Page 20 of Blessings in Disguise

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Caleb got home an hour before his next client was due. He was still riding high on the night he spent with Gemma. Her face swam before him in a myriad of scenarios: her taking off his clothes, him kissing his way down her body and that glorious moment when they came together.

For a minute, he felt guilty about his joy. Thoughts of Harlan, of the boy and the dragon, still plagued him, but he’d had another session with the boy and he stated firmly he wasn’t suicidal.

His phone rang. He had to answer because it could be a client. It could be Harlan. “Caleb Shepherd.”

“Dr. Shepherd, this is Chief Olson from Binghamton PD.”

His heartbeat sped up. “Yes, Chief.”

“I have new information for you about the bombing of your church. I know I said the trail went cold but that didn’t sit right with me so I kept on digging. I’m sorry to tell you that we think your youth pastor, Saul Jacobs, was responsible for planting the bomb. He had help, too, but we don’t know who. We don’t think anyone else in the congregation was involved, though. I’ll email you the full report.”

“Is he in custody?”

“We’re still searching for him.”

All the good energy from before drained from Caleb. His limbs went weak. He was catapulted back to that awful day when his parishioners, his friends, blew up in front of him. He could still hear the blast, smell the acrid smoke, almost feel himself stumbling back on the altar. Then the stark confirmation came that the majority of his congregation, adults and kids, was just…gone.

“Dr. Shepherd? Are you still there?”

He came back to the present. “I’m afraid I’m in shock.”

“Understandable. Do you mind if I ask if you had a good or bad relationship with Saul Jacobs?”

“I thought it was good, but I found out later he was having an affair with my wife.”

“Hell, we didn’t know that.”

Caleb said nothing.

“Do you have questions?”

“Let me read the report first, then I might.”

“Wait for my email then. I’m sorry, Pastor.”

“Yeah, so am I.”

Feeling numb, Caleb dropped down on his couch.

* * *

Gemma sat in an afternoon staff meeting and couldn’t keep herself from daydreaming. God, her time with Caleb had been wonderful. Physically, of course, but she and Caleb connected emotionally. The intimacy had been deep and still made her shiver. She had to make time to talk to Ryan today and break things off.

“What do you think, Gemma?”

She tuned back in. Oh, dear. “I’m sorry, Jackson, I have a lot on my mind. What was the question?”

“Are you free next week on Thursday afternoon? I’d like to have a staff outing.”

She quickly checked her tablet. “I am.”

“Great. Okay, everybody. That’s it. Thanks for all you do here.”

Jackson was smiling when she waited afterwards and he dropped back down into a chair. “That’s unlike you,” he said in a teasing tone. “Is there a new man in your life?”

“Did you talk to Maisy after our lunch?”

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