AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The agents stepped out of the car, treading carefully across the solemn grounds of the mini-cemetery, and soon found themselves before a colossal door that seemed to beckon them inside. The door was ajar, just a sliver of light peeking through the crack.
“Can you just walk in churches?” Ripley asked.
“Let’s find out.” Ella cautiously peeked around the doorframe. There in the glorious, candle-lit chamber stood two silhouettes. A robed figure, dressed in flowing white priest garb, speaking softly to an elderly woman. Ella’s presence did not seem to disturb them, so she took a moment to consume the majestic interior of Saint Paul’s Church. Rows of pews, a glowing marble floor, an imposing crucifixion scene above a lavish altar. She had to admit, this was some fine architecture.
“Can I help you, miss?” the priest asked.
Ella shifted her attention from the grandiose displays to the matter at hand. “Hi, I’m Agent Dark and this is Agent Ripley. We’re with the FBI.”
“FBI? Oh my.” The man looked to be in his sixties, his skin thin and withered like parchment. Hisgaze was heavy, a tiredness that spokeofa lifetimeofexperience.
“We’re investigating a series of homicides in the area. Would we be able to speak with you somewhere private?”
“Yes,” the priest stuttered, “I have an office in the back. I’m Father Kerley, by the way.”
Ripley said, “Good to meet you, Father. Please lead the way.”
Father Kerley guided them down the aisle, through the sacred halls, slow enough for Ella to admire the church’s grandeur again. A stone archway complete with an intricate carving of a nativity scene, illuminated stained-glass windows that cast a rainbows of lights down onto the pews. As they bowed into a corridor leading into the back area, Ella took in a row of four masterful paintings encased in a golden frame. Some kind of Biblical scene in multiple parts: a naked father cradling a child, a fire-ravaged land, a malnourished figure covered in sores praying to the heavens, a conversation between what she assumed to be God and a bearded Satan. It was all harsh, striking imagery that contrasted against the opulence on display in the rest of the church.
Inside the holy man’s office, Father Kerley took a seat at a small desk while the agents stood. There didn’t seem to be enough seats to go around.
“How can I help you?” the priest asked. “I assure you everything is above board here.”
Ella, “We’re sure it is. As I mentioned we’re dealing with a case of multi-homicide, and we understand that at least two, possibly three of our victims were members of this church.”
Father Kerley nodded eagerly, as though this information was already public knowledge. “Half of the people in this community are members here, miss. We’re the central church.”
“I’m sure, and we have reason to believe our perp knew the innermost details of his victims’ lives. The kind of details they might share with a close friend or therapist.”
“Or priest,” Ripley said, devoid of all subtlety. You could always rely on Mia for the sledgehammer approach.
“Well, that’s upsetting to hear,” Father Kerley fired back without pause. “I’ll admit, we do forge close relationships with our parishioners, but these days, it’s only me that works here and I assure you I’m no criminal.”
“It’s just you?” Ella asked.
“Yes. I do nearly everything. The only time I call for assistance is for funerals. I do all masses, services, sermons, and confessionals solo.”
“Confessionals?” Ella asked. “Please pardon my ignorance but what do they involve exactly?”
Father Kerleyshiftedin hisseat,hisdiscomfort palpable. He placed his hands together and rested them on his desk, a sign of false composure. “Anonymous confessions. Anything from issues around faith to marriage troubles. I’m a willing ear, something a lot of people are missing in their hectic lives.”
Ella latched onto something here, although she wasn’t exactly sure what. She just felt that seed of an idea begin to sprout. “Face to face confessions?” she asked.
“No. I can’t see the confessor’s face.”
“Don’t you recognize their voices?” Ripley asked.
Ella watched Father Kerley’s micro-signals closely, assessing where the mask ended and the real person began. That is, if he was even wearing a mask at all. He seemed genuine and helpful and as of yet she hadn’t spotted any signs of deceit in his nonverbals. Given his short stature and feeble physique, Kerley was worlds apart from the mysterious figure in the CCTV footage. He wasn’t their killer, but he might have conversed with their killer without knowing.
“Yes I do. Every time.”
“May we ask if there’ve been any… suspicious confessions in recent months?”
Father Kerley gazed at Ella as though she was a creature from beyond the veil. “Miss, I’m a pillar of this community. People trust me with their innermost secrets. I can’t reveal anything of what’s been said.”
Ella sensed that Kerley was keeping something close to his chest, something he wasn’t willing to share. Judging by Ripley’s stern expression, she did too.
“You don’t have a duty to report any suspicions?” Ripley asked. “Even if they confess to something illegal or immoral?”
