A hard edge creeps into her voice, and I wonder what she would say if she saw exactly how I am treating my guest, as she calls her.
Images of Tiffany tucked up sleeping in the hard single bed in the attic room entertain me. The way I finger fucked her in front of a couple of strangers and forced her to watch a knife fight to almost death. Mom would not be impressed, so I say carefully, “She is settling in well.”
“I hope so, Joseph, because if I hear to the contrary, I will be angry.”
I smile because Mom has the softest heart inside a hard exterior. She is a formidable woman who accepts no mistreatment of women, which is ironic when her husband has a mistress and yet loves her with a fierce intensity; we have never been in any doubt of that.
“I have a question.”
As always, my mind reverts to business, and I waste no more words on pleasantries.
“What can you tell me about a woman named Serenity Woods?”
Silence is my answer, and I wait, unwilling to fill it with words.
“Why do you ask?”
Her tone is guarded.
“She visited Sister Agatha recently, and Spencer informs me that you were friends at Canton House, along with Sister Agatha.”
“Spencer is right.”
I can only imagine Mom’s expression right now. She will be angry because she doesn’t like her business being under scrutiny.
“We were friends. All three of us and she was probably just visiting Agatha when she was in the area. Why do you ask?”
“Because Sister Agatha referenced giving the Zaferelli keys to a woman.”
“She told you that?”
Mom sounds guarded, and even though I can’t see her face, I can tell by the tone of her voice that she knows something.
“I want to know what woman and why, and I wondered if you could help me with that.”
Her silence tells me she’s thinking hard, and I prepare myself for lies, avoidance, and anger, even.
Instead, she sighs.“Joseph. You always question everything. Is it not possible that Serenity was merely visiting an old friend? It could be anyone. The convent is full of women. Are you certain it was a visitor who Agatha gave the keys to ?”
She makes a valid point; one I hadn’t considered until now, and I revisit the conversation I had with Sister Agatha only this morning, which seems unbelievable considering how far we’ve traveled.
“It was for the best. When you find the answers, the truth will present itself, and the keys are too valuable to hand to a stranger.”
My mind turns to Tiffany, and I wonder if she has any ideas, vowing to ask her tomorrow. Spencer must also run a check on every nun in that convent because Mom is right, we must have missed something.
“Joseph.”
Her soft voice is full of concern.
“Go to bed. It must be nearly three in the morning there. You’ve had a long day, and this can’t be good for you.”
“I’m okay.”
“I insist.”
I hate her concern.
“Fine. I’ll grab some sleep. Good night, Mom.”