Peril & Prayer

by Olivia Matthews

  Chris returned his attention to his coffee companion. Her mass of raven curls was gathered in a ponytail as though she’d been in a rush to leave her apartment this morning. The style drew his attention to her features: high cheekbones, pointed chin, full lips, and especially her reckless cocoa eyes.

  She looked so different today in her lemon yellow knit sweater and powder blue jeans. Her beat-up, bright orange sneakers were the real surprise. They took about three inches off her height. He hadn’t realized how petite she was.

  Chris was similarly dressed in a purple cable-knit sweater, faded dark blue jeans, and black hiker’s boots. He sipped his dark roast coffee, black, no sugar. Its sharp bite helped distract him from his guilt. “I’m sorry that I’ve been pressuring you to tell me about your past. I never should’ve done that.”

  “Are you backing out now?” Her tone was playful, but her gaze unsure.

  “No, I still want to know more about you—when you’re ready to tell me.”

  Shari lowered her gaze to her half-full ceramic mug of hazelnut coffee. She’d added cream, two sugar substitutes, and cinnamon to the drink. “No, you were right. I want us to be friends, you, me, and Sister Lou. I just don’t know how. This is new to me.”

  Chris studied the top of her head. In her twenty-six years, she’d never had one close friend? Was that by choice? In his mind’s eye, he pictured Shari as a lonely little girl, feigning a tough exterior to hide her fear and uncertainty. His heart hurt for her. He wanted to go back in time to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. She wouldn’t be alone forever.

  On impulse, he reached across the table and cupped his hand over the thick, bright sweater covering her slender forearm. “Tell me something you’re comfortable sharing.”

  “That’s the thing. There aren’t a lot of those.” She took a deep breath, then met his eyes. “I didn’t grow up in one of those Hallmark card households. I lived with foster families.”

  Families. Plural. “How many?”

  She laughed without humor. “Six foster homes in fourteen years, since the age of three. The last one tried to charge me rent above and beyond the money the state paid her, so I left.”

  “You’ve been on your own since the age of seventeen?” She was right; her childhood had been very different from his. He’d grown up in privilege compared to her experiences. Thanks to his parents and his aunt, he’d known that he had more to be thankful for than a lot of children, but knowing it and living it were two very different things.

  Shari shrugged off his surprise. “I was almost eighteen.”

  “What did you do?” He sensed her growing discomfort. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

  “No, it’s okay. I’ve never had anyone this interested before.” She slipped him a smile. “I managed. Then one of my high school teachers got this brilliant idea that I could get a scholarship to a local college. She was right. After that, I applied for every scholarship and grant I could find. I moved into an apartment, got a job, and worked my way through school.”

  She was his new hero—along with his aunt and parents, of course. Shari was tough because she’d needed to be. Without it, she wouldn’t have survived. But watching her interact with his aunt and the other sisters, Chris realized she’d been looking for a safe place to show her softer side. He hoped she realized she could stop searching. She’d found that place with them in Briar Coast.

  He looked at his empty cup of coffee. He could use a refill. And a cookie. “What made you change your mind about sharing your past with me?” Was it something he’d done? Something Sister Lou had said? Or had it just been time?

  Shari sipped her coffee pensively. “I had a feeling Diego and the mayor had known each other before Briar Coast. After I bugged him about it for the umpteenth time, he gave me half of the story. Then yesterday, the mayor confronted him about a couple of stories I’m working on.”

  “Autumn’s murder?”

  Shari nodded. “And behind-the-scenes research on her administration. Before she left, she told him this wasn’t El Paso. That’s when he gave me the rest of the story of his past with our mayor. It bothered me that he’d kept that from me even after I’d asked him. I realized that must be how you felt about my keeping my past from you.”

  “I’m glad you shared this with me, but I apologize again for pressuring you. It wasn’t fair of me.”

  Shari was shaking her head even as Chris spoke. “No, you were right. And I’m glad that I told you about my childhood, too. It felt . . . good.”

  Chris smiled. Her admission touched his heart, but he was certain she had a lot more about her past to share. “I just have one more question for you.”

  “What’s that?” There was more curiosity than wariness in her eyes this time. Great strides.

  “Do you want a cookie?”

  * * *

  “We’re going to have to get some shorter races in to help us prepare for the marathon in the spring.” Sister Carmen panted the observation as she jogged beside Sister Lou early Sunday morning.

  The mission-style black lampposts combined with Sister Carmen’s fuchsia Windbreaker and electric green jogging pants to hold back the darkness during their five-mile run. Only their aerobic exercise and layered clothes could keep the late-November cold at bay.

  “Sounds good.” Sister Lou was only half listening.

  “Let’s hear it.” Sister Carmen exhaled.

  “What?”

  “Whatever’s bothering you.”

  In the shadows, Sister Lou could sense her jogging companion rolling her eyes.

  “How do you always know when something’s on my mind?” Sister Lou concentrated on her breathing, slow and steady. Fall was aging in the air. Winter was getting closer. She could smell the cold.

  “We’ve been jogging together six days a week for the past seven years.”

  Sister Lou caught the note of exasperation in her friend’s voice. Her lips curved in chagrin. “Am I speeding up again?”

  “Yep.”

  “Sorry.” She made an effort to slow her pace as they jogged past the residence halls. With the students on Thanksgiving break until tonight, most of the dorm-room windows were dark. Fall-semester classes would resume bright and early tomorrow. Perhaps the calico would return as well.

  “Don’t apologize. Just tell me. What’s on your mind?” Sister Carmen didn’t sound as breathless this time.

  Without the students or the birdsong, the campus was eerily silent and lonely this morning. Their footfalls seemed to echo as they approached the campus oval. They traced the well-manicured lawns that circled the redbrick academic buildings and large mature trees.

  Sister Lou wiped the sweat from her upper lip with the back of her right hand and strained to keep a steady pace even as her anxiety rose. “We have only one week before our Advent retreat. Everything’s in place for the event, except Autumn’s murder is still unsolved.”

  Sister Carmen wiped her hand over her forehead beneath her warm gold knit cap. “What do you have so far? You know the means.”

  “The killer strangled Autumn with his hands, but he must have used gloves because he didn’t leave prints.” Sister Lou brought an image of the crime scene to mind. Autumn was slumped on her chair. Her tongue protruded between her parted lips. Her sightless periwinkle blue eyes were stretched wide.

  Sister Carmen raised her hands. Her gloves were a perfect match to her hat. “Not surprising. He probably kept his gloves on.”

  Sister Lou glanced at her own black winter gloves. “Good point.”

  “Of course.” Sister Carmen frowned as though offended. “And he tried to frame Marianna. That’s significant.”

  “True. It means he knew about the tension between Autumn and Marianna, and maybe even the tension between the deputies and the congregation.”

  Sister Carmen nodded. “Now, opportunity?”

  “Autumn always started work early. A lot of people knew that, and the resort’s main office
is practically empty at that time of day.”

  “No chance of witnesses.”

  “Right.” Sister Lou inclined her head.

  “Motive?”

  “Too many. We could make the motive for money apply to her partner, her ex-husband, his wife, or we could make jealousy the motive for her cousin. There may be others that we don’t know about.”

  “From what you know about the victim, what motive seems most logical?”

  Sister Lou considered her longtime friend. She pulled her black knit cap down lower over her ears. “Have you been watching Investigation Discovery TV again?”

  “Maybe you should watch it. It could give you some ideas.” Sister Carmen kept pace with Sister Lou as they completed their final lap around the oval, then started toward the path to the center of town.

  “You’ve made another good point.”

  “Of course I did.” Sister Carmen gave her a suspicious look. “What d’you mean?”

  The sun had started to rise and work its way through the half-naked tree branches.

  “I’ve been thinking of this the wrong way.” Sister Lou led them back toward the motherhouse. “I’ve been asking why someone would kill Autumn.”

  Sister Carmen’s eyebrows knitted as she sought Sister Lou’s gaze. “What should you be asking?”

  Sister Lou arched an eyebrow as she returned her friend’s look. “Why would she let them?”

  Chapter 33

  “I appreciate your meeting with me on such short notice.” Sister Lou looked around her crowded sitting area Sunday afternoon. After the ten a.m. Mass, she’d invited the group together to discuss the revelation she’d had during her morning run.

  Deputy Fran Cole and Deputy Ted Tate were sharing her love seat, which was appropriate, considering the looks Ted was giving Fran in her civilian clothes. The slender deputy wore a fitted teal sweater and tight black jeans. Her unruly ash blond hair was loose around her shoulders. Ted wore a royal blue University of Buffalo sweatshirt and jeans made baggy by his weight loss.

  Sister Lou had brought in a straight-back pale blue chair from her bedroom for Sister Marianna. Her retreat project partner’s casual dress consisted of black slacks and a white sweater.

  That left the overstuffed sofa for Shari and Chris. The pair, both wearing jeans and bulky sweaters, seemed cozy together. They must have resolved their temporary disagreement.

  “What’s brought this about, Sister?” Ted dragged his attention from his law enforcement partner. He seemed to have forgotten the mug of chai tea he held between his palms.

  “I think I’ve narrowed down the suspects for Autumn’s murder.” Sister Lou’s gaze once again swept the room.

  “How?” Chris sat forward on the sofa. The movement brought him even closer to Shari.

  Sister Lou looked toward Fran and Ted. “When we discovered Autumn after her attack, her office was tidy.”

  “That’s true.” Fran gave Sister Lou a considering look. “It didn’t look as though there’d been a struggle.”

  “Exactly.” Sister Lou switched her attention to Chris, Shari, and Sister Marianna. “It’s as though whoever murdered Autumn walked right up to her; as though Autumn wasn’t expecting an attack.”

  “Or the perp surprised her.” Ted shook his head, baffled. “How does that help?”

  Sister Lou considered Ted’s comment. “I don’t think the killer surprised her. I observed Autumn’s interaction with several of our suspects. When January Potts, her cousin, came to her office, she stood. It was as though she was preparing for their confrontation. However, she never stood when one of her employees entered her office. And she wasn’t as defensive when she spoke with Rita Morris or Montgomery Crane.”

  “That’s true.” Sister Marianna sat straight on the chair. Her feet were neatly crossed at her ankles. “She was antagonistic toward them, but she was very relaxed with her staff.”

  “So what are you saying?” Ted shrugged. “You think someone on her payroll killed her? That still leaves us with twenty-five names. How does that narrow it down?”

  “But not all of them would have thought to frame Sister Marianna for their crime.” She gestured toward the person in question, seated directly across the sitting area from her.

  “You’re right.” Shari looked at Sister Marianna. “The killer either knew the deputies had been suspicious of the congregation before, or they knew that Autumn and Sister Marianna had been arguing.”

  Chris swallowed some of his tea. “That means you’ve narrowed it down to someone Autumn felt comfortable with and who knew about the tension between Sister Marianna and Autumn.”

  Sister Lou realized her nephew deliberately repeated Ted’s use of the phrase “narrowed it down.” As usual, Chris was defensive on her behalf, this time with the deputy. She smothered a smile.

  “Who’s on your list, Sister?” Fran lowered her tea.

  “I think we should focus on her partner, Rita Morris, and her administrative assistant, Kelsey Bennett.”

  Shari’s tone was concerned. “Kelsey seems very devoted to Autumn. Do you really think she could’ve done this?”

  “Kelsey couldn’t hurt a fly.” Sister Marianna chuckled. “I also don’t think she’s smart enough to frame me.”

  Ted gave Sister Marianna a dubious look. “It doesn’t take a Ph.D. to plant a scarf at a crime scene.”

  Chris exchanged a look with Sister Lou. In the onyx eyes so like her own, she read his shared concern that they were running out of time before the congregation’s retreat. Neither voiced that fact, though, because justice would take precedence. If the congregation had to attend the retreat with the cloud of suspicion hanging over them, however unwarranted, then so be it.

  “We’re only looking at two people.” Chris pitched his voice above the others to claim their attention. “What can we do to see whether one of them is our killer?”

  Sister Lou held up her left hand. “I have an idea about that.”

  Ted snorted. “Of course you do.”

  Sister Lou ignored him and looked to Fran. “The vendor contracted to do the employee background checks for Autumn said he’d given the file to her at the end of his assignment, but you hadn’t found it during any of your searches.”

  “That’s right.” Fran nodded.

  “I think the killer has it.” Sister Lou felt a rush of satisfaction. Things were coming together.

  “That makes sense.” Sister Marianna gave a nod of approval.

  “I agree.” Chris’s tone expressed his excitement.

  Sister Lou felt it, too. “We need to plant the idea with our suspects that the vendor provided us with a duplicate file. If I’m right and the file is the reason Autumn was killed, the killer will try to take it from us.”

  Fran exchanged a look with Ted before responding to Sister Lou. “That’s a very good idea. We’ll set that up.”

  “Great.” This had gone even more smoothly than she’d hoped. She shared a smile with the deputies. “What can we do to help?”

  “You?” Ted’s bushy brown eyebrows met above the bridge of his blunt nose. He looked from Sister Lou, to Shari, to Chris, then to Sister Marianna before settling his dismissive gaze on Sister Lou. “Nothin’.”

  Shari’s lips parted in surprise. “What d’you mean, nothing? Sister Lou just narrowed the list of suspects for you from thirty to two, and came up with a plan to catch the killer. What’ve you done?”

  “Thanks for your input, but we’ll take it from here.” Fran leaned forward to place her empty porcelain mug on the tea service. The tightness around her lips denoted her strained temper. Sister Lou felt the same way.

  She inhaled a calming breath, drawing in the fragrance of the cinnamon-and-apple potpourri that sat in a bowl on the corner table in the little sitting area. “We’ve been involved up to this point. I’m sure you can understand that we’d want to be included when the killer is finally caught.”

  “Come now, Louise.” Sister Marianna’s tone was ridiculing.
“This isn’t your purview.”

  Sister Lou leveled a look at her associate. The muscles in the back of her neck clenched. “Then why did you ask for my help?”

  Sister Marianna seemed taken aback. An embarrassed flush filled her cheeks. “I—I only meant that your part is done.”

  “It doesn’t feel like it.” Shari’s words were sharp. “It seems like we’re missing something. Like a resolution.”

  Sister Lou sought her nephew’s reaction. He’d remained almost conspicuously quiet throughout the exchange, but she read the concern in his eyes. He didn’t want her involved in capturing the killer, but he wasn’t going to gang up against her as Sister Marianna and the deputies were doing. He silently let her know his thoughts, then he lowered his gaze.

  Sister Lou’s frustration spiked. She didn’t want to worry her nephew, but neither did she want to walk away from this case without seeing it through to its end.

  “Look,” Ted said, “we’ll talk to Morris and Bennett now. Hopefully, get this set up for tonight. If one of ’em takes the bait, we’ll call you once we’ve got one of them in custody.”

  Not good enough. “That hardly seems fair, Deputy Tate. We want to be there when the person is actually taken in. A phone call’s not the same thing.”

  “I’m afraid that’s all you’re getting, Sister.” Fran rose from the love seat.

  Ted joined her. “Yeah, let us do our job. You wouldn’t want us saying Mass for you, would you?”

  “Sisters don’t celebrate the Mass, Deputy, only priests do that,” Sister Lou corrected him.

  “Whatever. We’ll call you. Hopefully, this will all be over tonight.” He turned to escort Fran from the room.

  Sister Lou stood and watched Sister Marianna leave with the deputies.

  “This could be dangerous.” Chris straightened from the sofa and helped Shari to her feet. “I don’t want either of you getting hurt.”

  Sister Lou nodded. “I understand.”

  “Me, too.” Shari picked up the tea service.

  Curious, Sister Lou followed the reporter into her kitchenette. Chris stayed behind. Shari rested the service on the kitchen counter, then turned. Sister Lou recognized the defiance in the younger woman’s expression. She was certain she had a similar look in her eyes.