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Peril & Prayer

Page 21

by Olivia Matthews


  “I’m flattered.” Montgomery glanced at Sister Lou. “Anything else?”

  Sister Lou relaxed, grateful for their host’s indulgence. “In your opinion, how were things between Rita and Autumn?”

  “Tense.” Montgomery shifted his broad shoulders. “It was more than just their disagreement over whether to sell, but I don’t know what.”

  “You have your suspicions, though.” Sister Lou could tell by the look in his eyes.

  Montgomery sighed. “About three weeks ago, Autumn asked me for advice. She was worried about her business. She was growing clients, growing events, but not making any real money. She thought someone was stealing from her.”

  Shari pounced. “Who?”

  Montgomery leaned into his desk. “Either Rita or one of her employees. That’s when she told me she hadn’t done background checks on anyone she’d hired, not even the guy balancing her books. I advised her to do the checks, even retroactively.”

  Sister Lou frowned. “Did you tell the sheriff’s deputies about Autumn’s suspicions?”

  Montgomery shook his head. “I don’t know if she found anything.”

  “Did you recommend a background screening service?” Sister Lou’s mind was racing with ways to follow up on this potential lead.

  “Yes.” Montgomery pulled a manila file folder from his desk drawer and handed it to Sister Lou. “Here’s the list of Autumn’s employees and the name of a company that does a full screening: drugs, criminal records, finances, everything.”

  “That’s intrusive.” Shari voiced her disapproval.

  Montgomery arched an eyebrow. “This is business. I don’t take unnecessary risks when my money’s involved.”

  Sister Lou opened the folder. “How did you get this list?”

  Montgomery looked troubled. “Autumn asked me to make the initial contact with the company. She thought someone was hacking her computer. She didn’t want to tip anyone off before she contracted with the company.”

  Sister Lou rose. She held the folder securely in her right hand. “Thank you for your time and for this information.”

  Shari stood with her. “You’ve been very helpful.”

  Montgomery returned their coats. “I liked Autumn. She was tough and genuine. I hope her killer is found. Quickly.”

  Sister Lou shook his hand. “So do we.”

  The key to solving the case might be in her hands. Literally. Sister Lou tightened her grip on the folder.

  * * *

  “Do you think the company Montgomery Crane recommended to Autumn could lead us to the killer?” Chris sounded cautiously optimistic.

  Sister Lou shared her nephew’s hope for good news. “It’s possible.”

  They sat together in the College of St. Hermione of Ephesus’s President’s Dining Room Monday afternoon, two weeks after Autumn’s murder.

  They were waiting to host two of the institution’s most prominent donors for lunch, Roy and Isabella Fortney, Autumn Tassler’s ex-husband and his new wife.

  The room was designed for entertaining prominent donors and other important guests. Its blond wood paneling was elegant and bright, making the room seem spacious and welcoming. The mahogany rectangular dining table was a smidge long for four people. Their solution had been to arrange the place settings together toward the head of the table, making conversation much cozier. Sister Lou settled more comfortably on the soft blue cloth and mahogany wood dining chair. The room was a little chilly.

  Chris checked his watch. Their guests were running a bit behind. “Thanks again for making time for this lunch, Aunt Lou. It’s important to have a member of the congregation’s leadership team here.

  “I agree. We need to present a united front.”

  Just as Sister Lou spoke, Sister Valerie’s administrative assistant led the Fortneys into the dining room. Sister Lou smoothed her beige dress as she rose with Chris to greet them.

  “Thank you both for coming.” Chris stepped forward to offer Roy Fortney his hand. Her nephew looked very polished in his slate gray, pinstripe suit.

  Roy shook first Chris’s hand, then Sister Lou’s. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. Isabella wasn’t well this morning.”

  “Morning sickness.” Isabella gave her husband a pointed look as she accepted Sister Lou’s hand. Her British accent had lengthened her vowels. Sister Lou smiled. Shari had told her Isabella had been born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  “Congratulations on this blessing. When are you due?” Sister Lou noticed Isabella’s hand lay limp in her own. Is that the lingering effects of her morning sickness?

  “Thank you. He’s due in June.” Isabella withdrew her hand from Sister Lou’s. She turned her back to Roy, allowing him to remove her fur coat. Was it mink? The shimmery silver sweater dress beneath outlined her still-slender figure.

  Sister Lou glanced toward Isabella’s stomach. She was only two months along. “Do you already know the baby’s gender?”

  “I haven’t been tested, but I know it’s a boy.” Isabella crossed to the table and waited for Roy to pull out her chair.

  Sister Lou smiled at Chris as he held her seat for her.

  The door to the kitchen opened as Chris and Roy settled onto their chairs. The aroma of savory meats and seasoned vegetables floated into the dining area. The student workers had arrived to serve the first course, their garden salads.

  Sister Lou recognized the young man and young woman assigned to the event. She exchanged warm greetings with them before they hurried back to the kitchen. Their luncheon conversation was casual, ranging from Isabella’s pregnancy, sports, Isabella’s pregnancy, next year’s election, and back to Isabella’s pregnancy.

  As they came to the end of their main course of pecan sesame chicken and spinach, Chris broached the reason he’d asked the Fortneys to lunch. “I understand you’re concerned the college’s reputation will be hurt by the congregation’s connection to the two recent murder investigations.”

  “I’m not.” Roy jerked his head toward his wife. The accountant wore a brick red turtleneck sweater and smoke gray slacks. “Bella is.”

  Isabella’s lips tightened with disapproval. “You should be concerned as well.” Her appropriated British accent whispered on her words. She turned to appeal to Sister Lou. “You can understand why we don’t want to be associated with an organization that’s connected to such crimes. I mean, it’s murder. Murder is a sin.”

  Sister Lou imagined Isabella mentally patting herself on the back for making that point. She glanced toward Roy. Murder wasn’t the only thou-shalt-not among the Ten Commandments, but she’d leave that judgment to God.

  Beside her, Chris tensed, but his voice remained level. “The sisters haven’t committed murder.”

  “You can’t prove that.” Isabella flipped strands of her long, light brown hair behind her shoulders. “Under the circumstances, Roy and I agree that we can’t associate with the college as long as the college associates with the sisters.”

  “We didn’t agree to that. You did.” Roy kept his attention on his meal, ignoring Isabella’s glare.

  “The congregation founded the college.” Chris frowned. “We’re not going to sever ties with it.”

  Isabella shrugged. “Then we will not support you.”

  “That’s your right, of course.” Sister Lou leaned against her chair. The soft blue cushion over the wood backing provided firm but comfortable support. “We’d never ask you to compromise your principles.”

  Isabella’s smile was knowing. “I’d think you’d be more deferential, considering this whole luncheon is meant to convince us to keep giving you money.”

  “You misunderstand our mission.” Sister Lou’s lips twitched with genuine humor. “We practice Christ’s teachings. He prayed with the rich and poor, the diseased and healthy, those welcomed in society and those who were reviled. Even as the Pharisees and scribes persecuted him, he never bowed to them. If you support our ministries, we would welcome your donations. But we’l
l never compromise our mission.”

  Isabella’s face flushed red. Her accent slipped. “I support Christ’s teachings.”

  “I’m glad.” Sister Lou sliced into the succulent chicken.

  Isabella looked to her husband, who continued with his meal, before turning back to Sister Lou. “With a baby on the way, I was concerned about Roy’s donations to the church and the college. He was already paying a huge alimony to his bloodsucking ex-wife. But now that she’s dead, we don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

  Isabella’s callous comment left Sister Lou speechless on several levels.

  Roy rushed into the sudden silence. His smile seemed strained. “What Bella means is that she’s aware of my commitment to the congregation and the college, and that commitment has nothing to do with this great meal. Thanks. We’d better get going, though. There’s a lot to do to prepare for the baby.”

  Sister Lou observed the couple’s hurried movements. What’s the rush? Is Roy afraid his young wife will make another incriminating statement?

  Chris helped Sister Lou from her chair as Roy assisted Isabella. They congratulated the expectant couple again as they strode with them to the building’s exit. Roy set a brisk pace.

  Sister Lou turned to Chris. “Isabella’s comment about Autumn makes me think that not every suspect is on that employee background checklist.”

  Chris helped her with her coat. “We’ll need to add Isabella’s name.”

  Sister Lou’s brow furrowed. “And how many others?”

  Chapter 26

  “Have you identified the murderer yet?” Sister Marianna’s clipped tone betrayed her impatience, but Sister Lou recognized her associate’s underlying unease.

  Sister Marianna had joined Sister Lou, Shari, and Chris in Sister Lou’s apartment in the motherhouse after dinner Monday evening. They were discussing the status of their investigation into Autumn Tassler’s murder. Sister Lou had invited Sister Marianna because she’d taken on the project primarily to clear the other woman’s name. She’d also invited her because Sister Marianna had insisted on attending their meetings since Sister Lou had barred her from their case interviews.

  Sister Marianna sat on the opposite end of the sofa from Chris, across from the matching love seat that Shari had claimed. Sister Marianna’s posture was even more rigid than usual as she sat on the comfortably overstuffed furniture. Her thin knuckles showed white as she gripped her mug of hot chai tea.

  The room was fragrant with the aroma of the tea Sister Lou had served and the cinnamon-and-apple potpourri she kept fresh on a corner table.

  She settled back on her overstuffed armchair. The jewel-toned throw pillow at her back helped prop her up. “We haven’t narrowed down the suspects yet.”

  “But we have a list of employees Autumn was running background checks on. It could give us a motive.” Shari seemed to have acquired a taste for the chai tea. Perhaps the three packets of sugar substitute helped.

  The reporter usually slipped off her shoes and curled up on the love seat, but not tonight. Instead, she sat primly on one of the cushions. Her silver stilettos were still on her feet. Was her more professional comportment a reaction to Sister Marianna’s presence?

  Sister Lou bit back a smile. Marianna has that effect on people.

  “Autumn Tassler was running a resort. That employee list must be huge.” Sister Marianna sounded horrified. Her snow-white hair was a sharp contrast against the bold abstract pattern of the afghan folded across the back of the sofa.

  “It’s not as lengthy as you’d think.” Sister Lou studied the scarlet and gold area rug beneath the honey wood coffee table. “Autumn contracted with outside vendors for most of the services: security, housekeeping, landscaping, marketing, and human resources. The only departments she had on-site were accounting, catering, and administration, and those were very small staffs.”

  “How do you know that?” Sister Marianna looked dubious.

  “She told me.” Sister Lou sipped her tea. “The deputies can get the results of the background information.”

  “We can’t give the list to the deputies.” Shari’s cocoa eyes widened with dismay. “We’ll never see it again.”

  Chris loosened his sapphire tie. The jacket of his slate gray suit hung in the closet. “The employees’ background checks are confidential. We aren’t in a position to get that information.”

  “I can try.” Shari turned to Chris. “I’ve used the Internet to find information on our suspects before.”

  “I agree with Shari.” Sister Marianna’s declaration was surprising, considering her resentment of the reporter. “The deputies won’t share with us what they learn about the resort employees’ backgrounds.”

  Sister Lou raised her hand to get everyone’s attention. Surprisingly, it worked. “We’ll share the information with the deputies. We can make a copy of the list. But we have to keep in mind that it doesn’t include all of our potential suspects.”

  Sister Marianna’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

  Shari spoke at the same time. “What do you mean?”

  Sister Lou contemplated the paintings that hung on the warm yellow wall across the room. The religious scenes and landscape images always helped clear her mind. “Someone wants to make us think that Autumn’s murder was a crime of passion, but I believe that person had been planning to kill her for at least two weeks.”

  “Honestly, Louise, how could you possibly know that?” Sister Marianna waved her hands with impatience.

  Shari’s expression brightened with realization. “Because January Potts received the anonymous letter accusing her husband of having an affair with Autumn, about two and a half weeks before Autumn was killed.”

  “That’s right.” Sister Lou gave her an approving smile. “But Sherrod Potts and Autumn weren’t having an affair.”

  Sister Marianna scoffed. “So he says.”

  Sister Lou leaned forward to refill her mug. Steam from the chai tea wafted toward her face. “Rita confirmed that Autumn didn’t have a social life, but someone wanted to give January a motive for murder.”

  “They also wanted Sister Marianna to have a motive,” Chris added.

  Shari cradled her mug between her hands. “The fact that Rita wanted to get out of the resort business and Autumn turned down a very lucrative offer gives Rita a motive.”

  Chris drained his tea. “That’s not a manufactured motive, though. That one’s real.”

  Sister Lou considered her mug of tea. “So is Isabella Fortney’s motive, which is Autumn’s alimony checks. Isabella’s pregnancy adds an urgency to their situation.”

  “Isabella told us she wanted Roy to stop paying alimony.” Chris frowned as though remembering their earlier meeting. “She wants to save money for their baby.”

  Sister Marianna held her mug while Sister Lou refilled it with tea. “We’ve just discussed four people who are much more viable suspects than I am, January and Sherrod Potts, Rita Morris and Isabella Fortney. Why aren’t the deputies harassing them instead of me?”

  “Who knows?” Shari crossed her right leg over her left, swinging it back and forth. “We told them January lied about her alibi. They didn’t even look into it.”

  Sister Lou exchanged a look with Shari. “I believe they’re still holding a grudge against Shari and me. It’s time that we made amends.”

  * * *

  “Are we going to train for the marathon?”

  Sister Carmen’s question brought a smile to Sister Lou as she jogged beside her friend early Tuesday morning. “I haven’t ruled it out.”

  Sister Carmen was persistent—in a good way. Sister Lou wished she had even a tablespoon of the other woman’s enthusiastic can-do attitude. Instead, she often was pursued by demons of doubt.

  In the predawn hours, Sister Carmen’s citrus orange Windbreaker and phosphorus green running pants glowed. Sister Lou’s teal blue Windbreaker and black exercise pants made her look like a shadow beside her jogging partner.


  “Good.” Sister Carmen’s raven curls bounced with excitement. “We can register today, then get serious with our training early in the New Year.”

  In less than twenty seconds, she’d gone from not ruling it out to submitting her registration and mapping a training schedule. Great! On to the next challenge.

  “Then I guess I’m all in.” Sister Lou filled her lungs with the crisp morning air and the scents of earth and autumn leaves.

  Sister Carmen’s coffee brown eyes sparkled in the light from the mission-style wrought-iron lampposts. The lamps lined their improvised jogging path from the congregation offices and motherhouse to the College of St. Hermione of Ephesus. To extend their training miles for the marathon, they’d need to take the pedestrian trail all the way into the town’s center. It was a daunting plan, but it brought her friend such joy.

  “Great.” Sister Carmen returned her attention to their course and the parking lot that separated the congregation from the college. There was an extra spring in her step. “This could become our annual event.”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Carm.” Sister Lou wondered where the calico cat was this morning. She was disappointed that the cat wasn’t there to greet them.

  Sister Carmen broke their brief silence. “Are there still donors who want the college and congregation to separate?”

  Sister Lou wanted to be as encouraging as possible for her friend in the face of such a depressing situation. “The unity that our leadership and the college’s leadership have shown has reassured those who can be reassured. The one or two who still have concerns understand that our institutions will forever be connected.”

  “Their request was outrageous.” Sister Carmen’s words were rough with anger.

  “I completely agree.”

  They jogged together in silence for many minutes. Sister Lou allowed her physical exertion to exercise her temper. Sister Carmen undoubtedly was doing the same. Her ire stirred each time she thought of the donors who expected the college to separate from its founding congregation. What were they thinking?

  Sister Lou shortened her stride and leaned into the incline that brought them to the students’ residence halls.

 

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