Merry Sister Mary and the One and Only Killer

20: Sister Mary Ruins a Funeral Service

A woman cringed in the stands. Her voice shouting alarm. Her finger pointing to the figure by the entrance. It was Father Blanchard. A defeated look beheld his eyes. A limp from an injured ankle heavied his steps, but the most shocking aspect of his arrival was his hand dripping in blood. He collapsed on the ground hitting his head on a clump of dirt.

Instantly people rushed to his side. An elderly woman sprinted to a nearby payphone and called for help. All the attention from my victory had descended on the bloody priest. Another scream pierced the air. This one came from the male restroom in the building by the stands. LeBlanc darted to the scene. I followed suit.

Michael lay on the grass by the door, unconscious. His neck was red and bruised. A gold chain with a crucifix and a blood-stained shard of broken mirror rested nearby. The other Stanton children arrived. A look of horror grew on their faces. I picked up the golden chain and rubbed the crucifix between my thumbs. I needed no other clues to know what had transpired. The only thing I could not figure out was why.

After the medics arrived and everyone was patched up and revived, Sergeant LeBlanc demanded answers. Michael sore from the experience managed a few words from his aching throat. As I suspected, Father Blanchard had waited for Michael to be alone, sneaked up behind him and attempted to strangle him with his gold chain. MIchael fought off his attacker, breaking the bathroom mirror and cutting Father Blanchard's hand with one of the shards. Michael had no idea why the priest had done what he did, and even though LeBlanc pressured him to speak, Father Blanchard's only words were of forgiveness for what he had done. It was a statement that shocked everyone, and sent the Stanton family into a state of panic.

"What the hell," whispered Gloria. "Father Blanchard just tried to kill Michael?"

"This can't be happening?" said Brandon shocked. "Could we be next?"

"I always took Father Blanchard to be a gentle soul," said Susan. "Whatever could be his reasons?"

"Sin clears when Stanton dies." said Pearl recalling the threatening words smeared on their front door the night before. "Perhaps Brandon is right. Someone is trying to kill us. All of us."

"No reason to get so alarmed. Michael is alright." Giles turned to his nephew. "You are one lucky boy."

I stood to the side with Pearl. The girl cried onto my shoulder. Poor thing. So much had happened to her in such a short time. I shook my head in wonderment. Why ever would a priest try to kill another man. It went against all his moral principles. I could only presume that someone wanted to eradicate the Stanton family line, and whatever reason it was, Father Blanchard had gotten in too deep. I had to know more.

Father Blanchard was arrested. The man was handcuffed and escorted into a police vehicle. He was to be taken to the police station and provide a written statement and confession. I watched the man sit there, his bandaged fingers gliding across rosary beads; his lips trembling with prayers.

The rodeo was over and the Stanton family and I were brought back to the manor. Susan checked on Michael's throat. She wrapped it gently in a cold damp cloth to reduce the swelling. Michael's voice was horse, and he found it less painful to stay silent despite the questions from his siblings. Ms. Annette feeling light headed and shaky fiddled with her insulin kit beside me. A Clinitest she called it. It typically involved peeing into a cup and whatnot.

"You alright," I said looking over at the kit.

"Yeah," said Ms. Annette. "Just low blood sugar. Taking my insulin shot."

"Good," I said patting her hand. "We don't need another person injured today."

"Everyone," cried Sergeant Leblanc, "When we get back to the manor, I'm going to have to leave for the police station. I'll put one of the other officers in charge while I'm gone. I understand a lot has happened but I need you all to remain calm and try as you must enjoy the wake. I'll meet you back up at the graveyard. Make sure you tell Brandon and Giles in the other car what's going on."