Sister Eve and the Blue Nun

by Lynne Hinton

  She ignored the joke. “What else did they find in the room? Was there a cell phone? A computer, date book, anything?” She knew that she had not seen a phone anywhere on top of the desk and recalled that she had not seen Kelly’s computer, only the bag that she carried it in. She assumed if those things were missing that whoever had stolen the pages had also stolen anything that might link the murderer to the victim.

  The Captain shook his head. “Not privy to the details,” he answered. “At least not until Daniel takes over. Then I figure we can know anything they do.”

  “That’ll be nice,” Eve responded.

  “Tell me about this blue lady everybody keeps talking about, this conference you planned to attend.”

  Eve sat up. “I tried to tell you before I left. You weren’t so interested then.”

  “Well, let’s just say a murder changes the things that interest me.”

  She smiled, happy to share her knowledge. “Sister Maria de Jesus de Agreda,” she answered. “She was said to have bilocated to several Indian tribes in New Mexico and Texas at the same time that she was in residence at her convent in Spain.”

  “Bilocated?”

  “Two places at once,” she answered, guessing that he had never heard of this spiritual gift. “She was in Agreda, Spain, but the Indians here said she was with them too.”

  “Two places at once,” he repeated. “That sounds like something you’ve been trying to do, be here as a nun and be at home as my partner.”

  She dropped back down on the pillow. Here we go again, she thought, throwing her arm across her face. “No, I do not have the gift of bilocation,” she answered him. “But I do think Sister Maria should be beatified and made into a full saint,” she added. “They said her writings were not in full compliance or were not considered profoundly biblical, so they stopped the process of making her a saint until they could find better evidence to argue against this decision.”

  “You think these writings the victim had would support the process or halt it altogether?”

  Eve didn’t answer right away. It was, after all, a very good question. Before she could give a reply, however, there was another knock at her door. She sat up suddenly, wishing that she had taken a shower and changed clothes because this day was certainly getting started.

  SIXTEEN

  Eve watched as Daisy darted under the bed, and then she got up from her place to answer the knock. Assuming it would be Daniel, her father’s former partner, she was talking as she pulled the door open. “I hope you brought breakfast.” She finished the sentence right as she stood face-to-face with the person on the other side.

  There was a slight hesitation before he replied, “No, I apologize for that. No breakfast.”

  It was not Daniel.

  “Oh, I … I was expecting … I thought you were somebody else,” she said, managing finally to get the words out, her face flushing.

  “Somebody with your morning meal, perhaps? Apparently a nun’s life isn’t as ascetic as I had heard.”

  Eve stood at the door for a few moments without a response until her father broke the awkward silence by clearing his throat.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, please come in.” And she stood away from the door, giving her visitor room to walk in.

  He remained where he was but turned from Eve and glanced over at the Captain, who was still sitting at the desk. “I’m Detective Earl Lujan,” he said with a smile. Unlike Eve, he had apparently changed clothes from the night before. He was freshly shaven, wearing a clean and pressed shirt, a different tie, and a sport coat, clearly ready for a new day.

  Eve glanced down at her clothes, wishing she had at least changed her shirt or even brushed her teeth. She tried not to get too close.

  Her father nodded. “Jackson Divine,” he responded. “You’re Bootsey’s partner,” he added, recognizing the visitor’s name.

  “Yes, I have been recently assigned with Detective Bootskievely. He’s spoken of you, Captain.”

  “He’s a good man,” Jackson noted. “Easygoing, smart, doesn’t have a lot of hang-ups; but whatever you do, don’t let him pick the restaurant when you’re out. He can find places with the hottest chile I’ve ever eaten.”

  The man at the door laughed. “Wish I had gotten that advice sooner. I’ve already had my tongue and tonsils on fire twice, and we haven’t been partnered a month. And what’s worse is that before I came to work at the Santa Fe department, I thought I could eat anything. I love spicy food, and I’ve always had an iron gut when it comes to chile.”

  Jackson shook his head. “He take you to that Vietnamese place next to the engine emissions garage? Tell you they had the best noodle soup in New Mexico?”

  “Pho sate,” he replied. “And yes, that would be incident number one,” he added, shaking his head.

  “The second happen at a Mexican food truck at the rodeo grounds?”

  “You know him well,” Lujan responded. “He recommended the red sauce on my breakfast burrito.”

  Jackson threw back his head and laughed. “He pulls that crap on every rookie on the force. I can’t believe he’s still doing that.”

  Eve was still at the door, holding the handle and extending her arm, inviting him in.

  There was another awkward pause in the room.

  “I don’t think he’s coming in,” Jackson said to his daughter.

  She didn’t respond.

  “What I’m saying is that you can put your arm down unless that’s some kind of special religious greeting you don’t give to family members.”

  Eve’s face darkened another shade of crimson and she dropped her arm. Daisy stuck her head out from under the bed, taking a peek around.

  “Sister, I am truly sorry to stop by so early,” the detective said softly, turning his attention back to Eve. “But it turns out that I’m going to need the letter.” He waited a beat before continuing. “As I suspected, I’m afraid it’s become important to the case.”

  Eve nodded and walked over to the desk. Her father handed her the letter.

  “The victim’s brother a suspect?” Captain Jackson asked.

  Eve watched the visitor at the door as she handed him Anthony’s letter written to Father Oliver.

  “We haven’t gotten that far,” Detective Lujan replied. “But this could be related to the death, and we just aren’t at a place where we can rule anything out.” He took the letter, still folded, and placed it in the inside pocket of his jacket. “You haven’t seen the victim’s brother this morning, have you?”

  Eve shook her head. “No,” she answered.

  “Because of course it would be really helpful to us if we could ask him a few questions. Maybe he has an idea of his sister’s mindset during the last couple of days, or maybe he knows if she had any enemies. He might even know of some of her connections in Austin or around here that we could also talk to.”

  Eve shook her head again. “I don’t know where he’s gone.”

  The detective nodded as if he believed her.

  “What about the other professor?” Eve asked. “The one who showed up in Kelly’s room after you and your partner arrived.”

  A slight smile emerged on the police officer’s face. “Detective Hively mentioned earlier today that you were pretty good at picking up on clues and details. In fact, he told me that you did some significant detective work with your dad last year.” He glanced back in Jackson’s direction and then again at Eve.

  She shrugged. “I just heard that a man came into the victim’s room and seemed to be very emotional, apparently having just driven up to the monastery.”

  Detective Lujan nodded, not giving anything away. He reached for his wallet and took out a business card. “I should have given you one of these last night,” he said, handing the card to Eve and not taking her bait. “If you
hear from Anthony, maybe you can give me a call just to let me know he’s okay.”

  Eve held the card in her hands, reading his contact information.

  “Well, aren’t you the cutest thing?”

  “I’m sorry, what?” she asked, the surprise evident in the tone of her voice. She glanced up.

  “It’s the cat,” Captain Divine said, eyeing his daughter closely.

  Eve looked at Detective Lujan, who had squatted down and was calling Daisy out from under the bed. She watched as her pet slowly moved past her and over to the outstretched arms of the man at the door. He picked her up and held her in his arms, looking very much at home with Daisy in his embrace.

  Eve couldn’t believe her mistake. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “I’m a cat person too,” he announced, apparently not recognizing her blunder. “Well, really, I’m a sucker for any animal.”

  “Sounds as if you two have a lot in common,” Jackson noted, still watching his daughter.

  Eve shot her father a look. He held up both hands in protest.

  “You like animals?” Detective Lujan asked.

  She nodded.

  “She tried to make the Catholics build a shelter out here for all of the strays she brought in.” The Captain leaned back against his chair. “That’s just one of the reasons she got in trouble.”

  Eve suddenly wanted the conversation to be over. “Thank you for stopping by, Detective Lujan,” she said, reaching out to take Daisy from his arms. “I will definitely let you know if I hear from Brother Anthony. And now, I really have to go because I’m late for chapel.”

  The police officer handed her the cat. “Lauds,” he noted. “And I’m afraid you missed that,” he added, brushing the hair from his coat.

  Eve turned so that she could see the clock on the desk. What time is it? she wondered. And how much of this day have I slept through?

  “They’re serving breakfast now,” Detective Lujan responded. “It’s after eight. Oh, and I heard a little about the other nuns being sent away. I’m sorry about that.”

  Eve dropped her eyes.

  “I guess you’re the last to leave.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Well, anyway, I’m sure we’ll see each other again, Sister, if you stay, that is.”

  There was a pause and Eve still made no reply.

  “I’ll be around,” he said, backing away from the door. “So nice to meet you, Captain Divine.”

  And she was just about to correct what she thought would be the common mispronunciation of her family’s last name when she suddenly realized he had said it perfectly. She stood at the door, watching as he turned and headed down the hall.

  “You already in trouble?” came the question from behind her.

  SEVENTEEN

  “What is it with all of you?” Eve spun around and asked Daniel. He had apparently entered the building from the other end of the hallway. “Can’t a person have time to get ready before folks just start showing up at her door in the morning?”

  He stopped before getting all the way to where she stood. “Hey, is that what you call the ministry of hospitality around here?” He grinned. “Because if it is, Father Benedict may be rolling over in his grave.”

  She put Daisy down and held out her arms. Detective Hively came over and gave her a big hug. “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he said. “Hello, Little Sister.”

  Eve released her father’s former partner. “Where have you been?” she asked, still somewhat shaken from her last visitor. She dropped her arms and turned back to the door to her room, managing to get a good look down the hall where Detective Lujan had just headed. She walked in when she could see that he was already gone. Daisy was sitting on the bed.

  “It’s only eight o’clock,” Daniel answered, following her into the room. He saw Jackson and gave a quick salute. “Partner,” he said, greeting him.

  “What have you found out?” Eve’s father wanted to know.

  Daniel gave a disapproving look first at the Captain and then back at Eve. “Is this the way you greet people here? No ‘How you doing, friend?’ Or ‘Come in and have a seat, Daniel’?”

  “Come in and have a seat, Daniel,” Eve and Jackson said at the same time, and then they couldn’t help themselves and both let out a laugh.

  “That’s more like it.” Daniel sat on the edge of the desk, angling himself so that he could face father and daughter.

  “What time did you get here and what did Lujan want?” he asked.

  “I think the sister here might just have a crush on the new policeman,” Jackson said.

  “What?” She shook her head. “I do not.” She rolled her eyes and gave her attention to the detective sitting by her. “Did you drive the Beemer?” She had been with him when he picked out his new car, and she was curious to see if he was driving it today.

  “Don’t change the subject. And no, I am not driving the Beemer. It’s not shipped yet. And I don’t plan to drive it when I’m working. It’s for the weekends.” He winked. “What did the detective want?” he asked again.

  “I had a letter from Brother Anthony,” she answered.

  “The victim’s brother who’s also a brother,” Daniel retorted.

  Eve nodded and sat back down on the bed next to her cat.

  “What did it say?” he asked.

  “That he was sorry for the evil he had done and that he had to leave to make things right,” Jackson replied.

  “I’m not a lawyer, but that doesn’t sound very good” came the response.

  “He’s upset,” Eve explained, wanting to set him straight. “He’s upset because his sister is dead and he thinks that because he gave her some writings he brought this danger to her.”

  “Well, it appears as if he’s right about that,” Daniel noted. “Do I want to know how it happened that you got the letter?”

  “He left it in Father Oliver’s room. I went to find him and found the letter instead,” she replied.

  “And this was after you were at the crime scene, dropping teacups and damaging the evidence?” the detective asked.

  Eve looked over at her father. “Did you tell him everything?”

  He shrugged. “It’s my experience that the whole truth is best.”

  She fell back against the pillow and crossed her arms over her chest. Daisy hopped down, getting out of the way.

  “Anthony came to the chapel, told me how he had found Kelly dead and about these writings he had discovered. I told him to wait there, but he went to Father Oliver’s room to make a confession after I left. Later I ran into the vice superior in the guest room.”

  “Where the dead woman was,” Daniel added.

  “Where Kelly was, yes,” she replied.

  He appeared to be waiting for the rest of the story.

  “Father Oliver sent me to find Anthony when we heard the police arrive.” She sat up. “Which reminds me, who called the police in the first place?” This had bothered her before, and she had not yet received an answer.

  Daniel shrugged. “Dispatch notes say it was an unidentified caller, male; that’s all we know.”

  Eve shook her head slowly. “See, that’s so fishy to me,” she noted. “Who else knew about Kelly other than Father Oliver and Anthony and myself? It had to be the killer. He had to have been watching and known we might mess up the way he left things.”

  “And how had he left things?” Daniel wanted to know.

  “In a way that made Anthony appear like the guilty party.”

  “And just how was that?”

  Eve did not want to elaborate, afraid she would make mention of Anthony taking his sister tea, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell even her friend that slight bit of incriminating evidence.

&nbs
p; “The caller could have been the brother.” Daniel didn’t push her. “You said that only you and the abbot were in the room. Anthony could have called and then got nervous and ran before our guys arrived.”

  “No,” Eve answered. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Well, Sister, it doesn’t have to make sense. You said he was distraught, that he blamed himself. Maybe he thought turning things over to the authorities was the right thing to do.” He leaned in her direction. “Which it is, and you know that, right? Calling the police is the right thing to do when you have a dead person on the floor.” He sat back up.

  “Yes, I realize that,” she answered him, sitting up as well and stuffing the pillow behind her back. “What else do you know?”

  “The fingerprints haven’t been processed yet, but they found a few sets of prints on the teapot and the desk.” He waited to see if Eve would respond.

  She did not.

  “We’re still waiting for the tox screen, but it does appear she died from cyanide poisoning. And no evidence supports that this was suicide.”

  Eve was hoping there was more, since this was information she already had.

  “The professor who showed up later?” she asked.

  “Dr. Peter Pierce, associate, perhaps friend, of the victim. He claims he flew in late last night to hear the speech scheduled for today by Dr. Middlesworth. He reported that she had called him at the last minute to come because she said that she had new material about her topic. He did not say that he knew what the material was, just that she had asked him to come.”

  “And you believe him?” Eve watched her friend closely.

  “I didn’t hear him,” Daniel answered. “This is just secondhand.”

  She nodded. “Well, he would be my first suspect,” she said.

  Daniel shrugged. “Boots said he was pretty upset when he came in the room.”

  “That can be a show, Dan,” Jackson offered, joining the conversation.

  “Yes, it could be,” he replied. “But at this point, we have no motive for him.”

  “Well, I hope you’re going to dig a little deeper,” Eve noted.