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"This is outrageous," he said. "I am a respectable member of the church and Kerry County. We do more good here than you'll ever know, and you're accusing me of murder?"
"Perhaps it's not murder," Valerie said, "perhaps it's ..."
Valerie's eye caught something interesting. On a bookcase to the left of the abbot, she couldn't help but notice a running theme. Among many different books on religious themes, there were several all about the same topic: Apostasy.
The cogs in Valerie's mind began to turn.An excitement ran through her veins.
Maybe I've got this wrong, maybe the profile needs changed,she thought.
Turning her gaze back to the abbot, Valerie glared at him. She saw him shift uncomfortably in his seat, and Valerie felt like a hunter about to catch her prey.
"Apostasy is an interesting topic, don't you think?" Valerie finally said.
The Abbot's eyes flickered. He shifted in his seat and crossed his arms defensively.
Yes, there's something in this ...
"What ... what do you mean?" he said, stammering.
"Apostasy, the act of leaving a religion, it's an interesting topic, no?"
The abbot looked to his side and let out an almost inaudible sigh before turning back to the agents. "Yes, it is, but the Church frowns upon it, of course," he added.
"And do you think apostasy might have something to do with these killings?" Valerie asked, direct as ever.
"I don't know anything about them," he said, standing up. "Now, if you excuse me, I have an important meeting that I must attend to, and I cannot be late for it. If you must remain here at the monastery, please carry out your investigation without panicking anyone."
Charlie started to speak as if to persuade him to stay, but Valerie touched his arm to stop him. "Thank you for your time, Abbot Collins," Valerie said, standing up and walking to the door. "We'll be in touch."
The door closed behind them, and Valerie walked quickly to the end of the corridor.
"Come on!" she said in hushed, hurried tones.
"Where are we going?" Charlie asked as they reached a corner.
"Quick, hide here," she said, waiting.
"Are you going to explain what's going on in that wonderful brain of yours"? Charlie inquired, but Valerie put her finger to her mouth.
The sound of a door opening out of sight around the corner came.
"Marsha, if they ask to see me," Abbot Collins said to his assistant, "tell them it will have to wait until tomorrow, okay?"
"But Abbot," Marsha said, "don't you think we should assist them and ..."
"Trust in the Lord, Marsha. Trust in the Church. Trust in me." Valerie's stomach churned at the sinister tone.
"I will," the assistant said, hurrying off away from them and disappearing somewhere in the building.
A moment later, the footsteps of Abbot Collins could be heard.
"Quick, in here," Charlie whispered as the footsteps neared them.
Charlie opened a door into a closet and closed it with him and Valerie inside.
The two of them held their breath as Abbot Collins walked past the closet and out of sight.
Valerie waited, counting to ten before emerging from the closet with Charlie close behind her.
