In Plain Sight

Iggy and Leslie, who had joined them at the cemetery, moved off with the other mourners after the service, but Alex lingered at the gravesite. Father Harry had been a literal father to him when no one else cared. He just wanted to stand before the open grave in the quiet of the little cemetery and pull his scattered memories back into the forefront of his mind. As the years turned back in his head, he fixed the images in his memory, so they would live on in Father Harry’s stead.

“How are you holding up?” a frail voice brought him out of his reverie. He turned to find Sister Gwen at his side, and he smiled.

“I’m doing all right,” he said, hugging her awkwardly, given his arm was still in the sling. “You?”

She nodded with a wistful smile but then frowned, looking up at him.

“What happened to your hair?” she asked.

“Slight disagreement with a spell.”

“It suits you.” Sister Gwen said with a determined nod.

“Is the Diocese going to reopen the mission?” Alex asked.

“No,” Sister Gwen said in a weary voice. “Too much is gone now. Father Clementine was the heart and soul of that place.”

“What will you do?” Alex put his arm around the frail nun and hugged her against his side.

“The Bishop is sending me to a convent in Miami,” she said. “I’ll be teaching new sisters and helping them learn their duties.”

“Sounds like he’s looking out for you,” Alex said with a grin.

Sister Gwen leaned close and whispered. “I asked him for the post,” she said. “I’m getting too old for these New York winters.” She hugged him again but didn’t let go. “Did you find out who killed Father Clementine?” she asked.

“I did,” he said, patting her on the back. “He fell to his death trying to hurt a lot more people.”

“Good boy,” she said fiercely, then let him go and stepped back. “Well, I’ve got a bus to catch, Alex. Be good, and God bless you.”

Alex promised that he would, and the old nun turned and walked away. “I’ll miss you, too,” he said after her.

He stood there for a long minute, then finally reached down and picked up a handful of dirt, tossing it onto the simple pine coffin at the bottom of the grave.

“You finished?” Leslie said, walking around the grave to stand beside him. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“I’m done,” Alex said, taking her arm and strolling off through the gravestones. “Iggy’s waiting for you out front,” she said. “So how does it feel?”

“I don’t even notice,” Alex said, running a self-conscious hand through his white hair.

“Not that.” Leslie elbowed him gently. “Solving your first big case.”

Alex hadn’t really thought about it, but he did save the city. All by himself. Of course no one would ever know what he did, since the government was hushing the whole thing up. Then there was Father Harry, and Evelyn. The price he’d paid solving this case was very high, and that had nothing to do with his lost years.

“Not like I thought it would,” he admitted.

“Don’t let it throw you, boss,” she said, squeezing his arm. “I like the hair; it makes you look distinguished.”

Alex laughed at that.

“It’ll be easier next time,” she said. “You’ll see.”

Alex failed to see how it could be worse.

“Did you get what I asked for?”

She reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “It took me most of yesterday and a good part of this morning to find this,” she said. “Can’t for the life of me figure out why you want it.”

“And yet you seem to be in a very good mood,” Alex noted, taking the paper and slipping it into his pocket. “I must send you to the dusty parts of the library more often.”

“Don’t you dare.” Her face soured. “Do you have any idea the kinds of deplorable old letches who inhabit the tables by the card catalog? They practically cheered every time I had to bend over to look in a lower drawer.”

“Well, all that attention must have done you good.”

“That and the thousand dollar check I found waiting for me at the office.”

Alex stopped short.

“A grand?” he asked. “Who’d send us that much dough?”

“Your sorceress friend.” Leslie nodded off to the far corner of the cemetery where several people stood for another service. Even at this distance, Alex had no trouble recognizing Sorsha’s platinum hair. “The note said it was your reward for finding and returning stolen government documents.”

Alex started to smile, but the memory of Evelyn’s demise wiped it from his face.

“Be sure to thank her,” Leslie said, disentangling her arm from his. “I’m on my way to the bank to put it in the account, then I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

Alex winked at her and smiled.

“You deserve it, doll,” he said. “Peel off a ten spot and have some fun.”

Leslie flashed him her most endearing smile and cocked her head.

“You’re the boss,” she said and turned away.

Alex turned toward the service at the far end of the cemetery. He stood well back and waited for the minister to leave the little group under the shade of an old oak tree before approaching.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Alex said, stepping up beside her.