Preacher's Daughter - Flora Ferrari Page 0,42

to leave, which is what I must do now, gentlemen. Law or not. I don’t think you’ve got the right man, and I have got a mind to call our own attorney in relation to this gross invasion of privacy! Not to mention… it’s almost dinner time, plus tonight’s canasta.”

“With all due respect,” Sheriff Brodie says firmly, “I’m gonna need to take this case and this man in for some serious questioning.”

One of the agents groans, smiling at the nun.

“How ‘bout you check your jurisdiction, Brodie? If anyone has questions, it’s us and you have quite a few to answer. Wasting Federal investigation hours isn’t just a charge we can lay on the public, y’know.”

Brodie takes a seat, removing his hat and mopping his brow which has suddenly grown hot and very wet.

“We will need a statement from you, sister, and from both of you,” the agent continues, narrowing his eyes on Noah and me.

“But we can do that anytime, that is if you plan to stick around until we can check all this over?” he asks.

Noah nods his head, frowning in agreement.

“This can be put in our safe, until such a time as Noah claims his share of it. Once all this nonsense is cleared up,” The nun murmurs, running her hands over the lid as she closes the case.

“What do you mean, his share?” I hear my Dad ask, sounding more than annoyed.

“Our attorney let us know that on her passing, Mother Superior Laurence had made provision in her estate for Noah, the grandson she never adopted legally but raised as her own. She wanted him to know that all those rules and years of her coming down hard on him were for his own good… And, she’d hoped that one day he’d settle down and have a family of his own. She wanted to do what she could to provide for that,” she says, softening her expression and actually smiling for once.

Smiling as she looks from me to Noah.

“And I think he’s well on his way to doing just that. Although, I must admit it is a surprise to see now what she really meant by that,” she says quietly, crossing herself.

“Uh, just a minute,” Brodie stammers. “Just what in blazes is a nun doing with a million in cash in the first place?” he asks, almost whining as he looks to the agents, hoping for their suspicions to join his.

But they only groan again.

“We’ll get out of your hair, Sister Montieth. Very sorry to have taken your time,” the agents mumble, ushering us and then my Dad and Sheriff Brodie out into the huge hallway.

“Know a good place to stay in town?” Noah asks one of the agents.

“We’re staying at the Oaks,” he informs him, still scowling at the Sheriff and I look to my Dad but notice he won’t even acknowledge me right now.

“Then we’ll be sure and find someplace else,” Noah says heartily, before noting my own look and then stepping over to my Dad.

“Look, Padre. I meant what I said, about having that talk man to man. I’m not just some random guy. I want to talk to you about-” But Dad’s not having any of it, he pushes past Noah and still ignoring me, he storms out another side door, making sure it slams loudly behind him.

“Well… We’ll leave you to it, Mr. Templeton. Ms. Holding,” The agent says, almost offering a hand but thinking better of it. The agents and the Sheriff all leave through the same side door, leaving Noah and me alone in the corridor.

“What the heck just happened?” I ask Noah, relishing his more intense embrace before he kisses me, asking me if I’m okay.

“I’m not sure, but I feel awful about your Dad. I really did want to talk to him. Is he gonna be okay?” Noah asks, making me realize just how much his former Mother Superior made the right choice.

Noah’s biggest concern is everyone else, then himself.

“I don’t know to be honest,” I sigh heavily, wondering too if only Dad had stayed long enough, we might all have gone to dinner or something. Had a long talk and I could have told him how much I love Noah, how much I want to move in with him and give this thing between us all I’ve got.

Because right now, it is all I’ve got, and I know it’s here for a reason.

All the best reasons.

“He’ll come around,” I whisper, running my hand down Noah’s front and