Damned (Shaye Archer Series Book 7)

by DeLeon, Jana

  When the light changed, they hurried across and through the big entry into the church courtyard. Jackson pointed to the left where Pitre was on a walkway headed for the cathedral. They slipped down the bushes and saw him enter the cathedral through a door in the courtyard.

  “Side entry,” Grayson said. “What do you think?”

  “If he spots us, it’s over. And I don’t know how the church is laid out, do you?”

  Grayson nodded. “I’ve been here a few times. That door leads into a hallway that runs to the confessional to the left and another door straight ahead leads into the cathedral.”

  “You think he’s going to confession?”

  Grayson shook his head. “This is the exit side. I took my neighbor one day when he was on driving restriction because of a foot injury. I went inside in case he ran into trouble.”

  “Okay, so I’ll go around front and enter the cathedral. It’s a wider opening and gives me more chance to duck behind something if Pitre heads my way. You watch this door.”

  Grayson nodded. “Text me when you lay eyes on him.”

  Jackson avoided the walkway and set off across the courtyard instead, just in case Pitre exited. He slipped through a thick hedge and made his way to the massive front entry. He stopped behind a column and scanned the vestibule but it appeared empty. He pulled his hoodie up and hurried inside, leaving his sunglasses in place. It wasn’t much of a disguise, but it went past most people.

  Unless they were expecting to be followed. Then all bets were off.

  He headed into the cathedral, scanning the rows as he went. Finally, he spotted Pitre kneeling in the second pew from the front. Jackson made a quick right and hurried down the back pew to the far end, then took a seat and pulled out his cell phone.

  Pitre in cathedral praying.

  He hit Send and a couple seconds later, Grayson’s reply came through.

  Let me know when he leaves.

  Jackson watched Pitre’s bowed head, waiting for any sign of movement. Several minutes later, he rose from the pew and made his way up front to the altar. He reached over and lit a candle, made the sign of the cross, then turned around and looked across the cathedral. Jackson dropped onto his knees and lowered his head, peering up through the small space between his hoodie and the pew. Now Pitre was looking to his right and frowning, his expression one of indecision. He stood there for at least a full minute without moving. Finally, his expression shifted to anger and he whirled around and strode for the side exit.

  Coming your way.

  Jackson waited until the side door closed behind Pitre before heading to the main entrance, not willing to risk following him. Besides, Grayson had him covered. As he exited the cathedral, he spotted a familiar face coming toward him pushing a man in a wheelchair. Correction—a priest in a wheelchair. He hesitated for a moment, trying to place the face, then it clicked and he cursed silently. Colby Stringer was former military and current security detail for hire.

  Shaye had introduced them at a restaurant one night.

  The priest must be Shaye’s client.

  Damn it all to hell.

  21

  Shaye waved at Colby as he pushed Nicolas into the café. The priest looked exhausted and the way he winced as the chair bumped over the entry let her know he was in pain. She really hated what she was about to tell him. He was already on the ragged edge. She’d been there herself enough times to know what it looked like and where his mind was. He wasn’t ready for this, but she didn’t have a choice. He was her client and he was paying her to provide him with information, not withhold it.

  She gave Colby a nod as he moved a chair and pushed Nicolas up to the table. “How are you doing?” she asked the young priest.

  “I’m okay, I guess,” Nicolas said. “As long as I have Colby to shuttle me around, that is. I’m afraid my shoulder is going to limit my mobility for a while.”

  “How bad is it?” she asked.

  “It was dislocated. No other damage, so it’s mostly bruising and general soreness. The doctor said it will be 80 percent better in a couple days as long as I limit its use to showering and such. But with Colby helping during the day and Father Malcolm and Father Bernard there to assist if I run into a problem at night, I figure I can keep from overusing it.”

  Shaye hoped that Nicolas’s nights were as calm as he anticipated. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t hurt any worse than you were,” she said. “I can’t imagine how frightening that must have been.”

  Nicolas gave her a small smile. “No. I’m sure you could, which is why you’re such an empathetic person.”

  Nicolas glanced at Colby then back at her and Shaye could see his hesitation and understood where it came from. Nicolas needed to speak with her about things he didn’t want to share with Colby.

  “Colby, can you please give us a minute?” she asked.

  Immediately understanding, he rose from the table. “I’ll be right out front. Come get me when you’re ready to leave.” He headed out of the café.

  “That man looks like the Hulk, except for the green thing,” Nicolas said.

  Shaye smiled. “He’s got a better temper, but I’m guessing he’s just as deadly.”

  “Well, I appreciate you recommending him. He’s made me feel better already and this morning, I didn’t think that was possible.” He looked out the window, then back at Shaye. “I got another note.”

  Shaye straightened. “When? How?”

  “It was on the tray next to my hospital bed when I woke up.”

  Shaye’s stomach clenched. She’d thought Nicolas was safe in the hospital, but she’d been wrong. Granted, it would have been difficult for the penitent to strangle him, but there were plenty of other ways to kill a person, especially when they were immobilized.

  “I don’t know why I was so surprised,” Nicolas continued. “He was probably still lurking around when the ambulance came. It wasn’t difficult to guess where I would be.”

  Especially if you were the one who called the paramedics.

  The thought ripped through Shaye’s mind, and she struggled to keep it from showing on her face. The last thing she wanted to do was terrorize Nicolas even more when she didn’t have proof.

  “He would have known where to find you,” Shaye agreed. “But he still had to get in past hospital staff. It’s a big risk. Did you ask them if someone was in your room?”

  Nicolas nodded. “They said the only people there after Father Bernard and Malcolm left were hospital staff. Which then caused me to panic thinking he might be on the staff. That’s possible, right?”

  “At this point, a lot of things are possible.”

  “Even if he was medical staff somewhere else, he could have just strolled in there in scrubs and people probably wouldn’t have looked twice.”

  Shaye nodded. “Especially in the middle of the night when there are fewer people around to see anyone to begin with.”

  “I know the hospital has cameras. Do you think there’s any way…”

  She could tell by his tone that he already knew the answer, but he couldn’t help asking anyway. “They’ll only provide footage to the police.”

  “So my only option is to throw away my future to protect my present. I know some people would call me crazy, but I’m not willing to do that just yet.” He sighed. “Maybe I am crazy.”

  Shaye felt her heart clench at the defeat in his voice. “I am so sorry,” she said. “I should have come there to stay with you.”

  Nicolas shook his head. “We couldn’t risk Father Malcolm or Bernard seeing you there. Besides, you couldn’t have known this would happen…that he’d be so brazen. Neither could I.”

  “But we know now, and I feel a million times better knowing Colby is on the job. If anyone tries to hurt you, they’ll have to go through him. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but he’ll defend you to the death.”

  “I’m really hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

  Shaye reached across the table and put her ha
nd on his good arm. “Me too. But I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.”

  Nicolas stared silently at her for several seconds, then looked down at the table. “They found her, didn’t they?”

  “There’s no way to know for certain but I suspect she’s the one he talked about.”

  “Strangled?”

  She nodded.

  “Who was she?”

  “A girl, my guess is a teen. A runaway who was working as a prostitute.”

  Nicolas’s eyes filled with tears. “A child?”

  “Yes. Although she wasn’t living as every child should be. I spoke with her roommate yesterday. Let’s just say staying at home wasn’t a better option for the roommate. I’m guessing it was the same for our victim.”

  Nicolas frowned. “But surely an untimely demise isn’t uncommon in that line of work. Even strangulation seems more likely than something premeditated. Is there something else that makes you think she’s the one?”

  Shaye took in a breath and slowly blew it out. Then she described the staging of the body as Jackson had conveyed it to her. As she spoke, the color drained from Nicolas’s face and she pushed his glass of water closer to him. He lifted it and his hands shook. He spilled some when he took a sip.

  “I don’t know what to say,” he said finally. “That’s beyond horrific.”

  She nodded. “But it definitely speaks to religious fanaticism.”

  “Yes. Although the word ‘fanaticism’ seems underwhelming in those circumstances.”

  “I know this is a lot to take in, and I wish I didn’t have to tell you all of this, but you have a right to know. And it’s my job to keep you informed.”

  “I appreciate your concern. Greatly, in fact, because I know it’s genuine. And I also appreciate your honesty. I suppose some would have withheld the facts in order to spare my feelings.”

  “I have spared feelings before, but never on the job.”

  A twinge of guilt passed through her because she wasn’t telling Nicolas that she was going to take a closer look at Father Malcolm. But she didn’t want to frighten him more than he already was and she had no reason to believe Father Malcolm would attempt anything in their living quarters. Not with Father Bernard right there. And Colby would remain with Nicolas until all three priests were in for the night. She’d make sure of that.

  She also had something else in mind. Something she might as well pitch to him now. “I’ve been thinking,” she said. “Given the situation with the courtyard and now the hospital, I think the penitent is enjoying getting close. How would you feel about putting a security camera in your bedroom?”

  Nicolas’s eyes widened. “You think he would enter our quarters?”

  “If he wanted to send your fear into the stratosphere, there’s no better way than violating the one place you feel safe. Colby said the building is well maintained but the lock on the front door is old and could easily be picked. You can’t draw the dead bolt when you all leave so that leaves the quarters vulnerable to break-in during the day. I figure asking Father Bernard to upgrade the locks might look a little odd, and I don’t want to violate the privacy of the others by putting a camera in the main living area, so this is the next best option.”

  Nicolas frowned. “I suppose if we did it and the penitent took things to that level, then we’d have him. It almost sounds too simple.”

  “Most criminals make a foolish decision at some point. Their ego won’t allow them to believe they can get caught. And that’s exactly how the police catch most of them.”

  “If it could mean an end to all of this, then I don’t see a reason not to do it.” He glanced at her, then looked back down at the table. “It records everything, right? You would see whatever goes on inside. I…it’s difficult to dress in the bathroom because it’s so small…”

  “Don’t worry. When I review the footage, I’ll fast-forward past any time you’re in residence. I won’t review anything until you’re out of the room.”

  Nicolas relaxed a bit. “How would you hide it?”

  “Colby can cover installation, so don’t worry about that part. No one will ever know it’s there.”

  “Okay then. I guess I’ll be on candid camera.”

  “I’m going to figure this out,” Shaye reassured him. “He’s going to slip up. He’s already taking foolish chances. I just need you to keep it together for a bit longer. I think this will all be over soon.”

  “I was thinking, would it help if I left? I have money and I’m sure Father Bernard would give me time off given my medical condition.”

  “Honestly? I don’t think it makes a difference in the long run. Once someone is fixated on you, it usually doesn’t go away until they’ve accomplished what they wanted or they’re caught. You would be safe in the short term but how long would it take for him to track you down? And if you don’t plan on staying gone forever, he’ll still be here waiting when you get back.”

  “Unless the police catch him before then.”

  “It’s always possible but they have very little to go on. Even if they get DNA off the girl, my guess is the penitent isn’t in the system.”

  Nicolas sighed. “I know you’re right, but I feel so helpless. Quite literally sitting around, hoping he doesn’t get to me.”

  Shaye nodded. She knew exactly how Nicolas felt.

  She’d lived it the majority of her adult life.

  “Nicolas, I think it’s important that we figure out why the penitent is fixated on you,” Shaye said.

  “I agree. I’ve thought about nothing else, but I can’t think of any reason, even tiny, that someone could have turned into this much hatred.”

  Shaye studied Nicolas for a minute, trying to figure out the best way to broach the conversation she needed to have. But ultimately, there wasn’t a good way to say “I’m investigating you even though you’re my client.”

  “I did some work online,” she said finally. “Seeing if there was anything printed about you that might give me a clue.”

  “I can’t imagine what would be on the internet besides fund-raisers and babies.”

  “That was mostly what I found. And stories about your accident.”

  Nicolas frowned. “I’ve intentionally avoided reading anything about it. I just wanted to put it behind me.”

  “I understand. But someone died.”

  “I know,” Nicolas said, his expression pained. “But I wasn’t driving. I wish I had been, then maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “Not firsthand.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have no memory of the accident. I don’t even remember leaving the hotel. The last thing I remember is hanging out in the lobby with the other students the night before—or early in the morning, I guess. I know we were exhausted, but we had to be back in class the next day so we couldn’t stay over.” He shook his head. “I don’t even remember packing. Everything between that night and when I woke up in the hospital is simply gone.”

  She was disappointed but not surprised. Given the severity of Nicolas’s injuries, gaps in his memory were normal.

  “So what do you know?” she asked.

  “What people told me. That Jason and I left late that morning. It was an eight-hour drive back to seminary. The policeman who talked to me when I regained consciousness said that Jason fell asleep at the wheel and crossed into the oncoming lane. The woman driving the other car tried to avoid him but couldn’t. The Jeep hit her car on the side. She was killed on impact.”

  His voice broke and he downed some water.

  “I guess neither of us were wearing seat belts because we were both thrown from the Jeep,” he continued. “Jason was conscious. They rushed us to the hospital but there was nothing they could do. He…he had them call a priest to give him last rites, then he died. His parents didn’t even make it there in time.”

  Tears spilled out of Nicolas’s eyes. “He was an only child. The lady in the ot
her car was pregnant. So many lives ruined, and I slept through the whole thing.”

  Shaye’s heart clenched and she put her hand on Nicolas’s arm. “You weren’t sleeping, but I understand what you’re saying. And I know that the accident wasn’t your fault. It was simply one of those horrible things that happen sometimes.”

  “I wish every day that we could go back and redo things. That one of us would insist on missing a day of seminary so that we were rested. But I can’t change what happened. I’ve made my peace with it—as much as I ever will. But you think, perhaps, someone else hasn’t?”

  Shaye told Nicolas about the electrician’s connection to the woman who’d died in the accident and his relationship with her husband and his subsequent suicide. The color drained from Nicolas’s face as she gave him the details.

  “That’s horrible,” he said when she finished. “I had no idea. I tried contacting the woman’s husband and her parents but neither returned my calls. I only called twice and then let them be. I didn’t want to cause more pain.” He stared out the window for several seconds. “You think he blames me?”

  “Maybe. I know it’s not rational, but you’re the only person left alive for him to blame.”

  Nicolas nodded. “It’s rational if you’re in his head, with his loss. But it doesn’t explain the other murder. Why would he strangle that poor girl? She had nothing to do with the accident.”

  Shaye had thought extensively about that very question and every time she tried to figure it out, her thoughts went directly back to her conversation with Robert Croft. How his personality seemed to have done a 180 and how uncomfortable his religious fervor had made her.

  “I don’t have an answer for that,” she said. “But it could be that he’s been suffering since the accident and then something else happened to send him over the ledge that he’d been teetering on.”

  “A mental break?”

  “It would have to be. Unless you are willing to believe that God is really calling people to commit murder.”