Free Rueful Death by Susan Wittig Albert Page A

the short, I wasn't especially concerned. Sister Gabriella wondered whether there might be something more to it, but I'm afraid I rather brushed her suspicions aside."
    "The second fire was at Thanksgiving?" Ruby asked.
    ' 'Yes. It had to have been deliberately set. A large pan of cooking oil was placed on the stove and the burner turned on high-something our kitchen staff would never
think
of doing. No one was ever in danger, fortunately. Our meal was over and the kitchen crew had finished. There was nobody in the building."
    "Except Dwight," I remarked. I frowned. "And Father Steven. Is that right?"
    She nodded. "Father Steven had been here for dinner. They were both outside, talking. Dwight smelled smoke and ran in and put a lid on the pot. There was ho actual fire damage, but we had to repaint the kitchen. The fire was
    obviously deliberate. I thought we'd better have Deputy Walters take a look." She made a face. "For all the good it did us."
    "Was Father Steven here when the fire started in the barn?"
    Mother Winifred looked at me, shocked. "You're not suggesting-"
    "I'm just asking."
    She hesitated. ' 'Actually, I'm not sure whether he was here that day or not. Perhaps you should ask Gabriella. She might remember."
    "But he was here the night of the chapel fire."
    "Yes. It was Christmas Eve, and he was preparing to say Mass. That fire was also deliberate, I'm afraid. A candle was placed close to a curtain in the sacristy." Her face was distressed. ' 'We
must
identify the person who is doing this. She is mentally unbalanced. She needs help."
    Maggie frowned. "Why does the arsonist have to be one of the sisters, Mother? How about Carl Townsend? I was in Mother Hilaria's office one morning when he stormed in, mad enough to throttle her. Now he's lost the battle over Mrs. Laney's will, and Mother Hilaria is beyond his reach. Setting a fire is the sort of thing he would do."
    Mother Winifred was dubious. "I don't know-I mean, I really don't think…" She clasped her hands with a heavy sigh. "But I suppose anything is possible. Carl and Rena Townsend
were
here on Christmas Eve. Rather unexpectedly, too, I might add. Not at the other times, though. At least not to my knowledge."
    "But there are two other Townsends." Maggie leaned forward. "How about Royce?"
    "Doctor Townsend?" Mother frowned. "Since Perpetua fell ill, he's been here quite often. Whether he was here when the fires broke out-You must ask Sister Rowena. She's our infirmarian. I'm sure she keeps track of his visits." She shook her head. "Really, Margaret Mary, I can't see a
doctor
setting fire to our chapel. Can you?"
    "Can you see a nun doing it, Mother?" Maggie asked bleakly.
    Mother Winifred's hand went to her mouth. "Oh, dear," she whispered.
    It was time to ask another question-one that had been at the back of my mind for several hours. ' 'Mother Hilaria's death-you're absolutely sure it was an accident?"
    Mother took a deep breath. "Oh, there's no doubt about that," she said. "The hot plate was quite old, and it's no surprise that it malfunctioned. Doctor Townsend said the shock probably wouldn't have been fatal if she hadn't been standing in some spilled milk. And of course she had a bad heart, and high blood pressure too. She was trying to untangle the financial business you see. She was under a great deal of stress."
    ' 'Could I have a look at the hot plate?''
    "I'm sure it's in Sister Ruth's storeroom." Mother Winifred smiled wryly. "It takes God's signature on a piece of paper to get our housekeeper to throw anything away. I'll ask her to show it to you."
    I came back to the arson. "So you agree with Deputy Walters that the fires are an inside job?"
    She glanced reluctantly at Maggie. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I understand your arguments, Margaret Mary, and the Lord knows that Carl Townsend isn't one of my favorite people. I just don't believe that someone from the outside could have set the fires without being seen." Her voice became firm. "And of course