The Priest Who Ate A Poison Petit Fore

by Kee Patterbee

  “Me too,” Cate agreed. “Me too.”

  Hannah knew the moment Magdalen stepped from the train. Watching Hymn’s face light up, she saw in an instant the affection he felt for his younger sibling. Picking her out from the exiting crowd was easier. As the woman moved toward Hymn and her, Hannah could see the family resemblance. She shared a similar face and eyes. Per her nature, Hannah made a quick assessment of her future sister-in-law. Tall. 5’11” or 6’0”. Brownish black hair. Similar rich blue eyes. Curvy. Beautiful. Hannah already knew she was ten years younger than her brother, making her thirty-one. This put her as the same age as she was.

  When she locked eyes onto Hymn, Magdalen smiled and waved. Hymn moved forward to meet her as Hannah followed behind. The brother and sister hugged, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before introducing her. Though she offered her a hand, Magdalen pushed it aside and held her arms out. “Not in this family,” she said as they embraced, “we’re huggers.”

  Gran’s going to like this one, Hannah thought.

  “I’m so glad you found him,” she half whispered in Hannah’s ear as she pulled away. “He’s needed someone for some time.”

  Hannah gave an appreciative smile. “Me too,” she mouthed.

  Seeing the secretive exchange, Hymn frowned. “Just met and already secrets. I’m at a disadvantage.”

  Magdalen winked at Hannah. “Of course you are, Tubbs. You’re a man. You’re predisposed.”

  Hymn’s eyes widened, and he looked over to Hannah.

  “Tubbs?” the sleuth asked as she grinned.

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you that was his nickname?” Magdalen laughed at her brother. “Sister, are we going to talk?”

  “No one calls me that anymore.”

  “Except me.” Magdalen took hold of Hannah. “Now, grab my bag, Tubbs. I have to let the newest family member in on a few skeletons hanging about our closets.”

  Hymn shook his head. “I should have told her I was an only child,” he called after as the two women exited the station.

  The ride to Hannah and Hymn’s apartment was a short one. Along the way, the two women chatted as Hymn listened. At many points, he grimaced at his sister’s embarrassing stories.

  “Twenty one,” Magdalen said laughing, “at one time. He threw up for hours on end.”

  “In my defense, that night set me straight. I lost eighty pounds thereafter.”

  Hannah laughed as she looked over to her fiancé. Having just learned that Hymn was heavy at one time, she found it hard to imagine. Now, despite his bad leg, he remained as fit as any man half his age. A workout each day remained part of his routine, one that she attributed to his time in the military. Now, she knew otherwise.

  “Where did you come across that many cupcakes?”

  Magdalen and Hymn grew silent though a reflective smile came to each of their faces. Hannah could tell it was a good memory for both, but one that also held an equal amount of solace and pain. After a moment, Magdalen spoke.

  “Reverend Whipson’s wife, Ophelia, God rest her soul, made them for church events. Holidays. Birthdays. Things like that.”

  Her words trailed off. Hymn picked up where she stopped.

  “And when someone passed. Cupcakes are a comfort food for us. Good and bad memories. That night was a bad night.”

  Hannah was unsure what to say. “Your mother?” was all she could utter.

  Both Hymn and Magdalen affirmed.

  Glancing over at Hymn, Hannah reached out and put her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. If I had known, I wouldn’t have suggested we have them instead of a wedding cake.”

  Magdalen reached forward and squeezed Hannah’s arm. She gave her a smile. “No, that’s fine. Good memory for a bad one. Besides, it’s a brilliant idea.” She then gestured to Hymn with her head. “Just keep Tubbs down to one though.”

  Hymn’s face drew into a frown. Noticing, Magdalen returned the same.

  “Oh, come on. I’m just teasing.”

  “It’s not that.” Hymn looked into the rear view mirror at his sister. “It’s the Reverend. I’ve got some bad news.”

  Hymn turned the car into the apartment complex.

  At the apartment, Magdalen settled into Hymn and Hannah’s spare bedroom. Thereafter, the three sat in the living room drinking coffee. She listened as Hymn gave the diagnosis and Hannah explained the Reverend’s wishes for them to look into the case.

  “Have you ever heard of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome?” Magdalen asked.

  “Cate and I considered it.”

  Magdalen gave a questioning look.

  “Sorry, that’s my best friend. You’ll meet her in a bit at dinner. Al, her boyfriend, and her cousin, Buster. She’s looking into the obituaries and anything else she can gather up, but until we get hold of some medical records, we have no way of knowing who was in attendance at the time of the deaths.”

  “You know those are confidential, right?”

  Hymn looked to his bride to be. “Rules are kind of iffy with her.”

  Hannah reached out and popped Hymn on the arm. “Not iffy, just malleable.”

  Magdalen laughed. “Well, I’d like to help. I can interpret the medical lingo if you like.”

  “Oh, so now you want in on this?” Hymn said, as he pushed back into his chair.

  “The Reverend was a big part of my life too, you know. So yeah. I want to help.”

  Hannah smiled. “Great, we’ll stop in on the way down.”

  Chapter Three

  Later that evening, Hannah, Hymn, and Magdalen met with friends at a local restaurant called Second Chance. Introductions followed to Cate, her boyfriend, Alvin ‘Al’ Hayes, and cousin, Buster Jordan. Although they said nothing, a strong connection between Magdalen and Buster made itself known. When arranging themselves at the table, Buster declined an offer to sit next to his cousin. Instead, he settled in next to the nurse. Initial conversation centered on the upcoming wedding, but Magdalen and Buster engaged in quiet conversation to themselves. It was not until the topic changed to the case at hand that the two joined in with the other couples. Each sat listening, focused, and absorbed, as Cate presented her discoveries.

  “I went over everything I could find,” Cate announced after some prodding by Hannah. She gave a concerned look that sent an uneasy chill through Hannah’s spine. Twisting a bit in her seat, she leaned forward, put her elbows on the table, and locked her hands together. She then rolled to point with her aligned index fingers. “The victims have three other connections. Well, other than living in Happiness, being well off, and visiting the hospital. First, most had an online obituary as well as the traditional paper announcement. From the comments left, every one of their deaths came on sooner than expected. Second, each listed the Reverend as ministering over their funeral services.” Cate paused and pulled her hands back. Her eyes darted between Hannah, Hymn, and Magdalen. “And last, all shared medical bills at the time of their passing to one practice. York Gerontology Health Services.”

  The corners of Magdalen’s mouth drew down… Hymn twisted his mouth and leaned back in his chair. Hannah noticed his immediate action of crossing his arms. She reached over and put a hand on his arm. He looked over and gave her an uncertain expression. Hannah then turned to Cate. The librarian reached down and pulled out some papers from a folder. She handed them to her friend before answering. “I brought them along. Knew you’d want them. It’s just the financial end. Exact details about what services they rendered would be in company files and the medical records, I assume.”

  “They would,” Magdalen uttered in a low tone. “Where’d you get these?”

  “Don’t ask,” Al said in his husky, deep voice. “I don’t anymore. It helps me sleep better at night.”

  Cate looked at her boyfriend like a cat about to pounce a canary.

  Buster laughed, his blue eyes twinkling. “Uh oh, you’re in trouble now, Al.”

  Al threw his large hands up in a ‘what’ gesture. “Like that’s anything
new.”

  Cate shook her head and refocused on the conversation at hand.

  “Could someone be setting them up?” Hymn asked.

  Hannah noted what sounded like desperate hope in her fiancé’s voice. Hymn wanted to find a reason, any reason, not to face a harsh possibility. This, even if it were improbable.

  Cate glanced at Hannah before turning back to Hymn. “Can’t say. I just know they represent the only common, living connection to the present cases. Them and the Reverend.”

  “Well, it makes sense. They’re doctors working at a senior living community’s medical facility,” Hymn argued. “All the victims are seniors.”

  “They’re not the only doctors there, Tubbs. I’m sure there are others,” Magdalen interjected. “I would think that some of them used other physicians.” She reached out and took a drink of water. As she did so, Hannah noticed a slight trembling in Magdalen’s hands. Unnerved, she observed to herself.

  “I’m no detective, but don’t you think that’s some kind of statistical anomaly? I mean, for them to be the primary physicians for all these cases?” Al interceded.

  Magdalen agreed, albeit with a reluctant go-ahead. “As much as I don’t want to think it, as a nurse, I can’t see how they would be. Unless…” She stopped before uttering the final words and looked around the table. “Unless they were there for a reason.”

  Everyone sat quiet for a moment before Buster interrupted.

  “Wait. Wait, now. I know it’s kind of tradition with Yin and Yang here…” He waved a finger between Cate and Hannah. “But don’t you think this is all jumping the gun a bit?” He looked first to Magdalen, then to Hannah. “You said it yourself. You need to get to the records.”

  Hannah took note of the tone in Buster’s voice. She recognized it as her handsome friend trying to defend or comfort someone that interested him. Magdalen, she affirmed to herself before noticing the appreciative expression on his intended’s face. Feelings mutual, she further noted before responding.

  “Easier said than done. No one’s raised a red flag other than the Reverend. In truth, under the circumstance, it doesn’t sound that suspicious. I would imagine most families have moved on. I think there’s a good chance they would be reluctant just to turn them over to us,” Hannah informed.

  Buster crossed his arms. “That’s never stopped you before. How hard can it be?”

  Magdalen peered over to Hannah. The sleuth shrugged.

  “That case led me to him,” she said, pointing over to her betrothed. “I’ll tell you about it later, but regardless, Buster’s right. We’re going to have to find a way to get our hands on them.”

  “There’s more,” Cate informed. All eyes fell on her. “How well do you know Reverend Whipson?”

  Hymn looked to his sister before turning back and answering. “Pretty well, I’d say.”

  “We were members of his church since we were born, up until our mother died,” added Magdalen. “He lived on the same street we did with his wife, Ophelia, and he used to watch after us when Dad was sick. Why?”

  “He had a record.”

  “A what?” Hymn asked with a hint of disbelief.

  “He served at Draper Correctional Facility in Alabama.”

  Before Hymn could ask, Cate answered the next obvious question.

  “Grand theft auto when he was nineteen. Sixteen counts. He served six years on a ten year sentence.”

  Hymn and Magdalen sat with stunned expressions. Cate reached over and tapped on the papers she had produced.

  “The timeline suggests that he found religion while incarcerated. His ministerial registration suggests it happened while he was prisoner number ACV-632911. Jonathan Isaac Whipson. He married an Ophelia Oswald three years after his release. Moved to Zebulon, worked as a mechanic. At some point, he took over Zebulon Presbyterian, becoming a full time clergyman. During that time, he had one daughter.”

  “Clarice. Susan’s mother. She married Hodge Derkins,” Magdalen affirmed.

  Cate avowed with a nod.

  Hymn reached out and took a drink of his tea, gulping down a large amount. When he was done, he said nothing but turned to look away from everyone. Hannah could tell the news upset him, but did not know how to respond, so she waited, as did everyone. After what seemed forever for Hannah, Magdalen reached out and took her brother’s hand. When he turned to look at her, she gave him a slight smile.

  “Doesn’t change a thing. He’s still the same man we knew. We just didn’t know this. Everyone has a past, even you.”

  Hannah wondered about her future sister-in-law’s words. For a second, she half contemplated pushing what that meant, but she decided it was a conversation for later. Now, she needed to offer Hymn some comfort. She took hold of his other hand.

  “Me as well.”

  Everyone confessed as much.

  “I’m sorry, guys,” Hymn said. “It just took me by surprise, that’s all.” He managed a halting smile.

  “If anything, it proves we are all capable of change,” Al added. He winked at Cate. She pulled him down to kiss the top of his dark brown-skinned baldhead.

  All agreed. When they settled, Hymn returned to the information of Whipson’s incarceration.

  “Is his record connected to all this?”

  Again, Cate shrugged. “It’s just information. Working with nosy butt over the years...” She gestured to Hannah with a cock of the head. “I’ve learned not to dismiss anything or anyone.”

  Hannah stuck her tongue out at Cate. Cate returned the same. Laughter again ensued at the childish exchange between friends. Then Hannah wiggled her nose as she stared at the restaurant ceiling. She stopped when a waiter placed a plate of fried green tomatoes and a grilled cheese in front of her. Contemplating the dish, she grabbed a slice and held it up. Studying it, she said, “Well, he’s connected to each case for sure. Either as friend, minister, or counselor. Maybe someone is getting even with him.” She bit into the slice and made a pleased face. “So good.”

  Magdalen watched Hannah. Her eyes cut over to Buster. He grinned and pointed at the sleuth.

  “Eats like that all the time.”

  “And never gains an ounce. Sickening,” Cate added.

  Magdalen nodded as Hannah continued.

  “When you all were growing up, did you ever notice anything unusual with him? Maybe someone coming around now and again? Was he ever nervous?”

  “He was a minister, Sherlock,” Hymn answered. “Someone was always coming around. He was no more nervous than anyone else was, I suppose, but you are talking a long expanse of time to remember something that general. Forty years I’ve known him, and until tonight, I never knew he was an ex-con, which means that he’s a private man. More so than expected. So, if something was happening, or did happen, I doubt his parishioners would know. You’d have to ask the man himself.”

  Hannah agreed with a nod and another bite. “Will do when we get there.”

  Cate landed her eyes on Magdalen. With a grin, she said, “A word of warning. If you spend any amount of time around her…” She pointed to Hannah. “You’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble.”

  Magdalen grinned but looked rather sudden to Buster. “Trouble. That’s my middle name.”

  Buster gulped. Hymn frowned. Everyone else laughed.

  Chapter Four

  Magdalen sat across from Vera Bessinger. She understood what the woman said, but did not grasp it in full. “I’m sorry, but you landed a helicopter where?” Magdalen asked.

  “Twilight stadium. My stepfather, Asa, owns the Zephyrs. He and my dad are baseball fans. Minor leagues in particular,” Vera Bessinger answered while studying the bridesmaid gown she wore. “But I did not land it. The pilot did.” She smiled at Hymn’s sister as if what she said was part of a normal conversation. “It’s just one of the company transports,” Vera added.

  Magdalen looked over to Buster with a questioning expression. He sat in the corner, arms crossed in protest at having to att
end a ‘woman’s dress up party’ as he referred to it. “Worth a bundle,” Buster mouthed. “I’ll tell you about it later.” Magdalen acknowledged in wide-eyed wonder.

  Cate studied Vera, whose dress was like her own. “I must say, I had my doubts, but you are rocking it.” She motioned for Vera to spin around. The floor length, spaghetti strapped bridesmaid gown was nothing like either of them expected. Over a black body, a sheer, black lace woven in a floral pattern over an underlying light silk pink form unified the dress. A leg split revealed the light pink, silk lining. Black and pink heels rounded out the piece.

  “You both are stunning,” Hannah said, as she stepped from behind an antique, four fold dressing screen. Doing so, Cate’s eyes widened. Vera’s mouth opened.

  Buster rose to his feet. “Wow,” he uttered in a stunned voice.

  The bride-to-be stood beaming at the dress that adorned her thin, fit body. The open shouldered, full-sleeved gown encompassed a nearly perfect circle at the floor. It was composed of sheer, black lace, woven in a floral pattern over an underlying light silk pink form. A short top, black Victorian hat with a pink band adorned her head.

  Standing before her friends, she tried to speak, but found no words, just a smile. Seeing her do so, Cate and Vera moved to embrace, and the three stood in joy for a moment. They stopped when Buster sniffed a few times, wiping back tears of his own. Magdalen moved over and put a comforting arm around him. This brought laughter to the room.

  “This isn’t what I ordered,” Hannah confessed. “Vera?”

  Vera smiled as Hannah drew her into a hug. “How did I do?” she asked.

  “Amazing,” she said. “It must have cost you a fortune though.”

  Vera laughed. “Like that matters now, thanks to the three of you, and Hymn, of course.” She thumbed to Cate and Buster. “Cate got me the measurements. It seems she’s been waiting on this day almost as long as you.”