“Theirs and about twenty-five hundred other Catholic schools around the country,” Gaynor said. “I called up the publisher. Some small Christian religious house. I got the feeling the book keeps them in business.”

Decker said, “How long has the book been in print?”

“Seven years,” Gaynor said.

“Bram’s only thirty-five.”

“Then he wrote it when he was young. Because he’s been collecting royalties for a while.”

“And he keeps the money?” Martinez asked.

“According to the last five years’ worth of tax returns, he’s donated seventy-five percent of his royalties to the church. Another ten percent, he gives away to other charities. The remaining fifteen, he pockets.”

“Don’t priests take vows of poverty?” Marge asked.

“Banking fifteen percent of your royalties isn’t exactly chasing the buck,” Decker said.

“Especially when you consider he’s built sixty-seven grand by pocketing only fifteen percent of his earnings,” Marge added. “That means he’s given away a hell of a lot of money.”

Webster said, “Wonder why he gave it to the church when his biological brothers were in need?”

Marge said, “Yeah, doesn’t the Bible say something about being your brother’s keeper?”

“As a priest, it’s his obligation to give his worldly possessions to the church,” Martinez said. “Keeps the clergy honest.”

Oliver said, “Besides, he probably knows his brothers’ll just piss it away.”

Decker said, “Farrell, does Bram spend money on anything interesting?”

“Only thing unusual is he rents a one-bedroom apartment even though his official residence is listed at St. Thomas’s. He has itemized it as an outside office, been leasing it for the last nine years—”

“Office my ass,” Oliver scoffed. “Betcha the goat brings women up there.” He grinned. “What a priest can’t do with rosary beads.”

“That’s truly disgusting,” Martinez said.

Oliver laughed. “Yeah, I’m a goner, going to hell on a bullet train.”

Nine years. Right around the time Yitzchak died. Decker quelled the thought.

“Maybe he brings men up instead of women,” Marge said. “Didn’t Decameron say he was gay?”

“This is all beside the point,” Decker said. “All we’re interested in is whether he’s a suspect or not. For the time being, he looks pretty clean.”

“Yeah, if you’re going to choose a family member, I vote for Paul,” Gaynor said. “He’s the one deepest in debt.”

“So why should he pop his father when the old man was supporting him?” Oliver said.

“Maybe Doc threatened to withdraw support,” Marge said.

Gaynor said, “More likely, it’s the insurance policy.”

Oliver said, “I love how you drop these little tidbits on us, Farrell. What insurance policy?”

“Sparks has a whole life policy on himself with death benefits totaling six million.”

Collective gasps.

Oliver said, “You know, I think I’ll pay a condolence call on the widow Sparks.”

Gaynor said, “The beneficiaries are the children. Don’t ask me how I found that out, either.”