Chapter Thirty-Five

The Bible

Nora met Maria like they had agreed. The Municipal Utilities van sat across the street. The women greeted each other like old friends with a quick hug they both knew was a hasty, covert pat-down. "We have a chaperon," Nora whispered. "White van over my left shoulder." Maria had a gun, and Nora lifted the clip, slipping it carefully into her pocket.

"No bugs," Maria said cheerfully, apparently not noticing the lift. "So, where's my money?"

Nora pulled her cellphone out of her purse and held it up pointedly. "Where's my book?"

Maria lifted her car keys, unlocking the red car that was parked next to them. "You ready?" she asked with a small grin.

Nora nodded and shot a glance back over at the van. "When I cut the anklet, my friends in the van are going to know I'm running," she said somberly. "Can you lose them? Because I'm not going back in."

Maria grinned. "I've been chased by the Carabinieri, drug cartels in Bogota-"

"I get it," Nora snapped impatiently, cutting her off. "You're good." She pulled a pair of pliers out her her purse and knelt down. She'd thought a million times about cutting the anklet off and disappearing, but the thought of getting caught again and going back to prison always hung too heavy in her mind to actually follow through.

But, here she was, authorized to cut it off and run with Maria… I could really run, she thought. The possibility had rolled around her brain since she made the 'deal' with Maria. I could take the bible and disappear. Her stomach twisted in a knot just thinking about it, about the look on Peter's face when he realized she was gone.

I guess that shows how much confidence they have in you, she had said, and Peter had been quiet for a moment, face unreadable. And how much I have in you, had been his answer. No… she couldn't run. Not after that.

Not yet.

Snip. The anklet's band gave easily under the sharp pliers. It fell to the ground, it's little light blinking red in anger. She stood, nodding at Maria.

Maria grinned. "With all due respect, Nora, we could make a great team."

"With all due respect, Maria," Nora countered dryly, "shut up and drive." They got in the car and sped away.

After losing the van, they made their way to a secluded lakefront. It was a mess of garbage and debris, a couple miles outside of the city. She knew, vaguely, that there were unmarked agents on standby nearby, but until Peter got there and the teams got the go-head to move in, she was on her own.

The two got out of the car. "I can't believe I'm doing this," Maria huffed as they made their way to the trunk. Nora pulled on a pair of gloves. "I spent a long time looking for her."

"I guess it wasn't meant to be," Nora muttered. Maria popped the trunk. A black case sat inside, and she pulled it open. The bible was nestled inside, surrounded by padding to keep it safe and secure. Nora picked it up gingerly, examining it, even opening it to give it a quick sniff. "It's calfskin vellum. Abbesses Perfidia, Golden Chalice of Paul."

Maria was digging in her purse. "Satisfied?"

"Very," Nora admitted, watching her carefully. She'd lifted the clip out of her gun, but that didn't mean Maria wouldn't try something. Nora pulled out her phone, logging into the account Peter had given her the day before and putting in the PIN he had sent her that morning. "Sending… it's on its way."

Maria was watching her phone. She smiled. "And here it is. Thank you very much."

"It's a pleasure doing business with you," Nora said as Maria went to tuck her phone into her purse.

Of course, her hand returned with the gun in it. She pointed it at Nora's head. "Mm, you'll excuse me if I disagree." Nora didn't flinch. She'd expected this.

"And here I thought we were friends," Nora said dryly. Just keep her talking until Peter gets here, she thought. I took the clip, she can't do much.

Maria smiled. "You should know better than to trust women like us."

"Oh, I did," Nora told her, pulling the clip out of her pocket. "Clip. Lifted it when I patted you down."

"You forgot about the one in the chamber," Maria reminded her flatly.

Nora's stomach dropped. Oh, you stupid bitch! she cursed herself. "Damn it. I've never been big on guns." Hurry up, Peter.

"Give me the book, Nora," Maria demanded.

"Sorry," Nora said as held the book up like a shield, covering as much of her as she could, and stepped back, slowly edging around the car. Maria followed her. "If you're going to take me out, it's going to cost you a small fortune." Maria didn't respond, didn't shoot. "What's the matter," she goaded, "you can't do it? Is it because of the money, or the history?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

Keep her talking. "Is that why you killed Paul?"

"Paul decided he wanted the money and the book!" she protested. Gee, that sounds familiar. Peter had to have been getting close. Any moment, the van would speed in and everything would be okay.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you get greedy," Nora spat. That was too far. The sound of the gunshot rang in Nora's ears and she fell to the ground, the air forced out of her lungs as the book slammed against her chest. Did she hit me? Am I dying?

Sirens blared. Tires screeched. "Drop the gun!" she heard Peter's voice yell. "Gun down, don't shoot. Gun down. Right now, put your gun down, your hands behind your head." A moment later, "Man down, man down!"

She wasn't hit, and Peter was there. She could breathe again. The bible was still clutched to her chest, a bullet lodged firmly in the cover. "Cutting it a little close there, pal," she breathed, heart still pounding in her chest. Peter pulled her to her feet.

Peter looked at the bible and laughed. The bullet looked as if it was held in the arms of the man on the cover, as if he had caught it. "Guess the big guy had your back, huh?" He seemed a little shaken himself. Aw, she thought, were you worried about me? Peter turned to look at Lauren arresting Maria and grinning broadly as she did.

As if on cue, Mozzie, still donning Peter's FBI jacket, came up behind him silently and Nora passed the bible off. He winked and quickly walked off the way he had come while Peter was commenting on Lauren enjoying the arrest a little too much. No one paid Mozzie any attention.

Another car pulled up as Ruiz wandered over. "And now Barelli," he sighed as the man stepped out of the passenger side and made his way over to the agents.

"How did you and your cub scouts find out about this?" Peter asked dryly. "NYPD?"

"I got one of those police scanners," he said lightly, with a shrug. "It's a hobby." He looked toward Lauren, who was currently putting Maria in the back of a car to be taken in for questioning. "She's Paulie's shooter?" He seemed a bit skeptical. "Some kind of lover's quarrel?"

"Just business," Peter explained. "I hate to break it to you, but your nephew decided to free lance behind your back." Peter didn't look like he hated to break it to him that much.

"It's sad," Ruiz injected. "You know, you can't trust family, who can you trust?"

Barelli seemed impatient. "If you guys are done, I'd like my bible back. Mass starts in one hour."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Would it kill you to say thank you? Huh? Would it?" He shook his head. "Yeah, I guess it would." Nora busied herself brushing dust off her pants. He turned to her. "Alright, just give it to him, Nora."

She looked at him blankly. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what?'" he huffed. "Give him the bible."

Nora held up her empty hands innocently. "I gave it to some FBI guy."

Peter glared. "Some FBI guy?" he demanded, incredulous. She shrugged, and Barelli stepped toward her threateningly, getting right up in her face. Peter let him, standing idly off to the side, still glaring at her. She didn't flinch.

"You think you can get it over on me?" he growled. "You'll wish you were never born, sweetheart."

"I've been getting this speech a lot lately," she sighed.

"Hey," Ruiz said, coming up beside them, "just shut up, Barelli."

"No way," he huffed. Ruiz gave him a hard look. "This ain't over." He stomped off and Ruiz took his place, glaring at her.

"Where is it, Caffrey? I'll let Barelli give you a ride home." He didn't have that authority, she knew, and no matter how angry Peter was, he would never allow that to happen. I think…

"Look, I'm telling you guys, I don't know," she insisted.

"Oh!" she heard very suddenly from behind. She spun to see Peter, smiling, his face lit up with realization. "I know where it is."

Nora smiled as she watched Steve and Lucy walk out with Barelli. Lucy was going to get treatment, courtesy of Barelli, who turned out to be a dog-lover. Peter was relieved. She didn't run, she didn't try to steal the bible. His leap of faith had ended with both feet planted firmly on the ground, rather than his pride splattered against it.

She glanced over and noticed him staring. "I was going to give it back," she insisted, "after-"

Peter cut her off. "I know," he assured her.

She seemed surprised to hear this. "How'd you know?" Peter considered this for a moment, his conversation with Elizabeth from earlier that morning ringing in his ears.

"Okay, I didn't know," he admitted, "but I took a leap of faith that you'd do the right thing."

She smiled. "Elizabeth?" she guessed. Already, she knew him too well, knew what was Peter, and what was his wife's influence.

"Yeah." They started walking toward the door. Up ahead, Barelli handed the bible to Father D'Allesio, Steve and Lucy standing in tow.

"I told you it was a healing bible," she said smugly.

Peter stopped. "Oh, here we go," he sighed in exasperation. "No way. Barelli's a softie for dogs." Even as he spoke, Barelli knelt down in front of Lucy, petting her and scratching her behind the ears.

"Oh, not enough smiting and lighting for you?" she teased.

"That's not a miracle," he insisted. He couldn't stop himself from smiling after them. Nora was staring at him, and he dropped his smile. "It's not a parting of the Red Sea."

She sighed wistfully, glancing at Steve and Lucy as they disappeared out the door. "I'll take my miracles where I can get them." Peter caught the eye of an agent who had been standing by the door. He made his way over.

"We have the honors?" Peter asked. The agent bent down in front of Nora and clicked a fresh new anklet into place around her left ankle.

She stared down in distaste. "She's back." Peter laughed, glancing around. He noticed something sitting on a pew.

"Is that my jacket?" he demanded, picking it up. It was indeed his jacket. He turned on Nora, who just grinned.

"He works in mysterious ways."

They continued toward the door. "You've been sitting on that one for days, haven't you?"

"Absolutely."