Sunday, September 21st
Trinity Catholic church, 10:30 am
Miriam had never missed her Mass every Sunday in Italy. When she was a child and a teenage girl she used to go with her parents and her sister, then, after her mum died, the Sunday Mass had become one of the cosy traditions she had shared with her dad in the twelve years they had spent together. They went to the morning Mass and then they stopped at a bar in front of the church for a cup of coffee or a cappuccino.
When Miriam had arrived in Canada, Father Mark had given her a small booklet with the holy Mass in English and told her the times of the Festive Services. She would have liked to attend the ten-thirty a.m. Mass, but it carried so many remembrances. For this reason, she generally preferred to attend the vigil Mass. The previous day she had been at Mrs Driscoll’s and it had been such a pleasant visit that she had missed the Mass. She also wanted to hear the news that Father Mark would share with her after his visit to the prison.
When she entered a church, she couldn’t help but feel the soothing and peaceful atmosphere and gratitude for all the joys and blessings the Lord had bestowed on her. At the same time, all the people who were suffering came to her mind. Today she was thinking of Meg and her mum. What a difficult time for a teenage child and a young wife who doted on their dear father and husband. She asked God to help them and to guide them in His infinite Grace, and she prayed that Andy would be soon cleared of the crime of murder.
She sat in a pew in the middle of the church and she observed a tall man who had just entered. He was really handsome and he had an interesting face, very expressive. Beyond a first impression of hardness and gravity, Miriam could see a sweetness in his gaze, and she could perceive the attitude of a person who was used to suffering. He sat down next to her and nodded slightly at her with a small smile. She smiled at him politely and noticed the badge on his belt. She had learned that this was the way Canadian policemen wore their badges even when they were dressed in civilian clothes.
Was this the detective Father Mark had mentioned, the one that frightened Meg and her mum so much? Maybe he could make someone feel uneasy but she believed she perceived a great benevolence in him, a great sense of justice and of duty that she didn’t dislike.
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Louise was used to going to the vigil Mass on Saturday evening with her friend, Meg, but yesterday evening she did not feel well, and her parents had insisted on going with her to the Sunday Mass instead. It was strange because they rarely went to church.
Meg was her best friend, they had always been schoolmates since elementary school and they complemented each other. Meg was always enthusiastic and extrovert, insatiably longing to learn new things, very good at school in every subject, but also generous and trustworthy; the friend everyone would like to have. Louise was shy and selective in her choice of friends. She was not so brilliant at school but she was a hardworking student. She always depended on Meg’s encouragement and support because she was easily discouraged. Now life had changed their roles and Louise didn’t feel able to be the one who encouraged and supported Meg, she didn’t know if she could find the right words.
Louise had something else that tormented her. The night of the murder she was coming out of the gym that was just opposite the garage of Kilton Motor and she saw something… did she have to tell the police what she had seen? She had tried to talk to her parents, especially her dad, but he had gotten so angry that he had frightened her and he had ordered her to stay out of it. Her mum was texting her friends and had not listened. Maybe she could talk to Uncle Joseph when he came back from Vancouver, but now? Maybe what she had seen was just a coincidence and didn’t mean anything, but why didn’t her dad want her to relate it to the police? Certainly, he had nothing to be afraid of… or…?
Whom should she ask for advice? She could not talk to her mum, who refused to listen to her and never had time for her, maybe Father Mark… or, just in the pew in front of her, she saw the new Italian teacher, Miriam Busati. She was so nice and she seemed so wise. She always spoke about the importance of the family in her lessons…
Maybe she could talk to her, maybe Miss Busati could find another way to interpret what she had seen that night, maybe there was another explanation…
Louise made up her mind to talk to her teacher after her Italian lesson the following day, and, having taken her decision, she felt better and she started to pray that it would be the right way.
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Jason had only just recently started to attend the Sunday Mass regularly again. In fact, he had started going back to church when he had moved from Toronto to Trinity. Father Mark had become director of Don Bosco High School in the little town, and when he had seen him after some years, he had immediately felt the comfort and support the priest had always been able to give him. His suffering, his sense of remorse for what he had experienced in Toronto had not vanished. After the Sunday Mass, he had begun to remain in Father Mark’s study and talk to him, not necessarily about himself and his past, but more generally about the events of the week, his work and the people they knew. Father Mark asked him occasionally for help when he noticed a strange behaviour in one of the young people in the parish or the school and they had successfully guided some young girls or boys away from bad company and back to the safety of their families and a healthy life, far from drugs or vices. Father Mark never hinted at Jason’s great loss; he knew that it always weighed on his heart but his support consisted of making Jason feel useful in the community, stressing his abilities as a detective and his qualities as a defender of justice and safety. Jason knew that Father Mark loved him as a son and that he sympathized with him. He admired and appreciated the priest for his wisdom and insight into the problems of young and adult people alike. He trusted the priest’s judgment and his opinion and he appreciated his advice.
When he went to church, he always had questions lingering in his mind, ‘Why, God, have You asked so much of me? Why have You chosen to give me such great sorrow? Why this loss that weighs so much on my conscience? Will I ever overcome this? Will I ever be able to feel at peace with my conscience? Will I ever make peace with my sense of guilt?’ He prayed he could find an answer to these questions one day. Father Mark used to tell him that God never abandons the people who have faith, but he had felt abandoned by God six years before… Why had God permitted that tragedy?
This Sunday, he was on duty but he found the time to attend the Mass. He also wanted to know what Father Mark had been able to learn from Andy Cooper in prison.
He entered the church and noticed a pew where only a young woman was sitting. He sat down next to her and he turned to see if she was someone he already knew. Because of his job and the small community of Trinity, he knew a lot of people there. He had never met this young lady, her smile when she turned to him, was friendly and sweet, she was a pleasant woman. He noticed that she had a small booklet in her hands with the English Mass service, so he imagined that she was not English or Canadian. In a moment, he remembered that Father Mark had told him that there was a new Italian language teacher at Don Bosco High School and he had perceived that Father Mark appreciated her way of teaching and talking to teenagers. He could understand why she inspired trust in the people around her; her simple and genuine smile was really captivating and charming. He instinctively smiled back at her and prepared to follow the service.
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Father Mark was a true man of God, his faith was always perceivable in his way of approaching people, talking about everyday life, in his sermons, his cheerful, and apparently, carefree behaviour, which was not carefree at all. It was just the behaviour of a person who put all his cares and the events of his life in the hands of God, who truly believed that only in God’s Providence everything finds a reason and an explanation. This did not mean that Father Mark did not have his moments of doubts, anxiety or concern, especially when someone he knew was in trouble, but a moment of prayer, the rosary or the reading of a page of the Gospel always succeeded in soothing his fears.
One of the moments of his consecrated life that he preferred was, of course, the daily Mass and the Sunday Mass had a special meaning for him, because Sunday was the sacred day for every Christian and because the Sunday Mass was his favourite chance to see all the community gathered in prayer and thanksgiving. After the Mass, he liked the moment, outside the church, when he could meet the people of his community and everybody knew that, if they had a problem, this was the right moment to talk to the priest, he was always ready to listen, comfort and advise. In the last few years, since Jason had come to live in Trinity, after the Mass, he liked to stay with him for the time that Jason’s commitments allowed him to remain, but these were precious moments because he loved Jason, he tried to support him and to help him overcome his tragedy.
Now Father Mark was standing at the altar in front of the congregation and he watched them all with infinite love. He liked the image of the shepherd with the sheep. He knew something about every person who was in church, their endeavours, inner struggles, moments of sorrow but also the joys and the little and great successes and satisfactions they had.
He was happy to see Jason because he knew that he had had difficulties finding his way back to church and prayer, which was understandable, knowing what he had gone through, and for this reason, he was even happier to see him every Sunday. But who was standing beside him? Miriam, the sweet Italian young woman who had had her share of suffering in her life. Father Lucio had talked to him about her dad, her past and he admired her even more for her wisdom, sensibility and affectionate relationships with her students. Seeing them standing side by side, the priest involuntarily smiled because they were two people in search of serenity and fulfilment in their lives, even if they both had rewarding jobs. Could God be guiding them to… ? Father Mark offered a prayer for them both because he never interfered in the feelings of his parishioners.
What was happening to Louise, sitting between her parents behind the teacher? He had rarely seen her parents at a Mass before. Why did she look so upset? Yes, her best friend was in a moment of difficulty and anxiety, but why had she not gone to the vigil Mass, where Meg and Louise usually met? Father Mark decided to talk to Louise in the following days to encourage her to support and comfort her friend, Meg.
His most fervent prayer today was for Andy, whom he had just visited in prison, and for his family. Only God could guide them in the way of truth and justice.
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Father Mark’s study, 11:30 am
While Father Mark was talking to some parishioners outside the church, Miriam was approached by Louise.
“Miss Busati, can I talk to you tomorrow after the lesson, please?”
“Of course, Louise! Have you heard from Meg? How is she?”
Louise kept looking nervously in the direction of her parents, who were going towards their car. They turned to her with a somber expression, and she hastened to say:
“See you tomorrow, Miss Busati! I am sorry, I must go now!”
She ran to her parents who were waiting in an expensive dark car.
Miriam heard Father Mark calling her name:
“Miriam, can I introduce you to Detective Jason Grant?”
Jason smiled and shook hands politely with Miriam. Miriam couldn’t help but notice that his smile was warm, but at the same time, sad. She looked at him and said shyly, “Yes, I think Mr Grant noticed that I need your booklet, Mark, to follow the Mass in English, even if I am starting to learn.”
Jason immediately said kindly, “You mustn’t be embarrassed, I would like to speak Italian as you speak English, Miss Busati. Call me Jason, please!” Miriam noticed immediately the characteristic husky voice of Jason, but she liked it because the low tone made it softer and kinder, she thought.
“And I am Miriam, Jason,” she replied pleasantly.
Father Mark invited them to sit in his study so that they could talk about Andy Cooper’s situation in private. Jason and Miriam sat down on the two armchairs in front of his desk while the priest sat opposite them.
“Excuse me, Jason, but before telling you about Andy, I want to ask Miriam, I noticed you were talking to Louise outside the church. Why was she at the Sunday Mass? She seemed upset and I can understand that knowing that she is Meg’s best friend, but I am surprised she didn’t go to the vigil Mass where she could meet Meg and support her.”
“Yes, I think she is very upset and she asked me if we can talk after my lesson tomorrow but I had the distinct impression that she was talking to me without her parents’ knowledge and approval. But maybe they were just in a hurry,” she added quickly.
Father Mark reflected for a few moments and commented, “Yes, I can understand it must be a difficult moment for Louise’s family, too. After all, the murder was committed in her dad’s company and Andy Cooper is his accountant.”
“Maybe that is why she is so nervous,” Miriam said, “because her best friend is worried about her dad, but her father is involved in this matter too, being the manager of the company. Let’s hope this matter will be cleared soon!”
Father Mark sighed and added, “Well, I wanted to stop Louise and talk to her, but since she asked to talk to you, I will wait…” he looked perplexed and added, turning to Jason,
“This morning I went to see Andy in prison and I am very worried about him because he is confused, upset and he doesn’t sleep. He said that he can’t eat and this situation is breaking his spirit, I am afraid. He said that his wife and daughter would visit him this morning too. Let’s hope that seeing his family will revive him a little.” Father Mark was really preoccupied and troubled.
Jason was looking at him and Miriam could see that he was concerned about the priest and that there was a deep affection between the two men. However, the policeman didn’t say anything, he just waited for the priest to go on.
“Andy had a paper he had been given by the lawyer. It was a written confession that, he said, they had compiled together, but I think it was written by the lawyer, because Andy would never have written anything like that. The lawyer is saying that the evidence against Andy is strong and that it will be difficult to prove his innocence. He told him that by declaring himself guilty, he would avoid a trial, be accused of second-degree murder and he would be granted extenuation. What worries me is that he is so confused that, in the beginning when I arrived, he even said he didn’t remember clearly what happened. I made him talk and I succeeded in convincing him not to sign those papers and to tell the lawyer he prefers to face a trial than confess to a crime he didn’t commit. I took the papers from him.” He took them from the drawer of his desk and handed them to Jason, who took them and had a quick look at them.
The priest went on, “But tomorrow he will see the lawyer. I am afraid he will try to convince him once more. He said that even his wife has accepted what the lawyer is saying. This is the effect that a knowledgeable man like an attorney can have on a simple honest family. They are scared and the counselor can convince them of what the best way is, but I don’t think this is the only way. What do you think, Jason?”
“I am a little perplexed at the behaviour of this lawyer because he doesn’t seem to consider Andy’s innocence in the least. Andy talked to me the night of the murder, as I have told you, Mark, and his story was straight and he seemed sincere. You know that I can usually recognize a liar. Cooper was certainly frightened but seemed honest in what he was telling me. The problem is that, if he confesses, the case will be closed and I won’t be able to investigate. I am looking into the life of Brown, the victim, who seemed to have some enemies and a lot of money problems and I have some people to talk to tomorrow who can be linked to Brown’s death. I hope Cooper will follow your advice, but we have to talk to his family because I believe they are more scared than he is and they are not helping him.” While he was talking, he turned to Miriam, who was listening silently.
Now she said, “Yesterday evening, I called Meg, and I said I would like to visit her and her mum this afternoon. She accepted eagerly but I heard her mum trying to invent an excuse to dissuade me. I told Meg that I didn’t want to disturb them but she insisted, and finally, her mum accepted. I think they are very reserved people who are not used to talking about their problems with outsiders.
“Furthermore, they don’t know me very well, I am just a foreigner from Meg’s mum’s point of view and I hope I will be able to gain her confidence. Thanks for sharing the information with me, I would like to show them the confession.” Jason immediately handed it to her. “Perhaps, reading it together with Meg and her mum, I will be able to show them the absurdity of confessing to a crime you have not committed.”
Father Mark looked at Miriam with gratitude and said, “Thanks, Miriam, I hope you will succeed in at least convincing them to wait. I am sure that if his wife realizes what is best, Andy will be more encouraged. His wife is a great support for him.”
Jason gave Miriam his business card and added, “Miriam, if you don’t mind, can you call me if you think Meg or her mum have told you something important?”
Miriam took the little card and put it in her handbag, together with the confession papers. “Yes, I will certainly do so as soon as I finish my visit. I hope I will be able to help them. Thank you, Mark, for your trust.”
Father Mark watched her as she went out of the room. He noticed that Jason watched her leave with what looked like admiration. He had seldom seen that look on his face, a mixture of sweetness and detachment. He knew that Jason did not easily give in to his emotions and his feelings, not since he had decided to remain alone.
“I think she is courageous, coming to a foreign country alone and facing a new experience by herself,” Jason said as he turned his attention to the priest.
“Don’t think that she has had an easy life, Jason. In fact, she has suffered a lot, even if a different type of sorrow from yours.” Father Mark went on, talking more to himself than to Jason, “Everyone has his or her cross to carry, light or heavy, big or small. But she came here to start a new life and I think she is really a good teacher and she loves her job and her students.”
Jason remained a few minutes longer, then he took his leave because he had some paperwork to do at his office, and Father Mark had to take the Eucharist to some old and invalid people in the parish, as he did every Sunday.
Trinity, the Coopers' home, 4:30 pm
It was a pleasant late summer afternoon, the sun was shining but there was a slight breeze that made the temperature mild and enjoyable. Miriam left home to drive the short distance to Meg’s home. She was not completely familiar with her new car and with all the streets and routes of the town but she had studied the map on her mobile phone and she was fairly confident it would be easy to reach the quiet popular neighbourhood where Meg and her family lived. It was so different from Italy, where the popular quarters were mainly occupied by tall buildings and blocks of flats. Here, every family had their small house with a little garden in the front and a tiny space in the back too. In front of the house, there was generally a driveway for the car that led to the garage next to the main building. The houses were typically two-floor buildings and the gardens were tidy and neat, with beautiful flowers and plants that showed the love that every family had for their green space.
Miriam parked in front of Meg’s home and walked along the short path leading to the beautiful porch. She had not yet climbed the three steps that led to the front door when Meg came out and ran to embrace her teacher. In that welcoming hug, there was all the need for comfort and love that Meg felt, all the desperation and the worry visible in the troubled face of the young girl, who had dark bags under her eyes for want of sleep and rest. Miriam affectionately hugged her young student and entered. Meg’s mum stood in the little foyer which consisted of a coat hanger with a little table beneath it and a mirror on the wall. The home gave the impression of simplicity but of great care and tidiness. On the little table, there was a crocheted doily and a small vase with fresh flowers from the garden.
An arch led to the sitting-dining room which was not large but full of light from the big windows overlooking the garden. Beyond this room through a door, you could see the small but pristine kitchen, with wooden cabinets and cupboards and a small table next to the wall.
Meg’s mum was much more reserved in her welcome, she simply took Miriam’s hand and said, “I am sorry Meg insisted so much on your coming today. You shouldn’t have bothered.” The tone of Mrs Cooper’s voice was not encouraging but Miriam had expected nothing less and she persisted.
“It’s no bother at all, Mrs Cooper. I saw Meg so depressed and worried the other day that I came to see how you are both doing.”
The woman was a little soothed by the calm and comforting tone of the teacher and she said more kindly, “Come in, please! We can sit down in the living room. Would you like a cup of tea? I am sorry but we only have American coffee,” she added with a tentative smile, hinting at Miriam’s origins.
“And I am sorry to say that I have not got used to your coffee yet,” Miriam said with a pleasant smile, “so a cup of tea will be OK for me, thanks. But first, let me tell you I don’t want to intrude. Father Mark is worried about Mr Cooper and you, and I understand he has known your family for a long time and trusts your husband. I see him so preoccupied these days and he has asked for my help. I simply think that talking to a person who is outside your acquaintances would make you feel more at ease and maybe you could see things from a different point of view.” Miriam was afraid she was talking too much but she saw that Meg’s mum was listening carefully to what she was saying and she was not giving any sign of discomfort or refusal. In the meantime, they had sat down; Miriam on a sofa and mother and daughter on the other.
“Thanks, Miss Busati. My daughter has said wonderful things about your first Italian lessons, she is so enthusiastic about the Italian culture. We appreciate your concern but we have been advised by my husband’s lawyer not to talk to people.”
Meg reacted to these words and her voice was really anguished and full of fear. She was on the verge of tears but she spoke firmly, “This is what I can’t accept, Mum. That lawyer is certainly an expert and knowledgeable man but he doesn’t know dad as we know him. Dad is not guilty, he has never done anything wrong. How can he believe that he killed someone? How can YOU believe it? I have tried to make myself think that this is the easiest way, that the evidence is strong and that in a trial he would never be able to prove his innocence, Miss Busati, but I can’t, I can’t…” her voice trailed off and she started to cry. Miriam was deeply moved by this teenage girl who was defending her dad with all her might.
Meg’s mum embraced her daughter. “I know, love, it is difficult, but the lawyer said that it will be impossible to prove that dad didn’t do it.” Her voice was not as self-confident as it had been before. Miriam understood that this was the time she could try to learn something more.
“But there must be someone else who wanted to kill Brown.” Miriam did not want to talk about her short conversation with Jason Grant.
“He says that there are other people who may have had the motive but only dad knew that Brown was in the office so late. He was not used to staying at work long hours,” Meg said.
“And only my husband had the keys to enter the building,” her mum added.
Miriam asked, “Did you see Mr Brown sometimes? What do you know about him? Maybe even a comment from your dad about his colleague could be important.”
Mother and daughter looked at each other and both thought the same thing; why had the lawyer not asked anything like that? Sure, that Detective had tried to ask them something of this kind, but Meg’s mum had cut him off because they had just talked to Andy’s attorney who had ordered them not to talk to the police. Meg and her mum started to see things from a different point of view. It was as if a kind of veil was being lifted and they could see things freely, without the filter of the lawyer’s words.
Grace Cooper said, “Steve came sometimes to have lunch with us. He was so lonely even though he had so many friends, if you can call them that. They often called him while he was here but I remember they were not pleasant calls. The language was vulgar and my husband told me he had the habit of gambling and he was often in debt.” Mrs Cooper stopped abruptly and seemed to remember something:
“Oh, my God, Meg, do you remember Brown came with a girl one day to introduce her to dad? When was it? Before you went back to school, a few weeks ago. She seemed like a good girl, I think she is a hairdresser or something like that. What was her name? Julia… No, her name is Jill. It was a pleasant evening but then Steve received one of those phone calls, and after that, he was so upset they had to leave. Jill was visibly worried and nervous. Maybe that girl knows something.”
Miriam was aware that Meg and her mum were starting to see things differently. Before she could say anything, Meg stood up all of a sudden and went to a drawer in the kitchen. She took a mobile phone and took it to her mum.
“Mum, do you remember that we found this mobile phone one day, two or three weeks ago, and we didn’t know who it belonged to? Dad asked around in his office because he was convinced he had taken it and brought it home by mistake, but no one was looking for this mobile phone. And if it were that girl’s? Maybe we could find her.”
Miriam took her bag and rummaged inside it in search of Jason’s business card. Finally, she found it.
“Mrs Cooper, Meg, do you mind if we call Detective Grant now and tell him what you have just remembered? Maybe you can give him the cell phone.” Miriam had the impression that she had to take advantage of this moment because if Meg or her mum talked to that lawyer again, he could make them change their mind.
Mrs Cooper said, “I was not very kind to Detective Grant when he came to talk to us, but the lawyer insisted on our not speaking to the police. Mr Grant is so serious, so professional, he seemed to consider my husband guilty… I was kind of afraid of him…”
“This morning I met him after the Mass and Father Mark introduced us.” Miriam wanted to justify her having his business card, “but I had the impression of a fair person and he said that, when he talked to your husband, he seemed sincere to him.”
“I don’t know, he is always so detached, he seems indifferent and people say he is very tough. And he believed my husband was sincere before they found the money in the office. Andy says that certainly Mr Grant has now changed his mind about his innocence.” Mrs Cooper sounded still a little afraid, “but I am worried because my husband told me that he is meeting his lawyer tomorrow. He told us that Father Mark has taken the confession the lawyer had prepared. Now he doesn’t know what to tell the counsellor when he meets him. He will certainly get angry. My husband is tired and depressed, poor man, and I wouldn’t want him to sign the confession because now I am starting to see things differently.”
“I have got the confession here with me.” She took the papers out of her bag and put them on the coffee table in front of her. “Father Mark gave it to me this morning, but certainly the lawyer could write a new one. Excuse me, but we had better call Mr Grant!” She was careful not to call the detective by his first name.
She went out onto the porch, closed the door behind her and dialled Jason’s phone number on her mobile phone. Jason answered almost immediately.
“Grant,” he said in a professional tone.
“Hi, Jason, it’s Miriam.” His voice immediately became very kind.
“Hi, Miriam, any news?” Miriam had difficulty hiding her excitement. She briefly put him up-to-date about what she had discovered, underlining the trust and confidence she had obtained and the fact that it could be only temporary, but Jason surprised her by saying that he would be there in a quarter of an hour, twenty minutes at the most.
“Can you wait for me there, Miriam? I would like you to be present,” he asked. “If you can, of course…” he added tentatively.
“Yes, sure, I will be here. Thanks, Jason!”
Jason arrived really soon, while Miriam had been able to ease the tension by talking about her first impressions of Canada and her hometown. The tension started to increase again when the bell rang and Meg’s mum went to let Detective Grant in.
Meg’s mum said immediately, “Good evening, Mr Grant. I am sorry for having been rude a few days ago. I should have talked to you earlier.” She cast her eyes down, embarrassed, but Jason said,
“Don’t worry, Mrs Cooper, it’s understandable under the circumstances. Miss Busati told me that you remember a girl who came with Brown and that you have a mobile phone that is not yours.”
While he was speaking, he went into the living room and looked at Meg, who was beginning to cry once more. She was starting to sob softly with her face in her hands. He sat next to her on the sofa and took her hand. Miriam didn’t expect this tender approach and she was really moved. Father Mark was right when he said that Jason was a good policeman but Miriam started to see a sensitive man too.
“Meg, if your dad sees you crying, what will he think? Look at me, Meg, don’t be afraid!” Meg slowly raised her watery eyes to look at Jason. “If your dad declared what is written in that confession,” he pointed at the papers that were lying on the coffee table in front of him, “would it be better? He could avoid a trial but he would be in prison for some time. Why, Meg, if he is innocent? I am investigating and…” he smiled at her encouragingly, “I honestly don’t believe he is guilty!” Hearing this, Meg gave a deep sigh of relief and it was visible that she was refraining from embracing the policeman.
“Thanks, Mr Grant,” she said, still looking at him. Her voice was full of gratitude and emotion, “this is what I have been telling mum. I believe my dad is innocent and I don’t want him to pay for someone else’s crime.” She turned to her mother who was taken aback by the policeman’s behaviour. “Don’t you think, mum, that at least dad could wait for a few days before signing anything and see what happens with the investigation?”
Mrs Cooper had the troubled face of a person who is waking up from a nightmare. That lawyer surely meant well but he had conditioned her so much.
“Mr Grant, what shall we do now?” she asked as she was sitting next to Miriam on the other sofa while Jason remained beside Meg. “I am afraid I have contributed to convince my husband that what the lawyer is saying is right and today I told him that he shouldn’t have given the confession to Father Mark! Help us, please!” Her voice was pleading and Miriam took her hand to try to comfort her.
Jason thought for a few minutes, then he took out his mobile phone and dialled a number. It was the prison and he asked for the time of the appointment of Cooper with his lawyer the following morning.
After he had ended the call he spoke, choosing his words carefully so as not to increase the tension of Cooper’s wife and daughter.
“Tomorrow your husband has an appointment with the lawyer at ten a.m. Mrs Cooper, I think you should be there and ask to be present; it is your right and nobody can deny it. I think you should be there a little earlier, nine-thirty a.m. maybe and bring back the confession to your husband. Talk to him, explain what has just happened and that you have talked to me. When the lawyer arrives, be careful; your husband should not say that he doesn’t want to sign, but just ask for a few days to think it over, OK?”
“But my husband will never sign a similar confession!” Meg’s mum said while she was taking a look at the papers.
“Yes, I know, but I would like to see what that lawyer is going to do if he has to wait. There is something that doesn’t convince me about that attorney. Trust me, and please, do as I have told you. Will you do this for me? Don’t worry, your husband will not sign a false confession.” Jason’s voice was professional but he was very kind.
“Yes, Mr Grant. I will tell my husband what you have told me.” Mrs Cooper was eager to help Andy now and she knew she could trust the detective. She had one important thing to ask, “If the lawyer asks whether I have talked to the police, what shall I say?”
“This is important, Mrs Cooper; don’t say anything about our conversation, please.” Meg’s mum nodded and stood up.
“I wasn’t very polite with you the day after my husband was arrested. I promised Miss Busati a cup of tea and I have not made it yet and I haven’t offered you anything, Detective Grant.”
Jason smiled and said, “Thanks, Mrs Cooper. I will have a cup of tea, please.” In reality, he didn’t want to stay much longer, but he felt that it was important to gain the confidence of Mr Cooper’s family. While they were having tea, Jason tried to turn on the mobile phone, but the battery was evidently dead, so he took it and said he would give it to the police technicians. Meg and her mum repeated what they had told Miriam about the girl that had come with Brown which was not much.
After drinking tea and a few minutes of pleasant chat, Miriam and Jason took their leave after revising with Mrs Cooper what she was to do and say the following day. Mrs Cooper promised to call Detective Grant after the visit to the prison to inform him, and he gave her his business card. For the second time, Meg refrained from embracing the detective but she embraced Miriam and thanked her warmly for her visit. Miriam said simply,
“I am happy to see that you are feeling more confident. I am sure the detective will find the real murderer. Thanks for the tea, Mrs Cooper. I hope we will meet when all this is over. I will be glad to meet your husband.”
Mrs Cooper shook the hand of Miriam much more warmly than when she had arrived and expressed her gratitude.
Before they drove away, Jason called Father Mark to inform him about the developments. After the brief call, he turned to Miriam and said:
“I know Father Mark is never wrong in judging people but he really was right when he said that you are wonderful at gaining the confidence of teenagers and their families,” Jason said in a low voice. “Thanks for your help.” Miriam looked into the dark blue eyes of the detective. She believed she saw less sadness than before, a strange light in his gaze.
“I was happy to be able to help this family. I think they were really influenced by what the lawyer had told them and they couldn’t see things clearly, maybe also with the shock of Cooper’s arrest. And you were so kind to Meg, I believe that she and her mum have been influenced by what people say about your being a tough policeman, but I think they will trust you from now on and be a little less intimidated.” Jason smiled and said,
“I know that people here in Trinity still consider me a stranger because I have been concentrated on my job and detached from the life of the community. But that poor girl is going through such a hard time.” He looked at Miriam and added, “I will call you tomorrow to bring you up to date about the situation if I’m not disturbing you!” Jason knew he sounded really shy, or maybe he was already trying to back down because he believed he had gone too far in a relationship for his taste.
“Call me whenever you want. My lessons end at three p.m. Then I will be at home! See you, Jason!”
Jason watched Miriam as she drove away. Would he be able to be faithful to the promise he had made to himself? He sighed and drove back to his office.
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