Chapter 49

Emily stood in front of the ornate doors of the church, her phone buzzing in her hand. She glanced down at the screen, recognizing her father’s number flashing across it. With a sigh, she swiped her finger across the screen and put the phone to her ear.

“Hey, Dad,” she greeted, a hint of frustration in her voice. “What’s up?”

“Emily, where are you?” her father’s voice came through the speaker, laced with worry.

“I’m outside the church, about to go in and see Father John,” Emily replied, slightly annoyed by her father’s sudden concern.

Tom paused for a moment before speaking again, his voice tense. “Are you sure it’s safe, Em? Maybe you should come home. I don’t like the sound of this.”

“Dad, I’m fine. I’m just going to talk to Father John. It’s no big deal,” Emily reassured him, rolling her eyes even though her father couldn’t see her. She knew he was overprotective, but this level of worry was out of character.

Tom hesitated before finally saying