“Terrible. And you only received one card from him after he left Dublin? The one from Valdosta, Georgia.”
“I got a couple more from him, but I tore them up. I didn’t need him whining at me.”
“From Valdosta, Georgia?”
“Yeah, I told the Ling woman that was the only address I had from him.” He suddenly burst out, “It’s not as if I’m some kind of criminal, dammit. So I like to drink a little. I don’t hurt anyone. He acts as if I’m going straight to hell. I threw that rosary down the toilet.”
“Rosary? He gave you a rosary?”
“No, some priest stopped by the pub about a year ago.”
“You didn’t mention that to Catherine Ling.”
“Why should I? I just wanted to get rid of her. And all she wanted was to know if I had an address for Kevin.”
“I think she would have been interested. What was the name of this priest?”
“Father Dominic from some church in Atlanta. He said he’d just come from Rome, and he’d promised my cousin he’d get a rosary blessed by the Pope and give it to me.”
“What church in Atlanta?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I told him to tell Kevin to go to hell. I don’t need his rosary.”
“The name was Father Dominic?”
“I think so. I didn’t pay much attention. I just wanted him out of my pub.”
“And that’s the last contact you had with Kevin Donnelly?”
“That was no contact. I told you, I threw the rosary down the toilet and told the priest to get out.” He was silent. “When you get hold of Kevin, you tell him that I’m doing just fine. I don’t need him or anyone else telling me what to do.”
“I’ll be sure to let him know.” Gallo hung up and turned to Eve. “Father Dominic. He had contact with Donnelly no longer than two years ago.” He paused. “And Donnelly offered to use hypnosis to help O’Leary stop drinking.”
“It could be an innocent offer. Hypnosis is often used by psychiatrists. It doesn’t have to mean that he’s endangering anyone.”
“He was brought up on charges for implanting false memories. What better way than using hypnosis? I’ll slit his throat if he was doing his experiments on my uncle.” He checked his wristwatch. “We have forty minutes before our flight. Let’s get to the gate and see if we can start making some phone calls to see if we can find a church in Atlanta that has a Father Dominic.”
“There may be more than one.”
“Then we’ll start interviewing all the Father Dominics and try to find the right one.” He took her elbow and strode toward the security gates. “And hope to hell he’ll lead us to Kevin Donnelly.”
CHAPTER
9
“ONLY TWO FATHER DOMINICS in the greater Atlanta area,” Eve said as she hung up her phone thirty minutes later as she went down the jetway to the plane. “One in Marietta, the other in Buckhead. I’m opting for the one in Buckhead. O’Leary said the priest who visited his pub was a young man, and the priest in Marietta is in his sixties. The priest who is at St. Cecelia’s is no kid any longer, but he’s much younger. I tried to call him at the church, but he’s not going to be there for the next six weeks. He’s helping out at a church in Rome, Georgia.”
Gallo frowned. “That’s north of Atlanta, isn’t it?”
“Yes, northwest. It’s closer to Chattanooga than Atlanta, but we can make it an hour or so. I got the address from the secretary. Suppose we rent a car when we arrive and drive straight up there?”
“That sounds like a plan,” Gallo said. “We’re more likely to get answers if we question him face-to-face.”
“I doubt he’s going to give us any problem. After all, he’s a priest. We explain what we want, and he tells us where to find Kevin Donnelly.” She sat down and fastened her seat belt. “Priests are definitely not any kind of threat.”
* * *
DANNER’S HANDS CLENCHED with frustration at his sides as he watched Father Barnabas from where he stood inside the garden shed. The priest was on the outdoor basketball court with the two young boys. He was laughing, his T-shirt wet with sweat as he ran down the court and made the basket. The two teenage boys groaned and ran to retrieve the ball.
The priest was happy. Once, Danner would have been glad that Father Barnabas was able to take such joy in life but not now.
He needed him. He had been trying to see him since early morning, and the priest had always been surrounded. First, with those sober people who had come to arrange a funeral, then with these kids from the boys’ club. None of them were important. Couldn’t Father Barnabas feel the torment that was tearing at him? His need was greater than theirs. The child was getting closer and would not leave him alone.
But if the priest was able to sense his torment and anger, perhaps he was afraid. Father Barnabas had great powers, and perhaps he’d been able to sense Ted’s anger the last time he was here. Maybe he was trying to avoid him.
He could feel the rage growing within him.
No, control it. That was the demons again. Father Barnabas was never afraid. Even when he suspected that Danner was not … normal, he would only become more quiet, stronger. He would talk to him, soothe him … cleanse him.
Get rid of those boys, Father. Send them home.
I need to talk to you.
The little girl came to me again.
Help me. I have to do what she wants me to do.
I think she wants me to kill the Delilah demon, but I can’t be sure. I can’t make a mistake. That would be another sin, and I have committed so many.
Maybe it’s something else that I have to give her …
* * *
“VERY IMPRESSIVE,” EVE SAID as she gazed at the huge gray stone church looming on the corner of the street in the long rays of the afternoon sun. “And unexpected in such a small Southern town. Atlanta is heavily Baptist, not Catholic.”
“Well, evidently, they must have enough people to fill this cathedral.” Gallo parked the rental car. “It looks very Gothic.”
“Yes.” Eve jumped out of the car and started up the stairs. “But I’m not very interested in architecture at the moment. We need to find this Father Dominic. I just hope—”
“Just a minute.” Gallo’s phone was ringing, and he glanced at the ID. “Catherine. Go on. I’ll catch up.”
“Right.” She swung open the heavy oak door of the sanctuary. “I’ll be here. Though we may have to go to the residence if there’s no Mass scheduled for—”
“May I help you?” A tall, thin man in clerical garb was coming down the aisle toward them. “I’m afraid Mass isn’t until seven tonight. We had to change the schedules because of the services we had to add.” A crooked smile lit his thin, angular face with warmth. “Are you a member of our parish? I don’t believe I’ve met you yet. I’m a little new here.”
Pay dirt, Eve thought. “Father Dominic?”
“That’s right.” He shook her hand. “And you are?”
“Eve Duncan. No, I’m not a member of your church. I have a few questions we’d like to ask. I wonder if I could speak with you.”
“You’re thinking about joining? I’d be glad to accommodate you, but if you need any information about St. Michael’s, you really need to talk to Father Barnabas. This is his church. I’m just visiting and helping out. Father Barnabas has had an unusually heavy surge of people who have joined the church lately.” He shrugged. “Though that’s not unusual. Times have been hard lately, and people have a tendency to turn to God when they’re in need.”
“Even in your church in Buckhead? Not many people are in financial need in that area, Father Dominic.”
His smile faded. “How did you know that my church is in Buckhead?”
“Because you’re the one I came to see. Not this Father Barnabas. May I sit down?”