The disgusting feeling that Francis had given Valentine the first time they met was nothing compared to his unease sitting across the table from Mrs. Greene. The woman radiated evil, and if Valentine ever thought Francis was the instagator then being in the same room with this woman proved him wrong. So wrong.
There he sat for over an hour. Neither of them speaking. Every now and then she would shift positions and her solicitor's eyes would dart between inspector and suspect. Finally, Valentine got up without a word, without a sigh and left the room.
He walked through the station and towards the cells.
"Inspector! What are you going to do?"
The voice of Father Brown did nothing to deter him. He only motioned for the priest to follow. The Father picked up his umbrella and fell into step behind the inspector. He unlocked the cell door that held Mr. Francis and the two men entered.
Valentine's steel blue eyes focused on his target. Then, he did something that Father Brown was not expecting. He took a seat next to the accused.
"Do you really believe yourself to be Elodie's father?" he asked.
"I know I am," answered Francis.
"Is that what her mother told you?"
"Yes, she told me."
The cell fell silent.
"But how can you be sure?" Father Brown asked as he came to sit on the other side of Francis.
He didn't respond.
"It has come to light that this woman has lied. About many, many things..."
"She wouldn't lie about that," Francis seemed so confident that it almost broke Valentine's heart. Almost.
"Who's idea was it to kill her husband,"
"Mine."
"Alright," Valentine said. "And fake her death?"
Francis didn't answer.
"Who is the young woman the two of you passed off as Mrs. Greene? And how did she die?"
Francis looked down. There was some sort of distress in his eyes, and for the first time Valentine wondered if this man was truly mentally sound.
"Mr. Francis, you are going to prison. For a long time, but do yourself a favor...don't let someone-Mrs. Greene," he clarified, "Who isn't innocent get away with a crime. More than one."
"God will forgive you, Mr. Francis," Father Brown took his hand, "But, you have to confess your crimes..."
The man's eyes welled with tears. "She said she loved me...that I was the little girl's real father... She told me her husband was abusive. He was hurting her. We came up with a plan. I just...I just did what she told me to..."
Valentine's eyes met Father Brown's. They were getting somewhere.
"What did she tell you to do?"
"To follow you," He looked at Valentine.
"And what else?"
"Nothing. She just wanted me to follow you."
"Francis...I'm talking about the murders. What did Mrs. Greene instruct you to do regarding the murders?"
"She wanted me to pick her up in me car, and then we went to my house. She hid there. She didn't think anyone would come looking. She said we would be a family together once I got the girl."
"Francis, are you telling me you had no part in the murders?" Father Brown asked.
"Well, he was an accessory." Valentine pointed out.
Father Brown gave him an exasperated look.
"I just did what she said," the prisoner repeated.
The two older men stood to exit the cell. Valentine turned, "When exactly was your affair with Mrs. Greene?"
"Seven years ago."
Valentine sighed. Elodie was barely five years old. There was no way Francis was her father. The poor man had done all this for nothing. Valentine shut the cell door and mentally prepared himself to interrogate Mrs. Greene again. No doubt once they had Elodie she would've either disappeared from Francis, or worse. He now had no doubt of her wickedness.