Page 86 of Eternal Craving

Taking long strides, I made my way to the back of the church and slid the box into the confessional booth entrance and then entered the confessor’s side. The red, drawn curtain hinted at authority and doubled its sense of mystery.

I wanted to see Bishop Bonaire’s expression, the man on the other side of the curtain.

“These items belong to the Church,” I said. “And I trust that you’ll return the documents to their rightful owners.”

“Where did you find this?” Bonaire lifted out the communion chalice.

“At the senator’s residence.”

He shuffled through the papers. “It belongs to Senator Grenaldi.”

“It did.”

The bishop fidgeted. “Did he ask you to return them?”

“Not exactly.”

Bonaire pulled the curtain back. His heavily lined face revealed a lifetime of worry, though I detected a strong faith in this dedicated man of God, and a comforting presence.

“Is there something you wish to confess?” he asked.

“I don’t actually have that much time.”

He frowned.

“I have something else for you.” I held up a crisp scroll.

He opened the rusty grate.

“This belonged to Columbus.” I passed it through.

He unraveled the map. “Where did you find this?”

“In the box I just handed to you,” I lied. “It’s evidence of a plot against the king.”

“Senator Grenaldi?”

“He’s at its center.”

“But he’s the king’s closest ally,” he said, his voice tense.

“Felipe wanted us to believe that lie. It’s time to restore power to the Church.”

“How does this map prove the senator’s heresy?”

I handed Bonaire the letter that Felipe had written in The Captain’s Table Inn.

“He wrote this?” Bonaire asked.

“It’s Felipe’s handwriting andhissignature.”

“Has he gone mad?” Bonaire’s jowl shook with surprise.

“Felipe is after the precious metals that Columbus is currently searching for.”

“But why write a letter to the king?”

“As a warning? Perhaps we will never know.”