Page 40 of Seven Deadly Sins

She agreed, wondering whether the killer had already taken his next victim. Whose fate rested in her and Liam’s hands? How did the killer pick his victims? Her shoulders slumped as she followed Liam from the house.

In the jeep, she called the chief and filled him in on the latest. She held the phone away from her ear as he shouted curses. When he slowed, she said, “We couldn’t stay at the crime scene. Not if we’re going to find whoever it is he’s going to kill in twenty-four hours.”

“I understand that. I’m not blaming you. We’ll take care of it. Don’t get yourself killed.” He hung up.

She stuck the revolving light on the roof as Liam peeled away from the curb. If the killer took them from town to town, it would be difficult to solve all the clues. He wasn’t going to make it easy. He wanted them to fail.

At the church, they stepped into an empty sanctuary. Harper approached the podium while Liam searched the pews. A sheet of paper lay on top of a bible.Sins require confession.

She eyed the confessional. With heavy steps she went inside and closed the door. She could just make out a shadowy figure on the other side. “I’m Detective Scranton.”

“I’m to give you a message.” The priest’s voice trembled. “But first we have to play a game. If I don’t win two out of three, then the knife close to my head will stab me.”

Her mouth filled with cotton. “What kind of game?”

“Rock, paper, scissors.”

Oh, God. This was a game she wanted to lose. “If I lose?”

“I’m alive to give you the next clue.”

“On three. One, two, three.” She waited a split second before choosing scissors to what she thought looked like his rock through the screen. “I have scissors.”

“I have rock.” His voice shook harder. “I won that one.”

“Harper?”

“I’ll be out in a minute, Liam. It’s part of the game. One, two, three.” She did scissors again, thinking she’d tie with the priest. Unfortunately, he did paper. She blinked eyes growing weary from straining to see through the screen. She had one more shot. She did scissors a third time praying the priest had got onto her plan. He had. Harper wanted to shout when he did a rock.

“The clue is…” He cleared his throat. “I’m full of stories, some true, some not.”

The library. Harper smiled. “We’ll get you out of there, Father.” She opened the door to the confessional, then removed the stick holding the priest’s door closed. “Are you okay?”

The priest nodded.

“Can you tell us what happened?” She helped him to a pew. “But quickly, please. We don’t have much time.”

“A woman came into the confessional. She told me to cooperate,’ or she’d set the confessional on fire with me inside. So, I sat while she rigged the booby trap of the knife, then told me to give the detective a message. I’m sorry, but I didn’t get a look at her. She did seem to be having a very good time if her laughter was an indication. I’m grateful to be alive.”

Lucky to have survived a close encounter with the killer’s assassin. Harper thanked him again and raced back to the jeep, praying the library was the one in the same city they were in. So far, the killer kept his clues in Oakdale. But, for how long?

~

Liam held the door to the library open for Harper, then approached the front desk. “Do you have a message for either Agent McConnell or Detective Scranton?”

“No.”

“Maybe an email?”

“Okay.” Her brow furrowed. “Oh. Yes, here’s one.”

Liam moved to her side of the desk as she opened the email. Her screen went black, then what looked like viruses bounced around the screen.

“That email had a virus attached to it.” She immediately shut down her computer.

Liam glanced up and met Harper’s gaze. “The hospital?”

“Or the clinic. It’s closer. We’ll check there first.”