DEATH (The Justice Cycle Book 1) by J Kiefer (best classic books to read TXT) 📗

Here in the Big Apple, you had the feeling that everything was just getting started.

As the two turned down yet another side street, a tall man wearing what appeared to be a musketeer uniform slowly approached them. Upon seeing the man, Jared stepped in front of Dana protectively. The man was probably just an actor promoting his theater group, but Jared’s cop senses were going crazy. By the way Dana stiffened up behind him, he could tell she felt the same.

The man smiled warmly and bowed to them as he approached, his face overshadowed by a large plumed hat.

“Monsieur and madame, how are you on this fine evening? My name is Renault.”

Jared could not put his finger on why this man bothered him so much. It was obvious he was just another street performer, but dread ran its cold fingers up his spine. For some strange reason, his hand went to the locket, which had grown inexplicably warm.

“Is there something I can do for you?” he asked.

The man put a finger to his lips in thought. “Hmm... Well, I am not sure. It is possible that you might be able to help me with some amusement. However, now is not the time for such, how you say, enjoyment.”

“Excuse me?” Jared frowned at the odd man. “I’m not really sure what you are talking about, and while I don’t mean to be rude, we have to be going.”

“Ah, you are not rude, mon ami. I only wished to introduce myself at this present time and to see you for myself. I have now done that, and I will be moving on to other endeavors.”

Neither of them relaxed until they were a good way farther down the street. Dana turned to look back at the man, but when she did, he had vanished.

Odd, she thought. How could he have turned the corner so quickly?

Jared was still frowning as they hurried away.

“You okay?” she asked him.

“Yeah, I’m fine. For some reason, that crazy Shakespeare guy put me on edge. I’m sure he was just some guy trying to promote some play, but something about him just took me as… off. Oh well, I guess that’s the city for you. The crazy people where we’re from are just of a different caliber.”

They both shared a laugh as they continued walking down the busy street, neither one noticing the dark shadow that followed.

Dana slipped her arm around Jared’s. She couldn’t believe this was happening. It was still so surreal to her, and she was afraid of messing it up somehow. A little voice warned her that this was all a dream, and when she woke up, everything between her and Jared would go back to the way it used to be. She pulled his arm closer to her chest.

Jared, feeling the renewed pressure on his arm, looked down and smiled at her. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking, is all.”

“About what?” he asked, scanning the road ahead of them.

“Nothing really. Can I ask you a question?” Her voice was small.

“Of course. Anything.”

“I have pretty much known you and your family my entire life. Heck, your parents are more like an aunt and uncle then just family friends. But, in all the years I have known you, I have never really understood why there is such a disconnect between Steve and your parents. I mean, your parents are two of the greatest people I’ve ever met. In fact, there were times when I was a kid that I wished they were my parents. They always seemed so perfect.”

Jared mulled that over. “My parents are... complicated. And they’d be the first to tell you they’re far from perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I love them to death, and I could not have asked for better parents, but just like all people, they make mistakes.”

Dana frowned. “Well, all parents make mistakes, but I never saw any evidence that your parents did anything that would warrant such outright hatred from your brother.”

Jared shook his head. “Don’t judge Steve too harshly. Things happened when we were both very young that we have never really talked about. It happened before our sister was born, and I am not sure if she even knows about it. The incident scarred Steve so bad that he was never able to move past it. I think he blames God for what happened more than he blames my parents, and that makes the divide between them even larger.”

“What in the world are you talking about? What incident? I have known you since I was ten, and I don’t remember anything like that ever being mentioned about your family.”

“It was before we moved to Greene,” he said, looking away painfully.

She could tell that thinking about it was difficult for him. She wanted to know what he was talking about, but she hated to see him so distraught. “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it right now.”

“No, it’s okay. I haven’t thought about it in such a long time. My family never talks about it for fear of my sister finding out. That, and I think on some level, neither of my parents have truly forgiven themselves for what happened.”

“They are ministers. Surely they know God has forgiven them.”

“Of course. But it is one thing to accept the forgiveness of God, and another matter entirely to be able to forgive yourself.”

Dana bit her lip. “What could possibly have happened that was so horrible that the ramifications of it are still affecting you all today?”

Jared’s eyes looked haunted. “When my parents were still young pastors, my Dad was very... intense about his duty to the house of the Lord. He didn’t ignore us or neglect us, but at times, he would be gone for what seemed like days. When Steve and I were about five and seven, my mother became pregnant. Since the church was still very young, it required a tremendous amount of work and faith to keep it going. My dad was there