₪ ₪ ₪
“Someone’s askin’ ‘bout Ms. Montoya.”
Ray tightened his grip on the phone pressed to his ear. “Who?”
“Some dude goes by Rafe. Don’t know any more than that.”
Rafe. The name wasn’t familiar. “Is he one of ours?”
“Nope. No ties. But he buys from one of our guys.”
And obviously made the mistake of asking that same guy about Celestine. “What’s he want to know?”
“Dude’s just askin’ if anyone knows her. Claims a buddy of his was seein’ her. Our guy got the feeling that he’s not seein’ her anymore, though.”
Ice shafted through Ray’s body, the chill settling in his core.
Javier.
It had to be about him, didn’t it? Javier was the only guy she’d ever really been serious about. Sure, she had a thing with Damien now, but it was casual and ongoing.
No, Javier was the most logical option.
His contact cleared his throat. “Uh, there’s more. Did a little diggin’ into this Rafe guy and turns out he’s got a friend who’s a cop. Guess they had beers together just the other night.”
Yeah, this tied to Javier, all right. That rat who was gonna sell out Celestine to the cops.
He needed to let Celestine know about this. See how she wanted it handled. As much as she liked to keep a low profile, he guessed she’d give him free reign to take care of the problem as he saw fit.
“I want a location.” Ray ground the words out through clenched teeth. “I need to teach this Rafe guy that it’s not polite to ask about someone else’s girl.”
It’d be the last lesson the man ever learned.
₪ ₪ ₪
Sunlight chased away the last traces of fog as Zander crossed the street toward the pier.
The calm air made the direct sunlight seem warmer than usual. If he closed his eyes and turned his face to the sun, he could almost believe all was right with the world, that he wasn’t chasing a killer who may or may not have also killed Jave.
But of course make-believe solved nothing. There was still a killer on the loose, a killer who likely was looking for Monica, and Elly by association, at this very moment.
He pulled out his phone as he walked and brought up Elly’s number.
“Hi Zander. Are you here?”
How did she always sound so fresh? “Approaching the gate as we speak.”
“I’ll be right out.”
He found a patch of sunlight just outside the gate and stuffed his hands in his pockets to wait.
A minute passed before he heard soft footfalls on the boards.
Her curls were pulled back in a loose ponytail. Faded jeans and a bright turquoise top gave her a more casual look than he remembered seeing on her before.
If only he didn’t like it so much.
She pushed open the gate. “What a beautiful day. Don’t you just love the sunshine?”
“It’s great.” Might be time to figure out a little more about this mystery walking beside him. “You know, I never could find a country called Hephzibah on a map.”
“You won’t find it on any map. It’s very small and not visited by those who don’t know where to find it.”
Small or not, he should’ve found some trace of it, shouldn’t he? It was weird.
Then again, was there anything normal about this woman? “Is there a lot of sunshine there?”
“Always. ‘The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.’ The Lord uses that phrase in Revelation 21:23 to describe what His people will experience in Heaven, but it applies to my land now. It’s how God always intended for things to be.”
No sun or moon? Was she serious? She couldn’t possibly be, yet she looked completely genuine. “So why does it apply to your land and not here?”
He jerked to a halt as she abruptly turned to stare at him. Her gaze froze him like lavender ice, weighing him.
Why did he feel like he was on trial here?
As much as he longed to break the contact, he forced himself to hold the look. It stretched from one second to two, to three, to four.
Finally, she blinked and gave a single nod. “God says I can trust you.”
“Sure you can trust me.”
“What I tell you can’t be repeated. There are things that this world shouldn’t know.”
Oookay. Maybe this would finally explain what was going on with her. “I can keep my mouth shut.”
“Hephzibah isn’t on a map because no one other than a Hephzibite can go there. God has the area protected from all who live on the outside.”
People like him. Invisible fingers danced down his back.
“It goes back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve and the first sin. Do you know your human history?”
History. Not story. She really believed it was true. Did he?
Jury was out. For now, he just wanted her to continue. “Uh, yeah. Serpent, forbidden fruit, all that.”
“What would you say if I told you that there wasn’t just one Garden, but two? With a second couple who made a different decision?”
Different decision? The weight of her words crashed in. “What, you mean that didn’t sin?”
A single, decisive nod. “Yes. When the serpent came to Ashen, she said no. Elam was also tempted, but he chose God’s way over the serpent’s lies. The second Eden was called Hephzibah.”
The words spun in his head. Adam and Eve. Elam and Ashen. Eden and… Hephzibah. “But that would make you… perfect.”
The pause carried a weight he could feel. “Sinless.”
Sinless. It echoed in his mind.
She was crazy.
There was no other explanation. Seriously crazy.
“I know how it sounds to you.” Her words filtered through the clatter in his mind. “You’re a detective. Judge me based upon the evidence.”
Evidence. Yes, evidence he could understand.
Fact one. She claimed to hear from God.
Conclusion? Well, so far everything she’d said had happened, just like she’d said. So maybe she did hear from God.
Fact two. She could heal.
Well, there really was no refuting that. Especially since one of the people she’d healed was him.
Fact three. He’d never seen her do anything wrong. Not that he’d spent a lot of time around her. He’d witnessed some naïve and foolish behavior, like walking up to gang members, but if she really was from a perfect world – and he must be crazy himself for considering the possibility – then her naïveté would make sense, wouldn’t it? There wouldn’t be danger in a perfect world.
Could she be telling him the truth?
He studied her face.
Completely open. Genuine. No sign of deceit.
In fact, he had a hard time imagining her deceiving him or anyone else.
“I…” He blew a sigh through lips as flexible as plastic. “It’s a little hard to swallow.”
“I know. But it explains why I hear God so clearly, doesn’t it? Sin creates a barrier between man and God. Sin dulls our ears and deadens our senses. Without sin, we’re able to hear God clearly.”
That made sense.
Whether he believed in all the stuff his madre did or not, he knew enough to know that what she’d said was true. He didn’t hear God’s voice. And he was far from perfect.
“So if you’re perfect and you live in such a great place, what are you doing here?”
“Most of us choose to leave at some point. Some return, but many don’t.” She gestured to the boats surrounding them. “There’s a whole world of people out here who are dying because of their sin. How can we not share God’s love with them?”
Monica flashed into his mind. What would’ve happened to her if Elly hadn’t chosen to “share God’s love”?
She’d probably be dead right now. Or at least close to it.
Not to mention what Elly had done with the kids at the center. He’
d witnessed her at work there and knew she was doing good.
Just when he thought he’d gotten a handle on this woman, she threw a new curve his way. “Uh, thanks. For trusting me. It’s a lot to absorb.”
She smiled. “You can see why we don’t tell a lot of people?”
“Yeah.” Boy did he ever. “They’d probably think you were crazy.”
“And I wouldn’t blame them one bit. All I ask is that you let the things you’ve witnessed speak for themselves.”
“So what’s Hephzibah like? Aside from being perfect and sunny with no sun?”
Okay, now he sounded like the crazy one.
“There’s water. Everywhere. Waterfalls, lakes, streams, and, of course, the ocean. Lots of plants. Flowers in colors you’ve never seen. So many different fruits and vegetables.” Her voice took on a wistful tone. “More than that, there’s no danger, sickness, or pain.”
Wow. He wanted to go there. And never come back.
Some return.
Her earlier words rang in his ears. Some. Would she? “Think you’ll ever go back?”
How he kept the question casual was a mystery. He really wanted to grab her by the shoulders and beg her not to go.
Which was stupid. He had no guarantee she’d even be in San Francisco through the end of the day, much less indefinitely. In fact, from what she’d revealed about her history, chances were good that she would leave. Why wouldn’t he want her to go back to a place of unspoiled beauty and perfection?
“I don’t know.” Her answer brought him back to the conversation. “I go where God leads.”
Naturally. Had he expected anything less? “So what keeps sinners like me from finding this place?”
Whoa. That came out a little snarkier than he’d intended. Time to do some damage control.
“I mean, we’ve pretty much been around the whole world. How come no one’s ever heard of it?”
Better.
“God protects it. It’s completely surrounded by ice and the only way in is underwater.”
Ice? “But you made it sound like some warm, tropical paradise.”
“It is.” She lifted her shoulders in a small shrug. “I know it seems impossible, but admit it, a few days ago breathing underwater, prophecy, and healings seemed impossible, too.”
She had him on that one. “That’s the reason you can breathe underwater.”
“We wouldn’t be able to leave to do God’s work unless we could.”
From where he stood, that wouldn’t be so bad. If he lived in a place of great beauty with no pain and death, he wouldn’t want to leave. “Can you take me there?”
Her smile slid a little. “I wish I could. But sin isn’t allowed there.”
And he was a sinner.
The implication was there, even if she wasn’t saying it.
Who was she to judge him? “Hey, we can’t all be perfect. Have you seen some of the people around here? I’m not so bad.”
Ugh. He hated the defensiveness in his tone.
“It’s not about being better than someone else. It’s about living up to God’s standard all the time.”
The gentleness in her tone dissipated his anger.
“Zander. If one of the kids at the shelter, say Felipe, walks into a store and steals a loaf of bread, does that make him a lawbreaker?”
“Of course. Stealing is stealing.”
“But it’s only a loaf of bread. And he probably had the best of reasons for doing it, like satisfying his hunger, right?”
He saw where she was going and he didn’t like it.
She didn’t wait for him to reply. “But you’re right. No matter his intentions, or his need, stealing is still against the law. If we expect people to abide within the parameters of man’s laws, how much more so with God’s law?”
“But there are still levels. Stealing bread is a heck of a lot different than killing someone.”
“True. But both acts are enough to label someone a criminal, aren’t they?” She pulled in a deep breath. “James 2:10 tells us that ‘whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.’”
“So you’re saying that even if I’d only committed one sin, I would still be a sinner.” As offensive as that was, it made sense.
“That’s why people need Jesus. You need Jesus. Sin is sin. God doesn’t score lying any higher than cursing or murder any higher than adultery. It’s all sin and deserving of punishment. But Jesus took that punishment so that everyone can enjoy a relationship with God and be free from that punishment. They just have to recognize their need and choose to accept Jesus as their substitute.”
From his days in the Catholic church, he knew all about sin and punishment and confession, but the idea of relating it to criminals was new. And a lot to absorb. Too much, given that he was trying to solve not one, but three, possibly interconnected murders.
“If you ever have any questions, you know where to find me.”
Funny how she always seemed to sense what he was thinking.
“Now, are you ready to talk to Monica?”
That’s right. He’d come here for a reason other than talking about far off, inaccessible lands and sin. “Uh, yeah. Let’s go.”
As they started walking toward the boat, he glanced over at her.
“So if Hephzibah is surrounded by ice, how do you swim in without freezing?” He’d witnessed some pretty crazy things where she was concerned, but swimming through icy water? “God give you a dry suit to go along with those gills?”
“I don’t know how God does it, but he keeps us warm. Just like He protects us from predators such as sharks, whales, and polar bears.” She stepped on board the boat.
He followed, his mind whirling so fast he half expected his head to fly off. The woman he was falling for was a mermaid from a perfect world who heard God. How would he explain that one to his family?
He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
If anything progressed further – and he wasn’t sure it could, especially if she wasn’t going to stay in San Francisco – he’d have to leave all that out of the story.
Well, except the hearing from God part. That would win her massive points with Madre.
As they approached the cabin, he could see Monica seated at the table, Zeke across from her. They appeared to be deep in conversation about something.
Probably not underwater breathing and arctic ice and polar bears, though.
Neither looked up as Elly pushed the door open.
“So Jessie’s really up in heaven? Even after all she did?” Monica’s wobbly voice evidenced tears barely beneath the surface.
“Of course. Just like you will be when God calls you home. Jesus forgives it all.”
Was that a hint of sorrow in Zeke’s voice?
Had Zeke lied to Monica about heaven?
Zander focused in on Zeke’s face as Zeke turned to smile at him. No sign of sorrow or deception. He must’ve imagined it.
Besides, Zeke was also sinless, wasn’t he? Which meant he couldn’t lie.
Maybe he should check him for gills, too, just to make sure.
The grin slowly grew on Zeke’s face as a low chuckle spilled out. “You want to check my head, too?”
What the…? Could the man read minds?
Heat climbed Zander’s neck. “Uh, no. That’s okay.”
“Check your head?” Monica looked between them like they were both crazy.
Maybe they were.
“Inside joke. Don’t worry about it.” Zander crossed the space and sat in a chair across from Monica. “I was hoping you could take a look at a few pictures and tell me if you recognize anyone.”
Monica froze for a heartbeat. “You think Jessie’s killer is there?”
“It’s a possibility.” He slid the file folder across the table. “Take your time.”
A shaking hand reached for the cover, hesitating before flipping the file open.
Monica studied the top picture. While it cove
red people who’d been hanging around the crime scene, Zander was sure that the killer wasn’t in it. It was one of several he’d put in so that he couldn’t be accused of leading her to identify the man he thought was the killer.
“I don’t see him.”
As expected. “There are more. Keep going.”
She turned to the next one, looked at it for a few seconds, then shook her head and flipped the page.
Finally, on the fourth one, she stopped. “This might be him.”
Zander followed her pointing finger to the man standing behind the two women. It was the same one he’d identified the previous day, the one he’d expected her to point out. “Are you sure?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t really see him good, but the shirt and arms look right.”
At least it gave him something to go on, not that such a statement would ever stand up in court.
He pulled the picture aside. “Good. Go ahead and keep going.”
Going through the remaining photos, she identified one man she said worked at the spa, but didn’t point out any other suspects.
“Okay, I’ll try to identify these men. Thanks for the assist.” He gathered up the remaining pictures and put them all in the file folder before rising. “I’ll keep you posted as things progress.”
Elly also rose. “I’ll walk out with you. It’s about time for me to catch the bus to the center.”
“You’re going to the center?”
“Of course. Betty’s expecting me.”
The words came out so matter-of-fact, as though Zander should’ve anticipated as much.
And maybe he would have. If he weren’t still trying to wrap his brain around these latest revelations about her.
“I’ll give you a lift.” He waited until they were descending the stairs outside before asking the question burning his tongue. “What about Monica? Should you be leaving her here alone?”
“She’s safe here. Much safer than if she goes out there.”
It wasn’t only about Monica’s safety. “Aren’t you worried that she’ll steal from you and disappear?”
“Not really, but if she does, it’s just stuff. There really isn’t anything of value here anyway.”
Except for the money that supported their lifestyle. Given what he knew about her now, he seriously doubted they kept their money in a bank, but they obviously had access to funds. Which meant it was likely somewhere on that boat.
Silent is the Grave Page 24