Mountain Top(9)

“Technically, yes, but as a practical matter, no.”

Sam hesitated. “If it’s the money, I’m sure we can make arrangements. I don’t have much, and Muriel had to dip into our savings to keep the lights on, but I can scrape enough—”

Mike leaned forward and looked directly into the old man’s face. “It’s not the money. I stopped practicing law because I wanted to obey God, and I’m not going back into the courtroom for any amount of money. You’re a minister. You should understand what I’m talking about.”

Sam nodded. “You had to count the cost, didn’t you?”

“Yes, and I’m making less now in a year than I used to in three months. But I don’t believe the size of a person’s bank account is the true measure of success.”

“That’s a good answer. I wouldn’t want anyone representing me who believed anything different.”

“I’m not going to represent you.”

Sam smiled. “Papa knows how to make the most of every situation. I spent a few nights in the brig for fighting years ago, but it was a lot different coming here now. Do you feel the hopelessness in this place?”

Mike tilted his head to the side. “Yes.”

“It tried to jump on me, but I sent it packing. The boys in here need help in the worst way, and Papa has let me do some good. There was a young man in the cell block who gave his life to the Master a couple of weeks ago. He’ll be a preacher someday. He’s not as smart as you, but he’ll gather in his share of the harvest.”

Mike stared at Sam for a second. “Mr. Miller, I’m glad we’ve had this talk, but I need to leave. I sympathize with your predicament, but as I told your wife, I’m not the man to help you.”

Sam sat silently for a moment. “Then why did you come see me?”

“I was just standing on the sidewalk after a guy stood me up for lunch and decided it wouldn’t hurt to come by the jail and meet you.”

“Who put that thought in your head?”

“I have no idea, but that’s not the sort of thing I’m talking about.” Mike stood to his feet. “I hope things work out for you.”

Sam didn’t budge.

“You were a man of integrity as a lawyer before you became a minister,” Sam said. “And I know Papa loves you. Pray about helping me, and see what He tells you.”

“Okay, but I’m also going to call the courthouse and ask someone in the judge’s office to appoint a lawyer to represent you so you can get out of jail.”

“I’d like that a lot. This Saturday, Muriel and I will celebrate our forty-fifth wedding anniversary. She’s a jewel of a woman.”

“And you should be with her.”

“You’re right about that.”

Mike opened the interview room door and held it as the old man stepped into the hallway. Sam stopped and turned around so he faced Mike.

“Oh, and tell your wife that Isaac is on the way,” he said.

Mike didn’t respond. Nobody named Isaac was in Mike and Peg’s circle of family, friends, or acquaintances; however, Mike had already figured out that Sam Miller was the type of person who could keep a conversation going indefinitely with off-the-wall comments.

Lamar Cochran came forward and gently touched the white-haired man on the arm.

“Sam, you have to return to the cell block,” he said.

“You know what I’d like for supper?” Sam asked the chief deputy.

“Some of Muriel’s fried chicken.”

“Yep.”

“If that was on the chow line,” Cochran replied, “we’d have people breaking into this jail.”

Cochran looked at Mike and shook his head sadly.

“The guard will push the release for the door,” the chief deputy said. “See you around town.”

Mike let the metal door close slowly behind him. The female deputy ignored him as he left the building. He didn’t look back. Outside, the air was fresh and clean. Mike took a deep breath. He walked away from the jail, as always, glad to be free.





Four



BACK AT THE CHURCH, MIKE HUNG UP THE PHONE. THE WOMAN who handled the assignment of criminal cases to younger lawyers in the circuit told him Sam hadn’t requested that an attorney be appointed, but she would send one to the jail. Mike suspected a competent lawyer could quickly get to the bottom of the embezzlement charge and clear it up if it was a clerical error at the bank or arrange a plea bargain if it wasn’t. Mike dropped a message from Muriel Miller asking him to call her after he met with Sam into the trash can. He’d fulfilled his civic and religious duty.

Mike returned to studying the book on church growth and didn’t take a break for three hours. Several times he caught himself humming a song that had nothing to do with the words on the page. When he finished studying, he decided to take a short walk around the church property and make sure everything was neat and tidy.