advantage of anyone.”
“Good.” The smile was more genuine this time. “Then we understand each other.”
“It appears we do.” Mallory met Susanna’s gaze but did not look away. Best to lay that card on the table right up front. Mallory did not intimidate easily, and wasn’t one to back down under pressure.
Susanna was the first to break the lock when she reached for the phone and entered two numbers. After several seconds had passed, she spoke softly into the receiver.
“I know you’re busy, but I’d like you to meet Mallory Russo.” Pause. “The investigator Kevin hired to look for Ryan Corcoran.” Another pause. “Yes, I do think it’s necessary.” Pause again, then, “For heaven’s sake, Robert, it will only take you a minute.” She hung up, shaking her head.
Mallory waited for her to offer some explanation, but she did not, and before Mallory could ask, the door swung open. She turned in her chair just as Robert Magellan entered the room.
“Robert, this is Mallory Russo.” Susanna made the introductions. “Mallory, Robert Magellan.”
Mallory rose to face him. He was taller than she’d expected, and much better looking. He’d have been even handsome, she thought, if he wasn’t scowling.
“Good to meet you,” she said, offering her hand.
He took it and gave it a perfunctory shake. “So you’re going to find Mary Corcoran’s grandson and his friend and prove they didn’t kill these two other kids, and peace will prevail at Our Lady of the Angels once again and Kevin can get back to tending his flock and I can get back to whatever it was I was doing.”
“That’s the plan, sir. I’ll do my best,” Mallory told him.
“Good.” Robert looked back at Susanna as if to say,
Okay, I met your new person. May I leave now?
Susanna nodded, her eyes following Robert as he headed for the door. “Nice to meet you,” he said on his way out.
Before Mallory could respond, he turned back. “Oh. One thing. Don’t call me sir.”
“Sorry, Mr. Magellan,” a slightly taken-aback Mallory replied.
“Robert. It’s just Robert,” he corrected before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
“So that’s Robert Magellan” was the only thing Mallory could think of to say after he’d left the room.
Susanna laughed, the first sign of real warmth she’d shown since Mallory arrived. Except when her boss had entered the room. There had been more than warmth in her eyes as she’d watched him.
“Yes, that’s Robert. He isn’t always so…” The smile still on her face, she fished for a word.
“So rude? So obviously disinterested?”
“Either will do nicely, yes.”
“You’d think he’d be a little more interested in the investigation since it’s his money that’s paying for it.”
“Money isn’t very important to him anymore,” Susanna explained. “It was, once upon a time, when he was first learning how to make it. Now it’s…” She shrugged.
“It’s not consolation for what he’s lost.” Mallory finished the thought for her.
“That’s as good a way to put it as any, I suppose.” Susanna reached for the file, suddenly all business again, the light gone from her eyes. “I’m going to insist that you sign the agreement, Ms. Russo, or there isn’t going to be an investigation. At least, not one conducted by you.”
“I don’t have a problem with not discussing the details of my employment.” Mallory reached for the pen that Susanna held in her hand. “The object is to find out what really happened that night. No one needs to know that Mr. Magell—Robert is involved in any way.”
“Good.” Susanna handed her the pen, and Mallory signed the document. “Did Kevin tell you how we’ll work this? At the end of the week, you’ll give me your hours, receipts for whatever expenses you incurred—meals, gas…” She paused, then asked, “Will you need a car? We have several available.”
“I have a car, thank you.”
“Any expenses
“Good.” The smile was more genuine this time. “Then we understand each other.”
“It appears we do.” Mallory met Susanna’s gaze but did not look away. Best to lay that card on the table right up front. Mallory did not intimidate easily, and wasn’t one to back down under pressure.
Susanna was the first to break the lock when she reached for the phone and entered two numbers. After several seconds had passed, she spoke softly into the receiver.
“I know you’re busy, but I’d like you to meet Mallory Russo.” Pause. “The investigator Kevin hired to look for Ryan Corcoran.” Another pause. “Yes, I do think it’s necessary.” Pause again, then, “For heaven’s sake, Robert, it will only take you a minute.” She hung up, shaking her head.
Mallory waited for her to offer some explanation, but she did not, and before Mallory could ask, the door swung open. She turned in her chair just as Robert Magellan entered the room.
“Robert, this is Mallory Russo.” Susanna made the introductions. “Mallory, Robert Magellan.”
Mallory rose to face him. He was taller than she’d expected, and much better looking. He’d have been even handsome, she thought, if he wasn’t scowling.
“Good to meet you,” she said, offering her hand.
He took it and gave it a perfunctory shake. “So you’re going to find Mary Corcoran’s grandson and his friend and prove they didn’t kill these two other kids, and peace will prevail at Our Lady of the Angels once again and Kevin can get back to tending his flock and I can get back to whatever it was I was doing.”
“That’s the plan, sir. I’ll do my best,” Mallory told him.
“Good.” Robert looked back at Susanna as if to say,
Okay, I met your new person. May I leave now?
Susanna nodded, her eyes following Robert as he headed for the door. “Nice to meet you,” he said on his way out.
Before Mallory could respond, he turned back. “Oh. One thing. Don’t call me sir.”
“Sorry, Mr. Magellan,” a slightly taken-aback Mallory replied.
“Robert. It’s just Robert,” he corrected before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
“So that’s Robert Magellan” was the only thing Mallory could think of to say after he’d left the room.
Susanna laughed, the first sign of real warmth she’d shown since Mallory arrived. Except when her boss had entered the room. There had been more than warmth in her eyes as she’d watched him.
“Yes, that’s Robert. He isn’t always so…” The smile still on her face, she fished for a word.
“So rude? So obviously disinterested?”
“Either will do nicely, yes.”
“You’d think he’d be a little more interested in the investigation since it’s his money that’s paying for it.”
“Money isn’t very important to him anymore,” Susanna explained. “It was, once upon a time, when he was first learning how to make it. Now it’s…” She shrugged.
“It’s not consolation for what he’s lost.” Mallory finished the thought for her.
“That’s as good a way to put it as any, I suppose.” Susanna reached for the file, suddenly all business again, the light gone from her eyes. “I’m going to insist that you sign the agreement, Ms. Russo, or there isn’t going to be an investigation. At least, not one conducted by you.”
“I don’t have a problem with not discussing the details of my employment.” Mallory reached for the pen that Susanna held in her hand. “The object is to find out what really happened that night. No one needs to know that Mr. Magell—Robert is involved in any way.”
“Good.” Susanna handed her the pen, and Mallory signed the document. “Did Kevin tell you how we’ll work this? At the end of the week, you’ll give me your hours, receipts for whatever expenses you incurred—meals, gas…” She paused, then asked, “Will you need a car? We have several available.”
“I have a car, thank you.”
“Any expenses
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