“We serve a great God, David. Nothing is impossible with God.”
“You just said you sinned. You didn’t really mean what you told Debbie.”
“Of course I meant it! The fact remains David. Perhaps it was not meant to be revealed, or revealed at this time. But the fact remains.”
He stared her in the eye. “Why would God want Debbie to have six children? Her heart couldn’t take that.”
“God works out everything for our highest good, whether we understand it or not. There is a special plan for each one of his people. Each one of your six children will be here for a reason, just as you are here for a reason.”
“Hmm. So God can put them in a plane one day and drop them out of the sky?”
“David!”
“Well?”
“We live in a broken, sinful world, David. God’s ways are not our ways. How can I possibly know all the thoughts of the God of the universe? I trust God in everything, and with all my heart, and when I do, I know everything will work out for my highest good. That doesn’t mean there will be no pain. But any suffering I endure will be for my ultimate good. One day all tears will be dried.”
“I can’t lose Debbie, and I won’t lose her – that – that way.”
Cat tilted her head. They both knew David was not making his point.
“David, you won’t lose her. That’s why I told her that. So you would be comforted. The Precious Blood of Jesus protects you both. Your weapons and guns and black belts can only do what God allows them to do, ultimately. He gives you breath. He can take it away. A man betrays you. A man attacks you, but God sends his angels to protect you. When you trust and obey, when you seek Him and His Will with all your heart, you will find peace beyond all understanding.”
Glori
Debbie sat on the patio stairs wringing her hands when Cindy, Raphael, Cisco and I showed up. Cin rushed over to her. “Honey, are you okay?”
Debbie only nodded. Our attention went across the lawn to Cat and David yelling at each other in German. It would’ve been kind of funny if I only knew what they were saying. Raphael and Cisco looked amused. I figured it had something to do with their visit to the priest and minister.
It got a little heated, and Cisco headed over, but David got up from the dirt and came toward us with the same scowl that Cat had on her face.
Cisco grabbed him by the arm. “David, what’s going on?” Even though Cisco was just as built and even an inch or so taller, I thought that was a dangerous move on the secret agent.
“Nothing,” was David’s brilliant reply.
Cisco pulled him back, and instead of slugging him, or pulling out his gun, David grinned. Then he spoke up so Cat, and everyone else, could hear. “We’re trusting God with all our heart.”
“Uh-huh.” Cisco let go.
Debbie buried her face in her hands. “Thank you, Father God!” She started to sob. Cin hugged her, and when Debbie’s hands fell, she was smiling through the tears.
It dawned on me. When Debbie woke up in the hospital after her heart attack, she told the pastor she was looking for Cat the Prayer Warrior. I knew she was crazy. But our Cat was Cat the Prayer Warrior. Wow.
She was maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet, but Cat the Prayer Warrior had won over the devil’s agent with only a garden shovel and a Bible.
David proceeded to the patio and picked Debbie up in his arms and kissed her. “Let’s go visit Valentine at the stable,” he said like nothing happened. She beamed up at him, and they left.
Meanwhile, Cisco laughed at Cat sitting in the dirt. “What happened to you, Miss Mudpie?” He threw her over his shoulder, and she laughed like a kid. He drew her shovel out of the ground, and handed it to Raphael. “We really need that gardener now.”
David
It was the Tuesday evening before the wedding. Everyone was already exhausted, and many guests would begin arriving the following day.
Now routinely organizing Paulo’s entire schedule, Joe Harris had arranged for a private dining room at a nearby restaurant to celebrate. Everyone sat down to enjoy appetizers, drinks, and conversation. David excused himself and headed through the lounge to the restroom.
As he came through the door, he recognized Albert Santoro huddled with another man over a whiskey. Scanning the room, David counted seven others he recognized as Santoro’s associates.
Santoro’s eyes met his. “Henning!” He motioned him to the table enthusiastically. David shook his hand, and nodded to his colleague. “Sit down! Hey, Henning, where’ve you been hidin’? I heard you was dead.”
Santoro’s expression invited his friend to excuse himself from the table.
David grinned. “Still alive, Bert. I was on a little business trip.”
Santoro smiled appreciatively. “South America?” David nodded. Santoro looked interested. “You got anything good goin’ on?” He pulled out a cigarette. “Cuz business’s been tough lately, ya know? They got a shitload of guys. I kinda figured you was one of ’em. I was real lucky. I was outta town when the cops started roundin’ everyone up. They never caught up with me, though. So I been keepin’ a pretty low profile, if ya know what I mean.”
David sniffed. “Sure.”
“So how come you’re not with Darla and Sylvie no more? I seen Sylvie at the club a while back. Seemed worried, said she was pretty sure you was dead. Said you ain’t been around since Christmas. That true?” Santoro had suspicion in his eyes.
David grinned. “I learned a long time ago, never to tell anyone my business, Bert. Least of all, Sylvie. I’ve only been back a few days. But I’ve been pretty busy. And to tell you the truth, I’m not so sure I’m going back with her.”
“No kiddin’.” Santoro’s jaw dropped. He took a long puff of his cigarette. “Don’t tell me you’re sick of screwin’ her?”
David exhaled a cough, and shrugged. “It’s been well over a year.”
“Really?” His look of incredulity lapsed into a wide grin. “You’re a lucky bastard Henning. So let’s talk some business.”
“I think you might be interested.” David looked at his watch. “Look, meet me out back, in the alley. Ten minutes. You can see for yourself.” As Santoro nodded, David rose from his seat and went to the restroom.
Eduardo followed him in and checked the stalls. “So what’s the deal?”
“I’m meeting him in the alley out back in ten minutes. He’s got at least seven guys with him. There’s no time to get everyone out of the building, so we’ve got to get Santoro and his gang out of here. Call Pearson and meet me out back.”
Nita
I was aggravated Eduardo was gone so long. “He goes to find David, now he’s gone.”
Cisco and Raphael sensed there was some trouble. As their discomfort turned to uneasy conversation, we heard gunshots ring out. Screams and panic came from the crowd in the restaurant.
“David!” Debbie bolted from her chair to the front door, the rest of the family on her heels. Restaurant patrons poured onto the sidewalk, shrieking in terror. There were police sirens. I saw four men on the ground, each with a bullet to the head. I knew instantly there was nothing I could do for them.
Police officers waved the crowd back into the building. I told one of them I was an ER physician, and he asked me to stand by. Horrified and crying, Debbie screamed for David. Cindy tried to grab her, and she slipped out of her grip. Raphael caught her, and held her tightly as she became more hysterical. Her parents tried to calm her, to no avail.
Eduardo appeared from around the corner of the building, engrossed in conversation with two police officers. Camera flashes lit up the twilight.
At last David accompanied a scruffy, heavyset little man from the alley. Looking rumpled and bruised, the man loudly spit epithets and threats at “Henning.” With a wry smile David pushed him into a cruiser.
***
I went back into the building and found Raphael and Cisco bracing Debbie in a chair. Cat had her hands on her head, stroking her hair,
most likely praying. As the panic began to subside, I could make my voice heard. “Debbie, David and Eduardo are fine. You mustn’t worry.”
Then David was behind me, and he took Debbie in his arms. He directed us to leave by the rear exit. Eduardo stayed behind to oversee whatever it was they needed to do.
David
David drove in silence to the Bainbridge mansion. Debbie used the time to compose herself. This was the second time he’d put her in serious danger, in only a matter of weeks, and panic was eating away at his gut.
He carried her upstairs to her room, and set her on the bed, taking a seat beside her. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry you had to see that. I know it was traumatic for you. But those men were criminals who got what they deserved. Please try not to let this bother you.”
“It’s okay David. You mustn’t worry about me. I know they were bad people. And I know you’re a hero.” She hugged him.
He kissed the top of her head, and cradled her in his arms until she slept. Some hero. His nemesis Z was laughing at him from hell. There was no way to protect Debbie from the harsh realities of his world. But panic wouldn’t do any good for either of them.
And then he realized Cat had seen the attack on them in Carmel. A man betrays you. A man attacks you, but God sends his angels to protect you.
Z was stopped by angels, according to her. Protected by the Precious Blood. Was he losing his mind? Or was it real? He was back on the boat with the paintings. He’d said he’d trust God. How could he do that?
And what did the man betraying him have to do with the man – Z—who attacked him?
***
Early the following morning, David interviewed Albert Santoro at the police station. Uncooperative, Santoro continued the string of epithets he had begun the evening before.
David decided he was wasting time. He grabbed Santoro by the neck, raising him out of his seat and off the floor. He growled down at his gasping prisoner. “Now I’ve had enough foolishness. You’re going to tell me what I want to know, or you’re going to regret it. Understand?”
Santoro managed to convey his agreement. He threw him back into the chair. Santoro worked to recover his breath.
David took a seat across the table. “Who shot Eduardo Soares?”
Santoro replied with a gruff laugh. “For some Nazi cop that offed a U.S. Senator and a bunch of his bodyguards, you’re fuckin’ demandin’.”
David replied with a threatening stare.
Santoro was petulant. “I need a cigarette.”
“Sorry, Bert. This is a nonsmoking facility.”
Santoro jumped out of his seat, and brought himself eye to eye with David. “Listen, you asshole! I’m not afraid to get that story out to every fuckin’ TV station in the country.”
David stood up, and looked down at the top of Santoro’s head. “And I’m not afraid to snap your pitiful neck, and say it was an unfortunate accident.”
Santoro sat down. He tapped the table as he thought. “I got rights. My lawyer says I don’t need to talk to any cop.”
“That’s right, Bert. You can rot here the rest of your life.” David grinned in satisfaction.
“I thought he was some one of your guys. He just showed up, took up with Darla and Sylvie. Darla told me that he told her this Soares guy was in from New York, and someone oughtta take care of him. One of my guys did it. But he paid him. Not me! Okay?”
***
David found Eduardo in the conference room with Jimmy and Alain, celebrating Alain’s safe return with their morning coffee. He shut the door behind him, his expression erasing his colleagues’ smiles, and abbreviating a hug from Alain.
“We’ve got a problem.”
“What now? The flowers don’t match the dresses?” Eduardo’s half-hearted joke signaled exhaustion. He was about to have more pressing problems.
David sat at the table and momentarily put his head in his hands. He looked up at inquiring faces. “It’s Colonel Johnson. He’s the one who sold us out. I don’t have all the proof we’re going to need for Pearson. But I know it’s him.”
Shocked, silent faces met his gaze.
David continued. “And surprisingly enough he’s nowhere to be found. I’m told he’s on assignment. Who knows? But we can’t tell Pearson until everything is laid out.”
The ensuing argument on whether to tell Pearson about Johnson resulted in a decision to dig deeper before proceeding. The two had been close friends and colleagues for years, and they decided Pearson would not accept the idea without more concrete proof.
Debbie
I purposely removed the trauma of Tuesday evening from my mind. I told my friends that David is a hero, and thought to myself that they didn’t know the half of it. I lived for his phone calls and visits. But since he was busy with work and the wedding was coming up so fast, we couldn’t spend much time together. We both looked forward to a month-long honeymoon.
My parents were gripped by second thoughts after the gory violence, but they decided I would not survive a cancellation of the wedding. They were right.
Eduardo
“Golf? We’re playing golf?” David did not look happy.
“It’ll be a quick game, just a quick game, probably spend most of the time at the club drinking beer.” Eduardo had the dubious honor of ensuring the groom arrived at his bachelor party.
“Great. You remember the last time Raphael got us out to play golf? That had to have been one of the most frustrating days of my life. Who put you up to this? Raphael? Was it Raphael?”
Eduardo slowly, forcefully wiped his hand across weary eyes and sighed. “No! Raphael wasn’t even around when they made the plans. Papa and Papa Frederick, George, well they figured George would really like that idea. Plus all the old guys play golf. There are a lot of old guys comin’. And the younger ones, well they play golf for business. So they figured it would be a good idea. Plus it’s at George’s club, so it’s a nice place. Just don’t blame me! I’m just supposed to get you there.”
David shook his head, “I’m sorry Eduardo. It’s not your fault. I’m not big on parties. But we’ll get through it. I hope Debbie has a good time this evening.”
“Yeah, well last I talked to Nita, she still didn’t suspect. I hope she doesn’t have a heart attack when she sees that mob of women.” Eduardo laughed. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when she meets Sister Mary Manager.”
David laughed out loud. “I’m sure Sister Mary Grace will be favorably impressed. No doubt she’ll think God has, in fact, not turned his back on me.”
“Yeah. Marrying a saint oughtta get you some points. But I bet we still get our cheeks pinched before this whole ordeal is over. Nobody pinches cheeks like her! And then she’ll tell us how much she’s been prayin’ for our souls. How disappointed God is in us. Can’t wait to hear about how I’m damned to the eternal fires. Again!”
David sniffed. “Don’t worry Eduardo. I think you still have time to repent.”
“Repent? Sure. I’ll be repentin’ next week while you’re on your honeymoon. Sister Mary Manager will have me drivin’ her on her own personal tour of California. I’ll be repenting all the way to the Redwood Forest and back. Can’t wait.”
Glori
Cindy was in her bedroom hanging out her dress. I smoothed the silk, loving the soft rich feel of it. “It’s so pretty. You’re gonna be a beautiful maid of honor.”
“And you’re going to be a beautiful bridesmaid.” Cindy smiled. “This is really turning out to be quite the occasion. I can’t wait to see Raphael in his tux.” Her hand skimmed the soft lavender dress.
“Yeah. I wish I’d be seeing Alain in his uniform. Hmm. Six feet of muscle.” I faltered a bit.
Cin tried to steer me out of my slump. “Yes. I was surprised to hear the guys are wearing their uniforms for this. I guess Debbie decided on that.”
“Yeah. Hooray for Debbie.” I forced a smile. “Oh, I love a man in uniform.”
“Well, we better get downstairs. They
probably need our help. Mom was really getting nervous this afternoon. I mean we’ve had some important people here for dinner, but all these people are from all over creation. We haven’t hosted anything like this before.”
“Yeah well, I think it’ll be fine. And whatever it was Raphael told the landscaping company, boy I never thought this place could look like this. I mean, not that the gardens weren’t beautiful before, but now it looks like fairyland or something with all the flowers and everything.”
“Oh I know! He really has a talent for that stuff,” Cindy said proudly.
“So what are you telling Debbie to get her here all dressed up?” We headed out to the patio.
“I just told her we’re having a little party for her with the bridesmaids. Sally probably has her dressed already. She knows something’s up. But I doubt she has any idea of the magnitude of it.”
“And the guys are stopping by after their party?”
“Yeah! I guess they thought since so many of them just arrived they wanted to make it kind of a simple evening. So they expect to be here for dinner.”
“So David isn’t one to go out tearing up the town before the big day, huh?” I snickered.
“It didn’t sound that way according to Cisco and Raphael. And I guess since no one has seen him or Eduardo for three years, they thought it would give them more time for visiting. Besides, why chance another episode like the other night?”
Chapter Twenty One
Debbie
Daddy muttered to himself as he adjusted his jacket, and glanced one more time into the full-length mirror. He saw me watching him in the reflection and turned to face me. “Debbie, dear, you look stunning in that pretty blue gown. Just like an angel.”
Killer Cupid (The Redemption Series: Book 1) Page 23
