Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [707]
Maggie had left several messages for Racine and Gwen. She was anxious to test out her theory and needed to know if Gwen’s patient could possibly be playing the game, too. It seemed a bit far-fetched, but Father Paul Conley’s death didn’t fit The Sin Eater’s M.O. Maggie wondered if the D.C. killer could have taken the game into his own hands. It was possible that if he was playing the game and had read about or heard about the other priests being killed, he may have decided to execute his own submitted priest. Whatever the connection, there was definitely one. Maggie didn’t believe in coincidences.
She rolled over onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow with an irritated sigh. And there was Nick Morrelli. He had hugged her when she brought back Timmy. She didn’t want to remember how good his arms felt around her. Besides, he was getting married in a month.
Her cell phone startled her, and she practically jumped out of bed. She stumbled trying to find her way in the dim light from the bathroom. When she stayed in hotels she always kept the bathroom light on and the door half closed to provide a night-light. Finally she found the phone where she had left it in her jacket pocket.
“Maggie O’Dell.”
“O’Dell, it’s Racine.”
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Actually Maggie was glad to have the detective finally getting back to her.
“Look, O’Dell, I’m not great at delivering bad news, so give me a break. Okay?”
“What happened? Is Gwen all right?” Racine didn’t answer. She was quiet, too quiet. It was Gwen. Maggie found the edge of the bed with her left hand, dropping down onto it, feeling the lead weight in the pit of her stomach.
“She’s not all right,” Racine finally said in a soft conciliatory voice. “One of her patients shot her last night.”
“Oh my God.”
“Then he shot himself.”
Seconds then minutes ticked by as Maggie tried to breathe and stop shaking. Suddenly she was freezing cold again.
“She’s still in surgery,” Racine said and for a moment Maggie thought she hadn’t heard her correctly.
“She’s alive?”
“She’s very lucky. Her briefcase slowed the bullet down. Otherwise it might have gone through her heart.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“Yes, I think so. She’s lost a lot of blood, but the doctors sound pretty positive.”
Maggie wiped at her tears and took a deep breath.
“This patient,” Racine continued, “his name was James Campion. We’re pretty sure he killed that priest up in Boston. And probably the four women here in D.C. We’re checking more prints to confirm. Which means the doc was right. It was one of her patients. She just guessed wrong as to which one.”
But Maggie couldn’t listen, couldn’t concentrate on anything else other than Gwen.
“Hey, Racine,” Maggie said, relieved enough to lie back on the bed. “You’re right. You aren’t very good at delivering bad news. You scared the crap out of me.”
“I think I’ll consider us even, O’Dell, because your friend scared the fuck out of me.”
CHAPTER 90
Friday, July 9
Omaha Archdiocese Office
Tommy Pakula knew he was enjoying this just a little too much. He sat in the same hardback chair across from Archbishop Armstrong’s desk and he was waiting for him, again. But this time he didn’t mind. He was finally putting to rest another chapter of the toughest case in his career. Oh sure, there was more to figure out, but it was looking like James Campion may have been their priest killer. In the last several weeks his job had taken him to Saint Louis and Tallahassee, Florida. From Saint Louis he could have easily driven to Columbia and Omaha. And Pensacola was only about a three-or four-hour drive from Tallahassee.
Maybe he wanted it to be Campion so badly that he was willing to overlook Minneapolis. He had Carmichael checking to see if there could be a connection between Campion and Brother Sebastian. If the two men might