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Of course, I wasn’t going to say any of that. “What happened?” I asked instead, over the top of the upset murmurs of the other men.
The officer glanced over at me. “His cause of death has not officially been confirmed, but all signs point to foul play. We believe him to be murdered. Strangled in the same way of Father—”
“Jones,” Byron said on a hushed whisper. “Father Jones was strangled. God rest his soul.”
We all made the sign of the cross hastily. Me, because any mention of Jones and his penchant for altar boys made my skin crawl. He’d been my first kill, and frankly, it was a little annoying to not be able to brag about it. If they all knew what he’d done, they’d be throwing me a parade for removing his pathetic existence.
Officer Johnson nodded, mouth pulled into a grim line. “Yes. One murder we wouldn’t make any assumptions, but two priests gone, and we have to consider that your profession is being targeted.”
I fought back the urge to scoff. I was hardly targeting the profession. The profession was just fine. But Jones had a computer full of rage-inducing images of children doing things no child should ever be forced to do. And Collier? Well, that teenager who had come to confession, crying and thinking she was the problem? I couldn’t allow him to do that again.
It was dramatic of them to assume I was some sort of priest serial killer though.
“We’d like you all to consider not going out alone, or at night. I’m recommending security be increased at all sites…”
The officer droned on with his warnings, but I’d already lost interest and was ready to wrap this thing up.
“There’s no need to fear, brothers. If we are good and true at heart, God will see that and protect us.”
The officer frowned in my direction, but the others all nodded at my words.
“Father Zepherin is right. The Lord will see the danger and protect those who believe.” Byron tipped his head in my direction, a silent show of appreciation for my efforts to calm the men.
Even after years of training, I found statements like that difficult to comprehend, but I truly knew no one here, doing the right thing, had anything to worry about.
I pushed to my feet, regarding the men remaining in the room. “I have other obligations tonight, gentlemen. If we’re done here, I need to be on my way. We have a new cleaner starting, and I need to be there to show her around.”
Father Byron glanced at Officer Johnson, who dismissed me with a flick of his hairy hand. I shook my head in wonder as I left the room. Was that what I had to look forward to in my later years? Growing copious amounts of hair in places I didn’t really want it? Odd the things you don’t notice, until you do.
I drove straight to a store I knew stayed open late and grabbed a cart from their designated position near the entrance. Leaning heavily on the handles, I meandered around the store, buying gloves and snacks and drinks for Lyric. There were few people here at this time of night, but I took my time, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep once I went home anyway.
My little church in Providence was cloaked in darkness when I arrived. The daycare had long closed, and all masses had been wrapped up hours earlier. All parishioners had left the premises, and I was officially off the clock until I had to meet Lyric in the early hours of the morning.
My heart stopped when I spotted her, waiting on the doorstep, her face lit up only by the dull light of her phone. I stopped in my tracks. “What are you doing here?”
She jerked her head up. “’Bout time you showed up. I’ve been knocking for ten minutes. I was just about to call you!”
I checked my watch, but it definitely said 9:00 p.m. “I thought you were coming after your shift?”
“I left a message on the church’s answering service. Eve said I could start late. The place has been dead lately, so she has it covered. I assumed you’d be here.”
“I didn’t get your message. I’m sorry. I was out.”
She eyed the shopping bags clutched in my hands. “Clearly, but no harm, no foul. You do your own shopping?”
I squinted at her. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
She looked me up and down. “Honestly? I kind of thought people would just bring stuff to you. Like all your God-loving groupies who live to serve you. Or you’d have some…heavenly messenger who delivered.” She laughed at her own ridiculousness.
It amused me, too. “I do consider Uber Eats a heavenly messenger some nights.”
She grinned. “Me too. Man, me too. Nothing better than getting Thai food delivered to your door at eleven at night when you have a craving.” She rubbed at her bare arms briskly in the cool night air. “So, I can start now, right? You aren’t going to make me come back at our scheduled time?”
I narrowed my gaze on the goosebumps popping up on her bare skin. She was dressed in casual shorts and a T-shirt, one with bleach spots giving away they were her cleaning clothes. But it wasn’t summer anymore, and though it rarely, if ever, snowed in Providence or Saint View, that didn’t mean you could get wear beach gear year-round.
“You’re cold,” I accused, ignoring her question.
She glanced down at her arms wrapped around her middle. Like her posture was a surprise. “A bit,” she admitted. “But I’ll warm up as soon as I have a mop in my hand. Want to give me the lowdown?”
