A Snowy Night

Part 18

By Kellie

Ray sat in Father Tomas’ office. Father Tomas looked up and asked, "Ray, what has been troubling you all this time?"

"Father, my cousin Pilar confided something in me a few months ago. I know you read in the papers about what happened when she went to Michelle’s trial. Everything Pilar said on the witness stand is true. She confided it to me in confession the day after the murder. Keeping my Aunt Carmen’s secrets has destroyed Pilar’s grip on reality. Her testimony didn’t hold up because of it. Father, I know it would require me to break my vows – but I can’t let Michelle face a lifetime behind bars - or worse. Pilar has told the truth, they just need a reliable witness to confirm what she has already told the world in that courtroom. Carmen won’t do it – she’s only going to protect herself."

"I see. Ray, I guess your mind is made up. Are you sure you are ready to deal with the consequences of this course of action."

"Yes, Father. I have spent many hours praying about this. I see no other choice."

"What finally made you decide to do this after all this time?" Father Tomas asked.

"I saw Danny outside earlier. He was trying to decide if he should come in and seek comfort in the church. He told me how angry he was with God for allowing Michelle, Pilar, and a few other friends of his and Michelle’s suffer. Danny’s losing his faith. Seeing him like that – it was the sign I was praying for. Being a priest involves helping people find and maintain their faith. Danny’s losing his and I can provide him with the miracle – the sign he needs to hang on to his faith in God. I have to do this."

"Ray, go to Pilar. Ask her permission to come forward. If she tells you she wants you to reveal what she said in that confession - we can try to find a way to work this out. If she doesn’t give you her permission, it will be a huge scandal. I can go with you to the hospital to talk with her."

"Father, pray for us all."

"I have been, Ray."

Meanwhile, Danny was sitting at the bar in Company. "Buzz, I’ll take a beer."

Buzz walks over and sets the mug down in front of him. "Danny, I wish there were something I could do – I wish I could change what happened in court. Maybe if I had kept my cool on the stand –"

"Stop it, Buzz. I’m more to blame for this mess than you are. I’m responsible for that whole mess with Len. If I had just left things alone and let Ross handle them."

"Both of you stop it. Michelle doesn’t need you feeling guilty about how things went wrong. She needs you to stop blaming yourselves and start looking for a way to get her out of this mess," Bill interjected.

Danny looked at Bill and nodded as he spoke, "I know you’re right. It’s just that everything seems so bleak right now. Speaking of bleak - Buzz, how was Jesse when you left the hospital?"

"Rick told me he was resting comfortably and that they were going to do an angiogram in the morning to see exactly what’s going on with his heart," Buzz replied. "At least they’re going to let Lizzie go home for a few days tomorrow."

"Jesse and Lizzie are in the hospital? Care to fill me in on what’s going on," Bill inquired.

Buzz looked at Bill, "Jesse started having some chest pains earlier tonight. I took him to ER. Rick has been running all kinds of tests to find out what’s wrong. They’re not sure yet, but things aren’t looking good."

"And Lizzie?" Bill responded.

Danny spoke, "Rick diagnosed her with leukemia right before the verdict yesterday."

"And I thought I had problems. Mine are nothing compared to all of this," Bill replied.

The three of them stood in silence for several minutes. Frank entered walked over to the somber looking trio. "Hey, guys – enough with the long faces. I think I’ve gotten a lead on locating Vanessa."



Chapter 19

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