Echoes Through the Vatican: A Paranormal Mystery (The Echoes Quartet Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

first option.  I was looking forward to it.  Still, I will offer another.  She turned to her young companion.
    “Cara, do you pass by here every day?” the inspector asked and the woman nodded and looked embarrassed.
    “And do these fools verbally assault you every day?” The woman nodded hesitantly and looked at the ground.
    “It isn’t assault.  It’s a compliment,” the first man down said with heat.
    “Is it a compliment if I come over there and kick the balls right off of you?  Shut up before I give you a compliment that will deny your momma any grandchildren.  As if!” Bella spat.
    “You!” the inspector pointed at the largest of the four.  “Come here.”
    The man scrambled to his feet.  “Sit.  Give this nice young woman your business card,” Bella said. The man looked confused.  The inspector grabbed the man’s tie and pulled.  “Business card.  Now! And write your cell number on the back.”
    He reached into his coat pocket, fished out his wallet and wrote his number as instructed. Bella gave the man’s card, and one of her own, to the young woman.
    “Good.  Here is the second option.  This is more complex. I know none of you are very smart, so follow along.”  She turned her attention to the young woman.  "Cara, going or coming from wherever you go or come from, you are to call this clownish sort of man.” Bella pointed so everyone understood who the players were. “He will escort you.”  The man opened his mouth, but self-preservation closed it for him.
    “You,” she turned her frightening attention to the man. “You will escort this young lady.  Should she encounter any name calling, or whistling, or abuse of any sort you will beat whoever commits such sins. You must do this with vigor, capisci?”  
    “If his performance is poor, call me,” the inspector said to the girl. "At that time, we will return to my favorite option.”  
    Bella stood and whispered to the woman, “He isn’t bad looking and he has a nice ass, no?”  The young woman blushed and nodded.  With vigor.
    The inspector returned to her partner and they continued on their way.  “Enrico, amore mio,” she said, “are you the only man worth knowing?”
    The big sergeant thought a moment and said, “For you, Bella?  Most definitely, I am the only one.”

Chapter Three
    The accent on the telephone was distinctive and the phrasing one-of-a-kind. “Professor, thank you for calling. It’s good to hear your voice,” Julian said. Professor Reginald Bragonier, professor of history at Trinity College Dublin, was the British husband of Julian’s mentor, Bridget.
    “Julian, old son, this is ugly business. It likes me not that our Ailís is missing. What hear you from the authorities?” the professor asked.
    “Nothing has come from the police other than they are doing everything they can to find her.”
    Julian continued with the sequence of events. “She finished her shift at the hospital and we were to meet for dinner as usual. I talked with the Chief of Staff at the hospital. He confirmed she was coming to meet me. It seems strange though.”
    “Strange in what way, my boy?” the professor asked.
    “Ailís told Dr. Stefani she had to go pick up a package. But that was all. The front desk clerk said he gave her a package delivery notice. The police will be running that down, but I plan on following up as well. She never mentioned a package to me and I talked with her on the phone this afternoon. It may have slipped her mind, but she is always so detailed,” Julian said.
    “Ah, well, that is…” the professor burbled and stalled before coming out with it. “That would be my fault I’m afraid. You see, I sent you some documents by overnight express,” the professor finished in a rush.
    “What express service? The clerk couldn’t remember the carrier so I’ve been checking with all of them. I have just two to go. Which carrier, professor? And documents? What kind of