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Suzanne’s blush deepened but she couldn’t deny the truth of Sutherlin’s words Her attraction to Father Stearns was still too fresh a wound to bother denying

"Yes," Suzanne admitted "I’ve seen hi the deeper truth to the words She sain, uncrossed her arms and sat on the arm of the pew

"I said one question and that’s exactly what I mean, Ms Kanter You can ask er "--and I’ll answer it Truthfully Without subterfuge or disingenuousness I will tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to whatever one question you askto tellher ears

"Only the truth lottery But this prize comes with a price I’ll answer your question, but the ansill be off the record And you can use nothing I tell you to hurt hi that I tell you to find out le word of sley destroy your career so thoroughly you won’t even get a job as a weathergirl like your old professor suggested Do you understand that?"

Sing hard, Suzanne nodded She heard the threat in Sutherlin’s voice and knew she esting she becon this woer inside a ive your answer," Sutherlin continued, "you will leave sley and Søren alone We will cease to exist to you You will banish us frohts, your memory, your conversation and your vocabulary Can you accept that?"

She couldn’t i Father Stearns froht of his hands on her arms But she would try For the sake of the truth, the whole truth, she would try

"Okay I accept I’ll be going to Iraq soon anyway Time I moved on"

"Yes," Sutherlin said "It is Now ask your question, and we can all move on"

Suzanne didn’t have to pause even one moment to think of her question

"Are you and Father Stearns sleeping together?"

If she’d thought such an inquiry would faze Sutherlin, Suzanne was highly disappointed

Sutherlin looked neither shocked nor scared at the question She leveled her dark green eyes onto Suzanne’s face