“By the way,” I said aloud. “I know no one was hiding in the church when I left, but I’m not sure it’s all that significant. I don’t think the locks have been rekeyed in twenty years, and both Robyn and Father Rufus have been pretty quick to give a key to anyone with a legitimate purpose. Including some of the people from other churches who were here at Trinity over the last few days. Like Lightfoot and Randall’s construction people.”

The chief sighed and nodded.

“It’s the same at New Life,” he said. “The reverend is always more interested in bringing people in than keeping them out. We won’t be solving this one based on who has access to my crime scenes. But thanks.”

“Chief, there’s something else,” I said. “Did you get my call last night?” I decided that was more tactful than “Why the heck haven’t you returned my last three phone calls?”

He nodded. I looked around to make sure no one else was nearby.

I noticed he did, too.

“You have some relevant information?” he asked, in a low voice.

“Do you know Caleb Shiffley and Ronnie Butler?” I asked.

“Yes.” He nodded slightly. “Both fine young men. I believe they’re seniors this year. Both on the basketball team, in fact. Ronnie is a member of the New Life congregation, and I believe Caleb, like most of the Shiffleys, attends First Presbyterian. What about them?”

“They were the ones who put the skunks in the choir loft. I overheard them talking about it. And the snake here.”

The chief looked at me for few moments, expressionless.

“Yes,” he said finally.

“You already know?”

“I didn’t quite know,” he said. “But I suspected. In fact, I was suspicious of Caleb almost from the start.”

“You were?” I exclaimed. “Why?”

“Caleb helps his father out at the Shiffley Exterminating Service. His father usually assigns him to go deep into the woods to release the animals that are being returned to the wild. The most plausible explanation I could come up with for the sudden appearance of so many skunks was that some of the rescued skunks had not been released as planned over the last few months. And Caleb and Ronnie are inseparable. Have been since grade school. I figured if one was in on it, it was almost certain the other was.”

“So you were just gathering evidence?” I asked. “Before confronting them or arresting them or whatever?”

He sighed.

“Gathering evidence, yes, but frankly, I was hoping when they realized how much trouble they’d caused, they’d both come forward and offer to make amends. But after the duck incident, I had no choice. I was already planning to bring them and their parents into the station this morning. If only I hadn’t waited.”

“So you didn’t return any of my calls because you already knew about them,” I said. “Makes sense.”