Closely Akin to Murder by Joan Hess

Author:Joan Hess [Hess, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths
ISBN: 9781429958158
Google: blZ7hMyZDFEC
Amazon: 0312384637
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 2009-09-28T23:00:00+00:00

A candid response would have been that I most assuredly did not want to speak to her, but it would not have been constructive. I swallowed and said, "I'm trying to find out about a convent school run by an order called the Sisters of the Holy Shrine."

"Holy Shrine of what?"

closely akin to murder 139

"I don't know. A daughter of an acquaintance attended classes there thirty years ago, and I'm hoping I can locate them through school records. All I know is that it was in the Southwest and was very strict."

Sister Mary Clarissa gave me a pitying look. "All convent schools were very strict thirty years ago. We here at St. Martin's have come to tolerate some progressive theories, but we fill our classrooms because we offer a well-structured program in a disciplined environment."

"I apologize for taking up your time," I said, edging toward the door.

"I didn't say I couldn't help you. I seem to think Sister Thomasina attended a retreat at a convent with a similar name. When she returned, she bored us to tears with descriptions of cacti. Wait here while I try to catch her before she leaves for her tennis lesson."

Sister Mary Clarissa charged out of the room like a gray and white tornado. I could not have moved my feet if a fire alarm had gone off. I'm sorry to say this paralysis was caused more by Sister Mary Clarissa's command than the possibility I might actually have a new lead. It occurred to me that if I ended up in possession of the address of the convent school, there were apt to be a goodly number of nuns in my future.

I was examining a poster concerning the life cycle of sponges when Sister Mary Clarissa returned.

"Although Sister Thomasina's mind is as mushy as a bowl of oatmeal, she remembered the retreat. It was run by the Sisters of the Holy Shrine of San Jacinto at their convent outside of Phoenix. I'd be surprised if the school were still in operation. It used to be popular to pack off one's daughters to the vigi-

140 joan hess

lant guidance of the sisters, but these days girls are allowed to do as they wish." She leaned forward, staring at me. "Are you the mother of a teenaged girl?"

I cravenly shook my head, thanked her for the information, and hurried to my car before my knees dissolved. Only then did I realize that my quest had been successful, that I knew the name and location of Fran's school. It was challenging to drive and pat myself on the back at the same time, but I managed.

Caron had left a note stating that she was walking to Inez's house since someone had driven away in the only vehicle without so much as advising other parties who might be in need of transportation. These other parties, the note continued, had not acclimatized themselves to the brutal local weather conditions and might come down with frostbite, hypothermia—or worse.

I dropped the note on the kitchen table, made a drink, and called Ronnie.

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