Free 3 Gates of the Dead (The 3 Gates of the Dead Series) by Jonathan Ryan

confirmed my suspicion. “Sorry, I’m a new detective. They put us in these rooms so they can observe me. I don’t like it much.”
    “I can relate. I’ve taken ordination exams.”
    She smiled and raised her eyes. “Oh?”
    “Yep, wrote for fifteen hours and then defended what I wrote for about five hours in an oral exam in front of forty people, all biblical scholars.”
    “Wow, and I thought preachers had an easy life.”
    “Hardly.”
    After a soft knock on the door, a salt and pepper-haired man with an athletic build walked into the room. The guy looked like he probably ran marathons for fun. His suit had a crisp just-back-from-the-dry-cleaners look. He had a pleasant relaxed face, but the intense blue-gray shine of his eyes made me feel like I was being X-rayed.
    He held out his hand. “Pastor Schaeffer, Lieutenant Scott Weaver. Thank you for coming in and talking with us.”
    “No problem, lieutenant. And please, it’s just Aidan.”
    “Great, call me Scott then.”
    He sat in a chair backed up to the blackened window and waved his hand to Jennifer. “Don’t let me interrupt.”
    Jennifer cleared her throat. “For the record, Aidan, could you state your full name?”
    “Aidan Chester Schaeffer.” I tried not to grimace. I hated that middle name. It had been one of those old family names that, for some reason, people couldn’t let die.
    If Jennifer found it funny, she didn’t show it. “And your occupation?”
    “I’m the Assistant Pastor of Ministries at John Knox Presbyterian Church.”
    “How long have you been at the church?”
    “Um, it’ll be two years in March.”
    “Thank you and your address please?”
    “197 North Cove, Columbus, Ohio.”
    “Good, thank you.” Jennifer wrote something down. She took out a picture and slid it across the table. “Do you recognize this person?”
    She handed me a picture. I looked at it, and my throat tightened. Amanda.
    “Yeah, yeah I do. That’s Amanda McDougal, my ex-fiancée.”
    Jennifer tapped her pencil. “When was the last time you spoke with Ms. McDougal?”
    “May 15 th , 8:00 P.M.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “A bit precise on that one, aren’t we?”
    I sighed. “It wasn’t a pleasant conversation.”
    “Can you please relate the nature of this conversation?”
    I stared at Jennifer’s face. It may as well have been a map written in French, full of information but giving none of it away. “I’m sorry, did I miss something? Why are you asking me questions about Amanda? Is she okay?”
    She looked at Lieutenant Weaver, who nodded. “Aidan, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Amanda is dead.”
    My vision blurred as though I had suddenly become aware of the earth’s rotation. I had not realized how much I still loved Amanda until that moment. What had been a dull ache in the back of my soul now sprung up in a quick, sharp pain, like someone knifing me in the gut.
    “Are you okay?” Jennifer asked.
    “I’m sorry, I … I just can’t believe…”
    My throat constricted as tears built in my eyes.
    “Take a minute. It’s okay,” Lieutenant Weaver said.
    I fought to get a hold of myself. “How?”
    “Before I explain how, you must understand this is a private investigation. The identity of the victim has just become known as of a few hours ago. The family was just informed this morning. We have not released the name of the victim to the press. All they know is that there has been a brutal death. We are trying to let the family have some time.”
    I thought about Amanda’s mom and sister. They had endured so much devastation in their lives already, and this would be the worst for them. Amanda had been the rock in her family after her father had died in a car accident a few years ago.
    “I understand.” The tears began to build in my eyes again. I fought the urge to let the dam open.
    “We have every reason to believe that Amanda was murdered.”
    I nodded. “I kind of guessed that but how?”
    “We’ll get to