Page 57 of Deadly Secrets
“So you have no last name, no idea what church he’s from, and no pictures of him?”
“I’m afraid not. Like Loretta told the other agent, Pastor Luke dropped in, helped out at lunchtime, and left after two days.”
“Does that happen a lot?” Roman couldn’t believe how casual people were in this day and age with safety and security. “You let anyone volunteer without a background check or even getting their last name?”
He didn’t need to worry about Brooke offending the pastor, he’d just done it for them.
The pastor’s shoulders went back and she lifted her chin. The smile she forced to her lips, and the way she clasped her hands again, told him he was about to get schooled. “We run on a very slim budget, Mr. Walsh, and very few in the church are able to volunteer to serve the homeless and destitute. We take all the help we can get and thank God for any person who walks through that door willing to give it.”
Which meant they didn’t ask questions, not even basic ones.
Brooke opened her mouth and Roman touched her hand to stop her. “Are you sure there’s no one else who interacted with Pastor Luke who could give us more information about him?”
The forced smile stayed in place. “I’m afraid not, but if I hear anything, I’ll be in touch.”
“What about a Pastor John?” Brooke asked, hefting her purse a little higher on her shoulder. “Has he volunteered here? Pastor Matthew? Mark?”
Rogers looked confused. “What?”
Brooke wasn’t done. “Where did your mother get that cross from? A store here in San Diego?”
The pastor’s fingers went to the pendant, idly rubbing it again. “I took my orders in Albuquerque, and my mother lives in Bangor, Maine. I assume she bought it from a store there.”
Good thought to figure out if there was a central location where The Reverend and his followers might have purchased the cross necklace. He would have Polly call around to all the local jewelry shops and get Shane on the internet shopping sites and see if they could find a central supplier.
Roman started to thank the pastor for her time when Brooke went Homeland agent on him once more. “What do you know about the moon phases?”
Rogers looked like she thought Brooke was a mental patient. “Like full moon, new moon stuff?”
“The moon, blood, the Book of Revelation. Any of that come up with your fellow ministers lately?”
“What does that have to do with my necklace and Pastor Luke?”
The young man wandered by, a now empty soup bowl in hand. “Pastor Luke had a moon glyph tattooed on the back of his neck.”
Roman stopped the kid. “You saw the back of his neck?”
“Under his collar.” The kid looked at Brooke as he spoke, as if more comfortable with her. “I saw it when he bent over to hand one of the guys outside a plate of food. We had lasagna that day—at least what passes for it.” A quick glance Loretta’s way told Roman the kid didn’t want to get in trouble for criticizing the cook. “There was a family outside, illegals I think. They were afraid to come in. He took plates of food out to them, got them to sit down out back under the tree. He prayed over them, made sure the kids had plenty to eat, gave the mom some cash from his own pocket. Nice guy. We could use more like that around here.”
Brooke’s fingers dug into Roman’s arm. Damn, this was the best lead they had yet. “Is that family here today?” Roman asked.
“Nah.” The kid headed for the kitchen. “They never came back.”
“Wait.” Brooke started after him.
Rogers huffed. “You can’t go back there.”
Roman stepped in front of Rogers, cutting her off while keeping an eye on Brooke. She definitely had the scent and her instincts were good. The kid was more comfortable talking to her, so Roman would give her some leeway.
Meanwhile, he needed to keep Rogers out of her hair. “Do you know of any sites where undocumented immigrants might hold services?”
“Why? So you can arrest and deport them?”
Hostile much? “I’m trying to save their lives. Have you heard of The Reverend? He’s on a killing spree and they’re his target.”
She wasn’t stupid. He could see the wheels turning in her head, putting the puzzle pieces together. “We don’t ask personal questions here.”
“If you know anything that can help, it could stop another mass suicide/killing.”
Her face fell. She shook her head. “I’ve told you everything I know. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”
She walked away and Brooke emerged from the kitchen, giving Roman a covert thumbs-up. “We done here?” she asked.
He took her arm. “Yep.”
She called back over her shoulder to Pastor Rogers. “He has a PhD in Criminal Justice! And he’s a Homeland agent! So it’sDr. Walsh orAgentWalsh, Pastor Rogers. Show the man some respect.”
Roman hustled her out the door, shaking his head. He’d created a monster.
