Body Of Truth by Deirdre Savoy Page A

in the hospital parking lot, Mari said, “You know what gets to me. That poor bastard probably feels guilty for not killing her.”
    Jonathan had sensed it, too—Sheffield’s rage, not completely directed at Amanda Pierce but also at himself for his own impotence to do what he felt needed to be done.
    He’d leave it to the shrinks to analyze the Sheffields of the world. All he knew was that the man’s innocence closed off one more area of investigation. Once again, they were back to square one.
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    â€œFrankly, Father, I’m going a little stir crazy.”
    Father Mike, still dressed in shorts and a T-shirt from his morning run, chuckled. He’d claimed to have stopped by simply because he’d passed her house on his run, but she didn’t believe him. He was checking up on her. As much as she hated it, she made the decision to let all those busy bees in her life have their way, since none of them seemed capable of taking no for an answer. Joanna was due to visit in another half hour. If she could withstand Joanna’s mothering she could survive anything.
    Father Mike had shown up fifteen minutes ago, and after commenting on the continuing heat of the weather, he’d asked her how she was coping. The comment on going nuts had been her answer.
    â€œDon’t they say doctors and nurses make the worst patients?”
    â€œThat’s because we know all the things than can possibly go wrong once you put that hospital gown on. Sometimes the injury or ailment that caused you to seek treatment is the least of your worries.”
    He regarded her for a long moment in a way that left her clueless as to what he was thinking. “You’ve seen a lot, haven’t you,” he said finally.
    Yes, she’d seen her share of misery. If she wanted to shock him, she could share some of it with him. But she didn’t. Instead she offered him a rueful smile. “I suppose you have too, Father.”
    He offered back the same rueful smile, then shook his head. “Actually, I did have a purpose in stopping by. I spoke to Ms. Evans as you asked me to.”
    â€œHow is she?”
    â€œAs well as can be expected under the circumstances, I guess. She asked me to apologize to you for hanging up on you the way she did. She thought you’d be angry with her considering that you were almost killed because of her grandson.”
    Dana shook her head. It had never occurred to her to blame Nadine for what happened. “She should know me better than that.”
    Father Mike shrugged, a gesture of helplessness to explain the workings of another’s mind. “I helped her make the arrangements for the burial tomorrow morning. We can go together if you like.”
    Considering that she was in no shape to drive an automobile, that sounded fine. “Thank you, Father.”
    He stood. “I’ll come by at seven-thirty to pick you up.”
    She walked him to the door. “Thanks again.”
    He winked at her. “That’s what I’m here for.” He jogged down the stairs and headed south toward the school.
    The sound of a car door slamming alerted her to the blue and yellow taxi parked across the street. Joanna was making her way from it toward the house, but her gaze was focused in the direction Father Mike had taken.
    The minute Joanna hit the bottom step, she asked, “And who was that I just saw leaving and awfully early in the morning, at that?”
    Dana almost laughed. She should have known what Joanna would read into the situation finding any man leaving her house, much less one who looked like Father Mike. “It’s not like that, Joanna.”
    â€œWell, why not? You aren’t getting any younger, you know.” Joanna passed her on the way toward the back of the house.
    Dana shut the door behind her. No kidding. Who was? “There’s always the racial divide,” Dana said, more to goad Joanna than anything