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Gervase gave her an odd look; she couldn’t tell if she’d touched a nerve or if he thought she was plumb crazy.
“I have no idea why that would be the case.”
“You’ve no recollection of it?”
“I mean, I suppose it’s possible, theoretically speaking, that is, that a priest might devote too much time to a hobby or pastime and might then be advised to curtail it in the interests of his flock, but…”
“But you’ve no recollection of that.”
“If I did, it would be a matter between the priest and his superiors.”
“A priest who keeps being moved around.Just looking at this list, the last parish he was in, before St.Andrew’s, Father Thomas was there for eleven months.That can’t be normal, can it?He’d hardly have had time to get to know people.”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking.”
“Why so short?”
“I cannot discuss that sort of detail with you.The relationship between a priest and his congregation is one of privileged -”
“What about if I come back with a warrant?”she interrupted.“That’s not going to look good, Federal agents all over the building.”
The slick charm vanished behind a chilly cloud.“What doesn’t look good, Agent Valentine, is your clumsy and unbecoming attempt at intimidation, not to mention your bizarre line of questioning and the implication that we might have been in any way at fault.Now I must ask you to excuse me, I’ve got another meeting in five minutes’ time.”
And with that, Kate was dismissed.The woman with the files marched her to the elevator; it was on their floor already and she stepped in it behind Kate.
“There’s really no need to escort me off the premises,” Kate said, a little peevishly.The woman said nothing, but gave what Kate thought was a slight shake of the head.When they reached the ground floor, she continued walking beside Kate, eventually following her out of the building.
“Look – “ Kate began.
“He wasn’t a bad man,” the woman interrupted.She motioned with her head and Kate followed her around the side of the building to a small parking lot edged with trees.
“I don’t want you thinking the worst,” she went on.“Tom was a lovely man.He just got too close.”
“To what?”
“Members of his flock.Women.Typically, unhappily married.And don’t think hetargetedthem.He wasn’t some kind of seducer or predator.He just cared.And he was lonely, too, I think.It’s not natural, all these guys… I mean, they’re not supposed to be just guys, I know.But, really, they are.”
Kate understood.She thought she did, at least.“And the church did… what?Just moved him on each time it happened?Didn’t they think, maybe, this guy’s not cut out for the job?”
“Forgiveness is a big part of the Christian faith, you know.Forgiveness and redemption.”
“If it’s fine to break the rules, why have them?”
“Look at it another way.In the first quarter of the 21stcentury, how many young men in this part of the world leave high school and think, “I’m going to study for seven years and become a Roman Catholic priest”?”
“So they can’t afford to lose one?”
“They can’t afford to lose a good one.That being said, things were heading that way.”
“How do you mean?”
“It was made clear to Father Thomas that this was his last chance.”
Strolling back to her car, Kate found herself thinking once again of the Bible quotes that had accompanied Father Thomas’s body.There was a distinct theme there.Not just of God’s will, and certain witnesses or prophets pointing the way, but of transgression and sin.The importance of sticking to God’s laws.And the dire consequences for those who didn’t.
What if Father Thomas had his last chance and blew it?Not with the church, but someone far less forgiving?
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