FOUND

Father Steve watched as the joyous scene unfolded in front of him. The girl wasn't an undocumented migrant or a Dreamer. She was a child who, if the news reports were correct, had seen her parents murdered. No wonder she'd come seeking sanctuary. When she arrived, she said she thought someone had followed her. That her life was in danger, he wasn't sure of his friend's connection to the girl, but somehow, they knew each other. Catalina clung to her like a drowning person who had found a board to cling to in the middle of the ocean. The force of the girl's contact caused both to sink to their knees on the hard linoleum floor. Fran's voice was singsong as she attempted to soothe Catalina's animal-like wails of pain and grief as the enormity of what had happened to her could be safely released. The look on his friend's face was that of a fiercely protective woman determined to protect and heal the child any way she could. Steve Timmins had no doubts that if anyone could start the process, it was Fran.

The girl's tears began to slow as Fran rocked her, speaking to her in a soothing rapid-fire mix of Spanish and English, the dialect Denverites called Spanglish. As the tears ended, he extended a hand to help them up from the floor, giving Cat his handkerchief to use.

"Gracias Padre"

"De nada Catalina."

"¿Cómo supiste que estaba aquí Fran?"

"I didn't know you were here. Asisto a la iglesia aqui. I attend church here. Padre Steve es mi cura, my priest. ¿Qué haces aquí? Why are you here?"

Steve interrupted "Want to use my office, ladies? I'll make us some coffee, and we can talk a little freer there."

The three walked down a short hallway to a comfortable room with a large desk and crucifix. The priest busied himself with the electric kettle and a short time later gave them each a cup. "Sorry, all I have is instant."

Fran raised her eyebrows. "Instant coffee is the anti-Christ."

"Great, that's all I need is another coffee theologian."

"Do you at least have sugar?"

Steve waited while Catalina and Fran spooned sugar into their mugs.

"What can you tell us about how you got here?" The priest asked.

Catalina gave a brief version of the events that brought her to St Michael's. She had spent the first day and night in the culverts. The next day, she'd gotten lost and wandered through the streets of downtown Denver before arriving at the church early this morning. When she'd finished, the priest felt she'd left large pieces of the story out. He shot a look at his friend. If she felt things were missing from the story, she gave no indication.

"Catalina, you can't stay here. It's not safe."

"But my parents won't be able to find me, Fran."

She wanted to remind the girl that her parents had most likely died in the house fire the other morning but held her counsel.

"If they show up here, I'll make sure they can find you. I don't believe in family separation, and neither does God," said Father Steve.

"Then where do I stay?"

"How'd you like to come and stay with Ed and me at our ranch for a while."

"Really?"

Fran nodded assent. Catalina's eyes widened.

"Go get your things, chica, and I'll be here waiting for you."

Catalina ran down the hall to the small room she'd slept in.

"Are you sure he'll be alright with it?"

"I'm sure, otherwise she goes to Children's Services and into foster care. She's a material witness to the possible murder of her parents. She can't just go into the system. That endangers another family. Ed won't do that. We used to have kids in the office temporarily all the time. The Chief always claimed he didn't like kids, but I grew up around him. I knew that he was a marshmallow when it comes to kids in trouble."

"There are a lot of things you could call Ironside, and I don't think marshmallow was one of them."

"There's a lot people don't know about him."

Catalina returned with her backpack. "I'm ready."

"C'mere Catalina." He took the bag from her and made the sign of the Cross over her. "The blessings of God, Padre, Hijo, y espíritu Santo, be with you on your journey, now and always." He accepted a tight hug from the girl.

"Meet me at the entrance, will you, Cat?"

Fran turned to her friend. "Thanks"

"For what?"

"For not pushing her to tell her story."

Steve Timmins made the sign of the Cross over her. "You and Ed need all the blessings you can get as well. She's not telling everything, and I saw your cop radar go up, so I know you know that as well. She's hiding something big. Stay safe, both of you. I would be quite sad to lose my hoop playing buddy and Sunday School Director."

She smiled. "Which one more?"

"You have to ask?"

Mark's coming next week. We'll be playing poker Wednesday night at the ranch".

"Usual time?"

"Bring your quarter."

Steve Timmins slung Catalina's backpack into the backseat of Fran's Jeep.

"You're always welcome here, chica, not just on Sundays." He grinned. "You too," he said to Fran.

"I know. I'm overdue for an art lesson here. I'll be back soon for one. Promise."

"Holding you to that. Vaya con Dios, amiga."

"I trust God, but..." She pointed to the locked console box.

"Once a cop, always a cop." He finished for her. He didn't reveal that inside the box; Fran kept a fully loaded Glock 19. She showed him the weapon after he expressed his concern about her being out in his neighborhood late at night. As a retired cop, she was allowed under Colorado law to keep her SFPD weapons. She wasn't flashy about it like some ex-cops were; he suspected she had a gun in her purse as well. Fr. Steve knew the reason for it. Fran had told him in confession. He would never say anything. He also didn't want Catalina to be worried, but if Fran were ever to draw it when she was riding with her, there would be a legal, valid reason for her to do it, and she wouldn't miss her target.

"Watch your backs."

"We will." She gave a glance at her passenger. "Ready?" Turning the key, the Jeep engine came to life, and they pulled out of the parking lot.

He watched as Fran drove away, then turning, he walked back to his office. Kneeling on the prie-dieu, he stared into the crucifix above. "Father, protect them all. Help Ed to solve this case as quickly as possible and help Fran care for Catalina. And any other support you can send your way would be appreciated. Amen"

"Father Steve," Sister Jo's voice had an urgency about it.

"Sister"

"Would you come back to the dormitory for a minute? There's something you need to see."

"Can it wait?"

"No, Father, it can't."