‘Like you, they carried out the work of the devil.’

Annie’s eyes searched the room for something she could use as a weapon to defend herself. At the same time the priest made his move and started coming towards her, the knife held out in front of him.

Annie screamed, but that didn’t stop him, so out of sheer desperation she threw herself to the left and rushed towards the door leading to the hallway.

But in her blind panic her leg struck the edge of the coffee table and she tumbled face down onto the carpet. As she rolled onto her back, she realised she’d lost her only chance to escape.

The priest was standing over her now and she knew she was going to die.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO

The priest didn’t hear James enter the house because of Annie’s screams.

She was lying on the floor of the living room, at the maniac’s feet, and he was mouthing what sounded like a prayer as he raised the dagger above her. James called out, which prompted him to hesitate and turn.

Shock registered on his face, and he didn’t notice Annie roll across the carpet away from him.

Once James saw that Annie was a safe distance away and getting to her feet, he moved closer to the priest and said, ‘The game’s up, Father. Don’t make things worse for yourself.’

Father Silver looked down and realised that Annie had moved and that to reach her, he would have to get past her husband.

He turned back to James and a slow smile formed on his face.

‘I underestimated you, Detective,’ he said. ‘And that was a mistake.’

‘Just put the dagger down, Father. It’s over.’

The priest nodded. ‘I realise that. Ever since I embarked on my mission, I knew this moment would come. The moment when I would end my own life and offer myself to God.’

‘But isn’t suicide a mortal sin in the eyes of the Catholic Church?’

He shook his head. ‘Not if the act is committed with God’s blessing, Detective.’

He then held the dagger’s grip in both hands and pointed the tip of the blade at his throat.

‘This is crazy,’ James yelled at him. ‘God hasn’t given His blessing. And do you honestly believe that you’re in God’s good books after killing three people?’

His smile widened. ‘You don’t understand. None of you do. You see, I was carrying out the will of God. When I was diagnosed with a terminal cancer, I told Him how disillusioned I’d become. I used this village as an example of how the devil seemed to be winning the war. Most of the villagers have turned their backs on God, and some of them openly condemn what the church stands for. St John’s is to close because the congregation has fallen to just a handful of people. It’s the same everywhere. Society is becoming more secular and more tolerant of sinners. Take those vile vandals who desecrate the graves in our churchyard. They’re allowed to get away with it. The police know who they are but they’re not arrested or punished.