Progressive Properties is aggressively taking over where small neighborhoods once flourished. Now Angelique's Shelter, St. Gabriel's, is under attack. Who shows up at her door to deliver the news? John McDougal, now a prominent property attorney, an...
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The first person they saw was not Rev. O'Bryan or Michael but Agnes who came running towards Angelique as soon as she caught sight of her.
"Thank God you're here!" she wept as Angelique hugged the woman, who was obviously distraught from the ordeal.
John watched Angelique with amazement. Two minutes ago, she looked like she would shatter and now... she was holding onto Mrs. Duncan with all the instincts of a mother comforting a young child. She was solid as a rock, ready for someone to lean on. Only it wasn't a child's sobs she was trying to soothe, but a sixty-five-year-old woman.
"Shh... Mrs. Duncan, it will be all right. I'm here. Let's sit for a while."
Just seeing Angelique holding her hand seemed to bring Agnes a sense of peace. She took a few deep breaths and blew her nose in a now saturated handkerchief. She sat down on one of the visitor couches, refusing to relinquish Angelique's hand.
"Do you think you're well enough to tell me what happened?"
Mrs. Duncan nodded, not trusting her voice yet. It was all so awful she did not know if she could, but she had to be strong for Angelique. Taking another deep breath, she began.
"The Reverend had the ten o'clock prayer service for the school children. I was waiting for him to come back because today is the day I usually go food shopping for the rectory and your father always drives me into town. Only today he was running late and I had thought it odd."
"Oh, Angelique, it was so horrible. We are so lucky they are even alive." Angelique gave the woman's hand a squeeze for support.
Mrs. Duncan continued, "I was doing dishes, and I looked at the church from the window. Suddenly, there was this smoke, this dark black smoke, billowing out of one of the open stained-glass windows. I immediately called Michael, and he ran over to investigate."
"He told the police two teenage boys nearly bowled him over on his way to the church, as he ran into the building. Well...," Agnes couldn't hold back any longer. A fresh stream of tears began.
"The church was in flames someone had knocked over the stand of vigil candles. The place didn't have a chance with most of the interior being wood."
Agnes shook her head yes, still in disbelief herself, even though she'd seen it with her own eyes. St. Joe's had burned to the ground.
"The firefighters, they put up a good fight, God bless them but it was too late. Michael suffered some burns and lacerations, but mostly, he's okay. He was so brave. Running in there to find your father but when he found him he was already... Oh, Angel, I've never known such horrors as I did, seeing Michael carrying the Reverend's limp body from the burning building. I was sure he was dead."
"The paramedics assured us he was merely unconscious. Michael thought it was the smoke that had got to him, but they told him he had a heart attack. He's still unconscious, Angelique, but I know... if there is one voice to get through to him, it would be yours. Michael and your father are in the same room dear, room 4025. It's just up the corridor and to your left."
