Chesapeake Crimes by Donna Andrews & Barb Goffman & Marcia Talley

Author:Donna Andrews & Barb Goffman & Marcia Talley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, crime, murder, detective, sleuth
ISBN: 9781434448941
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2012-04-11T16:00:00+00:00

THE LORD IS MY SHAMUS, by Barb Goffman

You’d think after all these years, I wouldn’t be nervous in his presence. Yet my sandals shook as I approached the swirling cloud.

“You asked to see me?” I crooked my head, trying—but failing—to spot him through the mist. Why was he always such an enigma?

“Yes.” His booming voice echoed. “I’m sending you back to Earth to do some investigating for me.”

“Investigating?”

“A man has died, and I’d like you to probe those who knew him best. Find out what happened.”

Now I know better than anyone that it’s not my place to question God. He has his reasons for what he does. But come on. He’s omniscient. Why would he need me to investigate anything for him?

“Umm…okay,” I said. “But don’t you already know what happened?”

He chuckled. “Well, yes, I do. But you of all people understand suffering and the need to know why it happens. So I want you to help this man’s family by looking into his death and encouraging the killer to admit his sins and repent.”

“The killer? You mean—”

“Yes. This, Job, is murder.”

* * * *

In a blinding flash of light, I found myself in a city. Based on the accents, I figured it was Manhattan—though it could’ve been Miami or Fort Lauderdale or, really, anywhere in South Florida. I took a moment to take in the sights. Tall buildings. Automobiles zipping by. And the women walking around immodestly in a state of undress. Bare arms and legs and, in a few cases, midriffs. I knew how the Earth had changed during my years in the afterworld—I like keeping up on things—but actually seeing it in person? Oy vey!

I glanced down and noticed that my apparel had changed, too. Now I was wearing modern clothes: khaki pants and a pale blue polo shirt. I combed my fingers through my hair. Shorn! My long flowing locks were gone. Cropped to my ears. I raked my fingers over my face and breathed a deep sigh of relief. I’d been allowed to keep my beard, though it apparently had been trimmed and combed. I know I shouldn’t care about my appearance, but after you’ve had the same look as many centuries as I have, you get kind of attached to it.

I turned left from the street corner. The avenue had been busy, but this side street was quieter. Trees and brownstones. A good place to think. My mind drifted back to God. He’d apparently changed my appearance so I’d fit in. And he’d dropped me in the victim’s neighborhood, I gathered, so I could get started straight away. But he couldn’t be bothered to tell me the killer’s name so I could quickly get him to confess and repent? That I had to figure out on my own?

I rolled my eyes. (Yes, I’d atone for that later.) Thousands of years had passed, but the Lord still liked to play his little games. I guess when you’re all-knowing, yanking my chain helps keep things interesting.

I

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