Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy Read Online Free PDF

are things far more valuable in the sacristy.”
    “Was it where you always keep it when you’re not wearing it?”
    “I had it ready with my vestments for a service last night. Right around the hanger.”
    “So anyone who knows you would know that if you’re not wearing it, your cross is probably hanging with your robe in that room?”
    He sits up a little. “You’re implying that one of the
religious
took it?”
    I sneak the carrot stump onto the floor again and say, “I don’t know—maybe a janitor? A cleaning lady? Who goes in there?”
    While he’s thinking about this, Gregory picks up the carrot, puts it back in my lap, then lets out a growl. A long, low growl.
    I jump back a little, and then Sister Josephine walks in. And Gregory keeps right on growling as he backs himself completely under Father Mayhew’s desk.
    Father Mayhew coos, “Easy, lad, easy,” then asks, “Yes, Sister? What is it?”
    Now, I don’t think Josephine noticed I was there,because the door was sort of blocking her view. She thumps the floor with her cane and says, “That is the rudest bunch of ingrates I have ever met. In all my years in the church I have never had to tolerate such brazen, intrusive, unappreciative creatures!” Then she mutters, “They may as well be Baptists.”
    Father Mayhew conjures up a cough. “Now, now, Sister. Calm down. You may not approve of their personalities, but they come highly recommended and I have full confidence they’ll bring out community goodwill.” He leans back in his chair and makes a little fingertip tent with his hands. “Would you like to tell me what happened?”
    Josephine crosses her arms so the crook of her cane is hooked on her shoulder like a giant bird claw. “You want to know what happened? I’ll tell you what happened. We went through with your suggestion to have them over for lunch. Sister and I worked all morning preparing lamb stroganoff. They arrived forty minutes late with not so much as an I’m sorry. They just whisked in empty-handed and expected to be served. And then,
then
… they didn’t like the stroganoff! Abigail is allergic to mushrooms, Clarice doesn’t eat lamb, and Bernice—
Bernice
picked out the lamb and left the noodles.” She thumps her cane back on the floor. “Would you kindly tell me how such a large woman can be a picky eater?”
    Just then, Gregory turns up the volume. Way up. And he’s growling so loud that Josephine slams her cane right by his nose and hisses, “Stop that, you oversized rodent!”
    Father Mayhew says, “Quiet, lad!” And he’s about toscold Josephine, too, when he notices Sister Bernice standing in the doorway.
    Sister Josephine sees her picky eater standing there and freezes. But Bernie comes in with a bright smile and says, “Sister! Father! Sammy! Lordy-be, it’s Grand Central in here! Father, you need to ask the Mighty One for a bigger office!” Then she hears Gregory growling away under the desk. She bends down and says, “Now, now, pup. Sister Bernie’s not gonna hurt ya. Come on out and give her a kiss!”
    Gregory stays put, but he does quiet down a bit, and when Father Mayhew says to Josephine, “Perhaps we can finish our discussion later?” Josephine just scowls and hobbles out the door.
    Bernie looks over her shoulder. “Is something troubling Sister?”
    Father Mayhew shakes his head and says, “Not to worry. Now, what is it I can help you with?”
    “A few things, Father. First, last night someone tried to break into our motor home—”
    Father Mayhew’s eyebrows go popping up. “My word! Was anything taken?”
    Bernice shakes her head and says, “No, we scared him off, praise God, but next time—who knows? And since I’ve seen quite a number of lost lambs roaming the neighborhood, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind storing a valuable of mine in your safe.” She motions to the missionaries and cows hanging on the wall. “I noticed it when Sammy here was toiling away.”
    Father Mayhew