Page 30 of The Cute Psycho

In her shocked state, she'd tried to hide the body by placing it in the confessional booth. The more she's talking, the more I'm shuddering, thinking what a close call this had been — for both her and Claudia. But I'm proud of her for defending herself and her daughter.

"We need to do something about that," I start, steering the discussion toward a more logical course of action.

"You... I killed a man." She looks at me in confusion. I don't want to tell her I havesomeexperience dealing with murder, so I just react as naturally as I can.

"Yes, and I would have killed him, too. That wastrel! Now, about the confessional booth," I say, thinking how to best get rid of Father Guerra's body. Since she's stuffed him in the confessional booth, we need to act fast before someone finds him.

"That's why I came back. I can't do it alone. I know this is too much to ask but..."

"No buts!" I immediately interject. "Come on, dress, and we'll figure it out."

I leave her to talk to Claudia while I try to think of a way to get rid of the body. In my case, it had been rather easy since the coffin had been right next to us. But this... we'd have to transport Father Guerra somehow and bury him in the cemetery. It's the only way.

When Lina comes back, I tell her my idea, as well as the fact that we could use her empty suitcase to transport the body. It might get a little messy, but at this point, it's our best shot.

"Sisi, are you sure you want to do this? It's my fault... I can just tell them what happened," Lina stops to ask me when we're closer to the church.

"And who'd believe you? You already said he's from a prominent family. They probably have enough influence to make sure you get blamed for everything. Think about Claudia. What would happen to her without her mother?"

While I'd been perfectly fine with going to prison, since I wouldn't be leaving anything behind, it's completely different for Lina. She has Claudia, and I would do whatever is necessary to make sure mother and daughter are not separated.

Including, should the time come, take the blame myself.

We discuss the circumstances more in depth, realizing that Father Guerra's opportunity to get Claudia alone might not have been a fluke. Usually, Lina and I take turns watching Claudia, but since Mother Superior had been adamant about increasing my workload even more, I'd had less and less time to spend with them.

I don't want to think that anyone, not even Mother Superior, would sanction such an action, but knowing what I know about the woman and her hate toward us, it's entirely too possible.

When we reach the church, Lina shows me where she'd stuffed Father Guerra. Opening the door to the confessional, I see his puny body drenched in blood, and I feel a small degree of satisfaction at knowing he can't harm anyone anymore.

He should have suffered more.

Forcing myself to focus, I assess the situation and comment. "He's too big."

"We just need to fold him a little," Lina says, and I try to visualize how it could fit.

"How about we try a fetal position?" I suggest, going around the suitcase and finding the best position to lay him in.

"Let's try," Lina agrees, and we start stuffing his body in the suitcase, folding his limbs in different positions until we manage to get all of him inside. Then, pressing on the flap of the suitcase, we try our best to close the zippers and lock the luggage.

"Damn," I breathe out, a little tired from the exertion.

The journey to the cemetery is rather easy since the wheels of the luggage make it easy to carry it. The hard part will be digging a hole so we can bury it.

Since I'mextremelyfamiliar with the cemetery, I know the exact spot that should pass undetected. This specific parcel is unmarked and situated under the shade of the tree, which should mask the freshly turned earth.

Going in the back to procure some shovels, both Lina and I start digging.

"Honestly, this wasn't that bad," I comment when we've finished digging. "I think I'd rather dig up graves than wash dishes. Do you think I can apply for the position?" I say half-joking. Honestly, I wouldn't mind it that much. Dead people can't hurt you. The living, however,...

"Sisi..." Lina starts laughing. "You really want to trade dishes for graves?"

"It's still work." I shrug, but my lip is twitching.

Days pass and we try to put the Father Guerra incident out of our minds, convinced that the worst has passed.

We were wrong.

And we get to find that out the worst possible way. By coming face to face with Father Guerra's rotting body on display in the convent's grotto. All the nuns are kneeling in a prayer to be delivered from evil, some fainting at the sight and odor of the desecrated body.

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