Debbie ViguiГ© [ViguiГ© - I Will Fear No Evil

I Will Fear No Evil

Other Books by Debbie Vigui

The Psalm 23 Mysteries

The Lord is My Shepherd

I Shall Not Want

Lie Down in Green Pastures

Beside Still Waters

Restoreth My Soul

In the Paths of Righteousness

For His Names Sake

Walk Through the Valley

The Shadow of Death

The Kiss Trilogy

Kiss of Night

Kiss of Death

Kiss of Revenge

Sweet Seasons

The Summer of Cotton Candy

The Fall of Candy Corn

The Winter of Candy Canes

The Spring of Candy Apples

Witch Hunt

The Thirteenth Sacrifice

The Last Grave

Circle of Blood

I Will Fear No Evil

Psalm 23 Mysteries

By Debbie Vigui

Published b y Big Pink Bow

I Will Fear No Evil

Copyright 2014 by Debbie Vigui

ISBN-13: 978-0-9906971-1-4

Published by Big Pink Bow

www.bigpinkbow.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Dedicated to my darling Schrdinger, and all the other black cats out there in need of loving homes. I pray they find them.

Thank you to Laurie Aguayo for her costume suggestion for Mark and Traci (Dick Tracy and Breathless Mahoney). Thank you to Kristi Hirtzel for her costume suggestion for Mark and Traci (Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart). Thank you to Chrissy Current for her costume suggestion for Geanie and Joseph (Morticia and Gomez Addams). Thank you to Serena Webb, Pam Weger, Katie Armistead, and Kylie Marie Bates for their suggestion of a Zorro costume for Jeremiah. Thank you also to my husband, Scott, my parents Rick and Barbara, and my dear friend Calliope for all their love and support.

Rabbi Jeremiah Silverman always felt a bit invigorated on Mondays. The beginning of his workweek always seemed rife with possibilities for both good and bad, and that always had him on his toes and feeling alive. Occasionally it also left him frustrated because he couldnt choke the life out of someone who deserved it.

This particular Monday was starting out with a bang, and it wasnt a good one at that. Already Marie had lectured him on three separate topics, none of which seemed of the least importance to him, even though they seemed to represent the end of the world to her. Four members of his congregation had come in to complain about the forthcoming Halloween festivities at the church next door. A father had dragged his son in for counseling after the boy had told his parents he didnt want to be a grown up and therefore was going to refuse to participate in any Bar Mitzvah activities. Lastly was the fact that Cindy seemed to be angry with him and for the life of him he had no idea why.

So when his phone rang and he discovered Detective Mark Walters on the other end he wasnt sure whether to view it as a welcome respite or a natural progression of the mornings chaos.

Detective, what can I do for you? he asked. He knew that it upset Mark that he was using his title lately, but it was hard since the events that had happened in Israel to let down his guard enough to express the intimacy of friendship by calling the man by his first name.

Rabbi, Mark growled, clearly in a worse mood than usual. I have a bit of a problem and I find myself in need of your particular expertise. I need your professional opinion on something.

Jeremiah hesitated. It was also more than a bit awkward now that Mark knew that his previous employer had been the Mossad. Now he was truly unclear if Mark was hoping to talk to the rabbi or the assassin.

Which professional opinion are you needing? Jeremiah asked cautiously.

Both of them, Mark said, sounding even more upset.

That cant be a good thing.

It isnt. Its probably one of the worst things Ive seen in my entire career and I need you to get down here now .

Alright, where are you?

Mark gave him an address and Jeremiah wrote it down.

Do you need me to bring anything?

Yeah. See if you can pick up one of the pastors from next door. I might need their opinion, too.

What has happened? Jeremiah asked, now growing alarmed.

I cant explain it. Youll see for yourself when you get here.

Mark hung up the phone without saying anything else.

With a sigh Jeremiah got up from his desk. Whatever was going on, it couldnt be any crazier than things had been around there that morning.

Are you okay? Geanie asked as Cindy Preston slammed her desk drawer shut.

Fine, Cindy grumbled.

Geanie snorted. Really? Thats the best you can do?

Cindy turned toward her. No, Im not fine.

Better. Care to tell me why?

The Halloween party, Cindy managed to spit out.

Okay, the one here at the church or the one Joseph and I are throwing? Geanie asked cautiously.

The one at your guys house, Cindy said.

You have a problem with our Halloween party? Geanie asked, sounding a bit bewildered and staring at her with huge eyes.

Cindy sighed and rubbed her forehead with her hand. Its not that I have a problem with your party. Im just having a problem because of your party.

Okay, now you really need to explain, Geanie said.

Its Jeremiah. I thought maybe we could coordinate our costumes.

Do a couple costume, yeah, sure. And the problem is?

Not only is he not that into the idea of dressing up, but he also doesnt seem to be interested in choosing a costume that would be conducive to me wearing something to match.

He doesnt want to do a couples costume and youre mad at him for it, Geanie said, the light dawning in her eyes.

Yes, well, no, but yes, Cindy said, frustration flooding her.

Or are you more mad that youre not actually a couple? Geanie guessed.

Im upset because things have been hard since we got back from overseas, Cindy said, still feeling cautious about mentioning that they were actually in Israel. Which in and of itself was weird. Everyone at Jeremiahs synagogue knew hed been in Israel in July. They all thought hed been dealing with family issues. And while they had dealt with family issues after all, that wasnt a good excuse for where Cindy had been and what shed been doing. Most people knew that shed had some sort of emergency in July and thats why she had disappeared, but only those close to them knew shed been in Israel with Jeremiah helping to stop a terrorist plot.

Even then there was so much she wasnt allowed to talk about with other people. There had been a swarm of government agents for both Israel and America that had sworn her to secrecy in every way possible. Still, a few people at least knew something about the truth. Geanie knew more than most. After all, she was the only one Cindy had confided in about the kiss between her and Jeremiah. Kisses. There had been multiple.

Now that they were home, things were awkward, though. Jeremiah clearly didnt want to talk about what had happened in Israel and maybe that was how he coped with it, but she needed to be able to talk to him about everything that had happened. Since theyd been back theyd only kissed a handful of times, too, and usually when they did Jeremiah managed to have a guilty look on his face which just made her more upset.

They couldnt talk about Israel. They couldnt talk about them as a quasi-couple. Frankly, anything they could talk about was boring and shallow seeming in comparison. If she had one more polite meal with him she thought she might throw a fit.