The Prodigal Nun Read Online Free Page B

for Louis,” she said, then quickly added, “How do you know Louis isn’t home?”
    “I’m Betty Malone,” she said, introducing herself.
    “Louis usually leaves right after Jane goes to church. I haven’t seen him pass by, so I don’t think he’s back yet.”
    Sister Agatha looked out the living room window, praying that Betty was right. If Louis was at home, there was a chance he’d been hurt, even killed. She brushed the possibility out of her mind, finding it too horrible to contemplate. “Do you happen to know where Louis goes while Jane’s at Mass?”
    “Not really, Sister Agatha.”
    Before she could ask anything else, Sister Agatha saw Tom come around the corner, walking toward the house. He looked up, saw her, and shook his head.
    “They have just the one car,” Betty continued, unaware of the sheriff’s return. “After Jane leaves, Louis goes out on foot. He comes back an hour or two later, which is usually long before Jane gets back. She likes to run errands by herself on Sunday.”
    Betty joined Sister Agatha at the window and pointed farther down the street. “There’s Louis now. Right on time. And that must be the sheriff over there by the house,” she said, looking in the opposite direction. “Guess he didn’t catch the burglar. That’s too bad.”
    Sister Agatha looked at Louis, recognizing the overweight, middle-aged man with the slicked-back hair. He was obviously not the man who’d fled the Sanchez home. The burglar had been taller and less…robust.
    Catching Tom’s attention, she signaled to him and pointed. Tom caught on quickly and walked to meet Louis, who’d stopped to stare at Tom’s unmarked department vehicle.
    “Do you suppose that Jane talked Louis into taking those walks so he’d exercise?” she asked, heading to the door.
    Betty followed. “I really can’t say. It’s been a long time since Jane and I had time for anything more than a quick hello. She’s always rushing to her job during the week. On weekends, she’s got her hands full catching up on all the things she didn’t have time to do during the workweek. Louis usually has the car and drives her to work, so she’s stuck until he picks her up in the afternoons. I think that’s why she enjoys her Sunday errands so much.”
    “Thanks for letting me use your phone, Betty,” Sister Agatha said, walking out onto the porch.
    “Sister, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but it seems a little odd, you and Sheriff Green showing up out of the blue,” she said, waving at Tom. “How did you know that a man had broken into the Sanchez home?”
    Sister Agatha hesitated. Though Louis was bound to need the support of friends and neighbors, there was probably a connection between the break-in and Jane’s death. Not wanting to give too much away, she measured her words carefully.
    “The burglary attempt might have been unrelated to our business with him,” she finally answered. “We actually came to give him some very bad news. That’s all I can tell you, but I’m sure he’ll appreciate your visit later.”
    Betty nodded, understanding reflected in her eyes. “I hear you.”
    Sister Agatha hurried to join Tom. After telling Louis about the intruder, Sister Agatha gave Tom the few details she remembered about the man. Soon they went inside. After SheriffGreen cautioned Louis not to touch anything, he and Sister Agatha followed Louis as he searched for anything that might be missing, but he didn’t notice anything.
    Louis led them into the kitchen, since it clearly hadn’t been disturbed by the burglar, and joined them at the table. The first thing that struck Sister Agatha was the host of handwritten memos in bright pink that were stuck on the refrigerator. Through the doorway, she could also see dozens more on a cork bulletin board above the desk in the living room.
    Louis stood and began to pace nervously. He was wearing neatly polished brown loafers, tan slacks, and a Hawaiian print shirt with a