God was watching him, and Abraham would not disappoint his master. He would distinguish himself more than any diviner before him. His reward would be greater. His celestial rank would be higher. His name would be praised before angels and men alike. This was not pride on his part. It was God’s will.
The day was coming soon when the Blessed Nephilim would redeem the world from the Fallen who now overran it. Men had forgotten how to fear the Lord. It was Abraham’s destiny to remind them. Metcalf carefully returned his treasures to their compartments. “In hoc signo vinces,” he whispered, shutting the safe behind him.
Chapter 13 – Destiny’s Child
Ever since Cassie floored the gas pedal to get away from that crazy old woman, her world had been spinning out of control. Every solid fact that she thought she knew about Sybil had been overturned. She could dismiss it all by saying that Faye had lied to her. That Sybil was a fine, upstanding citizen who bought and sold antiques. That she lived an absolutely ordinary life and never engaged in anything remotely risky. It was impossible for Cassie to believe that now. Too much had happened in the past weeks that defied explanation.
Not just about Sybil but about Cassie herself. The nightmare that accurately predicted her sister’s death. The stone ruler that was stolen right before her eyes. Sybil’s last letter to her. Everything Faye had told her. If that weren’t enough, there was her encounter with the woman in white and her magic bowl. Cassie didn’t know what any of it meant. She needed time to put things in perspective. To let the dust settle and see where it landed. In an effort to distance herself from the problem, she decided to do something a normal person might do. Talk to a friend.
The bell above the shop door jingled discretely when she walked into the antique store. At first, the memories of her last two visits hit her like a wave. A man with a gun, her sister falling, glass shattering, police swarming.
She took a deep breath and put on a brave smile. “Hi Rhonda, how are you?”
“Oh, sweetie, come here.” Her sister’s business partner rushed forward to embrace her. She was a motherly sort. Full-figured, in her fifties, with cropped black hair streaked with grey. She had a gentle, sympathetic face. The kind that encouraged confidences. At the moment, the concerned expression on Rhonda’s face made Cassie’s eyes well up with tears. The girl sternly ordered herself to think about newspapers, postage stamps, anything mundane. No more feelings for now.
She stepped away from the older woman. “I’m OK, Rhonda. Don’t worry about me.”
The concerned look didn’t go away. “Are you sure?” Rhonda peered at her closely. “You look like you haven’t slept for a week.”
Cassie grinned sheepishly. “That would be about right, but really I feel OK.” She changed the topic. “How have you been?”
Rhonda’s eyes swept the shop. “Coping. It took a while to clean up the mess the police left. I think they’re done hovering and asking questions. They seem satisfied that it was attempted robbery and that Sybil’s death was an accident. I’ve beefed up the security system, and that’s about all I can do.”
“Do you think they’ll ever catch the guy?” Cassie asked bleakly.
Rhonda sighed. “They didn’t have much to go on. No physical description. No eyewitnesses. I’m not too hopeful.” She put her arm around Cassie’s shoulders. “Come on over here and sit down.” She led the girl to a spare chair behind the counter. “We haven’t had a chance to talk since …” she trailed off.
“I know,” Cassie said quietly.
“Would you like a bottle of water or something?”
“A can of soda if you’ve got any.”
“Sure thing.” Rhonda bustled to the refrigerator in the back room.
Cassie looked around the shop. The glass case had been replaced. No sign of anything being shattered—anything other than her own psyche. Everything was exactly as it should be in this upscale antique shop located in this high-toned boutique shopping district.
Rhonda handed Cassie her soft drink and pulled up a chair beside her.
“How’s business?” Cassie flipped the tab on the can. It made a hissing sound.
Rhonda laughed ruefully. “A little slow, as you can guess. None of the usual customers wanted to appear morbidly curious, so everybody stayed away for a while. Now things are getting back to normal.” She focused her attention on the girl. “Seriously, Cass, what are you going to do now? I know your sister would want you to stay in school.”
“I know she would too.” Cassie sighed. “But it’s not that easy. I feel like I’ve just been sucked down into a whirlpool. I can’t get a grip on anything. I don’t even know which end is up right now. I think I need some time to get my bearings.”
Rhonda patted her knee. “Of course, of course. That makes sense.” She paused as a thought occurred to her. “You know that you’re my partner in the business now.”
Cassie felt startled. She hadn’t stopped to think about her sister’s will. Everything had been left to her. Between stocks and bank accounts, it had turned out to be a considerable amount of money. Enough to let her skate awhile without having to get a job or make any major life decisions. She’d forgotten about the joint ownership of the store.
“Do I owe you any money?” she asked warily.
Rhonda laughed. “Hardly. Your sister paid cash to buy her share.”
Cassie took a sip of cola, considering the matter. “I don’t think I want to keep her interest in the store. Too many bad memories.”
The older woman nodded. “I understand. If you want me to
