Iris Johansen - Bonnie

“You’re surprised? Yet you must have known that was a possibility. You were his psychiatrist. Didn’t he ever give you a glimmer that he was capable of killing someone?”

“Of course he did. He was a Ranger. He was trained to kill.” His lips twisted. “He was praised when he did it right. The Army made him what he was, then threw him to us to heal when he became… unstable.”

“You’re blaming the military?”

He wearily shook his head. “I blame no one but the world we live in and what it does to us.” He added bitterly, “And the demons it causes to rise within our souls. Ted Danner knows all about those demons. He’s obsessed with them. He probably thought he was killing one when he stabbed that man.”

She stiffened. “You say that with some authority. You know Danner very well?”

“As you said, I treated him for years.”

“But you cut your ties to him as you did your other patients?”

He was silent. “I cut all ties.”

She had seen something in his expression. “But did he accept it? Danner was a Ranger, he was smart. He would know how to track you down. Did he have some kind of paternal fixation on you? Have you seen him since you left the hospital?”

He didn’t answer the question. “Who are you? And what are you to Ted Danner? You said you weren’t a relation. Are you with the police?”

“No, my name is Eve Duncan.”

He slowly nodded. “I thought I recognized you. You’re the forensic sculptor. I’ve seen your photo in the newspaper. What do you have to do with Ted Danner?”

“You tell me.” She took step closer to him. “What did he say to you?” she asked fiercely. “No one was closer to him. First, as his psychiatrist, then his priest. He did search you out, didn’t he? Did he mention my daughter?”

“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?”

“Thomas Jacobs.” Her gaze was studying his face, but she could see no change of expression. “You don’t recognize the name?”

His smile deepened. “I understand you deal with faces all the time in your profession. Can’t you read me?”

“Maybe.” She was silent a moment. “I don’t believe he told you anything about Jacobs. But that’s a guess. I don’t know you, and you’re obviously smart and have a good deal of self-control.”

“And you’re desperate to learn something you can sink your teeth into. I’m a great disappointment to you.”

“You’re damn right.”

“And you’re in pain. Such pain.” He nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll tell you what I can, Ms. Duncan. You won’t be satisfied, but it may help you get through this.” He gazed at the water now flowing from the fountain. “First, you have to know that I have no real idea where you can find Ted Danner. For the first few years after he found me and started coming to confession, he worked here at the church. But then he slipped away and only came back every several months. I tried to get him to return, but he said that he was too comfortable here and that he wasn’t meant to stay with me.”

“That sounds amazingly self-sacrificial. I’m finding that fairly unbelievable in the context of what I know about Danner now.”

“Why? Every man has to fight the sin within him. Danner’s battle was more extreme than most.” His lips tightened. “And as long as he stayed on his medicine, he was able to manage it. But he stopped taking it when he said it weakened him, and he was afraid he couldn’t fight the demons.”

“What demons?”