She nodded. “I can’t talk anymore,” she whined, “I’m short of breath. I need my rest. I can’t believe you’re calling so late. But what do I expect from sons who never come to see their mama?”
“Mama, you
A click in his ear was her response.
Jewel handed Eddie a fresh handkerchief. Junior blew his nose vigorously.
Marge and Charlie looked appropriately grave. Marge stood up. “I’m so sorry I said anything. I just thought it might be better to let you know, in case you wanted to go spend the holidays with her.”
Charlie looked embarrassed. “Marge, would you wait in the car please? There’s a little business I have to discuss with Junior and Eddie.”
“Of course.” Marge grabbed Junior’s hand and pressed it. “I’m so sorry,” she mouthed.
As she passed Eddie, she kissed him comfortingly on the cheek.
“Walk Marge to the car, Jewel, and then give us a few minutes,” Junior ordered.
Jewel linked her arm with Marge. “Come on, honey. You were just trying to help.”
When they were out of earshot, Charlie said hesitantly, “Of course, you understand that Marge is under the impression that you’ve visited Mama Heddy-Anna regularly over the years.”
“It’s a good thing she understands that,” Junior snapped.
Charlie let it pass. “I felt so upset when Marge told me about her dream. Knowing the circumstances, something occurred to me. It may be a wild idea, but…” He paused and shrugged. “Well, at least I want you to know about it. It’s a way that just might make it possible for you to safely visit your mother on Christmas Eve.”
“What are you talking about?” Junior demanded.
“What does the St. Stephen of the Mountains monastery mean to you?”
“St. Stephen of the Mountains monastery? That was in the next town from us, just over the border. We used to ski there all the time when we were kids. It’s been shut down since before we left.”
“I thought you might have heard about it. They’re reopening the monastery as a hotel on New Year’s Day.”
“No kidding.” Eddie blinked. “Nobody was ever allowed in there. But what about it anyhow?”
“My cousin, who is a nun, usually joins us for Christmas dinner. She won’t be with us this year because she’s going on a pilgrimage. Sixty nuns and brothers and priests from all over the country will be staying at St. Stephen’s during Christmas week, before it opens to the public.”
They’re getting the message, Charlie thought, as he saw the brothers exchange thoughtful glances. “They’ve chartered a plane that is leaving tomorrow evening from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. They’ll land at the new airstrip near the hotel, which, of course, is just over the border from your mother’s home.”
Charlie hesitated, wishing he could mop his brow, but he didn’t want to seem nervous.
“I asked my cousin if there were any seats left on the charter, and as of this morning there still were four or five.”
Junior and Eddie looked at each other. “We could ski from the monastery to Mama’s house in no time at all,” Eddie said.
Charlie swallowed, aware he either was about to hit a home run, or strike out. “I was thinking that if you two dressed as monks who had taken the vow of silence, there’d be no danger of anyone finding out who you are. I imagine you could easily arrange for the proper documentation.”
“No problem,” Junior said brusquely. There was a pause. He looked at his brother. “It always seemed too risky to go back home, but this could work.”
“I’m going back,” Eddie said, determination in his voice. “I’d never close an eye if anything happened to Mama before I got to see her again.”
Charlie frowned. “We’re going to have to act fast. The seats may already be gone.”
“They better not be.” Junior glowered. “When you heard about them, you shudda told us right away.”
Charlie took out his cell phone.
“No, call from our phone. Put it on the speaker,” Junior ordered.
“Of course.”
“St. Mary’s Convent,” a woman’s voice answered softly. “Sister Joseph speaking.”
“Sister Joseph, this is Charles Santoli, Sister Margaret’s cousin.”
“Yes, how are you Mr. Santoli?”
“I’m well. Is Sister Margaret there?”
“No, I’m sorry, she’s doing some last-minute shopping for her trip. We were advised to bring extra sweaters or wraps.”
The brothers looked at Charlie. “Ask her,” Junior said impatiently.
“Sister, do you happen to know if the flight to St. Stephen’s is full?”
“I think it is, but let me take a look.”
“There’s
“I’m back, Mr. Santoli. I was right. We were full, but we just had two cancellations. One of our elderly sisters isn’t well enough to make the long flight, so she and her companion are staying home.”
“She better not have a quick recovery,” Junior growled. “Book us those two seats.”
On the other end of the phone, FBI agent Susan White, who had been sitting in the convent for several hours, waiting for the call, gave a thumbs-up to Rich Meyers.
Then she began to write, “Brother Stanislas and Brother Casper…”
Marge and Charlie were marvelous, Sterling thought, smiling from ear to ear as he realized that the first phase of the plan had worked perfectly.
Marissa, we’re getting there, he thought.
“Good night, Marissa,” Denise said, as she tucked her daughter in and bent down to give her a kiss.
“Good night, Mommy. I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow. It’s my birthday
“We’re going to have
Downstairs, she joined Roy, who was drying the pots. “Everybody bedded down?” he asked cheerfully.
“Yes, but it’s strange. I thought Marissa would be upset tonight, but she seems to be excited and happy, as though she’s expecting a miracle, as though Billy and Nor will be here tomorrow.”
“Then she’s in for a terrible letdown,” Roy said mournfully as he folded the dish towel.
“I got them everything they need,” Charlie fretted. “The monks’ habits, the sandals, the prayer books, the suitcases-real beat-up ones, like the brothers took the vow of poverty and meant it.”
He and Marge and Sterling were sitting in the Santolis’ living room, all of them tense with concern that the Badgett brothers would smell a rat before the pilgrimage charter plane took off.
“How about their passports?” Marge asked. “Any chance of a glitch with them?”
“First-rate forgeries,” Charlie said. “They took care of that themselves.”
“How were they getting to Teterboro?” Marge asked nervously. “I hope they didn’t go in that showy limo.”
“They were having the limo drive them to New York to one of their dry-cleaning shops that was closed. They were going to change there and take one of those cheap car services to the airport.”
It was 11:55. The plane was due to take off at midnight.
“I don’t know. Those two have a sixth sense,” Charlie moaned. “If at the last minute they figure out this was a setup, and don’t get on that plane, I’m dead.”
“Did you pick up any indication that they were suspicious when you saw them earlier today?”
