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demanded?”
    “Asked. But I had the feeling if I'd said no, she'd have begged until I said I'd see her.”
    “When is she coming in?”
    “This afternoon. I told her I could see her around two.”
    “Doesn't give you much time to check her references.”
    “I already did that. Actually, I do a preliminarycheck of the ones who look qualified as soon as I get the app. If I know up front that someone isn't going to be a contender, that's one less interview I have to arrange.”
    “Did she check out?”
    Robert wandered in and took the chair next to Trula's.
    “Did who check out?” he asked.
    Mallory filled him in on the conversation thus far.
    “So did she?” Trula repeated.
    “She did. Actually, her former boss gave her a glowing reference.” Mallory took a sip of coffee. “It was as if she couldn't say enough about her. I can't explain why, but it just sounded … I don't know, too pat or something.”
    “Why's that?” asked Susanna, who'd been listening at the doorway.
    “You're chief of police in a town not far from the Mexican border. One of your best officers quits the force with no notice—I mean, how much notice could she have given? The application just went online two weeks ago, and this woman is already here after having driven from California. And yet you still give her the highest possible recommendation? You never mention the fact that she left you high and dry and a man short?” Mallory shook her head. “Something about that just isn't sitting right with me.”
    “So maybe after you talk to her, you'll have an idea why.” Robert stood and stretched. “I trust your instincts, Mal. It's up to you whether or not to hire her.”
    “Well, I'd sure like to have an opportunity to interview some of the competition.”
    “There isn't going to be a whole lot of time to deliberate. If it looks like she can't cut it, cross her off the list and go on to the next one. We're going to need staff pronto.”
    “We're going to need the
right
staff,” Mallory reminded him. “You want the best person for the job, not just
any
investigator.”
    “True enough. But you can't tell me that in that entire bunch of applicants you can't find someone who fits the bill who can start really soon. We set the first of the month as our deadline to kick off that first case, and the first is closing in on us very quickly,” he pointed out. “Kevin will be here late this afternoon and we'll be deciding which case gets the privilege of being number one.”
    “I have it down to three,” Mallory told him. “The write-ups are on your desk.” She turned to Susanna. “Yours, too.”
    “I already read through them. Interesting. A little something there for everyone,” Susanna remarked.
    “How many submissions did we get?” Robert asked.
    “Six hundred and twelve,” Mallory told him.
    “How did you cut them down to three?”
    “Wasn't easy.”
    “I should go take a look.” Robert stood. “Did Kevin get copies, Mal?”
    “I faxed them to the church office this morning.”
    “Well, then, I'll leave this other thing—the possibly overzealous applicant—in your hands,” Robert said as he left the room.
    Mallory turned to Susanna, who shrugged and said, “Like Robert said, it's up to you. But we willneed to hire someone soon. Over six hundred submissions in two weeks? Craziness.” She followed Robert out the door.
    Mallory turned to Trula.
    “Don't look at me. I'm just the cook.”
    “My ass.”
    Smiling, Trula stood and picked up the crumpled napkin and the empty mug.
    “Lunch is in thirty minutes.”
    Emme stopped in front of the ornate iron gates that shut off Robert Magellan's estate from the rest of the world. She put the car in park and stared at the guard who was walking toward her.
    “Can I help you, miss?” he asked.
    “Is this Robert Magellan's? …”
    He nodded.
    “I have an appointment with Mallory Russo.”
    “Ms. Caldwell?”
    It took a split second for her to realize he was