Free Her Moons Denouement (Fallen Angels Book 2) by Max Hardy Page B

the news today, about Archbishop O’Driscoll being exposed as a killer by a man who then committed suicide on the Royal Mile.’ asked Bentley, tucking into his stew with gusto, despite the anxiousness in his demeanour.
    ‘I heard, yes.  Shocking, if it is true.’ answered Pastor Edward.
    ‘I saw it too.  Did he really have wings!  Do you think he was an Angel?’  interjected Desiderata eagerly, with wide eyed innocence.
    ‘No Dessie, they were mechanical wings and as far as we can tell he was a lone loon.  We can’t find reference to any organisation, group or faction known as the Fallen Angels.  That’s not the thing we need to worry about.’
    ‘Do we need to worry about something?’ queried Pastor Bentley.
    ‘Yes we do father.  There is no doubt that O’Driscoll killed six of the seven women that he was alleged to have murdered.  He can’t have murdered the seventh.  We know the seventh: Heather Scott.  And somehow, the evidence we have from the Crime Scene today indirectly links me to her.’
    ‘Heather was a long time ago.  How could that happen Fenny?  We are so careful.’ queried Pastor Bentley.  Desiderata dropped her spoon into her bowl with a clang and clung onto her father’s hand tighter, looking at him anxiously.
    ‘At the minute, I don’t know.  It could be a total coincidence.  It is possible that some fucker…’ he started in frustration.
    ‘Fenny!’ shouted Pastor Bentley.  ‘I will not have that kind of language under my roof!’
    ‘Sorry father.  It’s possible that the evidence has been mixed up.  It’s possible that someone is out to get me.  Do you remember Rebecca Angus, the mental case who slaughtered her son a few years back?  She went missing from the nuthouse a few weeks ago and may just hold a grudge against me.  She could be involved in this.  Either way, the case into Heather Scott’s death will be reopened and I will probably be under scrutiny.  That’s why I think we should put our plans for Coleen on hold.’
    ‘No!’ screamed Desiderata, aghast.  ‘We can’t.  Everything is arranged.  Everyone is lined up.  We just needed the passport and you have that now.  We can’t father.  Please say we don’t have to stop.’ she finished, clawing Pastor Bentley’s arm with her hand imploringly.
    ‘Now, now Dessie.  Keep calm.  There’s no need to halt our plans.  Your sister is right Fenny.  Everything is lined up.  It is too late to pause things. And if you are going to be under scrutiny, it would be better to do it now so she is out of the way. You will just have to be extra vigilant.  That is my final word.’ Pastor Bentley stated firmly.
    Bentley dropped his spoon into a now empty bowl and sighed heavily as he took a passport from his inside jacket pocket and placed in onto the table.
    Desiderata, all anxiety gone, replaced once again by excitement, grabbed the passport and flicked to the picture and the personal information.  ‘Carly Dawson.  Coleen is now Carly.  That should be easy for her to remember.  She is ready for you Fenny.’ said Dessie as she jumped up out of her seat and leapt over to one of the high gloss aubergine drawers.  She pulled it open and grabbed a white carrier bag from inside and dropped it with a heavy thud onto the table in front of Bentley.  ‘It’s all in there.’ she finished, her eyes wide with anticipation.
    ‘It’s getting late now, time for Dessie and I to retire.  You know what you need to do Fenny.  And once you have, you need to tidy up the kitchen and it will be the cupboard for you tonight.  Do I make myself clear?’ Pastor Bentley stated as he stood up and shuffled his portly frame out of the dining booth. 
    ‘I understand father.’ Bentley answered contritely as he watched Dessie and his father walk past him, hand in hand, into the hallway and up the stairs.
    He sighed heavily and whispered ‘Fucking bastard’ quietly under his breath as he slowly stood up and