The Shadow of Death (Psalm 23 Mysteries Book 9) (7 page)

“I don’t follow.”

“The man had friends, others who hated me and are targeting me because of my old life. One of them left an envelope in Cindy’s car yesterday, a reminder that they’re coming after me and they haven’t forgotten.”

“Who are these people?”

“Terrorists. I know that much. Beyond that, though, I don’t know anything. I’m not even sure where their vendetta against me personally comes from.”

“Oh, swell. So, that’s why you had Cindy spend the night at our house last night.”

“Yes, and why I’m going to need your help even more now than ever.”

“You seem like you’re able to take care of yourself and Cindy.”

“Normally I would agree with you,” Jeremiah said with a sigh. “But, as of tonight, I won’t be here to take care of Cindy.”

“Why, where are you going?”

“My cousin Aaron out there. He’s not my cousin. He was sent to bring me back to Israel. I’m being reactivated, brought out of retirement for something and whatever it is it has to be very bad.”

Mark swore under his breath. He pressed a hand to his forehead. “How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know.”

Mark paused and stared out the window for a moment, clearly trying to take everything in. Finally he turned back. “I guess the real question is, will you be back?”

“If it’s within my power to do so I will come back.”

“You mean, if you’re not dead,” Mark said bluntly.

Jeremiah nodded.

“This is a helluva bomb to drop on a guy,” Mark said.

“I’m sorry.”

Mark shook his head. “I always knew there was something about you. You know just yesterday I was stressing out about it, about not wanting to jump to conclusions or accuse you of things I had no proof of.”

“What things?” Jeremiah asked sharply.

“Well, for one, the murder of that homeless guy, the one who turned up on your lawn. I found out yesterday that he was a possible witness in a murder that happened a few months before his. It’s a cold case now. Iranian student killed, no rhyme or reason or suspects. Yet strangely one of the few possible witnesses ends up killed himself, and on your lawn.”

Jeremiah leaned forward intently. “Are you sure he witnessed this student’s murder?”

“Reasonably.”

“Then whoever killed him might be the same people who killed the student.”

“Seems reasonable. Of course, then I’m asking myself how you somehow end up in the middle of all that.”

“I don’t know anything about an Iranian student. However, the homeless man I saw in the park not that long before he was killed. He recognized me and ran.”

“Recognized you from where?”

“From the old days. He used to work for the C.I.A.”

Mark swore again.

“And the only place we saw each other before that day in the park was in Iran. I also believe that the men who killed him are the same ones coming after me and Cindy.”

Mark passed a hand over his face. “Why go after the homeless guy? Because they figured out he had a connection to you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know why the guy was apparently headed to my house when he got killed. It’s especially confusing since he ran away from me at the park.”

“Maybe he had some information that he needed to share that he didn’t want to trust to the police,” Mark speculated.

“You mean about the Iranian kid and who killed him and why?”

“Could be. If his murder was anything more than a random act or a personal hatred it could have had some other cause.”

“Like a political one?” Jeremiah asked.

“Or something. So, maybe what we should be asking is what the student was involved in or witnessed that could have gotten him killed.”

“I have a terrible feeling that it’s all interconnected somehow,” Jeremiah said.

“You and me both,” Mark said, standing up and beginning to pace the room. “We just have to figure out how.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to work on that without me,” Jeremiah said grimly.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Protect Cindy as best you can. When they learn that I’m gone they might try to retaliate or try and draw me out.”

“Do you know what you’re asking of me?”

“I do. I’m asking you to risk your own family’s safety to help her, to help me. It’s a terrible burden.”

“But one I’ll bear as long as I can,” Mark said.

“I appreciate that.”

Jeremiah stood. Time was running out and he needed to talk to Cindy before he had to go. He was leaving a nightmare behind him and putting those he cared about in the line of fire. He wished he had some other choice. He stretched out his hand and without hesitation Mark shook it.

“You’re a good man, detective.”

“And you’re a bad man, rabbi.”

Jeremiah gave him a sad smile. “More than you know.”

“I suspect you’ll be wanting to talk to Cindy alone.”

“That would be preferable.”

“Then stay here. I’ll send her in.”

“Thanks,” Jeremiah said, sitting back down.

When Mark emerged from the house without Jeremiah Cindy felt her heart begin to race. Something was happening, something bad. She could feel it. She intercepted Mark before he made it back to a table.

“What is going on? you have to tell me,” she said, keeping her voice low.

He gave her the strangest look and then put his hand on her shoulder. “Jeremiah’s in my office. He needs to talk to you.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

For a moment she could swear she saw tears in his eyes. He turned away quickly, though, and headed over to Traci. Dread filled Cindy and her feet felt like they were made of lead as she forced herself forward one step at a time.

She was right. Things were bad. Worse than she’d feared.

A minute later she was inside Mark’s office. Her hands were shaking as she sat down in a chair and stared expectantly at Jeremiah. He stared at her like he was trying to memorize her face.

Finally she cleared her throat. “Mark said you wanted to talk to me.”

Jeremiah nodded.

“This has something to do with that guy Aaron who isn’t your cousin, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Is he one of the ones who’s trying to hurt you?”

“No, he isn’t. But he was sent to bring me back to Israel. I’ve been recalled, reactivated as a Mossad agent.”

“What?” Cindy gasped. Something like that had never even crossed her mind. “They can do that?”

“They can and they have. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s something big, something important or they wouldn’t be dragging me out of retirement.”

“But you are retired. You have been for a while. Don’t they have other people who can do what you did?”

Jeremiah grimaced. “Maybe, maybe not. I was especially good at what I did. They might need me for some other reason, my experience, expertise, contacts. I
don’t know and I won’t know anything more until I get there.”

“When do you leave?”

“In just a couple of hours.”

“Will you come back?” she asked.

The question hung in the air between them. He started to say something, then stopped. He dropped his eyes. “I’ll try,” he whispered.

“That’s not good enough.” She jumped to her feet, fear galvanizing her. “I’m not going to lose you, not like this. And I’m not going to spend weeks or months or even years wondering if you’re dead or alive. I’m not going to spend that time waiting for one of your enemies to finally come for me either.”

“Cindy, you have to understand-”

“No! I don’t have to understand.”

She felt like she was on fire and yet freezing to death at the same time. Waves of heat and cold chased each other through her body. She felt like her brain was whirling faster and faster and she couldn’t put her thoughts together in any way that made sense. All she knew was that if she didn’t do something she would probably never see Jeremiah again.

She stormed out of Mark’s office and headed for the backyard. She felt Jeremiah grab her arm, but she yanked free. She hit the backyard and made her way straight to Aaron who was playing with Captain.

The man looked up, saw her, and quickly stood. The smile disappeared from his face.

“Cindy, stop!” she heard Jeremiah as though he was a long distance away. She felt his hand descend on her shoulder, but she continued forward.

“You!” she hissed as she came to a stop in front of Aaron.

His eyes narrowed and he glanced over her shoulder, probably at Jeremiah, and then looked back at her.

“Is there a problem?” he asked.

“A huge one. Jeremiah isn’t going anywhere. He’s needed here. His congregation needs him. His friends need him. I need him. There are terrorists around who are just waiting for an opportunity to strike at us, and I’m not going to let him go off to Israel and get himself killed over something that I won’t even know what it is.”

“I haven’t been told why-”

“Even if you had it wouldn’t make any difference. I’m not letting Jeremiah out of my sight. Every time I do, bad things happen, and I refuse to be here sick with grief and worry waiting for some terrorist to kill me to get at him.”

“I’m sure your friend the detective can help keep you safe.”

“No one can keep me safe except for Jeremiah. And you know what? He needs me just as much as I need him.”

Aaron shrugged his shoulders. “I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do. Jeremiah must return with me to Israel.”

Cindy was shaking now, fury and terror flooding through her. She stared at him dead in the eyes. “Then I’m going, too.”

6

Mark gaped at Cindy. Everything was going sideways and spinning dangerously out of control. However this ended it wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Liam, Traci, get everyone else inside the house,” Mark ordered. Whatever was about to happen they needed to eliminate the wildcards from the equation.

“Okay, inside everyone,” Traci called, her voice trembling slightly as she got up.

There was shocked silence, but everyone followed her inside. Liam was the last in and he shut the sliding glass door behind him. Mark wished he was in there with them, but this was his house and the safety of the people there was his responsibility. Mark moved to join the trio who were all showing varying degrees of agitation.

“Cindy, what you’re asking is impossible,” Jeremiah said, his voice low, agitated, and his accent suddenly much, much thicker.

“Listen to Jeremiah. He knows what’s best,” Aaron said.

“Not right now he doesn’t. What’s best is for me to stick to him like glue. We always do our best work when helping each other.”

“Cindy, what I’ve got to do you can’t help me with.”

“You don’t know that,” Mark interjected. Jeremiah glared at him, but he continued. “You told me you have no idea what the mission is or why they need you. So, you really have no way of knowing that Cindy can’t help you, be an extra pair of eyes, another mind to bounce things off of.”

Jeremiah shook his head. “You have no idea what things will be like there.”

“People will probably be trying to kill her. As opposed to here where people will definitely be trying to kill her,” Mark said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jeremiah was angry, any fool could see that. He was also scared. Normally Mark would have backed away with his hands in the air, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

“I’m not taking Cindy with me,” Jeremiah said. “It’s too dangerous.”

Cindy crossed her arms over her chest and glared daggers at Jeremiah and Aaron. “I’m guessing it won’t be nearly as dangerous as what happens if you don’t take me with you.”

“And what would that be?” Aaron asked.

“I’ll fly to Israel by myself and search for you.”

“That is ridiculous, you would never find him,” Aaron argued.

“No, but I bet I’d find plenty of danger.”

Jeremiah flinched. Mark could tell that Cindy meant every word she was saying and the rabbi could tell, too.

“You hate danger,” Jeremiah whispered.

“Not as much as I hate the thought of losing you.”

Jeremiah reached out and pulled Cindy into a fierce hug. “No matter what I choose you won’t be safe,” Mark could hear him whisper.

Cindy didn’t say anything.

Mark looked at Aaron. “I’m guessing little things like getting a visa won’t be a problem,” he said somewhat sarcastically.

“For travel between our countries a visa can be obtained at the point of entry on arrival in Israel,” Aaron answered. “But to answer your question, it won’t be a problem. Obviously, though, I cannot guarantee her safety.”

Mark nodded as he tried hard to swallow around the sudden lump in his throat. He knew that he might never see either of them again, and even though he dealt with death and bereaved loved ones daily in his job it was still hard to imagine his loved ones being killed.