“When I came here, I couldn't understand it,” she continued. “What could possibly be wrong with a convent, of all places? They just work. But the moment I stepped inside, everything fell into place. I finally understood why they had sent me. The abbess and Sister Claire had been taking care of a small but aging congregation for years. Some of the sisters needed special care because of their health. The community had been self-sufficient for many years, but it had rapidly started to decline. Even back then, the convent was already rather neglected, and financial problems had begun to arise. That’s when Sister Claire broke down, and the abbess reached out to our superiors for help.”
“Did they send only you?” the detective asked.
“They sent two more sisters a few weeks later. Then the abbess asked for more help, but they said there was no one available. The abbess is an extraordinary/outstanding person, but no one could have handled all that alone.”
“Don’t pick it up,” the voice said.
“What?” Samuel asked.
“The phone. It’s ringing.”
“I wasn’t going to. I know who’s calling.”
“Who?”
“My editor. He's been pushing me pretty hard lately.”
“Editors are a pain in the ass, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t ask you. But if I had, I couldn’t agree more. Now, if you don’t mind...”
“Mind what?”
“Zip it.”
“Alright, but remember the detective is still barefoot.”
“Our mission as nuns is to help others. We devote most of our time to that, but also to prayer and study, though God knows we could use some help ourselves right now,” she said.
“I understand. You said the TV was a donation from the mayor.”
“That’s right.”
“Does he know how bad things are?”
“Yes. The abbess wrote to the town hall explaining how desperate the situation was. But, you know, we live in a mostly secular society.”
“Does that mean the town hall doesn’t care?”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Then what was the response to the abbess’s request?”
“An 85-inch Samsung Smart TV.”
The detective pulled on his socks and slipped back into his shoes without saying a word.
“You did well not answering the phone/Good thing you didn't answer the phone,” the voice said.
“Maybe. But sooner or later I’ll have to face the beast.”
The dialog was smooth!
@T-Newfields Great! Thank you!