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"It means she ran away from here because of something bad," Charlie said, putting it in no uncertain terms.
Father Piper's face fell. He stood up and looked out the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
"I assure you," he said solemnly. "That all women at the nunnery are treated with respect and dignity here. We hold our beliefs dearly and strive to do right by each other." He turned back to face them, a look of sadness in his eyes. "But I will not deny that sometimes things may have gone wrong in the past. But that is why we strive for better and learn from our mistakes."
"What sort of things?" Valerie asked.
"Before my time," he said, "some of the priests here were heavy handed with the nuns. But that was many decades ago. Whatever ill befell young Blanche, it was not to be found within these walls."
"Are you sure of that?" Charlie said, half question, half accusation.
Father Piper's face grew red. His fists clenched at his sides, and he rose to his feet. "I think it's time for you all to leave," he said firmly. "There is nothing more to discuss here." He gestured towards the door, a clear indication that they were not welcome any longer.
The team looked around uncertainly until Valerie finally nodded reluctantly and stepped out of Father Piper's office, followed by Will, Sheriff Carter, and Charlie. Before anyone could say another word, Father Piper slammed the door shut behind them, leaving them standing in the hallway feeling as though they had been unceremoniously chucked out of the convent.
"Should we go back in?" Sheriff Carter asked.
"No," Valerie said. "I don't think Father Piper is going to open up to us any time soon. What do you think, Will?"
"I agree," he said. "The man is probably too stubborn."
"It's not like we have any good reason to take him in for questioning," Charlie observed. "Besides, Heinlein would probably shut us down the second we started arresting people in the Church without his go ahead. It would be a field day in the press."
"About that ..." Valerie said.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm about to get kicked in the stomach?" Charlie said, crossing his arms in a defensive stance.
"I just got off the phone with him," Valerie said. "It's not just a breakthrough we need. We have to catch the killer today, or we're toast."
"Son of a ..." Charlie said. "Then what's our next step?"
"I'm not quite done here," Valerie said. "I suggest we split up. Charlie, you and Will go back to the seminary. I still haven't received the list of people who trained there and volunteers at local churches."
"Father Bryant is a good one, but he is forgetful," Sheriff Carter explained, as if making excuses for him.
"If we're at the seminary, what are you two going to do?" Will asked.
"I don't know," Valerie said, looking around at the dim hallway. "But I have a feeling this convent holds more secrets, and we just need to dig a little deeper to unearth them."
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Valerie was trying to ignore Sheriff Carter's increasing discomfort with her approach at the convent as she sneaked around.
"I'm not so sure we should be snooping around here," he whispered again as they moved from stone corridor to stone corridor, their footsteps echoing out.
"Are you getting some sort of religious guilt, Glen?" Valerie finally asked.
"It doesn't feel right sneaking around a nunnery, that's all," he said.
"Father Bryant at the seminary said you should go back to church," Valerie observed. "Did you used to go a lot?"
"Yeah," he said pointedly. "But my faith grew real thin."
"Your wife isn't religious?" Valerie asked.
"Yeah, she is."
Valerie stopped at a corner.
