Nun the Wiser (A Deadly Habit Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Morgana Best Page B

set it upon the stove before going into my bathroom to fetch a jar of cleanser and a small facial sponge. “Put this on your face,” I said, handing over the jar and sponge.
    Steam was already rising from the pot and I took the first letter in my hand. The envelope was addressed to the covenant, specifically to Sister Maria, in shaky handwriting. The return address was listed simply as ‘Vatican City’.
    I held the envelope over the steam and before long I was able to pull open the seal on the envelope. I pulled out a single sheet of paper and read it while Adam looked over my shoulder. The note was short and sweet. It read:
    Thank you for providing the finances for me to go to Rome. It really is a wonder to see it all with my own eyes. Enjoying my time, and finding myself being drawn ever closer to God. This trip has meant the world to me. Thinking of you, and God Bless,
    Sister Bertrand .
    “So Sister Maria wasn’t lying after all,” I said with great relief. “I thought they might’ve killed poor Sister Bertrand.”
    Adam sighed. “Well it’s nice to know that they’re not entirely evil.” He took up the only other envelope and held it over the steam.
    “Here we go,” Adam said, when he had pulled out the paper inside. Once again, it was a single sheet of paper, but this one was certainly more juicy than the first letter.
    Bring the diamond, I have the 70 grand. Meet me behind the fire station in West Springs, Tuesday the eleventh at ten. Let’s just get this done.
    Jack .
    “Who is Jack?” Adam asked me.
    “Not a clue,” I said, “but I know where West Springs is. It’s an hour and a half from here. Real small town. A few houses up on a hill. There’s a fire station at the bottom, and a public toilet.”
    “He wants to meet them in four days,” Adam said. “We’d better repost these two letters today to make sure that the nuns get them, so the cops can catch them.”
    I scratched my head. “What do you mean?”
    “We should go to the cops.”
    I sighed. “I don’t know.”
    “What else are we going to do? Let’s go to the cops. We can tip them off if you want, call anonymously.”
    “I guess,” I said. I wasn’t keen on being on the receiving end of more lectures from the local constabulary.
    “I’ll go speak with them,” Adam said. “I could say someone tipped me off. They’ll go, don’t you think? Just to make sure? They can finally catch these guys at it.”
    And so later in the day Adam and I were sitting at the police station. Both the cops were there, sitting across from us, and both were wearing scowls on their faces.
    “And you got this from a tip?” Sergeant Barnes asked.
    “Yes,” Adam said. “It’s on social media that I’ve been writing a story about the Shadow Gang. They said they heard it from someone. I don’t know who. I don’t know who Jack is, and I don’t know what diamond.”
    The police officers were quiet for a moment. Finally one of them spoke. “Thank you, we’ll look into it.”
    “You will?” I asked, blurting out the question out before I could stop myself.
    Barnes frowned at me and pursed his lips. “Yes.”
    “You believe us?” I said again, also unwisely.
    “Yes. Shouldn’t we?” Barnes and Jones exchanged glances.
    “Let’s quit while we’re ahead,” Adam said as he stood. He reached over and pulled me up, and we hurried out of the station.
    Before Adam dropped me off at home, we stopped by the post office. I ran up the stairs and dropped both resealed envelopes into the mailbox, knowing that they would end up back in the convent’s P.O. Box.
    At my store, Adam pulled up to the curb. “Need me to stick around?”
    “No, that’s okay,” I said. “I need to open the store for a few hours.”
    “All right. So hey, I was thinking we should go on Tuesday.”
    I smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
    But the next day was only Saturday, and I found myself in that strange mood that came when I was expected to live a