Chapter Fifty-Three

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Revelations 2:4

Tuesday 20th November: Donna White arrived in the early afternoon. She had told him she would come over as soon as she could. She needed to talk to him, she'd said.

She took his right hand in both of hers. "Gee, I'm glad to see you looking better after all your troubles."

"I'm all right," said David Sebastian. "But there's much that isn't. We need to sort this mess out . . ."

"I told you that," Donna said. "It's why I'm here."

Seb frowned, "So?"

"So we now have two murders, one attempted murder, and one suicide. In addition to which we have three anonymous letters, all typed on a standard computer word processor, all almost certainly by the same hand. One implicating you in some ill defined way over Mary Young's death, one accusing Trish Hartnett of murdering Bob Young, and now a third accusing Trish Hartnett of murdering poor Maria Gonzalez."

"I didn't know about the last letter," said Seb. "Does look like someone's not too keen on Mrs Hartnett."

"On top of which, Father Seb . . ." Donna hesitated. "Or do I still call you Father Seb?"

Seb had the decency to blush. "You call me Seb. We don't need the formality."

"I used to look up to you, you know." She didn't give him time to respond. "On top of which you are having an affair with Mrs Merill; Mrs Hartnett is having an affair with person or persons unknown; and Mr Merill is having an affair with Vicky Walters. And God knows what else in this messed up town."

"Sounds like Peyton Place."

"Fortunately that particular antediluvian soap is before my time."

"Anyway," Seb shrugged, "I am sorry to hear about Vicky Walters. She's a little young for him."

"Well that's the understatement of the year."

" Where do you get this from? Your mother?"

"Uh-huh. Some of it at least. Vicky Walters has moved in with Mr Merill. Has Mrs Merill moved in with you?"

"No."

"What infuriates me is that people know things and don't tell me."

"Of all the funny things to do."

Officer White looked up sharply, her deep brown, almond shaped eyes narrowing suddenly. "Don't mess with me Father Seb." She looked away from him then, staring out of the window. "It seems that Mary Young's youngest girl Jenny was not Bob Young's child. Who's child was she Father Seb?"

"I have no idea." It was Seb's turn to be astonished. "And that's the truth."

Donna believed him. She said so. "My mother has picked up some gossip to the effect that the father may be Baxter Merill. Does that ring true?"

Seb shook his head in amazement rather than denial. "Possible I guess. I really couldn't say."

Donna nodded. She turned to leave. Then paused, turning back to him. "You believe priests should be celibate?"

Seb returned her gaze. He felt like a defiant child. "It helps," he said.

"And what you did is a sin?"

"It is."

"And will you leave the church or leave Mrs Hartnett?"

Seb's gaze fell to the floor, like an errant child. He didn't answer.

"Tell you something Father Seb."

He looked back at her then. "What?"

Donna White's brown eyes were hard, bitter-dark, "The church may forgive you," she said. "But I don't."