STONES OF FIRE

By Tessa Harvey

CHAPTER EIGHT

(Continued)

He remembered his years as a councillor, his anger at deluded folk who believed in God. Had he been wrong? He decided to let go - he didn't care. Then he heard a baby crying loudly, strongly. Wait, he had a grandson, family!! 

He struggled back to consciousness and life and saw his beautiful loved ones regarding him with love and tears in their eyes, even Jean whose faith he had derided for years. He reached for and clasped her hand, determined to make amends, to never let go.

The stones of fire in his shop made them a living, but they were only stones, no matter how wonderfully they shone and sparkled. The real fire was love in people's hearts for each other and, he began to realise, for God, the author of Love.

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CHAPTER NINE

Robert was once again playing detective. He had seen the police knocking on doors, so thought he would search the paths out of town. As he went towards the hills, he could see the police cars checking traffic on the highway below. Two officers were also posted near the bridge, one at each end.

Robert waved to one of the officers, who waved back cheerily. The boy kept scanning the ground for clues like footprints. He was very angry with his dad for hurting mum. Also deeply disappointed. He had so wanted a dad.

He looked around and saw something sparkling in some dead, brown, old winter leaves. It flashed red and glowed softly. It was a ruby earring!

Robert was overjoyed, lost in his detective game, not really thinking about consequences. He saw he was near to Geoff's old place where he had heard he spent summer holidays with his daughter when she was a child. The woman was Angel. He knew she had a baby now. His mum had told him she had looked after goats for a while , because she loved that awful soppy book "Heidi."