Ed McBain - Vespers

And sipped at their drinks.

And looked up at the threatening black sky.

There was another flash of lightning.

"Rain coming," he said.

"There's another thing, too," she said. "If you're thinking of leniency.”

"And what's that?”

"I really think I accomplished something for the church, Sky.”

"How do you figure that?”

"I seduced a Catholic priest. I seduced a servant of Jesus Christ. I think that's something, Sky.”

"You do, huh?”

"Something worth considering, yes. If you're thinking of forgiving me.”

I'll see.”

There was more lightning, closer now. A faint roll of thunder.

"He told me he loved me," she said, and turned to look at him, a small pleased smile on her face.

"I can't blame him.”

"Through love, lust. Right?”

"Vice versa, actually.”

"I had him lusting for me, Sky. He'd have done anything for me. A Catholic priest, Sky. I had him panting for me. On his knees to me. Not Sky. To me.”

She looked directly into his eyes.

Lightning flashed closer. There was a of thunder.

"We're going to win," she said "Eventually, we're going to win, Sky.”

“I think we've already won," he said It was going to rain any moment now.

He took her hand. They rose together back into the church just as the first hu began pelting the path.

"Would you care to serve as altar night?" he asked.

"I'd be honored," she said.