SACRED ALLIANCE
An Inspirational Mystery
Chapter One
New York’s Adirondack Mountains
11 p.m.
For the first time in his fifty-one years, Jedidiah Sutton believed he was beyond the reach of prayer. It was a blasphemous admission coming from the head elder in the True Covenant Shepherd Community, but he couldn’t ask the Good Lord to look down on the evil erupting from within his home tonight.
Without an explanation to his wife, Jed escaped from the tight confines of their cabin into the bitter January night. He stood stiff as a sentry in the storm, welcoming the numbness creeping over him and watching his breath puff frosty in the blackness. Even the icy drizzle banging against the tin roof couldn’t block out the sharp cries coming from inside, each one piercing his heart.
The slam of the plank door caused Jed to whip around. Margaret’s petticoats churned as she clutched her heavy woolen cape about her with one hand and lifted the kerosene lantern high with the other. He noted, in surprise, that a waist-long strand had loosen from his dear wife’s normally tight bun.
Margaret’s voice quavered, as she squinted toward the outline of her husband. “Oh Jed, I can’t stop her bleeding. Please, give me permission to call Bella.”
The crimson stain splashed across Margaret’s white starched apron made Jed’s decision for him.
“No. I’m gonna call the young Doc down in Sommerville,” he said. “Should’ve done it right away.”
Without another word, he raced along the path toward the driveway.
Margaret’s eyes widened in horror. “Jed, wait!” She scrambled along trying to find her footing on the wet ice. “We can’t! What if Reverend Henderson finds out? Jed . . .” But her words were swallowed by the raw blackness.
Jed was a man on a mission. He reached his old pick-up truck and barreled down the hill toward the main road and the closest telephone, located outside Arnold’s General Store.
###
Sommerville, NY
Settled in his easy chair, Dr. Paul Abrams was completely immersed in the latest issue of American Medical Quarterly. Since he was the only general practitioner in the Sommerville area, he particularly savored a quiet evening at home.
His wife pointed at the TV. “They’re closing down a portion of the Northway.”
He glanced up from his reading. “The snow must be turning into freezing rain.”
“Thank goodness you’re not out in it tonight. I’d be worried sick.”
As soon as Maria finished speaking, the phone rang.
Paul automatically checked his watch and picked up the receiver. “Dr. Abrams.”
“Thank God! Sorry for the late call, Doc. This is Jedidiah Sutton from up on Hayden Hill. We got us an emergency here and need your help right away.”
Paul tensed. In the local vernacular, Hayden Hill meant the True Covenant Shepherds’ religious community–a group of families dedicated to strict guidelines which included shunning modern medicine.
“What seems to be the problem, Mr. Sutton?”
“Listen, Doc. We’ll talk when you get here. You’ll come, won’t you?”
“I’m a little confused. If this is an emergency, I can send the EMTs up there.”
“No, please, Doc! We need a real doctor, now!”Jed’s voice cracked. “It’s my daughter Becky. She’s real bad.”
Touched by the anguish in Mr. Sutton’s voice, Paul said, “I’ve never been in your settlement. How will I find your house?”
“Take the turn at Arnold’s Store and go a couple of miles. Soon’s you cross the bridge over Sanborne’s Creek, look for the first cabin on the left. I’ll be watching.”
Her husband had hardly replaced the receiver when Maria said, “Here we go again. Small town life! I can’t even have one decent evening with my own husband. This is definitely not what I signed onto.”
Paul started towards the stairs. “We’ll talk later, honey. This is not the time,”
“When is the time? Do you think I married you to be alone? You always put your patients ahead of me.”
Remembering her earlier comment about the storm, Paul stopped and walked over to the couch where Maria was curled up in the corner refusing to look at him. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll be fine. The Jeep is perfect for nights like this. I’ll try to get home as soon as I can.”
“Well, don’t expect me to be waiting up for you.” She aimed the remote at the TV and turned up the volume.
Paul rushed down the stairs from his living quarters and through the familiar darkness of his medical clinic. He paused at the main desk. Usually, he logged-in each emergency call for follow-up later, but there was no precedent for responding to a call coming from the Shepherd community. Instead, he briefly bowed his head in prayer, his normal practice, before snatching up his medical bag, zipping his goose-down parka, and racing to his Jeep.