Divine Temptation Read Online Free PDF

think of me as a friend. Has Father Reardon spoken to you about his upcoming presentation?”
    “Not in the last couple of weeks.” It struck Maggie how odd it was to be looking straight across at the monsignor. Typically she was seated at her desk with him hovering and intimidating above her, but somehow he was able to evoke a faint sense of unease even at equal level.
    “You should speak with him as soon as possible,” he said. “There are a few changes.”
    Sarto had already put the kibosh on hosting the Biblical archeology talk anywhere other than St. John’s, and now it sounded like he was making changes to the presentation itself. Maggie felt a wave of indignation on behalf of Father Tom. “I’ll stop in to see him tonight after I drop off the flowers,” she promised. “Enjoy the rest of your stroll—it’s the perfect day to be here.”
    The line of his mouth stretched into a wider smile. “That it is. Be sure to talk with Father Reardon.”
    Maggie headed in the opposite direction of the priest to meet Sharon in the greenhouse. After loading the potted plants into the back of her minivan, Maggie enlightened her friend. “You’re not going to believe who I ran into out there.”
    “Who?”
    “ Mwahahahah!” She didn’t tell her about the other visitor or the odd occurrence at the urn.

    After running Kirsten and Liam to their various appointments, fixing dinner, and getting the kids settled down to do their homework, Maggie drove to St. John’s to arrange the plants on the altar. Father Dominic helped her carry them in from her car.
    Inside the church, a couple of people prayed in the adoration chapel, and a few parishioners knelt at the regular pews, silently reciting their penance. It was the designated evening hour for the sacrament of reconciliation, so an additional four people stood along the far wall while waiting for their turn in the confessional. Both lights were on above the doors, so Maggie surmised that the monsignor and the pastor were each taking confessions.
    Up at the altar, Maggie kept her voice low and asked Father Dominic if he knew anything about changes to Father Tom’s presentation. “Monsignor told me to talk to him about it.”
    Father Dominic set the last plant down. “What’s that they say in Proverbs? Rushing into a quarrel that is not my own would be like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.”
    “Prefer chickens to dogs, do you?” Maggie asked with a teasing twist to her lips. “Probably a wise move though, in your position.”
    “Glad to hear you agree. Do you need any more help with anything?”
    “Nope. I’m all good here. Thanks for meeting me.”
    “You’re welcome—I’m always happy to help. Have a blessed evening.”
    “You too.” Maggie tended to her work as inconspicuously as she could, sheathing the plain plastic containers in clay pots and arranging them on the altar. When she finished, she stepped back and imprinted the precise layout into her memory. She wanted to be able to pinpoint exactly which aspects of her design Sarto had rejected when she’d undoubtedly find the plants rearranged within the next day or two. A peek at her watch told her Father Tom would be occupied with confessions for another fifteen minutes, so she went to one of the pews and prayed until the door of the confessionals opened for the last time and the lights above them went out.
    When the pastor exited the confessional from his side and stepped through the sacristy into the narthex, he found Maggie waiting for him. “Do you have a minute?” she asked.
    “Of course. Let’s go talk in the usher’s room.”
    She followed him to the side room, located just before the doors leading into the church. Although the lounge also served as a pre-ceremony gathering place for brides and their bridesmaids, the décor was distinctly masculine with rich brown carpeting and furniture. The room was situated in the center of the building and had no windows. Rather than flipping on