New to The Dalton Files? Start with The Empty Envelope and follow the leads here.

Dalton File #12

I showed up at the convent early the next morning despite all the excitement last night. I was anxious to tell Mary the news, and to get my final answer. Yesterday, I had received so many of the answers I’d wanted to know for so long, but there was still more I needed to know.

When your life has been spent digging up answers for others, leaving anything unanswered is not an option. All the loose ends need to be tied up, and I still had one more.

Mary and Sister Bertha walked into the office together that morning. The uncertainty of the previous day was gone. Sister Bertha spoke first, “God bless you, Mr. Dalton. I hope today you find the rest of your answers.”

“God bless you too, Sister Bertha, and thank you so much! You have been so helpful.” I remembered my initial trepidation at meeting a nun named Bertha and I started to smile again. Not now, Dalton.

Sister Bertha left the room and closed the door. I had gained her trust yesterday, and she probably knew we would be more comfortable talking without her being there.

I had the news of Donovan’s arrest to share with Mary, but first I needed the answer to the last question I asked yesterday, “Why the empty envelope?” I couldn’t take the anticipation any more.

She began, “When Bottle Head Bobby, or whatever his name was, and Donovan were talking about you, it made me think that you were somebody who needed the same man I was looking for. I had no money, but I felt like I was being pulled to you. I started to feel like I was being called.

God wanted me to go to you, I know that for certain now. Then the idea hit me and I thought to myself,” she hesitated for a moment and then continued, “please forgive me, this is going to sound awful, this sounds like a man who can be easily swayed by money.”

I stopped her to assure her I understood and it was okay. She was right. One of the first things I said to her was, “I don’t work for free.” I wasn’t interested in helping her. I was only interested in the money.

She continued, “I figured I would show you the empty envelope and lure you into action with the promise of a huge payoff. I guess I was around Donovan for so long that I even started to think like a criminal. God forgive me. I knew you probably wouldn’t understand what I meant by a reward. It looks like that gamble paid off, so to speak.”

“I didn’t understand it at the time, Mary, but I sure do now! The reward you led me to was greater than anything I could have imagined. Just like you said it would be.”

Now it was time for me to give her all the news I had for her.

I started, “I have great news for you today! Last night a search warrant was issued and Dan Donovan was arrested. He’ll be going away for a long time, and he should go real far in prison with a name like Handsome.” She laughed at my inappropriate joke, and I was glad Sister Bertha wasn’t there to hear it.

I explained to her that with the books the police recovered, and with Flip Callahan turning state’s evidence, Donovan was through. If she testified it was a sure thing. He was a two-time loser and this would send him up the river for good. I thought she would balk at the idea of testifying, so many people do out of fear. But she gave me a look that said, this is too good to be true.

“Can I really be free? I’ll do anything to take that b–er man down.”

“It’s true, you can, and you will, be free,” I assured her. But I had more for her.

I took out the note Flip Callahan stuck in my pocket in between punches and I showed it to her. She started to tear up and said, “I still love him too. He was the only bright spot in all those years. I know he has a good heart. He needs Jesus too, and I want to help him get there. He always listened when I talked about God, but he didn’t understand. He used to ask me questions, and I want to help him understand.”

Then I hit her with the final surprise I had for her. I was worried about it until I heard her say she still loved him. “Flip is outside waiting for you in the car. I promised him I would bring him here if you decide to leave the convent.” She broke down in tears again and said, “Thank you. How can I ever repay you?” I said to her, “I’m the one repaying you. Thank you for what you did for me.”

I had promised Flip in my apartment that night that I would give him the opportunity to pick Mary up from the convent. I told her that it was the least I could do after she saved my life. I wanted to help give her back hers.

“I still have a couple more promises to keep,” I said, “I promised a mutual friend from your church that I would let her know if I found you.” “Lydia,” Mary guessed. “Yes, Lydia.” Mary said, “I would love to see my old friends again, but I am too embarrassed. How can I ever face them again?”

“Mary,” I said, “I never would have found you if it wasn’t for Lydia. You have good friends there and they want to see you again. They will welcome you back with open arms.” She smiled, and a tear ran down her face, “Thank you.”

We got up and started for the door. I turned the knob and opened it… and Sister Bertha nearly fell into my lap! “Sister,” I said knowingly, “are you okay?” She looked out of the corners of her eyes and giggled. “I heard what you said about Mr. Donovan in prison,” she admitted. She was blushing. We all laughed one more time.

“I also promised someone that when this case was over I would tell her all about how you helped me find God. This evening I am going to Rye Beach with Babs –” Mary cut me off, “Babs? Who’s Babs?” she asked, genuinely curious.

Just then Babs walked in the door and threw her arms around Mary and said, “Praise God he found you alive and well!”

“Mary,” I said, “Meet Babs.” Babs turned to her and said, “Jerry is a good man, Mary.” I was startled, the last time anybody called me Jerry was Martha that day on the beach. That was also the last time I allowed anybody to call me that.

Babs could see I was taken aback and she asked if I was okay. “Yes, I’m okay.” Babs calling me Jerry just seemed right. With Babs I can be Jerry. Only with Babs.

It struck me in that moment that I was on the verge of keeping three promises that day. Promises never meant much to me as a private eye. They were nothing more than bargaining chips. If keeping the promise benefited me, I would keep it. If breaking the promise would help me, I would break it.

Sometimes I would make a promise with no intention of keeping it. In my world, promises were made with the caveat that they didn’t really mean too much. But now it is different, my word means something, it isn’t a bargaining chip.

We walked out the front door of the convent. I saw Sister Bertha standing at the door and waving. She was wiping a tear from her eye again. For the second time today I thought about the reaction I had at just reading her name. This time, instead of smiling, I realized that judging people like this was something I still needed to work on.

Mary started to run towards the car Flip was in. Flip opened the door and stood with his arms outstretched. Mary jumped into his arms and threw her arms around him. They kissed.

She turned to me with a tear streaming down her face and mouthed the words, “Thank you again.”

I pointed to the sky and mouthed, “Thank God.” On my cue, she looked up and exclaimed loudly, “Thank you, God.”

Flip said, “I need to know more about this God who has done so much for you and for Jeremiah. Can he really help me? Can I be forgiven?”

I heard Sister Bertha say under her breath, “What fine young men.” She turned and went back inside the convent.

I took Babs by the hand and walked over to Mary. I stopped and turned to her and said, I still have one question. “That man in the church, was he really J—” Mary interrupted me again and said,

“Who do you say he is…”