Bonnie - Iris Johansen [60]
“Your daughter?” He shook his head. “Why would he—” He stopped, as the realization hit him. “You daughter was killed years ago. You believe Danner did it?”
“I don’t know. She was taken about the time you left the hospital and stopped treating Danner. Did he ever talk about her?”
He shook his head in bewilderment. “Why would he?”
He was telling the truth. “She was also the daughter of John Gallo. You must know about John.”
“Ted Danner’s nephew.” The priest nodded. “He loves him very much. He probably doesn’t love anyone else on this Earth.”
“You know that, and you didn’t know about Gallo’s daughter?”
“Perhaps Danner didn’t know.” Then he muttered, “Or perhaps he did. It would explain so much. The little girl…”
“He knew,” she said jerkily. “He knew about my Bonnie. And what would it explain?”
He didn’t answer directly, “And you think he killed her?”
“It’s possible. I’m going to find out. I’m going to find him. You have to help me.”
He shook his head.
“Don’t tell me no,” she said fiercely. “You’re a priest, a man of God. I’ve told you that Danner has already killed and might kill again. You can’t let him go free. You know where he is, don’t you?”
“No.”
“But you’ve been in recent contact with him. You could find him. He must have told you something. You’ve got to help me.”
“God will help you.”
“It’s your duty, dammit.”
“My duty is to God and my vows.”
“So pure. But how pure are you, Father? You appear to have gotten off scot-free on that charge that was leveled at you several years ago. But it just occurred to me that if you were afraid that Danner might bring new evidence and testify against you, it might ruin your bright new life. You might not want him to be found. Were you experimenting on Ted Danner, too?”
His gaze was narrowed on her face. “You’ve done some in-depth research, haven’t you?”
“Answer me.”
“But I don’t have to answer you. You obviously wouldn’t believe me if I did.”
“Does Danner come to you in the confessional?”
“Yes. But very infrequently.”
“Then you must know—you have to know something.”
“And you know I can’t violate the confessional.”
She didn’t know anything but that she didn’t trust anything that he was telling her. “Not even to catch a murderer, to prevent another murder?”
He was silent. “I couldn’t violate my vow. I’d have to do it in another way. I can only try to find Danner myself and prevent him from striking at another of his demons.”
“Demons? You mentioned that before. What are you talking about?” She added bitterly, “Or is that something else that you have to keep confidential?” She took a step closer to him. “You listen to me, Father Barnabas. My daughter is dead and may have been killed by Ted Danner. I have to find him. I have to know everything about him. I won’t stop until I do. I’ll follow you everywhere you go.” She paused. “And I don’t care about your vows. You have to tell me what he told you.”
“I can’t do that,” he said quietly. “You must see that I can’t betray a trust. As a psychiatrist, I was bound by one oath, and when I became a priest, I became bound by an even stronger one. Either way, I mustn’t break my vows.”
“Or you could be protecting yourself and using your vows to keep me from finding Danner.” She added deliberately. “Implanted false memories, Father Barnabas? What a horrible crime.”
He looked her straight in the eye. “Yes, it is.”
“Did you do it? What was the verdict of that court?”
He smiled faintly. “Another vow that I can’t break. I agreed to a sealed testimony. You wouldn’t want me to get in trouble with the law.”
He wasn’t going to help her, she realized in frustration. The priest was staring at her with an expression that was firmly determined. “Danner is a criminal. The authorities are looking for him. They won’t understand about your vows, Father Barnabas.”
He smiled faintly. “God will understand. I can’t please everyone, Ms. Duncan. I have to choose. I realized that a long time ago.” He glanced away from her. “Who is Danner supposed to have killed?