揥hat are you doing??Kelsey asked. 揘ick is unarmed.?
The abbess said nothing.
Sister Ellen closed and locked the oak doors.
Fuentes felt satisfied.
The tomb was gone. The bones collected. The maidens silenced. All was good except for Vilamur, who would have to be dealt with, but that should not be a problem. The archbishop wanted to be a cardinal, and he needed a few more of those, especially the kind with unquestioned loyalty. So an arrangement would have to be forged, but one that took into account the insubordination from earlier. Perhaps there would be no Curial appointment, or certainly not one of any standing.
No need to linger here any longer.
揋o and get Friar Dwight,?he said to Rice. 揑抣l meet you both at the gateway.?
Rice headed off with the backpack, down the aisle between the pews filled with maidens.
揝ister Claire,?he said. 揑抎 like a word before I leave.?
Kelsey did not appreciate the abbess?indifference. Nick was out there unarmed against three men with guns, one of whom the abbess had just rearmed. She knew how he felt about weapons, but surely in his line of work he had to use one from time to time. No matter. She wasn抰 going to allow him to fight alone. Sister Ellen and the abbess were already walking back toward the chapter room. She抎 lingered in the foyer and now moved toward the oak doors, releasing the iron lock and swinging the heavy panel inward enough that she could leave.
The friar was a hundred yards ahead, moving away.
She ran after him.
揝ister Deal.?
The abbess. Behind her. At the doorway.
She stopped and turned. 揧ou抮e not my prioress. You抮e my captor. I owe you nothing.?
And she headed off.
The door slammed shut behind her.
Nick heard what Fuentes had said to Rice.
He was positioned to the side of the entrance among a garden of boulders, out of sight. He fled his hiding place and moved from tree to tree, trying to get ahead of Rice, who emerged from the cleft and started back toward the cemetery and the motherhouse, a gun in one hand, the backpack in another. He waited until Rice drew close then stepped out onto the trail. It took a second or two for the friar to recognize him. Which he used to lunge forward and slug Rice in the face.
Something cracked. Probably Rice抯 nose.
He kicked the gun from the man抯 grasp.
Rice rebounded and they squared off, like boxers, trading blows. He could not allow this to go on too long. He needed to take this man out, but Rice was built like a fire hydrant and equally resilient. Blood poured from the nose. Rice dropped the knapsack and swung with his right fist. He ducked the blow and planted a kick to the man抯 chest, staggering him back.
But Rice kept coming.
Kelsey made her way down the trail, past the cemetery, following Friar Dwight, who抎 disappeared around a bend ahead. She stepped up her pace and came to the turn.
Fifty yards away Nick and the other friar were fighting.
Thirty yards ahead Dwight had stopped walking, the gun in his right hand being raised.
And aimed at Nick.
Chapter 74
Claire was ready for Cardinal Fuentes to leave.
Enough damage had been done.
But the bastard seemed intent on gloating in his victory.
揑 appreciate your cooperation,?he said to her. 揂long with the other maidens. What happens next for all of you??
揟hat depends on you.?
揂s I said earlier, you will have no more interference from me. Or Rome. We抣l leave the maidens to themselves.?
揟hat was the point of this entire endeavor. I just hope Rome follows that course.?
揥e shall.?
揧ou seem like an ambitious man.?
揟he church has grown soft of late, sister. Its voice devoid of thunder. We ask far more often than we demand. Hopefully, that will change in the future.?
揃y you??she asked.
揃y many.?
揊or me, this was not about you, or the church.?
He threw her a wry smile. 揘o, I suppose not. May I ask what this was about??
揈nding something that should have ended a long time ago. To do that, I defied the one woman on this planet I respect the most. I violated my oath to my order and my God. But at least no more maidens will be hurt or killed. That抯 what this was about.?She paused and grabbed hold of herself. 揘ow take the bones and leave us to ourselves. There is much to deal with, thanks to you and me.?
They stood toward the rear of the church, near the devotional with the secret panel. The altar was between them and the maidens were still seated in the pews.
Fuentes turned to leave.
揅ardinal,?she said.
The man stopped and turned back to her.
揑f a man knows to do right and doeth it not, to him it is sin.?