Read Online Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 03 - The Priest Who Ate a Poison Petit Fore by Kee Patterbee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kee Patterbee
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take long, don’t you think?” He looked to Janus.
For a second, Janus said nothing, a slow smile forcing its way onto his face. “No, I wouldn’t think so. In fact, why don’t the four of you talk? We can reschedule for later.””
Though he was agreeable, Hannah could tell the change in plans aggravated the priest. Controlling , she added.
“Oh, no, it’s us,”” Hym half apologized, “we came unannounced. We shouldn’t have interrupted.”
“No, No, that’s fine,” Janus insisted. “I have patients that I can minister too.” He looked back to Whipson. “We’ll talk tomorrow, Jonathan. I’ll call with the time.” With that, he turned and exited as did Rhoades. After he was out of sight, Whipson turned to the trio with a smile. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Hym gave a weak smile. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
Whipson studied Hym’s face for a moment before assenting. He motioned for all to follow. He led them out the door and across the way to a small conference room. “Will this do?” he asked as they entered.
Everyone settled into chairs around a small round table. Whipson removed his glasses and began cleaning them. He looked first to Hym, then to Magdalen and last to Hannah. “Such serious faces. Is it the case or the wedding?”
At first, no one responded. Then Hannah spoke up. “Well, sir, we’ve been checking into things. It seems there may have been more than just the victims you found.”
Whipson returned his glasses and adjusted them on his nose as he nodded. Hannah noticed that the news disturbed, but did not surprise the man. Almost expected , she considered.
“I thought you might also want to know that little ties them together.” She paused to gauge his expression, which was stony. “Just one thing so far.””
“Susan and Calvin.”
Whipson’s sudden acknowledgement took Hannah by surprise. The response was one that had been happening with increased frequency of late. When she looked to Hym and Magdalen, their half-open mouths affirmed the same.
“That’s why I wanted you to check into all this,” the Reverend explained. “I knew you’d find that to begin with, but it’s my hope that along the way, you’ll also find evidence that exonerates them.””
“That’s our intention,” Hym interjected.
Whipson took hold of Hym’s hand. “I know. You’ve always been a good friend to them.” He looked over to Magdalen. “You too,” he said with smile. He then scrutinized Hannah. “But you, young lady. You are the one I am counting on. These two are like my own children in many ways, but their eyes are a little rose colored as are my own. Yours aren’t. You’re open to all possibilities. Good or bad.” He scanned around the room at all three. ““I know they have nothing to do with what’s going on, but someone does. I need to know why it’s happening around them.”
A spasm of coughs overtook the clergyman. Magdalen sent Hym for some water. By the time he got back with a small cup from a hallway dispenser, the Reverend had settled down. He drank the glass down and waited. Hannah, as usual, broke the silence.
“A friend of mine has been checking into the backgrounds of everyone. All the victims. Susan and Calvin… You.”
Whipson’s eyes widened for a second before they returned to normal in short order. “Well, that must have been interesting,” he offered with a grin. ““I suppose my egregious past had to climb to the surface sometime.”
Chapter Seven
“You were young,” Hym assured, “a different person.”
“I was, but that’s just an excuse. I did what I did and much more than I paid for, but that’s neither here nor there. In the end, I found the light and changed my ways. Tried to do more good than bad. Raised a good family. Touched the lives of others.” He smiled again at Hym and Magdalen. “Looking at you two, I like to think I had a hand in leaving better than I gave.”
For the first time in
For a second, Janus said nothing, a slow smile forcing its way onto his face. “No, I wouldn’t think so. In fact, why don’t the four of you talk? We can reschedule for later.””
Though he was agreeable, Hannah could tell the change in plans aggravated the priest. Controlling , she added.
“Oh, no, it’s us,”” Hym half apologized, “we came unannounced. We shouldn’t have interrupted.”
“No, No, that’s fine,” Janus insisted. “I have patients that I can minister too.” He looked back to Whipson. “We’ll talk tomorrow, Jonathan. I’ll call with the time.” With that, he turned and exited as did Rhoades. After he was out of sight, Whipson turned to the trio with a smile. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Hym gave a weak smile. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
Whipson studied Hym’s face for a moment before assenting. He motioned for all to follow. He led them out the door and across the way to a small conference room. “Will this do?” he asked as they entered.
Everyone settled into chairs around a small round table. Whipson removed his glasses and began cleaning them. He looked first to Hym, then to Magdalen and last to Hannah. “Such serious faces. Is it the case or the wedding?”
At first, no one responded. Then Hannah spoke up. “Well, sir, we’ve been checking into things. It seems there may have been more than just the victims you found.”
Whipson returned his glasses and adjusted them on his nose as he nodded. Hannah noticed that the news disturbed, but did not surprise the man. Almost expected , she considered.
“I thought you might also want to know that little ties them together.” She paused to gauge his expression, which was stony. “Just one thing so far.””
“Susan and Calvin.”
Whipson’s sudden acknowledgement took Hannah by surprise. The response was one that had been happening with increased frequency of late. When she looked to Hym and Magdalen, their half-open mouths affirmed the same.
“That’s why I wanted you to check into all this,” the Reverend explained. “I knew you’d find that to begin with, but it’s my hope that along the way, you’ll also find evidence that exonerates them.””
“That’s our intention,” Hym interjected.
Whipson took hold of Hym’s hand. “I know. You’ve always been a good friend to them.” He looked over to Magdalen. “You too,” he said with smile. He then scrutinized Hannah. “But you, young lady. You are the one I am counting on. These two are like my own children in many ways, but their eyes are a little rose colored as are my own. Yours aren’t. You’re open to all possibilities. Good or bad.” He scanned around the room at all three. ““I know they have nothing to do with what’s going on, but someone does. I need to know why it’s happening around them.”
A spasm of coughs overtook the clergyman. Magdalen sent Hym for some water. By the time he got back with a small cup from a hallway dispenser, the Reverend had settled down. He drank the glass down and waited. Hannah, as usual, broke the silence.
“A friend of mine has been checking into the backgrounds of everyone. All the victims. Susan and Calvin… You.”
Whipson’s eyes widened for a second before they returned to normal in short order. “Well, that must have been interesting,” he offered with a grin. ““I suppose my egregious past had to climb to the surface sometime.”
Chapter Seven
“You were young,” Hym assured, “a different person.”
“I was, but that’s just an excuse. I did what I did and much more than I paid for, but that’s neither here nor there. In the end, I found the light and changed my ways. Tried to do more good than bad. Raised a good family. Touched the lives of others.” He smiled again at Hym and Magdalen. “Looking at you two, I like to think I had a hand in leaving better than I gave.”
For the first time in
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