“Have you seen the papers?” was her first question. “The reviewers don’tthink that was Francine Dow on Irene’s show. They say—”
“We saw it,” Pauline interrupted.
“But those were the very words Clarissa used. Is there any word fromher?”
“Not yet. Perhaps there never will be. Peter says she could have slippedout of the theater with no intention of coming back. He’s in thehospital, Flo. I’m so upset!”
“What happened to him?” Flo was immediately all sympathetic concern.
Judy started to tell her and then thought better of it. Florence Garnerwas a stranger, too. Judy had met her only a few hours before she metClarissa. “I shouldn’t trust strangers,” she told herself grimly. Aloudshe said briefly, “He was hurt. He’s in the same hospital where theytook that redheaded woman. She was asking for Irene. I don’t know why.We both thought she might be Clarissa—”
“But she wasn’t? Then who is she?”
“She doesn’t know,” replied Judy. “It’s all so confusing, I need alittle peace and quiet to make any sense to what’s happening. We thoughtwe’d go to church.”
Flo looked from one of them to the other.
“You’re not telling me everything,” she charged. “Something’s happened.Something terrible has happened, and you’re keeping it from me. Do youthink dreams warn people of tragedy? I dreamed—It’s still so real I canhardly tell you about it. But I dreamed that my hair—” She touched herhead and seemed relieved upon discovering she was wearing her hat.“Well, never mind about that now.”
“Clarissa hypnotized us. We’re all under her spell. Maybe church—”
Judy stopped Pauline before she could finish.
“Religion isn’t magic,” she said quietly. “It’s—something inside.”
Judy’s sudden sincerity seemed to confuse Flo.
“Well, I—I thought you were keeping something from me, but if you wantme to go—”
“Of course we want you.” Pauline decided the question for her. “Shall wego?”
Judy found Pauline’s church even more formal than she had described it.The minister and the people in the choir wore black robes. Judy’sprayers were all for Peter and his work that had been so cruellyinterrupted. Thoughts of what he must have suffered took possession ofher mind and would not leave her.
“And so it is, my friends,” the minister was saying, “we love each otherand think that is enough. But were we not commanded in the fifth book ofMoses, ‘Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in theland of Egypt.’”
Now Judy was more confused than ever. Clarissa was a stranger. Judy hadfollowed her heart and loved her as a friend. But had she done the rightthing? Was she a friend or a phantom? Should she have trusted her? Whatof the confidence game?
The words of the church service were printed on the calendar Judy hadreceived at the door when the usher had handed her the hymnal. On theback, as she turned the calendar over in her hand during the longsermon, she noticed a list of names. Trustees of the church and thechairmen of various committees were listed. The names meant nothing toher until, all at once, she saw the name, _Clarence Lawson_! He waslisted as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. It seemedimpossible. Could he, a man wanted by the FBI, be sitting quietly in thecongregation? Peter had trailed him and lost him.
“Peter said it was public knowledge,” Judy thought. “But surely thesepeople don’t know the name of a confidence man is printed on theirchurch calendar!”
Pauline, sitting on her right, touched Judy’s elbow. She was the lastone to stand up when the congregation rose to sing the closing hymn. Flogave her a look that asked, wordlessly, “What’s the matter?” Paulinewhispered something to Flo as they filed out of church, and Judy knewPauline had told Flo that Peter had been shot.
“That’s the name of the man he was trailing.” Judy pointed to the nameon the back of the calendar. “Do you know him?”
“Of course,” Pauline replied, puzzled. “Everybody in the church knowshim. He’s conducting our building fund drive.”
“Is he here?” asked Judy.
Pauline looked around. “I don’t see him. That’s funny. He never misses aSunday. His wife isn’t here either.”
“Is she an actress?”
“Heavens, no! She’s a typical clubwoman, if you know what I mean. Theyhaven’t been here long, but already she’s at the head of everything. Idon’t know where she is this morning.”
“She doesn’t—have red hair, does she?”
“What are you thinking, Judy? Her hair is gray. If you’re trying toidentify that patient in the hospital you ought to ask Irene about her.They must know each other if she was asking for her. Maybe she’s anactress. Irene knows a lot of theatrical people. Authors are myspecialty,” Pauline finished with a laugh.
“Ad men are mine. They would change the minister’s text around to makeit read, ‘_Sell_ ye therefore the stranger,’ but that’s today’s world,”Flo said with a sigh. “Nobody cares much about the kind of love theytell you about in church.”
“I care about it,” Judy said.
Flo gave her an odd look. “You sound like Clarissa. She said she caredabout the truth, but what happens? She disappears—with our money. Iguess you just don’t know what anybody is these days.”
Pauline agreed. “The people in our church certainly don’t know whoClarence Lawson is. Why was Peter trailing him, Judy? Is he wanted bythe FBI?”
“Yes, he is. It’s about some money for a church building fund. He wassupposed to turn it over to the treasurer of the church, but he didn’t.”
“Didn’t he? Oh dear!” Pauline exclaimed. “We didn’t give much, becausewe weren’t very enthusiastic about the new building, but a lot of peopledid. It’s supposed to be a real community center when it’s finished. Mr.Lawson knew an architect who drew up the plans and made an estimate.There was talk of bringing in professional fund raisers before Mr.Lawson took over. He said there was no need to pay people to raise moneyamong us if we’d give it freely without pledges. Then he passed a platearound, and people threw in big bills and checks made out to him aschairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He talked people into givingjust the way Clarissa did. He was like her in a way. Even his name is alittle like hers—Clarence, Clarissa—”
“That’s probably just a coincidence.” In spite of the evidence againsther, Judy found herself defending Clarissa. “It’s the way I feel abouther. I have no other reason,” she admitted. “You girls are probablyright.”