In the fall of 1980, four nuns from a small village vanished without a clue, casting their devoted community into a haze of sorrow and uneasy rumors

Although, there was a period in 1983 when people reported hearing strange noises at night. Machinery running, that sort of thing. And some folks complained about tremors.

Father Elias leaned forward. His interest peaked. Tremors? Like earthquakes? That’s what the authorities concluded.

Minor seismic activity. But it seemed odd that it was localized to that specific area. Some people wondered if Redwood was doing some kind of excavation work.

And no one investigated further? Harold shrugged. A deputy came out, looked around, found nothing suspicious, and that was that. Redwood has always been, well, connected.

Donates to the right causes, knows the right people. The conversation drifted to other topics. The changes in Eldon Hollow over the years, the declining congregation at St. Agnes, and theological discussions that reflected both men’s deep faith.

Time passed swiftly, and Father Elias was surprised when his phone rang, breaking the comfortable rhythm of their conversation. Father Moreau speaking, he answered. Father, this is Deputy Williams.

The officer’s voice sounded energized, purposeful. I’ve made some progress. I spoke with Judge Martinez, who’s sympathetic to our concerns.

She’s granted an emergency warrant for a welfare search based on the reasonable suspicion of unlawful confinement. Father Elias felt a surge of hope. That’s excellent news, Deputy.

We’ll be heading back to Redwood’s property within the hour. I wanted to let you know, though I must advise you to stay away for safety reasons. This is now an official police operation.

I understand, Father Elias replied, though his desire to be present was powerful. But, Deputy, if you do find something or someone… You’ll be the first civilian I call, Williams promised. This whole situation began because of your persistence, Father.

I respect that. After Harold overheard the conversation, he insisted they should at least be able to observe from a distance, arguing that their spiritual presence might be important if something significant was discovered. With some reluctance, Deputy Williams agreed they could remain in their vehicle at a safe distance, but strictly as observers.

An hour later, Father Elias and Harold parked along the public road near the entrance to Redwood’s property. From their position, they could see multiple police vehicles arriving, including a forensic van and an ambulance staging nearby, a precaution that sent a chill down Father Elias’ spine. Deputy Williams approached their car briefly.

We’re going in with the warrant. I’ve set up my body camera to stream to this channel. He showed them how to access the feed on Father Elias’ phone.

You can watch from here, but do not approach under any circumstances. Is that clear? Both men nodded in agreement, and Deputy Williams returned to his colleagues. They watched as the assembled officers approached Redwood’s front door, warrant in hand.

Through the phone screen, they observed as Redwood answered the door, his face contorting with rage at the sight of the officers and the document they presented. The audio was muffled, but clear enough to hear him protesting vigorously, threatening lawsuits and calls to his attorney. Despite his objections, the officers executed their search warrant, methodically examining the main house while Redwood was kept under supervision in his living room.

After approximately 45 minutes, Deputy Williams reported through the body camera that the house and conventional basement had yielded nothing suspicious. Moving on to the forest road and outbuildings now, Williams narrated, for the benefit of those monitoring the feed. Mr. Redwood has confirmed there is a storage shed along the private road connecting his main house to the former chapel site.

Father Elias and Harold watched intently as the officers, accompanied by a visibly furious Redwood, made their way along the forest road. The path was well-maintained, but narrow, winding between ancient trees that created a tunnel-like effect in the fading daylight. After about 15 minutes of walking, the camera showed a modest wooden structure, the storage shed Redwood had mentioned.

It was larger than Father Elias had expected, perhaps 20 feet square, with weathered siding and a metal roof. This is just a tool shed, Redwood could be heard saying. Garden equipment, maintenance supplies, that sort of thing…