Man Who Loved God Read Online Free PDF Page A

little.”
    Koesler looked at his watch, something he was apt to do many times during the day and perhaps a couple of times through the night. “It’s getting close to seven.”
    “So it is,” Tully said as he checked his watch. “Guess I’d better get going.”
    “Do you have a car? You can borrow mine for the evening. I’ll be busy packing.”
    “Thanks, but I’m renting one. It’s on the order.” He grinned. “The vow of poverty comes in handy every once in a while.
    “Besides,” he added, “Mr. Adams said he’d send a car to pick me up tonight.” Tully stood and peered through the window overlooking the parking lot. “And here it is now. That is, unless you’re driving a Lincoln.”
    Koesler chuckled. “Not a chance. I’m surprised he didn’t send a stretch limo. There’s a lot of that going on around here.”
    “Probably in deference to that vow of poverty,” Tully joked.
    “I won’t be leaving too early tomorrow,” Koesler said. “If you have any questions, we can talk about them in the morning. And of course I’ll leave you my number at Georgian Bay.”
    Tully, on his way down the steps, looked back and smiled. “Don’t worry, Father, I’ll take good care of your baby. And I’ll return her to you safe and sound with no heresies flourishing on your return. Trust me. After all, I’m not fresh out of the seminary. Just relax and have a good rest.”
    Koesler watched Tully’s departure until the Town Car turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Even though the car and Tully were gone, Koesler continued to gaze out the window. He wasn’t seeing what he was looking at. His mind was miles away.
    He was beginning to be … what?… homesick. And he hadn’t even left home yet.
    What had he to be concerned about? St. Joseph’s parish had existed long before he came into being. It had survived many pastors. It would survive him.
    He should be confident in entrusting the parish to Father Tully. For one, Koesler long had had friends among the Josephites. He admired the order.
    But Father Tully had asked too few questions when the two had toured the buildings. Then again, as Tully himself had stated, he was not a newly ordained priest, the oil of ordination still moist on his hands. He was a seasoned veteran. Surely he could administer old St. Joe’s.
    Besides, his brother was Alonzo Tully, a proven professional. Trustworthy and competent.
    On the other hand, though the two had a common father, they had different mothers. Raised entirely differently. The priestly Tully could not be measured by his policeman brother. And if he could not be measured by what Koesler knew of his brother, what, indeed, did Koesler know about this visiting priest?
    Not much.
    Before the phone call, neither Koesler nor the lieutenant had been aware of Father Tully’s existence. His call had taken Koesler completely by surprise—a voice volunteering to step in and make it possible for the pastor to enjoy a most rare vacation.
    In the final analysis, Father Zachary Tully was a complete stranger. And in the present setup, the visitor would be completely unsupervised.
    What if there were some sort of emergency? Could Tully be trusted to call Koesler if he were needed?
    But most of all—and this was important—there was this pressing premonition: something was going to happen that would demand the presence of Father Koesler. He knew it.
    Maybe he could shorten his vacation. One week would give him as much rest as two. In fact, it probably was statistically proven that after such a long hiatus in vacations, brevity in leisure was advisable. Better to get into something like that slowly, gradually.
    Doing things cold turkey was not Koesler’s style.
    But then he laughed at himself. All this rationalization was ridiculous.
    In the little time he’d had to get organized, Koesler had prepared pretty thoroughly for Father Tully’s short stay at St. Joe’s. The most important element of that planning had been to