By the flickering lantern, Alice saw her husband take a step toward the staircase and then stop. He groaned. “I can’t just leave you alone in the dark with a dead man.”
Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her to the front door. Alice protested, saying she could walk. He grunted, sounding rather doubtful to her.
“Don’t complain, woman. Just let me cuddle you for a bit.” Saying that, Niall held her more tightly against him. Still gentle, but with an intensity that showed he was considering everything that could have happened.
Reaching up, she stroked his wavy hair. Such an incredible blessing—to be able to touch this man when she wanted. “I love you, Niall.”
After a slow kiss, he murmured against her lips. “You are my blessing straight from a God I’d begun to doubt. I love you, too.”
He’d had to set the lantern down before lifting her, so the couple stood in near darkness when Niall carried her outside to the house’s small porch. Only the bright moon gave light to see the horses standing on the other side of the room, near a group of trees. Hissing Paul’s name, Niall called for the man.
“Come on in. Your father’s had a fall.”
Moonlight glimmered off of red hair as the man moved out of the shadows. When he reached them, Alice made out the serious frown on the typically lewd face.
“Is she hurt, too?”
Alice stayed quiet and let Niall explain. “No, she’s just had a fright, and I want to hold her. A wife is a precious thing, Paul, and this one’s straight from the Lord.”
She couldn’t be sure, but Alice thought Paul shrugged. He moved around them and entered the parsonage. Niall followed with Alice, careful not to hit her arms or legs on the half-opened door.
“Where’s he? Is he hurt bad?” Paul stood just inside the door, waiting for them. Oddly, he hadn’t noticed the crumpled figure on the floor.
With a nod of his chin, Niall directed the man’s eyes to his father. “He broke his neck when he landed. He’s gone.”
Noticing he didn’t add that he was sorry for Paul’s loss, Alice couldn’t blame him. She felt sure they would find out the man had been behind more than one death in Kilbourne City. And, somehow, this all connected to Milly Murphy.
“Yes, it does.” Paul answered Alice. She didn’t realize she’d said that aloud so his words startled her. Still, she didn’t apologize. It was past time for the truth to come out.
Picking up the lantern, Paul held it over his father. “I wanted to be as different from him as possible.”
With the lantern now close to his face, Alice saw the genuine regret there. “He pretended to be kind. He hid a horrible man, and I kinda went the overboard tryin’ to act different than my father.”
“Sorry for how obnoxious I was when you first got here.”
Alice nodded. Before she could answer, Niall’s low voice echoed in the dark hall. “It’s good to regret. But, you need to be saying that you’re sorry to the Lord. If you want to be different from your father, then turn to Christ. He’s waiting for you. I guarantee you’ll find the way to live then.”
“Yes, that’s something I’d like to talk more to you about. Just not tonight.”
Clasped still in her husband’s arms, Alice was sure she felt disappointment ripple through him. Extending her neck, her lips reached his ear and whispered, “A door’s been opened to speak again in the future. Give it to the Lord.”
Chapter 12
Women stood with their arms around Dorcas. A team of men used ropes to lower Reverend Potter’s casket into the grave. Careful not to jostle the man who’d loved the people of Kilbourne City, they lowered him slowly and then eased the ropes out from beneath the box.
Not far from the widow, Niall and Alice watched. With no pastor to perform the service, Dorcas told Niall to ask the catholic priest to do it. “Tell ‘im to give a stab at a protestant burying,” was the message she’d asked the doctor to pass on to Father Bergman.
The man led them in the Lord’s Prayer as Dorcas threw a handful of dirt onto her husband’s casket. She’d stayed strong so far, dry eyed and stoical. Her only reaction had been bitter anger.
“Why kill my husband? He wouldna interfered with O’Hanlon’s doings.” Alice remembered Dorcas’ words that night as they gathered around O’Hanlon’s body.
Paul had been able to answer that. He’d entered when Niall called for him, shoulders slumping in resignation when he saw his father dead on the floor.
“The reverend and my dad had some sort of argument. Next thing I know, I find the minister beaten and left for dead not far from the Murphy home.”
Mild-mannered Mr. O’Hanlon. Always pleasant. What a monster he hid inside!
Milly Murphy had helped fill in the rest of the mystery. O’Hanlon had followed the minister to her home. Potter had shown her the telegram that proved O’Hanlon was wanted for rape and murder in New York.
The girl burst into noisy sobs as the sheriff and Niall questioned her the day after Potter’s murder. “What could I do with little Colleen sick and O’Hanlon rushing through the door to hurt the reverend?”
Alice had asked Niall why Milly became involved with a married man. O’Hanlon’s mousy wife was very much alive during this affair. He’d shrugged and tried to change the subject.
Persisting, Alice finally pulled details from her husband, details she wished afterward she’d never heard. Animal mutilation used as a threat and the promise to kill Milly’s father or Colleen kept Milly doing what he wanted.
Imagining conceiving children in those circumstances sent Alice retching over the chamber pot. The pots were discreetly hidden in
