“A heated theological discussion?”

“Not heated. Nothing much more than what you witnessed earlier this evening with my sister, Eva. Would you call that heated?”

“She was aggravated.”

“She was stunned over her father’s untimely death.”

“So Mr. McFadden was wrong? There was no argument?”

“No argument. There was a discussion.”

“Funny, because he told us that it was very much an argument. As a matter of fact, he told me it wasn’t just your father. He said everyone was dumping on you. And you just took it.”

“Why is this important? Are you trying to establish a year-old animated discussion between my father and me as a motive for murder?”

Decker raised his brow. Maybe. Because at the moment, he was grasping at straws. He said, “I’m merely asking a question, Father.”

Sparks exhaled, rubbed his eyes. “I remember the discussion. We were talking about the different religious perceptions of evil thought versus evil action. Were the two equivalent? Not in a judicial sense. No one was debating the difference between evil thought and action in American jurisprudence. We were talking theology. Before the eyes of God, are evil thoughts indeed evil actions?”

Bram looked at Decker, gauging him. “Yes, it’s weird. But it beats ‘how ’bout them Dodgers.’”

Decker said, “I understand what it’s like to live in a religiously driven home.”

“Thank you.”

“Go on.”

Sparks said, “Evil thought as a moral trespass is a Christian concept—a very Catholic concept as well. Evil thoughts require confession, penance, and absolution just like evil action. Why? Because if evil thoughts aren’t dealt with…atoned for and expunged from the idiore-pertoire of our mental workings, they will lead to evil action.”

“Okay.”

“Two schools of thought. Evil ruminations grow into monsters unto themselves until the individual is forced to act upon them. Or my philosophy, which certainly isn’t original, that with ninety-nine percent of us, evil thoughts are pressure valves. A way to release our frustrations or lusts or anger. Ergo, are penance and atonement really necessary for evil thoughts or immoral fantasies? Furthermore, are religious representatives—such as myself—doing a disservice to their flocks by convincing them to drive away these thoughts? Cutting off an avenue of escape from tension. I suggested this kind of narrow-minded repression might even be potentially harmful. My family—especially my father—took exception. Said a clean mind was tantamount to a clean soul. Words that my mother agreed with wholeheartedly.”

“How’d you respond?”

“I didn’t. I backed down. And that, my friend, is it.”

Decker rolled his tongue in his cheek. “Why’d you back down?”

“My, you’re inquisitive.”

“I’m a detective. It’s my job to find things out. Not unlike yours, Father.”