Not by Sight A Novel

CHAPTER 41

That same afternoon, Abby sat out in the grass, several yards from the shady oak tree where she had sat with Jay on all their previous encounters on the slope. Jay had brought his easel and paints and positioned Abby so Beaver Lake would be the backdrop for the portrait she had agreed to let him paint.

“You’re a good sport to let me do this,” he said. “This is the right spot. I love the way the sun makes your hair look almost copper.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “I hope you know I’m not doing this just for you. Once Mama sees what a good artist you are, she’s going to want you to do a family portrait with Riley Jo in it.”

“I can do that from a good photo,” Jay said. “I won’t need everyone to pose every day.”

“Then why don’t you just use a photograph to paint me?”

Jay grinned, his shadowy beard looking masculine—and rather artsy. “Because I love looking at you. And being with you.”

“Mama’s worried we’re too young to be this crazy about each other.”

“I can’t help what I feel,” Jay said. “I think it might ease her mind if we had a face-to-face. But in the meantime, Hawk made me promise to treat you with respect and not do anything I’d be embarrassed to tell my grandmother.”

Abby laughed. “He made me promise the same thing and reminded me that I’ve still got my senior year ahead of me and that you’re just starting junior college. You have to admit the timing’s not ideal.”

“I know. But this is so much more than just the boy-girl thing. What we’ve been through together was life-changing. And I saw a side of you no one else has. I admire your courage—and your faith. You’re a strong person. And you’re still my best friend.”

“I feel the same way. I hope nothing ever changes that.”

“My mom insists it won’t last,” Jay said. “She said we’ll outgrow each other eventually. Like she ever held on to anyone in her life. Though she does seem crazy about the Stump.”

“You’ve got to stop calling her husband the Stump. It’s disrespectful.”

“I don’t mean it that way, Abby. I’m just afraid of getting too comfortable thinking of them as Mr. and Mrs. Richie Stump. About the time I do, Mom’ll divorce him.”

“At least you’ve got your real dad back in your life.”

“Yes, but you don’t.”

“Coming to grips with Daddy’s death is hard,” Abby admitted. “But I’m grateful we finally know what happened to him. I’ll be glad when the time is right for you and Mama to talk. I know she doesn’t hold you responsible for anything. She just needs time to let everything sink in first. I think she’ll be in a better frame of mind after Riley Jo is home with us.”

“That’s all right. I’m not in a big hurry to face her. I’m still freaked out about it.”

“Don’t be. You suffered too. Mama understands why you did what you did.”

“I hope so. The regret is just something I have to live with.” Jay seemed to study her. “Turn your head slightly to the left. There. That’s good. Ready? Here goes.”

Abby watched Jay as he dipped his brush in the paint and made the first strokes on the canvas. He was silent for a long time and appeared to be intensely focused. He chewed his lip the way he always did when he was deep in thought.

“What are you thinking about?” she said. “Please don’t tell me we have to move again.”

“Nope. This is the perfect spot.” Jay dabbed his brush in paint and continued working. “Abby, be honest with me. Do you think your mother will be able to find peace if we never discover what Isaiah did with your dad’s body?”

“Truthfully, I’m not sure that discovering what Isaiah did with Daddy’s body will bring any of us peace. We’re probably better off not knowing.”



Virgil scanned the preliminary report regarding the remains of at least eleven bodies found in the mass grave. It was the consensus of the experts that the remains had been buried between three and five years. The skull sizes and shapes suggested Hispanic descent. And several artifacts discovered—a silver necklace, buttons, and a turquoise and silver ring—supported that idea.

Virgil heard a knock at his door and looked up into the eyes of Kevin Mann.

“You reading the prelim?” Kevin said.

Virgil nodded. “Sounds like they’re on to something. But it’s too soon to tell us much.”

“Not necessarily.” Kevin walked in and handed Virgil a fax.

“What’s this?”

“Seems news of our mass grave got back to a Mexican priest in Laredo who’s been trying to track several families who left there illegally four years ago to find work. Each had paid their life savings to be transported across the border and into Eureka Springs to work for some wealthy landowner. Family members in Mexico never got word that they had arrived and feared that the contact in the US was bogus. The Eureka Springs PD has had a missing-person report on file for each of these folks, and we’re getting that information faxed to us shortly. Sure sounds possible that we’ve uncovered their remains.”

Virgil scanned the fax. “Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first time a group of undocumented workers have been conned out of their money and then disposed of. As if it wasn’t hard enough just being poor. Make sure the medical examiner’s office has all the pertinent information.”

“I will.” Kevin stared at his hands. “Sir, we also made another discovery. This one could be definitive.”



Just as the sun dipped below the horizon, Kate stood at the front door and waited as Virgil pulled his squad car into the Cummings’ driveway and turned off the motor. He got out of the car and walked up to the front door of their log house and removed his Stetson.

Kate opened the door and let him pass. “When you called and said you were on your way up here, my mind was all over the map. Please tell me there’s not a problem with getting Riley back. Our court date is next Tuesday.”

“No, no. Nothing like that. I’ve got some news I didn’t want to give you over the phone.”

“Let’s sit out in the kitchen.” Kate led the way and flipped the light. “Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink?”

“No, thanks. I’m good. I can only stay a few minutes.”

Kate got a bottle of water out of the fridge and sat across from Virgil. “What was so important you couldn’t tell me on the phone?”

“I waited to say anything until I was sure.” Virgil spoke softly. “Kate, we found Micah’s remains buried in a wooden box under the root cellar at the Tutts’—several feet under the room where the kids were held hostage and where Isaiah told Abby he had thrown Micah’s body. The dental records match.”

Kate stared at Virgil and let the gravity of his words sink in. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely. There’s no doubt. We recovered his entire skeleton. And his gold wedding band—his initials and yours were carved on the inside of the band, along with your wedding date, just the way you told us.”

Kate put her fist to her mouth and pushed down the emotion that she desperately wanted to hold in and release privately.

“We immediately confronted Isaiah with this new information,” Virgil said, “and he admitted that he buried Micah there but still contends that Jay shot him. However, the medical examiner found a distinct scrape on Micah’s breastbone, consistent with a deep stab wound. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I’m going to get Isaiah to confess to Micah’s murder. I’m going to nail him, Kate.”

“I know you will.” Kate met his gaze. “At least now we can finally close this chapter, though it doesn’t seem real yet.”

“After all you’ve been through, it’ll take time for this to sink in. But it’s definitely Micah’s remains we found. It’s over, Kate. It really is.”

Over. How many times had she longed for it, only to have her hopes dashed? “So … can I bury my husband’s remains?”

“We’ll release them to you just as soon as the ME is finished with his analysis and the DA’s office has what it needs to make the case.”

Kate wiped the tears off her cheeks. “I can’t believe it’s really over. Soon Riley will be home—and so will Micah, though it’s not at all the way I would’ve chosen.”

“I know. I wish I’d been able to find them both alive and spared Riley those years with the Tutts.”

“I just hope you’re able to find out who those people are in the mass grave,” Kate said. “I’m sure their families are suffering like mine did.”

“Actually, I think we may have that solved too.”

Kate listened as Virgil told her about twelve missing people from Mexico and the suspicion that they had fallen into the hands of con artists who took their money, smuggled them across the border, and then did away with them.

“We found a silver necklace among the remains,” Virgil said. “This afternoon, we sent a picture of it to the parents of a young girl listed among the missing, and they verified it was a confirmation present from her grandparents. A lot more testing has to be done to identify the dead from the remains, but we’re hopeful these are the folks the priest has been looking for.”

“I hope so. No family should have to go through what we did.” Kate put her hand on Virgil’s. “I can never thank you enough for all you did for this family over these five years. You invested far more of yourself than you had to. It helped to know you cared.”

“I sure did. Still do.” Virgil put on his hat and stood. “I’ll say one thing: your kids must’ve had someone watching out for them. It’s a miracle that Hawk, Abby, and Riley are even alive.”

“I know.” Kate blinked the stinging from her eyes. She really did know.



Two weeks later, in Blessed Redeemer Cemetery, high atop Sure Foot Mountain and in the midst of a protective fortress of giant hardwood trees, Kate stood silent as the spirit of her beloved Micah was ceremonially given back to the God whose motives she had ceased to question. Even as she stared at the silver casket with a mound of summer flowers draped over it, there was no doubt in Kate’s mind that it contained only earthly remains, that Micah was in the presence of his Lord and Savior.

Pastor Austin Windsor and the good people of Praise Chapel displayed a respectful melding of solemnity and jubilation over Micah’s earthly fate and his heavenly one. Hundreds stood with her in the sticky summer morning for the graveside service she had long been denied.

Kate fought hard to erase the awful image of Micah’s last moments by holding tightly to Riley’s hand. What must her little girl be thinking? She had no memory of her father. No firsthand understanding of the pain caused by the five years she and her daddy were missing. Riley would never know what it was to be loved by her biological father—the kind and decent man who adored her as a toddler and who fought to the death trying to protect her from Isaiah Tutt.

Kate would make sure Riley knew all about her father. That she carried with her the truth of his character and devotion.

It seemed almost surreal, saying good-bye again to the love of her life. But this time would be the last. Kate finally had the closure she so desperately needed—a dichotomy of relief and angst. It was finally over.

Pastor Windsor’s voice seemed to glide on the breeze. “Heavenly Father, no one understands a father’s love more than You, who gave your Son as a sacrifice to save us from eternal death. You alone know the reason that Micah was called home to glory. In our timing, it seems far too soon. But in Yours, there are no mistakes. We pray for the poor soul who took Micah’s life and trust You to deal with Him justly.

“We pray that these children, who will grow up without the father who gave them life, will not grow up without his influence. Nor will they grow up without the love and care of their heavenly Father, in whose presence Micah now resides for all eternity.

“Father God, we waited five agonizing years, not knowing what happened to Micah. What a joy now to know he is with You because he trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. But despite that joyful knowledge, we are left to deal with the sobering reality of his murder and the aching void of his absence.

“I ask you to be with Kate. And Hawk. With Abby, Jesse, and Riley. And with Buck as they walk into the future, now able to put this chapter of uncertainty behind them. Make real to them the words of Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

“Grant them healing and new joy as You fill the void in their hearts with more of Your Holy Spirit. Make Your presence real to them. And let them rejoice with the angels that their beloved Micah is in that blissful place where sorrow and tears will be no more. And where all of us believers will one day see him again. For it’s in the Name of your Son and Our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray. Amen.”

Pastor Windsor asked everyone to stand as he motioned for the family to come forward. One by one, each member approached the casket in silence and lingered for a moment in the privacy of his or her thoughts, each placing a single rose on Micah’s casket before stepping back.

When Kate’s turn came, she decided there was something she needed to do first, something she’d been unable to do until now. She turned around and put her arms around Jay, who stood in the second row next to Elliot. How difficult it must be for Jay to have come, and how alone he must feel with his regrets. Even though Abby had assured him that Kate didn’t hold him responsible for the grief her family had endured, she hoped this gesture would remove all doubt.

“Thank you for coming,” she whispered. “It means more to me than I can possibly express.”

Jay nodded but seemed too choked up to say anything.

Kate comforted him for a moment and then turned her attention to the silver casket draped with a spray of orange orchids, white roses, red gladioli, lilies—and a white ribbon with the word husband imprinted in gold. This was the final farewell. The moment no one thought she would ever have. She stepped up to Micah’s casket, her defenses starting to give way to the powerful surge of emotion that begged to be released. How was she supposed to say good-bye to the other half of herself? What words befitted such a moment, what lamentation was adequate to give voice to the agony she felt in the depths of her soul?

Kate began to perspire, her temples throbbing, her heart pounding. She twisted the rose in her hands and bowed her head, teardrops falling on her wrist.

I will always love you, Micah. I will keep your memory alive in the hearts of our children. It’s time to move away from the grief and begin to live again. That’s what you would want—for them and for me. But I’m not going to say good-bye. I can’t. You will always be a part of me. Now and forever.

Kate paused to consider what forever really entailed. It was an issue worth revisiting. But not here. Not today. Kate laid the white rose atop Micah’s casket and struggled for a moment to turn loose of it. But when she did, she felt her strength return and Riley’s tiny hand slip into hers.

Kate looked upward into the blue summer sky as a white dove was released and the choir director led those gathered through each stanza of “I Can Only Imagine.”

She didn’t know the words but listened intently as her father and Abby joined in, singing with all their hearts. Jesse linked arms with her, and Hawk laid his hand on her shoulder, and for the first time in five years, something stirred deep in her spirit … and she longed to reclaim her faith and the joy that pain and bitterness had stolen from her.