Bonnie - Iris Johansen [96]
“You’re teasing me. That’s okay. I don’t mind.” Ben was gathering branches from the trees on the slopes leading to the hill. “I’ll build a fire. It gets cold at night in the hills.”
Joe smiled. “But Father Barnabas has his sleeping bag.”
“We can flip for it,” the priest offered.
Ben shook his head. “I like to sleep on the ground. It helps me be closer.”
“Closer to what?” Joe asked.
Ben didn’t answer directly. “Just closer.” He was kneeling and making the fire. “I like it here. It’s kind of peaceful.”
Joe wasn’t feeling at all peaceful. He could feel the blood zinging through his body, and his heart was pounding. At last he was on the way to getting a handle on this nightmare. Should he try to go explore that ridge? He didn’t have any doubt he could make it, but Father Barnabas was right about the smart course being to wait for daylight. He’d be going at it blind, and he didn’t know what the hell he was looking for. He might do it anyway. He didn’t know if he could be patient enough to wait.
“No, Joe.” The priest was gazing at him. “Think about it first.”
Joe nodded curtly. “I’ll call Catherine and Gallo and tell them where we are and see if we can get any idea about where Danner is now. If he’s anywhere near, then I’m going.” He turned and went toward the fire. “I need some light to get our position on the GPS and Google that damn ridge. I think Ben brought a pan, instant coffee, and some bottled water if you want to fix a hot drink. It’s already getting cool.”
“Later.” Father Barnabas was looking out at the ridge, which was only a purple-shaded blur in the falling darkness. “Ben is right, there is peace here. I think I’ll go over there in the trees by myself. I’ll see you soon.”
Maybe he was going to meditate or pray or whatever priests did in cases like this, Joe thought. Though a case like this wasn’t that common. Or perhaps he was planning what his next move would be in order to find Danner before Joe did.
“You watch him.” Ben was sitting back on his heels, his head tilted as he stared at Joe. “He makes you worry. Why?”
Joe shrugged. “He’s a puzzle. He may not be what he seems to be.”
Ben’s gaze went to the priest. “But why should that worry you? It’s all good.”
“Is it? How do you know?”
“Can’t you see? He kind of shines inside. Like you, Joe.”
“Me?” He shook his head. “Not likely, Ben.”
“Not exactly the same. He’s deeper, softer. But he does shine, Joe.” He smiled brilliantly. “And he only wants to help. You don’t have to worry.”
What would Ben know? He thought even Danner was good. How could Joe believe him?
Yet he did believe him. Looking at the boy’s face, he believed every word he’d spoken. Crazy.
No, it wasn’t crazy. That beautiful clear simplicity wasn’t to be denied. Dammit, he suddenly knew he didn’t want to deny it. Maybe the kid could sense or see something that Joe couldn’t. “Well, I can’t see the shine from this distance, so I guess I’ll have to go and get a little closer look at him. I’ll be right back.” He turned and strode toward the trees where the priest was sitting.
“A problem?” Father Barnabas asked as he looked up and saw Joe’s frown. “May I help?”
“Yes.” Joe stopped in front of him. “You can stop being a damn martyr and shrug off all those good intentions and vows of confidentiality that you took as a priest and as your alter ego the great psychiatrist. I’m tired of wondering if you’re going to try to push me under a bus. I want to go after Danner with a clear head.”
The priest’s brows rose. “What brought this on?”
“Ben says you shine. I don’t have his vision. I’m just a cop who’s grounded in reality. I want to see if you’re the real thing or fool’s gold.”
“I have my fool’s-gold moments. Don’t we all?”
“Yeah, but I think that Ben would be able to weigh that in and come up with the right answer.”
“You seem to have a good deal of faith in Ben.”
“I have to have faith in something or someone right now. I need it.”
Father Barnabas smiled. “So do I. That’s why I took a moment to myself.”
“Talk to me. Why are you going after Danner? Does he know too much