“Yes, yes,” said Father Reilly mildly, stemming the flow. “I think we get the picture.”
Joaquin gave his boss a warm smile.“We need to go over the numbers for the church foundation, Francis.”
“I know, I know.” He clapped the other man on the back. “If it weren’t for Joaquin, I would have gone mad a long time ago. He keeps me sane.”
“All right—I’ll leave you to it. But don’t forget about our meeting, Francis.”
“I won’t,” said the priest, and we watched as the energetic sexton left the room.
“You haven’t told him about Angel?” asked Odelia.
“Oh, he knows,” said Father Reilly. “Joaquin thinks that Angel simply needed some space, and that she’s staying with a friend.”
“You didn’t tell him that we found her phone?”
Father Reilly shook his head.“Alec told me not to. Said the fewer people know about the state of the investigation, the better.” He gestured to a cozy little nook near the window, where two sofas formed an L-shape, cornering a salon table. Odelia and Chase took a seat, and so did the priest. “So what have you discovered so far?”
“Nothing, I’m afraid, Francis,” said Chase. “Though we have heard some troubling news that we thought we’d ask you about.”
“Oh?”
“Now it’s going to happen, Dooley,” I said. “Chase is going to play bad cop and Odelia good cop, and together, and with perfect skill, they’re going to browbeat this man into a confession.”
“He doesn’t look like an alien, Max,” said Dooley, studying the priest closely. “He looks human to me.”
“He’s not an alien, Dooley. But he is a killer, just you wait and see.”
“I’ll wait,” said Dooley, taking a lie-down on the rug, “and see.”
“Okay, so I know this might be uncomfortable for you, Francis,” said Odelia, proceeding along tried and true good-cop-bad-cop lines, “but I’m afraid I have to ask you.”
“Ask me anything,” said the priest, spreading his arms as if to encompass his entire congregation.
“It has come to our attention that you and Angel had a big fight the day she disappeared,” said Chase gravely. “Now you may not want to talk about this…”
“It must be painful,” Odelia interjected. “And I want you to know we understand.”
“But it’s important to know what exactly caused this fight.”
“Did Vesta tell you about this?” asked Father Reilly, suddenly looking troubled.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” said Chase. “But suffice it to say that we know about the… special relationship you and Marigold share—and you and Angel.”
“And we also know that Angel isn’t aware that you’re in fact her… well, her father.”
The padre took it well. He slightly reeled, but then immediately rallied.“I guess it had to come out sooner or later,” he said thoughtfully. “The circumstances are less than ideal, but that can’t be helped.”
“So what did you and Angel fight about?”
“Oh, you know, nothing major. A misunderstanding, let’s just call it that. As you yourself have already surmised, Angel doesn’t know that her mother and I are more than mere employer and employee. And so she objects to what she considers Marigold’s extreme work ethic. She think the reason her mother spends most of her time here with me is because I make her work so hard. When the simple fact of the matter is that Marigold likes to be here… with me… and I like it too. Naturally Angel finds it outrageous that her mom would spend so much time at work, as she sees it.” He smiled at the recollection of the fight. “She called me a slave driver. Said she’d tell Marigold to look for another job, where she doesn’t have to put in so much unpaid overtime.” He glanced at a portrait of the girl, which had pride of place on one of the bookshelves. “I considered telling her thetruth, but it didn’t seem like the right time. It would only have served to infuriate her even more. Of course I didn’t know it would be the last time we talked.”
A silence fell, and I murmured,“Now, Dooley. Now they’re going to pounce!”
“I always thought aliens had those long faces, and those big eyes, and that gray skin,” said my friend. “Father Reilly’s skin is pink… ish, and his eyes are the normal size for a human.”
“He’s not an alien, Dooley!”
“That’s what I keep telling you, Max. I’m glad you agree.”
“Okay, so do you think that perhaps Angel could have run away from home to spite you and her mother?” asked Odelia. “After that fight, I mean?”
“I’ve thought about that myself,” said Father Reilly, nodding. “It wouldn’t be inconceivable for her to pull a stunt like that. She’s still at an age where rebellion is the answer for everything. So maybe Joaquin is right and she arranged to stay with one of her friends, hoping to teachher mother and me a lesson.”
“But that still doesn’t account for her phone,” said Chase.
“No, that’s the snag I keep hitting, too. I don’t think Angel would ever willingly part with her phone—it’s her lifeline to her friends, to school, to everything. Her life revolves around it. And I must confess I find the fact that her phone was found very troubling.”
“Yes, it’s definitely not a good sign,” Odelia agreed.
“So Francis—I’m sorry to have to pry,” said Chase, surprising me with the gentleness of his demeanor. For a bad cop he was surprisingly kind, I thought. “But you probably realize that there’s a solid chance that your relationship with Angel’s mother is going to become public knowledgeat some point. Have you considered the consequences?”
“I have,” said Father Reilly with a sigh as he intertwined his fingers as if in prayer. “And thank you for your consideration, Chase.” He leaned back and said, “Frankly there’s only one solution: leave my position here at St. John’s and make an honest woman of Angel’s mother—and recognize Angel as my daughter. I thought I still had time, but clearly I’ve put this off far too long.” He gave his guests a sad smile. “Subconsciously I must have figured I could put it off forever, but circumstances are compelling me to make a decision.”
“And have you made your decision?” asked Odelia, also speaking in that gentle tone I really didn’t like to see there at this moment. Not when she had to pounce!
“I have.” He gestured to his desk. “I’ve been writing a letter to the bishop, announcing my resignation and explaining the circumstances compelling me to take a step back from my role as parish priest. I’m also working on a sermon announcing my retirement, which I plan to deliver during Sunday mass.”
“So… you’re stepping down?” asked Odelia, who looked shocked by this piece of news.
“I’m afraid so. Marigold said something to me the other night that gave me food for thought. She said I’ve devoted my whole life to the Catholic Church, and all she and Angel were left with were the crumbs. It’s time to do right by them both, and devote the rest of my life to being a husband and a father. And God willing, Angel will return to us soon, and I’ll be able to tell her that I’m not a slave driver, but that I am, in fact, her father.” A lone tear had stolen from his eye, and was trickling down his cheek, and before my surprised eyes, suddenly Odelia got up from her armchair, and was giving the aged priest a warm hug. And then tough cop Chase was doing exactly the same thing!
“This is so disappointing on so many levels,” I grumbled.
“I think I finally figured it out,” said Dooley. “He’s an alien wearing a human suit. That would explain everything.”
“Oh, Dooley,” I said with a sigh.
22
“Honey, what’s going on?” asked Vesta as she walked into the kitchen. “Why is the bath full of mayonnaise?”