House of Ghosts (49 page)

With the opening of the rear door of the hearse by the funeral director, Jake and Alex slid a plain pine casket out on the Cadillac’s rolling mechanism. The six pall bearers took hold of the traditional vessel for Orthodox Jewish burial. With nothing but bones, the octogenarians had little trouble carrying it to the gravesite and placing on the lowering device. Rabbi Abramowitz didn’t move.

Joe did a double take. A wood cross was affixed to the casket’s lid. Younger than the Faction members, the priest stepped to the grave. “
Non inters injudicium servo tu
.” He cleared his throat. “May you deserve to escape the avenging judgment, who, whilst he lived, was marked with the seal of the holy trinity.

“O God, we humbly present our prayers to thee for the soul of Vincent Sapienza, beseeching thee not to deliver it into the hands of the enemy, nor to forget it for ever, but to command thy holy angels to receive it, and to bear it to paradise, that as it has believed and hoped in thee it may be delivered from the pains of hell and inherit eternal life through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Amen,” was said collectively.

“We are all soldiers of God,” he intoned, anointing the casket with Holy water. “All of us fight the good fight of life, and Vincent gave his life so others he didn’t know might survive.”

”The casket was lowered. Jake led the pall bearers back to the hearse. Sheldon Abramowitz shook hands with the priest. “Act two,” Joe whispered into Kim’s ear. “Jake is full of surprises. I can only imagine how he pulled off burying a Catholic in a Jewish cemetery.”

Jake and Alex inched the second pine casket to the edge of hearse’s bumper. Straightening their aged backs, the Faction brothers snapped to attention as Paul’s remains were delivered into their hands. The procession proceeded back to the gravesite, this time at a snail’s pace.

Sheldon began to chant,
“El maley rachamim shochen bam’romim hamtzey menuchah nechonah al kanfey haschechinah bema’alot kedoshim ute’horim kezohar harakia me’irim umazhirim lenishmat. Shehalach le’olamo ba’avur shekol beney hamishpachah, yedidim umakirim mitpalelim le’iluy nishmatobegan eden tehey menuchato lachen ba’al harachamim yastireyhubeseter kenafav le’olamim. Veyitzror bitzror hachayim et nismato. Adonai hu nachalato. Veyanuach beshalom al mishkavo venomar, amein.”

“Amen,” Joe and the others answered.

“God full of mercy who dwells on high, grant perfect rest on the wings of your divine presence in the lofty heights of the holy and pure who shine as the brightness of the heavens, to the soul of Pinchas ben Avram who has gone to his eternal rest as all his family and friends pray for the elevation of his soul. His resting place
shall be in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for him under the protection of his wings for all time and bind his soul in the bond of everlasting life. God is his inheritance and he will rest in peace and let us say, amen.”

Sheldon placed his hand on the casket. “Welcome home my friend.” Tears rolled down his face.
“Yeetgadal v’ yeetkadash sh’mey rabbah. B’almah dee v’rah kheer’utey. V’ yamleekh malkhutei, b’chahyeykhohn, uv’ yohmeykhohn. Uv’chahyei d’chohl beyt yisrael, ba’agalah u’veez’man kareev, v’eemru amein.

“Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which he has created according to his will. May he establish his kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire house of Israel, speedily and soon, and say, amen.”

There was a muted response. The sound of noses being blown filled the air. The supporting straps were released. Paul’s casket slowly descended. A dull thud was heard as pine met pine. One by one, the Faction members dropped shovels of earth into the grave. Jake wrapped his arms around Joe. “We’re going back to the old neighborhood and have a bite at Katz’s.” He wiped his eyes. “We’ll be honored if you and Kim attend the last meeting of the Faction.”

Kim finished wiping her eyes with a tissue. “Let me have it,” Joe said, “Despite what they say, I’m human. I need to blow my nose.”

“Lieutenant Henderson, I want to apologize,” Dave Cohen said.

Joe wiped his nose, crumpled the tissue, and placed it in his pant pocket. “You owe me six and a quarter for the eggs and coffee.”

House of Ghosts

on the web…

 

Learn more about author Lawrence Kaplan and Detective Joe Henderson on the web.

 

 

LAWRENCE KAPLAN,
Author

Contact the author, keep up to date with press coverage for House Of Ghosts, and learn where to meet Larry Kaplan in person. There’s a Forum where you can talk with fellow readers about House Of Ghosts and explore the history behind the story.

http://www.lawrencekaplanauthor.com

 

 

JOE HENDERSON,
Detective (Retired)

We persuaded Detective Joe Henderson to post his own web site. Which was quite a challenge for a fictional character! If you enjoy Joe Henderson, this is where you can get more of his observations about life and love, and you’ll discover why he really doesn’t like author Kaplan very much at all. You can even buy a Joe Henderson mug or t-shirt.

http://joehendersondetective.com

 

 

Published by
W
ESTFIELD
P
RESS
Doylestown, PA
http://wkpublishing.com