Acts of Mercy Read Online Free PDF Page A

looking until he finds Ian.”
    “He shouldn’t stop looking. I wouldn’t, if Ian were mine.” She glanced at the clock. “In the meantime, we have a business to run here. I’m going to call Robert and the others and we’ll see what the consensus is.”
    “Robert’s going to tell you to do what you think is best. Kevin will tell you to follow your instincts, and Susanna is going to ask you what Robert said. Emme will be happy to have another investigator to share the workload.” Trula smiled. “Sam seemed like a nice enough fellow. I say go for it. So when Robert asks you if I had anything to say, you can tell him.”
    “I’ll call Robert first.”
    “Good move.” Trula went back to preparing the filling for her pie.
    “By the way, what are you going to do with that pie?” Mallory asked. “Who knows when Robert and Susanna will be back. And if I remember correctly,you don’t like peach pie.” She leaned on the counter. “So who’s the pie for, hmmmm?”
    “It might go home with you for a certain detective who’s had to work around the clock for the past two weeks.” Trula watched from the corner of her eye as Mallory stealthily pocketed another peach. “Then again, maybe it’s for Father Kevin.”
    Grinning and assured of one great dessert to share with Charlie when he got home that night—if he got home that night—Mallory went back to her office, the second peach and another paper towel in her pocket.
    Trula had been spot-on in her predictions: Robert had, in fact, told Mallory to do what she thought was best.
    “Hire him if you think he’s the right guy,” he’d said, obviously distracted by the ongoing search for his son, which at the moment consisted of a sort of dragnet through the area of woods where the car had been found. “You’re in charge of staffing. I trust your judgment one hundred percent. Besides, I’m not thinking a whole lot about the business right now, so if you like him, bring him on. We still have that six-week probationary period, right? If he doesn’t work out, he’s gone when the time’s up.”
    Her next call was to Emme, who’d been delighted at the possibility of another investigator coming on board.
    Susanna was also distracted by the ongoing search for Ian, and as expected, had deferred to Robert. Kevin had been characteristically diplomatic: “Listen to your gut,” he’d said.
    *   *   *
    Mallory made the call to Sam DelVecchio, and was surprised at his immediate—and positive—response.
    “When do I start?” he asked.
    She realized that she’d been so uncertain he’d even take the job that she hadn’t given a starting date much thought.
    “When would you like to start?”
    “I’ll need to tie up a few loose ends,” he said. “Is two weeks too long?”
    “Not for me, but it might be for Lynne Walker.”
    “Good point.” He paused, then said, “I’m going to have to go back to Virginia, take care of a few things, and then I’m going to have to find a place to live there.”
    “I think I mentioned at the interview that you’ll be on probation for six weeks or until your first case is resolved, whichever comes first.”
    “So what you’re saying is, don’t be in a hurry to put an ad in the paper to sublet my apartment.”
    “That’s pretty much it.”
    “I’ll still need to find some temporary lodgings there.”
    “Emme Caldwell—she was our first hire—stayed at a nice enough motel when she first started. I’d be happy to make a reservation for you at the same place. It’s not too far from the house and it has a restaurant and pool.”
    “That would be great, thanks.” He paused. “I’m assuming I’ll be meeting Mr. Magellan sometime during the six-week period?”
    “Possibly. He’s a little busy right now. But don’t address him as Mr. Magellan. He much prefers to be called Robert.”
    They discussed the Walker case and Sam said he could be up and running by Monday morning, which suited everyone just