you must promise me something in return.” Another battle for breath wracked his body.
“Andre—promise me you’ll not let anger and bitterness rule your life!”
His father was asking the impossible, but with Death holding her jaws open wide, Andre didn’t see he had a choice and gave his newly found parent the one promise he couldn’t imagine keeping.
Fran couldn’t believe it was the middle of May already. Friday was the deadline for the July issue, and she still had to make that trip out to Clarion today to visit some of the descendants of the first Jewish settlers to the state and get pictures.
“Line two for you, Frannie.”
“I can’t take it right now, Paula.”
“But the man called five times yesterday.”
“What’s his name?”
“He wouldn’t leave it. I told him you would be in for a few minutes this morning and now I’ve run out of excuses.”
“Oh, all right.”
She hated it when people refused to be called back, as if she lived to answer their phone calls. Pushing the hair away from her face, she put the receiver to her ear. “Fran Mallory here.”
“Ms. Mallory. At last.”
Fran recognized that voice.
Without volition her body started to tremble for a variety of reasons she couldn’t explain. One thing was certain. Trappist monk or no, she refused to help him out. If that was uncharitable, then so be it. He’d been horrible to her.
“Yes?” came her sharp reply.
“I deserved that.”
The unexpected olive branch caused her eyes to close tightly. Never in her life had she met a person less like a monk, even if she hadn’t personally known one.
“If the Abbot is well enough to handle an interview, you should be talking to Paul Goates. It’s his story.”
“I understand he’s on vacation. If you still want to do the article, come to the monastery now.”
The line went dead.
She held the receiver in front of her and let out a cry of frustration before banging it down on the hook.
“Come to the monastery now,” she mimicked him in a Darth Vader voice. Who did he think he was? The divine vessel?
“Talking to yourself again, Frannie? You know what that’s a sign of,” Paul baited her.
Paul!
She swung around in her swivel chair. “What are you doing here?”
The short blond journalist blinked. “Last I knew, I happened to work here.”
“But you’re on vacation.”
“I am? Did Barney finally give me a break? Now? When we’re this close to the deadline? That’s news to me.”
“That monk from the monastery just called and said I should come for the interview right now. He said you were out of town.”
“I was. Yesterday.” Paul broke out in a grin. “That monk must want to see you again. If you can’t imagine how hard up they are for the sight of a good-looking woman, I can.”
Paul was wrong. The particular monk in question didn’t like women. She had firsthand knowledge of that salient fact.
“Well, I’m certainly not going back there again when it’s your story, Paul.”
“Ah, come on. Give the poor guy a break.” He winked. “Besides, I’m due at the Dinosaur Museum out in Vernal by noon to get pictures on that new set of Brontosaurus fossils for the July edition. And don’t forget, you’ve already taken outside photos of the monastery.
“They were fabulous, by the way. In fact some of those wide-angled lens shots capturing the mountains were inspired. It’s all yours with my blessing, Frannie baby.”
“Thanks a lot,” she muttered, not in the least happy about the sudden change in plans. She almost dreaded seeing him again, though in her heart of hearts she had to admit the monk fascinated her. He made her feel things she’d never felt before and couldn’t put a name to. The only saving grace was the fact that she’d be in the Abbot’s company for the duration of the interview.
As for the monk, she could pray he wouldn’t be anywhere around. If she did happen to bump into him, she would pretend he wasn’t alive.
But a half hour later she had to recant those words when she discovered him waiting for her in the parking lot of the monastery grounds. Before the car had even come to a stop, the adrenaline was surging through her veins.
He opened the door on the driver’s side and took the camera case from her. Heat suffused her face as she felt his glance on her long, shapely legs where her dress had ridden up. She quickly got out of the car, noticing that he was dressed in the same dark work pants and matching shirt he’d worn the other day.
On her first visit, she hadn’t realized how tan he was. The gift shop had been too dim. In the strong sunlight, his skin looked burnished to teak, witness of the many hours he spent in the out-of-doors. His dark aquiline features and strong, hard-muscled body took her breath. Embarrassed to be caught staring, she averted her eyes.
“You must have surpassed the speed limit to have arrived here this fast, Ms. Mallory.”
“I’m on a deadline. This stop is only one of several I have to make today, but I suppose that to you it’s another sin you can lay at my feet.”
“Another?”
“No doubt you’ve compiled a long list by now.”
“Why would I do that?” He shut the door for her.
“Why, indeed. Is the Abbot waiting inside?”
“No. He passed away four days after your visit.”
Fran let out a shocked gasp. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me this when you phoned?”
“Why?” He stroked his strong chin. “Surely his death could mean nothing to you. You’ll still get your story.”
She turned on the monk, her hands curled into fists. “How can you say that? Paul told me that over the phone he came across as a wonderful, delightful person. I was looking forward to meeting him and am very saddened by the news.”
“I stand rebuked,” he murmured.
She swallowed hard. As an apology, it wasn’t much. But obviously this monk had never developed any social graces.
“I understand he was the Abbot here for over thirty years. Being that you monks live in such a close community, I can only assume that he’ll be terribly missed.”
“I’m
