Snow Globes and Hand Grenades by Kevin Killeen Page A

which I’m missing, but it’s not as exciting as if I really did take the snow globe. Then you could solve the crime and maybe I’d be arrested and get on the news. But nothing that good ever happens to me. I’m just an average girl, I guess.”
    Father Ernst got off the bench and leaned over to whisper something to Detective Kurtz. Kurtz nodded. Then Ernst whooshed back down on the leather bench and started his own line of probing.
    â€œWhat are your views on Mary?”
    â€œOn who?”
    â€œThe Blessed Mother. Surely you have some view on her after nine years at Mary Queen of Our Hearts.”
    Mimi stopped to think. She knew she should probably say she was big on Mary and really admired her, because that would support the lie she was about to tell about how the snow globe got into Mary’s hand. “Well, when I think of Mary, I think of that one miracle with the wine.”
    â€œThe wedding at Canaan? Jesus’ first miracle,” Father Ernst said.
    â€œWas that his first? There’s so many, I forget. But for me, I think of how Mary told Jesus to do something and he did it. That shows she has a lot of pull. She probably still does. Up there in heaven, if Mary gets bored and gets an idea for a miracle, she probably walks over to Jesus and tells him she needs a favor. If she wanted to, she could ask Jesus to make that snow globe go through walls or out the open doors onto the playground. They leave thedoors open quite a bit now with the warm weather, especially after the janitor mops, you know, to dry the floor so no kids slip.”
    â€œMiss Maloney!” Detective Kurtz barked. “Are you saying Mary—the real Mary up in heaven—told Jesus to make the snow globe float off the shelf and down the hall and out the door and through the sky up into the hand of the Mary statue?”
    â€œWhy, I never thought of it, but if that’s what you think, it could be possible.”
    â€œThat is
not
what I think,” Detective Kurtz huffed.
    â€œWell, what do you think?” Mimi asked, turning to the priest.
    Father Ernst leaned forward with his hands folded around the front knee of his crossed legs. “I think if Mary wanted to do that, of course, she could manage it. But tell me, Miss Maloney—”
    â€œOh, please, call me Mimi.”
    â€œMimi, yes, why do you think she would want to do such a thing and cause so much disruption here at the school?”
    Mimi looked at the Detective. He was behind the glare of the desk lamp, but she could see his face was getting red.
    â€œI don’t know. I think if Mary arranged the miracle she might have some message behind it. Maybe some symbolism.”
    â€œSymbolism?” Father Ernst asked, sounding intrigued.
    â€œI’m not smart about these things, but maybe it stands for something she’s trying to tell the parish, or maybe the whole world. But no one yet has been able to understand. Maybe if you could write a letter to the pope and get some of his top monks on it, they could pray and not eat meat for a while, and God would reveal to them what it’s all about. But I don’t’ know. Like I said, I’m just an average girl.”
    â€œTell me this,” Detective Kurtz said slapping his open palm on the nurse’s desk, “What do you know about the mailman getting robbed by two boys in masks outside your home?”
    Mimi rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Were they two boys? I hadn’t heard that. My mother mentioned something about it at dinner last night. We had apricot chicken with rice and some of those rolls you have to crack the tube open on the countertop to make.”
    â€œIt sounds delicious,” Father Ernst said.
    Detective Kurtz narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat.
    â€œMy mom’s a really good cook. Maybe someday I can be like her and cook for my family.”
    â€œWho were these boys?” Detective Kurtz demanded, “Tell us now