B&C III - 29

Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 29


The two girls were taken out. Wendy sat with her lips pursed together and a furious look on her face. Brian was holding his bowed head in his hands. Tom Wong watched the whole proceedings of the arrest of Magda and the other nun.

When they were gone Judge Weinstein said, “Well, under the circumstances it won’t be possible to decide anything in regard to this adoption request today. You are all dismissed.”

Then Tom said “Let me go talk to the judge for a minute, to find out where we are.”

While he was doing that, Brian said “Oh God, I feel so bad making her go there. What a dope I’ve been.”

Wendy put her hand on his shoulder and said “But Brian, you didn’t know.”

“Yeah, but something, her intuition, was telling her not to go there, and I should have listened.”

“Well, she’s out of there now and, I guess the place is closed down. We’ll soon know.”

“Poor Christy.”

They sat silently for a while. When Wong returned he sat down and said “Well, during all that delay, when we thought nothing was happening, they were conducting a raid on Saint Jane’s. Based on Christy’s description, which I guess, was very graphic, Judge Weinstein signed a warrant and the police went off to find out. The raid is still going on, but they uncovered enough evidence to arrest Magda.”

“Where’s Christy?” asked Brian.

“We don’t know. When the raid started she was quickly taken off to a secure place, for her protection. She’s under a 24 hour guard.”

“Can we go see her?”

“No. The judge wouldn’t tell me where she is. But she can get whatever she needs, the Judge assured me.”

“I’ve been such a fool” said Brian.

“Stop it, Brian. You only did what you thought was right. Why don’t you go home? I’ll go talk to the DA tomorrow and get as much information as I can, and I’ll call you and let you know what’s up. Wendy, take the rest of the day off.”

“Okay. But can I come with you to the DA’s office?”

“Yes. If you wish.”

The stood up and slowly left the hearing room. Brian was silent. He walked down the hall feeling like a criminal. They drove in silence back to his house. Once there Wendy went to fix her and Brian a couple of drinks.

They sat quietly, staring at nothing, Brian was trying not to think of anything, but his mind was going over the memory of buying her those clothes, and the art things, how she was so pleased with them, getting her to that place and then not being able to see her, of how she looked when she came into the hearing, how she only glanced at him and then how she ran up to the judge, pleaded with her and disappeared into that room. And now she was gone and they didn’t know where she was. This was not the way things were supposed to be.

He went over to his computer, turned it on and looked at the few pages he had written of “Crystal, The Ice Angel.” He read through them and then reached over to the “delete” button and pressed it.


(To be continued.)