“But we had all discussed before that,” Loretta, the organist, hastened to add. “First Shepherd isn’t the same without you. We’re not happy, the congregation’s not happy.”
“And the room assignments and master calendar are totally messed up,” Jordan, head of the single’s ministry, piped up.
“Oh heavens,” Cindy said, rolling her eyes as she imagined just how bad they could be.
“You have no idea, they had us trying to lead choir practice in the second grade room last week,” Sabrina said.
Cindy had an image of the entire choir sitting on the teeny, tiny plastic chairs in that room and almost lost it.
“So, Cindy, will you make us the happiest church in the world and come back to us?” Sylvia asked.
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Yes,” Cindy said.
As if on cue waiters appeared bearing plates filled with prime rib and mashed potatoes. They set them down on the table and Geanie beamed at her. “I ordered yours extra rare.”
“Thank you,” Cindy said. “For everything.”
“What are best friends for?”
Cindy hugged her tight and only the aroma of the prime rib was able to entice her to let go.
Associate Pastor Jake prayed for the food and then they all started to eat as though they were famished. After a couple of minutes Geanie picked up her glass of water off the table.
“To the return of the good life at First Shepherd,” she toasted.
Cheers burst forth and everyone happily clinked glasses.
“Oh, and tell her the best part, Sylvia,” Geanie said after drinking some water.
Sylvia beamed at Cindy. “Your position comes with a raise,” she told her.
“Wow.”
“Don’t worry,” Dave said with a grin. “You’re worth your weight in gold.”
“In that case it better be a very big raise,” Cindy said.
Everyone laughed and cheered. She could feel her grin getting bigger as everyone laughed.
~
Lunch ended up lasting until the end of the workday. At that point everyone left and Geanie took her back home.
“It looks like Jeremiah is here,” Geanie commented as they pulled up outside the house.
Cindy was surprised. “We didn’t have plans tonight.”
“Maybe he decided to drop by and surprise you,” Geanie said.
“Really? You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that, would you?” Cindy asked.
“Nope. He did know about your lunch surprise today, though. Maybe he wanted to be here to congratulate you in person as soon as you got home.”
“Could be,” Cindy said as she got out of the car.
“Thank you again, for everything.”
“You’re welcome, truly. I was going crazy there without you, to be honest.”
Cindy gave Geanie a hug, gratitude nearly overwhelming her.
“So, I’ll see you at work tomorrow?” Geanie asked.
“Nope. Monday. I’m taking a few days off.”
“Sounds like a good idea. Have fun.”
Cindy got out of the car and walked up to the house. As she opened the door her nostrils were immediately assaulted by the smell of fresh paint. She stepped inside and Jeremiah appeared from the kitchen with a grin on his face.
“Well?” he asked.
“I’m a church secretary,” she said.
He hugged her and picked her up. “Congratulations,” he said.
“Thanks,” she said as he put her down.
“I’m going to feel a lot better having you work next door again.”
“Me, too,” she admitted. “So, what’s going on?”
“Well, I’m here to take you to a movie and dinner to celebrate. First, though, I have a surprise for you,” he said.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room. All of the old landscape paintings had been taken down. In their place were new pieces. The most striking was on the far wall. It was a picture of Jerusalem at dusk with the Temple Mount clearly visible. Her throat constricted as memories came flooding back. It wasn’t the danger and the fighting that she remembered. It was that first kiss with Jeremiah.
There was a portrait of Captain and Blackie sitting together that caught her eye next. The cat was nestled between the German Shepherd’s front paws and they looked so adorable together.
She stepped farther into the room so that she could get a better look at the picture above the sofa and began to shriek with laughter when she saw it. It was a picture of dogs playing poker.
Jeremiah started laughing, too. When he finally stopped he said, “We can add to them or change them as you want. I thought these were more...us.”
“Thank you,” she said, walking over to kiss him.
“You’re welcome.”
“Where’s the paint smell coming from?”
Jeremiah suddenly looked a little sheepish. “Well, I hope you’re not mad.”
“Okay,” she said, her curiosity really aroused.
He grabbed her hand and led her to Geanie’s old room. There was plastic on the floor and the walls had a fresh coat of pale green paint on them.
“I figured this room could be my office. I’m going to start decorating it and furnishing it. By the time I’m done we’ll be getting married.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “I love it.”
~
Mark’s heart was in his throat. Liam had been able to decode the letter Paul had sent his ex. In it he told her about getting his letters from his lawyer. He’d also said that the key went to a safe deposit box in Sacramento, about half an hour from the home of the attorney Paul had used. Mark had taken the day to go up there. He was standing in the bank’s vault, the key in his hand, staring at the box on the table.
The banker who’d helped him had left. It was just him and whatever secret Paul was still harboring. His hand was shaking slightly as he opened the box. Suddenly a step sounded behind him. He spun around just as the banker who’d led him down their stabbed him with a knife.
“A woman was supposed to come for that,” the man hissed.
Mark swung with his left hand, the man blocked, but missed the fact that Mark had grabbed his gun with his right. He hit the banker in the head, knocking him out cold. He yanked the knife from his shoulder. The wound wasn’t bad, but blood was pooling on the floor.
He should call for help, get the police down there.
He was willing to attack me because I wasn’t the right person.
Something was very wrong here. He had no way of knowing if he called for help who would come running and which side they’d be on.
Mark turned back to the box. He needed to find out quick what the banker was willing to kill him over.
He opened the box. The only thing in it was a piece of paper. He pulled it out, hoping it wasn’t another one of Paul’s coded pages. It wasn’t.
Mark stared down at the piece of paper he was holding. His hand was shaking so badly he could no longer make out the words. He didn’t have to, though. They were burned into his memory, etched there for all time. He closed his eyes and still could see the words there before him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked as he fell to his knees.
The paper slid out of his hand and he could hear it fluttering to the floor. The sound it made when it landed seemed louder than any gunshot he had ever heard. He opened his eyes. The paper had fallen half on top of the pool of blood. The blood was already seeping through and for one terrible moment the words lit up as though written in crimson flame. In that moment he knew the terrible truth, and nothing would ever be the same.
Paul had a son.
.
Look for
NOW YOU SEE ME
the first book in the ABRACADABRA trilogy
Coming February 2017
Look for
THE LORDS OF ATLANTIS
the next Tex Ravencroft book
Coming Spring 2017
Look for
THE SUMMER OF RICE CANDY
the next Sweet Seasons book
Coming Summer 2017
Debbie Viguié is the New York Times Bestselling author of more than four dozen novels including the Wicked series, the Crusade series and the Wolf Springs Chronicles series co-authored with Nancy Holder. Debbie also writes thrillers including The Psalm 23 Mysteries, the Kiss trilogy, and the Witch Hunt trilogy. When Debbie isn’t busy writing she enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, visiting theme parks. They live in Florida with their cat, Schrödinger.
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