The Quest: A Novel

peace.”
    “Yes. Good.” He thought a moment, then asked Mercado, “Is your Italian good?”
    “It is passable.”
    The priest thought a moment, then said, “But Monsignor Mazza said to me he received a letter from one of the people who found Father Armano dying and that this man had little to report about Father Armano’s last words—because of the language difficulties and because he died soon after he was found.”
    “He… was unconscious most of the time.”
    “I see.” Father Rulli stayed silent awhile, then said, “As you know, there must be three miracles for a person to enter into the sainthood, and I am wondering how they in Rome would know of a miracle.”
    Mercado replied, “I’m not sure.”
    “Perhaps these miracles took place when he was serving in the army during that terrible war.”
    “Probably.”
    “And they were reported by the survivors of his military group.”
    “That’s possible.” Mercado added, “That’s what we are investigating. For our story.”
    Purcell inquired, “Do you have any information as to Father Armano’s military unit?”
    “Well, his return address would have been on his letters, but that is all in Rome now.” He looked again at his guest and said, “It seems to me that all this information is available to you in Rome.”
    “Of course.”
    Father Rulli informed them, “I was told not to speak of this to outsiders. Why is that?”
    Mercado replied, “I have no idea.” He added, “Rome is Rome.”
    Father Rulli nodded, then changed the subject. “The most important relic of a saint is part of his body. Monsignor Mazza said that he was going to send a mission to Ethiopia to locate this spa and recover the remains.”
    Mercado, wanting to appear more knowledgeable than he had been, replied, “Yes, we know that. In fact, we may return to Ethiopia ourselves.”
    The priest advised them, “It has become dangerous there.”
    Purcell reminded him, “We’ve been there.”
    “Yes, of course.” Father Rulli looked at his watch and said, “I am to perform a burial Mass in half an hour.”
    Purcell asked him, “Can you put us into contact with any of Father Armano’s family? Or anyone else who is still alive from his time? He mentioned a brother and two sisters.”
    “Yes, Anna is still alive. A widow. And I can have her and other family members, and perhaps some friends, meet you here if you wish.”
    “That would be very good of you.”
    “Anna would find some comfort in speaking to you who last saw her brother alive.” He added, “She grieved for his loss, but now she has been delivered a miracle.”
    The priest rose and his guests also stood. Father Rulli showed them to the door and said, “Five o’clock. I will have coffee.”
    They thanked him, left the rectory, and walked along the side of the church and entered the piazza. The afternoon break seemed to be over and the taverna looked quiet, so they crossed the piazza and found a table under the awning.
    Mercado said, “We were scooped by the Vatican press office.”
    Purcell added, “And they made off with all traces of Father Armano.”
    Vivian said, “This is hard to believe… I mean, is this canonization… legitimate?”
    Mercado replied, “It could be.”
    Purcell lit a cigarette and looked at him.
    Mercado met his stare and said, “It
could
be, Frank.” He explained, “They’d want his army letters to see if he mentioned anything that could be construed as a miracle.”
    “They wanted his army letters to see if he mentioned anything about the letter he was carrying from the pope.”
    “We don’t know that.”
    Purcell asked, “Aren’t there supposed to be eyewitnesses to these miracles?”
    Mercado replied, “I’m impressed with your knowledge of thesteps to sainthood.” He added, “The Vatican office of beatification will be trying to find and interview men who served with Father Armano in Ethiopia.”
    Vivian said, “Even if he didn’t
perform
a miracle, he experienced the greater miracle of… being healed.”
    Purcell inquired, “Does that count?”
    Mercado surprised him by saying, “Even doubting Thomas had a place among the apostles.” He assured Purcell, “We need a skeptic.”
    Vivian smiled. “I look forward to being there, Frank, when you are in the black monastery in the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
    “I will eat my words. Or drink them.”
    Vivian thought a moment, then said, “Father Armano asked us to tell his sister Anna of his