Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [599]
“Really? So the documents might be missing.”
“What kind of documents, Christine?”
She hesitated as if she needed to think about what she could and couldn’t tell him. Ordinarily he might have enjoyed having the tables turned for a change. She was concerned about divulging classified information to him instead of him trying to decide what pieces of an investigation or criminal indictment he could share with her.
“It hasn’t just been rumors. There have been complaints registered against Monsignor O’Sullivan, but not with the police department. Only with the archbishop,” she said in almost a whisper. Her eyes darted to the front door again as if she was still worried their mother might overhear. “Affidavits have been signed, money exchanged, promises made. But all in secret.”
“If it’s all so secret, how did you find out?”
“People feel less motivated to keep secrets when promises are broken. Let’s just say Armstrong hasn’t been holding up his end of the bargain.”
“So why wouldn’t he just shred any so-called documentation? Why even bother to hand deliver all of it to the Vatican?” Nick wasn’t sure he was buying any of this. It sounded too sensational, too much like some conspiracy theory.
“Nicky, I’m surprised at you. Shredding such documents would be against the law,” she said with a smile before she resumed her serious tone. “When the Boston Globe did its investigation on Cardinal Law and the Boston Archdiocese, they discovered that bishops were being told to send any documents in question to the Vatican to store. After all, the Vatican has diplomatic immunity.”
“And that’s what you think is happening here? In Omaha?”
She smiled again and shrugged, took another sip of her beer.
Maybe it wasn’t so sensational after all, and it was exactly the kind of thing Tony would feel he couldn’t talk about, couldn’t tell anyone because of his loyalties to the church. Sometimes Tony could be loyal to a fault. But he also knew his friend wouldn’t sit back and keep quiet if there was a chance the allegations might be true. No way would Tony allow a child abuser to get away with it even if the abuser was a priest and his boss.
“Do you think Tony knows about any of this?” Nick asked, hoping that might be the case, but from the look on his sister’s face, he could tell she didn’t think so.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” Christine said.
CHAPTER 22
Washington, D. C.
Someone was following her. Gwen glanced in her rearview mirror as she pulled into the tiny four-slot parking lot behind Mr. Lee’s Market World. She had circled the block three times and so did the black SUV. Only now she didn’t see it. Was it possible she was being paranoid?
The SUV’s tinted windshield had been too dark to see the driver, although during the left turn at the last intersection she had gotten enough of a glimpse to know it was a man’s silhouette. Traffic was crazy on a Saturday evening and it was a holiday weekend at that. Finding a parking spot in this neighborhood of small shops with a few clapboard houses tucked in between sometimes took three and four times around the block. That’s probably all it was—someone trying to find a parking space. And yet, she stayed in her car, waiting, checking the mirrors and watching along the street, giving him plenty of time to catch up with her.
The killer had no reason to be following her. He had to know by now that his threat—albeit subtle—had kept her in line. She had done everything he had demanded, played along with his evil game of scavenger hunt. Why would he think she’d suddenly run to the police with his latest puzzle piece? Although this one was different from the rest. In the past he had sent her instructions, maps, information—even a cell phone—all for the purpose of directing her, leading her to find his victims. She believed it was to show her what he had done, what he was capable of doing. But why send a single earring? She couldn’t help wondering if this latest victim was still alive. If that was true, was