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

He said this last statement with a wicked smile, then faded into the darkness.

Twenty-Seven

The atmosphere in the small funeral home was somber. So many people had come out for Jared’s funeral that they could not fit them all into the small sanctuary. Every pew was filled, and the walls were lined with people. Most of the attendees were police officers or those who had, in some capacity, worked with Jared. Old college friends had also come, as well as acquaintances from high school and younger.

The small room was decorated with flowers and pictures from his life. At the front of the room, the coffin rested, a large American flag draped across it. The viewing had been the day prior and his parents had requested that the casket be closed for the actual funeral ceremony.

In the front row, Dana sat with Steve, resting her head on his shoulder. He hugged her close, the image of brotherly comfort. Her tear-stained face was red from crying, her slightly tattered hair veiling her eyes from curious glances.

She had barely spoken since the incident in the city and Steve was worried. He was not, however, worried for her, but rather worried about what Jared might have said the night he died. Even though she was acting polite, there was always the possibility that she was toying with him, waiting for just the right time to spring a trap. Either way, she was a loose end. He did not like loose ends.

Steve did not hear much of what was said by the endless stream of family and friends who pattered on about his dead brother. It was not that he did not love his brother; he had loved him as much as he loved anyone. It was just that it was physically painful for him to sit here and pretend that he cared. Steve wondered if he had been born this way or whether the circumstances of life had fashioned him into the monster he had become. That was, however, a philosophical question for another time. Today, he had to do his best to bring out the waterworks and solemnize the death of a loved one.

He really did feel bad that he’d had to kill Jared. Deep down he had never held any ill will for his older brother. In fact, he had liked him. Even loved him. At least, he had stronger feelings for Jared than he had for anyone else in his immediate family.

Beside him, Dana shuddered. He stroked her shoulder with his fingertips, coaxing her to relax.

Dear Dana. What should he do about her? Should he kill her? Certainly, it would most likely come to that, but it was too dangerous to kill her now. One dead cop could be survived, but two dead cops in a week’s time, now that would cause too many people to take notice. So, for now, Dana lived.

She laid her head on his shoulder. He could feel her sobs rack her body. He held her tighter. Such a sympathetic friend.

It was mentally exhausting for him to be around so much emotion and grief. For years now, he had felt nothing when it came to normal human interactions. He knew what he was supposed to feel; he simply didn’t.

Anyway, the dark-haired woman beside him was beautiful. The thought of seducing her was not unappealing, but he did not have any feelings for her other than simple lust. Oh well, maybe he would toy with her for a while before he killed her. At least to find out what Jared had told her in the last moments of his life. Certainly, if she knew it was him who’d killed Jared, she would have had him arrested already. Right? The not-knowing was driving him crazy.

He squeezed her shoulder hard, and she pulled away from him.

“What the heck? Why did you do that?” she whispered harshly. Her red-rimmed eyes were angry. “That hurt, Steve. God!”

She rubbed her shoulder and turned away to bury her face in his mom’s chest and cry some more. Mrs. Caddret shot Steve an angry glance and mouthed for him to be quiet. He shrugged in mock confusion and turned away. He hunched over and placed his head in his hands, masking his anger with grief.

Someday he would kill his mother. He took solace in the fact that at least he’d taken her perfect son away from her. Yes, he may not have hated Jared, but by killing him, he had hurt his parents. That made him happy. He peered through his fingers at the casket and his father who was leading the service. So solemn.

Oh yes, his parent’s pain was glorious. After all, they deserved it for what happened to Hope.

“I know it hurts when loved ones are taken from us before their time, but we must always remember that God is good. This was not His plan for Jared, but I have to believe He will use it for His good,” Pastor Caddret said to the congregation. You could tell he was fighting back tears, but as always, his usual mask of pious conviction remained on his face.

His words infuriated Steve. God is good? What a joke. If God was so good, then why had He allowed Hope to die? If God was so good and all-powerful, why hadn’t He showed up when Steve had prayed those many years ago?

He had grown up on stories of how God waited to deliver people from evil, but when he had really needed God to show up, He had not. In fact, if his father had not been so preoccupied with God’s business, then perhaps he would have been home where he should have been, and Hope would not have died.

But for all his hot air, his father was right about one thing. It had not been God’s plan for Jared to die; it had been his. I guess God is not so powerful after all.

Dana looked over at Steve. His long