List of Secrets

CHAPTER TWO-2

County Wicklow, Ireland, and the Raven had been retained once again for some payback. He trained his binoculars downslope from his perch farther up the hillside overlooking the Glendalough monastic settlement. From here, he could pass for watching for birds or other wildlife as he was bringing his target into view. Slowly, he scanned right, then left. “A-ha. There you are,” the Raven murmured as he confirmed the man was indeed being a tourist today as he’d been told. He nodded his approval, then began to head down toward the settlement.

There were people around, but not so many as he’d imagined. Peak tourist season for this park seemed to be from April to October. Mid-February was much less crowded, but there were still enough visitors milling about that he should be able to make delivery and then fade away surreptitiously. He grinned as he made his way down the slope to his target.

He joined the back of the tour group at first, his eyes never leaving the man he sought who stood about twenty feet in front of the Raven. As the man gazed around, taking in the old tower and the headstones, it was clear he was oblivious to just how close to death he was.

The Raven moved closer as his prey took off his jacket; for mid-February, the temperature was a bit over sixty degrees, unseasonably warm. Good, the Raven thought to himself. Less fabric to penetrate.

As he passed the man on the walking path, he pretended to stumble, slapping his left hand onto his victim’s right shoulder for balance – and deploying the tiny plunger he had palmed containing the ricin-laced metal sphere into the flesh of his victim. “My apologies,” the Raven said, removing his hand and slipping the now-empty device into his pocket.

“Are you all right?” the man asked, unaware he now had only about seventy-two hours to live.

“Fine, thanks,” Raven answered. “Just lost my footing for a moment there.” And he continued past on his way down the walking path. Now all he had to do was tail the man for a day or two and make sure the ricin worked as advertised.

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Day two saw Donny and his pupil on the bunny slopes, her still hiding her true skill set and winding him more and more around her finger. Small talk, noncommittal, most of it fictitious, met his questions about her life. But he seemed to be satisfied with the answers, and she could tell he wanted to get to know her more. Another dinner invitation was proffered at day’s end, and, as before, was politely refused.

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* * * *

Within twenty-four hours, he had his confirmation. The priest, who had fled the U.S. before he could be arrested on multiple counts of child molestation, had been hurriedly packed into an ambulance outside the hotel they both were registered guests in. The Raven watched silently from his balcony as the man on the gurney was loaded up and carried away, sirens breaking the still morning air. He followed the ambulance’s movement until it was out of sight, then sent a carefully worded email to his employer.

A certain priest wouldn’t be preying upon the innocent anymore.

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