a Baptist,” the woman said. “But I thought I’d cover all bases that day. My son died two years ago, and his kids, my grandkids, they live with their ma in Texas. Texas! I don’t get to see ’em. I’d like to see ’em again, but she never calls.”
“Mrs. Rutherford,” I said. “I’m starting to wonder if Nick might be inside the house, and unable to respond. Do you happen to have an emergency key or anything like that?”
“Not personally,” she said. “But I know how to get in that house. I been in this neighborhood forty years, and I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. I’ve seen kids break into that house. I once went over and tried to jimmy the side window, that was oh, about ten years ago, because I thought there was a strange smell coming out and I wanted to know—”
“Can we get a window open?” I said.
“Now I don’t know if I should help you anymore. I don’t really know who you are, I mean if you are who you say you are. I believe the sister here is a Sister, but I don’t know if you’re really a lawyer. Maybe you’re holding her hostage or something.”
“I assure you he’s not,” Sister Mary said.
“Is he a religious man?” Mrs. Rutherford asked.
“I think so,” Sister Mary said. “Only he doesn’t know it.”
“Thank you very much, Sister,” I said. “Ma’am, there is a man on trial for murder, and Mr. Molina is a key witness. I just want to make sure nothing has happened to him. He could be lying inside this house, injured or something.”
“Murder you say?”
“Yes.”
“If you break in, you might get in some trouble.”
“I’ll take the chance, ma’am.”
“My, oh my. You have to be small to get through that window.” She looked at Sister Mary. So did I.
“Excuse me?” Sister Mary said.
125
A NUN DOES not look dignified crawling through a kitchen window. But Sister Mary Veritas did it, and didn’t squawk. Just after her derrière slipped through the window, her shoes disappeared, and we heard a loud thunk inside.
“I’m all right,” she shouted, a little anger in the tone. She opened the back door and I went in, followed by Mrs. April Rutherford.
“Nick?” I said. No answer. I did a little sweep of the place. I expected to find him. For some reason I expected to find him dead on the floor.
I didn’t. The place looked lived in, man messy, but there were no signs of foul play. And no sign of Nick.
To Mrs. Rutherford I said, “Did you see anybody come here within the last hour?”
“Now, let me see.” Mrs. Rutherford looked at the floor. “I was watching my story, my General Hospital. Do you watch the General Hospital?”
“I’m afraid I missed the last one.”
“Now you’re playing with me.” She smiled.
“So you didn’t see anybody come here?”
“No, I did not. Now, I watch Judge Judy right after the General Hospital. You like Judge Judy?”
“Maybe we better go outside now,” I said.
We went out the kitchen door, Mrs. Rutherford insisting I’d love Judge Judy if I just gave her a chance.
Once we were on the driveway I gave Mrs. Rutherford my card. “Please give me a call if anyone comes to the house, would you do that for me?”
“You’re a nice-looking young man,” Mrs Rutherford said. “Have you ever thought about going on the General Hospital?”
Sister Mary tried to stifle a laugh.
“I may just give that a try,” I said. As I did I noticed a very large man moving toward us from the sidewalk. He wore a Raiders jersey with a silver chain around his neck. The chain looked like it weighed eighteen pounds. The man weighed considerably more.
“You okay, April?” the man said.
“I’m okay, Marvin,” she said.
“Any trouble?”
“No trouble, Marvin. These folks are company.”
“You sure?” He gave me a middle linebacker stare.
“Now you just back yourself up,” Mrs. Rutherford said. “This is a real honest-to-God lawyer and a real honest-to-God nun.”
“Whatta they want?”
“That’s just none of your affair, Marvin.”
“Everything happens here I want to know what it is,” Marvin said.
“Nice to meet you, Marvin,” Sister Mary said.
“You for real?” he said.
“We think so,” I said. Sister Mary gave me an elbow, just as if I was backing her into the paint.
Marvin shook his head and turned around and started to lumber away. I think the ground shook a little.
“Well now,” Mrs. Rutherford said to me, “I’m glad I could help. Come back and visit if you want to.”
“I’ll keep