Page 130 of For I Have Sinned

Chapter 41

Father Alexander

I stand halfway in the door to my office as the police talk with Father Keaton. They tell him they received an anonymous call reporting an alleged assault against some of the women in the convent.

After explaining that they need to search his laptop, they present him with a warrant. He nods and steps aside, letting them into his office, but as he turns, his eyes fall on mine.

I’ve never seen this expression cross his face before. I would say it is livid, but that word wouldn’t begin to describe the energy that is radiating off of him. I swallow in discomfort, but then his eyes leave mine and shoot down to the end of the hall.

Turning my head to where he is looking, I find Celine and Esther with their heads around the corner. I fix Celine with a stern glare, subtly gesturing with my head for them to go. From here, I can see the way her jaw rolls with aggravation, but she disappears behind the corner as I ask.

With them no longer in sight, I put my focus back on what is happening in the office beside mine. Father Keaton had joined them in his office, and after a few minutes of staring at the blank wall, I hear an officer say to the other, “There is nothing suspicious on his computer.”

My heart deflates at the news. How the hell do they not see anything on there when Celine and Esther just watched the evidence?

“Do you mind if we check your phone?” One of the officers asks, a little too nicely.

“Not at all,” Father Keaton complies.

Silence thickens the air as the officers search through his phone. I’m not sure I like either of the officer’s tone, given the situation. One sounds too chipper, while the other seems annoyed, making it seem like this whole thing isn’t a big deal and that being called here was a waste of time.

I stand there, my heart threatening to burst from my chest, until I hear one of them say, “It’s clean.”

My teeth grind together, frustration taking over my entire body. When I hear their footsteps getting closer to leaving Father Keaton’s door, I slip back into my office, rounding my desk and pretending to be busy.

“Even though everything is clear, we would like to speak to Joanna and Bekah,” an officer says, which surprises me. I figured that with no evidence, they would have decided to leave.

There is a beat of silence before Father Keaton says, “Of course.”

I hear someone walking my way, Father Keaton mostly, but the footsteps stop when one of the men asks, “Is there someone else who can get them for you?”

They don’t want him to leave their sight. That’s good, right?

“Yes.” A few more steps and Father Keaton stands in my open doorway. “Father Alexander, can you please find Joanna and Bekah and bring them to my office?”

“Sure.”

When I step up to the door, he remains in my way for a moment, staring at me with a flame of rage in his eyes. I don’t back down and hold his gaze until he moves aside.

Making my way down the hall, I feel jittery. Every step I take feels unbalanced, like my head is swimming around with shock and adrenaline. I turn the corner to see Celine and Esther standing by the chapel, and when they see me, they push themselves off the wall.

“What’s going on?” Celine asks with urgency.

“The cops want to talk to Joanna and Bekah,” I tell them, looking down the hall.

“That’s good, right?” Esther questions.

Joanna and Bekah emerge from one of the courtyard, smiling and talking.

“They’ll lie,” Celine states.

I bring my eyes to her. “They might, but there is a small chance they won’t.” Without another word, I walk down the hall towards the women I need.

The two of them look up at me with a smile, Joanna being the one to greet me.

“Hello, Father Alexander,” she says with a kind expression on her face.

“Hello, Joanna.” I attempt my best fake smile. “Father Keaton would like to see both of you in his office.”