfamiliar or threatening as she walked down the wheelchair ramp. She took her usual path through the back parking lot to Maple Street. It was only a few blocks down to Main, another eight to Sycamore, and a few more to Sixteenth, where she caught the bus. It only took fifteen minutes to reach her stop at Henderson. From there it was seven blocks to the dorm.
Dynah glanced at her wristwatch. Nine thirty. Janet Wells, her roommate, would be in the library studying late tonight. Janet always left things till the last minute and then aced every exam. Dynah smiled to herself, wishing she were that fortunate. She had to study all term long to pull grades high enough to keep her scholarship.
Relaxing as she walked, Dynah enjoyed the clear night. She had always liked this street with its turn-of-the-century houses. She could imagine people sitting on their front porches in the summertime, sipping lemonade just the way Mr. Packard remembered. Like something out of a movie. It was a life far removed from the way she had grown up on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco—and yet similar as well.
Looking back, she realized how she had been protected by her parents and cloistered in homeschooling. In many ways, she had led an idyllic life with few bumps and twists in the road. Of course, there had been times when she had been curious to know what lay beyond the hedges her parents had planted around her. When she asked, they explained, and she complied. She loved and respected them too much to do otherwise.
Her mom and dad had been Christians forever. She couldn’t remember a time when they hadn’t been involved in the church or some community service project. Her mother sang in the choir and led Sunday morning Bible studies. Dynah had grown up surrounded by love, protected and guided every step of the way, right up to the doors of New Life College. And now it seemed her life would continue that way, with Ethan Goodson Turner at the reins.
Not that I am complaining, Lord. I am thankful, so thankful. You have blessed me with the parents I have and the man I’m going to marry. Everywhere I look, I see Your blessings. The world is a beautiful place, up to the very stars in the heavens.
Lord, would You please give poor old Mr. Packard a portion of the hope and joy I feel? He needs You. And Sally, Lord. She’s always fretting about something and always in a hurry. She has so little joy in her life. And Juan said tonight one of his children is sick, Father. Pedro, the little one. Juan can’t afford insurance and—
A car passed slowly.
Dynah noticed a Massachusetts plate before the vehicle sped up. The red taillights were like a pair of red eyes staring back at her as the station wagon went down the street, then squealed onto Sycamore. Frowning slightly, she watched it disappear.
Odd.
Her thoughts wandered again as she walked more slowly past her favorite house. It was two doors from Sycamore, a big Victorian with a porch around the front. The lights were on behind the Nottingham lace curtains. The front door was heavy mahogany with small leaded panes of glass and stained glass at the top. The pattern was a sunburst of golds and yellows.
It would be nice to live on a shady street like this one, in a big house, complete with a trimmed lawn, a flower garden in the front, and a yard in the back with a swing and a sandbox for the children. She smiled at her dreaming. Ethan would probably be offered a church in a big city like Los Angeles or Chicago or New York. A man with his talents for preaching wouldn’t end up in a small college town in the Midwest.
She couldn’t believe a young man like Ethan would look twice at her, let alone fall in love and ask her to marry him. He said he knew the day he met her that God meant her to be his wife.
She wouldn’t have met him at all if her parents hadn’t insisted she visit New Life College. She had already decided on a college in California. When they mentioned NLC, she declined, convinced the cost and distance should eliminate it. They assured her they had planned for the first, and the second would be good for her. They wanted her to become more independent, and attending college in Illinois was a good way to accomplish that. Besides, her grades were good enough that she could receive scholarships.
Dynah smiled about it now. Her parents had never been subtle in what they wanted for her. Her mother had left pamphlets of a dozen Christian colleges scattered about the house to tweak her curiosity. Each had been opened to beautiful, idyllic places with stretches of lawn lined with manicured gardens. NLC had a quad with six majestic brick and white-columned buildings, two to the east, two to the west, one on the north, and a church to the south. But what appealed most to Dynah were the wonderful young, smiling faces of the students.
There had never been any question that she would end up at a Christian college. Where better to learn how to serve the Lord than in an environment centered on Christ? Yet, the Midwest had seemed so far from home she had dismissed it.
While completing her final year of work for her high school diploma, she sent out a dozen applications and received as many acceptance letters. She narrowed it down to four possibilities, dismissing all those outside the state. Her father suggested she and her mother take a trip to Southern California and see the three campuses that were there. After visiting one in San Jose, she contacted the others and made appointments with the dean of admissions to discuss programs and scholarships.
While she was gone, her father had contacted four colleges he thought good enough
for his daughter. One was in Pennsylvania, one in Indiana, and two in Illinois. One sent a video. Two had students call and talk with her about the campus, activities, and curriculum. The last was New Life College. They sent a catalog and an invitation to come and take a firsthand look at what they had to offer.
She thought it preposterous and a terrible waste of her parents’ money, but her father insisted she go. You have to learn to fly sometime.
It was the first time she had gone anywhere without her parents or a church group. All the arrangements had been made by the college beforehand, so she had the safety net of knowing she wouldn’t be on her own long. A student would meet her at the airport and bring her to the campus, where she would spend two days with a personal guide.
Dynah smiled as she remembered her reaction when she first saw Ethan with a sign bearing her name. She thought he was the most gorgeous young man she had ever seen. Her mother had told her the college would probably send a nice young man to meet her and drive her to the college. She hadn’t expected someone who looked like he belonged in the movies. She was completely flustered and tongue-tied, but by the time they were halfway to the campus, he had put her so much at ease that she had shared her Ocean Avenue life with him. By the end of the trip, she knew Ethan didn’t just look good, he was good. He was on fire for the Lord, ambitious for godly service, and filled with ideas about ministry.
My father’s a pastor, and his father before him,
he told her. My great-grandfather was a circuit rider for the gospel. I’m following in their footsteps.
By the time they drove beneath the brick arch to the NLC campus, she was convinced Ethan Goodson Turner would be the next Billy Graham.
Upon their arrival at the women’s dorm, Ethan introduced her to Charlotte Hale, a music major from Alabama. Charlotte was vibrant and full of Southern charm and hospitality. A senior graduating in June, she had already made plans to go with a mission group to Mexico and present the gospel in music and drama.
Over the next two days, every minute was taken up seeing the campus, especially the departments in which Dynah was most interested: music and education. She heard about various programs, scholarships, and activities and met dozens of people. Charlotte seemed to know everyone and introduced Dynah to them all. She met professors and students, the deans, the manager of the bookstore, and even two of the gardeners who kept up the grounds. Dynah loved every minute of her stay.
On Saturday evening, to her surprise and delight, Ethan joined them for dinner at the mess hall. She blushed when he sat down. He lingered until a girl came over and asked if he was going to an evening Bible study.
Half the girls on campus wish they could marry him,
Charlotte had remarked, watching him walk away.
I’m not surprised,
Dynah had said, remembering how embarrassed she had been for daydreaming about just that during the drive from the airport.
Charlotte had looked at her then, straight on, and smiled. You should come back. He’ll be a senior next year.
She hadn’t dissembled. Are you suggesting I join his legion of admirers?
Charlotte laughed. She didn’t say anything about Ethan after that, but it was clear she had done her best to plant a seed for thought.
They hadn’t been back at the dorm fifteen minutes when Ethan called. He told Dynah he would be picking her up and taking her back to the airport. She thanked him and said she would be ready. By morning, Dynah had decided against coming back to NLC because of Ethan. If she was infatuated after a few days, she knew she would be head over heels in love if she saw him every day of the year. And NLC wasn’t so big a campus that she could miss him. No, she didn’t want to become one of the legion, and she held no false hopes of becoming his choice.
She smiled now, thinking of it, feeling his engagement ring on her finger with the back of her thumb. She had been so nervous on the drive back to O’Hare. She had told Ethan he could drop her off in front of the Delta terminal, but he had insisted he would accompany her inside. He parked, took her carry-on, and stayed with her. When they got inside the airport, he stood with her in line as she got her boarding pass. She had been so embarrassed, she wanted to crawl into a hole.
I know I haven’t seen much of the world, Ethan, but I don’t need babysitting,
she had said, trying to laugh off his concerns.
I know that,
he said quietly.
I don’t need a bodyguard, either.
He looked at her, and she felt foolish and young, too young for him. There had been such an intensity in his eyes that she had blushed.
Come back to NLC, Dynah.
It had sounded like a command. She smiled. Do you have to meet a quota?
God wants you here.
He sounded so serious, so certain, she had to ask. How do you know?
Surely, if God wanted her at NLC, God would tell her.
I just know, Dynah. I knew the minute I saw you.
Looking into his blue eyes, she decided not to dismiss what he said. In truth, she wanted to believe him. She wanted to see Ethan Turner again, and the thought that he wanted the same thing was heady incentive indeed.
Will you pray about it?
She nodded, knowing she would be doing little else.
She didn’t hear one word from Ethan through spring and summer, but five minutes after she walked into the gymnasium for registration that fall, he came up to her and put his hand on her shoulder as though staking public claim to her. The first thing he did was introduce her to Joseph Guilierno, his best friend and roommate.
Joe was a surprise. He didn’t appear to fit the NLC mold but looked more like the many young men she had seen around San Francisco on excursions with her parents. Tall, dark-eyed, strongly built, Joe looked street-tough and older than Ethan. Not so much in years as worldly experience.
No wonder,
Joe said cryptically and extended his hand. His fingers curved around hers firmly as he smiled. Three months later, after she was wearing an engagement ring, Joe told her that Ethan had come back to their apartment the day he picked her up at the airport and said he had met the girl he was going to marry.
I asked him if he had consulted God, and Ethan said it was God who put it in his head.
Smiling again now as she had when Joe first told her that, Dynah reached the corner of Sixteenth. She let her mind drift along rosy avenues. Ethan had a wonderful future laid out for them. He would graduate with honors at the end of the year. Dean Abernathy was very impressed with his work and was encouraging him to go on for his master’s. The dean had already arranged for Ethan to work part-time at one of the local churches. Dynah would be able to finish her education as well. Ethan was adamant that she get her degree, convinced that her studies in music and youth ministry would be of great use in his ministry.
She felt so blessed. They would be equally yoked, working together for the glory of God. What more could she want?
Oh, Lord, You are so good to me. I will do anything for You. All I am, all I ever hope to be, is from You, Father. Use me as You will.
A car pulled up alongside her and slowed to her pace. Her heart jumped as she noticed it looked like the same one that had passed her on Maple Street. Her nerves tensed as the window lowered and a disembodied male voice said, Are you going to the campus, miss?
Yes, I am,
she said before she thought better of it.
I can give you a lift.
No, thank you.
I’m going there myself. Visiting my brother. Unfortunately, I’m lost. First time in town. He lives near the main gate of the campus.
She relaxed and stepped closer. Leaning down, she pointed. Go down a mile to Henderson and turn right. Keep going, and you’ll run right into it. It’s a block past the city park.
She couldn’t see the man’s face.
If I give you a ride, you could show me.
A strange foreboding gripped her. No, thank you,
she said politely and took a step back. She didn’t want to offend the man. What excuse could she offer? She looked toward the bus stop, where a woman was sitting, and found an excuse. I’m meeting a friend.
Sure. Thanks for the directions,
the man said, sounding far less friendly. The window whirred up. As he drove on down Sixteenth, she saw the car bore the same Massachusetts plates. The two red taillights stared back at her as the car passed the bus stop.
Shivering, she walked on. She recognized the waitress sitting on the bench. Hi, Martha. How are you this evening?
So-so. My feet are killing me. Was someone trying to pick you up back there?
Not really. He was lost.
Yeah, right. That’s his story.
He was looking for the campus.
I hope you told him where to go.
I gave him directions.
Martha laughed. I’m sure you didn’t give him the ones I would’ve given him.
They talked about their jobs until the bus arrived. Martha climbed aboard first and moved to her usual place near the back, where she could read her romance novel uninterrupted. Dynah took a seat at the front, across from the driver.
Her first day aboard, she had noticed the pins on the lapel of Charles’s neat uniform jacket. When she asked what they were, he said he had one to show for each five-year period he had driven without an accident. After a few weeks of riding with him, Dynah had gone to a trophy store and had a plaque made up for him that said, In honor of distinguished service to Middleton, Charles Booker Washington is awarded the title of Driver Emeritus.
He had laughed when he opened it, but it was now proudly displayed next to the No Smoking sign at the front of the bus.
How’s things, Charlie?
He grinned at her as he hit the button to close the door. Pretty good now you’re aboard. Missed your sunny smile last night.
Ethan picked me up.
He driving a Cadillac yet?
She laughed. No, sir. Still has his Buick.
She leaned forward in the seat and rested her arms on the iron railing.
Charlie nodded. When he gets a church, he’ll get his Cad. We don’t let our preachers drive anything else. Treat ’em good.
I noticed.
When she had gone to Charlie’s church, she had seen the new maroon Cadillac parked in the Reserved for Pastor
space. She had enjoyed herself so much at the service, she pleaded with Ethan to go back with her. He had gone once, grudgingly, but had refused to attend with her again. He said the service was a little too lively
for his tastes. He hadn’t felt comfortable with the loud gospel music pouring from the choir, nor with the way the members of the congregation interjected their remarks during the pastor’s sermon.
It felt irreverent.
She hadn’t shared his discomfort, though the service had been far from the kind of service to which she was accustomed. She felt the Spirit moving in that church. The members celebrated their love for Jesus and for each other. She had enjoyed the experience. Something about it had stirred her. The pastor had preached straight from the Word, and the people made sure he knew his points were sinking in. However, Dynah didn’t argue with Ethan’s assessment. She had learned early that he took his role as the spiritual head of their relationship to heart. She also knew he had been brought up in a conservative denomination who showed their zeal in other ways. His parents, like her mother and father, were deeply involved in community action and charities.
She and Charlie talked about all manner of things. He had been driving a Middleton city bus since before she was born and had learned a lot about human nature. He didn’t mind sharing what he knew.
Tonight, Mr. Packard was on Dynah’s mind.
I know the Packards,
Charlie said. He and his wife used to get on the bus every Tuesday and ride it to the end of the line. Good people. I read she passed on. Too bad. She was a nice lady.
Maybe I could tell him you miss seeing him.
You do that, girl. Maybe I’ll drop by and see him myself. Between the two of us, we might get him out of his apartment and back among the living.
He brought the bus close to the curb and slowed to a stop at the corner of Henderson.
Thanks, Charlie.
You watch yourself, girl.
I will.
Tell Mr. Packard I have a front seat saved for him,
he said and hit the button. The doors swished closed, and he gave her a wave through the glass.
Dynah waved back and watched as the bus pulled away from the curb. Adjusting the strap of her shoulder bag, she started the walk to campus.
Henderson Avenue was a long, pretty street with old-growth maples and neat brick houses with snow-covered lawns. In the city park located a block south of the campus was a small community center building used by students interning as youth leaders and teachers. In two years, she would be working there. The center housed a daily preschool program in the morning and youth activities through the afternoon every day of the week except Sunday, when everything in town shut down for worship services. Only a few businesses, mostly nationwide chains, stayed open.
As Dynah came abreast of the park, she paused, frowning. The car with the Massachusetts plates was there, just across the street, parked beyond a cobblestone driveway beneath a canopy of winter-bare branches. She peered at the vehicle, anxious, then noticed with relief that no one sat in the driver’s seat. The man must have found his brother after all. He had said he lived not far from the campus.
A twig snapped to the right, and her nerves jumped. She turned and saw a tall, dark shape moving toward her. A man.
Every instinct screamed, Run!
but surprise made her hesitate—and within a few seconds she knew she had made a terrible mistake. A couple of seconds. That’s all it took for the man to have a hold on her.
Purdy Whitehall received the call at Middleton Police Department at 10:37 Wednesday evening, January 8. It had been a quiet evening with only one complaint, about a party disturbing the peace. Sergeant Don Ferguson had reported a few minutes earlier that it was nothing more than a bunch of baby boomers feeling nostalgic and singing to Elvis records.
This call was altogether different.
Someone’s screaming in the park,
a woman said. Come quick, please! Someone’s screaming!
The caller’s telephone number came up on Purdy’s computer screen along with the address. Henderson Avenue. Speaking with a trained calmness, she assured the woman help would be coming and put her on hold in order to dispatch a squad car to the location.
Frank Lawson was just pulling up to Ernie’s Diner on Sixteenth for a badly needed coffee break when his radio crackled with the message. Muttering under his breath, he rapped the radio sharply and picked up the speaker. Depressing the button, he identified himself and his car number. My radio’s having PMS again, Purdy. Repeat the message.
There’s a disturbance at the park on Henderson Avenue, Frank. How close are you?
Ten blocks. I’m on my way.
Putting the speaker back, he swung the squad car in a sharp U-turn and hit his flashing red lights. Few cars were on the road at this time of night, so he didn’t use his siren. No use waking people up if it wasn’t necessary.
As he barreled down Sixteenth, he saw a white station wagon heading west. The red taillights glowed as the car pulled to the side of the road in obedience to the law. Frank never passed it. He made a sharp left onto Henderson Avenue.
Coming to a smooth stop by the park, he grabbed his heavy flashlight, made a quick call to Purdy, and got out. He surveyed the park as he came around his squad car. His heart quickened, the hair on the back of his neck prickling.
Something was wrong. He was sure of it.
Adrenaline pumping, Frank glanced around and saw lights on in three houses near the park. A woman came out to stand on the front porch of one.
Over there!
She came down the front steps in her bathrobe. Over there near the activity center! Please hurry. Someone’s been hurt.
Go on back in your house, ma’am. We’ll take care of it.
Another squad car pulled up, and Frank saw Greg Townsend get out.
The woman fled up her steps and banged the screen door behind her, but she remained silhouetted in the doorway watching, her arms hugged around herself to ward off the cold.
Greg reached Frank. See anything?
No, but it doesn’t feel right. Take the path over there, and I’ll come in from this side.
Gotcha.
Frank knew every inch of this park like it was his own backyard. He brought his three small children here to play every Saturday afternoon so his wife could have a few hours’ respite.
There was enough light from the park lamps that he didn’t need to use the flashlight, but he kept it in his left hand anyway, his right over his gun. He saw evidence of a struggle in the snow near the sidewalk that ran the length of Henderson to the NLC campus. A little further in, he found a backpack. Just beyond it was a torn parka. He walked along the edge of the pathway cautiously, eyes sweeping, ears trained for any sound out of the ordinary.
As he neared the activity center, he heard a rustling sound in the bushes nearby. Something was scrambling frantically away, like an animal clambering for a hiding place.
Instinctively he removed the loop from his gun and pulled it free of his holster. Police! Come out onto the walkway where we can see you.
He moved slightly, away from the light, so he wouldn’t make himself an easy target.
The rustling stopped, and he heard another sound, soft and broken. A woman sobbing.
Oh, God. Oh, God, no. Not here. Not where I bring my kids every week.
Holstering his gun, Frank went to the bushes and drew some branches back. Training his flashlight, he saw a girl huddled beneath the canopy of leaves. Flinching back, she covered her face with her arm. Her blonde hair was tangled and damp from the snow. Frank noticed the ripped waitress uniform, the bleeding scratches on her shoulder, the fresh bloodstains on her skirt.
Anger filled him. Easy,
he said gently. Lowering the light so it wasn’t straight on her, he hunkered down. She cowered from him. I’m Sergeant Lawson, miss. I’m here to help you.
He kept talking quietly, trying to give her