of,” the investigator said as he rose and reached across the desk for Father Borelli’s hand. He towered at least four inches over the priest. “I’ll make sure the body is released. This should give Father some peace. As well as the nuns.” He walked around the desk to escort his visitor out.
Giovanni wasn’t sure now if the inspector was lying to him, if Beppe had lied to him, or . . . “I’d hoped to reconnect with a friend during my stay,” he said as they approached the door, “but I’m having some difficulty locating him. Do you know a person named Pavel Novák?”
“Pavel,” Investigator Damek said slowly, thoughtfully. “Novák. Both common Czech names.” He shook his head. He glanced back at the file on his desk. “Do you have other concerns about Sister Claire’s death?”
Giovanni had a very clear feeling now that Beppe had not shared the name Pavel Novák with the investigator. A name Sister Claire had spoken just before she died. But why had Beppe withheld this information? Was it because he did not trust the police? It almost seemed as if Father Ruffino was playing the two men, one against the other. Sharing and withholding information as he saw fit.
“Do you have reason to believe,” the police investigator asked cautiously, “that it was anything other than an accident?”
“I’m confident you did a thorough job,” Father Borelli replied, wondering why the man referred to it as an accident when he had just said that he told Father Ruffino he believed the nun had died of natural causes.
The investigator opened the door.
“I have some free time in the city,” the priest added, turning back to Investigator Damek. “As I said, my original reason for this visit, a little holiday, though this unfortunate turn of events, Sister Claire’s passing . . . certainly sad news.”
“It’s kind of you to avail yourself to your friend. Perhaps you will still have time to enjoy your holiday. You weren’t personally acquainted with Sister Claire?”
“I never met her,” Father Borelli said. “I understand she had been a member of the order for many years.”
“Very elderly.” The investigator nodded and stared down at the floor. A line of small ants moved across the worn linoleum. Investigator Damek squished one, then another, with a casual rotation of his foot. “No reason not to enjoy a little holiday.” His eyes rose, as did Borelli’s. For a moment they locked. “Please, let Father Ruffino know that arrangements will be made to release Sister Claire’s body.”
“Thank you.”
“Yes, surely not a problem.”
“Is there anything you would personally recommend in the city?” Father Borelli asked, lingering just inside the doorway, the bulk of his body preventing the investigator from closing the door without giving the priest a shove. “For a visitor on holiday?”
“The usual,” the investigator replied, showing little interest, as if he had other business to attend to. “The castle, the museums, and churches.”
“I’ve heard the performance at the Laterna Magika is quite good.”
Investigator Damek smiled. “We, my wife and I, have never been, but, yes, I’ve heard that it’s a wonderful performance. Living here in Prague . . .” He laughed. “We tend not to take advantage of what the city has to offer. You know how it is.”
“Yes, yes,” the priest replied lightheartedly. “I’ve lived in Rome for over thirty years, and, you know, I’ve never toured the Colosseum.”
“We do have to make time for such things in our lives, now don’t we.” The investigator glanced back at the file on his desk again as if about to say,
Before we run out of time
.
• 12 •
Dana sat at an outdoor café sipping a lemonade, an order placed simply to have somewhere to sit. Caroline’s note lay open in front of her on the table.
SISTER CLAIRE MURDERED IN
CHURCH INFANT MISSING
POLICE NOT DOING PROPER INVESTIGATION
NEED YOUR HELP
She had read the
Giovanni wasn’t sure now if the inspector was lying to him, if Beppe had lied to him, or . . . “I’d hoped to reconnect with a friend during my stay,” he said as they approached the door, “but I’m having some difficulty locating him. Do you know a person named Pavel Novák?”
“Pavel,” Investigator Damek said slowly, thoughtfully. “Novák. Both common Czech names.” He shook his head. He glanced back at the file on his desk. “Do you have other concerns about Sister Claire’s death?”
Giovanni had a very clear feeling now that Beppe had not shared the name Pavel Novák with the investigator. A name Sister Claire had spoken just before she died. But why had Beppe withheld this information? Was it because he did not trust the police? It almost seemed as if Father Ruffino was playing the two men, one against the other. Sharing and withholding information as he saw fit.
“Do you have reason to believe,” the police investigator asked cautiously, “that it was anything other than an accident?”
“I’m confident you did a thorough job,” Father Borelli replied, wondering why the man referred to it as an accident when he had just said that he told Father Ruffino he believed the nun had died of natural causes.
The investigator opened the door.
“I have some free time in the city,” the priest added, turning back to Investigator Damek. “As I said, my original reason for this visit, a little holiday, though this unfortunate turn of events, Sister Claire’s passing . . . certainly sad news.”
“It’s kind of you to avail yourself to your friend. Perhaps you will still have time to enjoy your holiday. You weren’t personally acquainted with Sister Claire?”
“I never met her,” Father Borelli said. “I understand she had been a member of the order for many years.”
“Very elderly.” The investigator nodded and stared down at the floor. A line of small ants moved across the worn linoleum. Investigator Damek squished one, then another, with a casual rotation of his foot. “No reason not to enjoy a little holiday.” His eyes rose, as did Borelli’s. For a moment they locked. “Please, let Father Ruffino know that arrangements will be made to release Sister Claire’s body.”
“Thank you.”
“Yes, surely not a problem.”
“Is there anything you would personally recommend in the city?” Father Borelli asked, lingering just inside the doorway, the bulk of his body preventing the investigator from closing the door without giving the priest a shove. “For a visitor on holiday?”
“The usual,” the investigator replied, showing little interest, as if he had other business to attend to. “The castle, the museums, and churches.”
“I’ve heard the performance at the Laterna Magika is quite good.”
Investigator Damek smiled. “We, my wife and I, have never been, but, yes, I’ve heard that it’s a wonderful performance. Living here in Prague . . .” He laughed. “We tend not to take advantage of what the city has to offer. You know how it is.”
“Yes, yes,” the priest replied lightheartedly. “I’ve lived in Rome for over thirty years, and, you know, I’ve never toured the Colosseum.”
“We do have to make time for such things in our lives, now don’t we.” The investigator glanced back at the file on his desk again as if about to say,
Before we run out of time
.
• 12 •
Dana sat at an outdoor café sipping a lemonade, an order placed simply to have somewhere to sit. Caroline’s note lay open in front of her on the table.
SISTER CLAIRE MURDERED IN
CHURCH INFANT MISSING
POLICE NOT DOING PROPER INVESTIGATION
NEED YOUR HELP
She had read the
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