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Part One

CAPTURE

And we know that all things work together for good to the to His purpose

—Romans 8:28

The lady or the tiger?

—Frank Stockton

1

THE QUEEN

When Nora caain

She had to be What else could explain the cold, industrial chair she sat in, the unforgiving metal of the handcuffs on her wrists and the terror in her heart?

Inside her aching and addled mind, Eleanor Schreiber opened her eyes and raised her head Across froation room at the police station sat the new priest at Sacred Heart—3:00 a and here he was before her, a mere twenty-nine years old in the face but with eyes ancient enough they’d probably seen Christ in the flesh She kind of hoped he had She’d alondered how tall Jesus was

The priest—Father Stearns to the church but Søren to her—said nothing Heon his lips At least so her misery Where was her father? Her dad should be here now She needed her father, not her Father Her dad was the reason she’d ended up arrested in Manhattan in the hours before dawn But no, she only had her priest and the desire to wipe the smile off that perfect face of his

“So I’ve beento ask you” She decided to take control of the moment and be the first to break the silence “Are you one of those priests who fks the kids in the congregation?”

Whatever reaction she’d hoped for froet it

“No”

Eleanor took a deep breath and exhaled heavily through her nose

“Too bad”

“Eleanor, perhaps we should discuss the predicament you’re in at the moment”