expression for offense. “I’m sorry for being so forward.”
As though I hadn’t spoken, she said, “Ron was born in Greece, near Mount Parnon. His parents met when his dad visited the region to explore the caves. He was an anthropology professor at Northwestern. He met Ron’s mother there. They married and remained in Greece until Ron was nine. He spoke their language as fluently as English.”
I could feel my pulse throbbing in my temples. “He still speaks it?”
“I asked him to say a few words when we were dating, and he did with little trouble then. Now…” She shrugged, a deep indentation between her brows.
“Do you know where he was during the killings?”
“I thought I did.”
“I won’t let him hurt you,” I said.
She gazed deeply into my eyes then, and I felt my hands closing on the crooks of her elbows, drawing her toward me. The swells of her breasts pushed against my robe, the subtle, delirious smell of her deodorant drifting up to me.
I might have kissed her then. Would have kissed her had it not been for the flawlessness of her lips, which my eyes happened upon at that moment. They were a deep pink, sculpted and full, rather than cheap or wanton. Her son had the same lips, had nearly all of her features.
Casey .
I let go of her arms, angry with myself for doing so, but even angrier for having forgotten about Casey. He was the reason I had come tonight. Not to commit adultery. Maybe Liz needed to be kissed at that moment, and I just happened to be the man into whose arms she’d landed. Maybe she viewed me as a protector, as sanctuary from the horror that had taken her family.
I suppose it was precisely this notion that forbade me from doing what I so longed to do. I couldn’t take advantage of her need now. Later, I told myself. If given the opportunity. She was the kind of woman you could give up the priesthood for, a woman so warm and good and lovely you doubted God would blame you much.
But for now…there was Casey.
“We better join the others,” I said.
Liz nodded, but she looked disappointed. I watched after her as she walked away, the sight of her firm buttocks tantalizing me.
Coward, I told myself as I followed her down the stairs.
Chapter Six
Danny reentered the kitchen where we were all gathered around the outer granite island. At Liz’s questioning look, he said, “Carolyn’s fine. You sure you don’t want her to stay with a neighbor or something? Maybe a friend?”
Ron glared at him. “And explain the bruises on her face? Have them think I smacked her around or something? No thanks.”
“It is not your well-being we should be worried about,” Sutherland said.
Liz looked at Sutherland. “You think she should stay somewhere else?”
He appeared to consider. The worry lines on his forehead were more pronounced than they’d been earlier. Or perhaps it was just the lighting. “The area of the disturbance appears to be limited to Casey’s physical reach.”
Danny leaned forward. “You called it a disturbance, Father?”
Sutherland nodded grimly. “I did.”
“Does that mean…you’re sure he’s possessed?”
“I am,” Father Sutherland answered.
Liz exhaled a shuddering sigh, and I put a comforting hand on the small of her back. It was an involuntary movement, instinct really. But I saw the look on Ron’s face and decided to let go of her. If Liz noticed, she didn’t let on.
“What will you do?” Liz asked.
“With your permission,” Father Sutherland said, “we will begin the rites of exorcism.”
The words hung in the air between all of us, thick as a fog.
Danny said, “Don’t you guys have to…you know, contact the Vatican or something? Or maybe the local diocese?”
Father Sutherland regarded Danny gravely. “Not in cases like these, Officer Hartman.”
Ron arched an eyebrow. “What the hell does that mean?”
Sutherland hesitated, looking uncharacteristically reticent.
I said, “If the host’s life is in peril, an
As though I hadn’t spoken, she said, “Ron was born in Greece, near Mount Parnon. His parents met when his dad visited the region to explore the caves. He was an anthropology professor at Northwestern. He met Ron’s mother there. They married and remained in Greece until Ron was nine. He spoke their language as fluently as English.”
I could feel my pulse throbbing in my temples. “He still speaks it?”
“I asked him to say a few words when we were dating, and he did with little trouble then. Now…” She shrugged, a deep indentation between her brows.
“Do you know where he was during the killings?”
“I thought I did.”
“I won’t let him hurt you,” I said.
She gazed deeply into my eyes then, and I felt my hands closing on the crooks of her elbows, drawing her toward me. The swells of her breasts pushed against my robe, the subtle, delirious smell of her deodorant drifting up to me.
I might have kissed her then. Would have kissed her had it not been for the flawlessness of her lips, which my eyes happened upon at that moment. They were a deep pink, sculpted and full, rather than cheap or wanton. Her son had the same lips, had nearly all of her features.
Casey .
I let go of her arms, angry with myself for doing so, but even angrier for having forgotten about Casey. He was the reason I had come tonight. Not to commit adultery. Maybe Liz needed to be kissed at that moment, and I just happened to be the man into whose arms she’d landed. Maybe she viewed me as a protector, as sanctuary from the horror that had taken her family.
I suppose it was precisely this notion that forbade me from doing what I so longed to do. I couldn’t take advantage of her need now. Later, I told myself. If given the opportunity. She was the kind of woman you could give up the priesthood for, a woman so warm and good and lovely you doubted God would blame you much.
But for now…there was Casey.
“We better join the others,” I said.
Liz nodded, but she looked disappointed. I watched after her as she walked away, the sight of her firm buttocks tantalizing me.
Coward, I told myself as I followed her down the stairs.
Chapter Six
Danny reentered the kitchen where we were all gathered around the outer granite island. At Liz’s questioning look, he said, “Carolyn’s fine. You sure you don’t want her to stay with a neighbor or something? Maybe a friend?”
Ron glared at him. “And explain the bruises on her face? Have them think I smacked her around or something? No thanks.”
“It is not your well-being we should be worried about,” Sutherland said.
Liz looked at Sutherland. “You think she should stay somewhere else?”
He appeared to consider. The worry lines on his forehead were more pronounced than they’d been earlier. Or perhaps it was just the lighting. “The area of the disturbance appears to be limited to Casey’s physical reach.”
Danny leaned forward. “You called it a disturbance, Father?”
Sutherland nodded grimly. “I did.”
“Does that mean…you’re sure he’s possessed?”
“I am,” Father Sutherland answered.
Liz exhaled a shuddering sigh, and I put a comforting hand on the small of her back. It was an involuntary movement, instinct really. But I saw the look on Ron’s face and decided to let go of her. If Liz noticed, she didn’t let on.
“What will you do?” Liz asked.
“With your permission,” Father Sutherland said, “we will begin the rites of exorcism.”
The words hung in the air between all of us, thick as a fog.
Danny said, “Don’t you guys have to…you know, contact the Vatican or something? Or maybe the local diocese?”
Father Sutherland regarded Danny gravely. “Not in cases like these, Officer Hartman.”
Ron arched an eyebrow. “What the hell does that mean?”
Sutherland hesitated, looking uncharacteristically reticent.
I said, “If the host’s life is in peril, an
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