Chapter 18
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St. Michaels Church was a Gothic style stone structure surrounded by heavy metal gates; a veritable fortress of faith and worship. Martin and Sam walked up the front steps of the church and entered the foyer where the outer wall was lined with beautiful stained glass windows. Sam spotted the sign on a door that read 'Church Office' and she and Martin walked towards it; her high heels echoing in the grand hall.
They entered the office and the receptionist, who was about thirty-years old with short brown hair and a floral dress greeted them. "Hello, I'm Nancy. How can I help you?"
"We're here to see Father Rael," Martin said while Sam looked around.
"Of course, let me just go get the Father. Please have a seat and I'll be right back." Nancy walked to an inner office behind the counter.
They sat down on the on the wooden chairs to wait. Martin stifled a yawn; they had been on the go since the dark side of dawn and it was catching up to them.
Sam closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck, tilting her head back and forth. "That car ride is killer."
Martin didn't say anything but just watched her, resisting the urge to reach over and massage her neck. It was extremely difficult when she sat so close, looking as sensuous as she did when they would lie together in bed. His hand wanted to reach for her so desperately that he had to sit on it just to be safe.
"Hello, I'm Father Rael." A tall man with curly silver hair and wire-rimmed glasses walked out from behind the counter towards where they sat. "You must be Max and Sue. Let me just say, you make a lovely couple. Are you getting excited about your upcoming nuptials?"
Martin smiled and looked over at Sam who wasted no time in correcting the misunderstanding, "I'm sorry, there seems to be some confusion. We're agents Spade and Fitzgerald from the F.B.I."
Father Rael looked back and forth between them and apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were a couple here for pre-marriage counseling."
Martin gave him a gentle smile, shook his head and said, "We were wondering if you have seen Kiki Melendez recently."
"Ah, yes, I know she's missing. I was over at her mother's house this morning for Last Rites," Father Rael replied sadly.
"We were wondering if she came to see you recently," Sam asked.
"No, I wish I did though," the priest said solemnly. "It seems she is deeply troubled right now. I heard about her addiction to Meth."
Sam opened her mouth to ask another question when from behind the counter Nancy interrupted, "What does she look like?"
"I have a picture," Martin replied as he pulled a photograph out of his coat pocket and handed it to her.
Nancy sighed heavily and looked up at them. "She was here last week."
XXX
Nancy was at her desk typing up nest month's church bulletin when Kiki walked in looking pale and shaky. She stood up and walked to the counter. "Welcome to St. Michael's, how may I help you?"
"I need to see Father Rael. Is he here?" Kiki asked as she hugged her arms around herself, trying to steady herself.
"No, I'm sorry. He's visiting parishioners at a local nursing home. Can I help you with anything?" she asked tenderly.
"I don't know if anyone can help me anymore." Kiki said looking down at the floor.
Nancy ran her eyes over the disheveled woman and asked, "Honey, are you alright?"
"No, I'm not." Kiki shook her head and began to weep. "I'm a mess, a waste of a life. I'm just a sick addict with no one left in the world."
"I'm sure that isn't true," she replied, trying to comfort the distraught girl. She handed Kiki some tissue and gently said, "Tell you what; I'm going to try and reach Father on his cell phone. Why don't you sit down and I will get you a cup of tea and you can tell me what's wrong."
Kiki nodded her head and moved to sit down.
"I'll be right back," Nancy said as she headed to the kitchen to put a kettle on.
XXX
"When I came back with the tea she was gone. I looked out the window and she was catching the bus." Nancy was wringing her hands. "I'm sorry Father. I was nervous and unsure on how I could help her."
"It's alright, Nancy. You did wonderfully," Father Rael assured.
"Which direction was the bus headed?" Martin asked.
"Northbound," Nancy replied.
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Martin and Sam walked across the street towards the bus stop to wait for the next bus to arrive so they could ask the driver if he recognized Kiki. As they were standing there Sam glanced at the bench. The billboard on it read 'At the End of Your Rope? Reach out to Tulane Crisis Clinic. We Can Help.' Underneath was printed their address and phone number.
She touched Martin's shoulder and he turned around to look at the bench. He met her eyes and then pulled out his cell phone. He was worried that might be too easy an answer but it was an avenue worth pursuing. "Hello, this is special agent Martin Fitzgerald. Do you have a patient there by the name of Katrina 'Kiki' Melendez?"
