Free The Stone of Sadness (An Olivia Miller Mystery Book 3) by J A Whiting Page B

be three priests at one parish. Not anymore. Some priests are even traveling between churches now. That’s hard. That makes it very difficult to get to know the people.”
    “I imagine it does.”
    “I’m lucky though. We have a strong group here, many active participants which makes for a nice community of people.”
    “There was another priest here when my cousin Mary went to church here?”
    “Yes. There were two of us, and then just before the murders, a third priest arrived to join us.”
    “What were their names?”
    “Father Paul Carlson was new. Father Anthony Foley had been with me here for maybe three years. Both were young men just starting out. The murders were trying for all of us.”
    “Mary taught Sunday school here.”
    “Yes she did. She had worked as a teacher in elementary schools before she had her own children. She was a natural with the kids, very sweet and kind. Mary did a lot for the church, helped out with funeral meals when she could, served on some committees. A hard worker. Cheerful, pleasant. Someone that people enjoyed being around.”
    “I’m curious about my cousins…the case,” Olivia said. “I want to talk to people in town who lived here when it happened. I guess I’m trying to get a sense of them. Was Mary friendly with the other priests?”
    “Father Paul was only here for a couple of weeks before the crime. Father Anthony was friendly with most of the young families. They would organize softball games, hikes, canoe excursions. Lots of activities that appealed to the younger crowd.” He chuckled. “Even back then, I preferred the spaghetti suppers and things of that nature.”
    “Would you say Mary and Father Anthony got along well?”
    The priest looked directly at Olivia. “Olivia, I know the talk that went around. I heard the gossip.”
    “I’m sorry, but I have to ask. I’m just trying to understand what happened to my cousins.”
    The priest said, “To my knowledge, there was nothing unseemly between them.”
    “It would be quite an accusation. It would have hurt the congregation if something like that was true,” Olivia said.
    “It would have been a blow, yes. But it wasn’t true. Mary was an upstanding woman. She wouldn’t have engaged in such behavior.”
    “What about Father Anthony? I apologize for being blunt…but, what if he had had a willing partner?”
    The priest’s face clouded. “Speculation is unfair, especially when a person is not available to defend himself.”
    Olivia nodded. “He was transferred I understand,” she said.
    “He was.”
    “Very soon after the murders.”
    “Yes.”
    “Where did he transfer to?” Olivia asked.
    “California. I can’t recall the specifics.”
    “You aren’t in touch then?”
    “At first we kept in touch. But then busy schedules got in the way and we no longer kept up contact.”
    “You don’t remember what parish he was in?”
    Father Mike sighed. “My memory isn’t what it was, I’m afraid.”
    Olivia held his eyes.
    “You could try the diocese office. I’m sure they have records.”
    “I’m not accusing, Father, really I’m not,” Olivia said.
    “And I’m not trying to protect him. Or conceal anything,” Father Mike said.
    “I’m just trying to figure out what happened to my cousins,” Olivia told him.
    “Anthony had a magnetic personality,” Father Mike said. “He was fun, witty, engaging. Everyone was drawn to him. He was a handsome man.” Father Mike paused, and then said, “I cautioned him to be wary of people’s perceptions. To be careful not to give the wrong impression to people…to the women, especially. Sometimes friendliness and caring can be misconstrued to be something other than it is. It’s a fine line and a delicate balance to maintain, especially for an attractive, young priest.”
    Olivia said, “I can see that could be hard…to maintain boundaries.”
    Father Mike looked down at his hands. “In some ways it seems very long ago and in other ways,