Peril & Prayer

Book 2: Sister Lou Mystery

by Olivia Matthews

Genres: Amateur Sleuth; Cozy Mystery; Female Sleuths

Synopsis

How do you solve a problem like Marianna? This year's Advent retreat has been booked for the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Hermione of Ephesus at the pastoral Briar Coast Cabin Resorts in New York. But when the combative Sister Marianna practically loses her religion arguing over minor details with resort co-owner Autumn Tassler, Sister Louise “Lou” LaSalle blessedly steps in as peacemaker. Only days later, Autumn is found strangled in her office, and hot-headed Sister Marianna becomes the sheriff’s deputies’ prime suspect. They believe her missing scarf may be the murder weapon, but Sister Lou believes Sister Marianna’s being framed. If she has a prayer of keeping Sister Marianna out of prison, she’ll need to once again put her faith in her nephew Chris LaSalle and reporter Shari Henson to help her solve the case. As the trio tries to cross suspects off the list, Sister Lou has no choice but to stick her neck out—if she’s going to unveil who was desperate enough to resort to murder . . .

Release date: June 26, 2018

Publisher: Kensington Books

Print pages: 400

Sample

“Can we all calm down?” The second the words left her lips, Sister Louise “Lou” LaSalle knew she’d poured accelerant on a campfire.

“I. Am. Calm.” Sister Marianna Tuller’s gray gaze could freeze a volcanic eruption. She sat beside Sister Lou in the Briar Coast Cabin Resort owner’s office.

“So am I, Sister.” Despite Autumn Tassler’s assurances, the resort owner’s periwinkle blue eyes snapped with irritation.

It is going to be a long Thursday morning.

Sister Lou counseled herself to relax against the scarlet-cushioned guest chair in front of Autumn’s large walnut desk. She and Sister Marianna were here to finalize details of their congregation’s annual Advent retreat. The Advent season begins every year on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. During that four-week period, the faithful prepare for the coming anniversary of Jesus Christ’s birth. Traditionally, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Hermione of Ephesus’s annual weeklong retreat started on the first Advent Sunday. That was a little more than four weeks away. The clock was ticking, but they wouldn’t make progress on the event planning today, not with Sister Marianna’s and Autumn’s hostility coming to a boil.

Autumn’s spacious walnut wood office created a rustic cabin feel that should have been soothing. It even smelled of cedarwood and pine. The vivid abstract throw rug that lay across the hardwood floor kept the room from seeming stern. The walnut wood–framed paintings mounted to the walls celebrated stunning scenes from nature: soaring mountains, mighty trees, rushing rivers, majestic animals.

“Let’s review our roles.” Sister Marianna was at her pedantic best. “I’m in charge of my congregation’s retreat. You’re the vendor working for us to provide the location and meals. To be clear: the meals that we choose.”

There was a pause as though Autumn was weighing the value of the congregation’s contract against Sister Marianna’s officiousness.

Lord, please, let the congregation’s contract win. Amen.

“Sister, you and I both want your retreat to be a success.” Autumn sat behind tidy stacks of paper. Her mail was neatly collected in her in-box. “I believe the entrées I’m suggesting would be more enjoyable than a plate of chopped vegetables and bottles of water.”

I agree wholeheartedly. Sister Marianna’s health-conscious selections were punitive compared to Autumn’s recommendations.

“This retreat isn’t a vacation.” Sister Marianna spoke with a precision in keeping with her tidy brick red skirt suit. “It’s a time of reflection and preparation for our minds, spirits, and bodies. Rich pastas and starchy, fatty foods aren’t conducive to that.”

Everything in moderation, Marianna.

How could she convince the other woman to meet them halfway?

Sister Marianna fussed with her teal silk scarf, causing the garment to hang loosely around her neck. Sister Katharine “Kathy” Wen had organized a group of sisters to handcraft and sell the one-of-a-kind silk scarves. All of the proceeds benefited an orphanage on the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. They were very popular with the congregation’s sisters, associates, and donors, who’d purchased several scarves each. Unfortunately, Sister Marianna couldn’t seem to keep one on for an entire day.

Autumn straightened on her chair as though Sister Marianna’s slurs against her menu suggestions mortally offended her. Her sudden flush almost matched her ruby red sweater. “The meals I’m proposing aren’t rich, starchy, or fatty. Our chef uses fresh and healthy ingredients.”

“I read your menu proposals, Ms. Tassler.” Sister Marianna’s gray gaze remained cool in her thin face. “You can’t mean to compare the meals I selected to yours.”

Autumn’s expression tightened. “I’m not comparing your beets and broiled fish to the vegetable lasagna and tossed green salad I offered as an alternative.”

“I don’t need advice on planning the congregation’s retreat.” Sister Marianna smoothed her cap of snow-white hair and readjusted her scarf. “This isn’t my first event.”

“It’s not mine, either.” Autumn paused, running her long, pale fingers through her chestnut hair. “I’m offering you at no extra charge my event planning expertise to help ensure that everyone has a great time.”

For all of Autumn’s patient reasoning, she was coming into contact with the immovable force that was Sister Marianna.

This was the congregation’s first experience with the Briar Coast Cabin Resort. Sister Marianna had opened the retreat to competitive bids for room, board, and meeting spaces with the goal of reducing the event’s budget. She had reported to the congregation’s leadership team, of which she and Sister Lou were members, that the resort was much more affordable than the hotel Sister Lou had used in the past.

But was this conflict worth the cost savings?

Sister Lou jumped back into the fray. “There’s a simple solution to this impasse.”

“I’m listening.” Autumn looked hopeful.

“What is it?” Sister Marianna stripped the silk scarf from her neck with impatience. It floated onto her lap.

“We should ask the congregation to vote on the menu.” Sister Lou shifted uncomfortably on the seat. There wasn’t much padding. At her age, she really appreciated padding. “We could send an online survey to get their ideas on several aspects of the retreat, including the meals.”

“That’s a wonderful idea.” Autumn spoke on a sigh of relief.

“A survey is a perfectly unnecessary project and I don’t have time to coordinate it.” Sister Marianna’s curt dismissal overlapped the resort owner’s response.

“As your able assistant, I’d be happy to organize it for you.” Sister Lou tried a persuasive smile.

“All right,” Sister Marianna acquiesced with dampening reluctance.

She stood, indicating she was done with this meeting, and yanked the strap of her black bag farther up her narrow shoulder. Her movements were jerky. Her jaw was set. It would be a long drive back to the congregational offices.

Sister Lou rescued a pile of silk from the floor as she rose. “Marianna, you’re forgetting your scarf.” It isn’t the first time.

“Thank you.” Sister Marianna had the same startled look she wore every time someone retrieved her scarf for her.

“When do you think you’ll have the results?” Autumn’s question was a subtle reminder that they were falling behind schedule.

She escorted Sister Lou and Sister Marianna down a wide hallway to the lobby. Their surroundings continued the rustic cabin theme from Autumn’s office.

Sister Lou waited a beat for Sister Marianna to respond. When the other woman ignored them, she answered the question herself. “We’ll make it a priority. I’m estimating one week.”

“Thank you.” Autumn seemed relieved.

Beneath a strained veneer of geniality, Sister Lou sensed the thinning thread of patience between Sister Marianna and Autumn. It was worrying. Their relationship had been fraying since its start. Will they still be speaking to each other by the Advent retreat?

A couple conversing in the lobby broke off conversation when they spotted Autumn. The woman appeared to be in her early forties, like the resort owner. The man was perhaps a decade older. The temperature in the room dropped markedly when Autumn noticed them.

She gave the pair a brittle smile. “Hello, Rita. I’m surprised to see you before noon. Mr. Crane, you’re here so often perhaps you should rent a room.”

“Montgomery just wants a few minutes of our time, Autumn.” The pretty blonde’s large brown eyes were defiant. “We’ll wait in your office.”

Autumn stepped to block their way. “No, you won’t.” She locked eyes with the tall, attractive older gentleman who stood beside Rita. “I don’t have time for the eighty-ninth rendition of your sales pitch. I wasn’t persuaded the first eighty-eight times. I won’t be persuaded today.”

Sister Lou had had enough drama for the morning, as the students of the College of St. Hermione of Ephesus would say. “Autumn, we’ll get back together once we’ve tallied the retreat survey responses.”

“Since Autumn won’t introduce us, I’ll do the honors myself.” Rita offered her hand first to Sister Lou, then to Sister Marianna. Her figure-hugging sage green jersey dress under her honey brown lightweight coat complemented her shoulder-length curls and peaches-and-cream complexion. Her brown eyes twinkled in her triangular face. “I’m Rita Morris. I co-own the resort. And this is our business associate Montgomery Crane of Crane Enterprises.”

“I’m Sister Lou LaSalle.” Sister Lou released Rita’s soft, narrow palm to accept Montgomery’s large, callused hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Montgomery’s tall, slender form and regal bearing complemented his dark suit. He had a smooth cocoa complexion.

“Sister Marianna Tuller.” The introduction was almost insulting in its brevity. “We have to go.”

Sister Lou hoped her parting smile took the edge off Sister Marianna’s rudeness. Without a doubt, the journey ahead would be taxing.

Autumn watched the nuns leave. No, not nuns, sisters. Sister Marianna had made that very clear when she’d corrected Autumn during their initial project meeting. Nuns were cloistered. Sisters were in the community.

“Did I sense tension between you and your clients?” Rita sounded genuinely surprised.

“Creative differences. We’ll sort them out.” Autumn crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m sure you will. You always find a way to keep our customers happy.” Rita’s smile was faked. The other woman didn’t think Autumn could tell, but she could.

And what did she mean by our customers? Autumn planned the marketing campaigns and drew up the contracts. What was Rita’s contribution?

What possessed me to take on Rita Morris as a business partner?

Autumn had asked herself that question several times a year for the past three years. She still didn’t have an answer.

“Give it a rest, Rita.” She considered her partner and the business rival who wanted to take her company from her.

Over my dead body.

Autumn could use some of Sister Lou’s diplomacy right now. Otherwise, there was a good chance she’d say something she’d regret, if not in this life, then in the afterlife.

Montgomery Crane was a handsome, charming, and interesting man. Under different circumstances, Autumn would want to be his friend. But as things stood between them now, she didn’t want him here—and Rita knew that.

“We’re not having this conversation again.” Autumn gave herself high marks for restraint as she spun on her black heels and strode back to her office.

“Montgomery has increased his offer. Again.” Rita’s voice was far too loud and much too close.

Hot temper seared Autumn. She whipped back toward Rita. “Keep your voice down.” Her gaze darted around the reception area. “If our employees hear you, you’ll start a panic. I’m trying to run a business. Do you think I want to deal with mass hysteria—alone—while you’re out doing God knows what?”

“Fine, then, we’ll discuss it in your office.” Rita started around Autumn.

Autumn once again moved to block the other woman. “There’s nothing to discuss. My answer is no, just as it’s been all of the other times you’ve asked me.”

“Autumn.” Montgomery’s warm, deep voice was like a neck massage. “We’ve never discussed my offer. I suggest an amount. You decline it, and that’s the end. I’d like to have a conversation with you this time.”

He sounded so reasonable. To decline his request would be unreasonable. Without a word, she led them to her office and took a seat behind her desk. She watched her unwanted guests settle onto the chairs in front of her.

Autumn leaned into her desk and braced her folded arms on its smooth, cool surface. “I’m not selling my resort. I’ll never sell my resort, so, in fact, we have nothing to discuss. Any questions?”

“Just one: Why not?” Montgomery relaxed onto one of the guest chairs as though he had all the time in the world. His slate gray suit, crisp white shirt, crimson power tie, and black Italian shoes probably cost as much as three nights at her resort.

Autumn tried to imitate his casual confidence. It wasn’t easy. “First, tell me why you keep raising your offer. Have you discovered oil in my backyard?”

“No, I haven’t.” Montgomery smiled. “Your resort has great potential. It’s in a prime location and offers high-demand features.”

Autumn struggled to mask her pleasure at his words. “I know that my property’s valuable. What makes you think I’d sell it?”

“For the money.” Rita was the source of all the tension in the room. “Montgomery’s offer is too good to refuse.”

Autumn leveled a look at her far-from-silent partner. “You’ve said that about every offer he’s made.”

Urgency emanated from Rita like cheap perfume. “This time, I mean it.”

She’d also “meant it” all the other times, too. “If you want out of the resort, I’ll buy your share.” Autumn was running low on patience. “It’s not like you’re doing much to keep the business going, anyway. I won’t even notice your absence.”

Rita scowled. “That’s harsh, Autumn.”

Autumn arched an eyebrow. “So is the fact that the only time you come into the office is to tell me when Montgomery has an offer for the resort.”

“You only offered my share of the market value for this place.” Rita gestured toward Montgomery. “He’s offering us a lot more. That’s the money I want.”

Autumn briefly squeezed her eyes shut. She was so tired of repeating herself. “Rita, our contract only requires that I offer you the fair market value for your share.”

Montgomery’s smooth voice cut through their tense exchange. “Why are you opposed to selling your resort?”

Autumn turned back to her business rival. “You purchase independent operations to add to your chain of hotels and resorts.”

“That’s right.” Montgomery was using his reasonable voice again. He didn’t seem to understand Autumn’s concern.

Autumn found comfort in the familiar scents of cedarwood and pine that filled her office. She shouldn’t have to have this conversation. Her “no” should be explanation enough.

“Owning and operating this resort has been my goal ever since I was forced to accept the inevitability of my divorce.” Autumn spread her arms to encompass the resort as a whole. “I need to make this a success for myself. I don’t want to be someone’s employee. I don’t want to be part of a chain. I want my own vision.”

The question in Montgomery’s dark brown eyes resolved itself into understanding. He pushed himself to his feet and extended his right hand. “Autumn, thank you for taking the time to explain your decision to me. Under the circumstances, I won’t bother you with my buyout offers any longer. Instead, I’ll wish you success and happiness with your vision.”

Autumn rose to accept his gesture. His hand was rough in hers. A workingman’s hands at odds with his power broker image.

She gave him a real smile. “Thank you, Montgomery. I wish you continued success with your empire.”

Rita stood with them. Her startled pale brown gaze swung from Autumn and settled on Montgomery. “What about me?”

Montgomery shrugged into his coat. “This was an all-or-nothing proposition, Rita. Autumn’s unwilling to sell her share of the business. I’m going to respect her wishes.”

“The only way I’d sell is over my dead body.” Autumn moved to escort Montgomery from her office. She paused at the expression in Rita’s normally bright brown eyes. Her fixated stare was dark with anger. “I’m willing to buy you out, Rita.”

“It’s not enough.” The other woman’s voice was barely audible, but Autumn caught what she’d said—and what she’d left unsaid.

A chill chased down her spine. In that moment, Autumn knew Rita wouldn’t be opposed to her dropping dead.

Sister Lou reversed her orange compact sedan out of its space in the Briar Coast Cabin Resort’s parking lot. The main cabin, which she and Sister Marianna had just left, was reflected in her rearview mirror as she drove away.

“There’s a lot of tension between Autumn, her business partner, and their associate.” She hadn’t meant to make the observation out loud.

There was a rustling sound as Sister Marianna shifted on the passenger seat to face her. “Will it affect our planning for the Advent retreat?”

“I don’t think so.” Sister Lou navigated out of the lot and onto the main road.

“Then it’s none of our business.” The rustling sound returned as Sister Marianna shifted on her seat again, this time away from Sister Lou. “And can you possibly slow down, Louise?”

“Of course.” Sister Lou eased up on the accelerator.

She hadn’t imagined the tension. It was as real as the conflict between Sister Marianna and Autumn, but Sister Marianna was right. They shouldn’t let it distract them from their retreat planning.

The resort was impressive. Autumn had given Sister Lou and Sister Marianna an extensive tour during their first in-person meeting. The walking trails were picturesque and lush. With the late-fall colors, the property looked like a Thanksgiving invitation. She could only imagine that the scenery would resemble a Christmas card in the winter.

“Today’s meeting wasn’t as productive as it could have been.” Sister Lou pointed her little car south, back to the offices of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Hermione of Ephesus. “We spent more time on the menu plan than I thought we would.”

“We wouldn’t have if that account manager hadn’t tried to tell us how to run our own retreat.” The snap in Sister Marianna’s voice reverberated around the car’s interior.

Sister Lou glanced at Sister Marianna before returning her attention to the sparse midmorning traffic on this final Thursday in October. “Autumn isn’t the resort’s account manager. She’s the owner, and she was trying to be helpful.”

Referring to Autumn as an account manager was the kind of strategic tactic Sister Marianna sometimes used to minimize her adversary’s position.

“Well, she failed.” Sister Marianna sniffed as she adjusted her teal scarf around her neck. “If she was trying to be helpful, she would have accepted my decision when I declined her advice, then we would have made it through every item on our meeting agenda. Instead, it’s her fault that our project has been delayed.”

“It’ll be helpful to get feedback on the menu from the rest of the congregation. We should’ve thought of that earlier.” Feedback and menu. Sister Lou enjoyed her pun. Sadly, her efforts were lost on Sister Marianna. The other woman had no discernable sense of humor.

“You mean I should have thought of that sooner.” Sister Marianna’s tone sharpened at the implied insult.

My dearest Marianna, why must every word out of everyone else’s mouth elicit a combative response from you? Surely, in a previous life, you were a champion pugilist.

Sister Lou smiled at the image of Sister Marianna as a mixed martial arts fighter. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Of course you did. I’d been planning this retreat by myself for weeks before Barbara insisted you work with me. If you weren’t referring to me, then to whom were you referring?”

Sister Lou had no idea why the congregation’s prioress, Sister Barbara Yates, had asked her to assist Sister Marianna with the retreat. She and Sister Marianna weren’t exactly on favorable terms. But when the prioress had sought her help with the project, it had seemed ungracious to say no.

And it had seemed like such a reasonable request . . .

Sister Lou turned left onto Town Street. “I literally meant we. We’re working on this project together.”

“There you go again, playing the role of peacemaker, first at the resort and now here.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, Marianna. They shall be called the children of God.” Sister Lou took pleasure in paraphrasing one of the beatitudes from the Gospel of St. Matthew.

Sister Marianna sighed. “You can’t always run from confrontations under the guise of being a peacemaker. Sometimes you have to take a stand. You know what they say: if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for everything.”

“I may not chase after confrontations.” The way you do. “But I do stand for what I believe in.”

“Like what?”

“I took a stand when I investigated Maurice’s murder.” Sister Lou grew somber at the memory of her friend’s tragic death barely a month ago. In the distance, she could see the roof of the Sleep Ease Inn Hotel. Dr. Maurice Jordan had been a guest at that hotel when he’d been killed.

Silence settled over the car’s interior like a prickly blanket. Was Sister Marianna remembering how hard she’d argued to stop Sister Lou’s investigation? She’d even brought her objections to the congregation’s leadership team. Despite her many dogged efforts, Sister Marianna had failed to end Sister Lou’s sleuthing precisely because Sister Lou had stood firm for what she’d believed in: justice for her friend.

“I’m sorry.” Sister Marianna was much more subdued.

An apology? From Marianna? I’m going to note this date on my calendar for an annual remembrance. “You, Autumn, and I are on the same team. We all want the retreat to be a success, but we’re running out of time to plan it. The retreat starts in a little more than four weeks.”

Sister Marianna shifted to face Sister Lou again. “What would you suggest?”

Sister Lou tensed as she drove past the Sleep Ease Inn Hotel. Rest in peace, dear friend.

She turned onto Main Street. “I’ll coordinate the online survey. We’ll need a quick turnaround, then you and I will meet to discuss the results.”

“That would be fine. However, when the congregation chooses my healthier menu items, Autumn had better accept the results.”

Sister Lou had been with the congregation for seven years. She was fairly confident that the majority of the sisters wouldn’t choose lima beans and tofu over dill potatoes and rotisserie chicken. “One step at a time, Marianna.”

As uncomfortable as this morning’s meeting had been, it would pale in comparison to the next one, when the survey results weren’t in Sister Marianna’s favor.

“Give me a hint. What am I supposed to be looking for in the mayor’s office?” Not for the first time, Sharelle “Shari” Henson, investigative reporter with The Briar Coast Telegraph, wondered what her editor in chief expected her to uncover when he assigned her to snoop around the mayor’s office and town hall.

She considered Diego DeVarona as he stopped by her cubicle late Thursday morning. He’d been the Telegraph’s editor for a month. In that short period of time, he’d given the staff a renewed sense of purpose and pride. He’d reintroduced real journalism, pushing reporters, copy editors, editors, and photographers, challenging them to be more critical of their news coverage and holding everyone to a higher standard. Shari pinched herself every morning before coming to work.

“I can’t tell you what you’re looking for.” Diego propped his right shoulder against the threshold of Shari’s cubicle and sipped his coffee. The Texas transplant’s porcelain mug was emblazoned with the Toronto Raptors National Basketball Association black and red franchise logo. She still didn’t believe his story that he’d had to buy the mug after losing a bet.

The newspaper’s overhead lights sparkled on the few silver strands hiding among the thick waves of his mahogany hair. His tall, lean form was outfitted in a cerulean blue shirt, navy tie, and coffee brown slacks. He must have left his suit jacket hanging in his office.

Shari regarded her boss with suspicion. “If you can’t tell me what I’m looking for, how do you know there’s anything to find?”

“Instinct.” He was doing his sphinx impersonation again.

Shari stared at him. “You assigned me to dig into the background of an elected official, her administration, and every member of the five-member Briar Coast Town Council on ‘instinct’? Are you pranking me, Diego?”

“No.”

“How can I meet your expectations if I don’t know what they are?” Shari cradled the porcelain mug he’d gifted her with when she’d returned to the newspaper. The front bore the screened question CAN I QUOTE YOU?

Diego shook his head. “Don’t worry about my expectations. You’re good at what you do. That’s why I asked you to take this project.”

Shari blinked. “Okay. Thanks.” His praise had rattled every one of her brain cells. She scrambled to remember the other matter she’d wanted to discuss with him. “I think the sheriff’s office’s still sulking over my helping Sister Lou with her investigation into Dr. Jordan’s murder.”

“It’s been almost four weeks.”

“I know, but they’re pretty tight-lipped when I call for news updates.”

Diego sipped his coffee. “Your article did expose the deputies’ inability to solve the case. You, Sister Lou, and her nephew, Chris, did that.”

Shari took a moment of silence to bask in the joint achievement. “How do you think I should handle this?”

“Make an extra effort to be professional and nice to Deputies Cole and Tate. We can’t file crime stories without a quote from the sheriff’s office.” Diego saluted her with his coffee mug before disappearing in the direction of his office.

Shari turned back to her desk, muttering under her breath. “I’ll need a miracle to get the deputies to work with me. Ever. Again.”

“Amen.” Christian “Chris” LaSalle lifted his head once his aunt, Sister Lou, finished saying grace over the dinner he was sharing with her and Shar. . .