A smile creased Dwight抯 thin lips. 揕es Vautours.?
His French was terrible. 揧ou抮e going to have to translate that.?
揟he Vultures,?Dwight said. 揟hese women are les Vautours.?
揂nd that is??
揂 thorn in the side of the church. But now we know they have existed, out in the open, right in front of everyone, as the Maidens of Saint-Michael. Finally, we have shed their disguise and located them. And that抯 all thanks to you, Mr. Lee. You caused quite a disruption in their operation last night.?
Dwight motioned with the gun and the two other men released their hold on the maiden, who quickly covered the tear in the smock with her right hand.
揧ou will regret what you just did,?the mother superior said.
Dwight chuckled. 揧ou抮e an old woman. No threat to anyone.?
揑抦 not old,?the younger maiden who抎 been assaulted added.
揟his is a lot of intimidation,?he said to Dwight.
揘ecessary, under the circumstances. These Vultures have been a problem for a long time. And you? They willfully destroyed a great work of art last night. Is it not your job to protect the world抯 treasures? Now, what about that laptop computer.?
揘ot going to happen.?
He hoped his obstinance bought some brownie points with the maidens.
Dwight, though, only shrugged. 揑 don抰 really need those images any longer. I now know exactly where I have to go, and that抯 what I came to find out.?
The friar motioned and his two cohorts headed from the room.
Dwight backed out, gun still pointed. 揚lease. Stay here until we are gone.?
Nick抯 gaze scanned the room. Nothing from any of the women betrayed even the slightest emotion. They watched calmly as the Dominicans left.
One of the younger women stepped forward. A brunette, with an olive complexion. 揗r. Lee, I am Sister Isabel. My colleague, the one who was just violated, is Sister Ellen. We appreciate what you did.?
揧ou抮e going to have to tell me what抯 going on. A woman died last night and a great work of art was intentionally destroyed. That piece of crap that just left here was right. It is my job to look after cultural treasures. What did he mean about knowing exactly where to go??
The mother superior stepped forward and told the two younger women, 揗ake the call. Now.?
Sisters Isabel and Ellen fled the room.
He faced the older woman. 揂re you going to talk to me??
She nodded. 揑 am. And you are correct. Nothing about this is good.?
Chapter 36
Vilamur entered the rectory.
On the drive back to Toulouse from Monts間ur he抎 processed everything. Why this? Why now? Just when everything was falling into place. After all the years that had passed, Bernat de Foix appears? Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7. Quite apt. And Cathars. Back? Existing? How was that possible?
He抎 meant what he抎 told de Foix. Cathars were pedantic fools, who regarded the Holy Roman Church, much the same as everything else, as evil, allied to the wrong god. Like there were two different gods? Really? Polytheism had been gone for a long time.
But so had Cathars.
The idiots rejected the entire material world, considered having children offensive, and regarded the church as satanic. For them, anyone who attached great value to things was, at best, mistaken, and, at worst, a disciple of the devil. Sadly, the church of the thirteenth century had certainly provided more than enough support for that conclusion. Popes, cardinals, bishops, and priests of that time all lived in great luxury. They said one thing and did another, elevating hypocrisy into an art form. Even worse, the church had openly encouraged the worship of material objects such as relics and venerated the cross. And for good reason. Both were revenue producers. Cathars liked to quote Matthew. Watch out for the false prophets who come to you in the guise of lambs, when within lurk voracious wolves. Only their fruit will tell them apart.
Hence the label the Cathars created for papists.
The Church of Wolves.
And there was much truth to those assertions.
Just like there was to him being Bernat de Foix抯 biological father.
He抎 known Rene. A beautiful woman with curly auburn hair and a bosom he抎 greatly admired. She抎 been one of his parishioners in Pau over forty years ago. He抎 served that parish a long time and there抎 been many women. Ten? Twenty? Hard to say. All of them had been married since, after all, those were the safest to pursue. Something about the white collar attracted them. Not a one had ever been forced to do a thing contrary to their desires. All grown adults. Nearly all with children. And when it came time to end things, they all ended easily.
Except for Rene.
She抎 birthed a child.