Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
By the time Anatoly left Maggie’s apartment he was running late for his monthly meeting with Bishop Peter.
For years they had a standing date on the books to check in with each other, discuss, pray, whatever was needed at the time.
It had started as a way to keep Peter on the straight and narrow when he himself was a troubled youth, but it had swiftly turned into a tradition that even now Anatoly wasn’t willing to break.
He had explained that to Maggie after jumping her in the kitchen and she had seemed to understand. Though perhaps she’d just been too distracted after their impromptu love-making to put up a fuss?
Either way, she’d said nothing when he left except to invite him back again when he was finished and he had taken that as a good enough sign that she wasn’t upset with him. More importantly, that she wasn’t upset with the bishop either.
His thoughts were of nothing but her as he walked into Peter’s sitting room still wearing the clothes he’d put on the night before. There simply hadn’t been enough time to go by the church and change or he would have been even later.
“Ah, Anatoly,” Peter greeted him with a beaming grin, all formalities gone given the casualness of these meetings. “It is good to see you again. I had begun to fear you wouldn’t come given our last conversation.”
Anatoly smiled and shook his head. “I would not dream of missing one of our check-ins, Bishop. Please forgive tardiness.”
“Of course, not to worry.” He waved him over. “Come, sit, tell me, how have you been?”
As they got lost in polite conversation, Anatoly’s mind continued to return to Maggie.
He wondered what she was doing now, if she was pouring over the case files on her own or not.
It was difficult to be away from her so soon after their joining, but he was certain she wouldn’t want him to forsake his other responsibilities to spend every second with her.
Even if part of him wanted to do just that.
“I seem to have lost you…” Peter said, setting his tea cup down on the coffee table between them. “How is the detective, then?”
Anatoly couldn’t keep his face from heating up at the mention of her. “She is well,” he answered tentatively and then in a rush, he was once again confessing what had happened to the bishop.
Of course, many details were spared, but that he had slept with her definitely slipped from his mouth before he could stop the words from spilling out.
Peter listened attentively, his expression frustratingly unreadable, but as Anatoly explained that Maggie’s birthday had been the day before, a little frown creased the old man’s brow.
“So, you haven’t heeded my advice, I see.
On the contrary, you speak as though taking this woman to bed makes her yours somehow.
Tell me, Anatoly, do you intend to marry, Detective Boone? ”
He opened his mouth to answer, his jaw working but no sound came out. That was not the response he had hoped for and the blatant question took him by surprise. Was marriage even possible? Who would perform such a union given the circumstances?
“Da, if she would have me,” he finally answered when he found his voice again. “I truly love her, Peter. With whole heart.”
The bishop seemed to consider this. “She is not Russian Orthodox,” he countered after a moment’s thought. “Does her lack of a connection with God not bother you?”
“Nyet,” he frowned. “She has good heart and strives for good always. Perhaps I can guide her to Him, but if not, that is her choice. I will not push beliefs on her. Regardless, relationship with Christ cannot happen overnight.”
“True enough,” Peter admitted, but then he pursed his lips. “And what of your calling? Are you giving up on everything you have achieved?”
Anatoly frowned at that, not liking the direction this conversation had gone. But he couldn’t fault Peter for being curious and whether he liked it or not, these were questions he would have to face eventually. “I have decided to give to God in other ways than to be priest.”
Peter’s eyebrows shot up at this, his surprise almost palpable.
Then he was shaking his head. “A loss for the priesthood to be sure,” he said sadly, but there was something softer about his expression.
“I can’t say I agree with any of this, Anatoly, but if this is your decision, you have my support as your old friend.
But, as your bishop… That is a more complicated matter. ”
They sat in silence for several minutes after that. Anatoly looking down at his hands in thought, hoping he could convince Peter that he was doing the right thing.
Peter on the other hand was watching him closely. Anatoly could feel his gaze boring into him, studying him, and for the first time, he felt uncomfortable in the bishop’s presence.
“But it does not all have to be decided here and now,” Peter said, breaking the quiet. “I heard that the case was passed to a taskforce. How is your detective holding up?”
Anatoly sighed, letting Peter see his concern. “She is relentless. I have great faith that she will solve Father Abrams’s murder. However, I worry she is too headstrong and will get herself into trouble.”
“I can see that,” Peter nodded. “In the few minutes I met her, she proved to be quite tenacious.”
“Very,” Anatoly agreed. He was unable to keep the smile off his face at the thought of her. “Case is proving difficult to crack. I am not so sure how best to help, but faith remains.”
Peter tilted his head, folding his hands in his lap and regarding Anatoly with genuine curiosity. “What seems to be the problem?”
“Latest victim does not fit profile,” Anatoly admitted. “She was counselor at Starry Meadows Rehab Facility, not clergy. Maggie cannot find connection, but we are both confident is same killer.”
The bishop’s eyes went wide and he sat up straighter all of a sudden.
“Well, there’s your connection, Anatoly.
This is not widely known about Father Abrams, but before he became a priest, he struggled with drugs.
I checked him into Starry Meadows myself when he relapsed and visited him frequently during his stay there.
It changed his life. I do not know if he knew the other victim, but perhaps that closely guarded secret might help your detective. ”
It felt as though a brick had struck him.
Anatoly could only stare as he processed this information.
He had only known Father Abrams a few years and it wasn’t like they had spoken in great detail about their pasts.
Not when Anatoly’s involved becoming a vampire.
It seemed they had both been hiding something from each other.
“But… Surely Maggie would have found evidence of Father Abrams’s stay?” he finally asked, trying to think it through before he got his hopes up.
Peter shifted uncomfortably at this. “I did not want to ruin Abrams’s reputation, so I checked him in under a false name. He was trying hard to get his life in order… I really thought it would be for the best…”
“What name?” Anatoly was already standing and heading for the exit. If this were all true, he needed to tell Maggie right away.
Peter hesitated for only a heartbeat before divulging the answer. “Tell her to look under the name Robert Johnson.”