stopped. Something in the tone of his voice commanded obedience. She turned and stared at him. His eyes were no longer deep and gentle but blazing, and his jaw was set.
“What is it?” Fear washed over her.
“The door.”
Slowly, she turned and looked. It stood ajar. Not much, just a crack, but it had been opened. Blood drained from her face. When she heard footsteps, she grabbed Jeremiah's arm. Someone was in her house!
3
W HAT DO WE DO?” CINDY'S VOICE QUIVERED.
“You're not expecting anyone?” Jeremiah asked.
She shook her head no and fixed eyes dilated wide with fear on him. I should call the police , he thought. It was probably just a common burglar, but the timing was suspicious, and it could be the murderer.
He could hear one person moving around in the room just inside the door. If there was anyone else in the house he couldn't hear them. He crept closer to the door, squatting down slightly and presenting his right shoulder toward the house. Just as he reached the door he could hear the intruder start to whistle.
Staying well to the side, he motioned for Cindy to get behind him. Her breathing came fast and loud. He pushed open the door. A man stood in the hallway. He shouted as the door opened, and Cindy screamed.
Jeremiah could see both of the man's hands, and they were empty. He vaulted through the doorway and reached the stranger in two bounds. He shrank back from Jeremiah and raised his hands to ward him off. Jeremiah grabbed theman by the shoulder and stopped short before slamming his head into the wall.
“Mr. Grey!” he heard Cindy cry. “What are you doing here?”
“You know him?” Jeremiah asked, without looking at her.
“Yes, he owns the house.”
Jeremiah released him and took a step back but kept his eyes trained on the other man's face.
“Cindy, what's going on here?” Mr. Grey demanded.
“I'm so sorry, Mr. Grey. We saw the open door and thought you were a burglar.”
The older man's countenance relaxed. “I'm sorry I frightened you. I'm here to do the maintenance on the air conditioning.”
“What maintenance?” she asked.
“I'm checking it before summer gets here to make sure the ducts are clean. I left a message on your answering machine last week.”
“I didn't get it,” Cindy said. “I'm sorry. Harold Grey, this is Jeremiah, the rabbi at the synagogue next door to First Shepherd.”
“Rabbi,” Harold said, offering his hand.
Jeremiah shook it warily, still not liking the situation. He noticed that after the initial surprise Harold wasn't looking either him or Cindy in the eyes.
“Mr. Grey, sorry if we scared you,” Jeremiah said.
“That's all right. I figured I would just slip in and check out the system while Cindy was at work so I wouldn't have to bother her. Speaking of which, is everything okay, Cindy?”
“A man was killed at the church, and Cindy found his body this morning,” Jeremiah said.
Harold jumped slightly. “Killed! That's terrible! Was it a church member?”
“No,” Cindy said. “I'm sorry, the police sent me home after they took my statement. The rabbi was kind enough to drive me,” she said.
All the blood drained from her face, and she started to rock slightly. Jeremiah jumped forward just in time to catch her as she began to slump.
“She's fainted. Help me,” he told Harold.
Together they carried her to the couch. Harold headed for the kitchen and returned with a cold, wet cloth, which Jeremiah used to bathe her face before putting it around the back of her neck.
Cindy's eyes fluttered open. “What happened?”
“You fainted, but you're fine,” Jeremiah said.
“Is there anything I can do?” Harold asked.
“No, I've got it,” Jeremiah said.
“I should probably go then. I was just about to leave when you two arrived. Cindy, is there anything I can get you?”
“No, thank you. I'm sorry, Mr. Grey.”
He patted her hand. “Just try and get some rest. We'll talk later.”
Jeremiah saw the older man to the
“What is it?” Fear washed over her.
“The door.”
Slowly, she turned and looked. It stood ajar. Not much, just a crack, but it had been opened. Blood drained from her face. When she heard footsteps, she grabbed Jeremiah's arm. Someone was in her house!
3
W HAT DO WE DO?” CINDY'S VOICE QUIVERED.
“You're not expecting anyone?” Jeremiah asked.
She shook her head no and fixed eyes dilated wide with fear on him. I should call the police , he thought. It was probably just a common burglar, but the timing was suspicious, and it could be the murderer.
He could hear one person moving around in the room just inside the door. If there was anyone else in the house he couldn't hear them. He crept closer to the door, squatting down slightly and presenting his right shoulder toward the house. Just as he reached the door he could hear the intruder start to whistle.
Staying well to the side, he motioned for Cindy to get behind him. Her breathing came fast and loud. He pushed open the door. A man stood in the hallway. He shouted as the door opened, and Cindy screamed.
Jeremiah could see both of the man's hands, and they were empty. He vaulted through the doorway and reached the stranger in two bounds. He shrank back from Jeremiah and raised his hands to ward him off. Jeremiah grabbed theman by the shoulder and stopped short before slamming his head into the wall.
“Mr. Grey!” he heard Cindy cry. “What are you doing here?”
“You know him?” Jeremiah asked, without looking at her.
“Yes, he owns the house.”
Jeremiah released him and took a step back but kept his eyes trained on the other man's face.
“Cindy, what's going on here?” Mr. Grey demanded.
“I'm so sorry, Mr. Grey. We saw the open door and thought you were a burglar.”
The older man's countenance relaxed. “I'm sorry I frightened you. I'm here to do the maintenance on the air conditioning.”
“What maintenance?” she asked.
“I'm checking it before summer gets here to make sure the ducts are clean. I left a message on your answering machine last week.”
“I didn't get it,” Cindy said. “I'm sorry. Harold Grey, this is Jeremiah, the rabbi at the synagogue next door to First Shepherd.”
“Rabbi,” Harold said, offering his hand.
Jeremiah shook it warily, still not liking the situation. He noticed that after the initial surprise Harold wasn't looking either him or Cindy in the eyes.
“Mr. Grey, sorry if we scared you,” Jeremiah said.
“That's all right. I figured I would just slip in and check out the system while Cindy was at work so I wouldn't have to bother her. Speaking of which, is everything okay, Cindy?”
“A man was killed at the church, and Cindy found his body this morning,” Jeremiah said.
Harold jumped slightly. “Killed! That's terrible! Was it a church member?”
“No,” Cindy said. “I'm sorry, the police sent me home after they took my statement. The rabbi was kind enough to drive me,” she said.
All the blood drained from her face, and she started to rock slightly. Jeremiah jumped forward just in time to catch her as she began to slump.
“She's fainted. Help me,” he told Harold.
Together they carried her to the couch. Harold headed for the kitchen and returned with a cold, wet cloth, which Jeremiah used to bathe her face before putting it around the back of her neck.
Cindy's eyes fluttered open. “What happened?”
“You fainted, but you're fine,” Jeremiah said.
“Is there anything I can do?” Harold asked.
“No, I've got it,” Jeremiah said.
“I should probably go then. I was just about to leave when you two arrived. Cindy, is there anything I can get you?”
“No, thank you. I'm sorry, Mr. Grey.”
He patted her hand. “Just try and get some rest. We'll talk later.”
Jeremiah saw the older man to the
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