The Fall(69)

“Yes, there is one in the living room. And yes it has internet.” She smiled anticipating my next question.

“His mother lived here, didn’t she?”

“Is that what he told you?” she answered cautiously, so rehearsed if not for the sadness in her eyes I would have assumed she didn’t know what I was talking about.

I’d seen that look before, usually when answering the call of a domestic dispute and the woman refused to acknowledge there had been an altercation. The busted lip and blackened eyes explained away by a clumsy accident on their part while they insisted their husband loved them and would never raise a hand to them.

“Yes, he told me about her. That she lived here until she died giving birth to him.” I watched as Sister Catherine’s body swayed, her feet shifted softly to keep her upright. “He also told me she was buried outside.”

She sighed, her chest expanding with a heavy breath as she walked to the small window. “This was her room. No one has been in here since she left us.”

No matter how many years had passed, I could tell it was something that still weighed heavily on her. She continued to look outside, her face slowly falling into her hands as she took another deep breath.

“You don’t have to talk about it.” I hurried off the bed feeling like an *. She wasn’t the enemy and I had no right to question her. “I just tend to talk a lot when I get edgy. I’m a police officer and investigating is something that is a hard habit to break. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“It’s been a long time.” She swallowed, her hand rising up to her throat. “A very long time since I’ve spoken about her. But I think about her everyday.”

“Were you close?” I gently touched her arm joining her at the window.

“Everyone loved her,” her eyes filled with tears. “She was filled with such light, always put the needs of others before her own. Her heart was so pure . . .” She trailed off wiping away a fallen tear. “Anyway, you’re here now and I know she would have wanted you to have her room. She said she’d always felt safe here and I hope you’ll feel the same.”

There was a lump in my throat, it shifted uncomfortably as I swallowed, not anticipating feeling so emotional being in the room I knew Michael’s mother had lived.

“Well, if you need anything my room is the one right next door.” She stepped away from the window and padded slowly toward the door. “Our next meal is at twelve if you would like to join us, or if it would make you more comfortable I could bring a tray to your room.”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.” I smiled. “I’ll be happy to join you.”

There were no more words, a curt nod her final goodbye as she disappeared just as silently as she’d appeared. And then I was alone again.

My eyes roamed once again to the tiny window, and I imagined Michael’s mother standing in that spot rubbing her belly. There were so many unanswered questions, like why Sister Catherine had mentioned that Rose had felt safe here? Safe from what? Persecution because she’d gone against her vows and fallen pregnant? Or was there more to it than that?

It was like an itch I couldn’t quite reach and it bothered me. Why had she had to die in the first place? Why not take her to a hospital? Surely the church would have preferred to deal with the scandal than to try and hide a body. And why had there been no investigation? There would have been some record of Rose being sent here from somewhere, how was her disappearance so easily explained to other church officials? How far did this cover up go? And why?

It was none of my business. I had so many problems, I didn’t need to borrow extra trouble but the itch remained, begging to be scratched.

“Damn it.” I blew out a breath, my hands bracing either side of the window as I cursed myself. “Damn it to f*cking hell.”





It was later in the day when I finally met with Jimmy. I had called him after leaving Sofia, telling him that it was done. He assumed I meant I’d killed her, and I didn’t clarify, instead telling him I was ready to collect what had been promised to me. He was pleased, the condescending bastard congratulating me on a job well done as I gave him instructions of how the rest of it would play out.

He’d been surprisingly accommodating, the * falling over himself to seal the deal as soon as possible. He even had the nerve to chuckle, saying while it had cost him more than he would have liked, he’d happily employ my services again. Like I was looking for the endorsement.

Our meeting point was a shipping yard just off I-90. The brokerage company had come into financial hardship recently and so was running on limited funds. Security had been the first to go, the company preferring to keep its workers who could bring money in on their payroll rather than fat mall cops who sat on their asses watching television all day.

So it was the perfect solution, secure and away from roving eyes. It also was neutral territory with the owner not being connected to Jimmy or Franco and the best we could do without crossing state lines.

“Michael,” Jimmy rasped, his breath tearing at his throat as he coughed into his hands. “It’s a good thing I like you, I’m not usually this patient.”

He hadn’t come alone. His number one, Tony, was a dumb f*ck whose gut was so big he probably hadn’t seen his dick in years. He also took the stereotype a little too far, looking more like a f*cking parody of Goodfellas than an actual wise guy.