CHAPTER 30 - PENNSYLVANIA
The jangle of a telephone in the middle of the night was never a good sign. The prioress picked up the receiver and groggily croaked into it, "Salesian Monastery." It was the middle of the night in Pennsylvania, but the middle of the next afternoon in China. Mei Li’s neighbor had a cell phone and called a relative who had a phone capable of connecting with the United States. After a few attempts at calling which did not get through, the relative asked for the assistance of a telephone operator who made the call happen almost magically. The connection was, surprisingly, crystal-clear. All that this third-hand person's account could convey to the prioress was that, “A Brother Francis has been shot and is being attended to. There will be more information forthcoming as soon as they have any.”
"No, he is not in a hospital. He is with a local doctor who doesn't have a telephone. I will do my best to be a good go-between for all of you. I know you are Christians. I am a Buddhist and have great devotion to the Medicine Buddha. I will chant the mantra of the Medicine Buddha for the health of your spiritual brother."
Sister Jane shakily thanked the caller and scribbled down the number she was given, which included a country code, and hung up. She would never get back to sleep now. She put on her robe and was making her way to Madam Wu's room to debrief when she realized that the community room was filled with the community. Some people had on sweat clothes and some had on habits, so she joined them there. Each person looked at the nun expectedly.
"Please sit down everyone I have some sad news to share with you. I don't know how else to say it so I'll just come right out with it. Our abbot has been shot. I have no details as to why but I understand that he is in critical condition. He is not being treated at a major hospital, nor at any hospital. He is in the office of a Chinese medicine doctor as we speak."
"It's just as I thought," whispered Clare, more to herself than to the community. Madam Wu nodded sadly.
Sister Scholastica busied herself boiling water for tea and setting out some cookies and napkins on the wooden refectory table. Everyone wandered to the table as if Sister Scholastica had somehow communicated her wish to them telepathically. Everyone sat down on his or her wooden bench and then distracted themselves by choosing from a multitude of variously flavored teabags. They normally brewed tea from loose leaves but teabags were sometimes handier and tonight everyone could use “handy.”
The doorbell rang and the group jumped in unison. A small window in the kitchen area allowed people to look out into the foyer and see who was there. Brother Matthew recognized Doctor Chantal Fleur and David Gold instantly. It was indeed a welcome sight.
"What are you people doing up in the middle of the night?" forensic and clinical psychologist Chantal Fleur asked with an air of authority. Detective David Gold nodded his head in assent.
Everyone began to talk once. "Please, please my sisters and brothers; let us speak one at a time. Just for the sake of organization I'll get us started. We might ask you two the same question. What are you doing here at this hour?"
"We were on our way back from Philadelphia. We went to a concert. It's not David's favorite thing but he's a good husband and he went with me. We stopped for some coffee on the drive back and something told us to drive by the monastery, maybe stop in the oratory for a little prayer even though you know I'm a hopeful agnostic and our dear David has been graced with the faith of a devout Jewish man. Now please tell us what’s going on."
The prioress shared with the dear friends of the community as much as she knew, which was very little. Chantal and David, who had helped to solve a few mysteries with Brother Francis and his community over the years, looked at one another.
"We've got to catch a plane," David said, as he and Chantal said good night, closing the door behind them as they left.