For the bishop, this was an extremely difficult position to find himself in. His conscience pricked at the very idea of handing over the sacred book.

One thought overrode this concern however. The idea of his young lover being murdered. His own position could well be at risk.

When he returned to his office, he paced the floor in anger.

“What the hell do I do? She said no police!”

He struggled for another hour, and at last took the key to the top-secret vault.

As he approached the guard for the second time that day, he tried to smile.

“Back again sir?”

“I forgot to check something.”

Once he entered that room, he removed the book and tucked it under his vestments. As he locked the door once more, he tried something rather brazen.

“It must be quite boring down here.”

The armed guard smiled.

“Time passes sir.”

He safely reached his office with some relief, before heading back to his official car.

“Where to sir?”

“Same location and then drive off.”

The driver nodded and took him as rapidly as possible towards the young man’s home.

When the car drew away, the nervous bishop knocked upon the door.

“Come in,” the woman hissed. “I hope that you have it.”

The bishop entered the room and noted the missing lover.

“Where is Edwardo?”

The woman smiled.

“Asleep in the bedroom of course. Now hand it over.”

He reached under his robes and the sacred book appeared. She snatched it before directing him to a waiting chair.

She opened it to the letters and read avidly.

“It’s uncorrupted despite the ravages of time.”

“Of course it is,” the bishop said. “We have been protecting it.”

“Still your church kept its mouth shut.”

“What do you expect? How did you find out about it anyway?”

The woman smiled.

“You still have no idea who I am.”

“A cold blooded killer,” the bishop replied. “Why the deaths?”

She laughed.

“They knew about the book but not its exact location. That was crime enough. I added a policeman to the list, just to keep that detective off guard.”

“Such brutality.”

“My brutality? Your organisation has been persecuting people for centuries.”

“Not anymore.”

“Hah!”

“So you collect religious manuscripts?”

“I told you that in order for you to cooperate. I only needed this.”

“For what purpose?”

“To expose the truth at last of course.”

“You can’t do that. We may never survive!”

“That will depend on the worshippers not me.”

“What do you get out of all this?”

“My redemption.”

The woman turned on him.

“Thanks for this Bishop Brentburg. Now I have only one thing left to do.”

As his eyes opened wide, she slit his throat and left the building.

The nine o’clock door knock was not to Salini’s liking. He puffed towards the door and his sergeant nearly fell inside.

“What’s this about sergeant?”

“We have been called in by the commissioner sir. The bishop has been murdered.”

“I’ll get my coat.”

When they arrived at the crime scene, the doctor was waiting.

“Morning Salini. Really bad case this.”

The detective glanced at the still body upon the floor with distaste.

“Looks like our killer has struck again.”

“You better check the back room,” the doctor suggested.

He found the young man tied to the headrest with forks driven into his naked chest.

“Well sergeant, what do you think?”

“Our suspect obviously threatened him.”

“Obviously. We need prints.”

They returned to the living area as forensic arrived.

“Were they killed together?” the detective asked.

“There was an hour between them. Ah...”

The officers turned as their boss walked in.

“What a ruddy mess Salini. This madman needs stopping.”

“I agree sir. Hopefully the team will find some prints.”

As the commissioner saw the second body, he shook his head.

“The press are really going to love this lot.”

“It seems they were at least friends sir,” the detective said quietly.

“We all know what the headline will be. Anymore leads?”

The sergeant shook his head.

“We keep coming to a dead end sir. The only connection to them all is the Vatican.”

“I hope you don’t suspect them.”

The detective shook his head.

“Seems the press release failed sir.”

“So drop this book theory and find some witnesses!”

The officers left under a dark cloud. It was obvious to the detective that he was on the brink of being replaced.

“We must be missing something sergeant.”

“What sir? We have no witnesses.”

“How can two people go around Rome killing without being seen?”

The sergeant considered this.

“They must look pretty ordinary sir. That’s the only thing I come up with.”

“I agree sergeant. So damn ordinary that no one blinks.”

When they reached the roundabout, a vehicle suddenly cut across their path. The squad car braked hard and skidded onto the pavement.

“Stay here!” the detective yelled dashing out.

He saw the car as it raced off and cursed.

“Damn stupid driver.”

He turned his back as a motorcycle approached at high speed. He failed to notice the levelled barrel.

As the shots rang out, the detective crashed to the ground.

At noon that day, Latini stood in front of the empty drawer within the bowels of the Vatican.

“The damn thing has gone. At least Salini was silenced. The Holy Father will need a miracle now.”

He stormed out and tossed the key to the waiting guard.

“Close it yourself!”

At five that evening, the receptionist at the city paper received a strange visitor. The tall woman had bright red hair and a sea blue dress. Under her arm was a nicely wrapped package.

“Can I help you?”

The smiling lady handed it over and said pleasantly, “Make sure your editor gets that.”

As she walked away, the receptionist asked, “Who shall I say called?”

“Judith Iscariot.”

As she stepped outside, she stared hard at the sky.

“Do you think I‘ve done enough?”

A blinding light enclosed her, and the woman vanished.

When the elderly pontiff woke the following morning, the aid entered with a grim look upon his face.

“You seem as though the world is about to end.”

“You better read this.”

As the pontiff turned the paper over, he almost collapsed with shock.
Across the front page was photo’s of the ancient letters.

Underneath, the Italian translation. The headline was bad enough.

The truth about Judas Exposed...Why were we not told?

He tried to read but his hands were shaking.

“What the hell has been going on?”

“I don’t know,” his aid replied.

“Why was I not told?”

The aid shook his head.

The pontiff read the translation with extreme alarm.

“Our sister Judith was the most beloved of Our Lord. Always faithful, her impatience led to her terrible downfall. I John know that He loved her with body and soul. His disciples saw them together. Their laughter and how they slept. Despite her terrible crime of betrayal, she will be redeemed. ”

The pontiff could not read any more. As people woke to that startling news, a soft rain fell over Rome.