“Well, that kind of narrows it down then. We need time to think.”
“I know I’m probably overreacting, Leo. It’s just the timing and the shock of losing Father Morelli.”
“I’ll see you in a few minutes. Anthony was fortunate to have a friend like you, John.”
Leo hung up the phone and quickly dressed in the standard uniform of a Roman Catholic priest. Looking in the mirror, he brushed his teeth and combed his hair as the mental picture of Morelli’s smiling face caused a lump to form in his throat. The sudden loss of his best friend was a shock, but he was comforted by the knowledge that Father Morelli had prepared all of his life for the journey he had just taken.
Leo stepped from the elevator into the hotel lobby just as Arnolfo rushed up and handed the priest a tiny porcelain cup filled with dark, steaming espresso.
“I know you are in a hurry, Father. My wife and I, we pray for Father Morelli.”
“Thank you, Arnolfo. God bless you, my friend.”
Leo gulped down the thick, dark coffee and handed the empty cup back to Arnolfo before running outside and crossing the street to the Vatican.
The residence hall was located inside the main gate to the right. It was basically a large five-story apartment building for priests living at the Vatican. The rooms were sparse but comfortable, with private baths and small kitchenettes. The building included over one hundred apartments, plus a library, computer room, meeting spaces, and a small but ornate chapel. The fact that Lundahl’s assistant was having the whole building searched was raising all kinds of red flags to Leo, especially on the heels of the death of Father Morelli.
Arriving in front of the residence hall, Leo noticed a number of uniformed police officers milling about outside. Once inside the lobby area, he saw several Swiss Guard security men stationed in front of the staircase and talking on their radios.
The Swiss Guard dated back to the Renaissance when, in 1506, one hundred fifty fearless Swiss mercenaries under the leadership of the warrior-pope, Julius II, marched into Rome to protect the Vatican. For over five hundred years, the elite corps had protected the pope and had evolved into a force resembling the U.S. Secret Service.
Leo began walking toward the main stairway but found his path blocked by a large security man dressed in a suit.
“I’m sorry, Father, but the residence is temporarily closed. Do you live here?”
“No. I’m Father Leopold Amodeo. Father Morelli was a close friend of mine. Cardinal Lundahl called and requested that I come over here immediately.”
With the mention of Cardinal Lundahl’s name, the man stepped aside.
“One of my officers will escort you to Father Morelli’s apartment on the third floor. We are all sorry to hear of his death. He was much loved by everyone.”
A uniformed guard snapped to attention and led Leo up the marble staircase past several medieval paintings and statues to the third floor. They turned onto a wide hallway, where Leo noticed several men going in and out of the various rooms, apparently searching for something. A guard stationed at Morelli’s partially open door held his hand out in front of Leo, blocking the entrance to his room. “Excuse me, sir, but the cardinal has given me strict orders not to let anyone inside. He said you would be allowed to watch the last rites from the doorway.”
Leo was mystified. “But I was Father Morelli’s best friend.”
“Orders from the cardinal, Father. Please try to understand.”
Leo was unable to summon any anger at this strange turn of events; the sorrow of losing his friend was forcing him to hold all his emotions in check.
He peered through the doorway into Morelli’s tiny apartment. The curtains were pulled tightly over the closed windows, making the room especially dark and airless. Two priests, along with an older and very seasoned-looking security man, were also in attendance, while Emilo, the cardinal’s assistant who seemed to follow him everywhere, was strangely absent. The security man inside the door blocked most of Leo’s view, and he could barely see Father Morelli lying on his bed.
Cardinal Lundahl stood on the opposite side of the bed by the window, looking across the room and through the door at Leo with unblinking eyes. He was an imposing figure dressed in a black floor-length cassock with red piping and a scarlet watered silk fascia draped around his waist. The bright red skull cap of a cardinal crowned his short blond hair, while a large, gold pectoral cross hung from his neck at the level of his chest, hence the name, pectoral.
The room was clean and neat, reflecting Morelli’s need for order in his life. Leo saw that he was lying on top of the bedspread with his shoes off, as if he had just stretched out for a quick nap. He was still clothed in the simple black shirt and trousers of a priest, with the Roman collar draped open for comfort. His red hair was still neatly combed, and from a distance, it appeared that he was just sleeping. Leo felt a sudden rush of relief as he realized that Father Morelli had obviously died of what appeared to be a natural death in his sleep. With all the police presence, the thought had occurred to him that his friend had been the victim of some crime or act of violence. Unbelievable as it may seem, murders had occurred in the Vatican.
Without speaking, Cardinal Lundahl took a purple surplice from one of the priests and placed it around his neck, kissing each end before letting it fall to the front of his cassock. He then took a small bottle of holy water and poured it on a silver cross before using it to anoint the forehead and hands of Father Morelli. The last rites of the dead had begun.
In truth, there really are no so-called last rites in the Catholic Church. What most people refer to as the last rites is actually the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament is used for healing, both spiritual and physical, and is performed by a priest when a person requests divine intervention. It is meant to save souls here on earth before they cross over, for once they are dead, the soul is no longer here but with God and beyond a priest’s intervention. All that any priest can do at that point is offer prayers for the soul.
Following the ritual, the two priests covered the body in a white sheet and placed a plain wooden crucifix on his chest. Leo turned away from the door and gave a silent prayer for the gentle soul of his friend. Wiping the tears from his face, he stood in the hallway as Lundahl and the others exited the apartment. It was only then that Leo realized John was nowhere to be seen.
A strong hand clasped Leo’s shoulder from behind. He turned to see the cardinal looking at him with a mixture of questioning and sympathy. “I’m glad you could be here for him, Leopold. Our dear brother is now in heaven. We are all deeply saddened by the loss of such a good and noble man. I’m sorry that we could not allow you into the room, but it was a request from Father Morelli himself. He gave instructions that, in the event of his death, he didn’t want any of his friends to stand around and look down on his earthly body. I suppose he wanted to preserve your memory of him in life.”
“Thank you, Eminence.” Leo was touched by the apparent sincerity of the cardinal’s words. Lundahl clasped his hands together and stood silently for a moment before continuing. “Father Morelli was one of a kind. Out of all our classmates at seminary, he was the most intriguing, a true Renaissance man. I only wish the Church had more soldiers of the cross like him. I know we had our disagreements, but he was a special and valuable member of a dwindling community.”
Leo took a deep breath. “The Church is like a big family, Cardinal, and families sometimes disagree. I never felt that Father Morelli took your differing views personally.”
“You’re very wise, Leopold. I hope you will stay close to us in the days to come.”
“I plan to stay until after the funeral, Eminence, longer if you need me.”
The cardinal paused for a moment, looking down at the floor. He then lifted his gaze and fixed Leo with what could only be called a look of total exhaustion. “I fear I must cancel our lunch appointment today. I have something of a situation on my hands, and I’m sure you need some time for solitary reflection.”
Leo’s concern and curiosity was getting the best of him. “Can I be of any assistance, Eminence? I noticed all the security men around. Is everything alright?”
Lundahl’s look of exhaustion disappeared. “Oh…yes…of course. Coincidentally, Father Emilio was notified that some valuable historical papers went missing from the Vatican library last night and our security people are looking for them. Sometimes scholars studying manuscripts take them to their apartments by mistake.”
The stern-looking security man took the cardinal’s statement as his cue to speak. “Yes, it has nothing to do with the death of Father Morelli.”
Leo watched Lundahl stiffen noticeably. The cardinal was staring at the man with the expression one gives a child who is misbehaving in public. The security man immediately realized he had spoken out of turn and made a hasty retreat down the hall, where he began shouting orders to the guards searching the rooms.
