We all begin to cross the green field where one day Jesus will return and the day of judgment will be upon the world. But, I like life. Like it a lot, in fact. And not that heaven can wait, but, truth be told, I hope the end of the world happens much later than sooner.
Much, much later.
Epilogue
Monsey, NY
One Month Later
It’s a beautiful sunny day in Monsey.
The grass in the field is lush and green and mowed so carefully it resembles a putting green. Every one of the white folding chairs is occupied while the two sets of brides and grooms take their respective positions under the two side by side, flower-covered Huppas. As the presiding Rabbi recites from the ketubah, or the marriage contract, aloud in Hebrew, I take hold of Magda’s hand and squeeze it tightly.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if someone turns water into wine later?” I whisper into her ear.
“We don’t need a return of the Messiah right now,” she whispers back. “Or are you already forgetting what we went through with the seventh seal?”
“Still fresh on the brain,” I say, “even if at my age, I tend to forget things more easily.”
“No water into wine,” she adds. “But we could use a few drinks, old man.”
When the reading is finished, Moshe and Itzy and their new brides, the Orthodox girls, or should I say, Sarah and Elizabeth, crush one napkin-covered glass per couple with the soles of their shoes. Everyone cheers “Mazel Tov!” as the happy couples make their way down the center aisle of the makeshift, outdoor synagogue.
One might never know that Moshe had been shot in the leg just a month before, his limp is so subtle. He looks every bit the proud new husband in his new black coat and matching Stetson, his beard long and clean, the tassels that drape the side of his face newly curled. It’s the same story for Itzy, his face beaming with an ear to ear grin under his own impressive curls.
Cross is sitting a few rows up, snapping pictures with his smartphone. At one point, he turns and nods, as if to say, “Yo.” I nod back at him. He has no idea how close I came to killing him. But in the end, I’m glad I didn’t.
When the couples have passed by, it’s our turn to leave the ceremony and head to the outdoor reception right next door. Magda is still holding my hand when, suddenly, Sarah and Elizabeth unexpectedly toss their wedding bouquets into the gathering crowd. The bouquets soar over the heads of the guests and, as if by divine intervention, descend directly in front of us so that we can’t help but catch them.
Magda and I look at one another holding our respective bouquets. The entire wedding party is eyeing us.
“You really wanna do this, Chase?” she says. “Somehow, I don’t see you as the marrying type.”
Looking into her deep, brown eyes, I want to wrap my heart around hers. But then, she’s got a point. I’m not the type to be tied down. Not at this point in my long life.
“I hear you loud and crystal clear, Mag,” I say, holding the flowers out with both hands like I’m about to punt a football, then turning my back on the crowd. “On three.”
“Ready,” she says, turning her back to the party. “One, two—”
“Three!”
Together, we fling the flowers overhead and into the crowd. When we spin around, we discover that two young people — a young man and a young woman — are the lucky recipients. The crowd cheers once more.
Wrapping my arm around, Magda, I say, “You know, if I were a little bit younger, I just might consider settling down and making an honest woman of you. You certainly are the beautiful, brainy type.”
She giggles as we approach the open bar.
“Me, an honest house frau?” she says. “Never. I prefer my space, my do-whatever-I-want-when-I-wantness.”
“It’s part of what makes you so attractive,” I say, approaching the bar. “You’re a free spirit.”
“What’ll it be?” asks the bartender.
“Two champagnes,” I say. He hands them to me, and I give one to Magda.
“What shall we toast too?” she says.
“To freedom,” I say. “And to a long life. And to marriage.”
“I thought we just agreed marriage isn’t for us, old man?”
“Let’s be married, just for tonight. We can pretend we’re a young couple living in a small apartment above a sawmill on the left bank in Paris. I’m a struggling young novelist, and you’re a hopeful student of the Bible working on her doctorate. When tomorrow comes, we can be single and old again. Whaddya say, Mrs. Baker?”
She clinks my glass, takes a deep sip.
“Imagine,” she says, cocking her head over her shoulder, making her eyelids go all aflutter, “me, Mrs. Chase Baker, walking the banks of the Seine, arm and arm with my man. Makes my heart melt.”
“Well, isn’t it pretty to think so,” I say.
THE END
If you enjoyed this Chase Baker Thriller novel, don’t forget to start at the start with THE SHROUD KEY. For more information on the Chase Baker Thriller Action/Adventure Pulp series, go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
About the Author
Winner of the 2015 PWA Shamus Award and the 2015 ITW Thriller Award for Best Original Paperback Novel, Vincent Zandri is the NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and AMAZON No. 1 Overall bestselling author of more than 20 novels including THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT WEEPS, EVERYTHING BURNS, ORCHARD GROVE and WHEN SHADOWS COME. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, Zandri's work is translated in the Dutch, Russian, French, Italian, and Japanese. Recently, Zandri was the subject of a major feature by the New York Times. He has also made appearances on Bloomberg TV and FOX news. In December 2014, Suspense Magazine named Zandri's, THE SHROUD KEY, as one of the Best Books of 2014. A freelance photo-journalist and the author of the popular "lit blog," The Vincent Zandri Vox, Zandri currently writes for Engineering 360. He has also written for Writer’s Digest, Living Ready Magazine, RT, New York Newsday, Suspense Magazine, Hudson Valley Magazine, The Times Union (Albany), Game & Fish Magazine, and many more. He lives in New York and Florence, Italy. For more go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
Interested in free books and other specials? Please join Vincent’s “For your eyes only” newsletter list today @ WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM
Vincent Zandri © copyright 2016
All rights reserved as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Bear Media 2016
4 Orchard Grove, Albany, NY 12204
www.vincentzandri.com
Cover design by Elder Lemon Art
Author Photo by Jessica Painter
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to a real person, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Published in the United States of America
Table of Contents
(Untitled)
Title Page
(Untitled)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 3
3
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Epilogue
About the Author
Chase Baker and the Seventh Seal (A Chase Baker Thriller Book 9) Page 16