Shout in the Dark by Christopher Wright

evil in the
heavenly realms ,"
finished Marco, glad of the rote learning of Sister
Maria.
    " Indeed, yes. The Epistle to the Ephesians." A bell sounded
deep within the green-shuttered house on the edge of the Piazza di
Santa Maria Maggiore. Father Josef raised a finger. "The sisters
are telling us that our lunch is ready. There is much work to be
done, so today I will forgo my siesta ."
    As they left the room, Marco's earlier
question was suddenly answered.
    " Marco, you asked if the writings of Eusebius are reliable?
There is, I contend, independent evidence for the existence of the
statue. Within a few minutes' drive of here, in the catacomb of
Santo Pietro and Marcellinus, I have seen a fresco that I believe
shows the very same statue of our Lord, with the woman he
healed."
    " I've seen it too." Marco started down the marble stairs,
while behind him Father Josef took a firm grip of the brass
handrail ready for his descent. "But I didn't realize it showed a
statue. I thought it was just a picture of Jesus healing the woman.
You could be right." He turned. He had to ask, although the answer
was obvious. "Father Josef, I imagine I'm not a practicing priest
any more. Is that so?"
    " Hurry along, my son, we must not keep the sisters waiting.
To my eyes a man of God is always a man of God, and that is what
you most certainly are. You cannot have your priesthood simply
taken away by a cardinal and his panel, but you have certainly been
prevented from taking up your duties in your first
parish."
    Marco walked ahead slowly. He knew that in
the short-term he must reconcile himself to a new life. This could
even be the last day for wearing his suit of clerical black. At
least he could stop cleaning his best shoes. He turned again to
speak. "What exactly do you want me to do, to help?"
    Father Josef began to make his way down.
"You have to find the relic and bring it back. Before the neo-Nazis
get to it."
     
    BY THE END of the afternoon Marco was keen
to throw himself into the work being offered by Josef Reinhardt.
Perhaps the guilty could be made to pay for their sins in this
life. With his help, the killers of Canon Angelo would be found and
made to suffer. Marco checked himself, painfully aware of the
hatred that still bubbled below the surface. Hatred like this had
nearly destroyed his life when Anna died. It still could, if he let
his feelings run free.
    The old priest said the work was for the
protection of the Church, not for personal gratification. But if
the neo-Nazis were involved, surely Father Josef would want the
fascists taught a lesson at the same time. He reached the outside
door, where the fast moving traffic in the piazza brought him back
to reality with a jolt.
    Standing in the large piazza, he was surprised to discover
he was a little afraid. Why should that be? These streets were his
home, the playground of his childhood, the territory of his youth.
If someone was out there trying to harm him they would have to be
good at it. Anyway, whenever he walked the streets he faced danger
-- from customers who had once purchased his used cars! He decided
to walk home past the studios of TV Roma and check up on the
condition of the injured guard. And perhaps have quick chat with
Natalia.

Chapter 12
    TV Roma
    MARCO WAVED discreetly as Natalia came
running lightly down the
stairs in response to a phone call from reception. She was wearing
long, loose clothes -- masking a shape that had once tormented him.
Of all the girls he had been with in the past, Natalia was the only
one to say so-far-but-no-further, and mean it. It was an attitude
hard to come to terms with at the time, and they drifted apart when
Isabella, a blonde from Lido di Ostia, proved more than ready to
satisfy his desires. But that was before he met Anna. He realized
he was not concentrating as Natalia talked, aware that his eyes
were checking out her body. He quickly brought his thoughts under
control.
    " How's the security guard?" he asked.
    " Dino? A deep