Chapter ONE - Weebly

the nearest pew. Leaning back, he closed his eyes,
wishing he had thought to ask for a drink of water.
Moments later, he heard footsteps. Opening his
eyes, he saw Pell striding toward him, concern etched
on his young face. Troutbeck lurked at the back of the
chapel, behind the pulpit. Ethan had no doubt that he
would try to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Mister Kaille,” Pell said, licking his lips nervously.
He glanced back at the curate. “I didn’t expect to see
you here. Certainly not at this hour.”
“I know,” Ethan said. He stood, tentatively putting
weight on his bad leg. It very nearly gave out under him.
He grabbed at the back of the pew in front of him to
keep from toppling to the floor. “I need to see the body
of Jennifer Berson again.”
Pell shook his head. “You can’t. She was buried this
afternoon.”
He couldn’t say that he was surprised; Anna had all
but told him as much. Still, he had to resist an
overpowering desire to scream at the top of his lungs
every curse he knew.
“Why?” he asked after a moment. “I thought it was