called, but that was when the world believed in such things.
By the time Mulkerrin had finished his lunch of bay shrimp and salad, the conversation at the next table had long since turned personal. He lost interest as Guiscard and Benedict talked of family and friends and offered opinions on politics and the weather. He was elated by the knowledge that the lawyer lived alone.
He noticed that neither man broached the subject of religion.
He paid his bill and sat sipping coffee without tasting it as the two men rose and donned their coats. As they began to walk away Mulkerrin put down his coffee, and followed quickly after them.
A mother scolded her little boy for not finishing his lobster. The boy smiled violently at her, and she shut up quickly, unnerved. The friendly hostess was being harassed by a couple complaining about the long wait, and as Mulkerrin passed she suggested they fuck off and die.
He barely paid attention to the hostess as he went through the door. He stood in the Park Plaza and watched as Benedict and Guiscard said their good-byes, the cardinal heading for the elevator and Benedict crossing the lobby toward the door. Liam started after him.
Outside, the wind had died down a bit and snow was falling silently. Not much had accumulated in the hour since it had begun, but the sky was bleached white, promising quite a storm. The lawyer was headed toward Government Center, back to his firm, Claremont, Miller & Moore, and Father Liam Mulkerrin followed with practiced nonchalance.
The snow became heavier, the flakes huge and falling fast. Two blocks from Benedict’s destination, Mulkerrin began to weave the spell. His hands moved in small Jolts at his side, his fingers pointing and bending, drawing circles in the air. He whispered a few guttural words under his breath. Though complicated, the spell had become simple for him. A block from the building it was complete; when Daniel Benedict entered the building, Mulkerrin was there. Though a small part of his conscious mind stayed with his body, standing there on the street corner with his eyes closed as the snow fell in his hair, it was there only to alert him if anyone disturbed his corporeal form. The rest of his mind rode up the elevator with Benedict, concentrating on the job at hand.
Looking out through Daniel Benedict’s eyes, Liam Mulkerrin saw a pretty woman approaching; through the lawyer’s ears, he heard her say hello. What Mulkerrin most enjoyed about this spell was that the host had no idea he or she was being violated. He could intrude upon a person’s life for hours, and only the most spiritually attuned would ever feel the invasion. His only regret was that being inside a person’s mind did not allow him to read it.
Mulkerrin relaxed in Dan Benedict’s mind. He was looking for anything; any bit of information could be the clue to the book’s whereabouts. The woman was in her thirties, jet-black hair and gray eyes.
“Martina.” He waved. “What’s up?”
“I’ve been looking for you, Danny.”
“If it’s a problem, I don’t want to hear about it. I’m cutting out early. I need to get some rest.”
“It’s about Janet,” she said, and Mulkerrin felt the lawyer start.
“What happened?” he asked, the hope in his voice undisguisable.
“Well, it’s sort of weird. It seems her father hired a PI, and he’s got Meaghan helping him out.
“Meaghan came in today and wanted a rundown on Janet’s recent cases. I gave her some stuff—files, notes, Jan’s calendar. But I told her you were the lawyer on most of those cases and she should talk to you for details. She left her work number on your desk.”
Dan was silent for a moment.
“I hope that was okay,” Martina added. “I mean she said she’d have the stuff back by Monday.”
“Huh. Oh, yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.”
Mulkerrin was angry. This mission was starting to get complicated and he hated complicated. As Benedict headed for his desk the priest
By the time Mulkerrin had finished his lunch of bay shrimp and salad, the conversation at the next table had long since turned personal. He lost interest as Guiscard and Benedict talked of family and friends and offered opinions on politics and the weather. He was elated by the knowledge that the lawyer lived alone.
He noticed that neither man broached the subject of religion.
He paid his bill and sat sipping coffee without tasting it as the two men rose and donned their coats. As they began to walk away Mulkerrin put down his coffee, and followed quickly after them.
A mother scolded her little boy for not finishing his lobster. The boy smiled violently at her, and she shut up quickly, unnerved. The friendly hostess was being harassed by a couple complaining about the long wait, and as Mulkerrin passed she suggested they fuck off and die.
He barely paid attention to the hostess as he went through the door. He stood in the Park Plaza and watched as Benedict and Guiscard said their good-byes, the cardinal heading for the elevator and Benedict crossing the lobby toward the door. Liam started after him.
Outside, the wind had died down a bit and snow was falling silently. Not much had accumulated in the hour since it had begun, but the sky was bleached white, promising quite a storm. The lawyer was headed toward Government Center, back to his firm, Claremont, Miller & Moore, and Father Liam Mulkerrin followed with practiced nonchalance.
The snow became heavier, the flakes huge and falling fast. Two blocks from Benedict’s destination, Mulkerrin began to weave the spell. His hands moved in small Jolts at his side, his fingers pointing and bending, drawing circles in the air. He whispered a few guttural words under his breath. Though complicated, the spell had become simple for him. A block from the building it was complete; when Daniel Benedict entered the building, Mulkerrin was there. Though a small part of his conscious mind stayed with his body, standing there on the street corner with his eyes closed as the snow fell in his hair, it was there only to alert him if anyone disturbed his corporeal form. The rest of his mind rode up the elevator with Benedict, concentrating on the job at hand.
Looking out through Daniel Benedict’s eyes, Liam Mulkerrin saw a pretty woman approaching; through the lawyer’s ears, he heard her say hello. What Mulkerrin most enjoyed about this spell was that the host had no idea he or she was being violated. He could intrude upon a person’s life for hours, and only the most spiritually attuned would ever feel the invasion. His only regret was that being inside a person’s mind did not allow him to read it.
Mulkerrin relaxed in Dan Benedict’s mind. He was looking for anything; any bit of information could be the clue to the book’s whereabouts. The woman was in her thirties, jet-black hair and gray eyes.
“Martina.” He waved. “What’s up?”
“I’ve been looking for you, Danny.”
“If it’s a problem, I don’t want to hear about it. I’m cutting out early. I need to get some rest.”
“It’s about Janet,” she said, and Mulkerrin felt the lawyer start.
“What happened?” he asked, the hope in his voice undisguisable.
“Well, it’s sort of weird. It seems her father hired a PI, and he’s got Meaghan helping him out.
“Meaghan came in today and wanted a rundown on Janet’s recent cases. I gave her some stuff—files, notes, Jan’s calendar. But I told her you were the lawyer on most of those cases and she should talk to you for details. She left her work number on your desk.”
Dan was silent for a moment.
“I hope that was okay,” Martina added. “I mean she said she’d have the stuff back by Monday.”
“Huh. Oh, yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.”
Mulkerrin was angry. This mission was starting to get complicated and he hated complicated. As Benedict headed for his desk the priest
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