Garage Sale Diamonds (Garage Sale Mystery) by Suzi Weinert Read Free Book Online

pulled away in her husband’s car. She inhaled the warmth of this rare summery November day. Looking across at Donnegans’ house, she wondered which of Kirsten’s children owned the unfamiliar car parked in his driveway. From years as neighbors, she knew the children. Should she sympathize now or let them marshal energy for the ordeals ahead? She’d wait until she took dinner over later.
    Not a thoroughfare, their cul-de-sac drew few cars other than residents’, but nice days like this invited foot traffic. A man walked a dog around the circle, saying “hello” as he passed. A child whizzed by on a skateboard. A jogger raised a hand of greeting as he huffed around the sidewalk.
    Along the front yard’s wrought-iron fence, she spotted several dead, scruffy plants, an eyesore in an otherwise tidy yard. Why not take a few minutes to cut them back? She got garden gloves and plant scissors from the garage and knelt, snipping the spent stalks. Focused on clipping, she jumped when a deep male voice said, “Hello, Jennifer. You seem busy.”
    She looked up to see a neighbor who lived a few blocks away. He regularly walked this route, and they often chatted over-the-fence when she was outside as he strolled past. They’d exchanged names, as casually-meeting neighbors do. She stood to greet him. “Why, hello, Larry. Thank goodness you happened by. My old bones don’t kneel very long any more.”
    He laughed, “With old bones myself, I sympathize. What a perfect fall day for a walk; so warm, so beautiful. And how are you. Jennifer?”
    “I’m well, but do you know the Donnegans across the street?” He did, explaining Tony was their cat’s vet. Jennifer told him about Kirsten and he spoke of his own experience with families at his temple who had lost loved ones.
    “So you’re Jewish?” He nodded. On impulse she said, “Good. Then maybe you could help me better understand this old hatred between Arabs and Jews. Jason and I were talking about it earlier, and I have to admit more ignorance about all this than makes me comfortable.”
    “I’ll help if I can.”
    Jennifer put down her gloves and shears and leaned against the fence. “The media describe terrorism escalating in the Middle-East, and ‘Arab Spring’ hasn’t turned out the way our country hoped it might. Iran’s involved through Hezbollah and they’re Persian. If any of them plays a nuclear card, the world’s at risk. Do you know how this ancient Arab/Jew feud began?”
    “A very weighty subject, but I can tell you what I know.”
    “Thank you. Shall we sit on the front porch to talk? May I offer cookies, coffee, soda or wine?”
    Larry chuckled. “You’ve made an offer I can’t refuse. And I’m not even Italian.”
    They laughed as he settled himself on a porch chair. “What would you like?”
    “A glass of water would be fine,” he said.
    She returned with water and brownies for them both.
    Jennifer told him what went through her mind as she’d pruned bushes. “To outsiders, Arabs and Jews appear more alike than different. They share the same genetic origins in the same part of the world with similar traditions and culture. Both Muslims and Orthodox Jews separate men and women at social or religious gatherings, and the women cover their hair with scarves. Both groups practice circumcision. Neither group eats pork. They share many holy places. Why not brotherly comrades instead of arch enemies?”
    Larry gave a wry laugh. “Well, don’t forget real brothers often fight. Remember Cain and Abel? But some biblical history might help answer your question. Judaism was well established for several thousand years before Jesus came onto the scene. After that, Muhammad gave birth to Islam in 610 CE in Saudi Arabia. He wrote down religious wisdom he said he received from Allah, the one God. He drew heavily upon Jewish tradition, which he interpreted and modified from Torah stories for use in his Quran. The one-god idea was already a pivotal Jewish