Why?

WHY?

“Brother Charles, there are two people to see you.”

Brother Charles looked up from the work he had been doing at his desk, at Abbot James, surprise writ large on his face.

“Me?” he questioned. He was sure that he didn’t know what this could be about. He rarely had visitors, and anyone wanting to see him called and made an appointment, or he saw them away from the Abbey.

Abbot James nodded. “They are waiting in my office.”

The two men walked together towards the Abbot’s office. When Brother Charles entered the room, the two people in the room rose and faced the door. The woman closest to Charles was a tall, sturdily built Black woman, with a piercing, straightforward gaze. The man beside her was Asian, slightly shorter and wiry.

The woman spoke first.

“Thank you Abbot James, we can take it from here.”

Abbot James smiled. “Is there anything that I can get you before you start?”

The woman smiled. “No, we’re fine, thank you.”

Abbot James turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The woman turned her attention to Brother Charles.  

“Are you Charles Montgomery?”

“Yes, I am. And you are?” he asked, looking at his two guests.

“I’m Detective Terry Waits, and this is my partner Carlos Ito.” They held out their identification for Charles to examine.

“Please sit,” said Ito gesturing to the empty chair across from the detectives. 

Charles sat.

“I’m afraid we have some bad news, Brother Charles. Your parents and brother were killed in a home invasion last night.” 

Charles was stunned. Heart hammering in his chest, he felt the blood drain out of his face. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath.

“Dead?” he asked. Then his mind raced forward.“What about Natalie?”

Natalie was his brother Harry’s daughter. She was eleven, and lived with Harry and his parents in a huge house in the country.

“Natalie was unharmed. She was bound and locked in her closet.”

Charles was shocked and appalled. Poor Natalie.  

“W-w-what happened?” he stammered, looking from Waits to Ito.

Waits took the lead. “As far as we can tell, someone forced their way into your parents’ home, and executed your family. They shot your parents and brother. Natalie said that the gunshots woke her, but before she could get out of bed, someone burst into her room, bound her hands and feet, and locked her in the closet.”

“Did she see who did it?” asked Charles, his heart pounding. “Oh God! If she saw their faces, she could be in danger!”

“Natalie said that the man who came into her room was wearing a mask, so she couldn’t see his face.

Charles let out the breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding. Natalie was Charles’s only niece, Harry and Wanda’s only child. Wanda had died the previous year after a particularly horrific bout of COVID 19.  

“I’m all she has left,” said Charles. “She’s an orphan. I need to go to her.”

Waits cocked her head toward Charles. “No other family?”

“No. Just me. Her mom, Wanda, died last year. Wanda was a Bosnian war orphan, and had no family.”

Charles felt his eyes wells up. He let the tears flow down his cheeks.

Head in his hands, he asked Waits and Ito, “Who would do this?”

“That’s what we are going to try and find out,” said Ito.

Charles sat there, stunned, unable to move.

“We’re going to ask you some questions now. I’m going to record the interview. Is that alright?”

Charles nodded his head. Waits took out her phone, identified those present, the location, the date, and the time.

Waits looked at him. “Where were you last night, around ten-thirty?”

His head shot up. “Me?” he said. “Why? … You don’t think—“

“No,” said Waits, “but we have to clear everyone who knew the victims.”

“I was here, all night. Just like every other night.”

“Can anyone vouch for you?”

“Sure. We have choir practice at seven p.m. every night before evening vespers which is from eight until nine. Then bed.”

“That’s pretty early to  to bed,” noted Ito.

“Our day starts at five a.m. with vigils, so by nine in the evening most of us are ready for bed.”

“Most?” asked Waits.

“Well, as with any group — there are fifteen of us — some people need more sleep than others. Some of the brothers need much less sleep than me.”

“Anyone in particular?” asked Waits.

“Well, for example, the Abbot is always the last to bed and the first up, preparing for our day ahead. As well, Brother Carmine and Brother Sebastian are also both early risers, but they are in charge of the livestock, so the animals need to be tended before vigils.”

“Did anyone see you after—“ Waits looked at her notebook, “vespers?”

Charles considered it.  

“No, not really. We all walked to our rooms about the same time. Someone may have seen me, but I can’t say for sure.”

“What did you do when you got to your room?”

“I washed up and prepared for bed, and said my nightly prayers. I read for ten or fifteen minutes, then lights out. The same as every other night.”

Ito and Waits nodded their heads.

“Brother Charles—“

“You can call me Charles.”

"Okay, Charles, can you think of anyone who would want to hurt your family?”

“I can’t imagine. But, I’m probably not the best person to ask. My parents have — had — a very successful investment company. They were involved in the buying and selling of companies. You might consider speaking with the officers of the company — they would know much more about any disgruntled clients than I would. I haven’t been involved with the company for years.” 

He shook his head thinking of his family, brutally murdered. Both he and Natalie were now orphans. They only had each other.

“Okay,” said Waits. “How long have you been here at Abbey of The Mount? Did you come right after high school?”

“No. No, not at all. I earned a double major in business and theology from university, as well as my teaching degree. I thought that I would teach, but my dad persuaded me to try working at the company for a year. I agreed, and it was during that year that I realized that business wasn’t my calling. I wanted to live a religious life. I approached the Abbot, and was accepted into the fold five years ago. I have been here ever since.”

“Is that usual? Joining after being in the work force?”

“I can’t say. You would have to ask the Abbot. He has the personnel files in his office.”

“Do you ever leave the Abbey?”

“Yes. Every day.”

Ito and Waits looked at each other. This was not what they expected. They thought that the monks were cloistered. Apparently not.

Charles recognized the confusion on their faces, and clarified. “I teach religion at the Catholic high school in town. I have a full timetable.”

“So, you have access to a vehicle?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Is it your personal car or does it belong to the Abbey?”

“My parents gave it to me when I graduated from university. When I joined the Abbey I deeded it to the Abbot. It is available for anyone to use. I just happen to need it every day for work.”

“Can you describe this vehicle?”

“It’s a white 2012 BMW, licence place SBT 734.”

“Are there any other vehicles available here at the Abbey?”

Charles thought for a moment.

“A white cube van, a blue Ford SUV, and a fifteen person van. You’d have to ask the Abbot about the details.”

“Do you ever drive the other vehicles?”

“Yes. When I have supplies to pick up in town, I take whichever vehicle works for the load.”

Waits closed her notebook, and stood. Charles and Ito followed suit.

“Thank you, Charles. We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions. Do you know where you will be?”

“In the city. I’ve got to go to Natalie. She needs me.”

**********

Waits and Ito walked to their vehicle in the courtyard of the Abbey and looked around. She said to Ito, “Something’s hinky.”

She looked around the courtyard, spotting the garage.

“Let’s go have a look at those vehicles.”

**********

Once the police had exited the Abbey, Abbot James tapped lightly on the office door.

“Come in,” croaked Charles.

The Abbot pushed open the door, and took in the vestige of his friend. They had become close in the five years that Brother Charles had been in residence. And now, he looked destroyed, hollowed out.

“Charles, my friend, what’s happened?”

Charles looked at the older man, reading the concern on his face.

“It’s my family. They’ve been murdered.”

Abbot James inhaled loudly, his hands flying to his face.

“Dear God. What happened.”

Charles told the Abbot everything the police had told him. Abbot James was appalled. 

“What type of person would do that? Do the police know why?”

Charles shook is head. Tears were welling up in his eyes. He hung his head, hands scrubbing his face.

“I … I have to go to Natalie. She’s all alone.”

Abbot James looked at Charles. “But what about your job?”

Charles looked momentarily confused.

“My job? Any one of the brothers could teach my classes. My job is the least of my problems. Natalie needs me.”

“But we depend on you to help the Abbey.”

Charles looked at the Abbot. What was he talking about? His family was dead, and he was talking nonsense about staying at the Abbey.  

“James, I have to go to Natalie. She’s all alone.”

“But, can’t her other family look after her.”

“I am Natalie’s only family. She’s depending on me.”

“But I’m not sure that we can do without you Charles. Please reconsider.”

Charles was mystified. James was usually a caring and compassionate leader who consistently looked out for the brothers’ welfare over the material world. It was not always easy living in an Abbey, and James was always there to lend an ear, and lend counsel when needed. In fact, Charles had come to James a number of times when he had first arrived at the Abbey, and James had helped Charles adjust to the changes in his lifestyle and the transition into a religious life. When Wanda had died, James had led the liturgical service at her funeral, for which Charles and Harry has been immensely grateful. But now, when Natalie needed him the most, James was pushing back on Charles’s need to be with his niece.  

“James, I have to go.” Charlie paused and looked at James. “And James, I’m not sure that I will be back. I may be leaving the Abbey.”

James blanched.

“I don’t understand.”

“Natalie needs me. She has no other family, nor do I. We need each other. She can’t live here at the Abbey, so I have to go to her.”

“But Charles, you can’t leave. We depend on you.”

“No more than any other member of the cloister, James. We are all equal in our value to the Abbey and to God.”

James paused. “But the Abbey depends on you in so many other ways.”

Charles looked at James. He knew what the Abbot was alluding to. His family was — had been — extremely wealthy. Not Jeff Bazos wealthy, but close. Charles’s parents had set up a trust fund for him, which, once he had entered the Abbey, he had bequeathed the monthly allowance to help pay for the running of the Abbey. It was a substantial amount, but never seemed to be enough. Charles had, on a number of occasions, dipped into the trust fund principle, to help ease the monetary burden of the Abbey. The business part of Charles’s brain had wondered where all the money went, but the religious side of his brain deemed it God’s will.  

“Don’t worry about the funding, James. The Abbey will be taken care of. We can continue with our financial arrangements after I leave.”

But James persisted. “Charles, why don’t you take some time before making your final decision.”

Charles agreed, only to make James stop trying to convince him to stay. But, in his heart of hearts, he knew his time at Abbey of the Mount was coming to an end.

He hurried across the courtyard towards his quarters.

“Brother Charles!”

Charles looked over to the garage. Waits and Ito were examining the BMW. Charles approached them.

“Charles,” said Waits, “when was the last time you drove this car?”

“Yesterday, when I used it for school. Today’s Saturday, so I have no need to drive it today.”

Waits nodded her head.  

“And where do you keep the keys?”

Charles pointed to a set of hooks beside the door.

“So,” said Waits, “anyone can just come in and take the keys to use the car?”

Charles nodded.

“Okay,” said Waits, lifting the set for the BMW.

“I must be going. I’ve got to go to Natalie.”

“One thing,” said Waits. “How tall are you?”

“Six-two. Why?”

Wearing nitrite gloves, Waits carefully opened the driver’s side

door with two fingers. 

“Can you do me a favour, and have a seat behind the wheel.”

Charles, although confused, did as asked. He tried to slide into the car, but the seat was too far forward to allow him to get into the seat proper. Charles moved to the control that would push the seat back.

“Stop! Leave it.” said Waits. “That’s good.”

Charles stood up. “If that’s all.”

Waits nodded, and Charles walked off.

Waits and Ito had examined the car before Charles had arrived. There had been a smudge of what could have been blood on the outside door handle. Ito took out his phone and was calling for a tow truck when Abbot James came out of the Abbey, walking quickly towards them.

“What are you doing with our car?”

Waits smiled. “The doorbell camera caught a car very similar to this one at the scene of the crime. We're impounding it so that our forensics team can process it.”

“You can’t do that, Detective. We need the car.”

“I’m sorry. But it may be evidence in the murder of Brother Charles’s family. We’ll get it back to you as soon as possible.”  

Wait’s looked at the him. “By the way, Abbot James, how tall are you?”

Waits saw his face change from annoyance to fear.

“Why?”

“Well,” she said, “the seat here is too far forward for Brother Charles to have driven it, and you seem to be, what—“ she looked him up and down, “five-eight, five-nine?”

“I don’t see—“

“Abbot, we know about the irregularities in the Abbey’s accounts. And we know that you are always the last person in bed at night. And you have access to the car. And Natalie described the person in her room as, and I quote, ‘a lot smaller than Uncle Charlie. And he smelled like incense.’ You do use incense in your devotions, right?”

Abbot James just looked at Waits and Ito.

“Anything you want to tell us?”

**********

Charles was looking at Waits and Ito in disbelief.

“James killed my family?”

“I’m afraid so. He confessed.”

Charles looked over at Abbot James in the back of the police cruiser.

“Why?”

“Money,” said Ito.  

Charles shook his head. “But I gave him all my money.”

“He wanted more.”

“But why?”

Waits looked at the stricken man. In the last few hours he had learned that his family had been slaughtered, and that his Abbot, a man he looked up to, had been responsible for their deaths.

“Apparently Abbot James had a gambling problem. Techs found a number of online casinos that he used on his computer.”

“But my family … Why?”

“He visited your family last night. He told your father that the Abbey needed a new roof, and asked for a donation to cover the cost. Apparently your brother Harry was there, and said no. He told James that he knew that you donated all of your trust fund monies to the Abbey, as well as your salary. He thought that was enough. Since they wouldn’t give him the money he needed, he shot them. Did you know that he was a competitive shooter when he was younger? He said that he couldn’t kill a child, that’s why Natalie was spared.”

“That’s where his scheme went off the rails,” said Ito. “He didn’t count on Natalie needing you. He knew that you would inherit, then he would persuade you to will your fortune to the Abbey, and then he would be set.”

Waits looked at Charles with compassion. “Although he wouldn’t admit it, we think he planned to kill you as well, so that he could have control of your estate.”

“I would have given him money.”

“It wasn’t enough. He wanted it all.”

“In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.” said Charles, looking at the two detectives. “It’s from the Devine Comedy.” He sighed. “I must now find what was lost, and forge a new path for myself and Natalie.”