“I have nothing to do with what happened to Bernard…I____” George started
“You have everything to do with what happened after the Linds were out of the way.” Alfred interrupted. “You, being a close friend of the Linds, would be easily believed by all the villagers when… you…yes you spread that outrageous lie that ‘Michael had a fight with his father about money…the kid is wicked and unstable. In a moment of rage he burned the house’…that is how it goes…right?” Alfred now was speaking in his face. But the mayor stood his ground. He realized there was no turning back at this point.
“You are stepping into very dangerous grounds…my friend!” George said trying to appear unshaken.
“Am I?” Asked the lawyer mockingly, “You know George, the one thing that took me the longest time to figure out…was that barracks project.”
“Alfred, I am warning you… enough already” the alarmed barber yelled, “You can get yourself killed.”
“Oh…how reckless of me…you are worried about me George?” Mocked the Lawyer. “If I remember correctly, you have already sent your thugs once to…to protect me? At the cemetery…? I wonder why they keep harassing me now everywhere I go. They stalk me…attack my property …but never seem to be intent on killing me?”
A few minutes of heavy silence followed, Until Alfred continued giving his back to the barber challengingly, “Bart and Solomon Jacquard fabricated that story about the barracks with the help of Prince Williams, to force Lind to sell his estate. Why?”
When he received no answer, he whirled around angrily, “Save your soul George. Come clean and help me to put this case to rest. Let’s get justice for everyone involved,” He grabbed the barber’s arm stressing every word, “no matter how horrible your sins are, God is forgiving and kind. What good is it to enjoy the wealth and riches of this world for a few years and then end up in the bottom of hell?”
George freed his arm and walked away. He then turned to face the lawyer sheepishly, “Easy for you to say. You never had to suffer the pain of hunger or face the threat of prison. I do what needs to be done. The stupid Barnard brought it all upon himself.” He was breathing heavily now as he continued, “he insisted to charge Solomon the legal fees, every time his cattle crossed through his land to go to the water hole. The Jacquards offered to buy his land and he refused. So, they went to Williams. Together they came up with the idea of the barracks. But even then Lind wouldn’t budge. He refused to attend the meeting because he knew it was all a bogus scam.”
Alfred sat down. After a long silence he whispered as if to himself, “so…they burned the whole house with the family inside…only they didn’t realize that the boy was away at the time” he had a sad squirm on his face as he raised his head to face the barber again, “and so they divided the land. Solomon took the large part leading to the water hole, he gave you the portion where the old house stood for your pigs, and Williams…what did Williams get out of this?”
Finally, Alfred stood up with a heavy heart and prepared to leave. He threw a glance at the mayor and made one last appeal, “will you testify____” one look at the barber’s face was enough to make him turn around and walk to the door without saying goodbye.
George said calmly, “You are a dead man Alfred…I guess you know that now…you…are…a…dead…man.” Alfred shrugged his shoulders and left.
On his way home, Alfred’s thoughts were focused on trying to find Wesley, the Magistrate who handled the investigation of the fire. Unfortunately, when he inquired about him the following day, he learned that he was assigned a post outside the country and was found dead three months later during a hunting trip, reportedly after being attacked by a bear.
It was very difficult for Alfred to communicate with Michael. His first priority was to keep the young man safe. It was imperative to keep his location secret. But at the same time, he did not want the young man to feel abandoned again. So he maintained their communication through a messenger who didn’t even know what he was conveying between Alfred and Father Gabriel. The messenger, who was stopped at least once by Jacquard’s men, only knew that he was transferring letters and donations from Alfred to the monk and back. The letters had no direct reference to Michael except in code as he was referred to as ‘the offering’
Two days after his argument with George at Miller, Alfred arrived at his house in the evening exhausted and depressed. He put the light on and walked into his small study to be immediately stunned by the presence of someone sitting and waiting for him in the room. After the first shock, he was relieved to see his visitor wearing Monastic garb.
“Father Gabriel? Here in Walto?” he asked in a worried voice
The mysterious visitor pushed back his hood for Al to see that it was Michael in the flesh. He ran and hugged him. The young man was so happy to see Al, he didn’t want to let go. Finally, Alfred asked in a worried voice, “Mike my child, of course I am so happy to see you…but… but, what happened? Why are you here? This is very…very dangerous. This house is being watched all the time. If they grab you, I wouldn’t know what to do. I would go crazy”
“I had to see you Al,” said Michael, “something very bad happened at the parish.”
“At the parish?” inquired Al, “Father Gabriel is all right?”
“No. some people came in yesterday morning…about five men, I think they are Jacquard men. They talked to father Gabriel for a long time. You know… whenever we had visitors I always hid in the store room.” Explained Michael, “After they left, Father Gabriel was very angry all day. When he saw them coming back at sunset with a much bigger group, he came to me and told me that I should bring a message to you. I was only very happy to comply. But those men later in the night had a very loud argument with Father Gabriel. They did not leave, and they even locked the priest in his room and took control of the whole place.”
“Did they see you or know that you were there?” asked the worried lawyer.
“No. I spent last night in the fields outside the parish. Madame Nicolette gave me some food…she is the only one who knew about me there. Today, in the after noon I started my trip to come here.”
“OK, Michael, where is father Gabriel’s message?” asked Al again.
“Here it is.” Michael said producing a small scroll out of his pocket.
Al took the message to the light and began reading the alarming words… [Jacquard men wanted me to arrange for Prince Gilbert to come to the parish next Sunday. I feel that they are up to something bad. I told them they can arrange for that visit themselves. But for some reason they insist that I should extend the invitation. I don’t think that Michael should be here under such circumstances]
Alfred’s head was reeling. The note was obviously written in a hurry. The monk couldn’t have time to write everything he wanted to say. It was already Wednesday evening. Many questions were flying by in his mind. Why did they insist that the priest make the invitation? May be Gilbert doesn’t trust Jacquard. Why? Where would Williams fit into this? And why St. Anthony Parish…? Obviously, something was going on, of which he and Sam were totally unaware. As Al was sinking deeper and deeper in his thoughts, Michael watched him quietly. He finally said in a low voice, “What is the matter Al?” when he received no answer, he asked again, “Al, did I do anything wrong?”
Al shook his head emphatically, “No. Not at all my child… You have been so good.” Al walked towards Michael, took him by the arm and said, “Come Michael…you slept in the fields last night and you have been tired all day, I want you to have some rest.” He led him into his own bedroom on the second floor and said, “Here, freshen up and go to sleep. In the morning we can discuss everything with a clear mind.”
“How about you…? You shall not sleep?” asked Michael.
“I shall sleep later Michael in the guest room,” answered the lawyer, “But now I have some work to do,”
“Is there anyway I can help you?” insisted Michael.
“Believe me my dear, you have helped me a lot already,” Was the answer.
Alfred sat at his desk. He got a blank paper and started to jot down the names of all the people who would be closely or remotely related to his investigation. He tried to draw a line between any two names that might have any kind of connection. When the connection was clear, he drew a solid line. If the connection was questionable, he drew a dotted line. All the dotted lines had to do with the two princes and now with Father Gabriel and his parish. It was also certain that Bart Jacquard and his brothers had their tentacles in all directions. somehow from the extreme depth of his subconscious…or call it a gut feeling beyond the realm of logic, a very faint idea was trying to take shape…the nagging question which bothered him about his own safety, must be somehow related to all these dotted lines…He kept churning these thoughts in his mind until he fell asleep and slumped over the desk. (Continued next week)