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"Abbot Collins is currently taking a call," the woman said with concern on her face. "Can I take a message?"
"Yes," Charlie said. "You can tell him there's a killer on the loose, and he might be targeting someone here."
The woman gasped.
"If you could let him know, that would be great."
Charlie had a way of getting things done, and Valerie was thankful for his directness when time was of the essence.
It only took a few moments, but the receptionist quickly returned, said "right this way", and led them through some winding corridors carpeted in deep red.
The monastery felt like it was trying too hard to be modern to Valerie. The walls even had some rock music art framed and pictures of staff members posing with various famous musicians.
"Abbot Collins will see you now," the receptionist said, knocking on a nearby door.
"Come in!" a voice, which sounded far too young to be an abbot, said.
Valerie and Charlie entered the room and were greeted by a man in a suit with jet black hair gelled back, and a vigorous, almost too enthusiastic handshake.
"I'm Abbot Collins. Marsha here tells me we have a problem?" he said as he shook Valerie's hand.
She felt like she was talking to a used car salesman, not a religious leader.
"We do," she said. "There have been a series of murders in Kerry County."
"Yes, I've seen that. I've been praying for them and the people responsible ... Please, take a seat."
Valerie and Charlie sat down in two bright purple armchairs that wouldn't have looked out of place in a rock star's dressing room.
The place was opulent, but in a tacky way.
"We're almost certain it's the work of a single killer," Charlie said.
The Abbot seemed taken aback by this. He was silent for a few moments before he finally spoke, his face ashen. "Are you sure?" Abbot Collins said incredulously. "This kind of thing is unheard of in our community."
Valerie nodded grimly. "It's my belief that this person is targeting people connected to the monasteries around Kerry County."
The Abbot's face lost some color. Valerie wondered if the man was frightened his head was on the chopping block.
"Even here? At Whiteheart?"
"It's not necessarily someone who currently works or stays at each monastery," Valerie explained. "But all of the victims have either stayed or volunteered at one of Kerry County's monasteries in recent times."
"Don't tell me someone from here has been murdered?" Marsha piped up from behind them.
"Now, Marsha," the Abbot said. "Let's not jump to conclusions."
Valerie took a deep breath before continuing, "so far, only two monasteries in the region have been left untouched by the killer. Yours is one of them."
"That's curious, isn't it?" Charlie added.
"Curious?" the abbot said. "Surely it means someone who has been here is next!?" A bead of perspiration dripped down the side of the man's temple.
"That's true," Valerie said. "It is possible that the killer is going to kill someone connected to this one or the other unaffected monastery next."
"My God!" The abbot seemed borderline hysterical.
"But Abbot Collins," Valerie said, "my partner said it's curious that your monastery has remained untouched because we have a theory."
