Father Rucker reread the letter he recently drafted to James Starkweather. After checking it for typos, he sealed the envelope, and called for his secretary. As Mrs. James entered the study Father Rucker replied:
“Mrs. James can you have a seat please. Mrs. James, I must inform you that the church has approved my leave of absence and I will be leaving for New York City this evening. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for all of your hard work and your dedication.”
Mrs. James replied,
“Father you speak as if you won’t be returning?”
Father Rucker replies,
“If things go as planned, I will not be returning. I am hoping to accompany a team of explorers on an expedition to Antarctica. Since the announcement of this expedition the nightmares have returned. I have been convinced that for better or worse I have some part to play in this thing.”
Mrs. James begins sobbing and continues to stare at Father Rucker as he states,
“I have a sense of dread growing inside of me concerning this trip, and the events that befell the previous expedition. I feel the weight of Satan himself mounting against this expedition, and I would not be able to live with myself if another tragedy occurred.”
Mrs James began shaking.
“But Father you have risen to such prominence so quickly, and you are now viewed as the foremost authority on exorcism in the country, and maybe the entire Jesuit order. We need you here; I cannot bear the thought of you leaving. All of our members from the surrounding villages will be very disappointed at this news. Who will they now call when the demons and the possessed haunt them? And if Satan has cursed this new expedition why can’t you combat him through prayer. Father I don’t like the sound of this not one bit, what if something happens to you.”
The Fathers comforts Mrs. James and says,
“Child this is my destiny, it is the church’s wish that I accompany the expedition. For my part I do not expect to return. You must not repeat what I have shared with you this evening to no one. Mrs. James I have two final requests: the first is to insure that this letter is delivered to this gentleman in New York City special delivery; the second is that you and Father Brown must accompany the crate setting in the foyer to Boston. The Diocese was informed that I would be sending all of my notes on the exorcisms and strange occurrences in this region prior to my departure. The head of the Jesuit order has also deemed that the crate will only be opened in the event of my death. The two of you will be departing the train station for Boston one hour before I leave for New York City. We do not have much time.”
Mrs. James heads to the post office to mail the letter, and then home to pack her baggage as Father Rucker makes his final preparations for departure. At 4PM a carriage arrives, the crate, numerous trunks, Mrs. James, and Father Brown board the carriage, as father Rucker approaches the locked doors of the church. A small boy standing nearby hands the Father two sets of chains and a massive lock. The Father threads the massive chains around the hardware attached to both doors and applies the massive locks. He then begins to chant a prayer in Latin. After completing his prayer the Father bends down and hugs the young boy with tears in eyes and states:
“Lad you have been a great help to me, but now it is time for you to return home to your parents. Do not fear lad, my prays will always be with you and the spirits will not return to plague you or your family.”
The father reaches into his pocket and gives the boy a sizeable amount of money and says,
“Put this away, go straight home, and give your parents the money. Informed them that I have departed and at sundown they should begin burning the candles for the next seven days as we discussed. No one in your family should be outdoors after sunset for the next seven days.”
“Do you understand?”
The boy replies, “yes”.
As Father Rucker boards the carriage his heart feels so heavy, but he reins in enough of his emotions to tell the boy,
“May the power of God be with you”
Then the carriage pulls off.