The mission of Goletta Michen road, Goletta, California

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In May 1988, the investigation that Mason Capwell starts to lead on the disappearance of Cruz Castillo send him to the mission of Goletta. Mason already knows this place for its convent, which hosted a few years earlier Mary DuVall, at the time she was still a nun. Disguised as a beggar, it is at the reception and accommodation center for homeless of the mission that Mason meets for the first time the person in charge of the premises, Father Michael Donnelly.

Mason then makes acquaintance with the church of the mission, when he manages to get hired as a handyman to continue to investigate incognito. Of Spanish-style, since it was built by them probably in the late 18th century, the church of the Sacred Heart welcomes benches, candles and altar, in a calm and serene atmosphere. That is besides what attracts Gina DeMott Capwell and Keith Timmons, wishing to marry in these places. But an accidental explosion caused by an employee of the mission will make the project impossible, and will be the opportunity for Mason to leave the place by letting believe in his death in the fire which will follow.

Of the church, we also know the bell tower, which get reunited before his disappearance Mason and his fiancée Julia Wainwright, who came to find him several times to keep him informed of the progress of the investigation regarding Cruz. One of the sisters of the convent, Sister Sarah, deaf and dumb, will also try to commit suicide there by jumping into the space.

To avoid her to do it again, and officially because she is suspected of somnambulism, Sarah will be locked in a room in the basement of the church by Father Michael and another sister reluctant to tenderness, Sister Agatha. It will also turn out later that the tower is the place of two crimes : the rape attempt by Dr. Mark McCormick (a friend of Mary’s) on Sister Sarah, and the murder of Mark by Sister Agatha to prevent this crime.

Father Michael has an office adjoining the church. Decorated with elegant dark paneling and religious works of art, the office has also large shelves where get lined liturgical literature and prayer books. This is in one of the drawers of the wooden desk that Julia finds a police badge and a revolver, both belonging to the priest, a former police officer.

Under the name of Sister Rebecca, Julia will get hosted some time in the convent of Goletta, until she succeeds in getting Sarah out from the claws of her captors and to innocent Mason of the charge of murder on Mark McCormick.