Dangerous Mercy: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

pointing to herself.
    “ You’re Grace Broussard? Den we do know you.”
    Hebert tapped her on the nose, evoking a belly laugh that turned her topaz eyes to slits.
    Zoe enjoyed this little ritual that had developed between her favorite customers and her daughter and couldn’t quite remember what life was like before she had Grace.
    “Is it okay with you fellas if Grace watches you play checkers while she has a snack? Her afternoon babysitter’s going to be late.”
    “Okay wid me.” Hebert picked up Grace’s hand and kissed it. “I always win when Miss Grace watches.”
    “You always win—period,” Tex said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    The bell on the front door tinkled, and Murray Hamelin came inside, toolbox in hand. He caught Zoe’s gaze and walked over to her.
    “I’m all set. Where’s your computer?”
    “In the office,” Zoe said. “Out in the alcove. I’ll show you. Guys, if you need anything, tell Savannah I said it’s on the house.”
    Zoe walked out of the dining room and into the alcove, and unlocked the door to the office.
    “Normally, I’d call the Geek Squad.” She went inside and flipped the light switch. “But Noah said you were good with computers so Pierce and I decided we’d rather give you the business.”
    “I appreciate that.”
    “The laptop is still in the box—there on the desk. Where’d you learn computers?”
    “I had a life before things took a nosedive. Computers and I have always gotten along. I understand them. And I’m a lot more reasonable than the Geek Squad.”
    “And you stand behind your work?”
    “Absolutely. I’ll get you completely set up and running with all the software you purchased. I charge a flat rate of seventy-five dollars. I don’t charge you extra if I have to come back and tweak it.”
    “Fair enough.”
    There was a knock on the door. Zoe looked through the peephole and saw her head waitress, Savannah Surette. She opened the door.
    “Sorry to bug you.” Savannah put her hands behind her head and tightened her ponytail. “There’s a Flynn Gillis here to see Murray.”
    “Could you tell him I’ve left?” Murray said. “Or that you can’t find me. I don’t want anything to do with the guy. He can’t be trusted.”
    Savannah locked gazes with Zoe. “He is a colorful character. Long, stringy hair. No shirt. The sort that better fits the clientele at the Den, if you know what I mean.”
    “Can you see Murray behind me?” Zoe said.
    Savannah shook her head. “You’re in the way. I hear his voice though.”
    “Go back and tell Flynn you looked for Murray and didn’t see him, which is technically true. Suggest that he might want to check back at Haven House. If he gives you any trouble, come back and get me.”
    “Will do.”
    Zoe shut the door and turned to Murray, who was removing the packing from the laptop he had pulled out of the box.
    “I’m uncomfortable telling lies,” she said. “Even white ones. What’s up with Flynn?”
    “He’s the one guy at Haven House I just don’t like. Every time I give him a break and pay him to help me with a job, he blows it. Earlier today, he backed out of helping me move Adele Woodmore’s furniture. That’s it. I’m done helping him.”
    “He has to work to stay at the halfway house, doesn’t he?”
    “That’s the rule. But he’s shown no initiative. If he gets kicked out, it’s his own fault.”

     
    At six fifteen that evening, Murray ran up the front steps at Haven House, pushed open the front door, and was hit with a delicious, spicy aroma that seemed to permeate the living room.
    Father Vince came down the hall from the kitchen, still dressed in his cleric shirt, munching something crunchy. “There you are. I was afraid you were going to miss our Tuesday-night jambalaya.”
    Murray smiled. “After I finished setting up the computer at Zoe B’s, I went down to Cypress Park and walked around—then sat on a park bench and fell asleep. I just woke up a