The SPECTRE Of The VATICAN ©

Chapter 60 - Dangerous Games.

Time: Present Day
Location: Pari, France

Mal thought they should all break for lunch. They agreed, the men adjourned to the balcony while the girls went to the kitchen to prepare a luncheon of cold meats and salad and a magnificent cheese platter that Margot was famous for within the family. Before joining the boys he pulled Layla aside and took her back to the study area. They both stared at the whiteboard.

Mal broke the silence., "Sorry I have to ask you this, do you still love Carter? Do you still think of him when you are with me? He still loves you. We know that for certain now, no, please, let me finish, we don't know what he thinks of us two getting together do we? Amanda was deadset against it, Maybe still is, maybe Carter is too, maybe more so."

"Mal, I've told you before. I love you now, what I had with Carter was nice, but I think I always loved you to some degree, even when Carter and I were together. I've never told anyone this, but, if anything, sometimes I used to think of you when I was with Carter, not the other way around, anyway, Carter is dead now. You have nothing to fear about us getting back together now do you? So stop persecuting yourself. you are amazing, just look what you've achieved. It's all there on the board, in one morning you've made more progress than two police forces have been able to do in twenty years! All that too, when the only training you've ever had to prepare you for something like this is a course on screenwriting. Simply amazing, and I love you to bits, now let's eat eh? Before they miss us and think we've sneaked off to a bedroom or something."

"Now you're talking," Mal said cheekily. They both laughed a tension relieving laugh and separated with a kiss and joined the others.

"Later cheeky," said Layla as they parted.

After lunch they rejoined in the study to continue, all except Jean, who had excused himself saying he had business to conclude in town. They suspected the morning's events had challenged him on many levels, even his basic beliefs about God and life. Like an old dog after a fight he probably had to retire alone somewhere to lick his wounds.

Mal did a quick revamp of the morning and then summarized where they were at.

"So, if we believe our own ears, or should I say if we believe Carter, then we have a big problem. We know that we have had three members of this family murdered. We suspect now that somehow the Catholic Church is involved, either that or some people impersonating priests were involved.

Then again, Carter said Peter was somehow involved. Now being kind, it might be that Carter just meant that Peter was part of each story, nothing more, we need to find out, one way or the other.

"Can I add something," Christoph said.

"Of course Christoph what is it?"

"You know how Dad is upset with the bloggers going after Mum like. Well he asked me to see if I could find out who posted that first one that caused such a stir. It was very hard because that lodgement was bounced across several ISPs. It was almost like whoever it was didn't want to be traced. Luckily I know someone in ASIO. Even so the best I can do is that it originated in Italy., most probably Rome he guessed."

"Possibly, the Vatican, then?" Mal added.

"Looks like a road trip to Rome is required. We just have to all decide who will go and what they will do, when they get there. Also looks like this Peter is becoming a big shot in the hierarchy of the Church. We will need to pre arrange a meeting."

"I know Pete the best, perhaps I should go, and talk to him," Amanda offered.

"No, I don't think that's a good idea Amanda, thanks for the offer but I think it could be a dangerous move given what's already happened in the family. We still don't really know the WHY in any of this. We must know it obviously has to do with your family. We have to keep you safe. We don't want Jean, and Roger, to lose you too do we?