One afternoon a few weeks later, my mother asked Ziggy to pick Janie and me up from school to head to my grandmother’s house.
“We have a stop on the way,” Ziggy said. We stopped by a place called “The Pilgrim House.” It was a youth home for troubled teenagers, organized and financed by the Catholic Church.
When we arrived, Ziggy said, “Sport, you come with me. I have a lot of friends here I would like you to meet. You know I used to live here? It’s a home for runaway teens like me. Janie, stay in the car and out of sight.”
When we arrived at the front door, Father Paul greeted us with a big smile. “Welcome back, Ziggy!”
“So is this how they know each other?” I thought. Father Paul handed Ziggy a package of what looked like drugs and said, “I’m glad to see you brought the boy. Half now and the other half after we get the pictures.”
Puzzled that Ziggy was somehow working for Father Paul, I kept my mouth shut.
Father Paul said to Ziggy, “I am glad you fit in so well with the Murphy family. I know they trust you now. It wasn't easy getting you into that house.” Then Father Paul shut the door and disappeared.
Next we headed over to Mea Mea’s house. Ziggy made her a drink when we first arrived and she fell asleep immediately after drinking it. He left her a note saying, “You fell asleep. Didn’t want to wake you so I’m taking Janie and Sean to church to see Father Paul. Be back soon.”
Instead of church, we ended up driving up to Father Paul in the park’s woods. When we arrived, Father Paul said, “Ziggy you told me that you were bringing two boys. The man who paid for these photos likes boys only.”
Ziggy responded, “Well she hasn’t developed yet. If we cut her hair, nobody will know the difference with a little photo magic.” Then he handed Father Paul the knife from his belt.
Father Paul began to transform Janie into a little boy as she cried, since she really loved her hair. Then they put us in strange positions and took lots of pictures.
Father Paul said, “That fat, rich slob from the church is going to love these.”
It’s safe to say I was uncomfortable and began to fight with both of them.
Father Paul said, “This kid is too out of control and it’s going to bring attention to us. Ziggy put him in the trunk.”
I was picked up against my will and stuffed into the trunk. I heard them begin to abuse my sister. After hearing her screams for help, I quickly unlocked the trunk from the inside with a tire iron and escaped. Luckily, I learned this trick from Jason during one of his attempts to torture me in the past.
“Hey! Come back!!!” Father Paul yelled.
They saw me escaping and chased me through the park which bought me just enough time to free my sister. Janie was fast and was able to catch up with me. When they caught up with us, people were arriving and were becoming suspicious so Father Paul decided it was time to go.
Father Paul took us back to Mea Mea’s. Ziggy was too strung out to take us back himself since he had taken the drugs Father Paul had given him earlier.
When we got back to Mea Mea’s house, she saw that my sister’s hair was all cut off. Her eyes widened as she cupped both of her hands to her mouth.
Before Mea Mea could get a word in, Father Paul proclaimed, “Doesn’t it look great? After mass, I took Janie to a famous French hair designer and this is the new style! I offered to drop the children off to you since I was on my way to the retreat and was driving right by your house! What a good boy that Marc is!” as he referred to Ziggy.
My grandmother bought the lie. She looked confused but never suspected a priest to be dishonest. It was still pretty clear that she didn’t like the haircut.
When we got back to the house and saw my mother, Ziggy said, “Sean decided to give Janie a haircut!”
Janie and I were in this together and wanted to find a way to make someone, anyone, believe that an evil priest and a serial killer were living in our community.