HOMEWARD BOUND
"Father Steve"
"Sister"
"I need you to come to the dormitory." Sister Jo's voice was insistent.
"Can it wait?"
"Now, please."
"I'm dying to take off the cassock."
"There will be time for basketball later. Father Steven."
When she called him that, he knew something important was up. He followed the nun down the darkened corridors to the room Catalina Montez had recently had used. Sister Emmanuel met them at the door.
"Oh, Father Steve, it's a miracle. Truly it is"
"What is Sister Em?"
"That" She pointed at the bed. On it were several plastic-wrapped packages of twenty-dollar bills.
"Holy Mother of God."
Sister Josefina handed him a plastic bag. Carefully Father Steve put the money in, holding it by the edges. He would have to pay a visit to Ed Brown's office and discuss this.
"Let's put this in the safe. Tomorrow I'll find out if this was a gift from God or the Devil and sisters. Let's not speak of this to anyone."
The two women nodded and left. He walked to his office, put the bag on his desk, and carefully counted the bills. Twenty- two hundred dollars. He opened the safe and put the money in it. Where does an eleven -year old get that kind of money? What were his friends getting into by having Cat stay with them? At least they would be better prepared to deal with things if something happened.
Fran headed west toward I-70, then took the exit ramp to Golden, turning north. "I thought we could do a little shopping first. We don't have much that someone your age would like. You look like you could use some clothes, maybe some books, other things."
"I have no money,"
"It's my treat." Fran pulled into a mall parking lot. "We'll start with some clothes, then go from there."
By the time Fran drove through the gate of the Double B Ranch, the backseat of the Jeep was loaded with clothes, boots, shoes, books, a computer, and other needed accouterments of pre-teen life. Catalina was overwhelmed by the generosity of her friend. She was also overwhelmed by the view in front of her.
The Double B's mailing address was Idaho Springs, a small town forty minutes west of Denver. Ed had bought 100 acres of land in Buttermilk Gulch that butted up into the mountains after becoming Police Chief of Denver. Idaho Springs was in the neighboring county of Clear Creek, so he had no law enforcement responsibilities. It was perfect for him. He could be a rancher. Over the years, he'd renovated the house, adding space for his mother and another area he called the workshop, giving that to Fran as a wedding present. Two small cabins were on the property; one utilized as a guest house, the other claimed by his foreman, Patrice Gless. It was built from Ponderosa pine with large windows on all sides. Along the driveway, she could see the cattle and horses they raised.
"We have chickens, sheep, and a couple of pigs and cattle as well." Fran broke into her reverie. "There's a garden, a creek, and a pond in the back. It's work, but we take care of ourselves here. Staying here means helping out with the chores along with doing your schoolwork." She parked the car. "Let's get your stuff inside and put it away, and you can meet Sarah."