Jackie Baldwin - Dead Man’s Prayer

Farrell glared at him, exasperated.

‘While we’re on the subject of my job there’s something I need to ask you, Joe.’

‘I’ll answer if I can,’ the priest replied.

‘Father Boyd was due to meet with you. Can you tell me what about?’

The elderly priest sighed and looked away.

‘I was his spiritual adviser, just as I am yours.’

‘For how long?’ asked Farrell, trying hard to keep the feeling of betrayal out of his voice.

‘Does it matter?’ asked the priest. ‘Long enough. Longer than you. Your paths didn’t cross until afterwards. I thought you would get over it. I thought I could help you resolve the hatred and bitterness within your heart. I was wrong, I see that now.’

Farrell felt trapped in a maelstrom of emotion that threatened to overwhelm his carefully constructed defences. He had to focus, concentrate on the case rather than what this meant for him personally.

‘I must bring his murderer to justice, Joe, don’t you see? Maybe, in the process of doing so, I can finally begin to forgive him for what he put me through. I need to know if there was something in his past that might provide a motive for someone to kill him. You were his confessor, his spiritual adviser, maybe even his friend. Be his advocate. Tell me what I need to know,’ begged Farrell, clasping the priest’s hand.

Father Joe initially struggled, like his hand was a captive bird, but then the fight went out of him and he slumped in his seat.

‘Very well,’ he said. ‘I don’t have all the answers you’re looking for. If I did, I would have been in touch before now. However, I can tell you there were a number of things troubling him shortly before his death.’

‘When was the last time you saw him?’ asked Farrell.

‘I used to meet with him up in Edinburgh once every two months, more if required. The last time I saw him was the Friday before he died.’

Farrell leaned forward in his seat. ‘Go on.’

‘He was concerned about the young priest, Father Malone. He believed he was struggling to maintain a celibate lifestyle.’

‘A woman?’ asked Farrell.

‘Would that it was that simple,’ said the priest with a heavy sigh.

‘You don’t mean …?’

‘Yes, I’m afraid so.’

‘Was Boyd going to take the matter to the bishop?’

‘I believe that was his intention, yes. He was going to give Father Malone one further opportunity to—’

‘To what? Toe the party line or else?’

‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that, but in essence …’

‘The housekeeper mentioned she’d overheard them arguing the night Boyd was murdered,’ said Farrell.

Father Joe clutched the table.

‘What are you saying? You don’t think that …?’

‘I don’t know what to think,’ replied Farrell. ‘If Boyd had simply been hit over the head with a vase in the heat of the moment I might figure maybe it was Malone, but the way he was killed … that was real evil at work.’

‘Unless it was calculated to throw you off the scent; convince you that you were dealing with something entirely different in character.’

Farrell sat back in his chair and regarded the elderly priest quizzically.

‘I can’t believe you just came out with that,’ he said.

‘I don’t know why you find it surprising,’ Father Joe said with a sad smile. ‘After a lifetime of service in the Church I have seen how the human soul can transcend its existence and become a thing of beauty no matter what its earthly travail. I have also seen how easily a Godless soul can be polluted by evil until it is a scream of agony contaminating everything it touches.’

‘And here’s me thinking a man of the cloth like you just sits in his ivory tower counting rosary beads all day,’ said Farrell, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Father Joe laughed and the tension momentarily left his shoulders.

‘Did Father Boyd know that he was running out of time?’ asked Farrell.

‘He was aware he had months rather than years left to live.’

The elderly priest paused and looked away.

Farrell leaned forward in his chair. ‘What is it, Joe? What aren’t you telling me? There’s something else, isn’t there?’

‘He talked about you, that last Friday.’

‘Me? What about me?’ asked Farrell.

‘The way he had behaved towards you in the past. I got the impression that it was weighing heavily upon him and that he wished to make amends. He also seemed to think he had wronged your mother.’

‘My mother? What’s she got to do with anything?’

‘It’s probably nothing. He’d had a couple of brandies after dinner, said it helped with the pain. I didn’t like to press him.’

Farrell suddenly became aware that Father Joe was looking exhausted and felt a prickle of guilt. He poured two coffees and led the elderly priest upstairs to a comfortable seat in the lounge with panoramic views over the River Nith to the rolling hills beyond. In companionable silence they sat together enjoying the view to the uplifting strains of Bach.

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