For His Name's Sake (Psalm 23 Mysteries) (19 page)

What had seemed so clear and like such a good idea the night before was now making her stomach churn with anxiety that had nothing to do with the killer who was on the loose.

Even though it was all a masquerade, she was the one who was going to be walking down the aisle, and she was going to be walking toward Jeremiah. She got lightheaded every time she thought about it.

“Are you ready?” Geanie asked Cindy.

“I think that’s my line,” Cindy said, hating that she could hear her own voice shaking.

Geanie smiled and slipped her mask on. The other women did the same. It was actually nearly impossible to tell them apart, she realized with a start. Cindy took a deep breath and then donned the white mask.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” she said.

Geanie pushed open the door to the small room the women had used to change in. One by one Charlotte, Veronica, and Traci filed out. Then Geanie followed, and after a moment’s hesitation Cindy went after her. They walked slowly to the closed doors at the back of the sanctuary.

The place was packed. So many people were attending the wedding that they’d had to put overflow seating in the gymnasium and set up a large screen television in there. Police officers dressed as wedding guests were positioned all over, searching for Amanda or the assassin she had hired. Cindy couldn’t help but wonder if there had been this much security at the real Royal Wedding.

They all paused outside the closed sanctuary doors. Dave, Jordan, and Lyle were already waiting for them there.

“This is it,” Geanie whispered, barely able to keep the excitement out of her voice.

The doors opened and she could hear a harp playing
All I Ask of You
. Jordan and Charlotte went down first. They were followed by Lyle and Veronica. Then Dave and Traci went down. Geanie walked down alone as Joseph was waiting up front with Jeremiah. Cindy felt a pang of sorrow for her friend that she wasn’t getting to walk down the aisle to the Wedding March.

The Wedding March started and Cindy froze for a moment, nearly overcome with terror. Then she forced herself to move one foot forward then the other. Everyone rose as she entered the sanctuary. She kept glancing from side to side wondering where the killer was, wondering when disaster would strike. She kept looking everywhere, desperately avoiding looking forward.

When she finally did her heart leapt. She recognized Jeremiah, even though he was wearing the mask. It was the way he held himself and she realized she would know him anywhere. She forced herself to keep walking.

She reached the stairs and walked up them. Jeremiah stepped forward to take her hand and her skin tingled where he was touching it. She barely remembered to hand her bouquet to Traci.

“You look beautiful,” Jeremiah whispered for her ears alone.

“And you so very handsome,” she managed to say around the lump in her throat.

The music stopped, everyone sat, and Cindy tried to calm herself. Surely the attack must come at any moment. Amanda had fantasies of marrying Joseph herself; she’d never stand to see him marry Geanie.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the eyes of God, to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony,” the minister began. That was when Cindy made the mistake of looking into Jeremiah’s eyes.

The world seemed to stop and it was just the two of them, caught up in this moment together. Slowly, he reached forward and took her other hand so that he was holding both of them. Even though he was wearing a mask she felt like at that moment it was the first time she was really seeing him.

“W
hich is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined,” the minister continued.

She could feel warmth spreading throughout her body even as part of her began to panic.

“If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”

She sucked in her breath. This was it, the moment of truth, the moment when surely one of the uninvited guests would announce their presence.

Silence, and nothing more.

Then the minister was moving on. He was speaking about love, and what it was, and what it wasn’t. Cindy
could only half hear him because her mind was racing. It should be over now. She shouldn’t still be standing here. She started to take a step back, but Jeremiah squeezed her hands harder.

She glanced past him to the wings where she could see Mark waiting. The detective nodded once at her then turned to sweep the crowd with his eyes.
He wants us to keep going
, Cindy realized, starting to get dizzy. Her knees started to give way, but before she could collapse, Jeremiah stepped forward and put his hands on her waist, holding her up. She put her hands on his upper arms. She could feel the play of his muscles beneath her fingers.

“Is everything alright?” the minister whispered low.

“Just a little dizzy,” Cindy managed to whisper back.

“Don’t worry, my love, I’ve got you,” Jeremiah said, his voice husky.

The minister continued and they just stood there, Cindy holding on to Jeremiah for dear life while he held her on her feet.

“And now, the exchanging of the vows,” the minister said. “First you,” he said, addressing Cindy. “Repeat after me.”

“I take thee as my wedded husband.”

“I take thee as my wedded husband,” she said.

“To have and to hold from this day forward.”

“To have...and to...hold from this day forward.”

“For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health.”

“For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health.” She just kept staring up at Jeremiah. He was smiling bigger than she’d ever seen him smile. His eyes behind the mask were sparkling. She finally risked a glance
at Joseph and realized that Jeremiah looked even happier than him.

“To love and to cherish ‘til death do us part.”

“To love and to cherish ‘til death -”

The sanctuary was plunged suddenly into darkness.

Jeremiah blinked for a moment in the sudden darkness. The happy haze that had been enveloping him a moment before burst like a bubble. It was happening. He had rehearsed his exit dozens of times throughout the afternoon. He knew the steps by heart even if he had to take them in the dark.

He scooped Cindy up in his arms, turned and headed for the side exit to the sanctuary where Mark was waiting. Only when he got there the detective was gone. Hopefully that meant he was chasing down one of the bad guys.

He made it out the side, turned toward the front of the sanctuary and crashed to his knees as something struck him sharply on the back of the neck. His vision swam before his eyes and it was all he could do to hold on to Cindy who was now screaming and thrashing.

He felt someone grab him under his armpits and then a moment later release him.

He heard a shout and a moment later a flashlight hit him full in the face.

“Tell me your real name,” Mark demanded.

It was such an eerie echo of the thing Jeremiah had been dreading him asking that it took his breath away for a moment. “It’s me, Jeremiah,” he managed to whisper at last as Cindy stopped struggling. “Behind me.”

Mark ran past him, as Jeremiah struggled to retain consciousness.

Mark made it out of the sanctuary just in time to see a black-clad figure disappear around the corner of the building. He raced forward, rounded the corner and kept running, trying to figure out where the assailant had gone next.

If it hadn’t been for the tiniest flash of what looked like peach fabric disappearing inside Mark would have run right past the one darkened meeting room. The clerk at the store in the mall had said that Amanda had bought a peach dress.

He spun on his heel and moved silently toward the entrance of the room, pressing himself against the outside wall and waving several other officers over.

“What are you doing here? You’re ruining everything!” a woman’s voice hissed.

“Me? What about you, where’s Joseph?” the second voice sounded like Amanda’s.

“We need to try again later.”

“No, Sonja, I paid good money to have him now!” Amanda shrieked, her voice rising a full octave.

Mark nodded. So, it was the American assassin whose name Liam had gotten who was behind all this. With the appearance of the snake he’d begun to wonder if it was one of the others on the list.

He lifted his hand and let it fall and the officers flowed into the room. “Freeze, police!” the lead one yelled as he flipped on the light switch.

Mark entered the room just as Sonja spun Amanda around to use as a human shield.

“I told you that you were crazy to want to take him here,” Sonja hissed.

“And you promised me he would be mine before he married that tramp,” Amanda wailed.

Sonja was backing up, her left arm wrapped around Amanda’s chest with a knife held against her. In her right hand she held a gun aimed at Mark. She was heading for the door behind her that led out toward the parking lot. If she got through it, they might lose her.

“What do you want me to do?” Liam asked softly.

“Do you have a clean shot?”

“Murky.”

The two women were co-conspirators, even though one had now turned on the other.

“Take it.”

Liam fired and a moment later Sonja dropped like a stone, a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead. Amanda fell with her and Mark rushed forward, kicking both the gun and the knife away from her.

“He’s mine!” Amanda shrieked even as another officer rushed forward and handcuffed her. He pulled her to her feet and Amanda stared at Mark in rage. “How dare you come between us?”

“You hired her to kidnap him for you,” he said, pointing to Sonja.

“Yes, I had to sell my house to afford it, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat,” Amanda raved.

“And you paid her to kill Geanie so she’d be out of the way permanently.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t afford to have Geanie killed. Sonja said it would be another five hundred thousand for that, and I just didn’t have that kind of money. Besides, I knew that if I could just get him alone, away from her, I could make
him see reason,” Amanda said, her eyes shining with madness.

“Right, so you both just wanted us to think it was about Geanie,” Mark said.

Her face twisted in fury. “That witch kept me from getting my invitation. He wanted me here. Joseph invited me.
Me
.”

“No,
we
invited you,” Mark said. “Joseph didn’t want anything to do with you.”

“It’s not true,” she said, her lips trembling.

“Take her away,” Mark said to the officer.

“He loves me, me! You’ll see! One of these days he’ll come to his senses,” Amanda shrieked all the way out of the building.

“Great shot,” he complimented Liam as the other officer stepped forward.

“Thank you,” Liam said, looking like he was going to be ill.

Mark clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said.

Liam just nodded mutely.

Jeremiah set Cindy down and then struggled to his feet. Mark had chased the assassin, but something didn’t seem right to him.

“Where’s the main power shut off for the building?” he asked Cindy.

“Um, It’s on the outside wall, far left side, by the library.”

“And the circuit breakers?”

“Back wall, far corner.”

Whoever had cut the power wouldn’t have had time to get into position to hit him in the back of the head just now. So, either the assassin had Amanda or another person helping them or they had a whole different problem.

He had a moment of indecision as he tried to decide whether Cindy would be safer with him or away from him. He finally pulled her back inside and thrust her into Dave and Joseph’s arms. The rest of the wedding party was hunkered down at the front of the sanctuary. They grabbed her and pulled her into their midst.

“No one gets near her until this is done. Understand?” Jeremiah hissed.

“No one,” Dave reiterated.

Jeremiah took off back through the side door and made it outside, then started running around the building. He could see the main power shut off and had nearly reached it when the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

He spun in midstride and grabbed the man who was charging him, slamming him to the ground and pinning him there with an arm across his throat as he knelt on his chest.

Instinctually he knew this was the man who had bombed the bridal shop and left the black rose and the message for Mark. He was middle eastern, well-dressed, and even though he was in the weaker position he was smiling.

“Why try to kill Cindy?” he demanded, grateful that no one was around to hear.

“She is your woman. That is reason enough.”

Jeremiah didn’t bother arguing with him, telling him that she wasn’t his. Instead he asked, “You know who I am?”

“Yes. So did the man whose dog you now have.”

“Did you kill him?” Jeremiah asked.

The man’s grin widened. “One of my brothers was responsible for that. The important thing is we know where you are now, we know who you love. And no matter what happens here, you will die.”

Jeremiah heard a gunshot. One way or another everything was ending now. “How many of you are there?”

“Enough.”

“Who are you?”

“You do not recognize me?” the man asked.

Jeremiah didn’t, but he didn’t say anything.

“Of course, how could you?” the man said. “You never look to the left or the right.”

“I will hunt down all your brothers,” Jeremiah promised.

The man just kept grinning. “No need. They will be coming for you. Not today. Not tomorrow. But soon.”

Jeremiah heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

The man on the ground kept talking. “And I promise you that when they find you-”

Jeremiah snapped his neck and stood up. A moment later Mark and Liam came into view.

“What happened here?” Mark asked.

“I think he must have surprised whoever shut off the electricity,” Jeremiah said. “I checked him for a pulse and everything. He seems to be dead.”

“Looking like that? I’d be shocked if he wasn’t.” Mark sighed. “I hope Joseph or Geanie weren’t good friends of his.”

“I don’t recognize him, so I’m guessing not,” Jeremiah said.

“Good. Now, let’s get the lights on and then you come with me.”

Mark led Jeremiah back into the sanctuary a minute later where people were happy to have the lights restored. Mark and Jeremiah walked up to the front and at their approach the rest of the bridal party stood.

“It’s over,” Mark said softly.

And then they were all hugging and crying together. It lasted for several seconds before Mark finally broke free and borrowed the microphone from the bewildered minister. He looked out over the assembled wedding guests, most of whom seemed to be finding their way back to their seats if they had gotten up.

“Everyone okay? Yes? Great. Then, everyone take your seats and let’s get ready to do this all again.”

Geanie and Cindy headed for the room they had changed in earlier. It was a miracle, but in less than five minutes they’d managed to trade dresses. As everyone huddled up at the back door of the sanctuary Geanie told everyone to ditch their masks for the ceremony, but to make sure to keep them for the reception.

As Geanie and Joseph exchanged their vows Cindy felt a tear roll down her cheek. All the fear and the death and the chaos was over and the wedding was happening and it was beautiful.

She noticed the other bridesmaids dabbing at their eyes, too. Tears were streaming openly down Dave’s cheeks and he didn’t seem to care who saw them. As for Geanie and Joseph, they were both smiling like they’d never stop. Cindy said a prayer for them and their marriage that it might be true.

When the ceremony was over the guests started heading to the reception location while the wedding party stayed behind to pose for photos for the photographer. The man was still rattled from everything that had happened and distraught over having not been allowed to be present earlier for photos.

When it was finally time to take a group shot with the whole wedding party together Cindy held up her hand over the couple’s heads and Jeremiah high-fived her. That, at least, got a smile out of the photographer.

The limo ride to the reception was filled with excited laughter that was completely different in feel and nature to the nervous laughter that had filled the limo on the way to the church.

When they entered the banquet hall Cindy was thrilled to see that all of the guests had already gotten into the spirit of the evening and were wearing their masks.

The reception line was interminable, but at least people were respectful and kept moving through quickly. Cindy’s feet were hurting by the time they finally were able to sit down and start eating. All around her was color and pageantry but she took a few moments to just breathe and focus on her food. It was all a bit overwhelming but once she had cleaned half her plate she was starting to feel much better.

Joseph and Geanie had their first dance. The dance following everyone was encouraged to join in and Jeremiah
took Cindy’s hand and led her to the dance floor. The music playing was “Point of No Return” from Phantom of the Opera. Jeremiah held Cindy in his arms and together they moved across the dance floor. He couldn’t help but listen to the lyrics to the song even as his own emotions collided within him. A week ago he had still been planning to leave before things got more complicated between him and Cindy.

Now that was impossible. He couldn’t leave, because his past had finally caught up with him and he wouldn’t abandon her to it. The time had come to tell her the truth, no matter what it cost him. Not the whole truth, but what she needed to know. She deserved to know at least part of it. But not now, not during Geanie and Joseph’s much deserved celebration and not during this dance which he wished would never end.