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  She stood and pointed to the door, screaming, “Get out.”

  Hewitt stood, dropped his card on the table and walked to the door. “Perhaps I should have a chat with your ex.”

  Connie grabbed a wine glass and ran to the door. “You … ” She threw the glass, and it flew past Hewitt, shattering into several little pieces as it crashed against the door. She stood on her toes, pulled on the top of his shirt and swung with all her might at the tip of his chin. Hewitt grabbed her hand before it connected.

  “You want to add assaulting a federal agent to harboring a fugitive?”

  Connie ripped her hand away from his. “Screw you.”

  Hewitt turned his back to her.

  “You have it all wrong,” Connie said, sobbing. “I didn’t mean to lose the baby. I didn’t. I did everything I could.”

  Hewitt stopped, closed the door and then turned to face her. “I’m sorry. I know. I know.” He watched Connie continue to cry. “I shouldn’t have gone there.” He escorted her back to the kitchen table. “I’m not really a jerk. I just do my job well.”

  Chapter 12

  First-century Jerusalem

  Elizabeth cringed and grabbed her head. “Oh, this hurts,” she said, staggering to a nearby well to rest. She took a deep breath, drew some water up in a bucket and splashed it on her face. “Mom, I know. I know all about the danger. Yes, I know about Dad. He wouldn’t listen to me. I tried to explain it to him. He thought I was losing my mind. Just let me do what I have to do. I just want to get out of this awful place.”

  She looked into the distance and noticed a series of concrete homes that looked similar. It could be any one of these houses. The excitement of seeing Leah again was both joyful and mournful. She relished the thought of giving her a hug but was equally full of anxiety. She’ll think I’m some sort of freak. Will she run away? Attack me from fear? Will she think I’m a ghost?

  She bent down and patted the air. “Hey, boy, what are you doing here? I’ve got to run. Behave.”

  Elizabeth hoisted up another bucket of water. She cupped her hands, savored the moisture and repeated the process several more times. Leaning her head in, she lowered the bucket down.

  A hand touched her shoulder, and she jumped. She turned and saw Leah. Elizabeth smiled and reached for her, but Leah pushed her away.

  “It’s me, Elizabeth,” she said. “Do not be frightened.”

  Leah shook her head, turned pale and fainted.

  “Oh no,” Elizabeth screamed. She reached into the well and pulled the bucket back up. “Wake up, Leah. Here, I do not have time for this,” she said, splashing water on her face. “Snap out of it.”

  She tapped her cheeks a few times and cupped some water. Elizabeth dropped it on Leah and hit her face with short, swift slaps. “Wake up, please.”

  Leah blinked several times. Elizabeth continued to splash her with water. “Are you okay?”

  Leah mumbled a couple of words that Elizabeth couldn’t comprehend.

  “What did you say?” Elizabeth offered her water. “Drink this.”

  Leah held the bucket, staring. “You are alive.”

  “Yes. For now. We need to get going.”

  Leah stepped back, putting her hands in front of her face. “Are you a spirit?”

  “In a way,” Elizabeth said. “But I am as real as you are.”

  “You cannot be real,” Leah whispered, backing away. “I saw you take your last breath. We buried you. I visited you at your grave. You cannot be alive.”

  Elizabeth walked toward Leah. “I am. Feel my hands.” She extended them. Leah first moved away and then touched them, backing quickly away again.

  “You do not feel warm. You are cold. You are a spirit.” She backed up several steps.

  “No, Leah. I am not.” She picked up a sharp rock and cut the tip of her finger. Blood dripped out. “Look. I bleed. Just like you.”

  Leah touched Elizabeth’s hair. “We buried you. You cannot be my Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth opened the locket around her neck. “Matthew. You remember him. We spoke about him.”

  Leah blinked several times, shook her head and ran back inside her house. Elizabeth stood frozen as her stomach lurched. “I know, Mom. I don’t need a lecture right now. Yes, yes, I’m going back to Dad as soon as I help her. At least I know where her house is now.”

  Elizabeth grabbed her head. “Ugh. Not again.” She straightened up and rubbed her eyes. “I will do my best, Yochanan. I know how much you love her.”

  A noise nearby startled her, and she jumped behind the well. The line to the bucket shook and bounced back and forth. Roman soldiers with metal shields across their chests and shiny helmets on their heads pushed their way into nearby homes. They shouted and grabbed men and women, lining them up only a few yards away from Leah’s courtyard.

  Two soldiers pointed their spears at a man’s neck. The man held his arms in front of his face, screaming. Oh, God. Leah. She’s in danger. We have to get out of here. Her eyes scanned the outer area of the small community, looking for something to use as a weapon. She raced to the back of Leah’s house and grabbed onto the top of the shower stall, hoisting herself up onto the lower portion of the roof. She crawled down the ladder and stumbled to the second floor.

  She heard pots and cups crashing and breaking downstairs. Elizabeth crept down a few steps. She leaned and saw Leah struggling with a soldier, her face etched in horror. The soldier swung his spear, missing her head as she fell to the ground.

  Haven’t we done this before?

  Leah screamed.

  “Let her go,” Elizabeth yelled, racing down the remaining steps. She picked up a water jug and rolled it toward the soldier.

  He pushed Leah to the ground and leaped over it.

  The jug hit Leah in the back as the soldier chased Elizabeth back up the stairs. She climbed to the top and crawled toward the steep portion of the rooftop. The soldier took three big steps and lunged toward her. Elizabeth rolled out of the way and the Roman tumbled several feet, falling off the roof.

  She lay on her stomach and held onto the edges with her hands. She looked down and saw the soldier groaning, his helmet bent into his cheek, blood pouring from a big gash. Elizabeth took a deep breath and saw the ladder shaking. Eyeing the proximity of the roof to the ground, she prepared to make her escape with a leap.

  As two soldiers climbed up, one ordered, “Stop, woman!”

  Elizabeth held her arms up in a gesture of surrender. “Stick it.” She turned, held her breath and sprinted off the roof.

  Her legs stung as she fell to the ground. She protected her head as she tumbled several feet. “That wasn’t so bad,” she said, wiping off her legs as she looked around. “Leah,” she cried out.

  Elizabeth took several steps back inside the courtyard. “Come with me, hurry!”

  She turned to look toward the well as a sharp ping opened a gash on her back. She grimaced. A soldier grabbed her arm and spun her around. Another Roman pulled her hair and pushed Elizabeth to her knees.

  “Halt,” one soldier yelled, pointing his spear at her throat. Leah was behind them, her hands tied. She lowered her head as the soldiers picked Elizabeth up.

  Another Roman took his helmet off and sneered. He pulled back his arm, spear in hand. Leah struggled to get loose. A soldier struck her in the side of the head. She fell to her knees. A Roman on a horse galloped into the courtyard and put his arm up. He dismounted and grabbed the spear pointed at Elizabeth, pushing the threatening soldier away.

  “I am trying, Yochanan,” Elizabeth said. She struggled to get loose from the Roman holding her arms. “Where is the weapon, Yochanan? Tell me.”

  Chapter 13

  Modern-Day Long Island

  Connie stopped along Main Street and walked into a medical office. She watched a woman sitting on a bench, dabbing her eyes with pink tissues. The woman fidgeted and kept reaching into her purse, fishing her cell phone o
ut of the bag, looking at it and placing it back inside. She repeated this process three times before Connie looked elsewhere.

  She then stared at an old lady wearing a black overcoat holding a young girl’s hand. The lady had one arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulder whose face was mashed into her chest. Must be her granddaughter.

  In the far corner of the room, a man paced back and forth. He was talking quietly on his phone, wearing a big smile while holding a small teddy bear.

  Connie smiled. At least someone is happy here.

  She looked back at the woman with the cell phone issues. She was weeping. I wonder what’s wrong. I’ve seen that look before. I should probably get up and go talk to her. No, it’s none of my business. Would I want some stranger bothering me while my world was falling apart? Who knows what types of issues she has.

  The woman pulled two more tissues out of her purse and wiped her nose a few times. Connie sensed the woman staring back, so she lowered her head to avoid eye contact. She brushed a lone fuzzy off of her coat and looked up. She’s still crying. Poor soul. I wonder if it’s a guy problem.

  “Denise Ranakowski,” the woman behind a glass partition called out. The old lady and young girl went up to the front desk. A nurse greeted and guided them away.

  Connie moved over to the row of seats where the woman was crying. She sat two seats away and pretended to look at her phone. When the woman behind the partition left, she moved to the seat next to her. “What’s wrong?” Connie asked.

  The woman sniffled a few times and shook her head. “Everyone has a sob story, right?”

  “I guess. What’s yours?”

  “I shouldn’t say.”

  Connie leaned over and whispered, “I’ve seen that look before. I had it many days and nights after my husband left me. I wish I’d had someone to talk to during that time. Look, if you don’t want to talk, I respect that. But I’m here.”

  She nodded and wiped her face. “I look like crap.”

  “Don’t we all?”

  The woman laughed. “I guess you’re not a counselor.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “A counselor wouldn’t say that.”

  “What would they say?”

  The woman placed the tissues back into her purse and took a deep breath. “They would say, ‘Oh, you look fabulous. Life has so much to offer you. Focus on the wonderful things in your life.’”

  Connie grimaced. “I guess there are no wonderful things in your life?”

  “I’m sitting here, but my stomach is out the door. No job. Not a penny to my name. My boyfriend took off once I told him about the baby. My mother thinks I’m a slut, and my father isn’t around to help.” She shrugged. “I’ve got no one.”

  Connie was silent, waiting for her to continue.

  “So, I guess I’ve left you speechless?”

  “Not speechless. I was absorbing what you said.”

  “I guess you can become my new stranger.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Not a friend. Just someone who waves to you and asks how you are doing when they don’t really mean it. You see, since my friends and family heard I’m pregnant and not married, they treat me like the weather – fair.”

  “I’ll admit I used to judge people.” Connie shook her head. “But I’ve learned the hard way I have no right to judge anyone.”

  The woman pulled a big Hershey’s dark chocolate bar out of her purse. She unwrapped it and broke off a piece. “Would you like some?” she offered. “It’s healthy.”

  “I never turn down chocolate.” Connie took the piece and put it in her mouth.

  “This is my medicine, my new stranger.” She started munching on the remainder of the chocolate bar. “By the way, I’m Virginia,” she said, extending her hand.

  “I’m Connie,” she said, shaking it. “I’d need more than that small chocolate bar if I had your troubles.”

  “Well, Connie, since we’ve taken the next step of being best strangers forever, why are you here today? Or is that too personal?”

  “I had three miscarriages a long time ago. I’m seeing if it’s possible to have a child at my age.”

  “Really?”

  Connie looked at her. “I’m old. But I’m not that old.”

  “How old are you?”

  Connie laughed. “You don’t have any filter on, do you?”

  Virginia grinned. “No.”

  “You’re my kind of stranger,” Connie said.

  “Why would you want to burden yourself?”

  Connie looked down. “My ex and I went through a very difficult period in our relationship. It’s the reason why everything went south. Maybe I’m trying to alleviate the guilt I have.”

  “I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t feel guilty.”

  “I know. I know you’re right. I guess I’m trying to learn how to treat myself better. I guess we’re all still learning.”

  “You’re taking a brave approach to this.”

  Connie went to the vending machine and bought some M&Ms. She ripped the bag open and let a pile of them drop into her hand. “My turn,” she said, offering Virginia a few.

  “Why, thank you,” she replied.

  They chewed on the candy in silence for the next few minutes.

  “I’m not so brave,” Connie finally said. “You are. To deal with people abandoning you and raising the baby with all your challenges is admirable.”

  Virginia lowered her head and wiped her hands with some stray tissues. “I haven’t made up my mind whether I’m going to go through that hell.”

  “Can’t you get in touch with your boyfriend’s family?”

  “He’s an ex-boyfriend now. They want no part of me.”

  “What about other family? Other friends? A cousin? There has to be an aunt or an uncle or grandparent who can help.”

  “You would think there would be. But you’re the only one who’s listened to me about it without yelling and judging me.”

  Connie sighed. “Do you want to have the baby?”

  “Yes. But I want the baby to have a better life than me. I don’t want to worry about where the next meal comes from or whether I can afford to go to the doctor’s when my baby has a high fever. And we’re not even talking about paying for childcare or a babysitter if I’m able to find full-time work.”

  Connie stood up. “I need some more chocolate.”

  “Bring it on,” said Virginia.

  Chapter 14

  Hewitt sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the pictures lining the dresser. As his eyes scanned them one by one, his daughter’s voice rose inside his head and soaked his body with sadness. He reached for the picture, pushing his wedding ring away. He watched it spin and fall to the floor.

  He closed his eyes, remembering a summer day.

  I’ll push you, Hailey. Let’s see how high you can go. Up you go. Wow, how high you are. Look at you, my little girl. You are reaching for the stars, baby. Then it’ll be the moon. Then another galaxy. He could hear Hailey laugh. It softened the edge in his heart.

  “Look at me, Daddy. Look at me. I’m flying like a bird in the sky.”

  “I can see that. You’re an eagle gliding across the Grand Canyon.”

  Hailey smiled from ear to ear.

  He took a deep breath and stood. He picked up another picture of Hailey, her face covered in chocolate. Hewitt pressed the picture against his chest. “I am doing this for you. I will not fail.”

  He reached down and removed his socks. Straightening up, he lifted his arms pretending to shoot a foul shot. “Bingo,” he whispered as he tossed it into a laundry basket at the far end of the room. “I’ve still got it,” he said.

  Hewitt walked past a picture of them in Disney World. “I will break that pastor, no matter how long it takes, until he tells me the truth. I don’t care if God sends me to hell.”

  He turned to the walls behind
him. There were four detailed pictures of the Lady by the Bay Church interior with doors, windows and offices marked. Profile pictures of Michael and Elizabeth Stewart were hung beside it. Below Michael’s face, Hewitt had written several pointed thoughts about his personality. Under Elizabeth’s photo several friend’s names and phone numbers were listed.

  He struggled to think clearly, shaking his head several times as if that might remove the sorrow and anger and release him from his emotional stranglehold. I’ve donated my marriage to this job ,but I don’t care.

  Hewitt stayed silent, staring at his wedding day photo. No. I’ve dedicated my life to helping families find their sons and daughters. You were wrong, Veronica. Dead wrong.

  He shook his head. I know I can’t replace her, but every time I see a young girl, I see Hailey’s face. Every teenager I see, I see what she would have been. She should have had birthday parties with her friends. She should have been able to graduate from high school and go to college. I should have been able to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. We were robbed. She was robbed.

  Hewitt stared at himself in the mirror above the dresser. What good am I if I couldn’t protect my own child?

  Chapter 15

  First-century Jerusalem

  Go now, Michael implored himself. He raced out of the cave, his pouch dangling on his side as he bounced uphill and down. He passed a field filled with sheep and scattered the last group while heading toward a cluster of similar-looking homes. He tightened the pouch around his waist and fingered a sharpened wooden weapon inside his pocket.

  He pulled the top part of his robe over his head like a hoodie to conceal his identity. I hope Elizabeth doesn’t give Leah a stroke or heart attack. Leah has no idea Elizabeth has risen from the dead. That will either scare her or kill her. There’s no good ending to this.