Courting Disaster Read online

  Copyright

  ISBN 978-1-60260-032-4

  Copyright © 2008 by Andrea Boeshaar. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the permission of Heartsong Presents, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., PO Box 721, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683.

  All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Niv®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

  All of the characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental.

  Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

  PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

  One

  Cadence Trent forced herself to remain calm even as a searing sense of urgency spread throughout her being. A natural gas explosion. A subdivision almost completely destroyed in Wind Lake. She had to hurry and call the others. Cadi glanced at her wristwatch. Wind Lake was a midsized village on the far northeast side of the county, not too far from where she lived in Waterloo. Still, time was of the essence.

  Call Darrell, she reminded herself.

  The thought of canceling her date with the handsome honey-blond caused Cadi to cringe. She hated to disappoint him for the umpteenth time. Tonight they planned to go to dinner followed by a concert. Darrell had purchased tickets, and they both had been looking forward to a fun evening out.

  Oh, Lord, please help him to understand.

  Somehow, in spite of her prayers, Cadi had a hunch he wouldn’t.

  Weeks ago, Darrell threatened to break off their relationship, stating she put her work before him. He felt Disaster Busters wasn’t worth her time and effort. But Cadi knew otherwise. She had experienced the sheer joy of making someone’s crisis less devastating. She’d helped victims of tragedy see the rainbow through the rain.

  That was one area where she and Darrell disagreed.

  Darrell said she had her head in the clouds if she thought Disaster Busters would be a successful venture. He’d given her countless business magazines, encouraging her to “do the math” when it came to Disaster Busters. Cadi knew he meant well, but she also knew her work made her feel needed. She fulfilled a purpose, and God provided and blessed the rest. So she forged onward. She never meant to take Darrell for granted, but like today, duty called and she had to go; there were people without homes, food, and clothing because of a natural gas explosion in their community. Her nonprofit organization, Disaster Busters, had been summoned to provide these victims with basic needs. How could she refuse?

  Very simply, she couldn’t.

  The wooden steps of the old Victorian home creaked as Cadi took them two at a time. Upstairs, she hurried down the narrow hallway and into the bedroom. She grabbed the overnight bag she always kept packed with extra clothes and personal accessories and just about everything else. She picked up her purse, slinging its leather strap over her shoulder, and ran back down to the first floor.

  “What’s all the commotion?” Aunt Lou entered the foyer from the kitchen, wiping her nimble hands on the colorful apron drawn about her thick waist. As always, her dusky gray hair was swirled elaborately around her head and at the sides of her face in a creation she called “Queen Elizabeth” fashion. Cadi had to agree the style made the older woman appear both regal and ageless.

  “Sounds like cannonballs bouncing down the steps.”

  Cadi couldn’t help the smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You can recall what cannonballs sound like?”

  “I was hardly referring to my age.” Aunt Lou clucked her tongue. “Sassy girl.”

  She laughed. “Sorry about the noise. Another call came in.”

  “Oh. . .” A frown wrinkled her gray brows. “How long will you be gone?”

  “Not sure. Just depends.” Noticing her aunt’s concerned expression, she added, “An explosion in Wind Lake. The building is a complete loss.”

  “How awful. Anyone hurt?”

  “Several injuries, but no one was killed as far as I know. Emergency personnel are still on the scene.”

  “How dreadful.” Aunt Lou’s frown of concern gave way to an encouraging grin. “Well, I’ll call Lonnie Mae and the other members of our prayer chain. We’ll cover you.”

  “Thanks. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Cadi kissed her aunt’s cheek then dashed outside to her minivan. A gentle May breeze tousled her short hair and wafted through the budding treetops.

  Opening the van door, she tossed her purse and overnight bag into the vehicle before climbing behind the wheel. She started the engine then slowly backed out of the driveway and into the street. She took one last look toward the house. Her aunt stood on the porch and waved. Cadi returned the gesture then put the transmission into drive and stepped on the accelerator.

  Cadi felt a grin pull at the corners of her lips. Aunt Lou, bless her heart. The very thought of the woman caused a swell of gratitude to plume within her. Her aunt was the most giving and caring person in Cadi’s life. What’s more, Aunt Lou had been her parental figure since Cadi was eleven years old. Aunt Lou, in her seventies now and her great-aunt, actually, had taken Cadi in after her parents and younger brother and sister drowned when the Mississippi overflowed its banks. Cadi could still recall the tragedy vividly.

  It had rained for days, but it seemed like a regular Sunday evening to Cadi when she and her family ventured off to the evening service at church. Minutes later their car stalled in a flooded intersection. The water kept rising and rising until Dad instructed all of them to climb up onto the roof of the sedan. Darkness fell hard and fast, making their predicament all the more harrowing. There were others stranded, too, and the cries for help, the screams of fear, barely rose above the din of the rushing floodwater. Within a short period of time, Cadi and her family were swept off the car. Cadi had gulped for air and fought against the unmerciful current for what seemed like hours. Then, miraculously, a rescue worker plucked her from the surge.

  The bodies of her parents and siblings were found a few days later.

  Oh, Lord. . . Cadi closed her eyes, trying to quell the painful memory.

  The driver in the car behind her honked, and she gave herself a mental shake. The past was just that: the past. No sense in reliving it, although Cadi’s past was why she’d gone to school and become an emergency medical technician. Next she began the Disaster Busters organization. She wanted to help other victims of tragedies—like those in today’s explosion.

  The urgency of the situation caught up with her, and Cadi realized she hadn’t called her colleagues, Bailey, Jeff, Megan, and Will. They had full-time jobs of their own but were still vital volunteers that kept Disaster Busters functional. Cadi tried to pay them with love offerings and donations that Disaster Busters received. Many times, paying them resulted in Cadi forfeiting her salary and, just as she had in the past, Aunt Lou came to the rescue. It was a sacrifice on her aunt’s part, too.

  Steering her van to the side of the road, Cadi fished her cell phone from her purse. Within minutes, she had placed the calls. All four assistants said they were available and could help, and Cadi arranged to meet them at the Disaster Busters office located inside Riverview Bible Church.

  Next, it was time to call Darrell. She pressed in his number on the keypad of her phone and plugged in h
er hands-free device. She pulled away from the curb, sending up another silent prayer that he’d understand.

  Darrell answered on the third ring. His reaction was just as Cadi feared.

  “What? You’re canceling on me again?”

  She grimaced. “Sorry.”

  “We’ve got dinner reservations. I bought tickets for the concert afterward!”

  Cadi imagined the angry sparks flashing in Darrell’s hazel eyes. “Look, I apologize for backing out on our date, but the team and I—”

  “The team. Right.” Darrell paused. “Those friends of yours aren’t going to help you make important contacts. Success means rubbing elbows with the right people. But I guess you proved to me once again that the team will always come before anything we might have together.”

  Cadi opened her mouth to refute his statements, but she couldn’t. Aunt Lou’s not-so-subtle remarks filled her mind. “He’s not a patient man, is he? Patience is a virtue, you know.”

  Had Aunt Lou seen something amiss in Cadi’s relationship with Darrell Barclay from the beginning?

  “Cadi? Are you there?”

  Darrell’s deep voice rattled her. “I’m here.” She squared her shoulders, remembering her mission at hand. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions get in the way right now. She had a job to do, and she had to be strong—strong in the Lord. “Darrell, let’s talk about this later, okay?”

  “No need. As long as your loser business comes before me, I have nothing more to say.”

  She clenched her jaw. “Loser business?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “I explained all this to you before.”

  “And I don’t want to hear it again.”

  “Fine. If that’s how you feel—”

  “That’s exactly how I feel. There are plenty of girls waiting in line to take your place in my life.”

  Shock enveloped Cadi. Had she heard correctly? Seconds later, she realized her hearing was just fine, and oddly enough the barb didn’t sting as much as she thought it might.

  “You know, if I’m that replaceable, Darrell, then you shouldn’t be so irate that I’m canceling our date tonight.”

  “Yeah, whatever.”

  “I have to go.” She paused. “Good-bye, Darrell.”

  She didn’t wait for a reply. Ending the call, she removed her earpiece and set it and the phone on the console between the van’s two front seats. She suspected it was the end of her short-lived romance with Darrell, and while she didn’t feel heartbroken, exactly, she had to admit to a deep sense of disappointment. Someday she’d like to get married and have a family—a large family.

  She quieted her straying thoughts and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. No time to fantasize about the future. There was a crisis at hand.

  She forced her attention back to the present and turned her car into Riverview’s vast parking lot. Almost a year ago, Cadi’s pastor and the deacons agreed to lease her office space for Disaster Busters, and they encouraged her to fulfill her mission to help people in need. Remembering her pastor’s kind words now seemed like a salve of comfort after Darrell’s mean remark. “Loser business.”

  What does he know?

  Cadi stepped down from her vehicle and shoved Darrell from her mind. She began forming a mental list of the supplies that she and her team needed to pack: blankets, clothing, nonperishable food items. . .

  She crossed the parking lot and entered the side door of the large church. The soles of her white athletic shoes squeaked on the polished tile floor in the empty hallway. She reached the Disaster Busters office, and when she opened the door, the sight that greeted her erased any defeat she might have felt after her conversation with Darrell. There, packing boxes of foodstuff, were two members of her team.

  “Bailey’s gathering up some blankets,” Jeff said as he lifted a box and handed it to Will.

  “And I’ll take this out to the trailer.” Will motioned to the box with his head. “While I’m out there, I’ll hitch it to the van.”

  “I’ll come out and help,” Jeff said.

  “You guys are awesome.” Cadi glanced from one to the other.

  Then Will jutted out his narrow hip, and she tucked her car keys into the back pocket of his blue jeans.

  Moments later she, too, set to task. She placed various items in crates and boxes. All the while she marveled at how close she and her team had grown since the inception of Disaster Busters just shy of a year ago. She had been a bridesmaid in Jeff and Bailey’s wedding and attended Bailey’s graduation from nursing school. Will acted like Cadi’s big brother. They’d known each other since they were foster kids who’d wound up in the same home for almost two years before the state located Aunt Lou. Nevertheless, the joke remained that she and Will were siblings, although jest became reality in a spiritual way when Will asked Jesus Christ into his heart as a teenager. So when Cadi introduced him to Darrell, Will had light-heartedly said, “You be good to my baby sister, now, or I’ll come lookin’ for you.”

  Darrell had appeared confused as he peered from Cadi’s Scandinavian, peaches-and-cream complexion to Will, whose African-American heritage shone proudly from his dark brown eyes. “You’re brother and sister?”

  “Same heavenly Father.” Will sported a broad grin.

  “Oh. Right.” Darrell had quickly changed the subject. Obviously he wasn’t amused.

  “No patience, no imagination, and no sense of humor,” Cadi muttered as she folded and packed some clothing items from the clothes pantry in back of the office. The room was no bigger than a large closet.

  “What did you say?”

  Cadi whirled around and saw her best friend, Megan Buckingham, standing there with arms akimbo. Cadi shook her head. “Nothing. I mean, I didn’t say anything worth repeating.”

  “Hmm, well let me take a guess.” Megan tipped her head. Strands of her walnut brown hair fell across her preseason tanned cheek, evidence of the tanning booth she liked to frequent. “You canceled your date with Darrell, and he was anything but understanding.”

  “Bingo.”

  Meg flicked her gaze toward the dimpled ceiling. “Typical.” She blew out a puff of air. “Well, he’ll get over it.”

  Cadi shook her head. “Not this time, he won’t. I think Darrell and I are through unless I beg and plead, which I won’t. Not again.”

  Megan paused for several seconds. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

  “I’m sure it’s for the best. . .at least now I’m sure.”

  “About time,” Megan quipped. “I thought you’d never come to your senses. I’ve said it all along: Darrell is a fake. I’ve been praying you’d see through his facade.”

  “Maybe you’re right. It’s just that I want a family of my own someday, and—”

  “And Darrell’s an eligible bachelor,” Meg cut in. “He’s good-looking, and he has a nice career going for him. But those aren’t enough reasons to actually marry the guy.”

  “Meg, I see the positive in everyone. I can look beyond the. . .the facade.”

  “Well, in Darrell’s case, there’s not much more to see, okay?” A teasing grin spread across Meg’s face.

  Cadi had to smile. “Seems I had to find that out the hard way.”

  Compassion filled Meg’s iridescent brown eyes. “Oh, you’re really hurt, aren’t you?” She wrapped her long, slender arms around Cadi. “I’m so sorry.”

  She returned the hug. “I’m okay.”

  At that moment, Will strode back in from the parking lot. “I’m ready to take the next box to the trailer, and then I think we’re all packed up and ready to go.”

  ❧

  Black Hawk County sheriff’s deputy Patrol Sergeant Frank Parker slowed traffic on the highway leading into town and directed motor vehicles and curio
us bystanders away from the emergency personnel. Wind Lake didn’t get a whole lot of traffic, but most of its population, along with tourists arriving for the Memorial Day weekend, had come out to glimpse the devastation that the natural gas explosion caused. Homes in the newly constructed subdivision still smoldered, and debris littered the area.

  “Stay off the street, folks,” he said to the collecting crowd. “Move back.”

  A few people paused to ask questions, and some waved a greeting and called him by name. Frank took a special interest in this assignment. Born and raised here, he made his home in Wind Lake. In short, this village wasn’t just the place in which he lived; it was his jurisdiction, along with the two adjacent townships. Placing sheriff deputies in their hometowns was all part of the county’s Know Your Neighbors program.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw movement and turned in time to see Erin Potter’s red hair as she ducked around him. She worked for the Village Gazette. Frank watched her lift her high-speed camera then heard its shutter clicking as she snapped several photos. He gave her a good thirty seconds before calling her back behind the yellow plastic tape.

  “You’re a peach, Frank,” she said with a wink. “I can always count on you to let me behind the barrier for a couple moments so I can get my pictures.”

  “Don’t let that get around, Erin.”

  The slender, middle-aged woman chuckled and trotted back to the sidewalk, her ponytail swinging from side to side.

  It wasn’t but a minute later when a light blue minivan made its way down the street. Frank began shaking his head in a nonverbal warning so the vehicle wouldn’t proceed further. The van continued on a few feet then rolled to a stop. Frank cautiously approached. The window slid down, and a young woman leaned her head out. His first thought was that she had the hugest sky blue eyes he’d ever seen.

  “Disaster Busters reporting for duty.”

  And a sunny smile.

  “They’re expecting us.”

  Frank drew his chin back. “I beg your pardon?”

  “We’re the Disaster Busters team.”