For His Name's Sake (Psalm 23 Mysteries) by Debbie Viguié Page B

choice, that kept coming back to torment him again and again?
    And once again he was reminded that Paul had instigated it all, right before he went off and got killed by one of those very assassins.
    “You okay?” Liam asked.
    “No, I’m not,” Mark said. What was it they said about the truth setting you free? If that was the case, why didn’t he feel any better for admitting that?
    He stood up abruptly. “Let’s get moving. The wedding’s a week from tomorrow. That’s all the time the killer has which means we have even less.”
    “Understood.” Liam sat down at his desk and immediately picked up the phone.
    Mark grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, trying to shake the bad feeling that seemed intent on lingering and the images that kept replaying themselves like some hellish movie over and over again in his mind.
    “It’s all going to work out,” he muttered as he got into his car.
    It had to work out, anything else was unacceptable, even if it wasn’t unthinkable.
    He was headed to Joseph’s. He had told him noon, but some things just wouldn’t wait.
     
    “Thank you again,” Joseph said as he and Jeremiah stood still while tailors took measurements.
    “For what?” Jeremiah asked, glancing down as one man tugged on his left pant leg.
    “Where do I begin?” Joseph said with a shake of his head. “Being there for me, watching out for all of us, agreeing to be my best man, you name it.”
    “That’s what friends are for,” Jeremiah said, forcing a smile. It had been a long time since he was fitted for a suit like this and the sensation brought back a lot of memories, some good, most bad. At least Joseph had excellent taste when it came to tuxedos. These weren’t just any tuxes. They were Armani that had been brought in especially for the wedding.
    The other two groomsmen were going to be in that afternoon for their fittings. Jeremiah knew Joseph had wanted to have this taken care of all as a group, but plans had changed since the bombing of the bridal shop. Improvise was the word of the day. He just hoped that it didn’t end up becoming the word of the entire wedding.
    “So, tell me about the bachelor party,” Joseph said, trying and failing to sound disinterested.
    Jeremiah shook his head. “Nice try, but I’m afraid those plans are top secret.”
    “It’s not going to be anything...you know...inappropriate, is it?” Joseph said, looking slightly worried.
    “I’m a rabbi, how much trouble could I get you into?”
    “A lot,” Joseph said without missing a beat.
    Touché , Jeremiah thought. “I promise, nothing you’d be embarrassed to tell Geanie about.”
    “Good,” Joseph said, looking immeasurably relieved. “I’m trusting you on this.”
    “Is that why you made me best man and not one of your other friends.”
    “No,” Joseph said, a little too quickly. “Okay, the thought had crossed my mind, but to be honest, you and Cindy really are my best friends at this point. And, well, Geanie called dibs on Cindy.”
    “Just as well. I’d look terrible in a dress,” Jeremiah joked.
    “Ah, but I would pay good money to see that and laugh.”
    It was good that Joseph was keeping it together. Given what was happening the man could easily go to pieces and that would help no one, least of all Geanie.
    The tailor jabbed Jeremiah with a pin and he bit back a sharp retort. Instead he cleared his throat and changed the subject. “So, it occurs to me that I’m your best man, and yet there are still things I don’t know about you.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like what you actually do for a living?”
    Joseph laughed. “You’re not the first to have trouble figuring that out.”
    “So, is it a deep, dark secret then?”
    “Quite the opposite, actually. I oversee my investments, although most of the heavy lifting in that regard is done by other people. Same holds true for the companies I own thanks to my family. Most of my time is spent working with different charities,