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Suzanne heard a smile of satisfaction in Elizabeth’s voice

She didn’t speak Although young, Suzanne had been a journalist long enough to know that she often got the truth only when she stopped asking questions

"I’natius," Elizabeth continued "He was happy there, apparently Converted to Catholicises frosley"

Suzanne ssley’s sister, right?" Suzanne prompted

"Oh, yes My brother’s wife Never irl had died He did it for the money, of course"

"The money?"

"The trust fund My brother and I had trust funds set up by our parents We received a huge suot married"

Elizabeth nodded

"I think sley and his sister stay together in the States They were both penniless, really Didn’t end well, as you know Which I suppose is for the best My brother was destined for the priesthood"

"He does see a priest for a brother It’s quite nice to have someone in the family who can absolve all your sins and is bound to keep your secrets even from the laws of man My brother…he has had to absolve me for so much"

Elizabeth turned her violet eyes on Suzanne In them Suzanne saw the truth, heard the truth, finally understood the truth

Elizabeth Stearns had killed her father And her brother knew it

And to Suzanne, a priest who had absolved his own sister of the sin of murder and kept her confession secret even from the police…

"That sounds like a conflict of interest tohis sister’s confession"

"I suppose it is But perhaps you have your answer now"

"Perhaps I do" Suzanne rose off the bench on unsteady feet She had to get out of there now She knehat she had to do, who she had to see, what she had to say And she needed to do it tonight "I need to go Thank you for your ti for my brother I hope you understand hi for a sex-offender priest, you won’t find him at Sacred Heart My brother knows better than that He’d have to answer to ht sht After what happened to my brother, I can certainly sympathize hat you feel and hat--" Suzanne choose her words carefully "--hat you did I’lad your brother absolved you If it makes you feel any better, I would have absolved you too If I believed in that"