The Breakthrough Read Online Free Page A

save it till he’s out of the car.”
    She put a package of raw burgers and dogs on the console in the front seat, then secured Max in the middle of the back. Jack and Margaret sat on either side of him.
    Both looked younger than their years. They’d had hard lives before they met each other, each having endured multiple marriages. Boone had seen Jack through several relationships since then, but he’d never seen his former partner, mentor, and boss truly in love. Until Margaret.
    Jack could have passed for late forties, as could Margaret. Both took great care of themselves. Jack was a daily jogger and lifter, and while Boone didn’t know Margaret’s regimen, it wasn’t common for a woman in her late fifties to look so fit and young. She was tall and lithe and tanned and freckled with long chestnut hair featuring attractive streaks of gray. Her pale azure eyes appeared both friendly and mischievous, and Boone could imagine her having been a hippie—before he was born.
    He’d been amused when he first met her because she wore clothes too young and revealing for her, and he assumed that was what attracted Jack. After only a couple of brief conversations, however, Boone got an inkling of what had actually so enraptured his partner. Margaret was honest and direct yet also others-oriented. She seemed the type who would do anything for a friend.
    Boone had to admit he had been surprised after knowing Margaret awhile to learn she had a dimension he’d been wholly unaware of. Staying overnight with the couple once, he’d discovered a whole shelf of Christian books and Bibles. And when he cautiously broached the subject with her at breakfast, she scolded Jack for having told her about Boone’s faith without telling Boone about hers.
    She leveled those expressive eyes at Boone. “You didn’t know I was raised like you? Church and Sunday school, VBS in the summers, Bible camp, the whole thing?”
    “No kidding?”
    “You’re wondering what happened?”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “But you’re surprised?”
    Boone had shrugged and nodded.
    Jack had interrupted. “We don’t have time for this right now. Let us get past our case, and you two can have a prayer meeting or whatever it is you types do.”
    Before the conversation was dropped, Margaret had said, “You’re wondering how a Christian girl grows up to live in sin. Well, I want to talk about it, but I’m gettin’ the evil eye from my man here, so another time.”
    Boone hoped that maybe now would be the time. He was more curious than ever, given that since that last conversation, Margaret had left Jack, insisting she would see him only if he joined her at church—Community Life, the same church Boone and Haeley attended.
    Jack was clearly not interested in church. He hadn’t been to one since Boone’s first wife and son’s funeral. But apparently he never lost interest in Margaret. He wasn’t attending enough to put Margaret’s mind at ease, but Boone and Haeley had seen them there together often enough to know that Keller was making an effort. More than once Jack had confided to Boone, “I’m still not sure this is the right reason to go.”
    Haeley herself had a story similar to Margaret’s, minus the marriages, and that was likely what Jack wanted to pursue today. Boone knew he would not find Haeley eager to talk about her past.
    Boone and Haeley and Max were greeted in the lobby of Florence’s modest apartment building by the ancient doorman, Willie. “Miz Quigley’s expecting you,” he said, quickly standing. “I’ll buzz you up.”
    A minute later Haeley said, “Florence!” embracing the matronly, heavyset widow at her door. “It’s been too long.”
    Florence cackled, gathering Max into her massive arms. “Too long is right. Y’all are still goin’ to church somewhere, aren’t you?”
    “Of course; now stop that.”
    Florence peeked into the grease-stained bag Haeley had brought.
    “I’ll cook your burgers and dogs, but you