Shout in the Dark

  Chapter 28

  Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore

  "WOULD YOU LIKE a coffee?" Father Josef seemed to be delaying Marco his opportunity to tell his story.

  Marco nodded. "As strong as you can make it. I'm sorry to be direct, but you have to tell me exactly what's going on." He watched the black coffee being poured into the small white cup with great precision by steady hands.

  The old priest replaced the heavy pot on the ornate silver tray. "There are some who see a belief in the devil as an outdated superstition. They obviously have not witnessed the evil I have seen in life. Sometimes when I look around the world I think it is easier to believe in the devil than it is to believe in God. What do you say, Marco? If you believe in one you have to believe in the other. We cannot expect to find light in the world, without finding darkness in the corners."

  Marco detected a hard experience behind Father Josef's philosophy. In Nazi Germany this man must have encountered some appalling atrocities. "I had no dealings with the powers of darkness -- until I met you, Father Josef."

  "I know your background, your conversion. Were not the powers of darkness there when your Anna was killed? Believe me, Marco, I need you in this work. If I fear evil you must fear it too, but you must remember we have a power that is greater. The power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The devil and his demons flee from that power."

  The coffee tasted reassuringly strong. Father Josef seemed to be acting deliberately vaguely. "You'd better read this." Marco pushed his report across the table. "I went to Monte Sisto yesterday with Laura Rossetti. That's when we found the body."

  "I saw it on the news."

  "The man was burned to death in a German station wagon. Riccardo Fermi was there. He said if we reported it, Laura could be in danger from local partisans. I nearly didn't do anything. I was thinking of her safety." Here in the shelter of this huge building in the Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore his fears sounded foolish.

  Father Josef stared silently through the large window. "You like Laura Rossetti?"

  "Of course!" He immediately regretted sounding so positive.

  Father Josef became silent, deep in thought.

  At last he said, "I certainly did not expect such an immediate rapport. Dear me, you were married once. I hope you are managing to abstain from thoughts of a sexual relationship."

  "It's difficult," Marco admitted.

  Father Josef raised a finger. "It would be foolish to pretend these desires do not exist. It has frequently been a battle for me too." He picked up the folder, looking embarrassed. "Come, let me read your report."