Dark Zone

53

Father Brossard proved not to be at home when Karr called, and wasn’t expected back until the next morning. The priest’s housekeeper was from Kenya, and her English turned out to be somewhat better than her French. She explained that the priest had many churches to cover and traveled constantly around the local diocese.

“You think I should break in?” Karr asked Farlekas as he walked back toward Knox and the Renault.

“I don’t think Mr. Rubens would approve breaking into a church.”

“Sure he would,” said Karr.

“We want to see what’s on the disks you got from LaFoote’s house,” said the Art Room supervisor. “I think that’s more important right now. The account information may not yield anything.”

“How many hiding places can a priest have?” asked Karr.

“Let me see if I can get ahold of Mr. Rubens again. Stand by.”

Karr walked over to the car where Knox was slumped back in the seat. The CIA officer had been both apologetic and defensive since Karr had discovered LaFoote dead.

More the latter.

“I need you to create a diversion,” Karr told him. “Keep the housekeeper occupied.”

“How?”

“Just talk to her.”

“But—”

Karr leaned against the car, which sagged heavily under his weight. “Do what I say, all right?”

“I’m sorry. Yeah.”

The back door to the parish house was open, and Karr had no trouble sneaking inside and getting up to the priest’s room while Knox pretended to be a parishioner in need of immediate counseling. The ruse wasn’t particularly apt — the parish was small enough that even the housekeeper knew just about everyone who lived in the area — but it gave Karr enough time to check the room, which had no furniture besides the bed and clearly wasn’t hiding anything. He nearly got caught in the kitchen when the housekeeper came back, but the telephone saved him.

“You were supposed to wait,” said Farlekas when Karr got back to the car.

“Yeah, but I’m done now,” said Karr. “He doesn’t have it in his room and he doesn’t seem to have a study here. According to the housekeeper he travels among several parishes.”

“Mr. Rubens said that if you couldn’t find it easily, bring the CDs back to Paris. We’re looking for the account on our end in the meantime.”

“Sure? Church doesn’t look like it’s locked.”

“Tommy.”

“I’ll call you from the safe house in Paris.”