Wednesday's Word: Index. An Excerpt from The Christmas Coins

   Welcome to Wednesdays where I share a snippet from one of my stories using the previous day's word from the New York Times' game. WORDLE. Yesterday's WORDLE was INDEX. 

Here's an excerpt from The Christmas Coins, now available in Kindle Unlimited.

Available in Kindle Unlimited

The next day, during his lunch break, Ethan headed out to take the gold coins to an appraiser. Something Zoe had said had stuck with him. He did need a larger gallery. Not that he wanted to sell his earlier work, but if he did, a larger gallery was mandatory. If Desmond would sell the gallery to him, he could easily expand. The back-parking area served no one and it had a magnificent view of the canyon and seasonal creek. If he knocked out the back wall, added on to the gallery, and put in some windows, it could be a great place to showcase his art.

Not that he could use the coins. They had to belong to someone. He didn’t believe Hannah’s story. Sure, he had faith. He believed in miracles. But faith and miracles hadn’t saved Allison, and he didn’t expect them to fund his purchase of the gallery.

He met Officer Mack on the street corner. Mack carried Bonnie’s Bakery’s signature pink and white sack.

“Hey,” Officer Mac said, “I wanted to let you know we haven’t forgotten about your Harold Facer.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. Any leads?”

Officer Mack shook his head. “I don’t know what to make of it. It’s almost like…”

“Like what?”

Officer Mack tapped his forehead with his index finger. “Things just don’t add up. Yet. But I’ll let you know when we’ve found something.”

Ethan wasn’t going to hold his breath for that to happen. “So my daughter found these coins.” He had found one of Allison’s old beaded clutch bags to hold them. “I’m wondering if anyone reported a theft.” Opening the clutch, he poured the coins into the palm of his hand. They glistened in the daylight.

Officer Mack whistled. “Those are some beauties.”

“They could be valuable, right?”

“Could be.” He gave Ethan a critical eye. “Any idea where she got them?”

“She thinks they were a gift from God. I hate to diminish her faith, but…coins don’t just materialize. They had to come from somewhere.”

“What does she say?”

“That God meant for her to find them.”

Officer Mack looked at him with a worried wrinkle on his forehead.

“She won’t tell me any more than that.” Ethan curled his fingers around the coins and put them back in the clutch. “I’m going to talk to Pastor Mills about this.”

“I think that’s a very good idea,” Officer Mack said.

“But if you hear of anyone who has lost the coins, let me know.”

Officer Mack gave him a two-finger salute. “Will do.”

Ethan veered away from Edward’s Coins and Collectibles Shop where he’d originally been headed and went to the Oak Hollow Community Chapel at the end of the street.

It was cool and dim inside the old building, and his loafers slapped the Mexican pavers as he crossed the lobby. He found Mrs. Jenkins, the church secretary, at her desk in the office across from the sanctuary.

“Hello, Ethan,” she said, looking up with a smile. “What can I do for you?”

“I found something, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”

“And you thought Pastor Mills could help?”

“That’s why I’m here.” Marc’s voice floated from another room. Moments later, Marc appeared in the doorway. He wore jeans and a black shirt with the top button undone to expose his white collar. “Come on in.” He waved Ethan inside his private office.

Ethan felt uncomfortable—like he’d been sent to the principal’s office. But Marc smiled at him and the tension in Ethan’s spine slowly eased. He played basketball three times a week with Marc, and he knew, better than those who didn’t play such a sometimes-violent game, that Marc was far from perfect. He was as flawed as his rebounds. Which should have been off-putting for a pastor, but simply made Ethan like him all the more.

He motioned for Ethan to take a seat in one of the wooden chairs lining the wall. Then, instead of taking his place behind the desk as Ethan had expected, Marc pulled out another wooden chair and put it directly in front of Ethan, so close that their knees were almost touching.

“So, what’s brought you here today?”

Ethan leaned back. “My daughter found some lost coins.”

Marc chuckled. “There’s a parable about that.”

Ethan explained the situation. “I don’t want to shake her faith, but I can’t use these coins.”

“Hmm. Why not?”

“They’re not mine!”

“You feel you don’t deserve them?”

“I don’t. They belong to someone else.”

“Someone more deserving.”

Ethan pushed his fingers through his hair. Why did he feel like they were talking in circles? Of anyone, Marc should understand why they couldn’t use these coins.

“Did it ever occur to you that these coins are exactly what Hannah claims them to be? A gift from God?”

“No.”

“You don’t believe God could put these coins into Hannah’s hands so that you could expand your business?”

“I believe He could. I just don’t think He did.”

“Why not?”

“Why would He care about a gallery?”

“Maybe what you’re asking yourself is why would God answer Hannah’s prayer with gold coins, when He didn’t answer your prayers for Allison.”

Ethan blinked for a moment and fought back a wave of frustration tinged with anger. His phone beeped with an incoming text.

He was late for his afternoon class.

Bouncing to his feet, he excused himself.

Marc watched him with concern. “If you want to talk about this some more…”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was so late. I’ve got to get back to school.”

Marc followed him out of the office. “How’s this? You try to find the owners—I mean really try—and if you don’t, you accept the coins for what they are, a gift from God.”

Ethan didn’t agree with Marc’s suggestion, but since he didn’t have the time or the energy to argue, he promised that he and Hannah would see Marc in church on Sunday, and left.