“Yes, and we put it to good use, didn’t we?”

Both girls giggled. Maura put the knife and the jewelry back into her purse.

Maura leaned back, propping herself up with her arms. “Now Ernestine-she must’ve had some fabulous jewelry.”

“No doubt.”

“Are you as irritated about that as I am? Having her snatched away from us like that?”

Judy shrugged. “I’m not nuts for jewelry like you are.”

“I’m not nuts for it.”

“You dug up a grave because you heard a rumor that Natalie Bragg’s wedding ring had been buried with her ashes.”

“But I’m not nuts for it.” She sighed. “Still. I would’ve liked to have a fourth.”

Judy turned to face her friend, so simple, so unaffectedly naÏve. “And what’s to stop us?”

“I just thought, now that Father Beale is going to prison…”

“Why should that matter?” She paused, gazing reflectively at the orange sun. “I like being up here, watching all the people scurry about. They’re like ants. Little ants running through their paces, doing whatever I want them to do.”

“Whatever you want them to do? I’m part of this team, too, remember?”

“Of course I do.” She patted Maura’s hand. “Do you remember that rhyme from the wedding? Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I figure we’ve had something old-that was Helen. And we’ve had new-Susan.”

“Kate can be the blue-she had blue eyes.”

“Exactly. But what about something borrowed?”

“Alvin Greene!” Maura said gleefully. “Because he was loaned to us from St. John’s.”

“Brilliant.” Judy took her friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “But a man? We haven’t done that before. He’ll struggle more.”

“I think we’re ready for it.”

“I do, too,” Judy said, and a wonderful, contented smile spread across her face. “You’re a good friend, Maura,” she said. “You’re a good friend, and I love you.”

“I love you, too, Judy. You know I do.”

Judy released her hand, then returned her attention to the horizon. “It’s a beautiful sunset, isn’t it?”

“Beautiful,” Maura echoed. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she laid her head gently on her friend’s soft shoulder. “Absolutely beautiful.”

“You’re kidding!” Mike’s voice was so loud Ben had to move the cell phone away from his ear.

“I’m not, Mike. I’m dead serious.”

“But it couldn’t be-”

“It’s the only explanation.”

“But why?”

“We’ll sort that out later.” Ben was speeding across town, his phone in one hand, the steering wheel in the other-not the optimal conditions for high-speed driving. “Can you meet me at the church?”

“Now? I’ve got a million things-”

“There will be a lot of people there tonight, Mike. And the last time a lot of people were there, someone got killed.”

Ben heard a deep intake of breath on the other end of the line. “Give me ten minutes.”

“You can’t possibly get there in ten minutes.”

Ben heard a soft chuckle. “With an eight-cylinder TransAm and a portable police siren, I can do anything I want.”

“Mr. Greene, could you please help me?”

Alvin put down his wrench. “I’m kinda busy at the moment, little miss. Gotta get this place ready for the big concert.”

Judy and Maura stood beside the altar looking down at him. Judy put on her sweetest smile. “We’d only need you for a little while.”

“Still…” He checked his watch. “I’ve just got half an hour.”

“Please.” Her forehead crinkled, making her look sweetly frightened and irresistible. “I really really really need your help.”

“What is it?”

“I-I think I saw a spider.”

“Honey, we got spiders all over the-”

“A fiddleback.”

“A fiddleback! Those are poisonous. Are you sure?”

Judy swung her head up and down. “I studied all about them in Girl Scouts.”

“Where was it?”

“In the fourth-grade Sunday school room.”

“Way in the back of the church?”

“Uh-huh. Please hurry. I’m so scared.”

“Is anyone else around?”

“Oh no, not now.” Her eyes glistened a bit. She reached out and took his hand. “It’ll just be you and me and Maura back there. Just you and me and Maura.”

As he pulled up to the church, Ben saw that, as he had feared, the parking lot was filled. Masterson’s choir concert was today; both the adult and the youth choirs were performing, and Masterson had been promoting it hard and heavy as an organ fund-raiser.

Ben parked his car and ran to the front entrance, hoping against hope that he wasn’t too late.

Just as he hit the front door, he saw a familiar silver TransAm barreling up the drive. Mike, and he’d brought Lieutenant Tomlinson with him. All the better.

“Where are they?” Mike asked just a few seconds later.

“Follow me.” Ben led them through the narthex into the sanctuary, where the recital was already under way. The youth choir was singing an anthem: “Even When God Is Silent.” The pews were filled. Whether due to excitement over the music program or relief that the Father Beale ordeal was over, the parish had turned out in large numbers. Which could make Ben and Mike’s task all the more difficult.

Ben saw Alvin Greene standing near the door. “Any problems?”

“No,” the short man answered. “Why?”

“Just wondered. No… disturbances? Excitement?”

“Not to speak of. One of the choir girls thought she saw a spider.”

“Which one?”

He chuckled. “The tall one with all the spunk. Judy. Said she saw a fiddleback in the Sunday school room and wanted me to come kill it. I told her she’d have to wait until after the concert. Felt bad, but I had too much to do.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Ben murmured. “It’s the smartest thing you ever did in your life.”

“Which ones are they?” Mike asked.

“Maura’s on the back row. The short girl with the dark hair, second from the end.”

“Jesus Christ. How old is she? Sixteen?”

“Not even.”

“Where’s the other one?”

“I don’t know. I don’t see her.”

They waited until the song was over. During the applause, Ben and Mike walked as unobtrusively as possible to the choir section.

“Maura,” Ben said quietly, “you need to come with me.”

Maura frowned. “What? Why?”

The applause was dying out. “Just come. Now.”

“What’s going on here?” Masterson had left the organ to investigate. “We’re in the middle of a performance.”

Ben tried to keep his voice down, to attract as little attention as possible. “I need Maura.”

“Can’t it wait until later?”

“No.”

Maura looked at Masterson with big wide eyes. “I don’t want to go with him.”

“Look, Kincaid, I don’t know what this is all about, but I’m not letting you drag her off in the middle of my concert.”

The applause was over. Everyone present was watching, listening, trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

“Let’s not make a scene,” Ben hissed.

“I agree,” Masterson shot back. “Please leave so that we can get on with the concert!”

Mike’s limited patience had reached an end. He pulled out his badge and flipped it open. “Major Morelli. Tulsa PD. I want to talk to the girl, now.”

Maura took a step back-but Ben clamped his hand on her shoulder, holding her in place.

Masterson was obviously startled, but he didn’t back down. “What’s this all about?”

“We just need a few words with her.”

“I’ll have to talk to her mother.”

“No, you won’t.” Mike stepped forward and took Maura by the hand. “Come along, miss.”

“But I don’t want to go!” Unable to flee, Maura had obviously realized the value of creating a public scene. “Don’t let him take me away!”

“No one’s going to harm you.”

“Stop! Please! Won’t someone help me? Don’t let him hurt me!”

By this time, the church was in an uproar. Adults rose out of their seats, heading down the aisle to assist the poor defenseless girl. Maura wailed at the top of her lungs.