Blood Sisters by Graham Masterton Read Free Book Online Page A

the flesh.
    ‘However, she became penitent, and when her father refused to have her back in his house she went to Cortona to take care of fallen young women like herself, for no remuneration, living on bread and water. Her selfless service to those who had wandered astray morally was beyond reproach, which was why she was canonized, and Sister Bridget was the same. If Sister Bridget’s words were ever sharp, it was only because she was speaking in a young woman’s best interests, and those of her child.
    ‘I find it impossible to believe that any member of our congregation would have harmed Sister Bridget, nor any of the young women that Sister Bridget looked after. And that’s all I can say to you.’
    ‘There must be some other sisters here who knew Sister Bridget,’ said Detective Sergeant Ni Nuallán. ‘Is it possible that I can have a word with them, too?’
    ‘They’re all meditating at the moment, I’m afraid – as indeed I was, and shall have to return to it. Perhaps you’d like to call back later this evening, after our supper. Seven-thirty would be the most convenient time.’
    ‘All right, then,’ said Detective Sergeant Ni Nuallán. She stood up and straightened her skirt. ‘I’ll probably bring another officer with me, if that’s all right, just to get through things quicker.’
    ‘No bother at all,’ said Mother O’Dwyer. ‘I’m absolutely certain, though, that you’ll be wasting your time. You’ll hear the same story from every single one of them. We’re a community of women who have given their lives to God and to helping those unfortunate individuals who, for one reason or another, are incapable of helping themselves. We get along very well, thank you. That’s one of the reasons they call us “sisters”. Sisters of Jesus Christ, sisters to each other.’
    Mother O’Dwyer opened the door and Detective Sergeant Ni Nuallán stepped out into the waiting room and took a deep breath. It had been so leathery and stuffy inside Mother O’Dwyer’s office that she had been close to suffering an attack of claustrophobia.
    Sister Rose was sitting outside, in her white novice’s habit. She stood up immediately and Mother O’Dwyer said, ‘I hope I’ve answered all of your questions, sergeant, and put your mind at rest, at least as far as this congregation is concerned. Sister Rose will show you out. God be with you.’
    ‘Thank you, and with you,’ said Detective Sergeant Ni Nuallán, and followed Sister Rose along the corridor towards the front door.
    When they were out on the porch, though, Sister Rose nervously looked back and then closed the door behind her until it was only an inch ajar.
    ‘I don’t know if I should be showing you this,’ she lisped.
    ‘Sorry, what?’
    ‘ This ,’ said Sister Rose. She reached underneath her scapular and took out a pale-blue handkerchief, folded into a pyramid. She glanced behind her again and then looked left and right across the glistening wet asphalt car park. When she seemed satisfied that nobody was watching them, she held up the handkerchief in the palm of her hand and carefully unfolded it.
    Inside it was a small curved piece of bone, only a little more than three centimetres long. One end was slightly stained, as if it had been soaked in tea. At the other end there were three tiny teeth.
    ‘Where did you get this?’ asked Detective Sergeant Ni Nuallán. She took a pair of crumpled latex gloves out of her coat pocket and tugged one of them onto her right hand. Then she reached across and carefully picked up the bone up between finger and thumb.
    ‘In the garden, at the back,’ said Sister Rose. ‘I was weeding and I just found it there, sticking out of the flower bed.’
    ‘When was this?’
    ‘About six weeks ago. I didn’t know who to tell. I showed it to Sister Brenda and I asked her if I should take it to Mother O’Dwyer, but she said best not to. She said best to throw it in the bin and forget I ever found it. There would