Shadow of Death

“So that when Licata has served his time in England, he can be extradited to Ireland to stand trial there. Ireland can and undoubtedly will request extradition at that time. Whether the request will be honored by the United Kingdom, we have no way of knowing . . . however, we have no reason to think it will not be.”

“But if it were not?” asked Koesler.

The Inspector shrugged.

Emerenciana’s soft voice broke the silence. “Then suppose something were to happen.”

“Something?” Koznicki felt the stirrings of a vague apprehension.

“What if,” Emerenciana said quietly, “Mr. Licata completed his term of imprisonment in England, and Great Britain refused to extradite him to Ireland?”

“Yes?” the Inspector prodded.

“What if Mr. Licata were then discovered by the Garda in Ireland?”

“Why, they would arrest him on the charge of attempted murder, of course.

“But,” he added, “there is no way Licata would ever set foot in Ireland voluntarily. All he needs do is avoid Ireland and he will avoid a much longer jail term. A term which, added to his time in the English prison, would undoubtedly place him behind bars for most of the rest of his life.”

“There is more than one way a person can travel in our world.” Emerenciana paused. “Not every trip is voluntary.”

“A most interesting possibility,” commented Toussaint, whose face bore an interesting grin.

The others looked at him with varying emotions.

But all had to agree it was indeed a most interesting possibility.

“Anyone for more tea?” inquired Father Koesler.

Gratitude for technical advice to:

DETROIT

Sergeant Roy Awe, Homicide, Detroit Police Department

Ramon Betanzos, Professor of Humanities, Wayne State University

Margaret Cronyn, Editor, The Michigan Catholic

Lucille Duquette, Promotion Department, WXYZ-TV

Jim Grace, Detective, Kalamazoo Police Department

Sister Bernadelle Grimm, R.S.M., Pastoral Care Department, Samaritan Health Center

Timothy Kenny, Principal Trial Attorney, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

Orlin D. Lucksted, Special Agent, F.B.I.

Sergeant Daniel Mccarty, Homicide, Detroit Police Department

Thomas Petinga, M.D., Director of Emergency, Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital

Rudy Reinhard, World Wide Travel Bureau Noreen Rooney, Editor, TV Listings, Detroit Free Press

Andrea Solak, Assistant Prosecutor, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

Neal Shine, Senior Managing Editor, Detroit Free Press

ROME

Kathleen McNamara Betanzos, Tour guide

LONDON

Richard Cohen, Divisional Director, Hodder & Stoughton

IRELAND

Sean Gallwey, Superintendent, Garda Siochana, Dublin Castle

Thomas J. O’Reilly, Superintendent, Garda Siochana, Phoenix Park

With special thanks to Chris and Mary Murray, Tom Murray, Gerald and Patricia Murray, Dom Murray, Eileen Keirns, Margaret Gallagher, Gertie McDonagh, R.N., Sean Tansey, and the people of Gurteen, County Sligo.

Any technical error is the author’s.

Shadow of Death copyright © 1983, 2012 by Gopits, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews.

Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC

an Andrews McMeel Universal company,

1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

This is a work of fiction and, as such, events described herein are creations of the author’s imagination. Any relation to real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental and accidental.

ISBN 978-1-4494-2362-9

www.andrewsmcmeel.com

William X. Kienzle died in December 2001. He was a Detroit parish priest for twenty years before leaving the priesthood. He began writing his popular mystery series after serving as an editor and director at the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas.

The Father Koesler Mysteries

1. The Rosary Murders

2. Death Wears a Red Hat

3. Mind Over Murder

4. Assault with Intent

5. Shadow of Death

6. Kill and Tell

7. Sudden Death

8. Deathbed

9. Deadline for a Critic

10. Marked for Murder

11. Eminence

12. Masquerade

13. Chameleon