Page 9 of Silent Prayer

James's face scrunched up in concentration. "I think...I think it was a priest. But not the usual one. Someone new."

"Do you remember a name?" Finn asked, his pen poised over his notebook.

James shook his head, then stopped. "Wait. It was something...something like...Wayland? Yes, Father Wayland, I think. Laura seemed to trust him."

Sheila felt a surge of triumph, quickly tempered by the gravity of the situation. "You're sure about that name? Father Wayland?"

"Pretty sure," James replied, looking somewhat more confident. "Why? Is that important?"

"We're not sure yet," Sheila said, careful not to reveal too much. She doubted James had been given many details about his wife's murder, and she didn't want to plant any seeds of suspicion in his mind.

"What else can you tell us about this, Father Wayland?" she asked.

James shrugged helplessly. "Nothing, really. Laura didn't say much about him, just that he was new and that she felt comfortable talking to him. I...I was just glad she had someone to talk to, you know? Even if it wasn't me."

Sheila glanced at Finn. They needed to talk to Father Stephen again, see if he knew anything about this Father Wayland. Could the killer be a local priest, or had he merely been posing as a priest?

As they stood to leave, Sheila placed a comforting hand on James's shoulder. "We'll find who did this, Mr. Hastings. I promise you that."

James nodded, his eyes hollow with grief. "Thank you. Just...please, find out why. Why Laura? She was the kindest person I knew. Who could do something like this?"

Outside, as they walked to their car, Finn turned to Sheila. "What do you think?"

Sheila sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I think James Hastings is genuinely devastated by his wife's death. And if he really was at work until after ten, there's no way he could have killed Laura."

Finn nodded in agreement. "So that leaves this Father Wayland. Maybe Father Stephen can tell us who he is."

As they reached their car, Sheila's phone rang. She glanced at the screen, not recognizing the number. "Deputy Stone," she answered.

"Deputy, my name is Jonah Tournay," a male voice said, sounding tense and uncomfortable. "I need your help."

Sheila put the phone on speaker so Finn could hear. "What about, Mr. Tournay?"

"My sister, Sophie," Jonah replied, his voice cracking. "She's been missing for three days...and the last thing I knew, she was meeting with a priest."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Tournay," Sheila said, her voice filled with concern. "Can you tell us more about your sister's disappearance?"

Jonah's voice trembled as he spoke. "I...I heard about the murder at St. Michael's on the news, and it got me thinkingabout Sophie. She told me she was meeting with a priest, and then…then she vanished."

Finn and Sheila exchanged a worried glance. The connection was too strong to ignore.

"Mr. Tournay," Finn said, "this is Deputy Mercer. We'd like to speak with you in person. Would that be possible?"

There was a brief pause before Jonah replied, "Yes, of course. Anything to help find Sophie."

"Great," Sheila said, trying to keep her voice calm and reassuring. "How about we meet at Steinhart's in half an hour?"

"I'll be there," Jonah said, and the call ended.

Sheila glanced at Finn, who was already watching her. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I'm thinking we may have a serial killer on our hands," she said. "And I'm also thinking that if we're not careful, Sophie Tournay might end up like Laura Hastings—if she hasn't already."

CHAPTER FOUR

Steinhart's Bar and Grill was a cozy local spot, its large windows offering a view of Coldwater's main street. As Sheila and Finn entered, the familiar scent of grilled meats enveloped them. The restaurant was bustling with the evening crowd, locals catching up over burgers and craft beers.

They spotted Jonah immediately, a man in his early thirties with worried eyes and disheveled brown hair. He sat alone at a corner table, nervously fidgeting with a paper napkin.

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