Did a priest kill a female parishioner?
©2003 by Mae Ondracek
Molly burst into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her. “Mom, he did it again.” She yelled. “I’m not going back to choir practice.”
“Now, now, Molly, you know Pastor Renolds wouldn’t do something like that. He is well respected in the church and the whole community.”
Martha smiled faintly, as if relishing a secret, and then said, “If it will make you feel better, Molly, I’ll go have a talk with Pastor Renolds tonight.”
Molly, a tall, well-built fifteen year old with shoulder length blond hair, headed towards the refrigerator as she answered, “You better, Mom. Because next time he touches my butt, I’ll punch him in his big fat nose.”
Her mom scowled and said, “That isn’t like you Molly. You wouldn’t hurt a flea.”
Molly finished making herself a sandwich and headed up to her bedroom to study. Within an hour she heard the front door quietly click shut. Wondering why her mother hadn’t told her she was leaving, Molly looked out the window and was surprised to see her mother all dressed up. All she was supposed to do was go talk with Pastor Renolds. It wasn’t like her mother to just go off like that without telling Molly she was leaving. Molly shrugged her shoulders and went back to her homework.
Hunger pangs made Molly sit back from her schoolbooks. She stretched and looked at her watch, it was almost ten p.m. Where could her mother be? Molly thought about her parents. Ever since her father had died two years ago, her mother had stayed home except to attend church and school functions.
Now here she was, staying out half the night. Molly dialed Pastor Renolds number but there was no answer. After half an hour, Molly again dialed his number, letting it ring ten times, thinking he might be a heavy sleeper, but still he didn’t answer.
Molly had milk and cookies and tried to watch TV but it was after midnight and she was worried about her mother. Switching off the TV, Molly paced the floor, sat on the sofa, and then paced some more. Her mother never stayed out all night and she was worried.
Suddenly, on an impulse, Molly jumped up and ran to the phone. She dialed the hospital, “Hello, this is Molly Bergan. I’m wondering if my mother came in tonight. She...she…,” and Molly couldn’t finish her sentence as she started to cry.
“Miss Bergan, we were about to call you. The police are on their way to pick you up.”
“Wa...what’s wrong with my mother?” Molly cried.
“Your mother was hurt and we have been working on her. We will tell you more after you get here.”
There was a knock and Molly ran to the door to ask the police about her mother. They wouldn’t tell her anything, just that she was to come with them.
At the hospital, the doctor cautioned Molly to be quiet as her mother was in a very bad way. She had been hit on the head many times and was in a coma.
“Did that damn Pastor Renolds do this to her?” Molly cried.
“Why do you ask that?” Officer Small asked.
“Because...because, Mom went to see him tonight to talk about...about, something. That’s all.” Molly said. “I tried calling his place at 10:30 and again at 11:00 but there was no answer. Would you talk to him, please?” Molly pleaded.
“We’ll do that right now,” Officer Small said as he nodded to his partner and they left.
The doctor put his hand on Molly’s arm and said, “Come along, Molly. You can see your mother now.”
The doctor opened the door and Molly gasped as she seen her mother’s head fully wrapped in bandages. She kissed her mother’s cheek and whispered, “Oh Mom. I’m sorry I mentioned-you know what. You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t gone to see Pastor Renolds. Please get well. I love you.”
Molly sat at her mother’s bedside, stroking her arm and whispering encouragement to wake her up.
About one and a half hours later, the policemen returned and motioned Molly into the hall. Office Small said, “Molly, why did your mother go to see Pastor Renolds tonight?”
“I...I...I can’t tell you,” Molly said.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to tell us,” the officer said. “You see, Pastor Renolds was lying on his floor in a pool of blood with his head split open.”
Molly started to sob uncontrollably as the officer patted her shoulder and asked in a soothing voice, “Do you think your mother did it?”
“No! No!” Molly sobbed. “She went there to tell him not to...to...to touch my butt anymore at choir practice.”
“No! Don’t hit him again,” came a yell from Mrs. Bergan’s room. Everyone rushed into the room and Molly hurried to her mother’s bedside crying, “Oh Mom, you’re awake.”
Officer Small grasped Molly by the shoulders and took her aside as the doctor checked Margaret. The doctor said, “She just had a flashback. But at least we know she didn’t kill Pastor Renolds. We will watch her like a hawk and do everything we can to bring her around, but I’m afraid it might take time.”
Molly continued to sit with her mother every evening. She couldn’t concentrate at school and the instructors advised her to take two weeks off from school and study at the hospital. Molly didn’t argue with that as she was happy to be near her mother, hoping it would bring Margaret out of the coma sooner.
One and a half weeks later, Margaret started thrashing her legs as if she were trying to run away. Then she yelled, “Leave me alone, Bruce!”
Molly’s hand flew to her mouth as she looked at the nurse. The doctor entered and asked Margaret what was happening. He got a sedative ready to ease Margaret’s discomfort, but Margaret didn’t answer. The doctor told Molly that might be a good sign of a quick recovery and Molly cried, “Not Bruce! Oh, my God, not Bruce!”
Dr. Brown was a kindly grandfather type that held Molly and stroked her hair as he asked, “Who is Bruce?”
“He is in my choir group at church and has been over to our house a few times. He wanted to date me, but I wouldn’t go out with him.”
“O.K.” the doctor said. “I better call the police and let them know what has happened. You talk to your mother. You are doing her a world of good.”
The days seemed to drag until finally into the fifth week, Margaret slowly raised her right hand to her head and said weakly, “What happened?”
Molly quickly pressed the buzzer for the nurse and whispered, “You’ll be alright, Mom. I love you.”
The nurse and Dr. Brown hurried into the room. “You had a bad accident, Mrs. Bergan and you are in the hospital.” He said, “I am sure you will be fine now.”
Officer Small entered and said, “Good to see you awake, Mrs. Bergan. Can you remember anything of what happened at Pastor Renolds home that evening?”
Dr. Brown said, “Please let her rest now. You can question her tomorrow.”
Margaret touched her bandaged head and said, “Yes I remember. I was about to knock on the rectory door, when I heard loud voices. I looked in the window and saw Bruce and another boy hitting and kicking Pastor Renolds.”
After a pause, Margaret continued, “I started to run away but my heel got caught on a raised porch board and I fell. Bruce pounced on me and both boys dragged me down to the alley where they kept hitting my head with their fists and I passed out.” Margaret lay back against the pillow, exhausted.
Dr. Brown gave Mrs. Bergan a sedative as the police left and Mrs. Bergan gave Molly a big hug before her arms fell limply to the bed and she slept.
The next day, Margaret asked if Pastor Renolds was all right and Dr. Brown told her he had died from the kicks received to his head. Margaret wept for him and then asked, “Why would those two boys do such a thing?”
The police had advised Dr. Brown that they had picked up the boys, who confessed. Bruce had seen the Pastor touching Molly and they only wanted to scare him into leaving her alone. But their anger got the best of them and they couldn’t stop hitting and kicking him. Each time they would hit or kick, they would say, “And this is another one for touching Molly.” Then they heard Mrs. Bergan and knew she had seen them, so they had to quiet her, too. Thankfully the boys heard a car coming and ran.
Mrs. Bergan held Molly and thanked God for his mercy in sending that car along to save her from a more severe beating. Margaret promised Molly that when school was out, they would rent a cabin on Bass Lake and spend the summer fishing, swimming, and lying around in the sun to recuperate. A vacation which had been long overdue.