CHAPTER 7
FATHER MELNECK, who made the usual night rounds, worked in the Abbey's night service as long as he was known, his parents who were faithful church workers, taught him from a young age to serve God and he liked to tell other people that he was not knew how to do more in life than serve Him.
His centenary biography would perhaps be the shortest in the ecclesiastical history of humanity, he incorruptibly did the same thing, without ever having had anything out of the ordinary in the last eighty-two years, even having received a letter from the Queen congratulating him on his centenary, was something that all English citizens received, in his specific case, it was even logical to receive that gift, and an unparalleled honor, but that night he would see things that would bring him closer to God.
FRANCIS MELNECK was so used to the nocturnal silence of Westminster Abbey that even his voice somehow disturbed him, and though he had a quiet and serene ecclesiastical life, when he saw the lifeless body of Abbot Joel Nielsen on the floor of Westiminster, the made him imagine that the demon could have such power to enter the safest place in the world and do such an atrocity.
He'd seen the man come in, knew he was someone everyone in England knew, and out of respect, he didn't want to get in the way of Abbot Nielsen whatever he was doing at this time of night.
Melneck also knew that at the important events about to take place, there was no time for visitors to be there working out some additional details, whether at the coronation, in which he was the only living clergyman who had witnessed the queen's coronation in person, or at royal weddings.
Father Melneck had been ordained on a very special and unforgettable day for humanity, on the first day the Second World War broke out, on the first day of September 1939 and countless times during the night, he had heard the bombings that the Nazis were doing, giving him insomnia that lasted the rest of his life, it was six long years that tormented him for the rest of his quiet life.
He checked the carotid vein to see if the abbot still had a pulse, and there was not a shred of life in him, and for the second time in his life, he was forced to use his cell phone and call the police.
THE EXPERT ANALYZED Joel Nielsen's body and confirmed the death.
— Did you see anything strange today, Father?
The old man shook his head, however, the police noticed a certain insecurity in him.
— I've been doing this night job for exactly eighty-two years now, my son, there's never been anything out of the ordinary here in Westminster after the Second World War.
The policeman nodded.
— Did you know if Abbot Nielsen was expecting any visitors?
— The abbot was one of the most upright people who ever set foot in this place.
— That's not what I asked, Father.
His boss put his hand on his shoulder and scolded him with his eyes, however, the priest didn't seem to mind the police officer's rude manner, he knew that no one liked to be pestered in the middle of the night to solve a problem that wasn't necessarily his.
— Forgive me, Father, I expressed myself badly.
The priest who could barely stand up sat down and leaned his head on his cane as he scratched his neck and smiled.
— Sir, have you ever heard bombings during the night while you were sleeping?
— No sir, but...
— I hear it all night... since 1945 they haven't stopped happening in here — he pointed with his index finger on his head — it may seem that we've been at peace for more than seventy years, however, to those who hear a noise similar to what happens in hell, they never have peace again.
— And why are you telling me this?
— Perhaps because in your head you must be hearing other types of explosions and you can't contemplate the peace of the moment, who knows, right?— Sometimes God puts words in our mouth, which for us have no meaning, but whoever receives them can make perfect sense.
The priest looked again at his friend's lifeless body and spoke again:
— Joel was a good man and faithful to God and someone did a terrible thing to him, good men can also meet terrible ends, that doesn't mean that God doesn't exist, it just proves that evil also exists and is more active than good.
The chief of the policeman knelt before the priest and said:
— Do you believe that we are men of God, Father?
The old man smiled and placed his hand on the man's head as if blessing him and he felt the weakness of age on his skin.
— We all are, my son, and powerful men in this world can commit terrible sins, and this one was no different.
— So you know who committed this crime?
The priest had a coughing fit, and soon after complied...
— Who was it, Father Melneck?
He smiled and as if seeing a light in the distance, he didn't say anything else, rested his head on his hand while holding his cane and died.
— WHAT THE SHIT...— said the agent who was taking the deposition angrily.
— Calm down, Smith.
— You had a hundred years to die and you went to die just now when you could do something useful with your life?
— Apparently you're the one hearing bombings now, Smith.
At that moment Benjamin Morant, an MI6 special agent, arrived.
— Just when you think it can't get any worse, the devil himself comes to torment you.
Morant listened and smiled.
— I'm glad you have fond memories of me, Smith.
— Morant, did I tell you to fuck off today?
— If I read your thoughts already...
— Then read this here too — and gave him the middle finger as he left the place.
— Apparently someone is in a bad mood today.
— He was upset that the old man here died while we were taking his statement and the old man knew who the killer was.
— It's the first time I've seen someone die a natural death while they have their testimony taken.
Then, Morant checks the priest's neck and notices something strange.
— It's the first time I've seen anyone die a forced natural death.
And showed a small needle in her neck.