The Soul Redeemer: From Victim to Victory (22 page)

T
his time as Nicole entered the barn
she called out, "Detective?"  He stepped into the horse stall and shut the door behind him.  "All clean I see," he said as he came toward her.

She supposed it was his attempt at polite conversation.  She was in no mood for polite.  "Thanks for the clothes,
Detective.
  It's amazing that they fit so well.  It's like you'd planned my visit, thinking about what I'd need for my stay.  So thoughtful of you."

He must have noticed her sarcasm because he turned and looked at Nicole intently before answering.  "In a way I did plan some things.  I need a cup of coffee and then I'll try to answer a few of your questions." 

They stepped out of the barn and Nicole looked around.  "So, where are your two bodyguards, Detective?  I can't imagine that you'd go anywhere without them."

He rolled his eyes as if to ask why he had brought this contrary female to his home.  He zipped up his jacket and said, "I'm not talking until I have my coffee."  It was still cool this early in the morning, and Nicole decided that coffee did sound good.

In the kitchen, Sam poured a cup and left her to get her own.  He had just taken his first sip when Nicole asked, "How could you think that Maria is against us?"  He nearly choked, and grabbed a napkin from its holder and coughed into it. 

"What?" he asked when he was finally able to take a breath. 

"I heard you talking to somebody on the phone; something about Maria being a possible enemy plant.  A spy.  I'm not sure that I should have trusted you Detective Miller, if that's even your real name.  Who are you, really?  Why don't we start with that?"

Sam sat down with a sigh.  He reluctantly admitted, "No, I'm not Detective Miller.  Samuel Adams, at your service, my lady."  With that he gave a mock bow of his head.  "I was going to tell you my real name; I just hadn't gotten to it yet."

Nicole still stood next to the coffee pot on the counter.  She sneered.  "You're kidding, right?  Samuel Adams, as in founding father of the United States?  Yeah, like that's the truth."   

With amazing patience, Sam responded.  "I choose to believe that the recent disturbing turn of events in your life is the cause of your present rudeness, and that you are not always such a pea brain.  And if you'll just listen for a minute, I'll explain a few things." 

He didn't wait for her response but continued talking.  "For your information, I do happen to be a direct descendent of the afore named Samuel Adams, but that is irrelevant in this case. 

"I used to be a detective in the police department in Washington DC.  I was part of a special operations unit investigating fraudulent and illegal activity on a corporate level.  We became aware that our investigations were being sabotaged, and further research led us to believe that the interference was coming from the top level of government. 

"There were three of us on the task force.  One died of a heart attack and the other died in an automobile accident within a month's time.  Our unit was ordered to shut down due to lack of funds to hire replacements; at least that's what I was told.  They would have placed me on a crime prevention unit, you know, speaking in school assemblies and what not, but I couldn't let the stuff I had uncovered go. 

"I was trying to decide what to do when I was approached by a certain individual, also with connections in the upper levels of government.  He asked me to consider retirement, but to use that as a cover to continue the research.  This person explained that there were others like him who were supportive of this operation to the point that they were willing to fund the research and expenses if I would agree to continue. 

"So I took them up on their offer.  I 'retired' and moved here to continue my work from a distance, under the guise of being an old retired grandpa.  We are intent on bringing down the strongholds of the enemy."

Nicole was surprised at his wording, "bringing down strongholds of the enemy."  This was a term she used frequently in spiritual battle, but had never heard it used in physical terms.  Then again, she had never really spoken to a military person on this level of conversation either, and she was reminded that spiritual truths often parallel physical truth and vise versa.

"Ok
Sam Adams,
do you think that anyone suspects you of anything?"  Nicole asked.

"As far as I know, it was a clean break and I function out from under the radar.  My daughter has a special needs boy that requires quite a bit of care, and I think they believed me when I told them that they needed me, and that I was done taking care of other people's problems and ignoring my own."

"That's admirable of you, but where is your daughter?  That is if you really have one."

He answered harshly, "Look lady, you asked a question relevant to your case and I answered you because I want you to trust me.  But my personal life does not involve you and is not open to your judgments."  After a moment of silence he added, "What I said about my daughter and grandson is true, but that's all you need to know."

The ice in Nicole's heart toward this man was beginning to melt.  She could sense that he really was trying to help but that he was frustrated with all her questions and accusations. 

"Thank you Detective.  I can see you are trying to help and I do appreciate it.  I want to trust you, but I have so many questions!  Like, for starters, why would tell me your name is Bob Miller if it's really Sam Adams?"

"I use a pseudonym when I'm in public on business such as this.  I'm undercover, remember?  Bob Miller.  I try to cover my tracks."

"That makes sense.  But if I'm going to trust you, there are some things I have to know.  Like how it is that you seem to know things about my life, and even have the right size of clothes here ready for me, like you knew I was coming.  You even said that you were in Samaria looking for me.  That just makes me feel creepy!"

"Yeah, I guess it would," Sam answered. 

Nicole was surprised at what appeared to be understanding. 

He continued, "I can explain details later, but for now, I'll just say that I have been on this case for quite awhile.  I knew you were a target of the people I'm tracking, and because they're under my surveillance, I've been aware of certain things about you as well.  I was hoping to be able to stop the strike, but in the last month or so, things have sped up so fast within their operation, that I knew the chances of that happening were slim. 

"I was hoping for the next best thing, and that would have been to kidnap you myself before they did…that's why I was in Samaria when you disappeared…I was going to get to you first and keep you away from them.  As it is, I was at least able to collect your things.  I had a feeling you might need a safe place to go, and this is the safest place I know. 

"As for the clothes, my daughter is close to your size and she keeps some of her things here.  I actually hadn't thought of the clothes.  You're staying in her room, and Maria's the one who found them in the closet and asked if you could use them."

Nicole was feeling a little better, but she wasn’t sure how she felt about being kidnapped even from someone with good intentions. 

She turned her attention back to Maria.  "Speaking of Maria, what about her?  I know you don't want her to stay, so are you going to explain that to me?  Because I don't care who you're working with as long as you help me get home.  And I know you somehow believe that I am a link that your organization thinks you need.  But I'm telling you right now that if Maria goes, so do I.  She is not a spy!"

"Ok lady," was the response.  "Calm down.  I get that it's hard for you to trust me and that you have a lot of unanswered questions.  Over time, I believe you will find the answers you want.  But as for Maria, what makes you think she's not a plant and that she's trustworthy?  She's an unplanned, unexpected possible liability, and there's a lot at stake here for a lot of people, not just you.  I have to protect this mission."

Nicole did understand protecting important things.  She didn't have anything to prove her theory about Maria except the knowing in her spirit, which of course he would not trust.  After thinking for a moment she asked, "Detective, are you a Christian?"

"What?  What does that have to do with anything?  And now that the cat's out of the bag, drop the 'Detective' stuff and just call me Sam."

"Ok,
Sam
," she said emphatically.  "And it has everything to do with everything!  But I guess that answers my question.  At any rate I know how you can have your question about Maria answered.  We'll go talk to her, ask her all the questions you and I can think of, and then God will tell us what we need to know about her.  You will either know that she is safe and can stay, or I will know that I was wrong about her and that she needs to go."

"So you believe that we'll hear the voice of God telling us if Maria is safe or not?"

Nicole didn't think this was the time to get into a theological debate, so she said, "If you don't trust God, then trust your instincts.  You
do
have instincts don't you?"

"So quick to judge.  I was hoping you'd be different," Sam mumbled.

Nicole wasn't sure exactly what he had said, but she was anxious to clear her friend. "Let's just go talk to Maria and we'll see what happens."

Shaking his head, and again, taking one of those tolerant but accepting deep breaths, he stood up and said, "Ok.  We'll go find Maria."

T
hey found Maria
walking toward the house with a basket in her arms and a smile on her face as usual.  As they got closer, Sam said, "I see you found the chicken house." 

With delight Maria said, "Oh Detective, Maria will make you omelets and crepes and custards and so many things I do not know how you say.  El jardin!  The garden.  Muy bueno!  I make you nice dinners.  I cook for you and Miss Nicki.  Maria make you happy you save us!"

Nicole could tell that Sam was rather uncomfortable and unsure as how to proceed.  He seemed nice enough, but rather unskilled in the human relations department. 

"Maria," she said, "We would like to talk to you for a minute.  We have some questions we thought you might be able to help us with.  Would you be able to do that?"

Maria was always ready to help.  Nicole sat down in one of the chairs on the porch, but Sam stayed standing while Maria took the eggs inside the house.  It was a beautiful late summer day, and the sun felt good as it penetrated her body. 

Maria returned with a tray full of steaming hot coffee mugs.  After she passed them out and sat down, Nicole said, "Maria, Sam has been explaining that there are some very bad people who are after me, and that we have to be very careful." 

Maria looked slightly confused, and Nicole realized that she didn't understand the switch in labels from Detective to Sam, so she briefly explained, and Maria nodded her head in understanding. 

"He needs to ask you some questions because his job is to protect me, and he doesn't know anything about you.  Because you were with some of these people, he needs to ask you questions that might help.  Ok?"

"Si, I understand Detective."

Sam said, "Just call me Sam.  Now Maria, how long were you were with Eddie?"

"Not long.  Week six, maybe."

"How did you meet him?"

When Nicole glanced at Maria, she had a sad, faraway look in her eyes.  After a short pause, she began to explain. 

"In LA, I work for a large family.  Happy family here," Maria pointed to her mouth.  "Not happy here."  Maria covered her heart with her hand and continued. 

"One night, I do not sleep and I go down stairs to get milk.  I hear man in the office, I do not know his voice.  I hear voice of the boss.  I wait outside door and hear three pop sounds.  When door open I see man.  He look at me, not a nice look.  I see boss man on the floor, and blood.  The bad man grab me, he cover my mouth and take me with him.  He say I go with him now.  He was Eddie."

"Had you seen Eddie before?"

"No."

"Do you know why he killed your boss?"

"No."

"Did you hear any of the conversation before Eddie shot your boss?"

"I hear words I do not understand."

"Can you remember any of the words?"

"No."

"How long had you worked for the family?"

"About week four."

"What is their name, and can you give me their address?"

"Senor Mendez.  No address, but I know the street.  Crescent Drive."

"Where did you live and work before that?"

"Mexico."

"Are you here legally?"

At this question Maria hung her head.  "Maria have no papers.  Maria alien."  She lifted her head and looked directly at Sam.  "You please not send me back!  I take care of Miss Nicki.  She save me and now she need me."

Nicole's heart was filled with compassion for this woman as she revealed a part of her story and who must have endured who-knew-what at the hand of that evil man. 

Sam ignored the plea and continued.  "So you were with Eddie for about six weeks.  What can you tell me about him?"

"He is bad man.  He have no love for Jesus.  You love Jesus, Sam?"

"Yes I get that he's a bad man, but we aren't talking about me here, Maria.  I need specifics about Eddie.  Where does he live?  In the house you and Nicole were at or somewhere else?"

"No, not that house.  We stay different places, motels.  He have no house."

"Who lives in the house where they tried to kidnap Nicole?"

"He say that is the house of his brother, but I do not know."

"Who is he working for, Maria?"

"I do not know."

"Did you ever hear conversations he had with people that would be relevant to this case?"

"I hear Eddie say he kidnap Miss Nicki."

The thought that this had been premeditated made Nicole sit up straight and gulp.  "You heard him say he was going to kidnap me?  Why would he want to do that?  We aren't rich…it's not like he could hold me for ransom." 

Thinking that this was a plot was quite sobering!  She supposed that it made the things that Sam had told her more real, and she wasn't so happy about that.  She realized that in the back of her mind she had been hoping he was wrong about everything and that she would be able to go back home soon.  That all this had been a mistake and that there was no one else living in her house pretending to be her; that her family was worried sick about her, and that as soon as she got home, everything would be normal again. 

Nicole could feel herself wanting to retreat to that hidden place deep inside, but began resisting as she called out for Jesus to come and help her.  The words that had also been hidden in a deep place with in her began pouring into her mind. 

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and will show you great and mighty things that you do not know…. For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope….No weapon formed against you will prosper…"
  And the familiar peace that goes beyond understanding seeped down into her heart as the Holy Spirit cradled her in His loving, comforting arms.

It seemed like she was in a tunnel where Nicole faintly heard Sam repeat his question:  "Do you know why Eddie would want to kidnap Nicole?" 

Maria's answer was difficult for her to comprehend.  Then it seemed like their voices were moving in just a little closer and she heard Sam asking Maria if she knew who he was talking to about Nicole's kidnapping, and her negative reply. 

This line of questioning continued for a little longer without gaining much, if any, helpful information.  After arriving at this new level of acceptance concerning her circumstances, Nicole's mind was beginning to function again and she suddenly remembered something Eddie had said. 

"Maria, do you remember Eddie saying something like,
'He
wouldn’t mind if she showed up with a few bruises in places that wouldn't show?'"

Maria looked thoughtful for a moment then her eyes lit up.  "Oh si Miss Nicki!  Maria think he was going to rape you, but then you pull out your Sword and when he tries to touch you, you say, 'Stop, I have Sword in my hand and will strike you down if you come close!'" 

Maria had stood to her feet and with great animation, was reenacting the scene of Eddie's demise.  She continued, "But Eddie laugh and take a step.  That's when Miss Nicki, she raise her Sword and strike him down!" 

Nicole looked over at Sam.  He had a look of disbelief and impatient tolerance on his face.  "This does raise a good question," he said as he turned his attention to her.  "How did you get away?"

"Maria just told you.  I struck the men down with my Sword."

"Si!  Victor, he come at Miss Nicki after Eddie fall down, and Miss Nicki, she say, 'Stop in the name of Jesus!', but he do not stop."  Maria's drama ended.  She sat back down, shrugged, then casually said, "So Miss Nicki, she raise her Sword again and she strike Victor.  He fall down too and they look dead, but they breathe.  Miss Nicki say I come with her, so we go out the door, but the truck is not there.  We run, then walk all night and come here." 

Maria was smiling with confidence as if what she had just explained made perfect sense. 

Sam leaned forward and looked intently at Nicole.  "Ok, so let me get this straight.  When Eddie and then Victor came at you, you pulled out a sword and struck them down?"

She nodded, enjoying Sam's bewilderment. 

"Where is the sword now?  And are you sure it was a sword and not a dagger?  Swords are too big to be hidden in your clothes.  Did you ditch the weapon?  Because I've been monitoring the case and no sword or dagger was found.  No bodies were found either, and I'll double check, but as of last night, there were no stabbing victims reported in any of the nearby hospitals."

"You won't find a weapon or any stab wound victims," Nicole said.  She decided it was time to intervene. 

"The Sword that Maria is talking about is not one that can be seen with physical eyes.  It is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  It is sharper than a physical two edged sword and is mighty and effective in pulling down strongholds of the enemy.  I used the Truth of God's Word against those men, and they were slain under the power of the Holy Spirit." 

As Nicole vocalized what God had done, her perspective on the whole situation changed.  The Holy Spirit had dealt with her perpetrators and had protected her because He loved her and had a plan for her life!  Confidence and encouragement began to rise from her spirit and gave her hope.

Before Sam could respond Nicole said, "The thing that I was wondering about is that it sounded to me like Eddie was planning on taking me to somebody else.  He had said,
'He
wouldn't mind a few bruises…'  Who do you think he was referring to?"

"Good question," Sam said.  "That does confirm what I pretty much already thought.  Most likely Eddie is just an independent hired hand.  In your case, he was a delivery boy, assigned to kidnap you.  In the case Maria told us about, he was a hit man, a hired assassin.  I doubt if these two cases are related.  He probably doesn't know anything about the person who hired him and wouldn't be able to lead us to him even if we do find him, which I doubt if we will.  He isn't worth looking for.  We've got bigger fish to catch, so to speak, but I'll double check on all this."

As Sam stood up, he looked at Nicole and said, "You really took those guys down with an invisible sword?"  But before she could answer, he shook his head and said, "They walked about 1000 miles in the course of one night.  Why not an invisible Sword?  Could there be anything crazier?" 

He turned and started toward the barn and Nicole called after him, "So Sam, do you still think that Maria is a spy?" 

Maria's face lit up with joy and she laughed like the joke had been on her.  "He think Maria is spy?  Like James Bond?  Oh that is funny!" 

Sam turned back and gave Nicole a frustrated look while he waved his hand at her in dismissal.  Then as he walked away, he heard Maria say in a rather serious tone, "Maybe we change my name and I be Jamie Bond now!" and both women burst into laughter. 

Nicole loved and welcomed the joy and peace that emanated from her new friend, and she knew Maria was right.  She did need her.