The Priest Who Ate a Poison Petit Four

by Kee Patterbee

  “I think that’s what it’s called. I’ve read about it. The perpetrator induces medical emergencies to get the rush. Then they attempt to save the life of their victim to get the glory.”

  Hannah grimaced at the thought. “Sick.”

  “Without a doubt, but if this is more than it appears to be, it’s a reasonable consideration. It makes for the perfect environment if you think about it. If someone is doing this for attention, then they have the perfect victims. Seniors die every day. No one asks why. It’’s just expected, but if they manage to save them, they get the accolades. ”

  Finishing off her Danish, Hannah wiggled her nose. “They get the rush either way, and they could hide within the system.” Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she waved it in Cate’s direction. “You might have already busted the case.”

  Cate laughed. “Wouldn’t that be nice for once? It’s never that easy, girl. You know that.”

  “It’s a thought, and you’re right. It’s one worth looking into.””

  Hannah downed the last of her coffee. She rolled her tongue around the inside of her mouth once. Cate caught onto Hannah’s quirk of thought. One of the tics that she gave away when the sleuth fell into focused contemplation.

  “What’s skipping through that genius of yours?”

  “Well, I only see one problem with that scenario. Calvin and Susan were the ones who responded to the last victim.”

  Cate glared at her friend. Hannah’s eyes widened.

  “I don’t---”

  “Know them,” Cate finished. “You don’t know them, at all.””

  “Hym does. He grew up with them.”

  Cate responded with a blank look. She crossed her arms and uttered a single name, “Conny.”

  Hannah’s mouth fell open. She tried to speak but words did not come. Her mind raced back to the first real murder case she was ever involved with. Both Cate and she worked it while attending Serling University in Twilight. Their roommate, Ione Sykes, disappeared one day without a trace. Over the course of two weeks, they found that one Conny Miller killed, dismembered, and buried Ione. However, Miller was not just another murderer. He was a friend from their neighborhood. He sometimes played with Buster, Cate, and her as children. In effect, they grew up together. What they did not know was that over time, he evolved into a serial killer, amassing at least seven victims. The gruesome nature of the case is what led to Hannah’s final resolve to join the FBI. Now, Cate grounded her with one undeniable fact. Just because you grew up near someone did not equate with knowing them. Knowing them came at a different level of trust and understanding.

  Again, the two sat for a moment.

  “Look, I hope it’s nothing, but you’ve said it a thousand times. Everyone with potential gets equal consideration. Like it or not, you can’’t dismiss them just because you are in love with their friend.”

  Hannah agreed with a slow bob of the head. “I think I’d hate it more for the Reverend if that were the case. To leave knowing that …” Her words trailed off and she swallowed hard.

  “Me too,” Cate agreed. “Me too.”

  *****

  Hannah knew the moment Magdalen stepped from the train. Watching Hym’s face light up, she saw in an instant the affection he felt for his younger sibling. Picking her out from the exiting crowd was easier. As the woman moved toward Hym and her, Hannah could see the family resemblance. She shared a similar face and eyes. Per her nature, Hannah made a quick assessment of her future sister-in-law. Tall. 5’11” or 6’0”. Brownish black hair. Similar rich blue eyes. Curvy. Beautiful. Hannah already knew that she was ten years younger than her brother, making her thirty-one. This put her as the same age as she was.

  When she locked eyes onto Hym, Magdalen smiled and waved. Hym moved forward to meet her as Hannah followed behind. The brother and sister hugged, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before introducing her. Though she offered her a hand, Magdalen pushed it aside and held her arms out. “Not in this family,”” she said as they embraced, “we’re huggers.”

  Gran’s going to like this one, Hannah thought.

  “I’m so glad you found him,” she half whispered in Hannah’s ear as she pulled away. “He’s needed someone for some time.”

  Hannah gave an appreciative smile. “Me too,” she mouthed.

  Seeing the secretive exchange, Hym frowned. “Just met and already secrets. I’m at a disadvantage.”

  Magdalen winked at Hannah. “Of course you are, Tubbs. You’re a man. You’re predisposed.”

  Hym’s eyes widened and he looked over to Hannah.

  “Tubbs?” the sleuth asked as she grinned.

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you that was his nickname?” Magdalen laughed at her brother. “Sister, are we going to talk.”

  “No one calls me that anymore.”

  “Except me.” Magdalen took hold of Hannah. “Now, grab my bag, Tubbs. I have to let the newest family member in on a few skeletons hanging about our closets.””

  Hym shook his head. “I should have told her I was an only child,” he called after as the two women exited the station.

  The ride to Hannah and Hym’s apartment was a short one. Along the way, the two women chatted as Hym listened. At many points, he grimaced at his sister’s embarrassing stories.

  “Twenty one,” Magdalen said laughing, “at one time. He threw up for hours on end.”

  “In my defense, that night set me straight. I lost eighty pounds thereafter.”

  Hannah laughed as she looked over to her fiancé. Having just learned that Hym was heavy at one time, she found it hard to imagine. Now, despite his bad leg, he remained as fit as any man half his age. A workout each day remained part of his routine, one that she attributed to his time in the military. Now, she knew otherwise.

  “Where did you come across that many cupcakes?”

  Magdalen and Hym grew silent, though a reflective smile came to each of their faces. Hannah could tell it was a good memory for both, but one that also held an equal amount of solace and pain. After a moment, Magdalen spoke.

  “Reverend Whipson’s wife, Ophelia, God rest her soul, made them for church events. Holidays. Birthdays. Things like that.”

  Her words trailed off. Hym picked up where she stopped.

  “And when someone passed. Cupcakes are a comfort food for us. Good and bad memories. That night was a bad night.”

  Hannah was unsure what to say. “Your mother?” was all she could utter.

  Both Hym and Magdalen affirmed.

  Glancing over at Hym, Hannah reached out and put her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. If I had known, I wouldn’t have suggested we have them instead of a wedding cake.””

  Magdalen reached forward and squeezed Hannah’s arm. She gave her a smile. “No, that’s fine. Good memory for a bad one. Besides, it’’s a brilliant idea.” She then gestured to Hym with her head. “Just keep Tubbs down to one though.”

  Hym’s face drew into a frown. Noticing, Magdalen returned the same.

  “Oh, come on. I’m just teasing.”

  “It’s not that.” Hym looked into the rear view mirror at his sister. “It’s the Reverend. I’ve got some bad news.”

  Hym turned the car into the apartment complex.

  *****

  At the apartment, Magdalen settled into Hym and Hannah's spare bedroom. Thereafter, the three sat in the living room drinking coffee. She listened as Hym gave the diagnosis and Hannah explained the Reverend’s wishes for them to look into the case.

  “Have you ever heard of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome?” Magdalen asked.

  “Cate and I considered it.”

  Magdalen gave a questioning look.

  “Sorry, that’s my best friend. You’ll meet her in a bit at dinner. Al, her boyfriend, and her cousin, Buster. She’s looking into the obituaries and anything else she can gather up, but until we get hold of some medical records, we have no way of knowing who was in attendance at the time of the deaths.”

  “You k
now those are confidential, right?”

  Hym looked to his bride to be. “Rules are kind of iffy with her.”

  Hannah reached out and popped Hym on the arm. “Not iffy, just malleable.”

  Magdalen laughed. “Well, I’d like to help. I can interpret the medical lingo if you like.”

  “Oh, so now you want in on this?” Hym said, as he pushed back into his chair.

  “The Reverend was a big part of my life too, you know. So yeah. I want to help.”

  Hannah smiled. “Great, we’ll stop in on the way down.”

  Chapter Three

  Later that evening, Hannah, Hym, and Magdalen met with friends at a local restaurant called Second Chance. Introductions followed to Cate, her boyfriend, Alvin ‘Al’ Hayes, and cousin, Buster Jordan. Although they said nothing, a strong connection between Magdalen and Buster made itself known. When arranging themselves at the table, Buster declined an offer to sit next to his cousin. Instead, he settled in next to the nurse. Initial conversation centered on the upcoming wedding, but Magdalen and Buster engaged in quiet conversation to themselves. It was not until the topic changed to the case at hand that the two joined in with the other couples. Each sat listening, focused, and absorbed, as Cate presented her discoveries.

  “I went over everything I could find,” Cate announced after some prodding by Hannah. She gave a concerned look that sent an uneasy chill through Hannah’s spine. Twisting a bit in her seat, she leaned forward, put her elbows on the table, and locked her hands together. She then rolled to point with her aligned index fingers. “The victims have three other connections. Well, other than living in Happiness, being well off, and visiting the hospital. First, most had an online obituary as well as the traditional paper announcement. From the comments left, every one of their deaths came on sooner than expected. Second, each listed the Reverend as ministering over their funeral services.” Cate paused and pulled her hands back. Her eyes darted between Hannah, Hym, and Magdalen. “And last, all shared medical bills at the time of their passing to one practice. York Gerontology Health Services.”

  The corners of Magdalen’s mouth drew down… Hym twisted his mouth and leaned back in his chair. Hannah noticed his immediate action of crossing his arms. She reached over and put a hand on his arm. He looked over and gave her an uncertain expression. Hannah then turned to Cate. The librarian reached down and pulled out some papers from a folder. She handed them to her friend before answering. “I brought them along. Knew you’d want them. It’s just the financial end. Exact details about what services they rendered would be in company files and the medical records, I assume.”

  “They would,” Magdalen uttered in a low tone. “Where’d you get these?””

  “Don’t ask,” Al said in his husky, deep voice. “I don’’t anymore. It helps me sleep better at night.”

  Cate looked at her boyfriend like a cat about to pounce a canary.

  Buster laughed, his blue eyes twinkling. “Uh oh, you’re in trouble now, Al.”

  Al threw his large hands up in a ‘what’ gesture. “Like that’s anything new.”

  Cate shook her head and refocused on the conversation at hand.

  “Could someone be setting them up?” Hym asked.

  Hannah noted what sounded like desperate hope in her fiancé’s voice. Hym wanted to find a reason, any reason, not to face a harsh possibility. This, even if it were improbable.

  Cate glanced at Hannah before turning back to Hym. “Can’t say. I just know they represent the only common, living connection to the present cases. Them and the Reverend.”

  “Well, it makes sense. They’re doctors working at a senior living community’s medical facility,” Hym argued. “All the victims are seniors.”

  “They’re not the only doctors there, Tubbs. I’m sure there are others,” Magdalen interjected. “I would think that some of them used other physicians.” She reached out and took a drink of water. As she did so, Hannah noticed a slight trembling in Magdalen’s hands. Unnerved, she observed to herself.

  “I’m no detective, but don’t you think that's some kind of a statistical anomaly? I mean, for them to be the primary physicians for all these cases?”” Al interceded.

  Magdalen agreed, albeit with a reluctant go-ahead. “As much as I don’t want to think it, as a nurse, I can’t see how they would be. Unless……” She stopped before uttering the final words, and looked around the table. “Unless they were there for a reason.”

  Everyone sat quiet for a moment before Buster interrupted.

  “Wait. Wait, now. I know it’s kind of a tradition with Yin and Yang here…” He waved a finger between Cate and Hannah. ““But don’t you think this is all jumping the gun a bit?” He looked first to Magdalen, then to Hannah. “You said it yourself. You need to get to the records.”

  Hannah took note of the tone in Buster’s voice. She recognized it as her handsome friend trying to defend or comfort someone that interested him. Magdalen, she affirmed to herself before noticing the appreciative expression on his intended’’s face. Feelings mutual, she further noted before responding.

  “Easier said than done. No one’s raised a red flag other than the Reverend. In truth, under the circumstance, it doesn’t sound that suspicious. I would imagine most families have moved on. I think there’s a good chance they would be reluctant just to turn them over to us,” Hannah informed.

  Buster crossed his arms. “That’s never stopped you before. How hard can it be?”

  Magdalen peered over to Hannah. The sleuth shrugged.

  “That case led me to him,” she said, pointing over to her betrothed. “I’ll tell you about it later, but regardless, Buster’s right. We’re going to have to find a way to get our hands on them.”

  “There’s more,” Cate informed. All eyes fell on her. “How well do you know Reverend Whipson?”

  Hym looked to his sister before turning back and answering. “Pretty well, I’d say.”

  “We were members of his church since we were born, up until our mother died,” added Magdalen. “He lived on the same street we did with his wife, Ophelia, and he used to watch after us when Dad was sick. Why?”

  “He had a record.”

  “A what?” Hym asked with a hint of disbelief.

  “He served at Draper Correctional Facility in Alabama.”

  Before Hym could ask, Cate answered the next obvious question.

  “Grand theft auto when he was nineteen. Sixteen counts. He served six years on a ten year sentence.”

  Hym and Magdalen sat with stunned expressions. Cate reached over and tapped on the papers she had produced.

  “The timeline suggests that he found religion while incarcerated. His ministerial registration suggests it happened while he was prisoner number ACV-632911. Jonathan Isaac Whipson. He married an Ophelia Oswald three years after his release. Moved to Zebulon, worked as a mechanic. At some point, he took over Zebulon Presbyterian, becoming a full time clergyman. During that time, he had one daughter.”

  “Clarice. Susan’s mother. She married Hodge Derkins,” Magdalen affirmed.

  Cate avowed with a nod.

  Hym reached out and took a drink of his tea, gulping down a large amount. When he was done, he said nothing but turned to look away from everyone. Hannah could tell the news upset him, but did not know how to respond, so she waited, as did everyone. After what seemed forever for Hannah, Magdalen reached out and took her brother’s hand. When he turned to look at her, she gave him a slight smile.

  “Doesn’t change a thing. He’s still the same man we knew. We just didn’t know this. Everyone has a past, even you.”

  Hannah wondered about her future sister-in-law’s words. For a second, she half contemplated pushing what that meant, but she decided it was a conversation for later. Now, she needed to offer Hym some comfort. She took hold of his other hand.

  “Me as well.”

  Everyone confessed as much.

  “I’m sorry, guys,” Hym said. “It just to
ok me by surprise, that’’s all.” He managed a halting smile.

  “If anything, it proves we are all capable of change,” Al added. He winked at Cate. She pulled him down to kiss the top of his dark brown-skinned baldhead.

  All agreed. When they settled, Hym returned to the information of Whipson’s incarceration.

  “Is his record connected to all this?”

  Again, Cate shrugged. “It’s just information. Working with nosy butt over the years...” She gestured to Hannah with a cock of the head. ““I’ve learned not to dismiss anything or anyone.”

  Hannah stuck her tongue out at Cate. Cate returned the same. Laughter again ensued at the childish exchange between friends. Then Hannah wiggled her nose as she stared at the restaurant ceiling. She stopped when a waiter placed a plate of fried green tomatoes and a grilled cheese in front of her. Contemplating the dish, she grabbed a slice and held it up. Studying it, she said, “Well, he’’s connected to each case for sure. Either as friend, minister, or counselor. Maybe someone is getting even with him.” She bit into the slice and made a pleased face. “So good.””

  Magdalen watched Hannah. Her eyes cut over to Buster. He grinned and pointed at the sleuth.

  “Eats like that all the time.”

  “And never gains an ounce. Sickening,” Cate added.

  Magdalen nodded as Hannah continued.

  “When you all were growing up, did you ever notice anything unusual with him? Maybe someone coming around now and again? Was he ever nervous?”

  “He was a minister, Sherlock,” Hym answered. “Someone was always coming around. He was no more nervous than anyone else was, I suppose, but you are talking a long expanse of time to remember something that general. Forty years I’ve known him, and until tonight, I never knew he was an ex-con, which means that he’s a private man. More so than expected. So, if something was happening, or did happen, I doubt his parishioners would know. You’’d have to ask the man himself.”

  Hannah agreed with a nod and another bite. “Will do when we get there.”

  Cate landed her eyes on Magdalen. With a grin, she said, “A word of warning. If you spend any amount of time around her…” She pointed to Hannah. “You’’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble.”