For His Name's Sake (Psalm 23 Mysteries) (15 page)

He tried to tell himself that he was reading too much into these things, but something in his gut wouldn’t let it all go. He was on the right track, he could feel it, but he didn’t know what he could do about it, not without putting the others in more danger than they were already in.

The whole thing was a nightmare and it was being complicated by too many players on the board. There were far too many variables, too many people to watch and to watch out for. Disaster was in the air and he wasn’t sure that this time he would be able to avert it.

Sunday morning Cindy rose early. It was even too early really to call Gerald. She wandered downstairs, figuring she’d check on Joseph. He was still asleep on the couch in the living room. She was glad, he needed his rest, especially with everything that had happened and whatever insanity lay ahead of them.

She made her way into the kitchen and was startled to see Mark sitting at the breakfast bar, sipping a cup of coffee.

“Morning,” he said.

“Good morning. Did you sleep at all?”

“Off and on,” he admitted. “You’re up early.”

“Yeah, well,” she shrugged. “I’m guessing church this morning is out of the question?”

“I won’t even dignify that with an answer,” he said.

“That’s what I thought,” she said with a sigh.

She went over to the far counter and checked out Joseph’s tea selections. “Does this actually say ‘chocolate tea’?” she asked after a moment.

“Beats me, I went straight for the coffee.”

“Well, I’m going to have to give this a try.”

“Sounds like the breakfast of champions,” he said drily.

“Let’s hope so,” she said.

Five minutes later she sat down on a stool next to him, holding her mug.

“It certainly smells chocolaty,” Mark commented.

“I know,” she said. She took a small sip. “Tastes that way, too. You know, I kind of like it.”

They sat for another minute in silence before Cindy asked, “So, are you ready to discuss details yet?”

He shook his head. “I’m still half-dead. I’m not sure I’d even remember half of what we talked about. Besides, I want to wait for the rabbi. He’s usually got a unique perspective on things.”

“He does, doesn’t he,” she mused. She took another sip of her tea. “What do you think his story is?”

“I don’t want to know and if I don’t want to know, I’m doubly sure you don’t want to know,” Mark said brusquely. “Trust me on this one, I’d let it alone if I were you. What is it they say? The truth is a double-edged sword.”

“I guess you’re right,” Cindy said with a sigh. To be honest she wasn’t even sure what had possessed her to ask Mark about Jeremiah. Maybe she was just looking for someone else’s insight or reassurance. She shook her head. She was tired, more tired than she had realized.

Clearly Mark was, too. At this rate they were all going to be the walking dead by the time Saturday rolled around.
She just prayed this whole thing would be over soon so they could relax and get some rest before then.

Her phone rang and she saw that it was Gerald. Surprised that he would be calling this early she hastily answered. “Hi, I was planning on calling you a little later,” she said.

“What I have to say couldn’t wait,” he said, his voice strained.

“Why, what did you find out?” she asked.

“You better sit down.”

“I am sitting down.”

“Good, because you are not going to believe what I just found out.”

“Tell me,” she said, breathlessly.

“Okay, I did some digging and I followed a lead down to New Orleans. Matthew is-”

Gerald shouted, she heard a crash and then the line went dead.

“Gerald? Gerald!” Cindy was shouting into her phone.

Mark felt himself come fully awake as he stared at the horrified expression on her face. She tried calling the man back but he could hear the voicemail pick up.

“Please, Gerald, call me back. Let me know you’re okay,” Cindy pleaded.

Finally she put her phone down on the breakfast bar and stared at it as though she could will it to ring.

“What happened?” Mark asked quietly.

“Something terrible,” Cindy whispered, sounding heartbroken.

“Look at me,” he said sharply.

She did as she was told.

“Tell me what just happened,” he demanded.

“He said he found out something about Matthew that I wasn’t going to believe. He followed a lead to New Orleans. I think he might have actually gone there, I don’t know. He said I wasn’t going to believe what he had to say. He said ‘Matthew is’ and then he shouted and there was a crash before the line went dead.”

“Matthew is...what?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her eyes tearing up. “And what if the answer to that just got him killed?”

“But why, by who?”

“There has to be something we can do,” she said. “I got him involved in all of this. I asked him to help.”

“He was already involved. He wrote about that cult and whatever questions he was asking were reason enough for
Paul to threaten him. Something is going on here that is bigger than we think it is. This can’t all be about keeping the past buried, especially since that mass grave has been found.”

“But-”

“No, whatever is going on is not your fault. Look, I’ll put a call in to the New Orleans police and see if they know anything, and ask them to notify me if anything comes up.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Hey, it’s the least I can do. And besides, if anyone is responsible for getting him into whatever mess he’s in, it’s me. I’m the one who asked for help from anyone and everyone figuring out the whole Paul thing. Believe me, if I could put an end to all that I would in a heartbeat.”

“The truth will come out, I’m sure of it,” she said.

“I hope so, for all our sakes,” he said grimly.

“Now, give me a few minutes, I have to make some calls.”

She nodded, grabbed her tea and her phone and left the kitchen.

Cindy sat in a chair in the living room, quietly sipping her tea and trying not to freak out. When she’d walked in the room she’d had a momentarily insane thought of waking Joseph and asking to borrow money for airfare to New Orleans. The thought was short-lived, though, as she realized she wouldn’t even know where to begin when she got there and she could search for weeks and still not find Gerald or anything about him.

Plus, there was no way she could abandon everyone here. Whatever was happening to Gerald was happening now. There was nothing she could do to stop it or help. On the other hand, there were people here and now who she could help.

Why did life have to be so complicated? Why did she have to choose which of her friends to try and help? The longer she sat there, spending too much time alone in her own head, the worse she felt.

It was with relief that she waved silently at Geanie as she entered the room. Geanie waved back and then went to look at Joseph who was still sleeping. She turned finally and came to sit down in the chair right next to Cindy.

“Good morning,” Geanie whispered.

“Morning,” Cindy said, forcing a smile for the other woman’s sake. Geanie had enough stress of her own without adding Cindy’s to it.

“I wonder what surprises today will bring.”

“I don’t know, but Mark nixed the barbeque for this afternoon.”

“I heard. I’ll have to make some calls.”

“I can do that,” Cindy said. It would give her something to do.

“Joseph’s going to be disappointed.”

“We could always have a barbeque just with the people here,” Cindy said. “After all, there’s enough of us that it will still be pretty lively.”

“That’s a good idea,” Geanie said, perking up.

“We could even play croquet. I mean, we’re stuck here, but we don’t necessarily have to be stuck inside. The whole mountain is under guard, after all.”

“Do you think Mark will object?”

“Probably, but I bet I can make a good argument,” Cindy said with a smile. At the very least, she could sic Traci on him. She knew that woman could be persuasive.

“Did someone say barbeque?” Joseph asked groggily.

“Yes, now go back to sleep,” Geanie whispered.

“Not a chance. I’ve slept too much,” Joseph said, struggling to sit up. Once he had achieved that he yawned and stretched.

“You know what?” he said at last.

“What?” Cindy asked.

“I’m going to go take a shower and get into some clean clothes and no one can stop me.”

“I don’t think anyone other than Mark will object,” Cindy said.

“And Cindy’s already working on ways to make him see reason,” Geanie said, moving to sit over next to Joseph.

“Great,” he said, giving her a quick kiss. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I need to go get cleaned up so I can feel like a new man. Or, at least, a less abused man.”

As soon as he’d left Cindy turned back to Geanie. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. I was hesitant to bring it up, but it occurs to me that if I wait any longer it will be too late.”

“What is it?” Geanie asked, looking concerned.

“What are you planning to do about your wedding dress?” Cindy asked, wincing even as she said it.

The second dress, the one Geanie had been wearing when the bridal shop exploded, had been singed beyond repair. If they were going to have to find a new dress they were going to have to get one of the police officers to take them shopping as soon as possible. Even still, it would be cutting things painfully close.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Geanie said. “I think I’ve decided that the smartest choice is to go with the first dress.”

“You mean the one Joseph’s seen?” Cindy asked, surprised.

“He swears that all he saw was the faintest peep of white satin, which, hello, isn’t really that much of a surprise. I mean, sure I could have gone for something covered in lace, or broken with tradition and worn some other color, but really, that wasn’t going to happen. So, as long as all he knows is that it’s white satin, I think I can live with that.”

“I think that’s probably a smart choice,” Cindy said.

Geanie nodded. “The dress is here, it’s safe, no other businesses or people will be harmed by my making the choice to stick with what I’ve got.”

“And it really does look amazing, even more you than the second one.”

“Yeah, I’m just sorry there’s no way to repair that second one. It would have made a great wedding dress for you someday.”

Cindy blushed, but didn’t argue with her.

“Plus, everything else I’ve got already works with that dress,” Geanie said. “It’s the logical choice given...everything.”

“I think it’s the right choice regardless of everything,” Cindy said with an encouraging smile.

“Thanks.”

“So, has Joseph given you any hint yet as to what kind of clothes to pack for the honeymoon.”

“That man is impossible,” Geanie said with a roll of her eyes. “All he’d tell me was that I should pack one suitcase for warm weather and one suitcase for cold.”

“That’s not even a little helpful.”

“I know, right?”

“What are you ladies talking about?” Jeremiah asked as he walked into the room, making them both jump slightly.

“Honeymoons,” Geanie said brightly.

“Ah.”

“Has Joseph told you where he’s planning on taking her?” Cindy asked.

Jeremiah smiled sheepishly. “Yes, and at the same time, no.”

“Okay. Can you at least tell us if she should pack for warm or cold weather?”

“No, I really can’t. What did Joseph say?”

“Pack a bag of each.”

He laughed. “That...makes sense.”

“Okay, tell us what you know,” Cindy demanded.

“I’m sorry, I was told to treat this like a state secret. These lips are sealed,” Jeremiah said.

“Go over there and see if you can unseal them,” Geanie whispered roguishly.

Cindy felt herself turn scarlet, but she didn’t dignify the suggestion with a response. Instead she changed the subject. “I heard from Gerald, and I think he’s in trouble.”

“What happened?” Jeremiah asked.

Cindy filled him in and at the end of her story he was nodding. “It sounds like he probably is in trouble. He knows how to handle himself, though. Hopefully everything will set itself right.”

“I wish I had your optimism,” she grumbled.

Jeremiah forced a smile. At the moment he was far from optimistic about anything so what Cindy said seemed funny to him.

“I did want to get a few things straightened out about Thursday,” he said.

“Bachelor and Bachelorette parties?” Cindy asked.

“Exactly.”

“I don’t want to know,” Geanie said with a laugh as she stood up. “I’ll leave you two to scheme.”

“I had planned a night out at an old-fashioned vaudeville show,” Jeremiah said. “How about you?”

“Vegas,” Cindy said with a straight face.

“Are you kidding?” he blinked. “I mean, I know it’s about five hours away, but still.”

“Relax,” she said with a grin. “Lingerie party and crazy games. Although, I’m beginning to think Geanie doesn’t need any more lingerie. Clothes, maybe, but lingerie she seems to have covered.”

“I don’t need to know. I don’t want to know,” Jeremiah said. “Obviously, though, there has to be some rethinking of all of this, especially since both parties are going to be happening simultaneously and they now have to be happening here.”

“So, you want to stake out territory?”

“Something like that.”

“Okay, what did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking the guys could take over the basement area with the movie theater and the pool table and all of that.”

“You know, I still haven’t even been down there,” Cindy said with a sigh.

“It’s pretty amazing.”

“Okay, but we get the formal living room and the formal dining room, and you have to help me rearrange furniture before the event.”

“Done,” he said.

“Well, that was easy.”

“Maybe for you. The plans for your party didn’t change, just the location. I have to rethink the whole thing.”

“Why don’t you get the vaudeville group to come here?”

He shook his head. “I thought about it, but we hadn’t sold out the theater, so there will be other patrons there. Plus, there’s no way Mark would let that many strangers into the house two days before the wedding. And rightly so,” he added hastily at the end.

“Need some help brainstorming?”

He grinned. “Not that I don’t value your opinion, but I think I want to talk to another guy about this. I’m thinking Dave and I can work something out between the two of us.”

“I don’t know, I think you’re missing out on a fabulous opportunity,” she teased. “I could have helped you throw Joseph a gothic high tea or something equally creative.”

Jeremiah couldn’t help it. He started laughing. “Creative? Yes. Manly? No.”

“I bet Joseph would have liked my idea,” she said.

“Are you kidding? Joseph’s going to be thrilled with anything as long as there are no strippers or anything of that nature,” Jeremiah said. “Not that I would have done anything like that, but he made it painfully clear anyway.”