Priests are Dying (ePub)

A serial killer has been murdering priests by eviscerating them and hanging their bodies from the spires of Catholic churches in Brisbane, Australia. Four have been murdered so far and the Police are clueless.They ask former Police reporter and skilled investigator, Jake Barlow, to help them but Jake has promised his wife, Anne, that he's finished with all that. He and Anne have had close escapes in previous cases. Anne now is happily engaged in her big psychological practice but Jake is stranded, with virtually nothing to do. He asks Anne to lighten up on her practice but she ignores his plight and is absenting herself from their home more and more until Jake seeks a separation, much to Anne's distress. Now he's free to help the Police. He sets about the task with his usual methodical doggedness but is interrupted by an email message from an individual calling himself Go'el Nadam, who challenges Jake to identify him and the murderers, with Anne's life as the prize. Alarmed, Jake speeds to Anne and finds that she's sold her practice and they're re-united. She joins Jake once again in his investigations. Jake finds more and more evidence that Police are involved and feels more and more isolated. But, because of his usual doggedness and brilliant assessments he solves the murders, but does not publicly identify Go'el . He and Anne wait at their home and Go'el arrives, as Jake had planned, ready to kill them. But Jake is prepared and beats him to it. Then he realises they are still under threat, and sends Anne away into hiding and awaits the next attack. But he's caught unawares and the real Go'el appears, gloating and ready to kill him. A defenceless Jake stares the gunman in the eyes, prepared for his fate, and says, 'Shoot straight. One bullet.'....