Page 130 of You'll Never Find Me

The church was lit up; I didn’t know why.

“Funeral,” Jack said, gesturing to a hearse parked right outside the main doors.

That didn’t make me happy. It might explain why Uncle Rafe hadn’t answered his phone, but not Theo.

“Check the church,” Jack said. “I’ll check the rectory. I asked for a patrol to meet us.”

We parted and I walked around to the main entrance, then entered. The Mass was ending and Uncle Rafe was there, on the altar giving the final prayer. More than a hundred people filled the pews; none of them was Theo or Peter Carillo.

I left before Rafe saw me and scanned the street. Theo’s car was parked under an oak tree where he had a clear view of the church and the rectory. But I couldn’t see him.

That worried me.

I ran over to the vehicle; he wasn’t there.

Jack called me.

“Come to the rectory,” he said.

My stomach dropped and I ran across the parking lot, behind the church, and to the small house. I didn’t knock, but walked right in.

“In the kitchen,” I heard Jack call, and walked to the back of the house.

Theo sat at the table holding a baggie of ice on his head. A rag in his other hand had blood on it. Father Diaz was making fresh iced tea.

“Theo, what happened?”

“He got the drop on me.”

“Carillo?”

“Yeah.”

“You saw him?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Theo,” I snapped my fingers, “answer me.”

“I saw him walk behind the church. At least, I thought I did. It was hard to see in the twilight. That’s when I texted you. He came in here, and I was about to call 9-1-1, I swear, just like you told me, but then the priest was about to go inside and I had to stop him, tell him someone broke into the house. He said the door isn’t locked. Who doesn’t lock their doors?”

“Priests,” Jack and I muttered at the same time.

“Don’t blame the boy,” Father Diaz said. “We lock up at night, but since I was at the social hall, I didn’t see a need to lock the house. I was certain it was a parishioner who’d entered. I know there’s been a bit of trouble, but I doubted that man would return. So I went in.”

“And I ran around back, in case he ran out. And well, he did.”

“Did you see him before he hit you?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Shit,” I muttered, then winced. I tried not to swear around priests. Didn’t know if it was a mark against me, but it was best to avoid it.

“It was dark and I heard a sound and turned and wham! I was down and he ran. I mean, I can’t swear it was Carillo. I think it was him, walking behind the church, but it was dark. I just can’t swear to it. I’m sorry.”

I squatted next to Theo, looked him in the eyes. They were focused and the pupils were the same size. “Don’t apologize,” I said. “I’m glad you’re not seriously hurt, but you’re going to have a whopper of a headache tonight.”

“Did you see anything, Father?” Jack asked.