“It’s all right, Maryellen,” Ann Elizabeth said as she entered. “Everything is fine.”

“Let me read this! Please!”

Devlin couldn’t move. The nuns weren’t blaming him. They weren’t blaming anybody. They just wanted to edge a little closer to Maryellen. She was looking at him as she opened the book. “Are you ready?”

He smiled. “Sure.”

Dear Frank,

I have never stopped thinking about you, dreaming of you, remembering the wonderful times we had together. I know we can solve our problems if we work at them. I just won’t be blamed for the mistakes I made in the past. I want to have nights in front of a fire somewhere, a good movie on TV or Django Reinhardt records on the phonograph. I want to marry you again, Frank. I want to suck your cock and lick your ass.…”

How sad.

“Maryellen,” Ann Elizabeth whispered.

Maryellen turned to her, cold, her eyes narrowed. She dropped the book. She bared her lower teeth. Devlin’s cop alarms started ringing, but in this context, this setting, he wasn’t hearing clearly. He knew it. He didn’t move fast enough. With a crisp left hook, Maryellen punched Ann Elizabeth in the face, nearly knocking one of the other sisters flying. They were on her, grabbing her arms almost as quickly as she subsided and stood still. Ann Elizabeth had been spun around and doubled over. She came up holding her eye.” Is she all right?”

“Yes,” one of the others said. “She wants to cry now.”

“Back to my office, Mr. Devlin … Frank.”

He moved. In front of the house, a breeze caused the tops of the trees to sway. His hands shook. Cigarette time. No. Not over her. He could hear Ann Elizabeth speaking gently to Maryellen, then giving instructions to the others. She wanted to tend to her eye, she said.

Coming out, Ann Elizabeth didn’t break stride on her way to her office. “Come on. Getting kayoed adds to the day’s tension. She does throw a good punch, though, doesn’t she? Her father taught her how to do it. I’m going to have some shiner. Here.”

In their five years together, Maryellen had never told Devlin that her father had taught her how to punch. What did that mean, if anything? Devlin opened the door to the main building. “You’ve had this happen before.”