Read And Then Came A Lion (Lions and Lambs Book 1) for Free Online Page B

finished his business with the witch. No way would he just walk away and leave her unscathed.
    He sat up. Of course, she had to be one of those psychics he’d read about in the paper, the ones that were always helping the cops solve crimes. That had to explain how she showed up where she wasn’t wanted. With some thought and planning, he could turn that to his advantage.
    He lay back down, but sleep proved elusive. Ideas and images swirled around and around, each one vying for top billing in his carefully crafted scenarios of revenge and retribution.
    ***
    Palm Sunday, Susannah sat in the breakfast nook with fresh brewed coffee. She should be getting ready for church, but these precious moments of solitude were hard to give up. Sunlight poured through the large windows and the usual chorus of birds sang from the large shade trees. A few cottontails nibbled on the lawn. Geese and ducks flew overhead.
    Weekday mornings were a stressful dash for the door. It didn’t matter how early she set the alarm, the comedy routine of disasters began the moment her feet hit the floor. Errands and chores filled Saturdays, leaving only Sunday morning for lingering over coffee, gazing out the window. She could just read the Passion, say a few prayers, and call it good.
    She turned to the familiar scripture, and read the betrayal, the scourging, and the crucifixion. As if a dark veil lifted, she understood, with her heart instead of her mind. Jesus did not die for some faceless mankind. He died for her , in her place, atoning for all of her sins. He died for her anger, her hatred, her selfishness. She laid her head on the table and wept.
    Tears slowed to sniffles. She wiped her eyes with the palms of her hands. Church, she had to go even if it meant crawling all the way on her hands and knees.
    She ran upstairs to the bedroom, flung open the closet door, and grabbed the closest pair of pants and a blouse.
    Mark sat up, still bleary eyed with sleep. “What’s going on?”
    “I’m going to church.”
    “Now?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well, hang on. I’ll go with you.”
    “You’ll take too long to get ready. I can’t wait!”
    Mark slid from bed and disappeared into the bathroom. Susannah grabbed her shoes and headed toward the door.
    He reappeared, fully dressed. “We’ll still make it.”
    How many times had she heard him say those words?
    She resisted tapping her foot at every red light, refrained from urging the other drivers to get out of their way, and tried not to criticize Mark’s driving. She checked her watch. Services would start in five minutes. Better late than not at all, right? Wrong. She hated going in late.
    The church parking lot was almost empty. Susannah rechecked her watch. Service should be starting. Where were all the people?
    Mark parked and they both climbed out of the car.
    Susannah took his arm as they headed toward the front door. “I don’t understand. Why is the parking lot so empty? It should be overflowing by now.”
    Mark shrugged. “I don’t know, Honey. We didn’t miss a time change did we?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    A large sign at the front entrance announced there had been a change in the service time. Instead of being twenty minutes late, they were twenty minutes early.
    Susannah led the way down to their usual pew and sat. She bowed her head and closed her eyes.
    The choir sang the opening hymn. Susannah tried to concentrate, but her thoughts kept spiraling around the image of the crucifixion. She heard very little of the first reading and almost nothing of the second hymn.
    The pastor stood up, read the Gospel, and started his sermon. The words receded, falling away into silence.
    Susannah was no longer in church. She stood in a white void, but not alone. Jesus was there. He opened His arms and beckoned her. Without hesitation, she ran to Him, and snuggled into His embrace.
    She felt hard muscle beneath His white garment, felt the texture of the rough cloth as it pressed into her skin. All