In a Far-Off Land by Stephanie Landsem

Author:Stephanie Landsem [Landsem, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / Historical, FICTION / Historical / General
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2021-05-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

OSCAR

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” Oscar knelt in the confessional. Muted light shone through the metal screen, revealing the outline of Padre Ramirez. “It has been a week since my last confession.” Roy Lester had been dead for four days, and Oscar felt like he’d lived half a lifetime since.

He’d spent the previous morning driving the city, looking for Max while Minerva Sinclaire sat in his house, endangering his family. Max was nowhere to be found. He finally gave up, cursing his cousin. The afternoon he spent in the sociedades, gathering his courage to call Brody. He had nothing to report except what Lupita had told him about the drink, and he wasn’t going to throw Lupita to the dogs like that. Finally, he made the call.

“I haven’t got much to tell you,” he admitted when Brody answered.

“Meet me at the diner tomorrow at noon” was all Brody said before the line went dead.

He hung up the telephone, his gut twisting with worry. He needed something—anything—to tell the detective that didn’t put his own people at risk.

Then, when Oscar got home for dinner, he found Mamá was like a volcano ready to blow. Did she think he wanted to bring this americana into their home? For all the love in heaven, he had no choice. What was he to do, throw her out in the dark? He spent the evening seething while Angel took care of the girl like a stray kitten and Roman watched her like a hungry coyote. Was it any wonder he hadn’t been able to sleep when the rest of the family went to bed?

Now, sun spilled through the stained-glass windows of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels. The statues glowed in buttery yellow, pink, and blue. The altar, draped in white lace, gleamed with gold paint and brass candlesticks. Oscar’s head ached as much as his knees. He had an unwanted woman upstairs in his house, an irate mother, and only a few hours before he had to meet Brody at the Hard Times. A few hours to decide what to tell him about Max and the drink, and what not to tell about harboring the prime suspect. But first, he had to confess the sin he’d committed last night, after everyone else was asleep in their beds.

The priest coughed gently. “Go on, Oscar.”

Oscar swallowed. What was the point of the screen if the priest knew who you were every time? Before he confessed, he had a question. “Padre, isn’t our God a God of justice?”

“Why do you ask, Oscar?”

“I see people who do wrong get rich and good people starve. How can God allow it? It is not justice. It is unfair.”

“Is this about Max?”

Every week for three years, Padre Ramirez had asked him to forgive Max. Every week he failed.

“You have much that Max does not,” Padre went on gently.

“Like what?” His voice rose in disbelief, but he didn’t worry. Francesca and Mamá had confessed before him, and now they prayed the rosary together with the other old women.

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