Hocking Hills {EXCERPT}

Chapter Two

I decided not push my luck after having that brief encounter with the police officer. So I got rid of the credit card and fake driver's license in a dumpster that was in the parking lot before I turned onto the walkway leading to the front entrance.

It had been a while since I last stepped inside a church. I vaguely remembered what it was like inside the one I went to with Vicky, but this church seemed almost similar because the sanctuary could be seen from standing directly inside the lobby.

As I stood there craning my neck looking past the row of pews I heard someone say, "Can I help you?"

The carpeted lobby prevented me from hearing anyone approach so I was startled when I saw a woman casually dressed appear from my right.

"Oh, hi—yes," I said turning to face her. "I wanted to see if I could talk to someone about a birth certificate."

Her immediate reaction was confusion. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"Well, you see, this certificate says the birth place was..." I glanced around the walls of the church trying to figure out the right way to explain. "An Evangelical Lutheran church. Is there someone I can talk to who might be able to help me?"

"I can try. Not sure if I'll be able to give you the answers you're looking for," she said leaning closer towards me as if she were interested in helping. "I'm assuming it's your birth certificate?"

"Yes," I said, removing the backpack from my shoulder as I dug for the envelope inside. When I pulled out the birth certificate the embroidered cloth fell to the floor.

"Oh, whoops," she said bending to pick it up. "You dropped this." Her expression faltered as she looked at it before handing it to me. I could have sworn I saw her give me an odd look as if she suddenly became leery of my intentions.

"This here is my original birth certificate," I said leaning closer so she could see. "It doesn't give the name of the church, but this was the first Lutheran church I found in Hocking Hills."

She didn't seem all that interested in looking at it but out of politeness she glanced at the piece of document I was holding in my hand. Then she gave a slight shrug and shook her head.

"I know eighteen years is a long time but I thought maybe someone might remember something like that happening." When she remained silent I added, "I'm trying to see if I can find out who my birth mother was—maybe anyone around the area who's lived here for at least more than twenty years. That could be helpful."

Her hands were tightly clasped together. "The minister has only been here for fifteen years. I don't know that he would be any help."

"Okay, well, do you maybe know of anyone around here that could?"

I knew she was way over twenty years old so if she'd lived in this town for at least half her age I thought she could help—that is if she was willing. Though I got the impression she suddenly wasn't.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry I can't help you." She then forced a smile and motioned me back towards the entrance.

I raised an eyebrow at her as I hoisted the backpack over my shoulder and said, "Thanks, I guess," before pushing on the door to leave.

I walked away towards my car feeling puzzled and slightly offended by what had just happened. There was no doubt in my mind she had an odd reaction from seeing the embroidered cloth. I wasn't sure what to make of it but I knew there had to be a reason she insisted she couldn't help me. From that moment on I thought it would be best not to let anyone else see the cloth—at least not while I was asking questions about my birth certificate.