Page 55 of Go Home
Marcus ordered pancakes.
“Doesn’t that… undo the workout?”she asked.
“It wasn’t much of a workout.I mainly go there for the showers.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.At home, Cheryl uses up all the hot water.”
They both laughed for a little too long.
“Look, Vee…” He fanned his hands out on the table and stared at them.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to sound like I thought you were crazy.I guess I…”.He looked directly at her.“I worry about you.I know you don’t want me to or need me to.But I do.Sorry, okay?”
“It’s fine, but I need to be able to trust that you’ll take me seriously.You know, just because a situation’s crazy, it doesn’t mean I am.It shouldn’t be your go-to position that Kate’s gone loco again.”
“Hey,” he said, sounding hurt.“It’s not.”
“And caring about someone doesn’t give you a free pass to treat them however you want.”
The waitress slammed the pancakes down and, in parting, shot Marcus a cold look.
Kate couldn’t help smiling.
“What’s funny?”
“She thinks we’re a couple and we’ve met up after a fight to sort things out, but you’re still being a pig to me.”
“How could she deduce all that from looking at a pair of people for about fifteen seconds?”
“She’s a woman.”
“And why do women always assume the guy’s in the wrong?”
“Because men are, usually, in the wrong and acting like pigs.”
“Now you sound like Cheryl,” he said, glumly.
“Is everything okay there?”
“It’s just…” He shifted in his seat.“It’s fine.Let’s… you know.Put it behind us.Tell me about this Cox guy.”
“Okay.”
He seemed to want to move on, and Kate still felt there were things to say.But on the other hand, the difficult part was behind them.
“Get this,” she said.“He handed in his notice on the day of Denton’s execution and didn’t come in again.“Wouldn’t answer calls, wasn’t at the address he’d given, which was his mother’s house.After three months, they contacted the Diocese.The Diocese says, feel free to advertise for a new priest.They wouldn’t say whether he was alive or dead, left the priesthood or whatever.”
“Suspicious?”
“Churches are often secretive.I think it comes from this idea that they’re guarding a mystery.Do you know, officially, the Anglican Church denies the existence of ghosts and bad spirits?But each diocese has an official exorcist.”
“Maybe they could help us find the missing Reverend.”
“He’s resurfaced a little since then.His mom died and he inherited the house, which he rents out to a young family.They’ve had next-to-no dealings with him.If they’ve ever got a problem with the house, they sort it out themselves.He files a tax return every year; that’s for his rental income and some kind of online editing job.But the address he gives is a mailbox here in Portland, Maine.He’s also listed as an Elder of… hold up.” She checked something on her phone.“The Blessed Tabernacle of Christ Fire Miracle Ministries.”
“That’s a new one.”
“Sounds kind of… snakes in a bag, if you get my meaning.”
